126 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(09/24/08 12:00pm)
After head athletic trainer Joe Camillone's retirement in June, there is a changing of the guard atop the athletic department. For the first time in 35 years, a new head athletic trainer has been appointed by John Castaldo, director of Athletics and Recreation.
Entering her ninth year of service in the College's athletic department, Megan Guicheteau has been named interim head athletic trainer.
Guicheteau began her employment at the College in 1999 as a graduate assistant trainer and held the position for one year while earning her master's degree in health education from the College in 2001. Guicheteau also earned a doctorate in health science from Nova Southeastern University in 2004.
After her year as a graduate assistant trainer, Guicheteau was named the College's first full-time assistant athletic trainer. She held that position from then until her recent promotion to head athletic trainer.
A graduate of West Chester University (WCU) in 1999, Guicheteau worked as a student athletic trainer for the several of the Golden Rams' teams while earning her bachelor's degree in general education. She was also a volunteer for the Good Fellowship Ambulance Club and the WCU emergency medical services.
Discussing how working for the College differs from working at WCU, Guicheteau said, "It is a lot more laid back here. At West Chester I did not know all of the athletes. I like touching base with all teams and making sure care is appropriate."
Guicheteau also doubles as an adjunct professor in the health and exercise science department, teaching sexual education and stress management. She sometimes uses her teaching background to educate the athletes she treats on how stress can affect their bodies negatively.
On her greatest memory while working for the College, Guicheteau said, "My first year at the College, the field hockey team won the national championship and the softball team got to nationals and getting to travel with them was very exciting."
Because of Guicheteau's appointment to the head athletic trainer position, the College is in the market for a new assistant athletic trainer. Castaldo has appointed Sergiusz Monasterski to serve as interim assistant athletic trainer. Since arriving at the College in January under temporary status, Monasterski has become an important component of the athletic training staff.
"I feel that I have a very good relationship with the students since I am an athlete myself, and this helps me to relate better to our student athlete population," Monasterski said. "I know what they feel when they get hurt because I have been there before myself, and I feel that I can help them more by being able to relate to the same experiences."
Monasterski received his bachelor's degree in athletic training in 2007 from Kean University and worked for two years as an upper-class mentor in the athletic training room.
Monasterski served as a sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1996 to 2003 and, prior to his honorary discharge, was an instructor and supervisor responsible for the training of military personnel.
Monasterski also worked as a medical intern for the New York Giants in 2006. He assisted in practice setups, as well as games and the rehabilitation of athletes.
According to Monasterski, "The most interesting thing about working with professional athletes was to see that they are just like any other athlete with the only difference that they make their living playing the game that they love."
Before his work at the College, Monasterski worked as a graduate assistant with the men's soccer team of Syracuse University.
Monasterski's qualifications for the job include being certified as an athletic trainer and his training in the field of cardiopulmonary resuscitation from the American Red Cross. He also earned his certification as a personal trainer from the American Council on Exercise.
As the new faces of the College's athletic department, Guicheteau and Monasterski are prepared to start a new era in Lions athletics.
(09/17/08 4:00pm)
Senior cross country runner Chris Guerriero finished fifth overall in the men's 6K at the Old Nassau Run hosted by Princeton University. Guerriero crossed the finish line with a time of 19:40.9, and was the top NCAA Division III finisher in the race. Guerriero's fifth-place finish also broke up the Tigers attempt at a perfect score, as the other four top finishers were Princeton runners. Guerriero will tow the line at the Mainline Invitational on Sept. 23.
(09/17/08 4:00pm)
The men's and women's tennis teams began their seasons on Friday, as they hosted the Lions' Fall Invitational versus Division I Villanova University.
The men's team played two rounds of singles matches against the Wildcats on Friday, while the women played one round of singles matches and one round of doubles matches.
"This weekend is going to be a good test for us," senior Haley Kutner said before the tournament. "Villanova is a formidable team and will certainly force us to bring our best."
Kutner's statement proved to be correct as the Wildcats challenged the women's team in singles matches, with the Lions finishing the tournament 9-7.
In Flight B play, freshman Felice Trinh's victory over senior Lindsey Lostritto 9-8 (7-3) and freshman Christie Pollin's win over freshman Kristen Gobberg 8-5 proved to be highlights.
The Lions dominated in doubles matches over the weekend as the women's team took five of seven matches from the Wildcats. Juniors Stefanie Haar and Tamra Wroblesky tallied a 9-7 victory over Villanova's top doubles team.
Freshman Emily Petersack and seniors Chrissy Principe and Lindsey Katzel also earned victories during the tournament.
"(The women's team) had a very successful weekend," head coach Scott Dicheck said. "They dominated in doubles against a Division I school, which is impressive." Dicheck also mentioned the team is trying new combinations for doubles teams.
The men's team did not experience the same success against Villanova. On Friday, the men played two rounds of singles matches but junior Jeremy Eckardt was the only Lion to earn a victory out of 16 total matches.
Eckardt defeated senior Brian Maher 6-4, 7-5 and went 1-1 on the day. The Lions finished their tournament on Sunday with two rounds of doubles matches, winning only one match. Eckardt and freshman Stewart Fernandez defeated junior John Drosick and sophomore Mike Taylor 9-8 (7-5) for the Lions' lone doubles victory.
"I think the main impact the tournament will have on our team is motivating us," Eckardt said. "It was good for the freshmen to see how different college tennis is from high school tennis
and also have the experience of playing a good team."
Echoing Eckardt, Dicheck said he thought the tournament "was a good experience for the guys."
"We have a very young squad and playing a Division I teamkeeps the guys motivated," he said.
As the teams begin to prepare for the bulk of their fall schedules, they are always looking to improve.
"Just being on this team, there is no way that you can't improve," Pollin said. "Our coaches are always on us during matches and practices. They are always watching our game and observing what we do well and what needs to get worked on."
And she intends to do the work. Pollin and her squad are fully committed to strength and conditioning training in preparation for the rest of their fall schedule.
