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(08/30/06 4:00pm)
At the NCAA Division III Championships, senior co-captain Steve Swenson brought home the National Championship as he took first in the 100-meter breast stroke.
Swenson finished the race in a time of 56.25 to break his own school record after being seeded fifth for the finals.
"It was the greatest feeling ever," Swenson said. "I knew there was a chance for me to win; I just had to race. I wanted that title and I got it ... I couldn't have asked for a better finish."
It was only the second time since 1994 that a Lions swimmer had been named NCAA Champion. Swenson was the first to win the title in his event.
After leading the Lions for the last four years, Swenson has accumulated 15 separate All-American citations during his impressive career here at the College.
"It was incredibly exciting to watch him get national champion," head coach Brian Bishop said. "Swenson went into the meet knowing that it was anybody's game and he wouldn't accept anything other than being first to the wall."
(08/30/06 4:00pm)
The Lions experienced an up-and-down 2005-2006 season. With the loss of their top player, senior Ryan Carty, the Lions have a lot of ground to cover this year.
"Ryan was the epitome of the College's tennis and what we wanted our team to be," head coach Scott Dicheck said.
Junior Mike Klimchak and sophomore Roger Mosteller will return this season. Klimchak became a force last year as he dominated at No. 2 singles. Mosteller's power will also be an intimidating factor. They will join in doubles to prolong their 9-0 record from the spring.
Junior Eric Ferriere, who had an impressive 11-1 record last year, will return to the courts this season with senior Corey Ball.
"They will be major contributors at No. 2 doubles as they bring intensity, focus and hard work each time they come to practice or a match," Dicheck said.
Other returning players and incoming freshmen will also bring dominance to the team to broaden their success and improve on last season's accomplishments.
(08/30/06 4:00pm)
Senior Jeff Zodda received his sixth career All-American citation after placing first in the 800-meter run at the 2006 NCAA Division III Indoor Championships in Minneapolis, MN.
In the process of picking up the individual championship, Zodda set a course record at the Tostrud Center with a time of 1:52.53 in the finals of the NCAA Tournament and helped lead his team to 13th place overall at the Division III Championships.
"It's impossible to put into words ... It feels really good, simply amazing," Zodda said. "It's been a long time coming ... I knew I'd have to run really fast to get past the teams here. You always have to work for it. I just did my best."
Zodda's success did not stop there. In the spring outdoor track and field season, Zodda was the runner-up in the NCAA Division III Finals in the 800-meter run. The sprinter opened the finals by breaking a stadium record with a time of 1:50.69. Zodda also broke several school records, including the College's record in the 500-meter dash with a time of 1:04.36.
(08/30/06 12:00pm)
The Lions made history during their successful 15-2 season as they captured the NCAA Divsion III Championship with a 10-4 win over Gettysburg College.
Ranked fourth going into the tournament, the College faced all three teams ranked ahead of it. The championship was the second straight for the Lions, as they took home their 13th NCAA championship.
Senior midfielder Lauren Dougher added to her list of accomplishments when she became the all-time leading scorer in the tournament with 50 goals. She tied the points record with 66.
"I am so happy for these girls and so proud of them," head coach Sharon Pfluger said. "They worked as a complete unit and stuck to the game plan. I feel deep in my heart that I am happy for them, and that is all I wanted for my team. They're happy, so I'm happy."
(08/24/06 12:00pm)
Can't meet the demands of a varsity sport but still love to play the game? From fall to spring each year, the College offers 30 non-varsity sports that students can get involved in. No matter what a student's athletic capability or schedule, there is a team to fit his or her needs. Join one of the 18 club teams on campus and compete against NCAA Division I schools like Rutgers, or get involved with one of the 12 intramural sports and play other teams on campus just for fun with a group of friends.
Women's Club Softball
This team plays fast pitch, competitive softball against teams like Princeton University, Pennsylvania State University, Rutgers University, the University of Connecticut, the University of Maryland and Ithaca University. The team also attends the National Club Softball Tournament each year. They practice three times a week and play doubleheaders on weekends. Each semester, the team attends one away tournament and hosts a home tournament. They are especially looking for pitchers, catchers and a volunteer coach. To contact the women's softball team, send an e-mail to club president Allie Hayes at sball@tcnj.edu.
Women's Club Soccer
This team plays schools like Princeton University, Yale University, the University of Maryland and Boston College. They were one game shy of going to nationals last season as they went 4-2-0. Throughout the season, the team has a lot of mixers with other club sports teams and fraternities, as well as a date party. There is also a Family Day barbecue with the men's team and an alumni game. The team is also actively involved in intramurals on campus. Players should expect intense practices and hard work. They spend most weekends in the fall playing and traveling throughout the northeast.
To contact the women's club soccer team, e-mail tcnjwcs@yahoo.com.
Women's Rugby Club
The women's rugby team competes in NCAA Division II and last season its record was a stellar 5-1.
Throughout the year, the team travels to other colleges, goes to tournaments and hosts games here at the College. Traveling as far as Virginia, their schedule requires a lot of road trips and fun hotel stays.
Off the field, the team holds a lot of social events like bowling, pasta parties, barbeques and going to see rugby matches. Closely affiliated with the men's rugby club, they have a tight-knit community whose bond extends far beyond the field.
They pride themselves in having a position for anyone, regardless of body type or experience, and welcome anyone that wants to join.
To contact either of the women's or men's rugby teams, send an e-mail to rugby@tcnj.edu.
Women's Club Volleyball
Instead of dual games, this club attends tournaments throughout the year. These tournaments are held at other colleges, including the University of Delaware, Rutgers University and Fairfield University.
Since there is no varsity volleyball team at the College, the club is the most competitive women's volleyball squad that the school has to offer.
Most of the girls on the team have some experience, however, they are willing to work with anyone who wants to learn the game. Tryouts will be held sometime in mid to late September and will consist mostly of basic skills and conditioning.
Practices are held twice a week, usually at night, and they attend four to five tournaments. Also, they attend the Club Volleyball National Tournament every year and do a decent amount of fundraising. This year, the tournament will be held in Louisville, Ky.
The team is also quite social; they have mixers with other club sports and fraternities, as well as other team social events.
