The 2012 fall season was a successful one for the Gettysburg College athletic program. A number of teams received regional and national notice, while challenging for Centennial Conference championships.
 
Five of the seven teams finished among the top half of the conference standings with volleyball, women's soccer, and field hockey qualifying for postseason play. Football posted its best overall record in 18 years and women's cross country placed sixth at the Mideast Regional.
 
Individually, 23 Bullets earned All-Centennial Conference status. Twenty-seven were also named to the CC Fall Academic Honor Roll and three were tabbed Academic All-District First Team. Junior Andrew Bellis also became the 27th Academic All-America selection in school history and the first for the men's soccer program.
 
Below are just a few of the top moments from the fall season:
 
Freddy Caruso Opens the Year - WATCH
Football vs. Misericordia – Sept. 1, 2012
 
Sophomore Freddy Caruso opened the year in dramatic fashion by returning the opening kick-off of the season 89 yards for a touchdown against Misericordia. It was the first collegiate contest for the Cougars and Caruso made it memorable from the start, fielding the ball at the 11-yardline and dashing down the left side of the field for the score. Gettysburg won the game 70-0.
 
Christian Pyros Lights Up Mary Washington - WATCH
Men's Soccer vs. Mary Washington – Sept. 19, 2012
 
Sophomore Christian Pyros helped Gettysburg down Mary Washington 1-0 at Clark Field. Junior Tyler Shaffer's free kick caromed off the left post and Pyros was there for the rebound, blasting a shot just outside the box into the left side of the cage.
 
Rachel West's OT Winner at Frostburg State - WATCH
Women's Soccer vs. Frostburg State – Sept. 26, 2012
 
Gettysburg scored a dramatic 2-1 double-overtime victory at Frostburg State. The Bullets were situated in the offensive side of the field when a Bobcat defender tried to clear the ball out of the zone. The ball went right to junior Rachel West who touched it once before blasting a shot top shelf into the back of the net.
 
Meg Castranova Corner-Kick Goal - WATCH
Women's Soccer vs. Haverford – Sept. 29, 2012
 
Sophomore Meg Castranova lifted Gettysburg to a 2-1 win over No. 24 Haverford with a goal off a corner kick in the second period. Situated in the right corner, Castranova looped the ball over the crowd in front of the goal and into the left corner for the game-winning score in the 50th minute.
 
Connor Darrell Stops Swarthmore PK - WATCH
Men's Soccer vs. Swarthmore – Oct. 6, 2012

Junior Connor Darrell kept the match between Gettysburg and Swarthmore scoreless with a diving stop on a penalty kick late in the first half. Jack Momeyer took the hit for the Garnet with Darrell diving to his left to stop the ball from reaching the goal. Swarthmore would earn the victory 1-0 in double-overtime.
 
Kody Smith, Aden Twer Leap to TD - WATCH
Football vs. Muhlenberg – Oct. 13, 2012
 
Senior Kody Smith found junior Aden Twer in the end zone for a game-tying score late in third quarter of a 35-31 loss at Muhlenberg. Smith took the snap, dashed to his right, and jumped into the air for a pass just before getting tackled by a defender. Twer snuck in between two defenders to snag the ball just inside the end zone for the nine-yard score.
 
Christine Esposito Runs to Finish - WATCH
Women's Cross Country at Gettysburg Invitational – Oct. 13, 2012
 
Senior Christine Esposito turned in an outstanding performance at Gettysburg's own invitational. The senior placed fourth out of nearly 400 runners on the 6,000-meter course with a time of 22:31 – her fastest time ever on the home course. The Bullets finished second overall in the field of 36 teams.
 
Erica Barbuto's Diving Save - WATCH
Field Hockey vs. Franklin & Marshall – Oct. 23, 2012
 
Junior Erica Barbuto helped the Bullets go toe-to-toe with one of the top program's in the nation in a 3-1 loss to No. 5 Franklin & Marshall. With her team trailing midway through the final period and the Diplomats driving up the field on the fast break, Barbuto laid out in front of the cage to swipe away another score for the visitors at Shirk Field.
 
Persistence Pays for Volleyball - WATCH
Volleyball vs. Franklin & Marshall – Oct. 24, 2012
 
The Gettysburg volleyball team fought to the end in a hard-fought five-set setback to Franklin & Marshall inside Bream Gym. No play showed that better than a sequence in the opening set. The Diplomats thought they had the point after stuffing the attack, but junior Courtney Cyr and senior Katie Wilson managed a pair of diving saves before junior Kelly Milione pushed the ball over the net for the kill and point.
 
Cody DiAmore Picks for Six - WATCH
Football vs. Moravian – Oct. 27, 2012
 
Junior linebacker Cody DiAmore helped Gettysburg secure a 42-20 win at Moravian with an interception return for a touchdown to start the second period. DiAmore read Greyhound quarterback Jimmy Lahue like a book, leaping into the air in front of the wide receiver and returning the ball 33 yards, dodging would-be tacklers along the way and putting the ball inside the pylon.
 
D.J. Thompson Dashes to the End Zone - WATCH
Football vs. Franklin & Marshall – Nov. 10, 2012
 
Senior D.J. Thompson capped his playing career and the season with an 80-yard interception return for a touchdown in a 38-31 win over Franklin & Marshall at Shirk Field. With the Diplomats driving into Bullet territory, Thompson stepped in front of E.J. Schneider's pass down the right side and began the long march to the end zone. The Gettysburg defenders cleared the way with senior Hugo Nolasco's block providing the final block for the longest interception return for a touchdown by a Bullet in 27 years.