"As far as conditioning and training, those are things that can always be improved. I plan on continuing going to gym and going on runs with the team outside of our normal season and obviously continuing on-court training," she said.
"I want to work with the coaches on strategy for doubles, which is a completely new game for me and continue my knowledge of singles. Tennis is an on-going learning process, it will never end," Pollin said.
The next challenge for the women's team is against Richard Stockton College on Sept. 24. The men's season will continue at the ITA Regional Tournament on Oct. 3.
(09/10/08 4:00pm)
No matter how many goals the men's soccer team puts on the scoreboard, the success of the squad ultimately comes down to one man: the goalkeeper. That man in the net for the Lions thus far has been sophomore Eric Goldwaser.
After minimal playing time due to a case of mononucleosis early in the 2007 season, Goldwaser has come on strong in the 2008 season, allowing only two goals in his first four games. In the Lions' season opener against Farleigh Dickinson University-Florham, Goldwaser blanked the Devils in nearly 85 minutes of work, giving the College a 3-0 victory. In his latest two matches, Goldwaser has surrendered two goals in 200 total minutes as the Lions defeated University of Redlands, 3-1, and tied Drew University in double overtime, 1-1.
His biggest outing of the season came Sunday against SUNY-Cobleskill, when he held the Fighting Tigers scoreless over 90 minutes, and the Lions pulled out a 1-0 win in their home opener.
When asked what earned him the starting job, Goldwaser said, "consistency." He said his confidence level improved as the preseason progressed.
"I guess the coach liked what he saw," he added.
During the offseason, Goldwaser traveled with a team to play soccer in Costa Rica and was asked to play professionally for six months, but he decided to continue his pursuit of a college education.
"It's definitely a different team this year. The more we play, the better we get to know each other and learn each other's style," he said, commenting on the changes he has seen in the team over the last year. "We have a really young team this year, and people (think it is) going to be a rebuilding year, but it will not be. We have high potential and we compete with the best."
To achieve their goals, the Lions need to concentrate on developing a strong focus, according to Goldwaser.
"We need to not get ahead of ourselves and focus on one game at a time," he said. "That was a fall of ours last year. We also have a more difficult schedule this year."
The Lions' schedule is, in fact, an intense one. They are scheduled to face off against no less than three top-25 nationally ranked opponents, along with a difficult New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) schedule. Rowan University handed the Lions an early exit from the NJAC playoffs last year, but the Lions plan to improve on that showing.
"(Goldwaser) has proven himself in practices and he has done more right than wrong," head coach George Nazario said. "That's a good indicator of who you want in the net."
Eric Goldwaser's play will either be the Lions' strength or their downfall, as a difficult schedule and an inexperienced team march through the season, but Goldwaser believes he is the man for the job. When asked to describe himself, he said: "Confident, motivated and most importantly, a leader."
(09/10/08 12:00pm)
Senior forward Jamie Kunkel scored a pair of goals to lead the Lions to a decisive 5-1 victory on Sunday over Amherst College. Kunkel scored the first goal of the game for the College in the first half and gave the Lions a 4-1 lead in the second half. These were Kunkel's first two goals of the season, and with a team-leading 17 goals last season, Kunkel is on her way to another successful season for the College.
(09/03/08 4:00pm)
Jenny Lubin
Field Hockey
Senior forward Jenny Lubin earned a hat trick against Millersville University on Saturday, Aug. 30 at Lions' Stadium. Lubin's three goals all came in the first half of the College's season opener, where they defeated the Marauders, 5-2. Back-to-back goals by Lubin, along with a shot off of a deflection, led the Lions to victory. They now stand at 1-0. Lubin's stellar play and senior leadership should bring the Lions several more wins this season.
(08/27/08 12:00pm)
Although the majority of students at the College may not recognize Gilbert Kaburu by name, there's a good chance they've already seen his face. Anyone who tuned in to the Opening Ceremonies at the 2008 Beijing Olympics would have seen Kaburu proudly carrying his native country's flag as the nation of Uganda marched its 12 athletes into the arena.
Despite having never set foot on the College's Ewing campus, Kaburu is still a fellow classmate. The new Olympian is currently studying the academic impact of organized physical activity on upper-elementary students, coaches and teachers. He is receiving his elementary education master's teacher certification program from the College.
But he won't be donning a cap and gown in Ewing. Gilbert is a proud student of the College's South African campus in Johannesburg.
"The opening ceremony of the games will stay with me forever," Kaburu said. "Marching behind my country's flag, with over 70,000 people in the stadium watching and cheering and billions watching on TV was a great feeling. At that moment, I felt like I had the world at my feet."
The Olympics do not offer Kaburu's specialty event, the 50-meter butterfly, so he raced in the 50-meter freestyle on Aug. 14 instead, finishing seventh in the fourth heat of the event. Kaburu's time of 27.72 ended his Olympic journey in the qualifying round as he finished 82nd overall, but his rise to the peak of the athletic stratosphere is one he will not soon forget.
"I made very many sacrifices to be here," Kaburu said. "Coming from a country where corruption thrives, with hardly any physical let alone sports infrastructure, (that) invests hardly anything in sports meant I had to combine studies, work, private coaching and training, which is very hard to do," Kaburu said.
The Johannesburg site is one of several international locations where students can earn a graduate degree in education and a State of New Jersey teaching certification. The College offers similar programs in Bangkok, Thaland and Majorca, Spain.
Kaburu also said he was unable to swim to his full potential in Uganda because of the harsh cultural climate.
"I imagine like many of the athletes from similar backgrounds, we have to sacrifice a lot more than our counterparts from the wealthier countries." he said.
Although Kaburu needed to conquer numerous obstacles to be an Olympian, he is optimistic and talks of his impact on future generations.
"I hope this will inspire the youngsters back home to aim for the highest," Kaburu said. "This is especially important in Uganda where sport is seen more as a distraction. My students at the International School of Uganda were thrilled, and I hope I can inspire them to work hard in everything they do."
