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(04/22/14 4:00pm)
Amid a couple of cancellations, both the men’s and women’s tennis teams were able to pick up wins this past week as the season is coming to a close. The women started with a victory against New York University by the score of 6-3, while the men beat up on Muhlenberg College 8-1.
The men were too much to handle for the Mules. Despite senior Howard Telson losing in first singles, the team won in every other match, along with Telson pairing with sophomore Pierce Cooper for an 8-2 doubles victory.
“I was really proud of the way the other guys stepped up and contributed,” Telson said. “It was great to see that even when I had an off day, I knew I could count on my team to pick me up and pull out a good win.”
Cooper won his singles match 6-2, 6-2, and the rest of the College’s singles bouts went their way. Sophomore Dan Presuto, freshman Mike Stanley, junior Ezra Klemow and junior Andrew Grossman earned points. Stanley teamed with sophomore Billy Buchbinder to nab an 8-2 win in second doubles, while Grossman and Presuto shut out the Mules in third doubles.
The only match of the week for the women on Wednesday, April 16, saw the power of two on display for the Lions. The College won all three of their doubles matches, which was ultimately the difference in the 6-3 win.
The sophomore duo of Jasmine Muniz-Cadorette and Emma Allen blanked their first doubles opponent, 8-0. The freshman-senior pairing of Katie Buchbinder and Tara Criscuolo won handily, 8-1. Finally, junior Sarah Lippincott and freshman Anna Prestera finished off the job in third doubles, 8-4.
Criscuolo, Allen and Prestera were all able to pick up singles victories as well in third, fourth and fifth singles, showing the depth of the team. Criscuolo and Allen steamrolled the competition by scores of 6-1, 6-1 and 6-0, 6-1, respectively. Prestera had a bit of a tougher time with her match going to a third set, but she got the job done.
The match scheduled for Thursday, April 17, against Muhlenberg College was postponed.
With the season winding down and the postseason coming into view, both teams are incredibly focused. Even more so is Telson — who after playing four years at the College and reaching several milestones will settle for nothing less than a strong finish.
“Mainly to just make the most of it and really enjoy these last couple weeks with the team,” Telson said about what his focus is on going forward. “It’s been a great ride and I’m hoping we could finish this year strong with a trip to nationals and a good showing there.”
Being on the team for four years has certainly taught Telson a thing or two. As a college athlete, he’s experienced a journey that not many students do and has gotten a lot out of it.
“I’ve really learned that it’s not much at all about what you’re doing, but it’s who you’re doing it with that’s important,” Telson said. “I have a tough time remembering most of my matches and practices, but I’ll never forget the people I went through them with. I’ve had the best teammates and coaches I could’ve asked for, and luckily those relationships are something I (can) take with me even after I graduate.”
(04/08/14 5:00am)
As I’m writing, this national championship game between Kentucky and Connecticut has yet to begin. As you’re reading this, the game is over and a champion has been crowned. Despite the result, I think we need to appreciate the beauty of this tournament and the runs these two teams are on. However, the more amazing and surprising run has been that of the Wildcats, which everyone needs to take a step back and recognize for what it is.I’ll start off by saying I’m not trying to hop on the bandwagon here. I’m not a Kentucky fan, nor am I trying to pan myself off as one. As someone who watches college basketball intently and analyzes the sport, I won’t try to say I thought the Wildcats were a good team. I thought they were a bunch of underachievers with no chemistry who would lose their first tournament game to Kansas State. With all of that said, I have no problem admitting that I dead wrong.
After watching NCAA tournament after NCAA tournament, I’d like to think I have a pretty decent idea of what trends work in the tournament (of course, my bracket hasn’t reflected that). Kentucky is a team that broke several of those trends.
First, they were underachievers in the regular season, and despite making it to the SEC tournament finals, I had a hard time saying they were on a roll. Second, they had plenty of NBA talent, and as we saw with other teams that had top NBA talent (Duke, Kansas and Oklahoma St.), they didn’t do as well as many thought they would. Finally, they were an underachieving and talented team in an 8-9 matchup. Since the 8-9 matchups are technically supposed to be the ones with the least discrepancy in talent between the two teams, a team like Kentucky usually doesn’t have the mental fortitude to pick up the win. Or beat the likes of Wichita State, Louisville, Michigan, Wisconsin and maybe even Connecticut. Or so we thought.
Kentucky has broken that mold. They’ve come together at the right time, with a variety of players stepping up. Julius Randle has been the constant. The Harrisons are spending their time either playing their best basketball or hitting huge shots. James Young has played well more consistently like we thought he could play. And Dakari Johnson, Marcus Lee and Alex Poythress are providing great presences down low — evident by the team’s insane offensive rebounding efforts.
And how could we forget about the shots? Yes, the game against Wichita was an instant classic, but how can you not be amazed by what Aaron Harrison is doing? Against Louisville, Harrison hit a corner three to put the Wildcats up for good. He outdid himself against Michigan, when he pulled up from deep with the clock winding down in a tie game, hitting an amazing contested three — a shot I wondered may be one of the greatest NCAA tournament shots I’ve ever seen.
Then Wisconsin happened.
Down two, the clock winding down again and a man in his face, Harrison hit arguably the most amazing NCAA tournament shot I’ve ever seen live — and maybe the biggest one I ever will see. And for those reasons, I applaud Harrison and his teammates for the show Ware put on — a show I couldn’t help but enjoy.
I’m not telling you to hop on the UK bandwagon. I’m not telling you to riot in the streets if they won the whole thing — pretending your reason is that you were a fan all along or you picked them from the beginning. All I’m asking is that you appreciate and respect this team for the way they’ve grown and enjoy the electrifying and entertaining moments as they happen (unless, of course, you love UConn or hate Kentucky).
If you’re a true fan of the sport of college basketball, there’s no shame in that.
(04/01/14 5:00am)
At some point this season, the Lions expect that they’ll be faced with a challenge. So far, they haven’t gotten one.
It was another week of domination for the No. 5 lacrosse team, as they took out Ursinus College and Eastern University by the scores of 18-7 and 18-0, respectively, to give them an eight-game winning streak to start the season.
“I am so proud of my teammates and the way we have maintained our winning streak,” senior attacker Jen Garavente said. “I think the biggest reason why we have been able to play like this is because we have brought everything we have learned in practice each day and applied it to our games.”
In their game with Ursinus on Tuesday, March 25, the Lions (8-0) encountered an early test from their foes. While they did jump out to an early 4-1 lead — thanks to goals from sophomore attacker Cortney Natalicchio, Garavente and a pair from senior midfielder Lauren Pigott — the Bears answered.
Scoring three goals in the same time the College scored one, Ursinus made the score 5-4 with halftime looming. However, the Lions were determined to put distance between them, as they powered in five unanswered goals to make it 10-4 at the break.
Another three scores in the opening minutes of the second half had the College smelling blood. Junior attackers Kendal Borup and Erin Waller both netted a goal, as did Garavente, making it 13-4.
While many may have thought the game was over, Ursinus had one last rally, making the margin smaller at 15-7. However, a trio of goals by the College put them away, reflecting the final score.
“Ursinus fought relentlessly until the last whistle, but I think what kept us at a distance was our composure,” Borup said. “As a team, we are very levelheaded and perform well under pressure, so whenever it seemed like Ursinus was gaining momentum, we were able to stay confident and poised while we worked to get possession back.”
Borup and Garavente were both brilliant. The two had five goals — with Garavente dishing out two assists as well. Pigott also had a big impact on the game as well, scoring four times and picking up an assist.
“We are a team that really strives for the plays where we can make those passing connections, so the assists are something we definitely celebrate and value and it’s important to give credit to both players that made the goal possible,” Garavente said.
In the game against Eastern, not only were the Eagles denied a goal, but they also couldn’t even attempt a shot.
A 12-goal flurry in the first period showed that the Lions weren’t messing around. Junior attacker Ava Fitzgerald scored three straight goals that were sandwiched by two pairs of goals by Waller and Garavente.
“Our defense works incredibly hard all year round, and it always shows during game time,” Borup said. “Every girl on the defensive end works to make the other girls better, and they function as one unit rather than seven individual players. This year, both of our goalies are freshmen, and they’ve done a great job backing up our defense.”
With the game out of reach in the second period, the College threw on another half-dozen goals, highlighted by two from Borup. Garavente ended the day with four goals, Waller had three goals and three assists and Borup had three dimes to go with her two goals.
