June 23, 2008
By MIKE SZOSTAK
Journal Sports Writer
The Community College of Rhode Island experienced two major changes in 2007-08, but three constants remained.
Lou Pullano, director of athletics since 2002, left his position before school started for a temporary assignment as vice president for enrollment management at CCRI. When the state offered incentives to certain employees to take early retirement, he accepted. His last day on the job was Friday, and he will be the guest of honor at a reception and dinner this Friday at the West Valley Inn, in West Warwick.
Joe Pavone, a longtime athletics administrator at CCRI, served as interim athletics director and is a candidate for the position.
Women's basketball coach Marcus Reilly led the Knights to another 20-win season and a berth in the NJCAA Tournament. Early in the spring he left to become head coach of the Rhode Island College women's team.
The constants? Women's basketball, which continued to win against a challenging national schedule; women's soccer, which posted a 15-2 record despite a season-ending injury to its best player, and another string of athletes transferring to NCAA Division I, II and III colleges to continue their careers.
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Posted by Mike McDermott 
at 3:35 PM | Permalink
As expected, Bryant University today named Tim O'Shea as the man to lead its men's basketball program into Division I. Bill Reynolds was at the news conference, and we'll have more from him later today.
Here's a link to the Bryant news release announcing O'Shea's hiring.
Posted by Mike McDermott at 12:04 PM | Permalink
Bryant University has a news conference scheduled this morning at 11 at the Chace Athletic Center to introduce its new head basketball coach. Kevin McNamara reported last week that the new coach is expected to be former URI assistant and Ohio University head coach Tim O'Shea.
The new coach will replace Max Good, who has left Bryant for Loyola Marymount.
Posted by Mike McDermott at 8:21 AM | Permalink
June 20, 2008
Tim O’Shea, the former University of Rhode Island assistant coach who just completed his seventh season as the head coach at Ohio University, reportedly will be the next coach at Bryant University.
Read Kevin McNamara's story here.
Posted by Art Martone at 1:40 PM | Permalink
Bryant University has scheduled a news conference at 11 a.m. Monday at the Chase Athletic Center to announce its new head basketball coach. The new coach will replace Max Good, who built Bryant into a Division II power over the last half dozen years. Good left Bryant two weeks ago to become the associate head coach at Loyola-Marymount in California.
Bryant is moving from the Northeast 10 to Division I beginning this September.
Posted by Mike McDermott at 12:52 PM | Permalink
June 9, 2008
By MIKE SZOSTAK
Journal Sports Writer
PROVIDENCE - Jesse Agel, Brown University's new head basketball coach, spent the last 19 years as an assistant at the University of Vermont and at Brown. When did he think he was ready for the top job?
"After my first day of practice 20 years ago," he said yesterday, after being introduced as Craig Robinson's successor.
Agel, 46, worked with Robinson the last two years and last season helped coach the Bears to a 19-10 record, the most victories in a season in Brown basketball history, an 11-3 record, a second-place finish behind Cornell in the Ivy League and a berth in the inaugural College Basketball Invitational.
For 17 years prior to Brown, Agel was an assistant at Vermont. He was associate head coach under Tom Brennan for the last eight and shared credit for the Catamounts' title runs in 2003, 2004 and 2005, as well as their stunning first-round upset of Syracuse in the 2005 NCAA Tournament at Worcester. T.J. Sorrentine of Pawtucket and Taylor Coppenrath, America East rookies and players of the year, were the heroes of those teams.
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Posted by Mike McDermott at 3:41 PM | Permalink
The long-awaited decision to appoint a new men's basketball coach at Brown University has apparently ended. Brown will hold a news conference at 12:30 p.m. at the Pizzitola Center, where athletic director Michael Goldberger will introduce the new coach. Brown has been without a coach since April 7, when Craig Robinson resigned to become the head coach at Oregon State.
To see live streaming video of the announcement, go to http://brownbears.com and click on the audio/video link.
Posted by Mike McDermott at 10:49 AM | Permalink
June 5, 2008
Max Good, who revived Bryant University basketball and took the Bulldogs to five consecutive NCAA Division II tournaments and the championship game in 2005, has resigned to become an assistant coach at Loyola Marymount in Los Angeles.
He will join his former boss, Bill Bayno, with whom he worked at UNLV in 2000 and the start of the 2001 season.
Good informed his team by conference call Thursday and then spoke with each player individually. He said that from a financial standpoint Bayno’s offer was too good to pass up.
“Now my wife doesn’t have to work. She lived with me in the dorms at MCI and she’s driven the van,” he said after calls to his players. “I leave here reluctantly. It was a very tough decision. I’m leaving a great situation for one that’s a little better for me.”
Good’s departure leaves Jim Baron of the University of Rhode Island as the only returning Division I coach for 2008-2009. Providence College fired Tim Welsh and hired Keno Davis of Drake. Craig Robinson left Brown for Oregon State, and Brown is nearing the end of its search.
Bill Smith, director of athletics, will launch his search next week after he meets with President Ronald K. Machtley. The search comes at a critical time because Bryant is moving up to Division I in the fall and the Bulldogs already have contracts to play at Iowa, Connecticut, Boston College, Maryland and Providence College, two factors that should make the job attractive. Smith said he will take his time.
“It’s more important that we get an excellent coach, a coach with the same qualities as Max,” he said.
Bayno contacted Good about the time of the Final Four after receiving permission from Smith, and Good finally visited the campus last week.
“The campus and the weather blew me away, although I’m not a weather guy,” he said. He will start his new job on Aug. 1 and expects to spend most of his time coaching defense and fast-break offense and scouting opponents, his responsibilities under Bayno at UNLV. Loyola Marymount plays in the West Coast Conference, home of Gonzaga and San Diego, among others.
Known for his high energy level, raspy voice, sense of humor and locker room language with his players, Good, 67, has been a popular figure on the New England basketball scene for years.
He compiled a 131-86 record in his seven seasons at Bryant and posted six consecutive winning seasons. He also logged 10 years at Maine Central Institute (MCI), where he was 275-30, won 79 consecutive games over three seasons, had three undefeated seasons and won five New England prep school championships. Eighty-seven of his players played Division I basketball in college, and nine reached the NBA.
Good left MCI for UNLV in 1999 and took over the Runnin’ Rebels in December of 2000 after Bayno was fired in the wake of recruiting violations that resulted in a post-season ban for the 2001 season and four years probation. Bayno was never directly accused of any transgression in the case that involved Lamar Odom, and the NCAA ultimately cleared him of any wrongdoing.
Good led UNLV to a 13-9 record in 2001, visited Bryant that April and eventually signed a contract after turning down offers from three big-time schools to be an assistant coach.
“I can’t be grateful enough to Ron and Dan Gavitt for giving me the opportunity. My wife and I were well-received. I’m still melancholic and saddened by leaving here. I love Bryant,” Good said. Gavitt was the athletics director who hired him.
Good’s players were as successful in class as they were on the court. “I’m very proud that we graduated 24 of the 25 players we recruited, with the high academic constraints we have here,” he said.
--MIKE SZOSTAK
Posted by Art Martone at 2:45 PM | Permalink
June 2, 2008
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Bernadette McGlade was selected Monday as the new commissioner of the Atlantic 10 Conference, replacing Linda Bruno.
McGlade had served as the associate commissioner of the Atlantic Coast Conference since 1999. Bruno resigned in December.
McGlade has spent nearly 30 years in college athletics as a competitor, coach and administrator. A former basketball player at North Carolina before going on to coach at Georgia Tech, she was the tournament director for the 1993 women's Final Four. She was a member of the women's tournament selection committee from 1995-2000 and joined the ACC in 1997.
Posted by Mike McDermott at 1:48 PM | Permalink
June 1, 2008
Brown’s University won the NCAA women’s rowing championship yesterday on Lake Natoma, near Sacramento, Calif. The Bears finished third in the varsity eight, first in the second varsity eight and third in the fours for 67 points. Washington was second with 59, California third with 53 and Yale fourth with 51.
Brown held a two-point lead over Washington entering the final race, the varsity eights, and finished almost three seconds ahead of the Huskies, securing the title. Yale won the varsity eight grand final, and Stanford was second.
“This is a group who really likes to race. I can’t say enough about the determination of this team, and their hard work and dedication made them national champions,” coach John Murphy said.
“This is the best feeling in the world,” said Sarah Wu, coxswain in the varsity eight boat.
This is Brown’s sixth NCAA women’s rowing championship. The others were in 2007, 2004, 2002, 2000 and 1999. Murphy’s wife Phoebe is his assistant coach.
Last week, Murphy was named New England Regional Coach of the Year, and Wu, Emma Olson, Jessica Stage and Corey Finnerty-Ludwig were named first-team All-New England. Hannah Malvin was named second-team.
Posted by Mike Szostak at 5:54 PM | Permalink
May 31, 2008
Providence College is one of eight schools that will participate in the Anaheim Classic, a college basketball tournament played over Thanksgiving weekend at the Anaheim Convention Center adjacent to Disneyland. The games will be played on Nov. 27, 28 and 30.
Tournament pairings and game times will be announced at a later date. The complete tournament will air live on either ESPN2 or ESPNU.
Three of the eight schools earned berths in the 2008 NCAA Tournament -- Baylor of the Big 12, Cal State Fullerton of the Big West and St. Mary’s of the West Coast Conference. Two others -- Arizona State of the Pac-10 and Charlotte of the Atlantic 10 -- participated in the National Invitation Tournament. UTEP, of Conference USA, participated in the inaugural College Basketball Invitational (CBI).
Completing the field, in addition to PC, is Wake Forest of the ACC.
The Anaheim Classic features four games each day, with the two undefeated teams competing in the championship game on ESPN2 on Nov. 30.
Posted by Art Martone at 10:03 AM | Permalink
May 30, 2008
STORRS, Conn. (AP) - Connecticut basketball coach Jim Calhoun is being treated for a second bout of skin cancer but expects to be on the bench this fall for his 22nd season with the Huskies.
"I want to coach basketball at UConn," the 66-year-old Hall of Famer said Friday. "At this moment I love what I do and feel very, very comfortable in doing that."
His physician, Dr. Jeffrey Spiro, attended the news conference with Calhoun and said he believes the coach is now cancer free and has a good prognosis.
Calhoun is to undergo six weeks of radiation treatments next month at the UConn Health Center to minimize any chance of the cancer returning. His doctors told him there will be short-term side effects from the radiation, but they expect Calhoun to return to his normal lifestyle, including coaching.
"I have one more step to go," Calhoun said. "I feel much, much better, thank God."
Calhoun said doctors determined last month that a lump in the upper right side of his neck near the jaw line was squamous cell cancer. He had surgery May 6 to remove the lump, several surrounding lymph nodes and part of his salivary gland. Subsequent tests revealed all the cancer had been removed.
Calhoun was first treated for squamous cell cancer last year when doctors found it on his cheek. Doctors told him the recurrence this spring is related to his prior skin cancer but not related to the prostate cancer he was treated for in 2003.
"Squamous cell cancer of the skin is not generally a very aggressive disease," Spiro said.
According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, squamous cell carcinoma is the second most common form of skin cancer, with more than 250,000 new cases a year in the United States.
At UConn, Calhoun has turned a regional program into a perennial national power that includes two NCAA titles (1999, 2004). Twenty-one former Huskies under Calhoun were drafted by the NBA, with 14 of those first-rounders. In 2006, UConn became the first school to have five players taken in the first two rounds of the draft.
Calhoun was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2005 and has 750 wins during his 35-year coaching career. He was 248-137 during 14 years at Northeastern and is 502-191 at UConn.
Despite his latest health setback, Calhoun, a grandfather of six, said he never considered retiring.
"All I thought was how do we defeat this," Calhoun said. "I love my family, I love my life, I love my kids. I love what I do."
Posted by Mike McDermott at 4:00 PM | Permalink
May 20, 2008
Four candidates for the vacant Brown basketball coaching position are visiting campus. Mike Goldberger, director of athletics, said two prospects will be in town this week and two the first week of June. He declined to identify or comment on them except to say the field includes head and assistant coaches. He also said he would like to have the search concluded by June 4.
"There's a lot floating out there. I think we have very strong candidates," he said.
The position has been open since Craig Robinson left for Oregon State at the end of the season.
-- Mike Szostak
Posted by Mike Szostak at 3:22 PM | Permalink
May 16, 2008
By MIKE SZOSTAK
Journal Sports Writer
Beating Le Moyne tomorrow in the NCAA Division II lacrosse semifinals will be as difficult for Bryant as hitting a Tim Wakefield knuckleball, sinking a 65-foot putt or making a three-point shot over Kevin Garnett.
Let us list the reasons.
Le Moyne, the other lacrosse power in Syracuse, is the two-time defending national champion. Bryant is the one-time Northeast-10 Conference champion.
Le Moyne is playing in its seventh consecutive NCAA tournament. Bryant is playing in its first.
Le Moyne is ranked No. 1 in the nation. Bryant is ranked No. 2, its highest ranking ever.
Le Moyne is 14-1. Bryant is 14-3, a school record for victories.
Le Moyne has won eight of the last nine NE-10 regular-season titles. Bryant has won one.
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Posted by Mike McDermott at 1:00 PM | Permalink
May 13, 2008
An early commencement ceremony is becoming a tradition at Bryant University. Fifteen seniors, eight from the lacrosse team and seven from the baseball team, will receive their degrees today because they will be playing in NCAA Tournaments Saturday, Commencement Day for the rest of the senior class. The ceremony is scheduled for 4 p.m. at the Bello Center Grand Hall.
The practice began a few years ago when Bryant won the Northeast-10 baseball championship. School officials realized the seniors would miss commencement because they would be on the road so they arranged a special ceremony for the seniors and their families. A similar ceremony was held last year.
Posted by Mike Szostak at 12:25 PM | Permalink
May 6, 2008
BY MIKE SZOSTAK
Journal Sports Writer
Brown lacrosse coach Lars Tiffany is disappointed that his Bears, the Ivy League co-champions with Cornell, were not selected for the NCAA Division I lacrosse tournament.
But he is more disappointed that Georgetown did not receive a bid. The Hoyas finished 9-4, beat NCAA tournament teams Duke by four goals and Navy on the road in overtime, played a schedule that included Maryland, Syracuse, Delaware and UMass, the 2007 national runner-up, and were ranked No. 11 in the USILA poll.
“And look what it did for them? Maybe that’s not the answer,” Tiffany said Monday night, referring to strength of schedule as a criterion for selection. He was taking a break from responding to close to 200 e-mails and 50 telephone messages left in the wake of Brown’s 6-5 victory over Princeton Saturday, knocking the Tigers from the Ivy League race and securing a share of the title.
“I’m more upset about Georgetown than about us,” he said.
Tiffany knew his team, ranked No. 13, was on the bubble before the selections were announced Sunday night. The 11-3 Bears lost to Hofstra, Denver and Cornell, all NCAA tournament teams, and they beat only two teams that finished with winning records.
“We were on the wrong side of the bubble,” he said with a laugh.
Tiffany is concerned that the selection committee is relying too much on number crunching and not enough on deliberations.
“We would have loved if there had been a conversation,” he said. “The last three or four years they have migrated away from committee to hard quantitative analysis.”
Tiffany guessed that Navy, Drexel and Brown were in the running for the last at-large bid.
“When they named Navy to play North Carolina, the wind left our sails,” he said. “And when Denver came up, we knew we were dead. That’s when it was time for me to talk to the team and focus on 2008.”
It was a great season. The Bears won 10 of their last 11 games and shared the Ivy title for the first time since 1995. Jordan Burke, the junior goalie, established himself as one of the best in the nation and should receive All-Ivy and All-America consideration. He was a three-time Ivy League player of the week. Monday night he received the Fritz Pollard ’19 Trophy as Brown's outstanding male varsity athlete of the year.
The NCAA Tournament starts this weekend. The quarterfinals will be May 17-18 at Cornell and Navy and the semifinals May 24 and final May 26 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro at 1 p.m. The Division II championship will be May 25 at Gillette at 4:30 and the Division III final May 25 at Gillette at 1:30.
The Division I women’s semifinals and final will be at Towson University in Maryland. The Division II women’s tournament is taking place in Houston and the Division III women’s semifinals and final at Roanoke College in Salem, Va.
mszostak@projo.com / 401-277-7340
Posted by Mike Szostak at 3:26 PM | Permalink
May 2, 2008
PROVIDENCE – Brown University hopes to name a new basketball coach by the end of May.
The search committee has winnowed the initial list of 80 applicants to about 10 and will meet next week to decide which candidates to invite to campus, athletics director Mike Goldberger said today. He predicted as many as five coaches will visit.
Brown must replace Craig Robinson, who left last month to become head coach at Oregon State. Robinson won 30 games in his two seasons at Brown, more than any coach in Brown history in his first two years, and his 2008 team won 19, a school record. It also finished 11-3 and second in the Ivy League.
Robinson’s success raised the profile of Brown basketball, resulting in a stronger applicant pool than two years ago, when Brown hired him from Northwestern to replace Glen Miller, who had left for Penn.
The fact that Robinson is the brother-in-law of the presidential candidate Barack Obama garnered even more attention for the program this season.
“We have head coaches who have been successful and top assistants from good Division I programs,” Goldberger said of the applicant pool. He declined to list any names.
“We have no leading candidate at this point,” he said.
Goldberger emphasized that the next coach must understand, as Robinson did, the academic as well as athletic demands placed on Ivy League athletes.
“We won’t sacrifice that credential for anything,” he said.
Posted by Mike Szostak at 1:49 PM | Permalink
April 24, 2008
PITTSBURGH (AP) - B.J. Monteiro, a 6-foot-5 swingman chosen as the Connecticut high school player of the year, signed a binding letter of intent Thursday with Duquesne University.
Monteiro, an excellent shooter and penetrator, is expected to compete immediately for playing time at Duquesne, which is losing guards Gary Tucker and Reggie Jackson to graduation.
Monteiro verbally committed to Duquesne following a campus visit in February and signed his letter of intent at a news conference at Crosby High School in Waterbury on Thursday. He also considered UNLV, Saint Joseph's, Penn State and Fordham.
"He's a very good offensive player that we've watched for a long time," Duquesne coach Ron Everhart said. "He's a good kid who comes from an excellent program and a player who will be able to help us immediately."
A former high school teammate of Duquesne forward Damian Saunders, Monteiro averaged 22 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and three steals on Crosby's state Class LL championship team as a senior. He won several state player of the year awards, including that of the Hartford Courant.
Monteiro averaged 24 points as a sophomore on another state championship team in 2005-06, when Saunders was his teammate, and 25 points as a junior.