Kaburu's journey from the pools of southern Africa to Beijing's Water Cube has been remarkable, and although he didn't return to TCNJ Johannesburg with a medal, he brought back an experience few of his countrymen will ever know. More importantly, he returned as a symbol of hope.
"If I can repeat that feat in the future - having a small part of the world recognize my contribution in whatever field I have chosen, or may choose to take, I will have fulfilled my life's goals," Kaburu said.
When asked what set him apart from other swimmers and allowed him to achieve this level of success, Kaburu responded with one word.
Perseverance.
(04/30/08 4:00pm)
The Lions finished their regular season with a close win as they look forward to the postseason, coming out victorious over the Garnets of Swarthmore College in a close 6-3 match. The College, ranked 26th in Division III, improved its record to an impressive 12-6, while Swarthmore fell to 11-5 after enjoying a five-match win streak.
With sophomore star and first singles and doubles player Jackie Shtemberg sidelined with a broken finger, the rest of team picked up the slack, doing just enough to steal the match from Swarthmore.
In doubles action, the College took two out of three matches, the winning duos being the pair of sophomore Sarah Roser and junior Emily Witko (8-2) as well as junior Haley Kutner and sophomore Stephanie Haar (8-1). Haar and Kutner are now 10-4 on the year together.
The team dropped its first two singles matches with senior Christina Contrafatto and freshman Amanda Berg unable to outplay their competition.
Haar won her match, 6-4, 6-2 to tie the overall match at 3-3 and then each point truly began to matter for both squads. The final three singles matches of the day all went to three sets and each time the College came out on top. Kutner defeated her opponent 6-4, 1-6, 6-3, Roser came back from a one-set deficit to win 1-6, 6-4, 6-3, and sophomore Tamra Wroblesky finished out the day with a 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 victory.
"It was a very close match," head coach Scott Dicheck said. "When Jackie broke her finger, we had to juggle the lineup, but the team showed a lot of toughness."
Before the match, the College recognized its seniors for their achievements. Seniors Contrafatto, Ariel Donahue and Kimberly Lee Lum lifed the team to a combined record of 53-13 over their four-year careers. Contrafatto is an International Tennis Association All-American in singles and doubles and has an impressive career record of 138-55 at the College.
(04/23/08 4:00pm)
The women's tennis team continues to dominate while, after two difficult losses to ranked opponents, the men's team looks to bounce back before the postseason.
Both teams hosted Bates College during the week with mixed results. The women rolled over the Bobcats, 9-0, but the men fell in a heartbreaking loss, 5-4.
"It was a hard-fought battle," head coach Scott Dicheck said regarding the men's loss. "We came out tight but we gave ourselves a shot to win." Dicheck went on to say he thought the women's team "played extremely well coming off a tough loss (to the University of Mary Washington)."
The women's team, nationally ranked 26th prior to the match, made quick work of Bates, sweeping the Bobcats in doubles and singles matches. The duos of senior Christina Contrafatto and sophomore Jackie Shtemberg (8-3), sophomores Tamara Wroblesky and Sarah Roser (8-6) and sophomore Stephanie Haar and junior Haley Kutner (8-3) were the winning doubles duos. With the win, Shtemberg and Contrafatto improved their season record to 21-9 on Wednesday and are ranked third regionally.
In singles action, the women took each match easily as no matches went to tiebreaker. Shtemberg continued her impressive season with 6-0 and 6-1 victories over Bates' top player, senior Cecilia Grissa. Shtemberg is ranked first in the Internation Tennis Association's regional singles poll and improved her record to 23-8 with the win.
Other winners for the College include Contrafatto (6-1, 6-1), freshman Amanda Berg (6-3, 6-2), Haar (6-3, 6-2), Kutner (6-2, 6-1) and Roser (6-0, 6-1). The Lions are now 11-6 on the season.
"We didn't let our guard down just because they weren't a huge threat to us," Shtemberg said. "We knew that it was still an important match because they are in our region and a win would help our chances of getting into the first rounds of the national tournament."
The 20th-ranked men's team did not fare as well as the women, as it lost a close match to the 27th-ranked Bates men's team. Sophomore Jeremy Eckardt and senior Eric Ferriere (8-3) won at No. 2 doubles while the two senior captains, Mike Klimchak and Roger Mosteller fell at No. 1 doubles, 8-4. The senior duo is now 10-4 on the year and ranked third in the regional poll.
"(Mosteller) and I came out a little flat and weren't really meshing well together," Klimchak said. "Bates had a great doubles team, but I feel that we definitely could have performed better."
Klimchak performed well in his No. 1 singles match, defeating junior Benjamin Stein in a top-10 regional showdown. The third-ranked Klimchak took down seventh-ranked Stein, 6-4, 6-3, and is now 16-8 on the year.
"Our team fought hard until the very end, and obviously we were extremely heartbroken with the loss," Klimchak said. "After beating three top-15 teams, you never want to lose to a team ranked outside the top 25."
Only the men traveled to Vermont to try to lift their record and spirits against the highly ranked Middlebury College. The eighth-ranked Panthers overpowered the Lions, defeating them 8-1. The only victory for the College came from Klimchak and Mosteller as they came out victorious again at No. 1 doubles, winning 8-6.
This loss ends the regular season for the men's team as it finishes the year 9-5. The women's team finished its season yesterday in a match against Swarthmore College.
Both teams are now preparing for the NCAA Division III Regional Championships and the NCAA Division III Team and Individual Championships.
(04/16/08 4:00pm)
After a week of individual and team triumph, the men's and women's tennis teams are continuing to gain momentum as the end of the season approaches.
Among the triumphs this week was head coach Scott Dicheck's recognition as 2007 New Jersey Coach of the Year by the United States Tennis Association (USTA).
Dicheck is in his eighth season as both the men's and women's head coach and has enjoyed considerable success at the College. He has helped the women's team continue its unbeaten record in New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) matches, and his complete collegiate record is 165-64.