To contact the volleyball team, e-mail vice president Kristine Mintel at mintel2@tcnj.edu.
Men's Club Volleyball
Teams that this club encounters during the season are Princeton University, Seton Hall University, Drexel University, Temple University, Haverford College, Rowan University and Pennsylvania State University. The level of play is competitive, but the club is all about having fun. The club's goal is to compete in the Club Volleyball National Tournament this year in Louisville. To contact the team, e-mail club president Scott Miccio at vball@tcnj.edu.
Fencing Club
The fencing club gets together once a week for about an hour. This year the team is trying to accomodate every skill level: one night for students with no experience so that they can learn the basics of how to fence, and a separate night for people with experience so that they can immediately have bouts with practice weapons and their electric equipment.
The team is all for fun as it does not yet compete against other schools; however, they are looking forward to competing in the future. Check the team Web site at tcnj.edu/~fencing for more information and meeting times and place. To contact the fencing club, e-mail fencing@tcnj.edu.
Co-Ed Tennis Club
The skill level of this club is rather high. The team practices several times a week and has matches during the weekends. The fall season runs from September to October and the spring season runs from February to April. They compete in the regional tournament at the end of the fall and the national tournament at the end of the spring. Their first meeting is Aug. 28 at noon on the outdoor courts. Practice will follow. To contact the team, e-mail clubten@tcnj.edu.
Co-Ed Ultimate Frisbee
Ultimate frisbee is a relatively new club sport on campus that plays against a lot of different schools, mostly from New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. During Spring break, the co-ed team takes a trip to Georgia for a week and plays in a tournament against teams from all over the country. Last year they placed fifth, but since the new club is still learning, the team gets better every year. Always welcoming new players, they practice Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 4-6 p.m. on the Green Lane Fields. They also have informal pick-up games on Tuesday and Thursday at the same time. To contact the ultimate frisbee team, e-mail frisbee@tcnj.edu.
Club sports that are not listed: baseball, bowling, crew, field hockey, ice hockey, men's and women's lacrosse, racquetball, men's rugby and men's soccer. For more information on every club sport visit tcnj.edu/~intramur/home.html and select the "Club" link in the left column of the site.
(08/24/06 12:00pm)
Intramurals are the perfect outlet for amateur athletes on campus, especially freshmen. They allow a student to participate in a sport without the pressures of varsity and without the costs of club. With everything from dodgeball to tennis, a student athlete can find exactly what they are looking for. Grab a few floormates and friends and get to know each other while burning off that "freshman 15" and taking away some of the stresses of college. Here on campus, the College is proud to offer all of these sports:
Flag Football Soccer Volleyball
Tennis Bowling Basketball
Dodgeball Softball Floor Hockey
Visit tcnj.edu/~intramur/home.html for information on how to join.
(04/19/06 4:00pm)
Head coach Scott Dicheck picked up his 50th career win as both the men's and women's tennis teams went 2-0 for the week during their respective homestands.
The week began as the women's team downed Elizabethtown College 5-4 last Wednesday, taking two of three doubles matches and three of six singles matches. Sophomore Christina Contrafatto, freshman Haley Kutner and junior Kristen Turturiello won their respective matches in doubles and singles play.
Contrafatto joined with senior captain Jackie Gavornik at first doubles for the 8-4 victory and also notched a team point in first singles, beating her opponent 6-3, 6-2. Kutner and Turturiello teamed up at second doubles to dominate the opposition 8-0.
"This was a big week for us and we knew that we needed to play well in both matches," Kutner said. "I was definitely relieved after our win (against Elizabethtown). We were all really excited and pumped up before the Connecticut match."
The men's team continued the at-home action on Friday as they took down rival New York University (NYU) 4-3.
Sophomore Eric Ferriere tallied the match-winning point in fifth singles after beating freshman Craig Berger 6-4, 7-5 to give the College the win. Ferriere was one of three double-winners in the match as he collaborated with senior Justin Cook in third doubles to collect the 8-0 shutout.
Sophomore Mike Klimchak and freshman Roger Mosteller brought in the second doubles victory for the team point as they beat their NYU opponents 8-2 to bring their combined dual match record to 8-0 in doubles.
Klimchak also played at second singles and overpowered freshman Calvin Chou 6-0, 6-2, while Mosteller fought back for his own 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory to help the Lions win.
This past Saturday, both teams rolled past Connecticut College to give Dicheck his 50th career win in his seventh year with the Lions. The men's team crushed the Camels in a 7-0 victory to bring their record on the season to 7-3.
Ferriere continued his hot streak as he clobbered his opponent 6-0, 6-0 at third singles and united with Cook at second doubles to take the 8-4 win. Ferriere now stands at 10-0 this season in singles play.
Klimchak also continued his success in first singles, winning his match 6-0, 6-1, he joined with freshman Will Daly in first doubles to take the 8-6 victory. Daly also tallied a win at fourth singles knocking down his opponent 6-1, 6-4.
In the women's final match of the season, Kutner continued her success, clinching the win for the Lions at second singles as she outlasted junior Amanda Poe to take the match 6-3, 6-4, 6-0, which gave the Lions a 5-4 win and pushed them to 12-2 on the year.
"I was pleased with my performances in the last two matches," Kutner said. "Once I regained my focus, I played pretty well. While the matches were important for my own record, I am glad that the wins helped the team score."
Kutner was once again a double-winner with Turturiello, as they took the second doubles match away from Connecticut by a score of 8-5. Turturiello won her third singles match 6-1, 6-3.
The wins put the Lions one step closer to competing in the NCAA Division III Regional Tournament, but participating teams will not be posted until April 30. The men's team still has one match remaining today at 1 p.m., when it hosts Bates College in what will decide the Lions' postseason future.
(04/12/06 4:00pm)
The Lions stayed hot in the cold weather this past weekend at the Sam Howell Invitational, picking up two NCAA provisional times and six Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC)-qualifying times.
"The competition at the meet was very good. Our team still had good performances that they were satisfied with," freshman Stephanie Herrick said. "The weather at the meet was terrible; it was freezing and raining. The weather made it more difficult to run fast times, but it affected all the teams that were at the meet." Herrick led the women's team, as she placed fifth in the 800-meter run with an NCAA provisional time of 2:15.44.