“I think a win like that says we are a team that always remains composed no matter what the situation is and that we always perform at our level of play,” Garavente said. “I think we were the more talented team against Eastern, but it was important that we played like that regardless of the score. If we can walk off the field with a win in addition to being satisfied with both the defense and attack and our lack of mistakes, it always makes for a better day.”
Freshmen goalies Kelly Schlupp and Catherine Killian each played a half of scoreless lacrosse, recording the team’s first shutout of the season.
On the horizon, the Lions travel to Ramapo College on Tuesday, April 1, looking to keep their winning streak alive. For the team, experience is going to be key into making that happen.
“A good majority of the girls on the field are juniors and seniors, so we all remember losing in the elite eight to Trinity College last spring,” Borup said. “That loss taught us a lot and is now one of the driving factors in our competitive spirit. Now we all play with the same goal in mind and work as a team to make it happen. We’ve been winning because all of the girls support each other and play for each other.”
(03/18/14 10:20pm)
The struggles college students endure when it comes to paying for tuition are getting worse and worse every year. Although the College is generally regarded as having a more manageable tuition, it hasn’t been immune to its share of increased costs. So what does the College do to help its students and their families with affordability? David Muha, associate vice president for Communications, Marketing and Brand Management, explained the College’s “three-pronged approach.”
“TCNJ continues to invest in scholarships and tuition discounts for students,” Muha said. “The percentage of TCNJ’s budget allocated to institutional commitment to student financial aid is larger than almost all New Jersey public institutions. TCNJ actively seeks new ways to contain operating costs … (and) identify new revenue sources to support its operations and academic enterprise.”
Students want to know how the College is helping them pay for school and what exactly the tuition goes into. That’s why the Office of the Treasurer has the College’s 2014 fiscal operating budget, which lays out how much money the school receives, how much it spends, and what it spends it on.
The College’s 2014 base budget resources amounts to $225,884,000, including $107,390,000 from tuition and $45,523,000 for room and board. In addition, the 2014 base budget allocations — or the money the College spends — is at $225,143,000. The fiscal operating budget breaks down everything the College uses that money on, which includes salaries expense ($92,649,000), computing hardware and software ($1,349,000), Library Facilities ($1,642,000) and debt service requirements ($28,102,000), among other things.
Muha said many of these allocations are actually influenced by external factors.
“Union contracts are negotiated by (the) state of New Jersey, and thus dictate the level of salaries, fuel and utilities, (which) are driven by market conditions,” Muha said. “Debt service is determined by bond covenants that provide the funding necessary to build state-of-the art facilities or upgrade existing facilities, including the library. Computer hardware and software upgrades and replacements are planned on a pre-determined, cyclical basis.”
In order to make sure the College has the right budget decision-making direction, the Committee on Strategic Planning and Priorities created three principles, which were approved by the College’s Board of Trustees. They are: To preserve the health, safety and security of the students, faculty, staff and visitors, to preserve the integrity and excellence of the educational programs and services through which the College realizes its mission, and to preserve the institutional integrity of the College, including the obligations to staff, faculty and students.
With all of these expenses, it’s important to make sure the College is giving back enough to the students. That’s why, within the operating budget, it says that the percentage allocated to direct student support should be no less than 67 percent of the total educational and general operating expenses. While 61.8 percent of revenue does come from student tuition and fees, 67.3 percent of the College’s expenses go to direct student support.
“TCNJ is obligated to pay for certain fixed operating costs necessary to support the entire College enterprise,” Muha said. “The College determined that, after accounting for those mandatory fixed operating costs, the majority of the remaining budget would be focused on the academic core.”
Granted the accuracy of the figure, it would signal a fair and shared cost between the College and its students.
“If the college is, in fact, using 67 percent of the total educational and general operating expenses toward direct student support in the form of scholarships and financial aid, that is an impressive number and I am pleased to hear it,” junior marketing major Matthew Scapardine said. “However, I do believe and hope that number could be higher because I believe financial aid and scholarships are essential to a truly healthy and thriving institution.”
Still, the constant increase in tuition is an issue. The College saw a 2.5 percent increase in tuition and a 3.2 percent increase in room and board from last year to this year. Muha explained that certain reasons for the increase are controlled by the state.
“Many of the operational costs that require increases in the tuition rate are driven by factors outside of TCNJ’s direct control,” Muha said. “For example, as a public institution, increases in faculty and staff salaries are largely contractually determined by the state of New Jersey. However, although TCNJ is a public institution, state support for higher education has decreased over the years, resulting in a bigger gap between operating revenue and operating costs. There is a direct relationship between the level of state support and the need to adjust tuition rates.”
To combat this, the College is doing its best to help students with scholarships and financial aid, as it invests in institutionally-funded financial scholarships. From last year to this year, College-funded scholarships saw a 3.4 percent increase.
“TCNJ has increased its investment in institutionally- funded scholarships to address the increasing demand for financial aid,” Muha said.
After doing the math, the difference between the base budget resources and the base budget allocations is $741,000 in surplus funds. This money, Muha said, has been used on upgrades to the College’s campus.
“Slide 10 in the (operating budget) shows how that surplus and additional revenues were applied to support such enhancements as additional library acquisitions (and) purchase of new academic equipment,” Muha said.
Even with all of the help the College has directed toward students in the operating budget, it may still, unfortunately, not be enough. Many students have diverse financial situations, and because the general cost of college is monstrous as is, there’s never such a thing as too much help.
“The College does a good job of helping students take advantage of federal and state grants and loans available to college students,” Scapardine said. “However, I would love to see the College’s endowment increase and more grants provided directly from the school to students. Although the ability to do that comes from generous alumni and supporters of the school, ultimately, I would love to see a more robust financial aid program provided by the school.”
(11/19/13 6:00am)
Unable to end the regular season on a high note, the College dropped the season finale to Rowan University, getting hit hard by a score of 45-21.
The notoriously slow offense of the Lions (5-5, 4-3) was unable to put any points on the board until the third quarter. The Profs scored 31 before the College had any.
Rowan was able to convert for scores on the first two drives of the game, as long drives led to a 1-yard touchdown by Withier Marcelin and a 7-yard touchdown catch by Todd Guillaume.
It seemed like things were turning around when senior linebacker Nick Bricker got an interception, but Rowan’s Josh Popper returned the favor with a 63-yard pick six. A field goal later in the second quarter gave the Profs a 24-0 edge at the half.
After the struggles on offense, head coach Wayne Dickens tried making a quarterback change to create some sparks — something he’s done before. It worked, as freshman quarterback Mike Marchesano came in and threw a 6-yard touchdown to Fred Sprengel. The score was unfortunately canceled out after a 40-yard touchdown sprint by Khalil Pierce.
“When coach put me in the game, I was a little nervous,” Marchesano said. “After I had a couple plays, I felt comfortable, and I was able to help the team out.”
Marchesano showed some optimism as a freshman, but the growing pains came, too. At the end of the third quarter, he threw the game’s second pick six to put the Profs up 45-7.
Garbage time gave Marchesano a chance to show the coaching staff if he was a candidate for the starting job next year, and he certainly made his case. A 4-yard touchdown pass to freshman tight-end Chris Napoli was Marchesano’s second TD of the day. He went 23 of 29 for 284 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
Sophomore running back Brad Young ended the game with an 11-yard touchdown run. He wound up with 15 carries for 64 yards, while freshman running back Frank Fucello was able to show his stuff with 54 yards on only six carries.
Marchesano infused some life into the aerial attack, and that gave some pretty nice stat lines of the receivers. Sprengel had five catches for 61 yards and his score and freshman wide receiver Jeff Mattonelli nabbed six balls for 79 yards.
“I think if we just execute the plays that coach calls, we can get going right away,” Marchesano said.
The defense was not as sharp as it usually is, facing a tough Rowan offense, but it saw Bricker end a spectacular college career with 14 tackles, giving him 346 all-time — the second most in the College’s history. Junior linebacker Ryan Lowe added 10 tackles of his own.
It was an up and down season for the Lions, one which they did their best to establish a defensive identity but struggled on offense. After a slow start to the year, they remained respectable in the NJAC. Going forward, the team has a lot to think about for next season with 15 seniors departing.