"I was pleased to see that coach Dicheck gained national recognition from the USTA," junior Haley Kutner said. "As a team, we all appreciate everything he has done for us, and it is nice to see that others outside of the school have recognized his contributions to the sport of tennis."
Adding to Kutner's thought, senior Michael Klimchak said Dicheck is "a big reason why the program has had so much success these last couple years."
The men's team (7-3) had the task of taking down Haverford College (8-3) earlier in the week, and the No. 20 Lions defeated the Fords 7-2 to increase their winning streak to four. After defeating the University of Mary Washington later in the week, the men brought their win streak to five.
The College swept the doubles matches against Haverford as the duos of Klimchak and Roger Mosteller (8-6), sophomore Jeremy Eckardt and senior Eric Ferriere (8-2) and junior James Vance and freshman Jonathan Yu (8-3) were victorious.
Klimchak (4-6, 6-3, 10-7), Eckardt (3-6, 6-3, 10-7), Mosteller (6-3, 6-2) and freshman Matt Pierson (6-4, 2-6, 6-2) were winners in the singles matches for the Lions.
Klimchak is 14-8 on the year and 135-40 in his collegiate career.
"In singles, I was happy with the way that I fought back after being down a set," Klimchak said, "which shows that you can never give up."
Over the weekend, the men had their second home match of the week, this time against Mary Washington with the women's team. The College had mixed results as the men came out victoriously, winning 5-4, but the women came out on the wrong side of their 5-4 contest.
Prior to the matchup, Kutner commented on her expectations for the day.
"Mary Washington is going to be a good test for us as they are ranked in the top 10," Kutner said. "We expect them to be a talented team and know that we cannot afford to make any loose errors in either doubles or singles play."
The College and Mary Washington went into the contest ranked 27th and seventh, respectively.
The lone winning doubles team was the No. 1 doubles tandem of sophomore Jackie Shtemberg and senior Christina Contrafatto, which won its match 8-6. Other highlights from the women's singles matches were victories by Shtemberg (6-1, 6-3), freshman Amanda Berg (6-2, 4-6, 10-4) and sophomore Stephanie Haar (6-2, 6-2).
The women's team is now 10-6 and had its four-match win streak broken by the loss.
Before the men's match, Klimchak said he "expect(ed) Mary Washington to be one of (the) toughest matches of the season."
"I know we will be extremely pumped up and motivated for the match," he added.
The Lions came away with a victory against the No. 11 Eagles. Doubles winners for the Lions included Klimchak/Mosteller (8-6) as well as Ferriere/Eckardt (8-2).
Klimchak (6-2, 6-1), Eckardt (6-4, 6-2) and Mosteller (6-7 (2), 6-2, 6-2) won in singles competitions for the Lions, giving the College its fifth consecutive victory and third win against top-15 opponents.
With the win, the Lions improved to a record of 9-3.
The teams will play at home today against Bates College. The men are slated for a noon start while the women are scheduled to play at 4 p.m.
(04/09/08 4:00pm)
The men's and women's tennis teams took impressive victories over No. 12 Salisbury University.
The men's team beat the Sea Gulls 7-2 and improved its record to 7-3, breaking Salisbury's six-match win streak. The women's team broke an 11-game Salisbury win streak as well when it defeated Salisbury 7-2 to improve its record to 10-5.
Before the match, the men's and women's teams were ranked No. 17 and No. 18, respectively.
Earlier last week, head coach Scott Dicheck showed enthusiasm for the matches against Salisbury.
"We are looking forward to (them)," he said. "They are highly ranked and have a very good doubles team."
For the men, the duos of seniors Mike Klimchak and Roger Mosteller (8-6), senior Eric Ferriere and sophomore Jeremy Eckardt (8-3) and freshman Jonathan Yu and junior James Vance (9-8) were victorious.
In singles play, Lion victories came from Ferriere (6-2, 3-6, 7-5), Mosteller (6-1, 6-0), freshman Matt Pierson (6-2, 5-7, 10-6) and Yu (5-7, 6-3, 10-4).
"Our team is full of great competitors," Klimchak said. "We know how to fight for every point, never give up and more importantly do whatever it takes to win. Our competitive spirit definitely gave us the edge over Salisbury."
On the women's side, the College improved its win streak to four as it lowered Salisbury's season record to 12-3. Winners in the women's doubles were sophomore Stephanie Haar and junior Haley Kutner (9-8) as well as sophomores Chrissy Principe and Tamara Wroblesky (8-2).
In singles action, the College took five out of six matches to gain the decisive victory. Winners included sophomore Jackie Shtemberg (6-1, 6-1), senior Christina Contrafatto (6-1, 6-1), Haar (6-1, 6-0), Kutner (6-3, 6-2) and sophomore Sarah Roser (6-0, 6-4).
Shtemberg now has a career record of 91-27 as she approaches her 100th victory. Contrafatto improved her career record to 135-52 and is currently ranked 14th regionally.
"The matches we played against top-10 teams in California have definitely given us the experience we needed," Kutner said. "Since we returned from the training trip, coach Dicheck has implemented more conditioning into our practices, which has greatly improved our overall stamina and ability to perform at full force."
Dicheck, in his eighth season as women's head coach, improved his record to 96-28.
The men's team will play home matches against Haverford College tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. while the women's team will compete against the University of Mary Washington on Saturday at 10 a.m.
(03/26/08 4:00pm)
The men's swimming and diving team finished its season on Saturday with an impressive showing on the national stage. The Lions finished seventh overall in the NCAA Division III Championships, scoring 157 points and competing seven swimmers.
"We definitely finished our season on a high note," junior Thomas Nawrot said. "We had our best finish at Nationals ever. Everyone contributed to this success."
Defending champion Kenyon College scored 635 points to win its record 29th consecutive national title. The Lions finished their season in Oxford, Ohio, at Wooster College on the campus of Miami University.