Posted by Mike McDermott at 2:59 PM | Permalink
April 22, 2008
Fans of intercollegiate rowing should plan on being on the banks of the Narrow River in North Kingstown and the Seekonk River in Providence Saturday to watch the University of Rhode Island women and the Brown University men.
URI, fresh from its first Atlantic 10 championship, will row against MIT on the Narrow River in its second and final set of races on its home waters. The Rams snapped the 12-year reign of the University of Massachusetts as A-10 champion with a spectacular day of rowing on the Cooper River in Camden, N.J. Rhody boats won the Varsity Eight, Varsity Four and Lightweight Four, finished second in Second Varsity Eight and Second Novice Eight, came in third third in Novice Eight and finished fourth in Lightweight Eight and Quad.
URI accumulated 135 points. UMass was second with 119 and Saint Joseph's third with 113. UMass's 12-year championship streak was the longest in any A-10 sport. URI's Shelagh Donohue was voted A-10 coach of the year for the second consecutive year.
Brown, the second-ranked men's crew in the nation, will host Dartmouth on the Seekonk. The Bears beat seventh-ranked Northeastern in the 44th Annual Dreissigacker Cup Saturday on the Charles River in Boston. Brown's varisty eight remained undefeated, and the second varsity and freshman teams also won.
The Brown women, reigning NCAA national champions, will row against Cornell and Columbia at Ithaca, N.Y., on Saturday. They won six races on the Charles River Saturday, leaving Gonzaga, Boston University, Notre Dame, Northeastern and Texas in their wake.
Posted by Mike Szostak at 1:36 PM | Permalink
April 18, 2008
Rhode Island College has named Marcus Reilly as its new Head Women¹s Basketball Coach. Reilly takes over for Spencer Manning, who guided the Anchorwomen over the previous five seasons.
Reilly joins the RIC staff after spending two separate stints guiding the Community College of Rhode Island Lady Knights, compiling a 77-35 record in four years at the helm.
In 2007-08, Reilly led CCRI to a 26-8 overall record and captured his second straight, and the program¹s fifth consecutive, New England Championship. The Lady Knights advanced to the National Tournament for the second straight season earning a victory over Garrett, 67-66, in overtime, before bowing out with losses to Kirkwood, 69-58, and Carl Sandburg, 61-52.
During 2006-07, Reilly put together a very strong roster by gelling nine newcomers with five returning players. He guided the team to his first, and the program¹s fourth straight, New England Championship and posted a 19-11 record. The Lady Knights beat Dean College, 94-67, in the championship game.
CCRI followed that up with a convincing 22-point, 86-64, victory over Union County Community College in the Northeast District Championship. With the District Championship win, the Lady Knights represented the Northeast in the National Tournament in Arizona where they reached the Elite Eight. For his efforts, Words Unlimited, Rhode Island¹s statewide organization of sports writers, sportscasters and sports publicists, named him the Female Sports Co-Coach of the Year.
Reilly served as top Assistant and Recruiting Coordinator for Jacksonville State University from 2003-2006. While at Jacksonville, Reilly helped guide the Gamecocks to their first-ever trip to the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Final Four and their highest Division I win total of 18 victories. Reilly directed skill workouts for all red-shirts and post players. In the 2003-04 season, Reilly, as the Director of Scouting, helped guide the Gamecocks in their first-ever victory over a Conference USA opponent‹UAB--and first-ever SEC victory over Auburn.
Reilly¹s first stint as CCRI¹s Head Women¹s Basketball Coach was from 2001-03, where he led the Knights to a 32-16 record. Reilly¹s successes included recruiting the first CCRI class of women¹s basketball players to reach the NJCAA Final Four. Included in that class were Lady Knights¹ all-time leading scorer Amanda Ward and Jeanell Hughes, the CCRI single-season scoring leader.
Player development and transitioning players to the next level has always been at the core of Coach Reilly's programs. His former players and signees have gone on to play in the Big East, America East, MAAC, Ohio Valley, MEAC, Colonial Athletic Association, Northeast-10, Sunshine State and Little East
Conferences.
Before joining the college ranks, he coached Cranston High School West from 1999-2001 to a 24-17 record where he led them to their first and only R.I. State Tournament Championship Game as Division I Central Champions.
Five players from that team moved on to play college basketball at scholarship levels. He also mentored the Gatorade Player of the Year. During that time, he also served as Head Coach of the R.I. Breakers AAU basketball team, which placed in the top 30 at the U.S. Junior National Tournament and eight of those players accepted NCAA Scholarships.
Reilly, a Cranston native who attended Cranston West, resides in Cranston, Rhode Island with his wife Lindsey and son Owen (2).
--RIC ATHLETICS
Posted by Corey Bourassa at 6:13 PM | Permalink
April 16, 2008
Del Malloy, director of athletics at Salve Regina University since 1997, is leaving to become the first commissioner of the New England Collegiate Conference, a new nine-member Division III league that will begin play in the fall.
Malloy will stay at Salve Regina through June and begin his new duties July 1.
At the Community College of Rhode Island, veteran administrator Lou Pullano is retiring at the end of the school year. He succeeded Vin Cullen as director of athletics and this year is on temporary assignment as vice president for enrollment services.
There is no word who will succeed either administrator.
Posted by Mike Szostak at 5:13 PM | Permalink
Now that Keno Davis has accepted the Providence College job, two head coaching positions in college basketball in Rhode Island remain open, and one will be filled Friday.
Rhode Island College has scheduled a press conference for Friday morning at the Murray Center to introduce its new women's coach. Don Tencher, directore of athletics, is still negotiating the terms of the contract, so there's no word yet on the successor to Spencer Manning, who was dismissed at the end of the season.
Brown is receiving applications from coaches hoping to take over from Craig Robinson, who is leaving for Oregon State. Athletics director Mike Goldberger and the search committee could meet as early as next week to begin culling through the prospects. The same group that selected Robinson is searching for his replacement. Robinson was hired on June 15, 2006.
Posted by Mike Szostak at 10:51 AM | Permalink
April 14, 2008
Facing an $800,000 budget cut, the University of Rhode Island is eliminating men's swimming, men's tennis and field hockey from its varsity lineup. The cuts are effective at the end of the current academic year.
URI had announced in January that it was dropping gymnastics and adding women's lacrosse in 2009-2010. Gymnastics has been eliminated, making the total number of cuts four, and lacrosse will not be added as previously planned.
URI will sponsor 18 varsity sports in 2008-2009: football; men's and women's basketball; men's and women's soccer; volleyball; men's and women's cross-country, indoor track and outdoor track; women's tennis; women's swimming; golf; baseball, softball and women's rowing.
The men's tennis team had one of its best years in recent memory, posting a 17-6 record in dual matches and finishing seventh at the Atlantic 10 Championships. The field hockey team has endured at least nine consecutive losing seasons and was at a competitive disadvantage because its home field is grass and most college teams play on faster artificial surfaces. The 2007 Rams were 7-9, 1-6 in the Atlantic 10. The men's swimming team was not in contention at the A-10 championships.
The state, which contributes 14 percent of the university budget, is reducing its allocation by $12 million, necessitating campus-wide cuts. The target for the athletics department was $800,000, or about 10 percent of the operating budget, for the 2008-2009 fiscal year.
Cutting three sports will affect 56 athletes and six coaches. Dropping gymnastics eliminated 19 athletes and two coaches. The total for the entire program is 75 athletes and eight coaches, although swimming coach Mick Weskott and his two assistants are expected to remain with the women's team.
Thorr Bjorn, director of athletics, is seeking reductions through personnel moves such as retirements and possible layoffs. He is also trying to increase revenues. The only way he can reach his target, he said, is through a combination of moves that include sports cuts.
"These decisions have been difficult and painful," Bjorn said in a statement.
URI President Robert L. Carothers said in the statement: "Given the econimic realities of Rhode Island, the university must build its future on fewer things and being the best it can be with those programs in which we choose to invest."
URI will honor all scholarship commitments and will assist those athletes who wish to transfer.
-- MIKE SZOSTAK
Posted by Mike Szostak at 7:15 PM | Permalink
April 11, 2008
Officials at the University of Rhode Island will probably announce Monday or Tuesday whether they will eliminate sports programs to shave $800,000 from the athletics department budget and if so, which sports will be sacrificed.
Thorr Bjorn, director of athletics, said a week ago that he should know by April 15 "at the absolute latest" whether he will have to cut teams. April 15 is Tuesday. Mike Laprey, assistant director of athletics for communications, said that no announcement would be made today and probably not this weekend. That leaves Monday and Tuesday.
University administrators have ordered department heads to shave 10 percent from their budgets in response to the state budget crisis. Bjorn is trying to increase revenues and trim personnel costs in addition to cutting teams. In communicating with various boosters who have contacted him, he has expressed his support for all programs but has stated that it's highly unlikely he can reach the mandated savings without cutting a team or teams.
URI has sponsored 22 varsity teams this year. That figure counts indoor and outdoor track as two sports.The number will drop to 21 next year with the elimination of gymnastics. Women's lacrosse is supposed to be added in 2009-2010 but will not be if programs are cut.
Elsewhere on the budget front, URI officials await word from the House Finance Committee on the fate of a $7.2-million appropriation made in 2006 for Fiscal Year 2009, which starts July 1, for the Student Athlete Development Center. The committee is considering rescinding authorization for the appropriation and restructuring the state'sshare of the project's financing.
-- MIKE SZOSTAK
Posted by Mike Szostak at 4:54 PM | Permalink
April 7, 2008
Brown basketball coach -- oops, make that former Brown basketball coach -- Craig Robinson and I were sittinng in his office a couple of weeks ago talking about the just completed Brown season. He was relaxed, as he should have been after his team had won 19 games, a school record, and finished second in the Ivy League with an impressive 11-3 record. Better yet, his team had closed the regular season by winning 10 of its last 11 games and had two first-team All-Ivy players in Mark McAndrew of Barrington and Damon Huffman of Petoskey, Mich.
He told me how much he enjoyed coaching this team, how the players were smart and motivated, how they had bought into his system, played hard, and finally come to believe when they took the court that they could win. He mentioned how much he liked Brown and Providence and that if the university made some kind of commitment to him -- he was thinking of the cost of putting his son Avery and daughter Leslie through a college like Brown -- he could see himself coaching here for a while.
Life was good.
I asked if he would be interested in the Providence College job if Bob Driscoll, the athletics director, called. He said sure and went on about the allure of big-time basketball, playing in big arenas before big crowds, playing so many televised games, matching wits with Big East coaches. He also talked about recruiting kids for a program like PC's, one in which academics are important but the criteria are less stringent than the Ivy League's. He said he would relish the opportunity to sit in a living room and convince a young man and his parents that it's possible to come from a modest urban background and succeed in the world of sports and the world of business. He would savor the chance to teach young men how to become Craig Robinson, if they chose to listen and to work hard. He never had to do that at Brown, he said, because Brown kids are already motivated. They already know what they have to do to get a job in investment banking or get admitted to Harvard Law.
And PC would be attractive because he wouldn't have to move his family. He's just have to move his Xs and Os across town.
I thought of all this today, when I heard that he was heading to Corvallis to take the Oregon State job. I thought of his following his predecessor Glen Miller's footsteps to a better opportunity, footsteps that are taking Craig Robinson now not cross-town but cross-country.
Posted by Mike Szostak at 10:01 PM | Permalink
Here's word from Oregon State's athletic web site.....
Corvallis – Oregon State University Director of Athletics Bob De Carolis is asking “Beaver Nation” to turn out for Monday’s welcoming press conference for the new men’s basketball coach at Oregon State University.
The formal introduction will take place at 4 p.m. in legendary Gill Coliseum.
Brown coach Craig Robinson is expected to be the coach introduced at OSU. He traveled to Oregon this morning but had yet to accept the job. Obviously a press conference will seal the deal.
KEVIN McNAMARA
Posted by Kevin at 2:30 PM | Permalink
April 2, 2008
University of Rhode Island football coach Darren Rizzi, implementing a new scheme on offense and defense, is moving players like chess pieces as he nears the end of the first week of spring football practice.
"Everything is constant evaluation, every minute of practice. Even after four days we're switching the depth chart around. We're trying to create as much competition as we can," the new head coach said Wednesday.
Rhody fans will be thrilled to learn that Rizzi is installing a wide open attack that will feature a variety of formations, some with five receivers, others with two tight ends. He is looking at three quarterbacks on the current roster: senior Derek Cassidy, the incumbent starter; junior D.J. Stefkowich, a highly regarded high-school QB who has played in spots for the Rams, and Kurt Wicks, a redshirt sophomore. They worked on the short passing game during the first three practices and Wednesday started throwing the ball downfield. He plans to give incoming freshmen Kyle Elliot and Marc Lucarini ample opportunity in training camp because they ran Rizzi's offense in high school in New Jersey.
Rizzi shifted backup QB John Butler, a junior, to linebacker and redshirt-freshman Terry Glenn to cornerback with the comment that Glenn "is going to be outstanding."
Work on the offensive line is interesting because every returning lineman has to learn new blocking techniques based on the new offense. Rizzi wants his linemen to keep their feet, not to cut block as they did under the old scheme.
Rizzi plans a scrimmage on Saturday and hopes his lineup will begin to take shape. The spring game is scheduled for April 26.
Bryant University, preparing for its first season of Division I football, is also practicing. Its spring game will be April 12.
Brown will start spring practice on Friday and conclude with a spring game on April 26 on the new Berylson Family Fields, which will be dedicated at that time.
-- MIKE SZOSTAK
Posted by Mike Szostak at 5:25 PM | Permalink
March 28, 2008
University of Rhode Island football coach Darren Rizzi will get his first look at his team on the field when the Rams kick off spring practice Saturday. The Rams will have 14 practice sessions leading to the annual spring game on April 26.
Brown is also about to start spring practice and will play its spring game April 26.
Bryant has been practicing for a week. Its spring game is set for April 12.
Posted by Mike Szostak at 6:29 PM | Permalink
March 24, 2008
Rhode Island College is not renewing the contract of women's basketball coach Spencer Manning and has begun a nationawide search for his successor. Manning was 68-65 in his firve years as head coach. The Anchorwomen were 12-13 overall, 5-9 in the Little East Conference, this season. RIC's only post-season appearance under Manning was to the 2007 ECAC New England Division III Tournament.
Posted by Mike Szostak at 11:22 AM | Permalink
March 20, 2008
Defending national champion Kirkwood Community College got a game-high 27 points from Allie Lindemann as the Eagles ended CCRI's run at the NJCAA Division II national tournament with a 69-58 win at Illinois Central College at East Peoria, Illinois.
CCRI will play Carl Sandberg College today at 1 p.m. in the consolation round.
CCRI was led by Denise Scott's 14 points, 6 rebounds, 6 steals and 3 assists. Exeter's Lauren Harrington added 13 points.
Posted by Corey Bourassa at 5:27 PM | Permalink
March 18, 2008
Brown got a game-high 39 points from Damon Huffman, including nine 3-pointers, but it wasn't enough as Ohio defeated the Bears, 80-74, in the first round of the College Basketball Invitational at Athens, Ohio.
Posted by Corey Bourassa at 8:37 PM | Permalink
March 17, 2008
Brown and Ohio University will play their College Basketball Invitational first-round game tomorrow night at 7 at the 13,080-seat Convocation Center in Athens, Ohio. The Bears will practice this afternoon and leave for Boston to catch an evening flight to Columbus. A two-hour bus ride should put the team in Athens at about midnght.
The game will be broadcast on WSKO (790).
The Bears (19-9) and the Bobcats (19-12) are two of the 16 teams in the inaugural CBI going head to head with the NCAA-owned NIT.
Ohio plays in the Mid-American Conference and last made a post-season appearance in 2005, losing to Florida in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Brown's last post-season action was the 2003 NIT, an 89-73 loss to Virginia.
Tim O'Shea, an assistant at the University of Rhode Island for nine years, is finishing his seventh season as head coach of the Bobcats.
Ohio boasts all-conference forwards Leon Williams and Jerome Tillman. Williams, a senior, leads the team in scoring (16.2) and the league in rebounding (9.7). Tillman averages 13.2 points and 7.4 rebounds.
Brown will answer with all-conference guards Mark McAndrew, the Ivy League's leading scorer (16.5), and Damon Huffman, the school's career three-point leader (216) who is fifth in the league in scoring (14.9).
Posted by Mike Szostak at 9:31 AM | Permalink
If the newly minted CBI was trying to avoid building a reputation as a fly-by-night operation . . . well, mission failed.
"Night" is the key word, as the CBI didn't announce its schedule until about 2 a.m. Eastern time. Brown will play at Ohio University, coached by former URI assistant Tim O'Shea, on Tuesday.
Posted by Art Martone at 6:24 AM | Permalink
March 16, 2008
BY MIKE SZOSTAK
Journal Sports Writer
PROVIDENCE – Brown is going to a dance. Not the Big Dance, the NCAA Tournament. And not the Little Dance, the re-tooled N.I.T.
Brown is going to the new dance on the basketball block, the 16-team College Basketball Invitational, and the players are thrilled.
“They’re all really excited, as are the staff and I,” coach Craig Robinson said Sunday night after receiving the good news. “We’re happy to keep playing. We practiced this morning, hoping we’d have another game.”
Brown finished second behind Cornell in the Ivy League, the only Division I conference that does not have a tournament to determine the recipient of the NCAA’s automatic bid. Brown’s RPI in the 104-106 range made it a long shot for the N.I.T., now owned and operated by the NCAA, and Robinson and his players were not disappointed they didn’t make that cut.
“We know how the process works. We’re in the Ivy League, and our RPI and strength of schedule aren’t as strong. We’re just happy there’s another tournament now,” he said. As of 10:45 p.m. Brown's opponent had not been announced.
This will be Brown’s fourth post-season appearance since the NCAA Tournament began in 1939 and third since the Ivy League started in 1956-57. The 1939 Bears lost to Villanova, 42-30, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, and the 1986 Ivy League champions fell to Syracuse, 101-52, in the first round of the NCAA. The 2003 team went to the NIT and lost in the first round to Virginia, 89-73.
The Ivy League has never sent more than one team to the NCAA Tournament and has sent only eight to the N.I.T. Brown was the last five years ago.
Brown was counting on several factors to attract attention from either the NIT or the CBI this year. This team posted the school’s best record in the 51 seasons of Ivy League basketball, 19-9, for a winning percentage of .678. Its 11-3 record in the Ivy League was second-best at Brown. The 1974 team that finished 17-9, 11-3, had an overall winning percentage of .653. The 2003 NIT squad was 17-12, 12-2, with a winning percentage of .586. The 2002 team finished 17-10-.629 but did not make a post-season tournament.