"I was pumped up to run in the seeded heat and I just told myself that everyone has to run in the same conditions and if I don't let it affect myself, then I'll have an advantage over everyone who lets it affect them," Herrick said. "I didn't expect to run that fast this early, and the race got me excited about the rest of the season."
Junior Angela Tecco placed sixth in the same race to mark the Lions' first ECAC-qualifying time of 2:16.16.
Senior Jenna Fasulo took ninth in the 5,000-meter run with an ECAC time of 18:20.93, while freshman Megan O'Leary placed 12th in 18:37.66. Freshman Martine McGrath also picked up an ECAC time of 11:26.54 for her performance in the steeplechase.
The Lions' fifth-place 4 x 100 relay team of seniors Erika Huggler and Brittny Boyd and sophomores Jessica Bonelli and Carolyn Gray posted the women's final ECAC time.
The men's team also did well, collecting another NCAA time and two more ECAC times.
Senior Brian Donovan placed ninth in the 5,000-meter run for an NCAA time of 14:31.98, while senior teammate Matt Randal posted an ECAC-qualifying time of 15:09.96 in the race.
Sophomore Brian Kopnicki continued the strong effort, as he placed eighth in the steeplechase to receive the final ECAC time with a 9:24.43 run.
In the 400-meter run, freshman Rob McGowan registered a fourth-place time of 50.13, while the men's 4 x 100 relay team also took fourth place with a time of 43.41 behind the efforts of McGowan, seniors Stephen Andrews and Kevin Jones and freshman Kevin Grandstaff.
Senior Jeff Zodda rounded out the competition with a sixth-place finish in the 800-meter run with a time of 1:55.61.
The Lions will have their first home meet of the season on April 15 at the New Jersey Invitational to be held at the College at 9 a.m.
(04/12/06 4:00pm)
The women's tennis team suffered its second loss in a row as it fell to Vassar College 7-2. Prior to the losses, the Lions had maintained a 13-game winning streak before slipping to a 10-2 record on the year.
"It was a big opportunity for us to play this team," head coach Scott Dicheck said. "A win would have moved us up in the rankings and would have given us a higher chance of getting into nationals, but we didn't take advantage."
Freshman Haley Kutner highlighted the Lions' performance with a 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 come-from-behind victory in second singles. After giving up the first set to junior Anna Will, Kutner battled back to tie it up in each of the next two sets.
"Midway through it was tied and Haley seemed to step it up and play very well to win convincingly," Dicheck said. "It was a very good performance."
Junior Kristen Turturiello managed to get the only other Lion win for the day at third singles, as she took down sophomore Kelly Barnett 7-5, 6-7 (2), 10-4. The win also tallies Turturiello's 10th win in dual singles action. She stands at 10-0 on the season.
"It feels good to know that hard work can pay off and I just want to keep working hard to keep getting better," Turturiello said.
With only two matches left in the Lions' schedule, the team will have to make some adjustments before the NCAA Division III Regional Tournament.
"We have not been as strong in doubles as we have been in the past few years," Dicheck said. "We haven't found any success in it. It gives us an edge before we go into singles and we have not been able to put it together."
The Lions will face Elizabethtown College at home on April 12 and then they will close out the season with a home match against Connecticut College on April 15.
"I think we need to just forget about the loss to Vassar and keep moving forward to get the next two matches as wins," Turturiello said. "We just have to play at our potential, stay focused and play hard."
The men's team also suffered a 5-2 loss on Saturday to Swarthmore College to drop its record to 5-3.
Senior Ryan Carty had the big win of the day as he overpowered senior Zac Rodd in first singles 3-6, 6-1, 1-0 (10-7). Carty had just rebounded from the flu and still managed to edge past the high-ranked Rodd.
Unfortunately for the Lions, second singles freshman Roger Mosteller endured an injury earlier this week that kept him out of competition during that time. Also, junior Corey Ball sustained a hamstring injury during his fifth singles match. The pain caused Ball to retire in the middle of the third set before he could complete a comeback win.
"The number one thing for us right now is health," Dicheck said. "We are hoping that Roger and Corey can bounce back from their injuries, but if they can't, the younger guys may have to be put in the lineup, which would at least give them a great opportunity."
Sophomore Mike Klimchak picked up the slack for Mosteller as he took the win in third doubles with freshman partner Will Daly 9-8 (7-5). In second singles, Klimchak played one of last year's All-Americans and performed admirably as he fell 7-5, 2-6, 0-6.
The Lions will begin a four-game home stand on April 14 against New York University, April 15 against Connecticut, April 17 against Drew University and April 19 against Bates College.
(03/29/06 5:00pm)
Senior captain Jackie Gavornik won the final match in fourth singles against the Herons of William Smith College to seal a 5-4 victory for the Lions on Sunday.
After capturing the first set, Gavornik was leading 5-4 when sophomore Cory Turner rallied to steal the second set from Gavornik, beating her 12-10 in the tiebreaker. The action stayed intense in the third, as Gavornik edged out Turner 6-4 for the win. This tallies Gavornik's 54th career singles win.
Named New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Rookie of the Year at the end of the Fall 2005 season, freshman Haley Kutner continued her impressive year by recording a crucial win for the Lions as she defeated sophomore Tara Ware 6-4, 7-6 (12-10).
Junior Kristen Turturiello completed the only shutout of the match as she dominated junior Meghan Kelley in third singles 6-3, 6-0. She joined Kutner in second doubles to annihilate sophomore Katie Campbell and Turner 8-0.
Gavornik also took home a win in first doubles with sophomore Christina Contrafatto. Regionally ranked at No. 11, the tandem took down freshman Chelsea Rauck and Ware 8-4.
"We had our ups and downs but we came through the rough parts and were able to give each other energy," Contrafatto said.
In first singles, Contrafatto, ranked No. 5 regionally, and Rauck, ranked No. 6, endured a rematch of last season's Intercollegiate Tennis Association Northeast Championship, where Contrafatto came out the victor. This time around, the match showed Rauck overcoming Contrafatto 4-6, 7-5, 6-3.
"It was exciting; we were both looking for a hard match," Contrafatto said. "She came out on top today, but there were no points that I can think back on and wish they went differently."