Finishing his 19th season, head coach Brian Bishop has produced over 100 All-Americans and led this year's team to its highest finish at NCAAs in school history. The previous high was an eighth-place finish in 2003. Only Bishop has coached the Lions to top-20 finishes in school history, doing so 13 times and finishing in the top 15 eight times. Last year, the College finished in 16th and produced 17 All-Americans.
"Every individual brought everything they could to create this team that I am very proud to have been a part of," Nawrot said.
In the three-meter dive event, senior Greg Lloyd sat in sixth place after a first-round score of 441.60 but finished in third place with a final score of 487.65. An 11th-place finish earlier in the meet in the one-meter event earned Lloyd an All-America Honorable Mention.
Lloyd, now a four-time All-American, was new to diving when he began his career at the College but has earned All-America honors in the three consecutive NCAA Championships in which he has competed.
The Lions gained more All-America recognition after finishing eighth in the 400-meter freestyle relay. Senior Josh Forsman, senior co-captain Liam Gallagher, freshman Shawn Kircher and junior Tom Nawrot contributed to the race. The team finished in 3:04.17, the same time it notched in its trial.
In the 100-meter freestyle event, Forsman finished 21st in a time of 46.02 and Nawrot finished in 22nd with a time of 46.05. Neither swimmer qualified for the final round.
Sophomore Myles O' Connor posted a time of 2:09.66 in the 200-meter breaststroke, giving him a 27th-place finish. In the 200-meter backstroke, Gallagher competed but was disqualified for a false start. Freshman Tom Medvecky finished 30th in the 200-meter butterfly event with a time of 1:55.66.
"(Gallagher and Medvecky) really manned up after getting very sick while down there," Nawrot said, "and they fought through it to swim as hard as they could."
The College broke five school records at NCAAs this year. Forsman broke the record for the 100-meter butterfly (49.17) as well as the 100-meter freestyle (45.90) and 200-meter freestyle (1:41.78) while O' Connor set the new standard in the 100-meter breaststroke (55.60).
The College also set a new school record for the 200-meter medley relay. Finishing in 1:31.70 were Nawrot, O' Connor, Forsman and Kircher. Including postseason meets, the College finishes the season at 7-5.
(03/19/08 4:00pm)
As the NCAA Division III Championships finished action on Saturday, the women's swimming season was sealed with a "Kiss."
Competing in the finals of the 100-meter butterfly event, senior Ava Kiss posted a time of 55.08, earning national bragging rights and a spot in the NCAA Division III record books. Kiss's time gave her the NCAA national championship for the 100-meter butterfly and broke both the College's and Division III's national records.
This year's national championships were held at the Corwin M. Nixon Aquatic Center at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.
Both Kiss and senior Lauren Pfeifer competed in the 100-meter freestyle but only Kiss qualified for the consolation finals. She was seeded 12th after posting a trial time of 52.29. In the finals, Kiss finished with a time of 51.92, giving her 10th place and an All-America Honorable Mention honor.
Pfeifer also competed in the 100-meter breaststroke. She finished 21st with a time of 1:07.25 but did not qualify for the finals. Pfeifer finishes her career at the College with a school record in the 100-meter breaststroke (1:06.81) and is a part of the foursome that holds the school record for the 200-meter medley relay as well.
Kiss, a five-time All-American, is the College's sole owner of women's swimming NCAA Division III National Championship.
"I'm extremely proud to be the first (College) national champion from the women's swim team," Kiss said. "I hope this shows everyone what the swim team is capable of."
"It feels incredible," Kiss continued. "It's just started to sink in and the feeling is indescribable. This is something I've worked for since freshman year and to finish my senior year like this, leaving nothing in the pool, is more than I could've asked for."
Women's head coach Jennifer Harnett was impressed by Kiss's performance.
"You could tell from the moment she got up behind the block she wanted to win, and it showed in her first few strokes," Harnett said. "She showed an inner confidence before her 100-meter butterfly that I had not seen as much in other years."
(03/05/08 5:00pm)
While a few swimmers competed at the Eastern College Athletic Conference Open Championships last weekend, the rest of the swimming and diving teams continued to train for NCAA Division III Championships. The Championships will begin on March 13 for the women and on March 20 for the men.
The men's team sent a couple of swimmers to the University of Pittsburgh over the weekend to get a few season-ending swims, as head coach Brian Bishop put it.
"To have to swim after a big meet like we had is tough," he said, "but they swam well."
In the 200-meter freestyle preliminaries, junior Mike Molloy placed 26th with a time of 1:45.75. In the 100-meter breaststroke preliminaries, junior Ted Yoa finished with a time of 1:01.94, coming in 30th. Junior R.T. Greeby competed in the 100-meter butterfly preliminaries, finishing in 65th with a time of 55.64. Senior Ryan Tighe finished 17th in the 400-meter individual medley preliminaries with a time of 4:21.22.
Two members of the women's team will be heading to the NCAA tournament.
Senior Ava Kiss will be competing for the College in the 100-meter butterfly (seeded second), the 100-meter freestyle (seeded fifth) and the 200-meter individual medley (seeded 11th ). Kiss is a three-time All-American and earned a ninth-place finish in the 100-meter butterfly in 2005, a fourth-place finish in the 100-meter butterfly in 2006 and a ninth-place showing at last year's Championships.
Kiss holds several records for the College, including the 100-meter butterfly (55.94), the 200-meter individual medley (2:07.51) and the 100-meter freestyle (51.70). She also contributed to the record-setting team in the 200-meter medley relay.
"I'm extra focused this year because this is the first year that I'm seated in the top three for the 100 fly," Kiss said. "I've had a goal set in mind for Nationals since the beginning of the season."
Senior Lauren Pfeifer was given an invitation to compete in the 100-meter breaststroke (seeded 17th) and the 50- and 100-meter freestyle races.
This is Pfeifer's third trip to the NCAAs on her career after qualifying last year in the 100-meter breaststroke and the 200-meter medley relay, and the medley relay in 2006. Pfeifer holds a Lions record in the women's 100-meter breaststroke (1:06.81) and is also part of the College's school record 200-meter medley relay team.