This team finished fast, winning 10 of its last 11 games, five on the road. It swept season series from both Penn and Princeton, a first for the Brown program.
This team defeated Eastern Michigan and Northwestern on the road and lost to Michigan by 15 and to Baylor by 10, both on the road. It also lost to Notre Dame by 33 in South Bend.
Three Brown players earned All-Ivy recognition. Seniors Mark McAndrew of Barrington and Damon Huffman made the first team and junior Chris Skrelja the second team.
McAndrew and Huffman composed one of the most dynamic backcourts in the Northeast. McAndrew led the league in scoring (16.5), was fifth in field-goal percentage (.474) and was 10th in rebounding (5.0). Huffman was fifth in scoring (14.9), sixth in field-goal percentage (.472) and second in three-pointers (73).
Skrelja was third in rebounding (6.6) and second in assists (4.04).
Center Matt Mullery led the league in blocked shots (37), and forward Peter Sullivan was one of the best Ivy freshmen.
The Bears gathered last night at Robinson’s house to watch the NCAA Selection Show and have something to eat. “It was one of those times when everyone was quietly hoping we’d get a chance to play,” Robinson said.
They drifted back to their dorms and apartments to prepare for Monday classes and exams, “just in case they were going to be away,” their coach said.
It was a good move, because now they will be away.
mszostak@projo.com / 401-277-7340
Posted by Mike Szostak at 10:43 PM | Permalink
By MIKE SZOSTAK
Journal Sports Writer
Brown is going to a post-season basketball tournament for the fourth time in school history.
Coach Craig Robinson has accepted an offer to play in the inaugural College Basketball Invitational. The Bears will go on the road for a first-round game either Tuesday or Wednesday. Robinson was waiting to learn Brown's opponent.
"I'm really happy for these guys. They were playing really well at the end of the season," he said shortly after receiving the call.
The Bears finished with the best record in their Ivy League history, 19-9, and their 11-3 Ivy League record was second-best. They were second to the Ivy champion, Cornell.
Brown's 1939 team played in the first NCAA Tournament. The 1986 team won the Ivy League and played in the NCAA Tournament. The 2003 team finished second in the Ivy League and went to the NIT.
Posted by Mike Szostak at 9:39 PM | Permalink
March 15, 2008
We're back from a long afternoon at Providence College where Tim Welsh was relieved of his duties. We'll have three stories in Sunday's Journal on the news.
Here are excerpts from AD Bob Driscoll's press briefing:
“Ultimately as the athletic director I’m responsible for the successes or the failures of my programs and basketball is my primary responsibility,” he said. “I just felt that at this juncture, looking at the body of work and where we need to do, that a change in leadership was necessary. It’s not personal to Tim. It’s part of the business and having been in this business for a long time, you trust your gut instinct in terms of change."
"With change comes great opportunity and renewed energy. That was the reason why I made the decision. The other reason is I have a high expectation for men’s basketball here at Providence College. This perception that we can never be successful or that we’re happy with just getting to the Big East (Tournament), well that goes against every bit of my core being. My goal is to win the Big East championship. Will we get there? Time will tell. But there’s no reason we can’t finish in the upper half of that league and if you do that on a consistent basis, you’ll get to the (NCAA) Tournament.
“I can look at Georgetown and at Marquette, particularly Georgetown four or five years ago, and they were nowhere near in the mix. Those schools have been able to do it. If you look at the leadership here and the facilities we’ve built, with what’s happening downtown at the new Dunk, the money we’re raising, there’s no question in my mind that we can get there. Now we have to prove that we can get there but that’s the reason I made this decision, because of the expectations that we have.”
"A number of the people that we’ll hopefully start looking at are in the Tournament,” he said. “Out of respect for them, we’re not going to start those conversations (yet). But there’s ways to find out whether people are interested without messing that whole system up for them.”
“I’d like to do it as quickly as I can but I don’t want to put a strict time line on it because if there are people I want to talk to who are continuing on, obviously I can’t do that. In an ideal world you’d want someone on board by the conclusion of the Final Four but I don’t know. I want to take as much time as necessary to do the best job I can to get the right person. It’s fluid.”
KEVIN McNAMARA
Posted by Kevin at 8:10 PM | Permalink
March 10, 2008
Bob Griffin, football coach at the University of Rhode Island from 1976 through 1992 and designer of the famed "Ehr Force" passing attack of the 1984-85 championship seasons, is returning to the Rams sideline as tight ends coach and special assistant to head coach Darren Rizzi. Rizzi played for Griffin for four years and was a two-time All-America tight end.
Griffin's 17-year record was 79-107-1. His best teams were the 1984 and 1985 clubs that were 10-3 and Yankee Conference champion each year and featured the passing of quarterback Tom Ehrhardt and the receiving of tight ends Brian Forster and Tony DiMaggio and wide receiver Dameon Reilly.
Griffin was fired after the 1992 season and had little or nothing to do with URI for more than a decade. He was inducted into the URI Athletic Hall of Fame in 1996 and returned in 2005 when the '84 and '85 teams were inducted into the Hall of Fame.
After leaving URI, Griffin coached professional football in Germany and returned to the U.S. to coach at Syracuse and at Holy Cross, where he was the offensive coordinator. He mentored Chris Pincince, who succeeded him upon his retirement from the Holy Cross staff and who is Rizzi's offensive coordinator at URI.
-- Mike Szostak
Posted by Mike Szostak at 6:48 PM | Permalink
March 9, 2008
The Bryant University men’s and women’s basketball teams were selected to participate in the 2008 NCAA Division II Championships as the 64-team men’s and women’s brackets were announced Sunday evening.
The Bryant women (20-11) will face Stonehill College (26-4) in the first round this Friday at Philadelphia, PA. The two teams met Sunday in the Northeast-10 Conference Championship won by the Skyhawks 90-79. The Bulldogs are the No. 7 seed of the tournament while Stonehill is the No. 2 seed of the Northeast Region.
Holy Family is the top seed and will host the regional this weekend. The semifinals will take place Saturday with the championship scheduled for Monday. Times of regional games will be announced this week. The winner will advance to the NCAA Elite Eight in Kearney, Nebraska March 26-29.
The Bryant men (17-12) are making their fifth-consecutive appearance in the NCAA Championships and seventh all-time in school history. The Bulldogs, the No. 5 seed, will face fourth-seeded C.W. Post in the first round this Saturday at Bentley College’s Dana Center. The winner will advance to the second round Sunday with the regional final scheduled for Tuesday evening in Waltham, MA.
The Bulldogs have reached the NCAA regional finals in three of the last four NCAA Northeast Regional Championships. In 2004, Bryant fell to UMass Lowell in the NCAA Regional Championship at the buzzer, but a year later in 2005, the Bulldogs captured the Northeast Regional title defeating Bentley at the Dana Center for the school’s first regional title and trip to the Elite Eight. Last year, Bryant fell to top-seed Bentley in the Northeast Regional Championship
--BRYANT ATHLETICS
Posted by Chris Venditto at 11:30 PM | Permalink
March 3, 2008
Rhode Island College, the Little East Conference men's basketball champion, is heading to Pomona, N.J., for the first round of the NCAA Division III Championship.The Anchormen (22-6) will play the Empire 8 champion, Nazareth College of Rochester, N.Y. (20-7), Friday night at Richard Stockton College. Richard Stockton (20-6) and Immaculata (18-9) will play in the other game at that site. The winners will meet Saturday.
UMass Dartmouth (25-3), which lost to RIC in the LEC final, received a first-round bye and will host either Trinity (21-6), the NESCAC champion, or Coast Guard (21-6), the NEWMAC champ, Saturday night at the Tripp Athletic Center. The Corsairs received the bye based on their No. 5 national ranking and No. 2 regional ranking behind Amherst (23-3), which also received a first-round bye.
RIC could face Amherst in the third round. As long as it keeps winning UMD will play at home until the Final Four at Salem, Va.
This will be RIC's second consecutive NCAA appearance. The Anchormen reached the Elite Eight last year. UMass Dartmouth last played in the NCAA Tournament in 2001.
Posted by Mike Szostak at 2:26 PM | Permalink
March 1, 2008
BY MIKE SZOSTAK
Journal Sports Writer
PROVIDENCE – As improbable as this appears, Brown crushed – make that CRUSHED – Penn by 32 points Saturday night, completing an unprecedented season sweep of the Quakers and the Princeton Tigers, the marquee names in Ivy League basketball, and tying the school record for victories in a season.
Brown’s 75-43 rout was the most lop-sided of the 20 games Brown has won in this series, which dates to 1901, and Penn's worst loss in Ivy League history. With a crowd of 1,727 at the Pizzitola Center cheering them, the Bears started fast and never let up. They scored the first 14 points, kept the Quakers off the board for the first 7:21, held the Quakers to single-digit scoring for 17 minutes and 15 seconds, led 44-14 at the half, and led by 39 with 13:21 to play and again with 3:15 remaining in the game. At one point late in the first half, Brown had 17 field goals to Penn’s 17 field goal attempts. Brown shot 63.6 percent for the game and had 38 points in the paint.
Brown improved to 17-9 overall, tying the 1974, 2002 and 2003 teams for the most victories in a season, and to 9-3 in the Ivy League. Brown can stand alone in the win column with a victory next Friday night at Harvard or Saturday night at Dartmouth.
Oh, it was senior night, and Mark McAndrew of Barrington and Damon Huffman went out in style. McAndrew scored 16 points, grabbed 6 rebounds, had 3 assists and made a steal. Huffman had 14 points, 4 assists and 2 steals and sank a pair of three-pointers. His second with 18:39 to play was his 216th and broke the Brown career record of 215 set by Brian Lloyd in 1996. McAndrew also made two treys and tied Earl Hunt for fourth place on the Brown career list with 158.
“It was so sweet.” McAndrew chirped.
“I couldn’t be happier. It’s everything I could have asked for. Today was a great day,” Huffman exclaimed.
Fellow senior Mark MacDonald, out with a concussion, looked great in suit and tie and applauded his mates from the bench.
There were other heroes on this memorable evening. Junior Scott Friske started in place of injured center Matt Mullery (knee) and played one of his best games in a Brown uniform: 13 points on 6-7 shooting, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals.
“His play tonight was just superb. Scott stepped up. We needed him to, and he did,” coach Craig Robinson said.
Freshman Peter Sullivan scored 16 points on 4-5 shooting from the field and 7-7 from the free throw line. Freshman Chris Taylor provided 13 minutes of relief for Friske and contributed six points.
Penn coach Glen Miller, who left Brown two years ago and won the Ivy League championship last season, praised his former team.
“We got drilled. Brown was ready from the get-go and we weren’t. Brown is a good team, a mature team, a veteran team. They play harder than any team in the league. Cornell is very good, but Brown plays harder.”
mszostak@projo.com / 401-277-7340
Posted by Mike Szostak at 9:45 PM | Permalink
February 28, 2008
Bryant University's first season of Division I football will feature an October date at the University of Massachusetts, a perennial contender in the Colonial Athletic Association, the strongest conference in the D-I Football Championship Subdivision.
The Bulldogs will visit the Minutemen at Amherst on Oct. 25. Liam Coen of Newport, the former La Salle All-Stater, is the UMass quarterback.
The UMass game is one of 11 Bryant will play in the first of four seasons of transition from Division II to Division I. The university is joining the Northeast Conference. The schedule includes five NEC opponents: Central Connecticut, Monmouth, Wagner, Robert Morris and Saint Francis (Pa.). It also includes two teams from the Northeast-10 Conference, Bryant's current Division II affiliation: Southern Connecticut and Merrimack.
Bryant will play five games at home and six on the road.
The schedule:
Aug. 30, at Central Connecticut, 5 p.m.
Sept. 6, Southern Connectiut, 1 p.m.
Sept. 13, Merrimack, 1 p.m. (Homecoming)
Sept. 20, Monmouth, 1 p.m.
Sept. 27, at Wagner, 1 p.m.
Oct. 4, Open
Oct. 11, at Marist, TBA
Oct. 18, Robert Morris, 1 p.m., (Parent & Family Weekend)
Oct. 25, at UMass, TBA
Nov. 1, Duquesne, Noon
Nov. 8, Open
Nov. 15, at Iona, 1 p.m.
Nov. 22, at Saint Francis (Pa.), 1 p.m.
Posted by Mike Szostak at 11:19 AM | Permalink
February 25, 2008
Roger Williams University senior Geoff Baranger was named The Commonwealth Coast Conference men's basketball Player of the Year. Baranger, a 6-foot-10 center from Fairfield, Conn., led his team on both ends of the floor, averaging a team-best 14.3 points and 5.7 rebounds per game in conference play.
He also ranked second on his team with a 54.5% shooting percentage. The Hawks posted a 15-10 overall record and an 11-2 record in conference play which tied Roger Williams for first place in the final regular-season conference standings and earned the second seed in the upcoming conference tournament.
Posted by Chris Venditto at 6:38 PM | Permalink
February 24, 2008
The Rhode Island College wrestling team, led by Cranston’s Mike Martini, captured the New England Wrestling Association (NEWA) championship yesterday at Gorham, Maine. The Anchormen finished the two-day tourney with 121 points, beating Johnson & Wales by five points. Roger Williams University took sixth place, with 72 points. It is the sixth conference title in the history of the RIC program and the first since it won five straight from 1988-92. Martini, a junior from Cranston, won the 157-pound division. He was ranked No. 1 in New England and went 4-0 at the NEWA meet. His season record now is 34-7. Also, head coach Jay Jones was honored as NEWA coach of the year and Dave Paquette was the league’s top assistant.
Posted by Chris Venditto at 10:47 PM | Permalink
February 21, 2008
By KEVIN McNAMARA
Mike Marra, the All-State shooter from Smithfield, has verbally committed to play at Louisville. Marra will sign with the Cardinals this November and enroll in the fall of 2009.
"I feel excellent," Marra said today from his prep school, Northfield Mt. Hermon. "It was a little overwhelming at first but I'm excited it's over and I'm going to Louisville."
Marra ended his recruitment when Cards coach Rick Pitino saw him play Wednesday against Winchendon School. It was the first time Pitino saw Marra play in person.
Marra becomes the second Rhode Island junior to commit to a big-time school. South Kingstown's Erik Murphy picked Florida last month.
More on Marra's pick in Friday's Journal.
Posted by Kevin at 4:32 PM | Permalink
February 6, 2008
Bryant University has its first class of Division I football recruits.
Eighteen high-school players returned signed National Letters of Intent yesterday to coach Marty Fine. They will go through the four-year transition period Bryant is entering from the Division II Northeast-10 Conference to the Division I Northeast Conference.
Bryant was 8-3 and the NE-10 champion in 2007.
Two players from La Salle Academy and one from Bishop Feehan are among the Class of 2012. They are Raymond Bundy, 6-0, 310, of Bristol, an offensive lineman, and Joshua Janes, 6-3, 235, of Newport, a defensive lineman. Bundy was a first-team All-State selection at La Salle, helped the Rams to three Super Bowls and also played lacrosse. Janes was second-team all-division. They will join La Salle alum Brendan Rice on the Bulldogs.
Michael McGowan, 6-0, 180, of Attleboro, is a defensive back/quarterback who was also a sprinter on Bishop Feehan’s record-setting 4x100 relay team.
In addition to Bundy, Fine recruited offensive linemen Jack Barons, 6-4, 255, of Lexington, Mass.; Robert Edwards, 6-0, 260, of Damascus, Md., Royce Brunson, 6-2, 265, of Hamden, Conn., and Adam Peloquin, 6-1, 265, of Spencer, Mass. Edwards played on two state championship teams and was first-team All-State.
Other offensive players include running back Luis “BJ” Aponte, 5-8, 183, of New Britain, Conn., who rushed for 1,775 yards and 22 touchdowns in his career; wide receivers DeLon Bohler-Young, 6-3, 185, of Montclair, N.J., and Kyle Higgins, 6-2, 205, of Billerica, Mass., a cousin of Mets pitcher Tom Glavine; fullback John Riley, 6-0, 227, of Wakefield, Mass., a weightlifter and team MVP who had 72 tackles and 8 sacks, and tight end Cody Aughney, 6-6, 220, of Henderson, Nev.
Recruits on defense include linebackers Mike Abany, 6-1, 205, of Mansfield, Mass., also a starting fullback for two years,Nick Sengotta, 6-2, 235, of Wayne, N.J., and Franck Tebou, 6-0, 2-5, of Mattapoisett, Mass., team MVP in 2007; defensive backs Samad Wagstaff, 5-8, 165, of New Rochelle, N.Y., who returned two interceptions for touchdowns, and Michael Leavitt, 5-9, 195, of Atkinson, N.H., also a running back who holds the Central Catholic (Lawrence, Mass.) career rushing record with 3,700 yards and who scored 46 touchdowns, and defensive lineman David Morgan, 6-1, 238, of Camden, Ohio.
Posted by Mike Szostak at 7:09 PM | Permalink
By MIKE SZOSTAK
Journal Sports Writer
University of Rhode Island football coach Darren Rizzi has signed 20 high-school players to a National Letter of Intent and welcomed two transfer students who are already enrolled and taking classes. He will welcome a graduate student from Rutgers in the fall.
Two Rhode Islanders, offensive lineman Matt Greenhalgh of Chepachet and Ponaganset and cornerback Ronald Woodley of East Providence, are among the schoolboy signees.
Rizzi, who has been on the job fulltime for a month, recruited two quarterbacks, two running backs, two tight ends, three wide receivers, five offensive linemen and a kicker for the offense and three linebackers, three linemen and two backs for the defense.
The incoming Rams include QB Kyle Elliot, a 6-3, 215-pounder who passed for 1,327 yards and 16 touchdowns and rushed for 841 yards and 11 touchdowns for Cresskill (N.J.) High last season, and QB Marc Lucarini, 6-2, 200, who passed for 1,582 yards and 18 TDs for Camden (N.J.) Catholic. The running backs are Matt Kolojejchick of Plymouth, Pa., who rushed for 2,295 yards and 34 touchdowns, school records at Wyoming Valley West, and Ryan Lawrence of Bloomfield, N.J., who rushed for 1,200 yards and caught 20 passes.