(11/06/13 9:59pm)
From obstruction calls to game-ending pickoffs, the 2013 World Series had its fair share of shocking moments. But the most surprising of all had to be the end result: The Boston Red Sox completed their worst-to-first campaign by winning a championship, their third in the past decade.
Sporting a solid rotation and arguably the best offense in baseball, the Sox had their fair share of struggles throughout the postseason. Perhaps the biggest reason they made it all the way was their clutch performances.
It’s hard to talk about clutch without first mentioning David Ortiz. Big Papi hit a mind-boggling 11-for-16 in the World Series, basically mashing every pitch he saw. This was on the heels of an ALCS where he saved Boston from going down 2-0 with his goosebump-worthy grand slam that will forever live in Red Sox lore.
Shane Victorino had a legendary grand slam of his own in Game 6 of the ALCS. With the team down a run and fighting hard to avoid a Game 7, the Flyin’ Hawaiin crushed a pitch over the monster, which ultimately sent the Red Sox to the World Series. And every little thing was all right in Boston.
The redemption tours of pitchers Jon Lester and John Lackey were huge for the Red Sox, whose ace, Clay Bucholz, was simply not that in the playoffs. Lester gave up only six runs in 34.2 innings (1.56 ERA) while fanning 29 batters. Lackey complemented him with a stat line of eight runs allowed in 26 innnings (2.77 ERA), along with 25 strikeouts. The two pitchers went from chicken and beer to pitching and beards.
And finally, in order to be dominant and clutch, a team needs someone reliable to close the game out. Koji Uehara was as reliable as he could be.
After going through three closers, Boston finally settled on Uehara, who gave up a lone run in 13.2 postseason innings, while striking out 16 and not walking a single batter. Uehara consistently recorded saves (seven total), whether they were three, four or even five outs long. To put it all into perspective, from July to the end of the World Series, Uehara gave up only two runs in 53.2 innings pitched.
The playoffs can often be a crapshoot in any sport, and we’ve seen plenty of athletes step up with heroic performances to lead their team to a title. The Red Sox had all of this, along with a bunch of other players coming through when they needed it most. And while that isn’t something that can be measured in a stat, it often leads to championships.
(11/06/13 9:53pm)
Riding high after a four-game win streak, the College came crashing back down to Earth, losing a pair of games to SUNY Cortland and SUNY Brockport by the scores of 20-7 and 14-3, respectively.
The Lions (4-4, 3-2) struggled offensively against the two SUNY schools, scoring a combined 10 points.
In their game against SUNY Cortland, the Lions continued their trend of getting off to a fast start. Sophomore quarterback Chris Spellman led the team on an eight-play 80-yard drive in the middle of the first quarter that was highlighted by big plays. Spellman tossed passes of 46 and 25 yards to freshman wide receiver Jeffrey Mattonelli and senior wide receiver Frederick Sprengel, respectively. The touchdown came by a 1-yard plunge by sophomore running back Victor Scalici.
“It’s always a good feeling to score early in a game,” senior linebacker Nick Bricker said. “To have that lead early in the game is a real momentum shift in our favor.”
After that drive, however, it was all Cortland. The Red Dragons managed to score on their three ensuing drives, sandwiching a 16-yard touchdown pass from Tyler Hughes to John Babin in between two field goals.
The latter of the field goals was nearly a Lions touchdown. The original attempt was blocked by the College and taken to the house, which would have given the Lions a 14-10 lead. The play was ruled dead, however, allowing Cortland to rekick and connect on the second try.
“The rekick was definitely a big play in the game, but that’s the rules and great teams are able to deal with adversity,” Bricker said. “We cannot focus on one play. As a team we have to move on to the next play.”
The offense was having a lot of trouble finding its rhythm, with the defense trying desperately to keep it in the game, but a special teams play proved to be the dagger.
On the second half kickoff, Cortland’s Justin Autera returned the kick 97 yards for the touchdown and made the score 20-7 — a score that wouldn’t change.
“Special teams is just as important as the other two phases of the game,” Bricker said. “In order to succeed, we need to be sharp in all three phases. That being said, we cannot let one or two plays decide the outcome of the game.”
The Lions were effective on the ground, with Scalici (105 yards) and sophomore running back Brad Young (115 yards) each passing the 100-yard mark. Turnovers were a big problem with the offense, as Spellman and sophomore quarterback Sam Palladino combined for three interceptions. Mattonelli’s four catches for 86 yards was the lone bright spot in the passing game.
Bricker was once again a dominant force for the Lions’ defense, recording 17 tackles and leading a unit that only gave up 13 points and 275 total yards. Junior linebacker Ryan Lowe record nine tackles, while junior defensive lineman Thomas Masi notched seven of his own.
The home contest against SUNY Brockport was not much better. The Lions couldn’t get off to a hot start like they did against Cortland, as they were held scoreless until the fourth quarter, thanks to a 25-yard field goal from sophomore kicker Evan Costello.
Wayne Bonsell scored on an 11-yard touchdown run for Brockport’s first touchdown in the second quarter, while Dan Andrews added a 5-yard touchdown in the third. The team had 128 rushing yards on the day.
“We didn’t make timely plays,” Paladino said. “Their defense did a good job keeping everything in front of them and we just didn’t execute.”
The offense wasn’t as bad as the three points indicated, but they simply could not score. Sophomore quarterback Sam Paladino was nine for 18 with 94 yards and an interception, while Paladino, freshman quarterback Craig Cicardo and sophomore running backs Victor Scalici and Brad Young combined for 100 yards rushing.
“We had some opportunities but we need to work on smelling the end zone,” Paladino said. “When we have the ball on their side of the field, we have to come out with points. We have to dig deeper and want to score.”
Paladino’s defense did all it could to keep the Lions in the game. Allowing only 14 points, the defense put on another great performance. Senior linebacker Nick Bricker had 13 tackles, putting him at 97 for the season, while sophomore defensive back Matthew Fleck had eight.
At 3-2, the College is still in the thick of things in the NJAC, only a game behind Brockport and Rowan University in the standings. With the game against Brockport being their last home game of the season, the Lions will have to be road warriors as they travel to William Paterson University and Rowan in the final two weeks of the regular season.
“Even though things didn’t go our way last weekend, we are staying positive and knowing that every game is going to be a battle in this conference,” Paladino said. “We’ve learned from the loss, moved on and are ready to get back to winning.”
(10/15/13 5:00am)
Six weeks through the NFL, it’s hard to truly feel like we understand every team. There’s still plenty of mysteries to be solved, games to be played and injuries to be had. But right now, teams have defined themselves enough to where they can be described in the most fantastic of ways: music.
I’ve given every NFL team their own theme song, a song off the top 100 Billboard hits right now that accurately describes each team.
New England Patriots: “Still Into You” by Paramore. No Rob Gronkowski? No problem. Despite having a banged up receiving core and underwhelming big-time on offense, Patriots’ fans still love Tom Brady — and he showed why with his game-winner against the Saints.
Miami Dolphins: “Dark Horse” by Katy Perry. A common sports term, Miami seems like they fit the bill of dark horse better than anyone else. Ryan Tannehill, Lamar Miller and the defense have shown promise, but are they there yet?
New York Jets: “Treasure” by Bruno Mars. Make no mistake, Geno Smith does not come without flaws. But he is a treasure for this team. With virtually no offensive weapons, he’s gotten the lowly Jets at .500 and given them a reason to move on from Mark Sanchez.
Buffalo Bills: “I Need Your Love” by Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding. This is the Bills’ fans needing E. J. Manuel’s love. After such a long time of losing in Buffalo, the rookie seems destined to turn things around if he stays healthy.
Cincinnati Bengals: “Hold On, We’re Going Home” by Drake. The Bengals finally got their first road win on Sunday, but it was over Thad Lewis’ Bills. This seems like a team that is simply good at home and bad on the road.
Baltimore Ravens: “Clarity” by Zedd. If the love between Joe Flacco and Ravens’ fans is tragedy, why is he their remedy? If their love’s insanity, why is he their clarity?
Cleveland Browns: “Team” by Lorde. Thanks to some team-oriented football lacking Trent Richardson, they rattled off three straight wins and are only a game out of a division lead.
Pittsburgh Steelers: “Everything Has Changed” by Taylor Swift. It seems like the end of an era in Pittsburgh. The defense is aging, which could put the steal curtain on hold.