Commenting on Pfeifer and Kiss's preparation for the tournament, head coach Jennifer Harnett said, "I think the toughest part for them is competing at a higher level without the whole team there to support you."
"Even though they are excited about their performances from the weekend," she said, "they are both very focused on what they need to do at NCAAs."
The men's team has nine qualifiers for NCAAs as well, according to Bishop. As of press time, seven are certain and two are still unconfirmed.
Discussing his preparation for the big tournament, senior Josh Forsman said, "The main thing about preparing for NCAAs is keeping your focus on this last meet and not dwell on the previous accomplishments. The thing to do now is to really buckle down and just remember it's the big show."
(02/27/08 5:00pm)
After stellar performances over the weekend, the College is poised to have a postseason for the ages.
The men's and women's swimming and diving teams competed in the 2008 Metropolitan Conference Championships (METs) at Rutgers University, which wrapped up action on Sunday night.
The women's team totaled 1,300.5 points to stand atop its field of 16. In a field of 14 teams, the men's team finished with 1,500 total points to be crowned champions.
After first- and second-place finishes last year respectively, the men's and women's teams are proud to share the 2008 Metropolitan throne as they march dual first-place trophies back to the College.
Before the tournament, METs Women's Coach of the Year and College head coach Jennifer Harnett said, "I feel that we are stronger and more focused this year."
"Individually," she added, "I know the girls are going to swim fast and produce personal best times."
Harnett was proved right as the swimmers established record times for the College in at least 12 different events and produced a plethora of NCAA times.
Going into the tournament, METs Men's Rookie of the Year Tom Medvecky said, "I just have to remain focused on swimming as fast as I can and not worry about anything else. I've never been more prepared."
Medvecky posted a school record of 1:52.41 in the 200-meter butterfly trials.
Later in the finals he would break his own record, finishing the event in 1:52.31, posting an NCAA provisional time in the process.
Also receiving distinction at the event was head coach Brian Bishop, who was named the METs Men's Coach of the Year.
Other men's highlights included junior Thomas Nawrot's first-place finish in the 100-meter freestyle, posting an NCAA provisional time of 46.00, while senior teammate Josh Forsman added a third-place finish and another provisional time of 46.42.
The Lions had three swimmers move to the finals in the 200-meter breaststroke as sophomores Myles O'Connor and Eric Rohrs and junior Ted Yoa finished third, fourth and sixth, respectively.
The men's team dominated the 400-meter freestyle relay, recording an automatic NCAA-qualifying time at 3:03.54, besting the College and METs record in the process. In the men's three-meter dive, junior Greg Lloyd finished third with a score of 427.71.
Highlights for the women's team included rookie Margaret Molloy's crowning as METs Women's Rookie of the Year.
Molloy picked up a second-place finish in the 1,650-meter freestyle, finishing in 17:38.83, breaking her own school record yet again and posting an NCAA provisional time as well.
Senior Ava Kiss finished second in the finals of the 100-meter freestyle with a time of 51.70 breaking the College's record of 52.00.
Kiss posted a provisional time of 53.12 in the trials.
Freshman Katie Morgan posted a provisional time of 2:27.40 in the 200-meter breaststroke trials but finished fifth in the finals at 2:27.24 to beat the school's record. Freshman Amanda Obst came in second in the one-meter dive competition with a score of 344.78.
The women's team finished second with a provisional time of 3:34.58 in the 400-meter freestyle relay. Competing in the event were Molloy, Kiss, senior Laura Pfeifer and sophomore Stephanie Seto.
The Lions now look ahead to the Eastern College Athletic Conference Open Championships at University of Pittsburgh on Feb. 29 through March 2, and the NCAA Division III National Championships at Wooster College beginning on March 20.
(02/13/08 5:00pm)
With impressive wins over Ramapo College, the College's men's and women's swimming and diving teams are on a roll heading into the postseason. The women's team improved to 4-7, defeating the Roadrunners 117-73 while the men won 103-69 and improved their record to 7-3.
On Friday, the Lions hosted their final dual meet of the year at the College's Aquatic Center and capped off the regular season with impressive performances. Junior Mike Molloy won three events including the 200-meter backstroke (2:00.61), 200-meter freestyle (1:49.01) and 100 freestyle (48.83).
Freshman Joe Tseng, junior Ted Yoa, sophomore Herman Chu and senior Jonaid Lone took first in the 200-meter medley relay in 1:40.15. The Lions also came out victorious in the 200-meter freestyle relay with a time of 1:28.54. Participants in this event were seniors Josh Forsman, Liam Gallagher, Kevin Oliver and Lone.
Other highlights of the men's dominant performances were junior Thomas Nawrot's two victories in the 1,000-meter freestyle (10:56.89) and 50-meter freestyle (21.84). Senior John Altobelli took first in the 100-meter backstroke in 58.55 and sophomore Eric Rohrs won the 100-meter breaststroke in 10:00.78 and the 200-meter breaststroke in 2:14.85.
The Lions swept the 200-meter butterfly event with freshman Tim Rauch, freshman Andrew Hessler and senior R.T. Greeby finishing first through third, respectively. Other victories on this night of triumph included a first-place finish by Lone in the 500-meter freestyle, a victory by Forsman in the 200-meter individual medley and a win by Gallagher in the 100-meter butterfly. This win was a great boost for the men's team as it prepares for the final three tournaments of the season after finishing the season undefeated at home.
The women's team was equally dominant on the night, finishing victoriously in most events. The Lions swept the 200 medley (1:55.17), finishing first through fourth in the event. The winning swimmers were seniors Christine Marino, Lauren Pfeifer and Ava Kiss, and freshman Kristin Udicious, respectively. The women's team also took first in the 200-meter freestyle relay in 1:47.71 led by Kiss, freshman Jennifer Rashti, senior Meghan Moore and Marino.