The Lions also grabbed a 7-2 win from the Yellow Jackets of the University of Rochester to extend their streak to 12 consecutive matches.
Currently ranked No. 32 regionally, with a 3-2 record on the season, the men's team split its matches this week as it suffered a 4-3 loss to the Yellow Jackets, a key opponent for the Lions this year, but bounced back for a 7-0 win over Hobart College.
"The victory over Hobart shows that we are still fighting hard for our spot at Nationals," sophomore Mike Klimchak said.
Sophomore Eric Ferriere triumphantly returned from the road trip as the only double-winner in both matches.
Sunday against Hobart, Ferriere defeated junior Ronny Koenig 6-1, 6-1 in fifth singles and then collaborated with freshman Will Daly in third doubles for an 8-3 victory over sophomore Nick Raho and senior Matt Jacobus.
Klimchak was also a double-winner against Hobart as he took down senior Adam Raffa in second singles 6-1, 6-2. Klimchak then partnered up with freshman Roger Mosteller to overpower Hobart's second doubles team 8-2. Klimchak is ranked No. 21 regionally
"I think it is going to be tougher for us to reach Nationals than we thought because of our two tough losses, but it is still within reach," Klimchak said. "(With) the amount of talent, competitiveness and drive that our team has, I feel that we can reach our goal."
Senior captain Ryan Carty, regionally ranked No. 8, had the only close match of the day in the win against Hobart as he snuck by freshman James Micheroni with a 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (7-3) victory.
The Lady Lions' next match will take place in Madison, N.J. against Drew University today. Both the women's and men's team will then have a home stand on April 1-2 against Skidmore College and Johns Hopkins University.
(03/22/06 5:00pm)
This past weekend, senior Steve Swenson overpowered everyone in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Championships to receive the NCAA crown in the 100-meter breaststroke.
With a time of 56.25, Swenson broke his own school record and became only the second swimmer in Lions history to claim an NCAA title.
"It was the greatest feeling ever," Swenson said. "I knew there was a chance for me to win; I just had to race. I wanted that title and I got it."
"It was incredibly exciting to watch him get National Champion," head coach Brian Bishop said. "Steve went into the meet knowing that it was anybody's game and he wouldn't accept anything other than being first to the wall."
In his career, Swenson has accumulated a total of 15 All-American honors. In this tournament alone, Swenson captured four of these honors to make his final season a memorable one. In the 200-meter breaststroke, Swenson placed 15th with a time of 2:07.02 to obtain honorable mention honors.
"I would like to go out on top, but I could see myself swimming Senior Nationals this summer and training another year to make the Olympic trial cut for the 100-breaststroke," Swenson said.
Swenson assumed his last two honors in the 200-meter and 400-meter medley relays.
In the 400, sophomore Kevin Oliver, senior Glen Sudol and freshman Jeff Glenn joined with Swenson to place seventh in the event to earn All-American honors. The 200-meter medley relay showed Oliver, Swenson, sophomore Josh Forsman and junior Kyle King placing 10th with a time of 1:34.11 to secure the All-American honors for the team.
"I want to thank my coach, Brian (Bishop), for everything that he has done for me," Swenson said. "He believed in me from day one and made me believe. The group of guys on the team are fantastic and its been a pleasure swimming with all of them. I couldn't have asked for a better finish."
Other top finishers for the men's team included freshmen Greg Lloyd and Glenn. Lloyd added All-American honors to his rookie season as he took sixth place with a score of 444.55 in the three-meter diving event. Glenn placed 21st in the 100-meter freestyle for a total of 10 All-American citations in his career with the Lions.
"It was really up and down; if we swam as fast as possible we would have gotten eighth," Bishop said. "We aren't disappointed because this gives us more direction for the future."
The Lions finished 12th in the tournament with 83 points, an improvement from 14th place last year.
The women's team also experienced their own list of accomplishments in the Women's NCAA Division III Championships. The team had three women represent the College at the tournament and all three came back with All-American honors.
Sophomore Ava Kiss led the pack as she posted a 56.78 fourth-place time in the 100-meter butterfly, which not only crushed the school record she originally set but also earned Kiss her second All-American honors. She received her first last year in the same event with a time of 57.59. In the trials of the event, Kiss swam a time of 57.18 which also broke her original record before the finals.
Senior Erin Stutz also put up an All-American honorable mention performance with a time of 2:10.57 in the 200-meter butterfly to take 16th place in the event. The honor marks the end of Stutz's career with the Lions as she tallied her fourth career All-American award.
Junior diver Lee Swanson wrapped up the Lions' competition, as she placed 13th in the three-meter diving event with a score of 379.10 to earn All-American honorable mention in her first NCAA Tournament appearance.
"It is such an honor to even be invited and to qualify for the meet," head coach Jennifer Harnett said. "For the three of them to go and all come back as an All-American is such a great achievement. All three of them had very high expectations and they each had those expectations met."
(03/08/06 5:00pm)
The Lions kicked off their 2006 season with a big win against undefeated Salisbury University. With the 5-1 victory, the Lions move to a 1-0 record while the Seagulls drop to 8-1.
"Everyone on the team was on a high getting out and winning the game, especially against a team who was 8-0," junior pitcher Brian Kraus said. "It was a great feeling to us."
Sophomore relief pitcher Brad Kittle picked up the win for the Lions as he pitched the last 4 2/3 innings of the game, giving up only one hit and fanning two Seagulls in the process. Kittle went 4-0 last season.
Kraus started on the mound and gave up only one hit. He went 4 1/3 innings with three strikeouts, three walks and one run.
"That felt awesome, but I owe a lot of it to the defense I had behind me," Kraus said. "They played great and made it much easier to pitch."
"It isn't easy any time you are throwing the first game," head coach Rick Dell said. "Being outside for the first time you have to make the adjustments. Brian did what he needed to do and it is a good outing to build on."
The Lions' offense was led by junior PJ Anzelone, as he went 2-4 at the plate with a double, the only extra-base hit of the game, and scored two runs. Senior center fielder Charlie Iacono and senior shortstop Mike Bruschini each added a run and a stolen base to the effort.
This season, the Lions will be defending the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) title after beating Rowan University in the championship game of the NJAC Tournament last year.