Indianapolis Colts: “Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke. The Colts are the good girl, Andrew Luck is the model young quarterback, Chuck Pagano is the head coach who emotionally battled his way back from cancer and the team as a whole is having great success. But as we’ve seen since the Trent Richardson trade, Indy has been more ground and pound, showing they “must wanna get nasty.”
Tennessee Titans: “Bruises” by Train. Every team has bruises and injuries, but perhaps none as significant as the Titans losing Jake Locker. Ryan Fitzpatrick is not good enough.
Houston Texans: “Red” by Taylor Swift. OK, maybe the song meaning is a bit different than the Texans’ current predicament, but after poor play and interceptions galore, Matt Schaub and Houston are seeing red.
Jacksonville Jaguars: “TKO” by Justin Timberlake. The Jags were probably knocked out a while ago, but Denver put the finishing touches on this abomination of a team on Sunday. Fans hope Blaine Gabbert is down and out.
Denver Broncos: “We Can’t Stop” by Miley Cyrus. If you’ve seen the Broncos offense this season, you can see that they can’t be stopped. If you see the relentless way they’ve played in garabage time, you know they won’t stop.
Kansas City Chiefs: “Wrecking Ball” by Miley Cyrus. Everyone expected the Chiefs to be improved from last year’s two-win team, but no one expected this. Kansas City has quite literally come into the 2013 season like a wrecking ball with their ferocious defense, putting up 10 interceptions and 31 sacks in their 6-0 start.
San Diego Chargers: “Sweater Weather” by The Neighbourhood. The Chargers of the past have always been slow out of the gate, only to come back in December. This wasn’t the case last year, but with the resurgence of Phillip Rivers, Chargers fans are longing for cold weather.
Oakland Raiders: “All Me” by Drake. We thought this team was a lock for the basement of the NFL, but Terrelle Pryor has already led them to two wins. However, it’s pretty much all Pryor making this team competitive.
Dallas Cowboys: “Demons” by Imagine Dragons. Tony Romo has been having a phenomenal statistical season, similar to the one he had last year. But like he showed with his interception against Denver, there are still demons haunting Romo and the Cowboys.
Philadelphia Eagles: “Slow Down” by Selena Gomez. The Eagles put on a spectacle the first game of the season, but have since slowed down. Now, with Michael Vick hurt, it may be time for Chip Kelly to pump the brakes more.
Washington Redskins: “Get Lucky” by Daft Punk. With the struggles of Robert Griffin II and the team as a whole, it’s clear this team got a little lucky winning the NFC East last year, which they’ll need if they want to do it again.
New York Giants: “Wake Me Up” by Avicii. This goes for the whole Giants team, who really need a wake-up call. Champions two years ago, New York has 20 turnovers in six losses with a minus 106 scoring margin (second worst only to the Jaguars). Or maybe Tom Coughlin is hoping to be woken up from this nightmare.
Green Bay Packers: “Can’t Hold Us” by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. With the addition of Eddie Lacy — and thus some offensive balance — and a healthy receiving corps, not many defenses will hold them.
Detroit Lions: “Beware” by Big Sean. The Lions have impressed, but fans beware. This team has yet to completely shed its label of immaturity and can shoot itself in the foot at any time.
Chicago Bears: “Roar” by Katy Perry. After years of offensive mediocrity, Marc Trestman has given Chicago’s offense some bite: Jay Cutler has looked more efficient than he’s ever been and Matt Forte is being used in a variety of ways. Despite a mini two-game slump, you can hear the Bears’ roar.
Minnesota Vikings: Counting Stars by OneRepublic. This song has been thought to describe a man struggling to support his significant other. That’s what the Vikings are dealing with with Adrian Peterson, who has virtually no talent surrounding him.
New Orleans Saints: “Safe and Sound” by Capital Cities. New Orleans has rebounded from an off year to be the class of the NFC. And with a 5-1 record and the closest thing to them in the division being the two-win Panthers, the Saints are safe and sound in the Superdome.
Carolina Panthers: “Heartbreaker” by Justin Beiber. Ever since Ron Rivera and Cam Newton have come to down, they’ve been heartbreakers for Carolina fans, going 2-14 in games decided by a touchdown or less.
Atlanta Falcons: “Just Give Me a Reason” by Pink and Nate Ruess. I’m looking for a reason the Falcons are broken, not bent. The defense is a mess. Steven Jackson, Roddy White and Julio Jones are hurt. Is Matt Ryan enough?
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: “Radioactive” by Imagine Dragons. This team is far less toxic than they were when they had Josh Freeman, but Greg Schiano’s personality is still there. Unless the 0-5 Bucs can start winning games, the locker room will continue to be radioactive.
Seattle Seahawks: “Mirrors” by Justin Timberlake. This team needs to look in a mirror when they’re on the road and when they’re at home, because they can’t be the same team. Seattle must amp up the intensity in opposing stadiums if they want to reach a Super Bowl.
San Francisco 49ers: “Royals” by Lorde. The defending NFC champs have had their fair share of struggles, especially with injuries to offensive weapons, but getting back to smash mouth football makes them royalty of the NFC.
St. Louis Rams: “Brave” by Sarah Bareilles. The Rams have gotten back on track with back-to-back wins, but they’re in the NFC West and have to plays the defenses of the Niners, Seahawks and Cardinals — a combined four more times. Sam Bradford, I want you to be brave.
Arizona Cardinals: “Sunny and 75” by Joe Nichols. It’s always sunny in Arizona, but we’ll have to see how long it takes for the sun to go down on this team. Carson Palmer is clearly not the answer at QB, and the defense can only keep this team respectable for so long.
(10/15/13 5:00am)
It was fourth and goal with under two minutes to go. The Lions needed one stop to knock off Kean University, and they got it as sophomore defensive back Matthew Fleck stuffed Kean quarterback Robert Meade at the 1-yard line to secure a 7-0 victory.
It was another strong defense effort for the Lions (3-2, 2-0) as they shut out Kean. With the win, the team has allowed an average of six points per game on their current three-game win streak. The team was also ranked 21st nationally in yards allowed going into the game, and after allowing only 222 yards to the Cougars, they’ll likely rise in the rankings.
“Our defense has been incredible this whole year,” sophomore quarterback Sam Paladino said. “They are an experienced group and the most impressive part is we have been rolling in a lot of different players, and we don’t lose a step. If they give up a big play, they don’t panic. They have a short memory and line up and play the next play, and limit the damage.”
The scoring action happened early but not often. A solid kickoff return by senior defensive back Matthew Chierici gave the Lions good field position, which they took advantage of. Palladino led the team on a 68-yard drive that culminated in a 15-yard touchdown run by sophomore running back Victor Scalici.
“It always helps to grab the momentum like that in the beginning of the game, especially with the way our defense is playing,” Paladino said. “We executed very well on the first drive. We need to be more consistent throughout the game to take stress off of our defense.”
Once again, the Lions’ defense was firing on all cylinders, especially in the first half. They allowed only three first downs in the first two quarters and were led by junior lineback Ryan Lowe with eight tackles. Fleck added six tackles of his own. Sophomore linebacker Zack Visilenko nabbed an interception, helping out the defense.
“Every week we have a great game plan in place by our coaches that always put us in positions to succeed,” Lowe said. “I feel that we are coming together as a group and understanding the type of play it takes to win. Everybody knows every week that all that is expected is for them to do their part, and fortunately, over the last three games, we’ve done that.
Even on special teams, the College dominated. Kean had a 36-yard field goal attempt in the third quarter as they looked to get on the board. The Lions had other plans, however, as the kick was blocked by none other than special teams ace Chierici.
Paladino’s numbers weren’t flashy. He only completed six of 10 passes for 55 yards and a pick to go along with 22 rushing yards. But this team has played differently with Paladino at the helm. Everyone has followed his lead, which has brought them to a three-game win streak.
“(Paladino) has done a great job and has been a huge part of our recent success,” Lowe said. “He’s been a great team player and has helped us win games. We are confident with whoever is playing quarterback (that) they can help us win, but (Paladino) has given us the extra push to win the close games.”
Next up is the Homecoming game, where the Lions look to win their fourth straight game and defend home turf against SUNY Morrisville on Saturday, Oct. 19. There will be a lot of emotions as the College not only looks to impress the Homecoming faithful, but also stay undefeated in the NJAC.
(10/01/13 4:46pm)
Chinese food is a staple in the lives of most college students. Whether you’re sick of Eickhoff or need a late-night snack, an order of chicken and broccoli is less than an hour away. But all Chinese food is not created equal, which is why I’m going to tell you about the best Chinese place near the College: Tan May.