Other first-place finishes for the College included a victory in the 1,000-meter freestyle by Rashti (11:22.33) and freshman Margaret Molloy's win in the 200-meter freestyle in 1:57.43 and 200-meter backstroke in 2:19.54. Junior Brittany Collyer took first in the 100-meter breaststroke (1:13.01) and Udicious won the 50-meter freestyle (26.13).
Sophomore Stephanie Seto claimed a victory in the 200-meter individual medley (2:17.39), freshman Katie Zavoda took first in the 100-meter freestyle (56.02) and senior Caitlin Elmendorf won the 100-meter butterfly (1:04.85). The women's team is also pumped up going into the postseason, winning three out of its last four meets.
Now that the regular season is officially over, both teams can put their complete focuses on the three final tournaments.
According to head coach Brian Bishop, the men's team is "starting to back off and come down in volume" in preparation for the Metropolitan Conference Championships (METs).
Women's head coach Jennifer Harnett added that the women swimmers "have become more intense in the way of sprinting harder" and will begin preparing for the METs this week.
(02/06/08 5:00pm)
A much-needed win for the College's men's and women's swimming and diving teams came this weekend against a conference rival. The Lions traveled to Wayne, N.J., on Saturday to test their swimming skills against William Paterson University.
The men posted a final score of 134.5-96.5, improving their record to 6-3, while the women defeated the Pioneers 137-95 as they added to their win column and now stand at 3-7. Both teams face Ramapo College for their final dual meet of the season on Feb. 8.
Junior diver and record holder Greg Lloyd yet again posted NCAA provisional qualifying scores in the one- and three-meter dives to win both with scores of 288.45 and 340.20, respectively. The College finished first in both the 200-meter medley relay (1:43.23) and 200-meter freestyle relay (1:30.92) and freshman Tim Rauch added a victory in the 1,000-meter freestyle, winning the race in 9:58.60.
Freshman Shawn Kircher took first in two events to contribute to the victory, winning the 50-meter freestyle in 22.30 and the 500-meter freestyle in 4:56.65.
Junior Mike Molloy won twice as well on Saturday, finishing first in the 200-meter backstroke (2:00.61) and 200-meter freestyle (1:49.01). The Lions finished first through third in the 200-meter freestyle with senior Jonaid Lone taking second and freshman Peter Goldsmith finishing third.
Other victories included freshman Joe Tseng's win in the 200-meter individual medley, sophomore Herman Chu's first-place finish in the 200-meter butterfly and freshman Andrew Hessler's win in the 200-meter breaststroke.
Regarding goals for the end of the season, men's head coach Brian Bishop said, "We are perfecting everything. . No mistakes."
The College's women's team also dominated with a number of first-place finishes. Freshman diver Amanda Obst took first in the one- and three-meter events scoring 186.30 and 196.40, respectively.
Other highlights included freshman Margaret Molloy's win in the 200-meter butterfly (2:12.63) and senior Liz LaCava's second-place finish in the same event (2:30.58). The Lions placed first through third in the 1,000-meter freestyle with freshman Michele Wilson taking the event, junior Brittany Collyer finishing second and senior Kristin Udicious finishing third.
Senior Ava Kiss won the 50-meter freestyle in 25.27 and freshman Jennifer Rashti took first in the 200-meter freestyle in 2:05.75. Freshman Melissa Wallace and sophomore Christina Falcone came in first and second in 2:24.50 and 2:25.87, respectively. Freshman Katie Zadova came in first in the 100-meter freestyle as well, finishing in 56.99, and junior Emily Reichard won the 500-meter freestyle in 5:30.21.
After the meet with Ramapo on Friday, the Lions will be put to the test in the Metropolitan Conference Championships at Rutgers University beginning Feb. 22, and eventually in the NCAA Division III Championships, hosted by the College of Wooster.
"The level of competition in the last two meets allows us some flexibility in our lineups," women's head coach Jennifer Harnett said. "They should be easy wins for us, which will add to our confidence going into the (Metropolitan Conference) Championships."
(01/30/08 5:00pm)
After home victories against Rowan University last week, the College's men and women's swimming and diving teams attempted to continue their winning ways at New York University (NYU).
The Violets handed the Lions a pair of defeats. The men fell 167.5-132.5 and are now 5-3, while the women are 2-7 after falling 169-128.
Despite the loss, junior Greg Lloyd had a record-breaking performance in the one- and three-meter dives. He broke both NYU Aquatic Center and College re cords when he scored a 326.11 and 360.90 in the respective events. He bested a one-meter College record that had stood since 2003 while he broke his own one-year record in the three-meter dive.
Coaches Brian Bishop and Jennifer Harnett discussed the rivalry between the College and NYU, and it was on the mind of the swimmers as well.
"The older guys say we can't lose to NYU," freshman Tom Medvecky said before the meet. "I know I have three tough races and it'll be a dogfight, but it'll come down to whoever wants it more."
Medvecky swam well against NYU, finishing second in the 200-meter freestyle (1:44.84), the 200-meter butterfly (1:56.83) and the 500-meter freestyle (4:48.43).
Other highlights of the meet for the Lions were junior Thomas Nawrot's first-place finish in the 100-meter backstroke (53.36), senior Josh Forsman's victory in the 100-meter butterfly (52.52) and sophomore Myles O' Connor's win in the 200-meter breaststroke (2:13.33).
The College also finished second in the 200-meter medley relay. Contributing to the relay were Nawrot, O'Connor, Forsman and senior Liam Gallagher. Junior Mike Molloy came in second in the 1,000-meter freestyle in 10:11.73.
Among the highlights from the women's events was a continuation of freshman Margaret Molloy's impressive rookie season. Molloy took first in the 1,000-meter freestyle with a time of 10:48.30 and also added a pair of second-place finishes in the 100- and 500-meter freestyle events.
Senior Ava Kiss also swam well as she posted a pair of first-place victories in the 100-meter butterfly and 100-meter freestyle, finishing in 58.88 and 54.76, respectively.