The wide receivers are Devon Dace of St. Louis, who caught 31 passes for 239 yards and 3 TDs, and Brandon Johnson-Farrell of Odenton, Md., a 5-10, 180-pound receiver whose 103 receptions for 1,394 yards and 25 touchdowns broke records at Arundel High. The tight ends are Kyle Bogumil, 6-6, 240, of Mountain Top, Pa., who caught 32 passes for 462 yards anf 4 touchdowns and was second-team All-State, and Joe Migliarese, 6-4, 215, of Blue Bell, Pa., who caught 91 passes for 1,063 yards and 17 touchdowns in his career. The kicker is Louis Feinstein of Irvine, Calif., who was 79-86 in PATS the last three years.
Offensive linemen in addition to Geenhalgh include Jason Foster, 6-4, 270, of East Pittsford, Vt., and Bridgton Academy, and Michael Gross of North Arlington, N.J.
Defensive players include linemen John Kilpatrick, 6-4, 260, of Clarks Summit, Pa., who can also play tight end, Josh Previte, 6-1, 290, of Brockton, Mass., and Matt Rae, 6-4, 240, of York, Pa.; linebackers Matt Sheard, 6-2, 230, of Mt. Laurel, N.J., James Taylor of Westwood, N.J., and Phil Morman of Cresskill, N.J., safety Robert Walker of New Haven, and Woodley.
The two players already taking classes are wide receiver Ty Bynum, 6-2, 195, of Lancaster, Pa., and Milford Academy, a two-time first-team All-State selection who set a league career receiving yards record with 2,327 and who leads the current Rams with a 37-inch vertical leap, and offensive lineman Michael Farr, 6-3, 310, of Conrwall on Hudson, N.J., who helped Don Bosco Prep to a No. 7 national ranking in 2006 and who played for Navy Prep in 2007.
Chenry Lewis, 6-1, 230, of Paterson, N.J., will graduate from Rutgers in the spring and begin graduate studies at URI in September. He played defensive end and linebacker for the Scarlet Knights for three years and has one year of eligibility remaining.
"The amount of talent we were able to get in a short amount of time surprised me. The majority will be able to contribute and have an impact right away," Rizzi said.
Posted by Mike Szostak at 3:02 PM | Permalink
Below is the transcript for this week's college hoops chat, with Bill Reynolds. Next week, we'll have URI guard Jimmy Baron at 1 o'clock Thursday. More details on that later.
Bill Reynolds: Hi everyone, i'm in the house and ready go
marchessau: I can understand how you can attack PC fan's booing at the Dunk. It is college sports and the student athletes shoild not be exposed to booing. However, how else do you suggest fans who are totally frustated with Welch show their concern when the college administration seems completely oblivious to their concerns?
Bill Reynolds: Fans can express their displeasure by e-mailing the AD, e-mailing the president, whatever. in other words, there are better and more effective ways to it.
PC 71: Bill- Great article the other day about Welsh. I have been a fan sense 71 but will never give one more dollar if the powers to be get rid of Welsh this year.When you look at his record of getting us to post season { NIT, NCAA} why can't folks see he is right in line with every other coach during the Big east years?
Bill Reynolds: PC '71, let's forget welsh for a second. in the 30-year history of the Big East the Friars have one had two years where they've won an NCAA Tournament game, '87 and '97, and have never been a consistent winner in the Big East. that's just a fact. So it seems to me that fan dissatisfaction - however understandable - should be put in a larger context.
friarfem: bill, i read your article today about welsh and the fans--i'm part of that fan base, but not a booer--i don't think its good for the kids trying to win nor the recruits sitting there--some of your comments though are confusing--it doesn't sound like you think we should be in the big east 'cause we can't recruit the players we need--reasoning being we're recruiting against some heavy hitters, true, but why than can baron recruit-yes, the a10 is not as strong top to near bottom as the big east, so baron is probably recruiting against several teams for top players rather than 7-8 schools--what i see is though is that each year under welsh we've had this wishy washy type seasons--
Bill Reynolds: Friarfem, good question, and sorry i'm confusing. PC should be in the Big East, because it's too much of a cash cow not to be in it. But to think it's somehow the school's birthright to be very successful in it - when it really hasn't been in 30 years - is unrealistic. which doesn't mean it can't happen - history tells us it can - but it's not easy. History tells us that, too. It seems to me that the real problem is not Welsh's coaching - regardless of what you think about it - but the fact that there's not one player on the Friar roster that any of the top teams wanted. Take away McDermott - recruited by Duke, every other Friar is essentialy here because the glamour teams didn't want them. The result? Up and down seasons, just what we have now.
THL: Thank you for your time today. At this stage of the season...do you feel that Tim Welsh will be the coach of the Friars next year?
Bill Reynolds: I wouldn't went to bet my life on it.
PC4eva: whooooooooooooooaaaa. I understand that expectations need to be tempered. But is it too much to ask to win more than 2 Big East tourney games?
Bill Reynolds: PC4eva, no, it is not too much to ask to be better than 1-7 in Big East tournament games, as Welsh has been.
Josh M: Bill, as usual, many thanks for all your great material. What do you think are going to be URI's biggest strengths and weaknesses down the line? Do they have the talent to pull off an upset if they make it to the big dance?
Bill Reynolds: Thanks for the kind words, Josh. I think URI definitely has the potential to make a run in the NCAA Tournament. Their biggest strength? Multi-dimensional. The fact they could pound Dayton last week with Will Daniels being a non-factor is a great sign. Weakness? Their lack of a big defensive presence underneath.
THL: Bill, do you believe that Sharaud Curry, if cleared by the doctor, should play rather than red-shirting and saving the year for the future?
Bill Reynolds: THL, if were advisiog Sharaud Curry I would tell him to red-shirt. certainly it's in his best interest at this point. Whether it's in the coaching staff's is another question.
PCfan78: But don't you agree at some point a coach has done as much as he can with a program. Isn't a new or a different approach sometimes a positive.
Bill Reynolds: PCfan78, I do agree that at some point a coach as done about as much as he can with a program, and I also know that 10 years is a long time to be anywhere in this day and age, but that's for the school to decide. In regards to Welsh, I just don't like the booing
Wally: Hey Bill really enjoy your column and keep the book referrals coming. First of all I am releasing a statement: This whole booing thing from Friar fans is upsetting. Friar fans have a history of showing their ignorance by leaving early win or lose and chooosing the wrong venue when displaying their frustration with the coach. For the most part though Friar fans are very loyal and passionate about their team. I get so mad and embarassed at the booing. Anyway, what do you think the Administration has planned for Coach Welsh? I believe that if they don't want him they should buy out his contract at the end of the season. Of course they better have a replacement in mind that can recruit and has thick skin, so that leaves Bobby Knight out. Hey Bill remember our days in the Air National Guard ond our basketball tournaments with the Army. I have meetings from 12 - 2 today, but I am looking forward to your response! Thanks Bill!
Bill Reynolds: hey wally, I know that PC fans are loyal and passionate. I also know it's frustrating when you are paying good money to watch a team that doesn't live up to your expectations, and I know that coaches in this day and age get bought out all the time. It's the booing I don't like.
rhody74: Bill, I know you're not the URI beat reporter .... but have you heard how Will Daniel's ankle is doing? Will he be available against UMass?
Bill Reynolds: rhody74, i hear that Will Daniels will play.
THL: If Tim is gone next year, where do you feel the Friars will look for a replacement. a mid major head coach, an assistant from a big time program, or a head coach currently at a so called high major program?
Bill Reynolds: THL, if PC were to replace Welsh odds are they would go out and find the Tim Welsh of 10 years ago, a successful coach at a mid-major school.
riron: bill what is the problem with weymi Ef.. he makes PC a much more explosive team when he's on the floor yet welsh is not playing him--is there a problem?
Bill Reynolds: riron, i really don't know the problem with Weyinmi. He's the ultimate trick or treat player, and I've long thought that as he goes the Friars go. He is the best athlete on the team, can be explosive, and I always think the Friars are better off when he's in the game, but that's just me.
PC4eva: and if we are going to punt on being competitive in the Big East, why stay in the league?
Bill Reynolds: pc4eva, if PC were not in the Big East they'd be back in Alumni Hall and no one would care. We've all been too spoiled.
friar: Thanks for your time today Bill. Any word on Curry being redshirted?
Bill Reynolds: Friar, I would bet anything that he will be red-shirted, but then I would have bet on the Pats winning the Super Bowl, too.
rhody74: Bill .... as a URI fan, I'd be thrilled if PC gave Tim a 10-year extension, but that's just me. ;-)
Bill Reynolds: rhody74, great line. you should be doing this chat, not me. Just as long as you don't fire Baron and bring back Harrick and give him a 10-year extension
Josh M: Bill, what are your thoughts on RIC's potential in tournament play? They started off with a bang with the Holy Cross win, played Umass Dartmouth tough (with a rematch still to come) but got wiped out by Amherst and havent received any top 25 votes in a couple of weeks.
Bill Reynolds: Josh M, you just made history with the first RIC question.
All i know is they're not as good as they were last year - no crime in that - so I wouldn't get my hopes up.
PC4eva: BIll, thanks for taking the questions. I know that I made a comment earlier which was critical of Welsh...and I am. His biggest failure to me is his inability to a) consistently develop players and b) the systematic loss of players throughout their 4 years. Thoughts? Having said all that though, PC fans have to decide for themselves what type of coach they want. A solid, apologize the phrase, "mediocre" coach, or a bright s"shooting star" who always has eyes for the next job. You cant have it both ways. I dont think Welsh fits either bill, which is why I am not a huge supporter.
Bill Reynolds: PC4eva, good question, eva, a sold ``mediocre'' coach or a shooting star? In a perfect world I think any program would want the bright shooting star, for when he leaves that means he had great success or he wouldn't be leaving, if that makes any sense.
friarsb: Hi, Bill..Many people are thinking that if Coach Welsh is not back next year, that the decision process for a replacement may involve not only Fr. Shanley, but also folks like Dave Gavitt and even Rick Pitino. If this is the case, do you think Richard Pitinio would be a legitimate candidate for the PC job?
Bill Reynolds: friarsb, i love Richard Pitino and think that someday he will make a great coach. But he is in no way ready for a job like this. Not now.
THL: Bill, on the other hand, if the Friars somehow make a comeback and manage to finish the season strong, and Tim is extended...do you see a three year extension so he can recruit being to tell the kids that he will be at PC in the future?
Bill Reynolds: THL, if PC does decide to extend Tim Welsh it would probably be in the two- or three-year range.
Bill Reynolds: I've got 10 minutes left if you're still in the house here
ladygrad: Bill, lately you have been like a rational parent getting kids to stop squabbling. If we are passioante about our teams, we are accused by media (Giacobbe) of pretty much having no life. If we do not express pasion about our teams, we are accused of having no spirit or loyalties. So how do we show our balance?
Bill Reynolds: ladygrad, you're right, it's like a balance beam. Just don't cross the line, and booing does that. anyhting short of that? go to it
THL: Bill, thanx for answering these questions....one more quickie...in your opinion, what was the best Friar team of the BE era?
Bill Reynolds: THL, I think the most talented Friar team of the Big East era was the '97 team, which had three guys who eventually spent time in the NBA on it, but the '87 team was the most fun. no one could have made up that year.
ladygrad: Do you think Coach Baron is a target for being recruited by other schools?
Bill Reynolds: ladygrad, jim baron absolutely becomes a target for bigger schools with his great season. that's how the system works.
friarsb: Bill...another question: Do you have any insight relative to the new CBI tournament? Does it start this year, and is it designed for teams that don't even make the NIT?
Bill Reynolds: friarsb: the new CBI tournament starts this year and will be selected after the NIT field is selected. There's no truth to the rumor the Friars are a lock.
ken: I couldn't disagree more . . . booing does not cross the line. Yelling obscenities and throwing things crosses the line. Welsh has earned the booing with zero NCAA wins, 2 NIT wins, and 1 Big East tourney win in 9 years. When I'm frustrated at a game I cant email the AD!!!
Bill Reynolds: ken, you can if your bring your Blackberry. just kidding. I understand your frustration, i just think booing hurts a progam more than it helps it, regardless of the circumstances.
Bill Reynolds: Thanks everybody. I'm told there will be a full transcript of this chat online later today at projo.com, and I apologize for any questions i didn't have time for. Over and out.
Posted by Mike McDermott at 1:24 PM | Permalink
January 31, 2008
The University of Rhode Island is adding women's lacrosse to its lineup of varsity sports and dropping gymnastics. The Rams will begin play in the Atlantic 10 Conference in the spring of 2010.
Thorr Bjorn, director of athletics, cited the "explosive growth" of high school lacrosse and URI's club team as motivating factors. He said in a statement that the lacrosse roster will have 28 players, an increase of seven over the current gymnastics roster of 21.
The Atlantic 10 and the NCAA sponsor women's lacrosse as a championship sport. URI will join Duquesne, George Washington, La Salle, Massachusetts, Richmond, Sainnt Joseph's, St. Bonaventur and Temple. URI will begin searchinig for a coach on July 1, and the program will start with the fall semester of the 2009-2010 academic year.
Tthe A-10 does not sponsor gymnastics.
Bjorn said URI will honor its athletic scholarships to current gymnasts and commitments made to students who signed a National Letter of Intent. He also pledged the school's assistance to those who want to transfer.
The URI women's lacrosse team will play its home games in Meade Stadium.
Posted by Mike Szostak at 12:29 PM | Permalink
January 29, 2008
UMass Dartmouth, one of only five undefeated teams in men's college basketball, is ranked No. 5 in the D3hoops.com national poll this week. The Corsairs were No. 8 last week.
UMD, 17-0, 7-0 in the Little East Conference, is the only unbeaten Division III men's team in the nation and received three first-place votes. Washington University of St. Louis (14-2) is ranked No. 1. Amherst (16-2), the reigning national champion, is No. 2. Rochester (15-1), which has been No. 1, dropped to No. 3 after its first loss. Hope College of Michigan (14-2) is No. 4.
Top-ranked Memphis (19-0) and second-ranked Kansas (20-0) are the only unbeatens in Division I. No. 1 Bentley (18-0) and No. 2 Grand Valley State (22-0) are the undefeated teams in Division II.
UMD plays UMass Boston tonight at the Tripp Athletic Center.
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Posted by Mike Szostak at 8:03 AM | Permalink
January 28, 2008
Brown senior Damon Huffman is the Ivy League basketball player of the week for thee second time this season, and freshman Adrian Williams is the Ivy rookie of the week.
Huffman scored 23 points, 15 in the last 10 minutes, in Brown's 77-66 victory over Yale Saturday. Williams scored 11 points and played 28 minutes, both career highs.
The Bears improved to 9-7, 1-1 in the league. They will play first-place Cornell (10-5, 2-0) Friday night at the Pizzitola Center.
Posted by Mike Szostak at 1:09 PM | Permalink
January 22, 2008
URI Rams beat writer Paul Kenyon will take your questions in a live chat Wednesday at noon. You can send in your questions now: go to projo.com/chat, click launch chat, choose a display name (you don't need a password) and enter the college hoops chat room. Remember not to press enter or click send until you have completed your thought; questions will display to the room as Paul answers them on Wednesday.
Posted by Mike McDermott at 10:13 AM | Permalink
January 18, 2008
University of Rhode Island football coach Darren Rizzi has added four assistant coaches and a director of operations to his staff.
John Gendron, offensive line coach at URI the last two seasons, will remain as an offensive assistant. The Rams finished third in the Colonial Athletic Association and 14th in the NCAA in rushing yards per game (229.9) in 2007, and fullback Joe Casey was first-team all-conference and third-team All-America. Ryan Crawford, cornerbacks coach at Bucknell the last three years, will work with the defensive backs. Bucknell tied for the Patriot League lead with 14 interceptions in 2007. Eddie Allen, a player development coach and graduate assistant at Rutgers for three years, will be Rizzi's special teams coordinator and running backs coach. Tembwe Lukabu, a player development coack at Rutgers for two seasons, will work with the URI defense.
Dan Silva, video coordinator for the Rams in 2007, will return as director of football operations.
Rizzi had already hired Joe Trainer, head coach at Millersville, as associate head coach and defensive coordinator, Chris Pincince of Woonsocket, offensive coordinator at Holy Cross, as offensive coordinator, and Mark Fabish, offensive coordinator at Monmouth, as recruiting coordinator and quarterbacks and wide receivers coach.
Posted by Mike Szostak at 10:55 AM | Permalink
January 9, 2008
The UMass-Dartmouth men’s basketball team, which is undefeated at 11-0 this season, is ranked 19th in the latest d3hoops.com top 25 poll. UMass Dartmouth last received national recognition during the 2000-2001 season, when it finished 25-3, won the Little East Conference championship, and advanced to the round of 16 in the NCAA Division III Tournament. The Corsairs will visit Roger Williams tonight at 8.
Posted by Chris Venditto at 7:35 PM | Permalink
The University of Rhode Island released its 2008 football schedule yesterday, which includes a meeting at Boston College, the winner of the Champs Sports Bowl. The schedule: Aug. 30, home vs. Monmouth; Sept. 6 at Fordham; Sept. 13 vs. New Hampshire; Sept. 20 at Hofstra; Sept. 27 at Boston College; Oct. 4 vs. Brown; Oct. 11 at Towson; Oct. 18 vs. Villanova; Oct. 25 at William & Mary; Nov. 1 vs. Massachusetts; Nov. 15 vs. Maine; and Nov. 22 at Northeastern.
Posted by Chris Venditto at 7:32 PM | Permalink
University of Rhode Island fullback Joe Casey is on The Sports Network All-America third team. The junior from Syracuse, N.Y., is also the Colonial Athletic Association first-team fullback.
Casey rushed for 782 yards and two touchdowns in eight games last season. He missed the last three games because of a shoulder injury. A three-time first-team all-conference selection, Casey is tied for fourth with David Jamison on URI's career rushing list with 2,901 yards.
Five local players received honorable mention. They include Massachusetts quarterback Liam Coen (Newport/La Salle), New Hampshire quarterback Ricky Santos (Bellingham, Mass.), Villanova tight end Matt Sherry (Rumford/Bishop Hendricken) and Brown wide receivers Buddy Farnham and Paul Raymond.
Posted by Mike Szostak at 1:03 PM | Permalink
January 2, 2008
University of Rhode Island football coach Darren Rizzi has hired his defensive, offensive and recruiting coordinators.
Joe Trainer, head coach at Millersville University in Pennsylvania the last three years, is the new assistant head coach and defensive coordinator. He was an assistant coach at Villanova for eight years, defensive coordinator the last five, before taking the Millersville job in 2005. He and Rizzi were assistant coaches together Colgate and New Haven.