"Our philosophy is to take it one day at a time, one game at a time," Dell said. "Our biggest concern is to build on this win and get things done that we need to get done before we go to Arizona."
The Lions expect to have numerous standouts on the team this season. All-American junior first baseman Blake Bullis has had a stellar career thus far, batting a solid .370 with a .608 slugging percentage and a 19-21 record in stolen base attempts.
All-American junior catcher Gerard Haran has also made a name for himself in his two previous seasons at the College. Batting a .367 with a .689 slugging percentage, Haran has slammed 21 career home runs and 98 runs batted in (RBI). In the 2005 season alone, Haran knocked in 74 RBI with 15 home runs, a school record.
The Lions will return to the field on March 11 to face Keene State College in Phoenix, Ariz., beginning their spring training trip.
(02/22/06 5:00pm)
This past weekend, the Lions' swimming and diving teams competed in the Metropolitan Conference Championships where they finished in second place and couldn't be prouder.
"It was so loud it was like a rock concert," head coach Brian Bishop said. "It was a fantastic meet because there were so many more NCAA cuts and the team really stepped it up."
Leading the women's team was sophomore Ava Kiss who placed in six different events. In the 100-yard butterfly, Kiss took first with a time of 57.40 to claim an NCAA Division III A time while taking second in the 100-yard freestyle with a Division III B provisional time of 53.07.
Kiss was also an integral part of four relay teams that also placed in the competition. In the 200-yard medley relay, Kiss, freshman Emily Reichard, sophomore Lauren Pfiefer and senior Beth Hurley reached in a time of 1:49.38 to finish first with the Division III B provisional time. Reichard, Kiss and Hurley joined with junior Catherine Benigno in the 400-yard medley relay to receive second with a time of 4:01.37.
Kiss then partnered with senior tri-captains Karen Bocian and Erin Stutz and sophomore Kristen Udicious in the 800-yard freestyle relay to take second with a time of 7:57.01.
Then, in the 400-yard freestyle relay, Hurley, Stutz, Bocian and Kiss came away with third place in 3:39.19.
Stutz also added another highlight to her campaign as she took fourth in the 200-yard individual medley with a Division II B provisional time of 2:11.70 and third in the 400-yard individual medley with a Division III B provisional time of 4:38.37.
Reichard and Pfiefer wiped out their competition in the 100-yard breaststroke as they finished in the first and second place positions with times of 1:08.11 and 1:08.88, respectively.
Junior Lee Swanson added to her diving statistics as she picked up a first-place finish in the one-meter event with a score of 366.80 and a second-place finish in the three-meter dive with a score of 429.65.
On the men's side, senior co-captain Steve Swenson led the way for the Lions as he placed first in four events. Two of Swenson's first-place finishes were in the breaststroke. In the 100-yard, Swenson picked up first in a Division II A time of 56.58 while taking a 2:04.90 Division II A time in the 200-yard event. This is Swenson's eighth time as an individual conference champion.
Swenson also joined in on the 400-yard medley relay with sophomores Kevin Oliver and Josh Forsman and freshman Jeff Glenn where they took first with a Division III B provisional time of 3:25.24. Swenson, Oliver and Forsman then united with junior Kyle King to take first in the 200-yard medley relay with a Division III A time of 1:32.65.
Sophomore Liam Gallagher also had quite a showing in the meets while placing third or better in seven different events. In perhaps what was the highlight of the match, Gallagher teamed with freshman
Tom Nawrot, Glenn and King in the 400-yard freestyle relay to capture first place in what would be the last event of the Conference Championships. The relay team finished in a Division III A time of 3:03.67 which would turn out to be a new school and conference record.
"It was the last event and the two teams were just battling it out," Bishop said. "Even if we won we wouldn't get first place but we were trying to make a statement."
Gallagher also competed in the 200-yard freestyle relay with Glenn, King and senior Glenn Sudol to take first with a Division III B provisional time of 1:24.27. In individual events, Gallagher picked up second-place finishes in the 400-yard individual medley with a Division III provisional time of 4:10.33 and in the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 1:55.01.
"I was really happy with my performance because I knew I had to go after my national cuts this weekend and I just fed off the energy of the team and everyone else's swims to motivate myself," Gallagher said.
In the 100-yard backstroke, Oliver took first with a Division II B provisional time of 52.10 while Nawrot finished close behind in second also with a Division II B provisional time of 52.30.
"This weekend was a huge stepping stone for us mentally," Gallagher said. "Physically we know our foundation from all season will be there, but this weekend really pumped us up and we will be going into nationals really confident."
The Lions are in a good position as they head to the NCAA Division III Championships on March 16-19 in Minneapolis, Minn.
(02/22/06 12:00pm)
Last June, after watching the 50-round Major League Baseball draft pick-by-pick on the computer with his father, junior pitcher Joe D'Alessandro was ecstatic to find himself drafted in the 23rd round by the New York Mets.
"It was really great; my dad was so proud of me," D'Alessandro said. "I knew the scouts were looking at me since I had been throwing good, but I didn't know which round I would go. I was excited to be No. 689 in the 23rd because that is better than the other half of drafted players."
After celebrating with his friends, D'Alessandro began to focus on his new career with the class A affiliate of the Mets, the Brooklyn Cyclones. His obvious goal is to make it to Major League Baseball, but D'Alessandro also set some personal goals for himself while he owns the mound in Brooklyn.
D'Alessandro stressed first pitch strikes as an important concentration of his.
"When you get the first pitch to be a strike, you are ahead of the batter and the control is all yours; it is a pretty big deal," D'Alessandro said.
The young pitcher also plans to take each game pitch by pitch and to make one full season with a single A team.
According to D'Alessandro, he is now ranked in the top 10 of the 150 power pitchers (pitchers who throw 92 miles per hour or above) in the league. D'Alessandro agreed that with all of these pitchers it is easy to be intimidated, but he noted that the one way to overcome the intimidation is to be prepared and have confidence in that preparation.
"Joe has good velocity and he has developed a good slider over the years," Lions head baseball coach Rick Dell said. "It is a long hard road like any job, a competitive job, and I would like to see him stay healthy and I think if he does that, then he can be successful."