Kiss also contributed to a Lions victory in the 200-meter freestyle relay with the help of freshman Michele Wilson, sophomore Ashley Robb and senior Lauren Pfeiffer. The Lions finished in the first three spots in the 200-meter individual medley with freshman Stephanie Seto taking the event in 2:19.35, junior Brittany Collyer finishing second in 2:21.32 and junior Sara Casciano finishing third in 2:23.88.
Harnett said the women will be "focusing more on sprint work" during their training sessions.
The Lions continue their arduous training as they prepare for the Metropolitan Conference Championships and the NCAA Division III Championships to finish out the season.
"We have been training incredibly hard since the first week in December," Bishop said. "We are doing hard work now so we can be rested for the tournament."
(01/23/08 5:00pm)
After superior performances in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championships to finish out 2007, the College's men's and women's swimming and diving teams suffered two losses in Baltimore to start the new year.
On Jan. 18-19 the Lions participated in a tri-meet against the Johns Hopkins University Blue Jays and the Golden Rams of West Chester University, resulting in a pair of defeats for both Lions squads.
The men's team was decisively defeated by Johns Hopkins 237-91 and by West Chester 225-105, ending a previously undefeated season and a seven-meet win streak. After falling to their highly-ranked opponents, the Lions have a 4-2 record.
Highlights of this weekend's meet for the men's team included a pair of first-place finishes from junior diver Greg Lloyd as he won the one-meter, scoring 252.94, and the three-meter, scoring 299.55. Senior Liam Gallagher finished in second place in both the 200-meter individual medley with a time of 1:59.83 and the 200-meter backstroke in 2:01.28.
Junior Mike Heaney finished third in the 200-meter breaststroke in 2:02.63. Senior Josh Forsman finished fourth in the 100-meter butterfly, posting a time of 53.34.
"The Baltimore meet was an interesting meet because we put in six weeks of intense training, so we were all pretty broken down going in," Forsman said.
Freshman Tom Medvecky said, "The whole team is exhausted (from the six-week training period) and the meet was a chance to see how we compete even when we have nothing left in us."
The College's women's team did not fare much better against its two opponents, falling to Johns Hopkins and West Chester 222-93 and 219-94, respectively. The Lions now stand at 1-6 on the season.
Bright spots for the College were two new school records set by freshman Margaret Molloy as she broke the previous marks in the 1,000- and 1,650-meter freestyle. Her time of 17:56.58 in the 1,650 freestyle broke the eight-year-old record of 18:05.65 and her 1,000-meter freestyle time is the best in the College's history. Molloy also took home first place in the 500-meter freestyle, winning in 5:11.23.
Adding another first-place finish was senior Lauren Pfeifer who bested her competition in the 100-meter breaststroke in 1:10.51. Senior Ava Kiss, Pfeifer, junior Stacy Delehanty and freshman Michele Wilson contributed to the College's second-place finish in the 200-meter medley relay with a time of 1:53.69.
"This tri-meet was especially difficult for us because it's the first time we've raced in six weeks and we've had doubles for three weeks," Kiss said. "There wasn't much preparation except for the fact that we encouraged each other to stay positive."
Coming into the meet, both teams were still riding the success of stellar finishes in the ECAC Division III Championships, where the men finished first and the women finished sixth out of 16 schools.
"Past successes are always motivating as it's good to see what we're capable of," Kiss said, "but we are now more focused on our goal of winning (the Metropolitan Conference Championships)."
(11/28/07 5:00pm)
Although a few bumps in the road have led the basketball team astray, the hard work of a new coach and a team that knows how to win is sending the Lions in the right direction. The College recorded its first victory of the season on Tuesday, Nov. 20, defeating Keystone College by a close margin of 69-67.
The Lions improved their record to 1-2, led by a career-high 17 points from sophomore Steve Feinberg and 15 point-a-piece chip-ins by the two senior captains, guard Corey Gilmore and forward Mark Aziz.
"I think we play hard as a team," Gilmore said. "I am very proud of my teammates and I feel as though so far our effort on the basketball court is really good."
On the road in La Plume, Pa., the College led 34-26 at the half and finished the night shooting an impressive 53.8 percent from the floor, while its staggering defense held Keystone to 32.4 percent.
Feinstein was automatic all night, coming off the bench to go 7-for-7 from the field. Aziz narrowly missed a double-double with nine rebounds and was a powerful force on the boards with four blocks.
The Lions are making strides toward a winning record after stumbling in their first two games over the weekend. The College traveled to Williamsport, Pa., on Friday to participate in Lycoming College's Tip-Off Tournament.
Friday night, the Lions matched up against King's College and fell to the Monarchs 79-55.
Bright spots in the losing effort were senior forward Jeff Warner's 14 points and junior guard Jeff Molinelli's 10.
Discussing his play, Molinelli said, "I think I've been playing OK. I've just been trying to work as hard as I can and hopefully I can help the team start to get on the winning track."
On Saturday, the Lions took on the hosting Lycoming Warriors in the tournament's consolation game. The Warriors were victorious over the Lions 58-56.
The squads were tied at 31 at the half but the Warriors gained a 10-point lead midway into the fourth quarter.
After leading 57-47, the Warriors went cold and nearly scoreless for the remainder of the game and a late-game Lion surge brought them to within one. The Lions, despite their comeback, came up just short as a foul shot with five seconds remaining sealed the team's fate.
Molinelli led the College with 17 points and was named an all-tournament member.
Aziz added 11 points and six rebounds while Warner and Gilmore each added nine points of their own.
The College is led by first-year interim head coach Matt Hunter, and the players have had nothing but positive things to say about their new coach.
"He is very energetic and enthusiastic," Molinelli said. "His enthusiasm makes us work very hard which has put us in the best shape we can be. So far I think he has been doing great."
Adding to the thought, Gilmore said, "(Hunter) is doing an absolutely amazing job right now. His confidence in us helps us have confidence in ourselves."
When asked about the team's performance so far, Hunter said, "We made a lot of progress from Friday to Saturday. We are still in the building process and we want to play to our full potential in February when it matters most."