Chris Pincince of Woonsocket, offensive coordinator at Holy Cross, is assuming the same position at URI. He was also offensive coordinator at New Haven in the 1990s and is known for his wide open, pass-friendly schemes.
Mark Fadish, offensive coordinator at Monmouth University in New Jersey, is the new recruiting coordinator and receivers coach.
All three are starting this week. Rizzi is in Toronto with Rutgers for the International Bowl Saturday against Ball State and will join his assistants in Kingston next Monday. He hopes to hire the rest of his staff soon.
Posted by Mike Szostak at 10:30 AM | Permalink
December 20, 2007
Boston College safety Jamie Silva of East Providence and Brown kicker Steve Morgan will be in the spotlight again next month when the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston honors them at its 75th Annual College Football Awards Night.
Silva will share the George "Bulger" Lowe Award with BC quarterback Matt Ryan as the best Division I defensive and offensive players in New England. Morgan will receive the Nils V. "Swede" Nelson Award for outstanding achievement in academics and athletics.
The recognition is the latest for Silva, a senior who led the Eagles with 115 tackles and tied for 10th in the nation with six interceptions. He made first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference, first-team Walter Camp All-America and first-team AP All-America. He was a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award as the best defensive back in college football.
The Swede Nelson Award is the second-oldest after the Heisman Trophy of those awards that originiated on a national level. The first was presented in 1946. Morgan is a three-time first-team All-Ivy and All-New England selection and the Ivy League career leader in field goals (52) and points by a kicker (290). He broke the field-goal record by seven and the points record by 61. His point total is sixth-best in Ivy League and second-best in Brown football history. Morgan also punted for Brown and averaged 40.1 yards this season. He was also a semifinalist for the National Football Foundation's Draddy Award, which is presented annually to the top scholar-athlete in the nation.
Morgan is the second Brown receipient of the Swede Nelson Award. Tailback Nick Hartigan won it in 2005.
The Awards Night will be held Jan. 10 at the Burlington Marriott in Burlington, Mass.
Posted by Mike Szostak at 3:34 PM | Permalink
December 18, 2007
Returning to the scene of his All-American career, Darren Rizzi took over today as head coach of the University of Rhode Island football program.
Rizzi signed a five-year contract at a base salary of $160,000. He succeeds Tim Stowers, who was fired last month after eight seasons.
Rizzi predicted that Rhode Island will become a contender in the Colonial Athletic Association, even to the point of eventually challenging for the championship. "Failing is not going to be an option," he said.
Rizzi, who is associate head coach at Rutgers, will divide his time between Rutgers and URI until the Scarlet Knights play in the International Bowl Jan. 5 in Toronto against Ball State.
Posted by Mike McDermott at 4:20 PM | Permalink
December 17, 2007
The University of Rhode Island will name a new football coach today, and chances are he will be Darren Rizzi, the URI's All-America tight end at the University of Rhode Island in 1991 and 1992 and currently associate head coach at bowl-bound Rutgers.
Four candidates visited the campus last week, and two, Pete Adrian of Norfolk State and Jack Cosgrove of Maine, subsequently withdrew from consideration, leaving Rizzi and Stonehill head coach Robert Talley officially still in the running. When reached today, Talley declined comment. Efforts to reach Rizzi were unsuccessful.
Rizzi, 37, would appear to have the edge because he is an alumnus, has three years of head coaching experience at the University of New Haven and for six years participated in the turn-around of the Rutgers program under head coach Greg Schiano. The Scarlet Knights, 7-5, will wrap up their season against Ball State Jan. 5 at the International Bowl in Toronto. Talley, 39, an all-conference linebacker at Boston University, guided Stonehill to a 5-5 finish in his first season as a head coach. He was a long-time assistant at Dartmouth and also spent three years with the San Francisco 49ers.
Rizzi has coached running backs, linebackers and special teams. Prior to Rutgers he compiled a 15-14 record at Division II New Haven from 1999 to 2001. He started his full-time coaching career in 1993 as tight ends and special teams coach at Colgate, moved to New Haven as an assistant in 1994 and stayed through 1997. He coached at Northeastern in 1998 before returning to New Haven as head coach in 1999. New Haven dropped football after the 2001 season, and Rizzi joined Schiano at Rutgers.
A tough and durable receiver under coach Bob Griffin, Rizzi started at tight end in 1990, 1991 and 1992. He still stands fourth in career receptions with 160 and career receiving yards with 2,426. He caught 74 passes in 1992. In addition to All-America he was All-East and All-New England.
Posted by Mike Szostak at 4:41 PM | Permalink
December 14, 2007
After visiting the University of Rhode Island Wednesday, Pete Adrian has decided to remain as head football coach at Norfolk State, where he was 8-3 and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference coach of the year this season.
"The big thing is I want to win. I can do that at Norfolk State. I don't want to start from scratch at Rhode Island," Adrian told the Newport News Daily Press.
Adrian is one of four candidates who visited URI this week to explore the head football coach position that became available when Tim Stowers was fired Nov. 19. Darren Rizzi, associate head coach at Rutgers and an All-America tight end at URI; Jack Cosgrove, head coach at the University of Maine for 15 years whose contract expires June 30, and Robert Talley, head coach at Division II Stonehill, were also on campus.
Adrian coached at URI under Bob Griffin from 1976 to 1985, and former players promoted his candidacy. Rhode Island's small high-school recruiting base apparently was a deterrent, according to the Daily Press.
"We'd have to go back to begging kids to visit there. Maybe we'd win, and maybe we wouldn't," Adrian said.
Seventeen Rhode Islanders were on the 2007 roster.
Posted by Mike Szostak at 3:28 PM | Permalink
College basketball writer Kevin McNamara will take questions from projo.com readers in a live chat on Tuesday at noon. The chat will last about an hour. You can submit your questions about PC and URI basketball now: go to projo.com/chat, click launch chat, pick a display name and enter the college hoops chat room (you do not have to enter a password; do not check "enter as member"). Type in your question -- remember not to press enter or click send until you have completed your thought -- and Kevin will see them when he enters the room on Tuesday. Questions will display as he answers them.
Posted by Mike McDermott at 11:42 AM | Permalink
December 6, 2007
Mark McAndrew of Barrington scored 19 points and Mark MacDonald 10 in leading Brown to a 68-52 victory over cold-shooting New Hampshire Thursday night at the Pizzitola Center. It was Brown's third consecutive victory.
McAndrew made four of his six shots from three-point range. He also grabbed five rebounds and passed for two assists. Peter Sullivan scored nine points, all in the first half, and Scott Friske chipped in seven points and eight rebounds.
UNH shot 34 percent for the game, largely the result of a late spurt. Alvin Abreu led the Wildcats with 14 points.
Brown ran to a 20-2 lead in the first eight minutes, led 33-18 at the half and by as many as 19 in the second half.
Brown (5-3) will play Providence College Sunday night.
Posted by Mike Szostak at 7:44 PM | Permalink
December 4, 2007
The Rhody Rams just completed a 77-60 whitewashing of Providence College at a jam-packed (7,657) Ryan Center.
Will Daniels led the Rams with 18 points. He was one of 5 Rams in double figures.
The Friars struggled to shoot 30 percent and never found any groove on offense. Geoff McDermott and Weyinmi Efejuku, perhaps PC's two best players, combined to shoot 1-17 and finished with 9 points. Go to the College Hoops Blog to read in-game coverage, or click here to see the box score from projo Stats.
The Friars (5-2) host South Carolina on Thursday night, and the 9-1 Rams visit Syracuse on Saturday night.
-Kevin McNamara
Posted by Mike McDermott at 9:17 PM | Permalink
In this audio file, about six minutes long, basketball writer Kevin McNamara discusses the keys to victories and the players to watch in tonight's matchup at the Ryan Center.
Click here to listen to Kevin's comments, as told to projo producer Mike McDermott.
Check the College Hoops Blog tonight for pregame, in-game and postgame news from Kevin and Paul Kenyon.
Posted by Mike McDermott at 3:43 PM | Permalink
December 3, 2007
HAMDEN, Conn. (AP) Mark McAndrew scored 21 points and Damon Huffman added 18 as Brown beat Quinnipiac 86-79 in overtime on Monday.
McAndrew hit five free throws in the extra period and Huffman had a 3-pointer as Brown (4-3) built a quick 80-74 lead and never trailed.
Quinnipiac (2-4) led 74-72 lead with 1:27 to play on a putback by Karl Anderson but Scott Friske tied the game with two free throws on the Bears' next possession. Click here to read more about the game.
The Bears host New Hampshire on Thursday night.
Posted by Mike McDermott at 9:49 PM | Permalink
November 29, 2007
Click here to see video, on the Dallas Morning News Web site, of Texas Tech basketball coach Bobby Knight getting into a nasty argument with a Lubbock, Texas, resident, who claimed that Knight's hunting party hit his home with birdshot.
Posted by Mike McDermott at 9:35 AM | Permalink
November 28, 2007
The Brown Bears men's basketball team lost a tough one at home tonight to Wagner, 64-63, with the winning points coming on two foul shots with seven seconds remaining. Brown (2-3) was led by Chris Skrelja, who scored 21 points and grabbed six rebounds. Wagner (4-2) got 23 points from Mark Porter, including the winning free throws. Click here to see the box score from projo Stats.
The Bears' next game is Saturday night at home against California-Davis.
Also tonight, the Brown women's hoops team lost, 63-50, at Army. Click here to see the box score from projo Stats. Annesley O'Neal led Brown, which fell to 0-7, with 13 points and 10 rebounds. The Bears' next game is Saturday afternoon at home against Howard.
Posted by Mike McDermott at 9:42 PM | Permalink
It's official. The search committee charged with finding a new football coach at the University of Rhode Island includes Thorr Bjorn, director of athletics; Gregg Burke, deputy director of athletics; John Vanner, associate director of athletics; Barbara Luebke, journalism professor and NCAA faculty representative; Brittany Manseau, president of the URI Student Alumni Association; Michael Rollins, assistant strength coach, and Wes Lessard, president of the Fifth Quarter Club.
The committee will solicit, collect and review applications, invite several candidates to campus and offer a recommendation to President Robert L. Carothers. Bjorn has said he would like a new coach signed by the end of December.
Posted by Mike Szostak at 3:18 PM | Permalink
November 27, 2007
BOSTON (AP) - Boston College backup running back A.J. Brooks has been suspended from the team indefinitely after allegedly beating and kicking a 20-year-old man on campus.
Brooks was released on $250 bail Monday after pleading not guilty to charges including assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, for allegedly kicking the man with his shoe on, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel Conley's office.
Brooks, a junior from Orlando, Fla., was suspended from the school on Sunday, pending the outcome of the case, Boston College spokesman Jack Dunn said. BC plays Saturday at the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game against Virginia Tech in Jacksonville, Fla.
The alleged victim, whom authorities did not identify, required stitches after suffering injuries to his head, neck and face during the fight about 2 a.m. Sunday morning, said Jake Wark, a spokesman for the Conley's office.
Campus police found the Weston man, who was visiting friends on campus, Wark said. The man was treated and released from Brigham and Woman's hospital.
It was unclear what started the fight, Wark said. Brooks reportedly told police the man pushed him and he responded by punching him and knocking him down.
Campus police arrested Brooks after a witness described him and what he was wearing. Police recognized the description as matching Brooks, whom they spoke to earlier in the evening, Wark said. Dunn said the school could not give any details of the incident or the police's earlier interaction with Brooks.
Brooks was taken into custody after he acknowledged being in a fight, Wark said.
Attempts to call Brooks on campus on Tuesday were unsuccessful. A call to his attorney was not immediately returned.
Coach Jeff Jagodzinski said Monday that Brooks was suspended for a violation of team rules.
Brooks played in seven games for the No. 12 Eagles (10-2) and ran 25 times for 79 yards and no touchdowns. His best season came as a freshman when he rushed for 160 yards in his first start and finished the season with 319 yards and three touchdowns on 57 carries.
Posted by Mike McDermott at 1:40 PM | Permalink
November 20, 2007
The University of Rhode Island women's basketball team lost tonight at Holy Cross, 65-56, to fall to 2-2 on the season. Safi Mojidi led the Rams with 23 points, while Briana McFadden had 21 for the Crusaders (2-2). Click here to see the box score from projo Stats.
The Rams host Brown at 2 p.m. Friday.
Posted by Mike McDermott at 9:54 PM | Permalink
The University of Rhode Island's baseball team has received a $1-million gift from an anonymous donor, according to a report on the university's athletics Web site. The report says the university will use the money to pay for major upgrades to its baseball facilities, including a new synthetic surface at Bill Beck Field, a sod and sprinkler system for the outfield and an indoor batting facility for baseball and softball. The money will also be used toward the new student-athlete development Center.
The money will count toward fulfilling the university's $100-million "Making a Difference" capital campaign.
Posted by Mike McDermott at 3:45 PM | Permalink
November 19, 2007
Providence College basketball star Chelsea Marandola has a herniated disk in her lower back and is not sure when she will be able to play. The junior from Johnston will miss her fourth game tonight. PC is 2-1.
Marandola suffered the injury in May while lifting weights and was diagnosed with the herniated disk in July. She has been in physical therapy since that time. If she does not return in December, she may apply for a medical red-shirt so she will have two years of eligibility remaining. Coach Phil Seymore said if she participates in one game after Jan. 1 and re-injures her back and misses the season, she will lose the year of eligibility.
Marandola was second-team All-Big East last season. She led the Friars in scoring (17.3), rebounding (7.1) and steals (1.7).
Posted by Mike Szostak at 2:47 PM | Permalink
BY MIKE SZOSTAK
Journal Sports Writer
The University of Rhode Island has fired football coach Tim Stowers after an eight-year tenure that produced one winning season in 2001. His overall record at URI was 33-57. His last game was a 35-30 victory over Northeastern last Saturday.
Stowers has one year remaining on his contract. He earned $196,027 in 2006.
"I have been informed that I will no longer be the coach of the University of Rhode Island football team," Stowers said early this afternoon.
The director of athletics, Thorr Bjorn, was in a meeting, and other administrators were unavailable for comment. Stowers received the word this morning.
Several weeks ago, Bjorn said he would discuss Stowers' fate after the season. The Rams lost seven of their first eight games this year but won two of their last three, including a 12-6 upset of third-ranked Massachusetts on Nov. 3.
"Obviously, we had one winning season," Stowers said. "Even though we had a difficult schedule -- we played six playoffs teams and one I-A team -- you never know. They just wanted to ake a decision for the future of the program, and I respect their opinion."
Stowers came to URI in 2000 after two years as an assistant coach at Temple. He was head coach at Georgia Southern for six years, winning the NCAA Division I-AA national championship in 1990. His career record as a head coach is 84-80.
Posted by Mike Szostak at 2:08 PM | Permalink
November 18, 2007
The University of Rhode Island won its third game in Daytona Beach in as many days, beating the University of Alabama-Birmingham, 74-69, today behind Will Daniels' 23 points. Click here to see the box score from projo Sports.
URI, which also beat South Florida and Stetson this weekend, next plays Wednesday afternoon at Boston College.
Posted by Mike McDermott at 4:39 PM | Permalink
November 15, 2007
The Northeast-10 Conference today named Bryant quarterback Charlie Granatell its offensive player of the year, Marty Fine its coach of the year and American International College quarterback Rob Parent of West Warwick a co-freshman of the year.
Granatell, a senior, led the Bulldogs to an 8-2 record, their first outright conference championship and their second consecutive NCAA Division II tournament berth. He completed 148 of 243 passes (60.9 percent) for 1,789 yards and 13 touchdowns. He was also named second-team all-conference quarterback. Steve Armstrong of Southern Connecticut, the league's most valuable player, is the first-team QB.
Fine has directed Bryant to three winning seasons and two championships in his four years as head coach.
Parent finished sixth in passing yards with 1,992 and tied for fourth with 13 touchdown throws. The freshman of the week four times this season, he completed 128 of 236 passes (54.2 percent) and was intercepted only eight times. He helped AIC to a 7-3 record overall, 7-2 in the conference. AIC tied Southern Connecticut for second place behind Bryant.
Bryant will play at Southern Connecticut Saturday in the first round of the Division II tournament.
Posted by Mike Szostak at 11:33 AM | Permalink
November 12, 2007
Bobby Sewall of Portsmouth is the Ivy League offensive player of the week. The Brown sophomore ran for four touchdowns and passed for a touchdown in Brown's 56-35 victory over Dartmouth last Saturday. A flanker, he caught 18 passes for 141 yards and rushed 15 times for 144 yards. His touchdown pass covered 41 yards for a total of 326 yards on offense. He is the only player in the nation with 140 yards rushing and receiving in the same game and the only player with 18 receptions in a game this season.
Posted by Mike Szostak at 11:39 AM | Permalink
November 11, 2007
Bryant University will play at Southern Connecticut Saturday in the first round of the NCAA Division II football tournament. The NCAA announced the pairings today.
Bryant (8-2) won the Northeast-10 Conference championship Saturday with a 29-3 victory over Bentley. Southern Connecticut (8-3) finished second but was seeded ahead of Bryant in the Northeast Region as a result of its 56-28 victory over Bryant Nov. 2 at New Haven
California (Pa.), 11-0, is seeded first and Shepherd College of West Virginia, 9-1, second. They have first-round byes. Third-seeded West Chester, 9-2, will host sixth-seeded Indiana (Pa.), 8-2, in the other first-round regional game.
The Bryant-Southern Connecticut winner will play at California and the West Chester-Indiana winner at Shepherd next week.
This is Bryant second consecutive trip to the D-II playoffs. The Bulldogs lost to West Chester last year.
Posted by Mike Szostak at 1:51 PM | Permalink
November 10, 2007
Flanker Bobby Sewall of Portsmouth played one of the finest all-around offensive games in Brown University history Saturday in leading the Bears to a 56-35 victory over Dartmouth at Brown Stadium.
Sewall accounted for 326 yards total offense and five touchdowns. He caught 18 passes for 141 yards, ran 15 times for 144 yards, rushed for four touchdowns and threw a 41-yard touchdown pass.
"I thought it was just one of the most incredible performances I've seen in a long, long time," Brown coach Phil Estes said. "Bobby Sewall went out there and did everything, from running the football to catching the football to throwing for a touchdown and then finished the last play on defense for the victory. If that's not a complete game, I don't know what is."
Quarterback Michael Dougherty completed 41 of 50 passes for 403 yards and a touchdown and was not intercepted. Flanker Buddy Farnham caught 12 passes for 159 yards and two touchdowns. Dougherty and fullback Tyler Rowley of Narragansett also rushed for touchdowns.