I’ve had my fair share of Chinese food in my college career and have tried nearly every place around here, but Tan May has always been my favorite. I decided to order again just to confirm, and it didn’t disappoint.
I went with the classic General Tso’s chicken dish, which consists of fried, boneless chicken pieces with broccoli and General Tso’s sauce. I’ve never met General Tso, but he’s doing it right.
The filling meal came with an order of white rice, which I mixed with the chicken. I also ordered crab rangoon as a side, which is a wonton with crabmeat and cheese.
As expected, the chicken was phenomenal. The crunch of the chicken was perfect —not too crunchy and unappetizing, but enough to improve the texture of the chicken. Drenched in General Tso’s sauce, the chicken was a gift. I’m a big fan of mixing in the rice with it. The different flavors and textures complement each other, creating great taste.
For those of you who haven’t tried crab Rangoon, I recommend it. The crunch of the wonton mixed with the crabmeat/cheese combo is somewhat reminiscent of a soft, yet crunchy, potato chip with a cheesy dip.
As if the meal wasn’t tasty enough, it was so much food that I could barely eat half of it, which led me to place it in my fridge for a future meal. Therefore, I got two meals for the price of one — not a bad deal in my book.
Sure, takeout Chinese food isn’t the highest of quality, but when you’re a college student on a budget, it’s often the best option. And if you want the best of the best, call up Tan May.
(10/01/13 4:24pm)
A college degree is more than just a piece of paper. With the ever-increasing cost of tuition combined with the state of the country’s economy, some may question if a degree is truly worth the time, money and energy students must exert over the course of four — or more — years.
The amount of value in a degree for young adults varies from person to person in terms of how much it helps with getting that first job after college.
But in the long run, its significance is skewed.
Lew Hofmann, a business professor at the College, knows this because he went through it himself.
“It took me 19 years to get my undergraduate degree because I wasn’t motivated,” Hofmann said. “When I finally went back (to school), my dad said, ‘It doesn’t matter what you get your degree in, just get your ticket punched. It shows you’re motivated.’”
College degrees can often be considered a person’s foundation in terms of potential employment.
Business Insiders reported on a study that said students who have an undergraduate degree receive an average $3,778 annual increase in salary. For those without a degree, salaries increase only $369 on average per year.
In addition to those numbers, philosophy professor John Sisko pointed out that the Bureau of Labor Statistics has data from 2012 when the unemployment rate for individuals with at least a high school diploma was 8.3 percent, while for College graduates the unemployment rate was 4.5 percent.
The weekly median salary for the former group was $652, while it was $1,066 for the latter group.
However, Sisko said that it is important for students to look at more than just the numbers.
“With its gifted faculty and their dedication to close mentoring, students are immersed in the life of the mind,” Sisko said. “Students have the opportunity to explore and research what they are most passionate about in the sciences, humanities and arts.”
In order for students to make it count, they have to be shrewd and frugal with the way they spend money on college, and a lot of that has to do with student loans.
There are plenty of concerns for students paying off loans after college, and a lot of this has to do with interest rates doubling last July, as well as tuition, according to Hofmann.
States have cut back their funding, leading to a rise in tuition to compensate the lack of funds, Hofmann said. In return, more students have to take out loans, with approximately two-thirds of all college students graduating with student loan debt, according to Hofmann.
“There’s a big concern about student loans,” Hofmann said. “Last year, student loans went over a trillion dollars. There’s more in student loans than there are in consumer credit card debt.”
With a degree proving to be a must-have for most young adults, people are looking for ways to make the most of a college degree. Saving as much money as possible is certainly a way, but there are other ways too, including getting the most out of your classes, studying abroad and choosing a major you are truly interested in.
Hofmann is a big supporter of getting the most out of your education and picking a major you like. In fact, he calculated the amount that students pay for each class lecture based on average tuition.
Students at the College pay about $76 per class lecture. If a student misses a class, Hofmann translates that into wasting $76.
Another way students can make the most out of their degree is by studying abroad. By expanding their horizons, they get a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
“There is no better way to gain a global experience,” Sisko said.
In addition, for students who choose to study in a field they’re interested in, it leads them to be more motivated to learn.
In a study, The Chronicle of Higher Education looked at business students compared to other majors and found that business students study less than other majors and tend to not perform well in job interviews. The leading theory is that students are picking majors because they think they’ll get a jobs, as opposed to picking majors they like.
“When incoming freshman come visit the College, I say, ‘Major in something you’re interested in,’” Hofmann said. “Don’t major in something because your parents say, ‘You can get a job in accounting.’ Maybe. But maybe you won’t be happy.”
Despite all of the obstacles and hardships, a college degree is worth it in the long run for young adults.
But in order to make the most out of it, students have to go out of their way to achieve certain things.
In the end, that’s what makes it worth it and that’s what gives them happiness.
(10/01/13 5:00am)
When things aren’t working, it’s often time for a change. That’s what Lions head coach Wayne Dickens saw in the team’s 7-2 win over Southern Virginia University on Saturday, Sept. 28 when he benched sophomore quarterback Chris Spellman in favor of sophomore quarterback Sam Paladino. The result was the College’s first win of the season.
“We were sputtering at the time and we needed a spark,” Dickens said.
Paladino came in and directed the Lions’ (1-2) only scoring drive at the end of the first half. A mobile quarterback, Paladino was able to use his legs to not only pick up yards, but also for defensive attention. Sophomore running back Brad Young had a few nice runs on the drive that ended with Paladino throwing a 12-yard touchdown pass to sophomore running back Brandon Brocklehurst for the team’s only points.
“When coach told me to warm up, I was ready to go,” Paladino said. “I knew my shot would come eventually, so I stayed patient and continued to work and improve every day.”
At the end of the day, Paladino finished with 49 yards rushing and 51 yards passing, while Young had a solid 66 yards on the ground. The team’s ability to run the ball well was crucial to the win.
“We started getting some misdirection plays going, which held Southern Virginia’s linebackers on their heels,” Paladino said. “This helped our line open up some gaping holes for (sophomore running back) Victor Scalici and Brad Young. I knew that whatever team established a running attack would win the game, and it made my job a whole lot easier.”
The day didn’t start off all too great for the College. Midway through the first quarter, the Knights executed a perfect punt, setting up the Lions at their own 1-yard line. The ensuing play saw Southern Virginia’s Dakoda Winsor tackle Young in the end zone for a safety and the game’s first two points.
Those were the only points the Knights would get all day, with the Lions’ defense proving to be strong. Junior defensive lineman Jeffrey Adubato had a nice pass deflection, followed by a sack from senior defensive end Justin Bruso and senior defensive lineman Mike Barber to end the first quarter.
Southern Virginia mustered only 18 yards of total offense in the first half and picked up zero first downs.
“The game plan was the same game plan I had the first day I walked onto this campus. We have to be able to run the football and we have to be able to stop the run,” Dickens said. “Today, we were able to do both of those things.”
The second half was very quiet, with defense once again ruling the game. The Lions got some big-time sacks, including one from junior defensive lineman Thomas Masi, who got the Knights offense out of any sort of rhythm. The biggest plays of the game, though, came from senior defensive lineman Patrick Kimball.
With the Southern Virginia offense gaining momentum and driving down the field in the final minutes of the game, Kimball recorded back-to-back sacks to effectively kill any chance the team had at making a comeback.
“Our guys can be dominant football players,” Dickens said. “There may be one or two who got big numbers on a given day, but our eight defensive linemen can all play the game.”
With their first victory under their belts, the Lions can take in the win before they set their sights on Montclair State University in their NJAC opener on Saturday, Oct. 4.
“Those ‘L’ things — people hate those,” Dickens said. “But the ‘W’s’ are sweet. Sunday is our day off, so these guys get to go home, eat something for dinner, relax on the couch and get a whole day of enjoying this ‘W.’”
Paladino agreed, as he relished in the win while looking forward to next week’s home game.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling to get this first win,” Paladino said. “We are not satisfied and are focused on beating Montclair. Hopefully we can carry this momentum throughout the practice week into Friday night.”
(09/24/13 5:00am)
A blockbuster trade between the Boston Red Sox and the Los Angeles Dodgers last year effectively made Boston the land of the misfit toys. The Red Sox had endured one of their worst seasons in recent memory, finishing at the bottom of the AL East despite lofty expectations. Fast forward to right now, as Boston has the best record in baseball during a season that had virtually no expectations.
