Salisbury-Elk Lick athletes to compete in college football, volleyball

SALISBURY, Pa. – Recent Salisbury-Elk Lick High School graduates Ava Hummel and Lance Jones will compete at the collegiate level this fall.

Hummel is set to join the volleyball team at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, and Jones will play football at St. Francis University.

• Hummel was able to find her ideal academic and athletic home with the Bobcats in Greensburg.

“Pitt-Greensburg felt like the perfect fit for me both academically and athletically,” Hummel said. “From the moment I visited campus, I could see myself there. The environment felt very welcoming and the coaches were supportive. It felt like a place where I could grow as both a student and a volleyball player.”

Hummel will major in pre-law.

“I’ve always been interested in critical thinking, communication and learning how to advocate for others,” Hummel said. “I enjoy analyzing situations from different perspectives and challenging myself academically. I’m excited to continue learning skills that will prepare me for law school and my future career.”

Pitt-Greensburg competes at the NCAA Division III level within the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference. The Bobcats are led by coach Holly Saville.

“What stood out most to me was the team culture and the coaching staff,” Hummel said. “You can tell the program truly cares about developing players both on and off the court.”

An outside hitter who was an all-WestPAC selection in 2024 and 2025, Hummel also cheered and played basketball and softball. Playing club volleyball allowed Hummel’s skills to improve over time.

“Playing college volleyball has always been a goal of mine,” Hummel said. “I’ve wanted the opportunity to continue competing at the next level while also getting a great education.

“Volleyball has taught me discipline, leadership, resilience and teamwork, and I’m grateful it’s giving me the chance to continue doing what I love in college.”

Hummel is the daughter of John and Stephanie Hummel.

• A two-sport standout, Jones decided on football with the Red Wolves. Jones was recruited as a quarterback.

“The location, atmosphere and networking,” Jones said as he described his decision to join a St. Francis football program making the transition from the NCAA Division I level to Division III this fall.

Jones, at 6-foot-3 and 178 pounds, was named to the 2025 Pennsylvania Football Writers’ Class 1A all-state team. He led the Meyersdale Red Raiders to their first District 5 title since 2006.

Jones was named to The Tribune-Democrat All-Area first team in 2025 as a defensive athlete.

He completed 267 of 516 passes (51.7%) with 3,925 passing yards and 39 touchdowns over his career. Jones added 292 rushing yards and eight scores. On defense, he totaled 124 tackles, 14 passes defensed and 12 interceptions (six in 2025).

Jones also compiled 1,763 points, 557 rebounds, 363 assists, 232 steals and 88 blocks in basketball. He finished as the program’s leading scorer at Salisbury-Elk Lick. He averaged 17.6 points per game over his career with nine double-doubles and one triple-double. Jones was part of the Turkeyfoot Valley basketball squad that won the 2024-25 District 5 Class 1A and WestPAC titles.

As a senior, he was named to the Pennsylvania Sports Writers’ Class 1A all-state second team. Jones averaged 23.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.4 steals a game as a senior.

He will major in physical therapy at St. Francis.

“What I like about that field is being able to work directly with patients on gaining their ability to gain mobility and strength to live their lives,” Jones said.

Jones sees himself fitting in well with the Red Wolves.

“The coaches and the ability to make an impact right away,” Jones said of what led him to Loretto.

Jones may join the basketball team later in his career, depending on his workload.

Playing football in college was always his goal.

“Playing college football for me is important because I love the competition and working as a team for one goal,” Jones said. “Playing college football has always been a goal because I love football and the challenges it brings to me.”

Jones is the son of Travis and Becky Jones.