Brown improved to 4-5 overall, 3-3 in the Ivy League. Dartmouth dropped to 3-6, 3-3. The Bears will conclude their season next Saturday at Columbia.
Posted by Mike Szostak at 4:35 PM | Permalink
October 30, 2007
URI fullback Joe Casey will miss the last three games of the football season as a result of a shoulder injury he suffered late in the third quarter of the Rams' 49-36 loss at New Hampshire last Saturday. Casey injured the same shoulder last year but played in all 11 games and had surgery after the season. Coach Tim Stowers said today that Casey will probably have surgery again.
"It's a severe loss to the team," Stowers said.
Casey, a junior and two-time first-team all-conference fullback, is seventh in the Colonial Athletic Association in rushing this season with 782 yards. He has scored two touchdowns. He ran 23 times for 105 yards against UNH before leaving the game with 1:14 remaining in the third quarter and the Wildcats leading, 28-24.
Casey has rushed for 2,901 yards in his career, tied for fourth with former quarterback Jayson Davis on URI's career rushing list. He is 488 yards shy of Pat Abbruzzi's record of 3,389 yards gained between 1951 and 1954.
URI, 1-7, will play 7-1 and third-ranked Massachusetts Saturday at Meade Stadium, travel to Maine next week and close the season Nov. 17 at home against Northeastern.
Posted by Mike Szostak at 12:45 PM | Permalink
October 18, 2007
By KEVIN McNAMARA
SMITHFIELD - Bryant University's athletics department has been accepted as the newest member of the Northeast Conference. The Bulldogs will become a full-fledged member and make the jump from Division II to Division I by the fall of 2012.
The Northeast Conference's presidents voted to accept Bryant at a meeting Wednesday, according to NEC commissioner Brenda Weare. A formal annoucement of the move is expected later today.
The NEC was founded in 1981 by charter members Fairleigh Dickinson, Long Island University, Robert Morris, St. Francis (NY), Saint Francis (PA) and Wagner. They are currently joined by Monmouth College, Mount St. Mary’s, Central Connecticut State, Quinnipiac and Sacred Heart.
The NEC currently offers 21 sports for men and women. Bryant is expected to compete is every sport, including football. The Bulldogs currently compete in the Northeast 10 Conference, one of the premier D-II leagues in the East.
Bryant will continue as a Northeast-10 member this year and then begin an NCAA-mandated `transition period' of five years where its teams will play both D-1 and D-II opponents.
``We have extended and offer and bryant has accepted, pending the five-year transition process,'' said the NEC's Weare. ``We're very excited to have Bryant in our league. We hope the next five years go very quickly.''
Posted by Kevin at 2:39 PM | Permalink
October 1, 2007
Salve Regina University today suspended its men's soccer program for five games for violation of department policies. The suspension is retroactive to last Thursday, Sept. 27, and has already resulted in two forfeitures. The Seahawks will play again Oct. 13 at New England College.
Del Malloy, director of athletics, announced the suspension in a statement but did not elaborate.
"After a thorough investigation into the incident, we have levied the penalties and provided education to the student-athletes. We will not discuss the incident or talk about any individuals, but we feel confident this group has a better understanding of our department policies and goals," Malloy said in the statement. Efforts to contact Malloy and other university administrators have been unsuccessful.
Salve Regina was 5-3-1, 3-0-1 in the Commonwealth Coast Conference, before the suspension..
Posted by Mike Szostak at 3:19 PM | Permalink
September 29, 2007
Journal photo / John Freidah
URI's Tolbert Evans is pulled down during the first quarter of play at Brown Stadium, where the Rams beat the Bears, 49-42, in overtime.
Posted by Mike McDermott at 4:08 PM | Permalink
September 27, 2007
Dereck Knight, the Brown tailback from Pawtucket who rushed for 208 yards against Duquesne, tore a tendon in his left great toe on his first carry in the Harvard game last Saturday night and will miss the rest of the college football season. Knight said yesterday that he expects to have surgery in the next two weeks. For now he is wearing a special boot that protects and immobilizes the toe.
A senior, Knight could apply to the Ivy League for a medical redshirt if he wants to play in 2008. In that case he would have to take the spring semester off and return to school next fall.
Brown and the University of Rhode Island will play for the 92nd time Saturday afternoon at Brown Stadium.
Posted by Mike Szostak at 1:30 PM | Permalink
September 17, 2007
Brown tailback Dereck Knight, the senior from Pawtucket and Shea High School, is
the Ivy League offensive player of the week for his performance in Brown's season-
opening 28-17 victory over Duquesne last Saturday. Knight rushed 33 times for 208
yards, his career best and the 10th-best in Brown football history. He scored on a 61-
yard run on Brown's second play from scrimmage.
Posted by Mike Szostak at 12:07 PM | Permalink
September 8, 2007
WEST POINT, N.Y. -- After failing to get into the end zone in four tries from the Army 4-yard line, URI lost in overtime to the Cadets, 14-7. The Rams came up short on the final play when junior running back Jimmy Hughes was forced out of bounds trying to go around left end.
Posted by Jim Donaldson at 4:15 PM | Permalink
WEST POINT, N.Y. -- On the first play of overtime, Army QB David Pevoto lofted a 25-yard TD pass to senior tight end Justin Larson, giving the Cadets a 14-7 lead over upset-minded URI.
The Rams now have to score on their O.T. possession.l
Posted by Jim Donaldson at 4:12 PM | Permalink
WEST POINT, N.Y. -- The Rams and Cadets head into overtime, tied 7-7, as URI QB Derek Cassidy is sacked on the final play in regulation.
Army is 3-0, all-time, in o.t., winning twice last year -- over Kent State, at Michie Stadium, and at Baylor.
URI last played an overtime game at Maine, in 2005, losing 27-24.
Posted by Jim Donaldson at 4:07 PM | Permalink
WEST POINT, N.Y. -- With 21 seconds left in regulation, the Rams stopped a last-ditch Army drive when Kirk Blackmon sacked Cadets' QB David Pevoto from behind, forcing him to fumble. Carl Daniel recovered for URI at the Army 47. Rhody has one timeout remaining and the score is tied, 7-7.
Posted by Jim Donaldson at 4:03 PM | Permalink
WEST POINT, N.Y. -- URI missed a marvelous opportunity to take the lead late in the game when, with 1:56 to go, senior kicker Bryan Giannecchini hooked a 33-yard, field-goal attempt from the middle of the field wide left.
Posted by Jim Donaldson at 3:58 PM | Permalink
WEST POINT, N.Y. -- After surviving an illegal participation penalty that enabled Army to retain possession after the Cadets had punted the ball away, but resulted only in a missed, 39-yard, field-goal attempt, URI has driven from its own 22 to a second-and-three at the Army 28 with 4:48 remaining and the score tied, 7-7.
Posted by Jim Donaldson at 3:48 PM | Permalink
WEST POINT, N.Y. -- It's dangerous being the mascot for the Rhody Rams.
Last year, "Rhody" was accosted in a men's room at the Civic Center during a basketball game with arch-rival Providence College. During the third quarter this afternoon at Michie Stadium, "Rhody" had his head stolen by some "commandos" from the corps of Cadets.
If only the Army could have similar success against Osama Bin Laden...
Posted by Jim Donaldson at 3:20 PM | Permalink
Rhode Island, leading Army, 7-0, was driving on its first possession of the second half when it lost a fumble near midfield, after which the Cadets marched to the tying touchdown.
Posted by Jim Donaldson at 2:55 PM | Permalink
WEST POINT, N.Y. -- After failing to capitalize on two earlier scoring opportunities, the Rhody Rams capped an impressive, 80-yard drive in the closing minutes of the first half with a 5-yard scoring run by sophomore Tim Allen, who took a pitch from QB Derek Cassidy and darted around the right side for a 7-0 lead with 1:30 remaining in the second quarter.
Posted by Jim Donaldson at 2:12 PM | Permalink
WEST POINT, N.Y. _ The Rams have failed to capitalize on a couple of excellent scoring opportunities early in their game at Army.
The Cadets fumbled the ball away at their own 48 on the third play of the game, but Rhody failed to pick up a first down and punted.
Then, in the first minute of the second quarter, URI cornerback Antonio Johnson intercepted a pass by Army QB David Pevoto at the Rams' 26 and returned it 35 yards to the 39 of the Cadets. The Rams had moved to Army's 16 when junior running back Joe Casey fumbled the ball away.
Posted by Jim Donaldson at 1:46 PM | Permalink
WEST POINT, N.Y. -- There is no one from Rhode Island on Army's football roster.
And just two of URI's 22 starters played their high-school ball in the R.I. Interscholastic League -- 6-3, 285-pound, offensive guard Antal Keszthelyi (LaSalle) and wide receiver Tolbert Evans, who played one year at South Kingstown before transferring to the Salisbury School, in Connecticut.
The Rams do list seven other Rhode Island HS players among the backups on the two-deep, depth chart.
Posted by Jim Donaldson at 1:26 PM | Permalink
WEST POINT, N.Y. -- Temperature at kickoff this afternoon was 84 degrees, but the humidity made it feel much warmer -- especially for aging sportswriters who made the steep climp up Stony Lonesome Road from The Plain to Michie Stadium.
Temps on the field certainly were higher, because Army plays on FieldTurf.
The heat could work to the advantage of the Cadets, who always are superbly conditioned.
Posted by Jim Donaldson at 1:13 PM | Permalink
WEST POINT, N.Y. -- It would appear that Army doesn't have a prayer of beating Navy.
Although the sign on the front door of the Cadet Chapel -- a beautiful church high above the campus -- said it was open daily at 0800, it was still locked at 0815.
Navy has won five straight over Army, and leads the storied series, 51-49-7.
Posted by Jim Donaldson at 1:06 PM | Permalink
WEST POINT, N.Y. -- Visitors to West Point can grab a bite to eat in Grant Hall. That's U.S. Grant, class of 1843, later General-In-Chief of U.S. Armies during the Civil War, and the 18th president of the United States.
Decorating the Hall are portraits are portraits of General Dwight D. Eisenhower, class of 1915, and also a former President; General Omar Bradley, also class of '15, General Douglas MacArthur ('03) and General "Hap" Arnold, '07, who commanded the Army Air Corps during World War II.
Posted by Jim Donaldson at 1:01 PM | Permalink
WEST POINT, N.Y. _ Following the parade, four members of the Academy's "Black Knights" parachute team jumped from a "Huey" helicopter at 2,500 feet and, after about 10 seconds of free fall, opened their 'chutes and landed on The Plain.
All four were First Class Cadets -- seniors -- and each had made more than 400 jumps. The experience showed, as each landed standing, as easily as if they had jumped off the lowest step of a ladder.
Posted by Jim Donaldson at 12:56 PM | Permalink
The Fourth Regiment of Cadets marched into Michie Stadium 15 minutes before kickoff wearing, not their usual grey uniforms, but their Army Combat Uniform -- camouflage shirts, pants, and caps, with brown combat boots.
The rest of the Corps, also wearing their ACUs, stand throughout the game in the northwest story of the stadium.
Posted by Jim Donaldson at 12:50 PM | Permalink
WEST POINT, N.Y. _ This is one of the great places in America to watch college football.
The campus of the United States Military Academy sits on a bluff above the Hudson River, and part of the pageantry of game-day is the parade on The Plain at 10 a.m., when two regiments -- half the Corps of Cadets -- marches in review. They emerge from the Eisenhower and MacArthur Barracks in their full-dress uniforms -- grey tunics, with black braid and gold buttons; white pants; and hats they call "tarbuckets." The first-class Cadets -- the seniors -- are recognizable because they have plumes on their hats, and carry sabres, instead of rifles.
They march into formation on the lush, green grass, in front of bleachers that, when empty, are painted in such way as to read "Beat Navy."
The U.S. Army Band plays martial airs throughout the approximately half-hour long ceremony.
URI president Robert Carothers was among the dignitaries invited to be part of the reviewing party, which also included the Superintendent of West Point, Lieutenant General Franklin Hagenbeck, and the Commandant Cadets, Brigadier General Robert L. Caslen Jr.
It's a moving scene when the band plays the Star Spangled Banner and the voices of people in the stands carry across The Plain.
Posted by Jim Donaldson at 12:19 PM | Permalink
August 23, 2007
SOUTH KINGSTOWN — A busy summer spent on the recruiting trail is now paying off for the Rhode Island Rams.
The Rams secured their second verbal commitment for the class of 2012 this week on Thursday when Philadelphia swingman Jamal Wilson told Jim Baron and his staff he wants to come to Rhody. Earlier this week Canadian Randy Dezouvre committed to the Rams.
Scout.com, a recruiting Web site, reported Thursday that Wilson will visit the Kingston campus this weekend. URI’s coaches are forbidden by NCAA rules to discuss any recruits who has not signed a letter-of-intent. Wilson, Dezouvre, Boston guard Stevie Mejia and 7-foot center John Hagarty may all sign with URI in November.
Wilson is a 6-4, athletic wing player who averaged 11 points and 7 rebounds for Neumann-Goretti High in Philadelphia. The team won the city’s Catholic League title in 2005 and ’06 and lost in the finals last March to Roman Catholic. Neumann-Goretti was led by two All-State players in center Rick Jackson and guard Antonio Jardine, both of whom are headed to Syracuse next month. Wilson served as the team’s “garbage man” who frequently guarded the opposition’s best player. He also won a reputation as a big game player who helped secure several big wins not only against city competition but in regional showdowns such as a victory over DeMatha of Washington, D.C., when he scored 20 points.
URI is in position to sign a large crop of players. The Rams should graduate three players in forwards Will Daniels and Joe Mbang and guard Parfait Bitee. That will leave Baron with seven scholarship players so the Rams could sign as many as six new faces in this recruiting cycle. Rhody’s top need now will be to land an athletic frontcourt player and rebounder.
--KEVIN McNAMARA
Posted by Corey Bourassa at 7:45 PM | Permalink
August 21, 2007
The three-time defending Atlantic-10 Conference champion University of Rhode Island men's soccer team was picked to finish first in the Atlantic 10 Conference this season by the league's head coaches. URI was picked No. 29 in the College Soccer News Preseason Poll released last month.
The Rams return ten starters from last year's squad that went 12-5-6 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Rhody opens this season with a 1 p.m. match at Harvard on Sept. 1.
Posted by Chris Venditto at 7:12 PM | Permalink
The Providence College field hockey team is ranked 17th in the STX/NFHCA Division I Preseason Coaches’ Poll that was released yesterday. The Friars are one of three Big East Conference teams in the top-20. The others are Connecticut, which is ranked fifth and Louisville, 14th. Maryland, the defending champions, leads the poll with 18 first-place votes. Rounding off the top four are three other Atlantic Coast Conference teams in Wake Forest, North Carolina and Duke, respectively. The Friars, who begin their season Sunday at New Hampshire, are scheduled to face six top-20 teams this season (UConn, Boston College, Iowa, Louisville, Princeton and Boston University).
--PC ATHLETICS
Posted by Chris Venditto at 6:37 PM | Permalink
June 21, 2007
Cox Sports Television (www.cox-sports.com) will recognize the Ocean State’s best high school scholar-athletes from each sport for every season at tonight's inaugural Cox Rhode Island Sports Awards, beginning at 7:30 at the Providence Performing Arts Center at 220 Weybossett St.
In addition to recognizing more than 100 of Rhode Island’s top scholar-athletes, the event, presented by Amica, will also feature the presentation of the Breakthrough Athlete of the Year to Boston Celtic and former Providence College All-American Ryan Gomes and the Vanguard Award to BIG EAST Commissioner Mike Tranghese.
Others expected to participate in the ceremony are Governor Donald L. Carcieri, ESPN’s Doris Burke, Green Bay Packers and former Boston College and Bishop Hendricken standout Will Blackmon, PC basketball standout Herbert Hill, Boston Celtics President Richard Gotham and BIG EAST founder Dave Gavitt .
Posted by Carolyn Thornton at 8:44 AM | Permalink
June 20, 2007
NEWPORT - Austin Hubbard, Andrew Carraway and Michael Seander combined on a five-hit shutout as Newport defeated Torrington 1-0 in New England Collegiate Baseball League action Wednesday.
Newport (9-1) got yet another outstanding performance from its pitching staff, which lowered its collective earned run average to 2.15. It was the second shutout of the season for Gulls, who also improved to 5-1 in one-run ballgames.
Carraway (1-0) became the ninth different pitcher to earn a victory, an indication of the depth of Newport's pitching. Carraway pitched 2.2 innings, allowing two hits and striking out three batters. He came on in relief of Hubbard with runners on first and second with one out in the top of the sixth inning. Carraway induced a 6-4-3 double play from Torrington's Garrett Green to end the threat.
Though he did not factor into the decision, Hubbard gave the Gulls his third quality start of the year, going 5.1 innings and allowing just three hits and one walk while striking out six. Hubbard lowered his ERA to 0.59, and he now has thrown 11.1 consecutive scoreless innings. Seander pitched a perfect ninth to get his third save on the young season.
Gary Novakowski was the tough-luck loser for Torrington (9-3). Novakowski (1-1) pitched five scoreless innings before getting nicked for a run in the sixth. He allowed six hits and three walks over six innings, striking out six along the way.
The lone run of the game came after Brad French led off the bottom of the sixth with a double. After a fly out, Drew Poulk delivered a run-scoring single up the middle for the margin of victory.
Newport's Matt Vance extended his season-long hitting streak to 10 games with a single in the third inning.
Newport travels to Danbury on Thursday (7 p.m.) before returning home Friday to host Lowell (6:35 p.m.).
Posted by Thom Cahir at 9:22 PM | Permalink
June 15, 2007
NEWPORT - Matt Smedberg delivered a two-out double in the top of the 10th inning to drive in Eric Nieto with the game-winning run as Manchester defeated Newport 7-6 in New England Collegiate Baseball League action Friday.
After Newport reliever Mike Seander retired the first two batters of the 10th, Nieto was hit by a pitch. Nieto stole second base to get into scoring position before Smedberg drilled a double high off the centerfield fence to bring in the winning run. The victory snapped a three-game losing streak for the Silkworms (3-5) while also handing the Gulls (6-1) their first loss of the season.
What started as a pitcher's duel between Manchester's Giusseppi Granitto and Newport's Adam Wilk turned into a wild, back-and-forth affair once both teams went to the bullpen. After Wilk hurled six shutout innings for the Gulls and Granitto allowed just one run on four hits in six innings of his own, the bullpens combined to allow 12 runs over the final four innings. The game featured four lead changes, all of which came after the sixth inning.