What a difference a year makes.
The 2013 Boston Red Sox truly have it all. A talented and deep pitching staff. A solid bullpen with a shutdown closer. And the best lineup in baseball, top to bottom. The key here has been the perfect combination of veterans and youngsters, as well as new acquisitions and Boston mainstays.
All of the offseason additions flew under the radar, as Boston put together a special package of new players. Mike Napoli has been a huge addition as a power hitter who can get extremely hot. Jonny Gomes has embraced the Boston beard lifestyle and come up with extremely clutch hits. Shane Victorino has been an excellent fielder and brought hitting to an already potent lineup. And Stephen Drew has come in and done a more than respectable job at shortstop, a position that has plagued the Red Sox for years.
Then there’s the usual suspects. David Ortiz is still one of the best hitters in baseball, as is Dustin Pedroia, whose leadership is unmatched. Jacoby Ellsbury has been a base-stealing machine and Daniel Nava has broken out into a legit threat at the plate. Youngsters, such as Will Middlebrooks, Xander Boegarts and Mike Carp, have also provided crucial production.
Pitching was what plagued the Sox last year, but has been a complete 180 in 2013. Clay Bucholz broke out to be a true ace this year and looks good, despite being hurt for a very long time. John Lackey has had a resurgent year and at times has been considered the team’s best pitcher. Jon Lester’s early season struggles are behind him, as he’s been one of the best pitchers in baseball in the past month. And Jake Peavy, from the White Sox, has solidified this potent playoff rotation.
And then there’s closer Koji Uehara. What more can you say about a guy who’s had one of the most amazing scoreless streaks in MLB history despite being fourth in line as closer at the start of the season.
Baseball is a funny sport. We expect the unexpected. Quite often, the best team doesn’t always win. Right now, the Red Sox look like the best team, but they also look like they could be the winners at the end of the season. This Red Sox team is the perfect storm of players, making this unlikely turnaround possible.
(09/17/13 3:28pm)
College is a monumental experience in the lives of young adults and it largely shapes their futures. Whether it is academics, extra curricular activities or even just social events, college helps students grow. Yet the burning question looms: How much does college truly cost students?
CNN Money, a tool on CNN.com, allows the public to research different costs of individual colleges with data from Peterson’s A Nelnet Company and the U. S. Department of Education. For the College, the fee of in-state tuition totals $26,576, which includes fees, room and board, and books but excludes grants and scholarships.
The figure is alarming, especially considering the fact that the cost rises every year and that the number totals to over $100,000 over four years. Those kinds of numbers are extremely difficult for many families and students to pay. CNN Money’s estimated cost of tuition, after receipt of grants and scholarships, comes out to $23,200, a $3,376 deduction from the original cost. 67 percent of students receive grants and scholarships from the College, and while any amount of money helps, it doesn’t take away the hefty sum of money students still have to pay.
“It would be great if more students got grants and scholarships,” junior English major Neepam Shah said. “It would be great if the school made more of an effort to publicize outside scholarships. I’ve been searching for grants and scholarships and they’re very hard to come by.”
When comparing the cost to what students get out of the experience, it varies case by case, according to Shah.
“College is one of those things that it is what you make of it,” Shah said. “It makes you someone who can look at the world and understand what’s going on. It makes you look beyond whatever your home environment was. Our education here requires us to look outside of those backgrounds.”
Junior sociology major Sharmin Malik agrees, saying that she has gotten invaluable experiences out of college.
“So far, by attending TCNJ, I have been through so many experiences such as meeting new people, being able to learn in such a great institution and having the opportunity to just be here is a benefit in itself,” Malik said.
For some students, the scholarships are even more important. Malik is part of the College’s EOF program, which aims to help students with economical disadvantages. However, the average $3,376 reduction in price from grants does not entirely eliminate the burden of tuition payments.
“Even though this amount seems like a lot, it’s not nearly enough for most students to help pay for even a portion of the tuition bill,” Malik said with her own experience in mind. “These numbers are not fair to me because it doesn’t help me at all. By the time I graduate college, I will have taken out double the amount of loans an average student will have taken out because of the issue with income and where the money will come from next time.”
The College is doing its best to make that happen, according to executive director of college relations Stacy Schuster.
“This past July, the budget recommended to the Board of Trustees for the College had the lowest tuition increase in over 14 years, at 2.5 percent,” Schuster said. “The College also invested in increasing funding for institutional scholarships and waivers for FY14.”
For the costs of off-campus residents, such as those commuting from home, the price will obviously be reduced. CNN Money has the College’s annual tuition at $14,378 for in-state off-campus students and $24,530 for out-of-state off-campus students. While the figures are certainly more manageable for off-campus students, it takes out of the experience of college.
“You’re not being forced to meet people who are living right next door to you,” Shah said. “You really have to go out of your way to build that. I have a lot of friends who are commuters who get that experience, but that have to work harder for it.”
These numbers and opinions show that college is a double-edged sword. The experience and education is crucial to an individual’s growth, but the cost is an uphill battle for most students.
“I do agree with the fact that college is tough on students, especially financially for those students who are unfortunate to come from a background with little to no income,” Malik said. “However, the benefits that can be achieved by going to college do outweigh the financial problems that most students face during this time. Some of these benefits are earning a degree, being able to get a job that pays above minimum wage, being able to use your degree and job to move to a place with better living conditions.”
Most students must work hard through these obstacles in order to better their futures. That is the best way they can make sure the cost of college is worth it.
(09/10/13 5:00am)
In what was too little too late, the Lions went on a furious rally in the fourth quarter, cutting a 28-6 deficit to 28-20 but falling short to Ursinus College.
The two touchdowns, a 5-yard rush by sophomore running back Victor Scalici and a 22-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Christopher Spellman to junior wide receiver Kyle Janeczek, showed fight in the College, but ultimately took up too much time to tie the game. Spellman finished the game throwing for 141 yards, a touchdown and an interception on 10 of 23 passing.
“On offense we were not as consistent as we would like to be as a unit,” Spellman said. “We had our ups and our downs moving the ball, but that happens to every team over the course of a football game. The more snaps we get against live opponents, the more we will gel as an offensive unit.”
Just like they often did last year, the Lions started the game off hot, going down the field 72 yards and having it end with Scalici crossing the chalk from four yards out, his first of two touchdowns. A missed extra point had the College at 6-0. Scalici had 79 yards on 17 carries.
“Vic is a stud,” Spellman said. “He’s a great athlete and a better running back. Vic definitely made big plays and helped carry us on offense, and having a great, reliable running back is crucial, especially with an offense that loves to run the ball.”
After getting their first stop of 2013, the Lions committed a costly turnover, with Spellman tossing a pick six to Ursinus defensive back Kyle Adkins, who took the ball 37 yards to the house. A pick six is one of the most crushing plays in football, and that play was the spark of a huge momentum swing.
An 8-yard touchdown pass for the Bears from Chris Curran to Jason Golderer was the next drive’s result, with Ursinus pulling ahead 14-6. The
following drive for the Bears set them up in field goal position, but a blocked field goal kept the score the same. That is, however, until a 10-yard pass from Curran to Josh Williams put the Bears ahead 21-6 with just a minute and a half to go in the half.
“Crunch time at the end of each half can have a major effect on the outcome of a game,” Spellman said. “Our defense held a very good Ursinus offense to three touchdowns, and the more plays we get under Coach Dickens, Coach Hager and the rest of the staff, the more we will come together as a team and make the little plays that will help us win games.”
There wasn’t too much offensive action in the third quarter until Curran led a long drive that was capped off by a 1-yard touchdown from Kevin Monahan with only 17 seconds left in the quarter.
A light switch seemed to go on for the Lions once the fourth quarter hit, but the Bears drained the clocking after the deficit was cut to eight.
The defense, while inconsistent, did have some bright spots. Senior linebacker Nick Bricker was all over the field, as expected, collecting 17 tackles. Junior linebacker Ryan Lowe and senior defensive lineman Patrick Kimball each recorded a sack as well.
Inconsistency and sustaining momentum is what plagued the Lions last year, and it did the same against Ursinus. After an opening loss, the team is now focused on getting back at it and trying to play more consistent. They showed they have the fire in them with the last spurt of offense at the end of the game.