While attending Glassboro High School, D'Alessandro played mostly third base and only pitched a few innings here and there. After spending his first semester at North Carolina State University, D'Alessandro realized the best chance he had to play for them would be to pitch. Fortunately for the Lions, NC State had too many scholarship players to worry about, so D'Alessandro pursued pitching at the College.
"Coach Dell had a lot to offer me with a lot of experience - he really kick-started my career," D'Alessandro said.
"Joe has just begun to tap his potential as a pitcher and is still learning," junior catcher Gerard Haran said. "He got control of his slider and went from having just a fastball to being a pitcher who could throw three pitches for strikes. He has a great work ethic - after practices when other guys would go home, Joe would go to the weight room and continue to work."
Haran, an All-American last year, has what he describes as a love-hate relationship with D'Alessandro on the field. While having a small part in D'Alessandro's success from a mental standpoint, since he called which pitches to throw as D'Alessandro's teammate last year, Haran remarked that maturity is key in working with a catcher and that D'Alessandro is all maturity.
Last season with the Lions, D'Alessandro finished with 88 strikeouts in 70.1 innings while only allowing 23 walks. He also had a 7-1 record with a 2.69 era and batters averaged a mere .204 against him.
With the Cyclones, D'Alessandro pitched sparingly in about 25 innings last season, since he was coming off of his 78-inning season with the Lions. However, he expects to pitch a lot more this upcoming year.
"This time last year Joe was not our go-to guy, but during the year he made the slow process of developing with decent velocity and good sound mechanics, and now his slider may even be his best pitch," Dell said.
D'Alessandro, a key to the Lions' success last year, hopes to develop even more as a pitcher to further his career with the Cyclones and perhaps eventually with the Mets.
The Cyclones' season does not begin until June 20, but D'Alessandro has already begun his spring training and now awaits what may be the beginning of a successful career in baseball.
(02/15/06 5:00pm)
Last weekend at the Rutgers University Diving Invitational, freshman Greg Lloyd and junior Lee Swanson proved their strength against what was mostly Division I competition.
Swanson posted a stellar 277.85 to finish in third place in the three-meter event. In the one-meter event, Swanson finished in fourth place with a score of 232.1. Both of the dives were National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) qualifying performances.
"In the three-meter event, Lee did a really nice job and had one of the best flips that I have seen her put together all year," diving coach Candace Gottlieb said. "But in the one-meter dive, everybody seemed to be a bit off."
Lloyd took fifth in the three-meter dive with a score of 294.5 and scored 304.85 in the one-meter event to place eighth.
"(My performance) was not very good," Lloyd said. "I could have been a lot better. I pretty much had an off day."
"Greg did not dive to his full potential. He has been diving better than that all year," Gottlieb said. "It was at least good for us to get into the pool before the Conference Championships.
The Metropolitan Conference Championships will begin Feb. 17 for the Lions. All have high hopes of doing well in the meets.
"I have been working really hard and I hope that it all pays off," Swanson said. "I have no idea where I could place, but I hope that I'm up there."
"Both of them have the potential to win it," Gottlieb said. "They both definitely have really good chances."
(02/08/06 12:00pm)
This past Saturday, the Lions swimming and diving teams swept the Pioneers of William Paterson University (WPU) in their last regular season meet of the year. Their record now stands at a stellar 7-2.
"This was our last chance before the conference championships to get some more good races in," head coach Brian Bishop said. "We were able to swim some off-events so we could concentrate on getting our final tuneup before championships."
The Lions dominated over the Pioneers so much that the swimmers started swimming exhibition races so as not to run up the score on WPU.
In the men's 400-medley relay, the College took first with a time of 3:43.89 behind the efforts of senior co-captain Steve Swenson, sophomore John Altobelli, junior Kyle King and freshman Ted Yoa.
"We had a rather large victory over WPU," King said. "The team swam well as a whole with some people swimming off-events. I was happy with the splits I did in each of my relays. They weren't particularly fast, but I was pleased."
In the women's 1,650 freestyle, freshman Karly Daplyn took first for the Lions with a time of 19:40.23. For the men's 1,650 freestyle, sophomore Liam Gallagher trounced his opponents as he took first with a time of 17:44.11.
Junior Julie Nami received first in the women's 200 freestyle as she came in at 2:09.10. Freshman Mike Molloy of the men's team also placed first in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:48.89.
In the 50 freestyle, senior Jeff Glenn edged out senior Glen Sudol by .01 seconds to take first with a time of 22.51. Sophomore R.T. Greeby came away from the 200 butterfly at 2:09.24. Sophomore Ava Kiss scored first in the 200 butterfly for the women as she took first with a time of 2:14.59.
In the 500 freestyle, senior Karen Bocian grabbed first for the women with a time of 5:38.92, while freshman Tom Nawrot picked up the 5:13.65 first-place finish for the men in the same race.
In the women's 200 breaststroke, senior tri-captain Erin Stutz came away with the victory with a time of 2:36.72. Gallagher won the event for the men in a time of 2:20.60.
"It was the last regular season meet for the seniors so they definitely stepped it up a bit," Bishop said. "It was our last chance to get ready for the championships and we pushed for an easy win."
In diving, freshman Greg Lloyd scored big in the one-meter event as he came away with 229.88 points and first place for the Lions. Junior Lee Swanson also captured the event for the women's team as she collected 207.68 points on her dives.
In the three-meter event, Swanson took first uncontested as she finished with 221.70 points. Lloyd took first place with 251.25 points in the same event, but his points were put into exhibition and did not count toward the Lions' point total.
Next up for the Lions is the Rutgers Diving Invitational, where Lloyd and Swanson will test their skills on Feb. 11. The Metropolitan Conference Championships should also prove to be an exciting battle when they begin on Feb. 17.
"It is going to be one of the closest meets in recent years," Bishop said. "The difference in receiving the title could be only 40 points. Out of 800 possible points, 40 is really close."
(02/01/06 5:00pm)
The Lions' swimming and diving teams dominated over the Profs of Rowan University last Wednesday on "Senior Night," their last home meet of the season.
With a 151-83 win, the women's team ended a six-meet losing streak, while the men's team collected the 141-98 victory.
"The entire team really stepped it up," head coach Brian Bishop said. "It was a great team effort and everyone performed at a very high level."