Rob Hallberg (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings to earn the victory for the Silkworms. Seander (1-1) took the loss for Newport.
Trailing 2-1 heading to the bottom of the seventh, Newport exploded for five runs on five hits, one walk and one key error by Manchester to move ahead 6-2. The lead didn't hold up, as the Silkworms responded with a four-run rally of their own in the top of the eighth inning to tie the game 6-6 to set up extra innings.
Nieto, Smedberg, Casey Frawley, Ryan Lavarnway and Jay Schillaci each had two hits for Manchester. Smedberg drove in two runs, while Frawley, Schillaci and Matt Nandin each drove in one run.
Brandon May led the Newport offense with three hits, two RBI and a run scored. Matt Ianetta added two hits, one run scored and one RBI. Matt Vance and Brad French had one hit apiece, each extending their season-long hitting streaks to seven games.
Newport has a home-and-home series with North Adams over the next three days. The teams play at North Adams on Saturday (7 p.m.) before returning to Newport on Monday (6:35 p.m.). Manchester plays at Pittsfield on Saturday (7 p.m.).
Posted by Thom Cahir at 11:05 PM | Permalink
June 14, 2007
Danielle Neri, of the Colege of Charleston has been honored by the Intercollegiate Sailing Association as an All-America Crew.
Her team was also honored with the Leonard M. Fowle Memorial Trophy, recognizing the year's best all-around performance in sailing.
This is the fourth time (1998, 1988, 1986) the College of Charleston has won the Fowle Memorial Trophy. In their 30-year history, they have produced 76 ICSA All-American honorees.
Posted by Thom Cahir at 9:46 PM | Permalink
June 2, 2007
The Brown baseball team lost to Wake Forest, 4-2, in a losers' bracket game of the NCAA Tournament Saturday afternoon. More to come...
Posted by Chris Venditto at 5:11 PM | Permalink
June 1, 2007
The Brown baseball team took a 2-1 lead into the bottom of the sixth inning, but fifth-ranked Texas scored a combined seven runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings and defeated the Bears, 8-2, in the First Round of the NCAA baseball Tournament last night at Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas.
Brown scored both its runs in the fourth as the Bears banged out five straight singles — all with two outs. Brown almost plated a third run in that inning but Robert Papelhause was thrown out at home plate, trying to score on a single by Brian Kelaher.
In the sixth, the Longhorns scored two runs on a home run by Shea Fuller. The senior shortstop took a 2-1 curveball offering from Brown starter Jeff Dietz and drove it over the left field fence.
Dietz, who surrendered a solo homer in the first, worked 7 innings and was touched for 11 hits.
The Longhorns gave themselves a little breathing room in the bottom of the seventh when Russell Moldenhauer doubled down the third-base line, scoring Chance Wheeless (walk) for a 4-2 lead.
Meanwhile, the Bears went quietly in the eighth as Texas pitchers Joseph Krebs and Randy Boone struck out the side.
Krebs came on in relief in the fifth and held Brown batters to just two hits while fanning seven. Boone took over for Krebs and finished out the game surrendering two hits and zero runs in 1.2 innings.
Texas subdued any hope the Bears had in the bottom half of the eighth as the Longhorns scored four runs and took a 6-run lead, 8-2.
Wheeless knocked in two runs with a double to right-center, Russell scored on a wild pitch by Brown reliever Rob Hallberg and Wheeless scored on a fielders choice as Texas took an 8-2 lead. Hallberg gave up three runs on two hits.
Ryan Murphy, Matt Nuzzo and Papenhause had two hits apiece for Brown, which will play Wake Forest in today at 1 p.m. fell to 27-20. Papenhause and Dan Shapiro each had an RBI.
Travis Tucker went 4-for-4, Nick Peoples went 3-for-5 and Chance Wheeless, Russell Moldenhauer and Chais Fuller each drove home two runs for Texas, which moves on to face UC-Irvine, who routed Wake Forest, 13-0. That game will be played tonight at 7 p.m.
Posted by Chris Venditto at 11:21 PM | Permalink
University of Rhode Island men's soccer head coach John O'Connor has announced that two additional Rhode Islanders will join the incoming class for the 2007 season. Charlestown's AJ Hazard (Chariho) and Barrington's Jonathan Pereira (LaSalle) will join Westerly's Nick Wilcox (Chariho) as the three Ocean State-natives in O'Connor's first recruiting class at URI.
Five additional student-athletes from the East Coast and Midwest are set to join the Rhody program this fall: Greg Balicki (Wilbraham, Mass.), Joe Donigan (Lawrence, N.J.), Matt Preyss (Chagrin Falls, Ohio), Michael Tanke (Niles, Mich.) and Peyton Warwick (Westerly, R.I.).
"We're very excited to have this group of tremendous young men coming to campus, where I'm confident they will be great additions to an already wonderful Rhode Island soccer family," O'Connor said. "This is my first recruiting class and assistant coaches Gareth Elliott and Pat Laughlin (now head coach at Maine) did a wonderful job putting this group together. We've added a lot of depth, talent, character and athleticism to the squad and we expect many of these boys to come in and push for time."
--URI ATHLETICS
Posted by Chris Venditto at 6:23 PM | Permalink
University of Rhode Island men's soccer head coach John O'Connor has announced that two additional Rhode Islanders will join the incoming class for the 2007 season. Charlestown's AJ Hazard (Chariho) and Barrington's Jonathan Pereira (LaSalle) will join Westerly's Nick Wilcox (Chariho) as the three Ocean State-natives in O'Connor's first recruiting class at URI.
Five additional student-athletes from the East Coast and Midwest are set to join the Rhody program this fall: Greg Balicki (Wilbraham, Mass.), Joe Donigan (Lawrence, N.J.), Matt Preyss (Chagrin Falls, Ohio), Michael Tanke (Niles, Mich.) and Peyton Warwick (Westerly, R.I.).
"We're very excited to have this group of tremendous young men coming to campus, where I'm confident they will be great additions to an already wonderful Rhode Island soccer family," O'Connor said. "This is my first recruiting class and assistant coaches Gareth Elliott and Pat Laughlin (now head coach at Maine) did a wonderful job putting this group together. We've added a lot of depth, talent, character and athleticism to the squad and we expect many of these boys to come in and push for time."
--URI ATHLETICS
Posted by Chris Venditto at 6:23 PM | Permalink
May 29, 2007
Boston College on Tuesday promoted Katie King, who won medals in three Olympics with the United States, to coach the women's hockey team after four seasons as an assistant coach.
King replaces Tom Mutch, who resigned last month after an investigation into allegations of inappropriate conduct. BC has declined to give details of the probe.
King competed in the last three Olympics, most recently scoring a hat trick in the U.S. victory over Finland for the bronze medal in Torino, Italy. King retired from playing after the Torino Games.
--AP
Posted by Corey Bourassa at 6:29 PM | Permalink
May 28, 2007
The Brown baseball team (27-19) learned on Monday afternoon that it will play at the NCAA Regional hosted by the University of Texas to be held in Round Rock, Texas, starting on Friday.
The Bears, the bracket’s No. 4 seed, will play Texas (44-15) in the opening round on Friday, while No. 2 seed UC Irvine (40-15-1) will play No. 3 Wake Forest (33-27) in the other first-round contest.
The Regional will be held at Dell Diamond, home of the Round Rock Express of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League. The four teams will play a double-elimination tournament from June 1-4, with the winner advancing to the NCAA Super Regional. The full 64-team bracket can be found on ncaasports.com.
Texas, the #4 seed in the entire tournament, beat Nebraska, 6-5, to win the Big 12 Championship on Saturday. The Longhorns are led by National Player of the Year candidates Kyle Russell, who leads the country with 27 home runs, and Adrian Alaniz, who is 12-2 with a 2.58 ERA on the season.
Posted by Corey Bourassa at 6:30 PM | Permalink
May 27, 2007
Brown captured its fifth NCAA women's rowing championship Sunday at Melton Hill Lake, while Western Washington claimed its third-consecutive Division II title.
Brown became the second squad in the meet's history to win the national title without winning a race. The Bears finished with 58 points, four clear of second-place Virginia.
“What can I say? It's just so special,” Brown coach John Murphy said. “The competition gets tougher and tougher every year and that is evident in all of the close finishes that we had this weekend.”
--AP
Posted by Corey Bourassa at 6:53 PM | Permalink
May 24, 2007
Two-time defending champion Duke took an eight-stroke lead Thursday after the third round of the NCAA women’s tournament, while Purdue’s Christel Boeljon moved five strokes ahead in the individual competition.
Anna Grzebien and Jennie Lee shot even-par 72s to help the Blue Devils, seeking their fifth team title in nine years, shoot a 5-over 293 for a 16-over 880 total on LPGA International’s Legends Course. Purdue was second at 24 over, followed by UCLA (29 over), Georgia (38 over) and Vanderbilt and Stanford (both 39 over).
Boeljon, a sophomore from the Netherlands, shot her second straight 3-under 69 for a 6-under 210 total. Southern California’s Paola Moreno (70) was second at 1 under, and Duke’s Amanda Blumenherst (74), Vanderbilt’s Jacqui Concolino (73) and TCU’s Catherine Matranga (74) followed at 1 over.
Posted by Chris Venditto at 8:08 PM | Permalink
Two-time defending champion Duke took an eight-stroke lead Thursday after the third round of the NCAA women’s tournament, while Purdue’s Christel Boeljon moved five strokes ahead in the individual competition.
Anna Grzebien and Jennie Lee shot even-par 72s to help the Blue Devils, seeking their fifth team title in nine years, shoot a 5-over 293 for a 16-over 880 total on LPGA International’s Legends Course. Purdue was second at 24 over, followed by UCLA (29 over), Georgia (38 over) and Vanderbilt and Stanford (both 39 over).
Boeljon, a sophomore from the Netherlands, shot her second straight 3-under 69 for a 6-under 210 total. Southern California’s Paola Moreno (70) was second at 1 under, and Duke’s Amanda Blumenherst (74), Vanderbilt’s Jacqui Concolino (73) and TCU’s Catherine Matranga (74) followed at 1 over.
Posted by Chris Venditto at 8:08 PM | Permalink
Senior James Norcott allowed just two hits through the first five innings and went on to record five strikeouts over 6.1 innings of work as the Rhode Island baseball team suffered a tough 11-1 loss to top-seeded Charlotte in the second round of the Atlantic 10 Championship at Fifth Third Field in Dayton, Ohio. All 11 of the 49ers runs were unearned.
Rhody took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth when senior Eric Larson led off with a walk and advanced to third on a double by classmate Ryan Cunningham before scoring on a ground-out by junior Zach Zaneski.
With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Norcott - who had held the Niners to just two hits over the first five innings of play - made a nice grab on Aaron Burt’s ball back to the mound, but made a rushed throw to first which sailed past Cunningham and allowed Burt to take second on the play. Burt took third on Corey Lane’s base hit and then scored on a Rhody throwing error. Kris Rochelle then reached base on an error by URI third baseman Shaun Hagey before Chris Taylor blasted a three-run shot to left center.
Charlotte went on to crack seven hits and score as many runs in the bottom of the seventh inning for the 11-1 win.
Hagey had two of Rhody’s five hits on the day while senior Scott Brown extended his hit-streak to eight games with a first-inning single to left field.
Rhode Island (23-29) will now face No. 4 Xavier (28-30) at 7:00 p.m. tonight in an elimination game for both teams.
Posted by Chris Venditto at 5:37 PM | Permalink
Senior James Norcott allowed just two hits through the first five innings and went on to record five strikeouts over 6.1 innings of work as the Rhode Island baseball team suffered a tough 11-1 loss to top-seeded Charlotte in the second round of the Atlantic 10 Championship at Fifth Third Field in Dayton, Ohio. All 11 of the 49ers runs were unearned.
Rhody took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth when senior Eric Larson led off with a walk and advanced to third on a double by classmate Ryan Cunningham before scoring on a ground-out by junior Zach Zaneski.
With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Norcott - who had held the Niners to just two hits over the first five innings of play - made a nice grab on Aaron Burt’s ball back to the mound, but made a rushed throw to first which sailed past Cunningham and allowed Burt to take second on the play. Burt took third on Corey Lane’s base hit and then scored on a Rhody throwing error. Kris Rochelle then reached base on an error by URI third baseman Shaun Hagey before Chris Taylor blasted a three-run shot to left center.
Charlotte went on to crack seven hits and score as many runs in the bottom of the seventh inning for the 11-1 win.
Hagey had two of Rhody’s five hits on the day while senior Scott Brown extended his hit-streak to eight games with a first-inning single to left field.
Rhode Island (23-29) will now face No. 4 Xavier (28-30) at 7:00 p.m. tonight in an elimination game for both teams.
Posted by Chris Venditto at 5:37 PM | Permalink
May 23, 2007
Junior catcher Zach Zaneski's two-run single fueled a four-run first inning and freshman Tim Boyce escaped a ninth-inning jam to record his sixth save as Rhode Island edged No. 4 Xavier, 4-3, on Wednesday in the opening game of the 2007 Atlantic 10 Baseball Championship at Fifth Third Field.
Vying for its second title in three seasons, Rhode Island (23-28) will face top-seeded Charlotte (44-10) on Thursday at noon.
"The first game is always the most important. It's a long road if you don't win so we're happy we got it," said Rhode Island head coach Jim Foster.
"It was nice to go out there and put up a four-spot right away."
Zaneski's hit was one of six by the Rams in the top of the first against XU starter Bill Konecny (3-6). Rhode Island rightfielder Scott Brown and senior Gregg Allen each added RBI singles to give the Rams a 4-0 lead. Xavier cut the deficit to 4-2 in the bottom of the third on an RBI single by Wolf and Adam Lipski's sacrifice fly. However, Rhody starter Brett Palanski kept the Musketeers off the scoreboard for the next three innings before running into trouble in the seventh.
Rightfielder Neil Lingren singled with one out and later came around to score on an RBI hit by Sean Farrell. With Wolf on third and two outs, freshman southpaw Mark Fraser relieved Palanski and got Lipski to ground out to shortstop on a bang-bang play to end the inning.
Singles by Adam Pasono and catcher Jordan Wolf off URI reliever Jamie Degidio gave Xavier runners at first and second with two outs in the ninth. However, Boyce's first pitch to sophomore Sean Farrell was skied to centerfield to end the game.
"Tim [Boyce] does a nice job against left-handed hitters and he doesn't look like a freshman when he takes the mound," said Foster.
"He's done a nice job all year long for us."
Brown led URI with a 3-for-5 afternoon at the plate, while Allen and second basemen Mike O'Malley collected two hits apiece. Palanski improved to 6-7 on the year after yielding three runs in 6 2/3 innings. The senior righthander walked three and struck out four in a 96-pitch effort.
"It's always nice to start a game with a lead and I have great confidence in our lineup," said Palanski, who scattered eight hits on the afternoon.
"I tried to keep the ball low and was able to get some groundouts."
--ATLANTIC-10
Posted by Corey Bourassa at 5:11 PM | Permalink
May 20, 2007
The Bryant baseball team saw its season come to an end, as the top-seed Franklin Pierce Ravens defeated the fifth-ranked Bulldogs 5-2 in the NCAA Division II Northeast Regional Championship Sunday afternoon at Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field.
With the victory, Franklin Pierce is the champion of the Northeast Region and advances to its second straight College World Series and will open World Series play Saturday in Montgomery, Alabama.
Kevin Renaud continued his dominance against Bryant, as the left-fielder had two home runs, one in the first to left field and another in the eighth to right-center field. In the first, Scott Savastano followed Renaud’s homer with one of his own, to deep left-center field off starter Luke Cowan.
The top seed Ravens, ranked 9th nationally, added two more in the fourth as Vinny Pennell doubled home a run and then scored on a double steal with Savastano at the plate.
Bryant got on the board in ht eighth as Nick Campbell continued his outstanding tournament play, when he lined a double to right-center to bring home Taylor Ferguson and Jay Alexander.
Franklin Pierce starter and the Northeast-10 Conference Player of the Year Keith Renaud avenged last week’s loss to Bryant as the right-hander was dominant on the hill, improving his record to 6-2. He took a no-hitter into the fourth until Mike Rocco drilled a two-out single up the middle. He lasted seven innings, allowing just two hits, while striking out ten and throwing 119 pitches.
Cowan (3-5) took the loss for Bryant. Making his first start in 16 days, the junior allowed four runs and six hits over five innings.
Tyler Bishop got the save for the Ravens, as he got Dylan Stone to ground out to end the game.
The loss marks the end of the road for Bryant’s two seniors, pitcher Mike Upton and Rocco. The only player or coach left from the 2004 World Series team, Rocco became the fifth Bulldog to reach the 200-hit plateau earlier this season.
Bryant finishes the season 35-24, a very successful season for a team no one predicted would make the NCAA Tournament. They finished second in the conference tournament, third in the regular season, and were one of the last 16 teams playing in the entire nation.
Post-game Notes:
-This was the seventh meeting between the two teams and the fourth in eight days, with the Ravens going 6-1. Franklin Pierce defeated Bryant twice to win the Northeast-10 Conference Championship last Sunday.
-Adam Vuolo threw two scoreless innings Sunday, extending his postseason scoreless streak to 13.1 innings.
-Brent Almeida, Campbell and Rocco were named to the All-Tournament Team; Kevin Renaud was the Outstanding Player.
-Cowan was making his first start since May 4th
-Bryant defied its critics this season as they were picked to finish sixth in the preseason conference poll.
--BRYANT ATHLETICS
Posted by Chris Venditto at 4:52 PM | Permalink
Keene St. 4, Wheaton 1
Posted by Corey Bourassa at 12:12 AM | Permalink
May 19, 2007
Junior southpaw Josh Moore shattered the Wheaton College baseball program's nine-year-old single-game strikeouts record with 16 followed the top-seeded Lyons' 7-1 victory over third seed Williams College during Saturday night's NCAA Division III New England Regional Tournament at Whitehouse Field.
With the victory, the Lyons advance to tonight's second elimination game against number five Keene State College at 9:30 p.m., as Wheaton will look to avenge yesterday's 6-3 setback to the Owls. Ranked sixth nationally and first in New England by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA), the Blue and White raises its overall record to 34-12. The Ephs finish their season at 27-10.
Moore's incredible outing bested two 13 single-game strikeout performances from Nate Vedrani '00 during the program's first varsity season in 1998. Moore's career showing included striking out two sides in order in the second and ninth frames. Facing 31 batters, he didn't issue any walks and allowed just one earned run on five singles. Forcing six groundouts and four fly balls, Moore improved to 8-1, matching his own and the school's season victories mark.