“Even though we didn’t come out on top, there are still a lot of positives to take away from that game, especially the fourth quarter,” Spellman said. “Breaking down the film and building on the confidence obtained from the fourth quarter drives will only help us on Friday against FDU.”
(09/03/13 5:31am)
To say there will be changes to the Lions’ football team this year would be an understatement. The team has replaced its head coach, starting quarterback, running back and other key seniors as it looks to put together a winning season.
The biggest change, of course, has come from the top, after head coach Eric Hamilton stepped down in July after 37 years of coaching the Lions. He is being replaced by interim head coach Wayne Dickens, who most recently spent four years as the head coach of Kentucky State University. He has also coached at all levels of college football and the Canadian Football League.
After finishing 4-6 overall last season and 3-5 in the NJAC, the Lions hope that new additions will lead to more victories. With the graduation of quarterback Dan Dugan, Dickers has yet to decide who will take over at the center of the offense, with sophomores Chris Spellman and Sam Paladino as the best candidates.
“Spellman and Paladino are both doing a great job on taking on a leadership role of the offense and doing what is asked,” senior wide receiver Fred Sprengel said. “So whoever takes over should do great.”
The Lions also lost last season’s top rusher, Justin Doniloski, so sophomore running back Victor Scalici and junior running back Brad Young will form a two-headed monster on the ground. Scalici totaled 309 yards and three scores last season, and he’s looking to break out big time for the College.
“Between Victor, Brad and (the) other backs, our offense can be exciting this season,” Sprengel said. “If Vic runs strong like last season, no doubt in my mind it could be a break-out year.”
Aside from Sprengel, the main receiving targets last season — Glenn Grainger and Matt Rosati — are gone. Now, the downfield arsenal will feature senior wide receiver Kevin Barry and senior tight end Ryan Baranowsky. The talent and veteran leadership from the trio hope to build on what was a potent offense last season.
“We will be successful this season through the air with help through our run game,” Sprengel said. “If we establish a solid running game, we will be able to open up the defense with a good passing game.”
On the other side of the ball, stud senior linebacker Nick Bricker returns to anchor the team’s defense. Bricker was second on the team in tackles last season with 97 and has earned NJAC First Team honors the past two seasons, as well as being a Third Team All-American by d3football.com.
Despite the loss of leading tackler Greg Burns, Bricker is confident the defense will be rock solid.
“I am definitely excited for the upcoming season,” Bricker said. “Our defense is looking solid. We have some great returners and very talented new guys that will make for a dynamic defense.”
Senior linebacker Sean Clark and senior defensive back Matt Chierici return as key pieces to the defense. The duo had five combined interceptions last year, giving the Lions huge plays and momentum shifts throughout games. The team will be looking to make a priority on forcing turnovers.
With a favorable schedule, a scrimmage under their belts and a fresh start, these Lions are ready to roll. Captains Sprengel, Bricker, senior defensive lineman Patrick Kimball and senior offensive lineman Chris McLaughlin have been leading the team in the preseason and have everyone working their hardest for the upcoming season.
“Our offense seems to be clicking and, as for our defense, the experienced players have improved from last year and the new guys are getting better every day,” Bricker said. “Overall, I have confidence in our team and am looking forward to a successful year and working hard toward an NJAC championship.”
(09/03/13 5:05am)
The nervous yet excited incoming freshmen arrived with their families at the College on Thursday, Aug. 22 for move-in day. The butterflies in their stomachs shortly disappeared as they experienced a magical and memorable Welcome Week and united together as the Class of 2017.
The next five days would consist of numerous events, experiences and icebreakers as the freshmen met each other and learned about life at the College. Along the way, they also learned about themselves.
With the first day of college in the books for the Class of 2017, Welcome Week started off with an early morning Walk-A-Thon for the Special Olympics, for which the students had been encouraged to collect donations. After a few speeches, including “Democracy Matters” and “The Heart of the Lion,” the freshmen were introduced to what became the highlight of Welcome Week — Play Fair.
Play Fair was a competition between floors that included a series of icebreakers and competitions, one of which saw students battle to be crowned the loudest floor. The freshmen cheered each other on in events that promoted floor and student bonding. Once Play Fair ended, both freshmen and ambassadors alike used whatever was remaining from the collective voices to belt out the traditional College chant.
“It’s the first time the entire freshman class is together and united under one common goal of having fun,” senior ambassador Alex Brown said. “Once it’s all over, the whole vibe of Welcome Week changes. It creates a really awesome sense of community that carries on for the rest of Welcome Week.”
Presentations filled Saturday’s schedule and enlightened the freshmen on topics that pique a lot of students’ interests: sex, drugs and alcohol.
Matt Bellace gave the talk, “A Better High,” which educated students about drugs and alcohol making healthy choices.
A sex education talk from River Huston followed. The talk was sponsored by the Anti-Violence Initiatives group on campus, which deals with educating students and protecting them from sexual harassment and like behaviors.
Huston managed to make the talk both serious and comical so that students could get the most out of it.
“I liked how they were very informal and not boring and formal so they got their message across to us,” freshman economics major Leo Yang said. “They provided many real-life situations for us to relate to and solutions for us to act upon.”
After a fast-paced three days, the freshmen enjoyed a low-key Sunday, which was highlighted by comedian Joe Hernandez-Kolski. His performance, “Cultural Collisions: Commentary for a Changing America,” talked about how growing up in America enables us to be influenced by a variety of cultures on a daily basis.
“I thought that Joe did a great job of integrating valuable insights with humor in his talk,” freshman psychology major Mariah Springer. “His points were interesting and helped me to better define what it looks like to work together as a college community.”
That night some students enjoyed live music from campus bands at “Café Under the Stars,” while a three-on-three basketball tournament was taking place in the Recreation Center.
On Monday, Aug. 26, the freshmen were finally officially welcomed to the College through the process of convocation. They were told about what they would be doing the next four years and truly became a part of the College’s family.
“Convocation made me feel like I am officially a college student,” Springer said. “The speeches inspired me to make the most of every moment at the College.”
Getting off on the right foot is important for freshmen heading into college, and Welcome Week 2013 seemed to have done just that. The students are ready to begin their journey through college, but they’ll always look back on a Welcome Week that they’ll never forget.
“I think Welcome Week was the best thing ever,” Yang said. “Without it, there would have been many awkward hall walks and it would have taken forever to get to know the people you’re staying with for the next year. Instead, the College made us get to know them and now I always have something to do or someone to talk with.”
(08/28/13 4:36pm)
When a coach looks back at his career, it’s always filled with a lot of memories. For someone who has coached for 37 seasons, it’s nearly impossible to pick the most memorable. But for retired football head coach Eric Hamilton, it’s about going back to the beginning.
“I was given the opportunity to be a head coach at a young age and that’s something (I’ll) never forget,” Hamilton said. “I was 23 years old and (Roy Van Ness and former president Clayton Brower) said, ‘Hey, you can be a head coach’ because they knew what I lacked in knowledge, I made up for in passion for the institution.”
Hamilton retired this past July after 37 seasons as the head coac
h of the Lions’ football team. He began his tenure as coach at the young age of 23 and never looked back.
During Hamilton’s time as head coach, the College’s football program enjoyed a great amount of success. Hamilton went 212-144-6 as head coach, compiling 22 winning seasons for the Lions. The team made it to seven combined ECAC and NCAA Division III tournaments. The icing on the cake was Hamilton capturing his 200th win in Oct. 2010, becoming only the 12th NCAA Division III coach in history to do so.
The accomplishments that Hamilton has accrued have not gone unnoticed. In 1980 and 1981, Hamilton was named Coach of the Year by the New Jersey College Football Writers Association. In addition, he was honored as NJAC coach of the year in 1983, 1990, 1994, 1996, 1998 and 2007.
“Coach Hamilton’s career record is alone impressive, but I believe his impact off the field will stand as his paramount accomplishment,” senior linebacker Nick Bricker said. “He always had the best interest in his players and you always felt like he had your back. Most importantly, he was always willing to go the extra mile for you, a quality that is hard to come by.”
The leadership and connection with his players were two huge factors in Hamilton’s success, and they were largely in part to Hamilton’s football background. He played the sport for the College when it was known as Trenton State College and was the school’s first All-American football player. He graduated in 1975.
“He took a real interest in each of his players both on and off the field,” Bricker said. “He has played an important role in developing me into the man I am today.”