Leading the Lions women once again as a triple-winner was senior tri-captain Erin Stutz. Picking up the first-place finish in the 200-meter individual medley in 2:15.67, Stutz also tallied first-place wins in the 200 butterfly in 2:12.14 and in the 500 freestyle in 5:23.84.
Junior diver Lee Swanson remained on top after claiming first in the one-and three-meter events with scores of 260.40 and 270.10. Swanson was also named the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III Diver of the Week.
"I think that we really tore it up; our adrenaline was ridiculous and we have a really tough competition with them," sophomore Ava Kiss said. "We really came together as a team and I am proud of us."
Kiss was the Lions' second triple-winner of the day, as she placed first in the 100 freestyle (54.64), the 200 freestyle (1:58.01) and was part of the 400 medley relay. Also part of the relay team were sophomore Lauren Breslin, freshman Emily Reichard and senior Beth Hurley.
"I felt I did alright," Kiss said. "It was one of those pools where you feel faster than you actually go."
Reichard was also a triple-winner for the Lions. After helping in the 400 medley relay, Reichard also took first in the 200 backstroke (2:16.18) and in the 200 breaststroke (2:31.74).
The men's team captured first place in every event against Rowan. Freshman diver Greg Lloyd once again took first in the one-meter (283.90) and three-meter (313.75) events. Lloyd was also named ECAC Division III Diver of the Week.
"I thought I did pretty well and it feels good to win the 'Diver of the Week,'" Lloyd said. "I had never heard about it before, so I was just surprised to get it."
It was a banner evening for the Lions' seniors, as four took home first-place finishes. Senior Jeff Glenn triumphed in the 50 breaststroke (21.78) and in the 100 freestyle (47.15). Senior co-captain Scott Foglyano placed first in the 1,000 freestyle (10:30.27) and in the 500 freestyle (5:06.90).
Senior Glenn Sudol continued the trend, as he took first in 200 freestyle in 1:47.31. In the 200 breaststroke, senior co-captain Steve Swenson captured the win in 2:10.29.
"It was the last home meet for five of our guys so it was pretty emotional for all of us," Bishop said. "All of the guys performed very well and we couldn't have asked for a better send-off."
The Lions also split meets with the Violets of New York University on Sunday. The men's team defeated NYU 136-105 and the women's team fell to the Violets 148-92.
The previously undefeated NYU men's team had been ranked No. 1 by the College Swimming Coaches Association of America, while the College was ranked fifth. The win should definitely move the Lions up in the rankings.
Lloyd continued his streak, as he once again collected first place in both the one- (282.52) and three-meter (321.52) events. Lloyd's three-meter dive broke a school record originally set by Ray Lewis in 1995 with a score of 319.15.
Glenn was once again a double-winner, picking up first place in both the 50 (21.80) and 100 (47.21) freestyles, while Swenson defeated all opponents in the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:10.55. Sophomore Liam Gallagher also collected first swimming in the 200 breaststroke in 1:58.94.
On the women's side, Kiss was a double-winner in the 200 freestyle (1:59.34) and the 100 freestyle (55.58). Swanson also captured first in the three-meter diving event with a score of 275.70.
"I think that we need to just keep training the way we are now and then when it comes time to taper, then I think that is when we'll see the results we want," Kiss said. "We've been working our asses off all year and we should see the improvement within the next week or two."
The Lions will travel to Wayne to face William Paterson University on Feb. 4 at 2 p.m.
(01/25/06 5:00pm)
This past weekend, the men's and women's swimming and diving teams each suffered a pair of losses in a double dual meet against West Chester University and Johns Hopkins University, but showed some promising individual efforts.
The men's team dropped a 138-230 decision to West Chester and a 127-233 loss to Johns Hopkins, the College's first dual losses of the year, to bring them to 4-2.
"We were a little bit flat and I expected to perform better against these top-ranked teams," head coach Brian Bishop said. "Luckily, these meets have no effect on the end of the year because now we're racing against the clock. Hopefully this gets the mental flatness out of their system and gets them fired up for the upcoming matches."
Although the Lions lost the dual meet, they placed first in four events. Senior captain Steve Swenson took first in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 58.85. Freshman diver Greg Lloyd was a double winner in the dual meet in the one- (291.20) and three-meter (315.80) events.
The Lions also tallied a first- place finish in the 400 freestyle relay in 3:12.85 thanks to junior Kyle King, sophomore Josh Forsman, sophomore Liam Gallagher and freshman Tom Nawrot.
"It was a great swim, ending the meet on a high note with an integral anchor leg from Tom Nawrot, who narrowly touched out our competition," King said. "As a team, all the relays performed at or above expectations, which was a good boost of confidence against hard competition."
Junior George Savulich also came away with a fourth-place finish in the 1,650 freestyle with a time of 16:53.38, while senior Jeff Glenn placed second in the 100 freestyle in 47.19.
"Overall we had a very good performance, considering we were going up against two other very good squads," King said. "The scores may not have reflected that as much, but we did vell."
The women's team also suffered a 131-218 loss to West Chester and a 126-226 loss to Johns Hopkins, putting them at 1-6 on the year.
"Our focus for this meet is more about individual times rather than points," head coach Jennifer Harnett said. "We are at the point of the season where we are trying to determine who will be competing at the Conference Championship in February for our team. We have 32 girls vying for 18 scoring spots on the Conference Team, so our direct competition will be within our own team."
Leading the way for the Lions was senior Erin Stutz, who won the 400 individual medley in 4:40.25 and the 200 butterfly in 2:12.86 and also participated in the second-place freestyle relay with a time of 3:47.34.
"I was happy with the way I swam and felt good in the water which helps prepare me for future meets such as Rowan and METS (Metropolitan Conference Championships)," Stutz said.
Also on the team were sophomore Ava Kiss, senior Beth Hurley and sophomore Lauren Pfeifer.
In diving, junior Lee Swanson was a double winner in the one- and threemeter events with scores of 281.55 and 281.40, which requalified her for nationals.
Harnett was also particularly proud of freshman Christine deRouville's fourth-place finish in the 200 breaststroke with a time of 36.88.
"A lot of the girls stepped it up a notch this weekend. I was very excited for deRouville because she had missed the team training camp and had to do all of the training on her own," Harnett said.