After coaching for 37 years, Hamilton knows he certainly has some adjusting to do, as his life will be much different than it was when he was coaching.
“It’s a mindset,” Hamilton said. “Your body, for all of those years, when August 1 rolls around, you get into preseason camp mode. When you’re a competitor and you’ve done things for so many years, it’s tough to shift gears.”
Despite no longer being the head coach, Hamilton is still extremely supportive and excited for the team as they approach the upcoming season. The impact that Hamilton made on them as a coach will surely help them in the upcoming season.
“We have a great group of student athletes coming back,” Hamilton said. “I’m excited for the players because there are lots of opportunities there. When I told them that I was not returning, I just wanted to make sure the opportunity was there for them to have a great year and have fun.”
With his head coaching career at the College over, Hamilton moves on to a new chapter of his life: a period of reflection. Hamilton has a lot to be proud of and thankful for, but he knows his journey is not over and he is looking forward to where life will lead him next.
“I have to figure out what my next step is,” Hamilton said. “I’m still young, passionate and energetic enough and I think there’s a lot of good things I can do. I just have to take a deep breath, take a step back, and figure what that next step is going to be.”
(08/27/13 8:00am)
Research can sometimes be tedious for students. It’s difficult to do countless hours of searching without any guarantee that you’ll find what you’re looking for. However, the College’s MUSE program has been able to give students a unique learning experience aided by professors generating the results that students crave.
MUSE (Mentored Undergraduate Summer Experience) is a paid summer program at the College that teams up students with professors to work on a project. A proposal is made from their collaborative efforts, and they spend eight weeks doing extensive research on that project.
Because the program covered a wide range of majors, there was plenty of diversity in each project.
Senior economics major Nick Malmi had a project that focused on how the New Jersey education system is taking action due to the rise of children diagnosed with autism. He did a case study of three school districts near the College and interviewed special service directors to determine the quality of these autism programs.
“The MUSE program taught me that research is more open ended,” Malmi said. “For every question I answered, a dozen more would come up, and it was up to me to create an understandable and thorough report of my findings. It taught me how to be responsible for my own project and to constantly look for answers without overbearing supervision.”
Senior physics major Mitch Revalski went a different route, studying “active” galaxies that are constantly changing in brightness due to black holes. He used satellite data from a space telescope known as Kepler.
“I got quite a lot out of our research and the MUSE program,” Revalski said. “I am co-author on a research paper discussing our results which was recently published and we are currently working on a second publication. I have also greatly increased my programming and technical skills, allowing me to do much more in both research and my classes.”
Along with the experience and knowledge, students were able to grow in other ways and gain different traits throughout their studies. One thing that junior biology major Amanda Goble got out of the program was confidence.
“I definitely grew in confidence as a researcher this summer,” Goble said. “I put in a lot of hours and worked very hard in organizing my research in order to fit as much as I possibly could in the time I was given.”
There’s no doubt that the students who participated in MUSE got a great deal out of the program, but they’re not the only ones. The professors who worked with the students were able to enjoy the unique experience of working one on one with a young mind in order to build something special together.
Even though students are encouraged to do a great deal of work and research on the projects, help from the professors is also crucial, and the reward for the faculty members goes way beyond anything tangible.
“MUSE is magical,” said Elizabeth Borland, a sociology and anthropology professor at the College. “Having the combination of summer break from classes and the chance to work with a student who is dedicating time, attention and brainpower to collaborative research is extremely valuable.”
Benny Chan, the program director of MUSE and an associate professor of chemistry at the College, is ecstatic about the different projects that MUSE has created. The key to bringing out the creativeness of the students, Chan said, is the amount of time and focus they’re able to put into MUSE.
“Students are given the opportunity to work full time under the guidance of a faculty mentor when they have no other academic distractions,” Chan said. “They learn in-depth skills that may be difficult or too time consuming to learn during the academic year course or independent study.”
As a program that is not typically campus-wide among universities, it would be no surprise to see other schools picking up a similar concept.
“This program should be done by other colleges because it helps students understand what academic research is like,” Malmi said. “It gives students a chance to work with their professor outside of the classroom and work on real world problems.”
“We are lucky that the leadership at the College has dedicated resources to programs like MUSE and has made it a priority to expand rather than cut opportunities for undergrads to get involved in research and other collaborative work,” Borland said.
The endless hours of time and research these students have put in is a testament to their commitment and desire to learn. After participating in MUSE, all of them can say they’ve come out with an invaluable experience under their belts. And while all the research may be tough and complicated and times, it pays off in the end, sometimes in the simplest way.
“(My) best type of memory is what would be what you might call that ‘yes’ moment,” Revalski said. “When whatever you had been working on finally worked flawlessly and you accomplished the task. There are not definitive answers for everything in research, and often more than one way to solve a problem, so figuring out and implementing a solution yourself is immensely gratifying.”
(04/30/13 4:00pm)
There was one more match to go for the College’s men’s tennis team to achieve the illustrious perfect season. Unfortunately for them, they could not pull out the victory, dropping a heartbreaker to Stevens Institute of Technology, 6-3, giving them their first loss of the season in what will at the very least make them better.
“Our team didn’t have its A-game,” senior T.J. Riley said. “Stevens is a great team, but we definitely came out slow. Going undefeated is tough and we did a great job this season.”
The Lions (14-1) fell into a hole early after after losing all of the doubles matches. When singles play opened up, however, the team bounced back. Senior Jordan Cruz won an incredibly tight contest, squeaking out a 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-4) victory that saw him victorious in two tiebreakers. Freshman Pierce Cooper continued his stellar play, winning his match 6-1, 6-0. Then junior Howard Telson won his first set 6-3, lost in his second set 1-6, and responded by whipping his opponent in the third set, 6-0.
However, the College could not do anything more against the Ducks, as senior March Nichols, Riley and sophomore Jack August were unable to secure wins.
“We need to regain focus,” Riley said. “It’s hard to have a perfect season ruined in the last match, so we need to get back into that winning mentality and play smart tennis.”
As for the women, they won their final two games of the regular season, defeating SUNY New Paltz 5-4 and dropping SUNY Geneseo, 6-3.
“We had a lot of hits to our lineup, but we managed to pull through and really support each other as a team,” freshman Jasmine Muniz-Cadorette said. “Ending with a win was certainly the best thing I could ask for. Because it was the senior match, I really wanted to do my absolute best to contributing to the team’s win.”
The first match against SUNY New Paltz saw the two teams battling back and forth. Senior Allison Tierney won her match at an impressive 6-0, 6-2 mark. Freshman Jasmine Muniz-Cadorette, who has been a huge factor as a rookie, was nearly as effective, winning 6-2, 6-4. Finally, the Lions’ third and final singles winner, sophomore Alex Bologno, defeated her opponent by the score of 6-3, 6-2.
“I really pushed myself the whole season to perform at my best because I knew that I was going to be playing some very good players,” Muniz-Cadorette said. “I think I performed as well as I did because of the encouragement from the entire coaching staff, the support from my team and just the internal motivation I had to make my team proud.”
Tierney teamed with sophomore Sarah Lippincott to win a crucial doubles match 8-4, while Bologno and junior Tara Criscuolo won by the slimmest of margins, 9-8 (7-4).
On Saturday, April 27, the strong doubles play is what led the Lions to victory. The teams consisted of Bendijo/Tierney, Muniz-Cadorette/sophomore Emma Allen and Bologno/Criscuolo.
Bendijo, Tierney and Bologno were the singles stars, with the two seniors winning their final regular season match. Bendijo picked up a 6-4, 6-4 win, while Tierney cruised to a 6-0, 6-2 W. Bologno was successful, winning by a score of 6-3, 6-0.
“As the captains, both really lead the team and paved the way for the rest of us,” Muniz-Cadorette said. “Just watching them compete really helped me to develop as a player. I was able to learn from more experienced players who were so willing to help us with both singles and doubles. On top of it all, Allie and Karisse are such amazing people. They were extremely supportive during every match, even if I was having an off day.”
With the regular season over, the two teams are looking ahead to the postseason, specifically the NCAA Division III tournament. The field will be announced on Monday, May 6, and the Lions have high hopes for what they can accomplish. With the success that the College had both this season and historically, the sky is the limit.
“Our goal is to prove ourselves as a team worth recognition,” Riley said. “As of now, big teams don’t really think of us as a threat and they should.”