"She trained just as hard without the team, which shows a lot of commitment."
Kiss finished second in the 200 individual medley in 2:15.38, while freshman Emily Reichard picked up a third-place finish in the 100 breaststroke in 1:10.32.
"I think everyone did well and kept a positive attitude," Stutz said. "Our focus for this meet was on technique, the little things in our stroke and racing so that we can improve on them for future meets. We have really grown and bonded, which will help with team morale in the future, and we expect to fulfill our competitive potential in the next few meets, especially at our conference meet."
Tonight, both the men's and women's swimming teams take on the Profs of Rowan University in the Lions' last home meet of the season at 6 p.m. in the Aquatic Center. Sunday, the College will take on New York University in New York at 1 p.m.
(12/07/05 5:00pm)
This past weekend, the Lions participated in the Rutgers University Super Splash. The women's team took home eighth place, while the men's team captured fourth place in the three-day event.
The Lions also finished with 11 NCAA Division III "B" cuts and one NCAA Division III "A" cut. Leading the way with the "A" cut was sophomore Ava Kiss, who broke her own school record in the 100-meter butterfly trials. With her time of 57.58, Kiss received an automatic qualifying time. After besting her trial time from last year of 57.59, Kiss placed seventh in the finals with a time of 57.84.
The men's team secured eight of the total "B" cuts in the meet.
"Overall as a team we swam really well," sophomore Liam Gallagher said. "This is the (largest) amount of NCAA cuts we have had at this point in the season and I think we really showed how much potential we have for the end of the season. We want to dominate our conference and qualify more guys for Nationals because our focus for this season is to break into the top eight at NCAAs and we can definitely do that."
Gallagher took fourth place in the 200-meter individual medley with a time of 1:55.06 for the provisional Division III time. Gallagher also collected 10th place in the 400-meter individual medley to receive his second "B" cut of the tournament with a time of 4:12.72.
"I was really focused on this meet. We all were," Gallagher said. "I have just been training really hard and with the great competition this weekend, it was an opportunity to swim well."
In the 200-meter freestyle relay, the College collected a fourth-place finish in 1:24.93 for the "B" cut thanks to Gallagher, junior Kyle King, freshman Tom Nawrot and senior Jeff Glenn.
The Lions received their third NCAA "B" cut in the 400-meter medley relay where they finished in 3:28.08 to take third place. Swimmers for the medley were sophomore Kevin Oliver, senior co-captain Steve Swenson, sophomore Josh Forsman and King.
"B" cut number five for the Lions came from Oliver, Swenson, Forsman and King, who placed third in the 200-meter medley relay with a time of 1:34.86.
Swenson and King also came away with individual NCAA "B" cuts. In the 200-meter breaststroke, Swenson finished third with a time of 2:06.96 while King took fourth in the 100-meter freestyle in 46.43 to make the cut.
The men's last NCAA "B" cut came in the 400-meter freestyle relay where King, Gallagher, Forsman and Glenn finished in second with a time of 3:06.64 to round out the Lions' provisional times.
"Personally, I wasn't happy with my times, but as a team we performed very well," Swenson said. "Our team is swimming very fast so I guess it is a matter of staying focused. I guess the challenge is to instill my teammates with the notion that as long as they work hard, their goals can be attainable."
Senior tri-captain Erin Stutz recorded all three of the NCAA Division III "B" cuts in the tournament for the women's team. With a time of 2:10.80, Stutz finished seventh in the 200-meter individual medley.
Stutz received her second "B" cut in the 400-meter individual medley with a time of 4:35.02 to take eighth place in the event. In the 200-meter butterfly, Stutz posted her third provisional time of the meet with a seventh place finish in 2:09.99.
Next on the agenda for the women's teams will be to battle C.W. Post away on Jan. 14. On both Jan. 20 and 21, the men's and women's teams will travel to West Chester, Pa. to compete against West Chester University and Johns Hopkins University.
(11/16/05 5:00pm)
The men's soccer team advanced to the third round of the NCAA Division III Tournament when it took a 1-0 victory from Roger Williams University.
"Overall, we had good possession and we knocked the ball around pretty well," head coach George Nazario said. "Unfortunately it took a while longer than expected to get the ball in the net."
After a scoreless first half, sophomore midfielder Joe McGinley crossed a ball that sophomore forward Matt Luber settled to his feet.
Luber gained some space and connected on a shot from about 22 yards out 83 minutes into the game.
The goal was Luber's sixth game-winner of the year, 10th goal overall, and brings him to 25 points this season.
"It was one of the best moments of my life, especially to do it with this team," Luber said. "As a team, we all know we can play better than what we showed today. We dominated the game, but wasted opportunities, but it's a good sign when you have an off day and still win."
Just the week before, Luber netted the game-winner to clinch the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Championship. Starting the season ranked ninth in the NJAC polls, the Lions have risen above everyone's expectations. Currently ranked No. 8 nationally, the hunt for a Division III Championship is on as the Lions now stand at 15-2-1.
"We've got some tough teams in front of us, but we have answered every challenge thus far," Luber said. "If we play well, I feel like we can take it deep into the tournament."
"I think we have a good team, a good bench and some luck, and as long as we keep those three things we will go as far as they can take us," Nazario said.
Recently named NJAC Goalkeeper of the Year, sophomore goalie Matt Kasperavicius made six saves in between the pipes and recorded his sixth shutout of the year.
"We really dominated the game because we were passing (the ball) around the whole time," Kasperavicius said. "We just have to play our style of game, keep possession, have good communication and work hard."
Kasperavicius is currently ranked second in the conference with a 0.79 goals against average and a .831 save percentage. He is also a two-time recipient of the NJAC and Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) defensive player of the week.
The 2005 All-NJAC Squad was announced last week and several Lions made the roster. Nazario was named Coach of the Year.
Senior midfielder Matt Connor received the David Logar Award for his leadership to the team. Connor scored seven goals and completed four assists to add 18 points to the Lions roster this season.
For the 2005 NJAC All-Star Team, Luber, McGinley and Kasperavicius were named to the First Team. On the Second Team is junior forward Tim Dudek, and senior defenseman Jeff Lageman and Connor.
The Lions will compete in the sectionals this Friday against a team to be determined.