The Lyons also received early offense, powering three home runs to account for five of their runs, as senior leadoff hitter Travis Anthoine (Portland, ME/Portland) fell a double shy of the hitting for the cycle. He went 3-for-5 with two runs and an RBI from the leadoff slot, while classmate and hometown product Adam Laplante (Harwich,
MA/Harwich) batted 3-for-4 with two RBI, two runs and a homer. Junior Scott Guillerault (South Portland, ME/South Portland) went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI, a longball and a double.
Laplante got things started early for Wheaton, belting his fourth home run of the season over the left field fence. The longball was with two down and one on in the first, as Anthoine reached base with a single to right. Moore also set the early tone after retiring five of his first six batters on strikes.
In the top of the second, Guillerault launched his team-high-tying fourth homer of the spring with a solo shot that stayed fair down the left field line for a 3-0 Lyon lead. The Ephs got on the board in the fourth when senior Sean Gleeson (Glen Ridge, NJ) hit an RBI single, but Anthoine quickly gave Wheaton a four-run lead thanks to his first roundtripper of the year in the fifth, a two-run shot to left for a
5-1 advantage.
Moore retired nine batters in a row from the fourth through seventh innings, including recording five strikeouts during that stretch.
Williams senior reliever Cory Catelli (Westport, MA) had set down 10 straight batters over four frames before Laplante's dribbler to third in the eighth broke it up. Two batters later, Guillerault's deep double to left center brought Laplante around to make the score 6-1, and sophomore Robert Foote's (Walpole, MA/Walpole) sacrifice fly extended Wheaton's lead to six.
For Williams, five different batters recorded a single apiece, while junior starter Matt Gustafson (Cupertino, CA) suffered his first loss of the season after surrendering five earned runs on five hits with three strikeouts and one walks through four-plus innings.
Posted by Chris Venditto at 9:41 PM | Permalink
The Bryant baseball team capped off an incredible Saturday, winning their second game in five hours, defeating second-ranked Adelphi 10-0 to advance to the Northeast Regional Championship at Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field in Rindge, N.H.
The Bulldogs, ranked fifth in the Northeast region, will take on top-seed Franklin Pierce Sunday, needing to beat the Ravens, who are 3-0 in the Regional, twice to advance to the Division II College World Series in Montgomery, Alabama.
Bryant got going right away, scoring eight times in the first three innings off two Panther pitchers.
The Bulldogs broke the game open, scoring six times in the second inning. Mark Dondero drilled a double to left-center in the second to bring home T.J. Magnell. With two outs and runners at the corners, Taylor Ferguson nailed a two-strike pitch to the same spot as Dondero’s, clearing the bases as Magnell and Pat McKenna came into score. After Jay Alexander beat out an infield single, Nick Campbell launched a three-run homer to left-center, his second of the season, and ending starter’s Mike McLasky’s day on the hill.
They made it 8-0 as Ferguson’s sacrifice fly brought home Magnell, who doubled to lead off the third.
Starter Brent Almeida (5-6) took full advantage of his team’s run support as he worked quickly and effectively on the hill, hurling a complete-game shutout. Almeida allowed just four hits, while striking out a career-high seven.
A fifth-inning double by Campbell brought McKenna home and made the score 9-0. Mike Rocco then grounded out to bring home the team’s tenth run as Alexander scored on the ground out.
The Bulldogs scored in the first without a hit as Ferguson was hit by a pitch, went to second on a wild pitch, third on a sacrifice bunt, and scored on a groundout by Campbell.
McLasky lasted just 1.2 innings, allowing seven runs including the big homer from Campbell.
Campbell was 3-for-5 with a homer and a career-high 5 RBIs, while Ferguson was 2-for-2 with 3 RBIs.
Bryant (35-23) avoided elimination earlier Saturday by defeating fourth-ranked Caldwell 3-2 in 10-innings. They tied the game at two after being down to their last out in the ninth inning before winning it in the tenth.
Post-game Notes:
-Campbell’s 5 RBIs are a season-high for any Bulldog player.
-Sunday’s championship can be heard live on bryantbulldogs.com with first pitch of the first game slated for noon.
-Bryant faced Franklin Pierce in the conference championship last Sunday, with the Ravens edging Bryant by 4-2 and 4-3 scores to capture the conference title.
-Bryant has not appeared in the College World Series since 2004 when they defeated Caldwell in the regional finals.
-Almeida was Bryant’s lone player on the Daktronics All-Region Team. He was a second-team selection.
--BRAD DAVIS (Bryant Athletics)
Posted by Corey Bourassa at 9:36 PM | Permalink
Down to their last out, the Bryant baseball team rallied for a come-from-behind 3-2 10-inning victory at a foggy and rainy Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field Saturday afternoon in the NCAA Division III Northeast Regional.
With the comeback victory, the Bulldogs will play Adelphi Saturday night (7 p.m.) with the winner of that game advancing to Sunday’s championship against top-seed Franklin Pierce.
Portsmouth's Dylan Stone lined a two-strike single to left field to bring home T.J. Magnell with the game-winning run. Magnell led off the 10th with a single and advanced to third after Buddy Riggs threw the ball down the right-field line off a sacrifice bunt from Mark Dondero.
Down to their last out in the ninth and Jay Alexander on third, Jeff Vigurs lined a single up the middle off Riggs to score Alexander and tie the game.
First-baseman Raymond Keelan broke a 1-1 tie with a two-out eighth-inning single to right field off Eric Polvani to give the Cougars the lead.
Bryant starter Dan Lozeau allowed a first-inning run to the Cougars, but Bryant evened the score in the fourth when Vigurs’ sacrifice fly scored Nick Campbell with the tying run. Campbell lined a one-out double down the left-field line and advanced to third on a single by Mike Rocco before scoring on Vigurs’ sac fly.
Lozeau recovered after a 21-pitch first-inning and allowed just one hit over the next six innings.
Caldwell starter Stephen File matched Lozeau pitch-for-pitch, as the Cougar right-hander allowed just six hits and two runs in 8.1 innings. He only got better as the game improved and retired 12 straight hitters from the fifth to the eighth inning, while settling for the no-decision, as Riggs blew the save.
Lozeau went 7.1 very effective innings allowing four hits, while walking just two.
Bryant (34-23) is now one win away from the championship game, needing a win later tonight against Adelphi.
--BRAD DAVIS (Bryant Athletics)
Posted by Corey Bourassa at 6:23 PM | Permalink
Sixth-seeded Rhode Island College was eliminated from the NCAA Div. III Softball Tournament National Championship Round in a 10-3 loss to seventh-seeded Plattsburgh State on Saturday afternoon. RIC (41-7) sees its season come to an end as the Cardinals (36-13) advance in the loser's bracket.
The Cardinals took the lead in the top of third as Kirby Davids reached on a leadoff infield single and advanced to second on a passed ball. Amy Woo laced a single through the left side of the infield to plate Davids. Jen Nescio reached on an infield bunt single, then stole second to put runners on second and third. Shannon Connors belted a two-run double to right center field to put Plattsburgh State on top, 3-0.
The Anchorwomen caught a break with one out as Danielle Gjergji popped out to shallow center field and RIC's Jackie Dube gunned down Connors at the plate to end the frame.
The Anchorwomen got on the board in the bottom of the inning as Christie Lotti laced a leadoff line drive home run over the right field fence to make the score, 3-1.
Plattsburgh State put two more across in the top of the fourth to make the score, 5-1. Stephanie Blood and Andrea Stupp notched singles and were moved over to second and third, respectively, on a sacrifice bunt by Davids.
With two down, RIC pitcher Nicole Riley got Woo to pop up to the pitching circle. Third baseman Krystal Bilek and Lotti collided in front of the pitching circle, allowing the ball to drop to the ground and both runs to score.
In the bottom of the fourth, RIC's Cassie Taverna led off with a solo homer to center field, her first collegiate home run. Plattsburgh State pitcher Stephanie Zweig retired the next three batters to keep the score, 5-2.
Zweig was pulled after five innings of work for Jaclyn Leitze. The Anchorwomen cut the deficit to two, plating one run in the bottom of the sixth. Kristyn Alexander led off with a double to left field and was lifted for pinch runner Robyn Zemienieski. Taverna reached on an error to put runners on first and third. Dube singled down the right field line to pull RIC within two runs, but Leitze retired the next three Anchorwomen she faced.
The Cardinals put the game out of reach in the top of the seventh, tagging RIC for five runs. Davids reached on an infield single and advanced to second on a throwing error. Woo plated Davids with an RBI double to left center field and the error bug bit RIC again as two additional micues led to four additional runs, highlighted by a Gjergji two-RBI double.
Leitze then retired the side in order. She picked up the win (21-6), allowing one run on three hits, to go along with four strikeouts in three innings of work. Zweig allowed two runs on four hits in four innings of work.
Riley suffers the loss (29-5), allowing 10 runs, only six of which were earned, on 12 hits to go along with three strikeouts.
Lotti led RIC offensively, going 2-for-4 with one run scored, one RBI and one homer. Dube went 2-for-3 with one RBI.
--SCOTT GIBBONS (RIC Athletics)
Posted by Corey Bourassa at 4:24 PM | Permalink
May 18, 2007
RINDGE, N.H. – Behind a complete game from the Northeast-10 Pitcher of the Year Eric Loh, the Bryant baseball team dodged elimination and instead sent home sixth-seed Wilmington with a 5-1 win in the NCAA Northeast Regional Friday morning at a rainy and cold Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field.
With the victory, the Bulldogs, ranked fifth in the region, will play today at 2:30 p.m. against Adelphi, Caldwell, or UMass Lowell depending on the results of the other games.
Loh (8-3) was in command all day, allowing just one run, a two-out eighth-inning homer to Mike Wilson. Throwing 121 pitches, the right-hander allowed just six hits, while striking out five and hurling his third complete game of the season.
The Bulldogs got on the board right away taking advantage of three Wildcat errors. Taylor Ferguson led off the game reaching on a fielding error and scored after Wilmington committed two errors on a sacrifice bunt by Jay Alexander. Alexander then scored as Mike Rocco lined a singled up the middle.
Bryant made it 3-0 in the third off 12-game winner Joe Matterer as T.J. Magnell launched a bases-loaded sacrifice fly to right field to plate Nick Campbell with the team’s third run.
They made it 4-0 in the fifth when Rocco lined his third hit of the day, a double, down the left-field line, bringing Alexander home.
Pitching in a steady and cold rain, Loh induced Wilmington hitters into 13 ground outs, including two double plays. The Wildcat hitters were off-balanced all game, swinging wildly all morning.
Bryant improves to 33-23 with the victory. Saturday’s game (weather permitting) will be broadcast live online at bryantbulldogs.com.
Posted by Thom Cahir at 6:44 PM | Permalink
Third-seeded Wisconsin-Eau Claire capitalized on seven errors to hand sixth-seeded Rhode Island College its worst loss of the season, 9-1, in game three of the 2007 NCAA Div. III Softball Tournament National Championship Round on Friday afternoon. The Anchorwomen's seven miscues in the field were the most made by the squad in a contest on the season.
The Anchorwomen will play an elimination game with the loser of the second-seeded Washington-St. Louis vs. seventh-seeded Plattsburgh State tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m.
Rhode Island College senior pitcher Nicole Riley, of North Providence, got out of a jam in the bottom of the first as Blugold junior second baseman Casey Leisgang led off with a double and senior right fielder Rachel Paulus reached on a throwing error to put runners on first and third with no outs. Riley slammed the door with a pop up and a strikeout, while Leisgang was thrown out after getting caught in a rundown between third and home.
Rhode Island College freshman designated player Mandy Shurgot, of Woonsocket, blasted Blugold senior pitcher Mallory McKinney's first offering of the top of the second over the left center field fence to put the Anchorwomen up, 1-0. It was her third homer of the season.
That would be the lone highlight of the day for RIC, which fell apart in the field in the bottom of the third. After a single and a walk, McKinney helped her own cause with an RBI double to left center field. Junior third baseman Michelle Butkus hit a deep fly ball to the right field corner that freshman Michelle Perrin dropped, allowing Paulus to score. The Blugold plated three additional runs on two more RIC errors to take a 5-1 lead.
McKinney dominated the Anchorwomen for the remainder of the contest, allowing just a harmless freshman Jamie Mastrocola and a freshman center fielder Jackie Dube, of Barrington single the rest of the way. She allowed just one run on two hits, to go along with four strikeouts in five innings of work to earn her 18th (18-8) win.
Wisconsin-Eau Claire plated two additional runs in the fourth, capped by a senior center fielder Shannon Barone two-RBI single. Riley was chased from the game after four innings of work. She allowed seven runs, four of which were earned, on eight hits, to go along with two walks and two strikeouts as the Second Team All-American suffered just her fourth loss (29-4) of the season.
Freshman Jamie Sacco came on for the fifth, but RBI singles by Leisgang and McKinney sealed RIC's fate. It marks the first time this year that the Anchorwomen were handed a loss in just five innings due to the eight-run rule.
Leisgang went 3-for-3 with one run scored, one RBI and a double. In addition to her outstanding pitching performance, McKinney went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a double. Senior shortstop Mandy Tschernach went 2-for-3 with two runs scored, while Barone went 2-for-3 with a game-high three RBI.
--RIC ATHLETICS
Posted by Chris Venditto at 6:38 PM | Permalink
Today's losers' bracket game between Wheaton and Williams in the NCAA Division III New England Regional Baseball Tournament has been postponed until 3:30 p.m. today at Whitehouse Field in Harwich, Mass.
Posted by Chris Venditto at 6:20 PM | Permalink
Today's losers' bracket game between Wheaton and Williams in the NCAA Division III New England Regional Baseball Tournament has been postponed until 3:30 p.m. today at Whitehouse Field in Harwich, Mass.
Posted by Chris Venditto at 6:20 PM | Permalink
May 17, 2007
Rhode Island College senior softball pitcher Nicole Riley was named a Second Team All-American Thursday night at the NCAA Division III National Tournament banquet, held at the Civic Center in Salem, Virginia.
Riley, of North Providence, has already been named First Team All-New England, was the Little East Conference's Pitcher of the Year and garnered First Team All-Little East honors for the second consecutive season.
She was named to the 2007 NCAA Div. III N.E. Regional All-Tournament Team where she went 3-0 in four appearances with a 0.97 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 21.2 innings.
The senior righty has appeared in 41 games, starting 34 of them. Riley is 29-3 with a 0.84 earned run average and two saves. She has struck out 228 batters in 208.1 innings of work and logged 12 shutouts.
Riley is RIC's all-time leader in career wins (77), games started (96), relief appearances (24) and shutouts (23). She is second in strikeouts (595) and innings pitched (617.1), while ranking third in career ERA (1.55).
Riley owns the longest consecutive winning streak in NCAA Div. III history (43 games), which began on Mar. 17, 2006 and ended on Apr. 22, 2007.
The Anchorwomen are the sixth seed in the NCAA Div. III National Tournament, which begins on Friday. RIC (41-5) will face third-seeded Wisconsin Eau-Claire (35-12) at the James I. Moyer Sports Complex in Salem, Virginia at 4 p.m.
--SCOTT GIBBONS (RIC Athletics)
Posted by Corey Bourassa at 10:43 PM | Permalink
Making their fifth career appearance in the NCAA Tournament and first since 2002, the Bryant baseball team overcame a 4-0 deficit, only to fall 5-4 to the second-seed Adelphi Panthers today in the opening round of the Northeast Regional in Rindge, N.H.
Bryant (32-23) will take on Wilmington College (Del.) Friday at 11 a.m. in an elimination game.
Adelphi got on the board first as second baseman Ralph Tropiano got the first Panther hit of the game, a two-out homerun over the right-center field fence.
The Panthers added to their lead in the fifth when Tropiano roped a bases loaded single to right field to plate one run, and Rob DeGennaro lined a double to left center to bring home two more and increase Adelphi’s lead to 4-0.
Bryant stormed back in the sixth, scoring four times, as Nick Campbell led off with an infield single and scored after a pop fly to right hit by Mike Rocco was dropped by right fielder Robert Calca.
Calca then threw the ball over shortstop’s Mike Colonna’s head allowing Campbell to wheel all around the bases and score on the two fielding errors. Catcher Jeff Vigurs then singled on the next pitch, moving Rocco to third; Vigurs advanced to second taking advantage of a poor relay throw.
T.J. Magnell followed with a two-run single to cut the lead to one, and with Magnell on second and one out, Dylan Stone lined a single down the left-field line to cap off a four-run sixth inning and tie the game at four.
Starter Kevin Cobb and Eric Polvani combined to escape a bases loaded, one-out jam in the sixth as Cobb got Billy Neubauer to strike out and Polvani came in and got Tropiano to ground into a fielder’s choice to end the threat.
The Panthers regained the lead off Polvani in the seventh as Bill Melillo singled home Colonna.
Mike McLasky, a starter turned reliever, came on for the final two innings, earning his fourth save of the season.
Cobb went 5.2 innings, allowing four runs on eight hits, while striking out two. Polvani (4-3) took the loss, allowing one run in 1.1 innings.
Sophomore Bobby Lanigan used his overpowering fastball, striking out 11 Bulldogs over seven innings, allowing four runs (three earned).
Today's elimination game will broadcast live on bryantbulldogs.com.
--BRYANT ATHLETICS
Posted by Corey Bourassa at 5:17 PM | Permalink
May 13, 2007
Top-seeded Rhode Island College defeated second-seeded Tufts, 8-4, in the championship game of the NCAA Division III Softball New England Regional Tournament in Providence.
The Anchorwomen advance to the National Championship Round, which will be held in Salem, Virginia, beginning on Friday. Sixth-seeded RIC will face third-seeded Wisconsin-Eau Claire at 4 p.m.
In the top of the first, RIC junior first baseman Christie Lotti lined a single to center field and was sacrificed to second by sophomore second baseman Justine Burgess . Senior catcher Kristyn Alexander smacked a line drive right back at pitcher Lauren Gelmetti to set up runners at the corners. Junior third baseman Krystal Bilek bunted the ball back to the pitcher's circle and Lotti beat Gelmetti's throw to the plate to give RIC a 1-0 advantage.
The Jumbos evened the contest in the bottom of the second as junior designated player Erica Bailey and freshman first baseman Christie Tinker connected on back-to-back singles off Riley. Two Riley wild pitches allowed the runners to advance and Bailey slid under Alexander's tag to knot the contest, 1-1.
Bailey came on to pitch for Gelmetti in the top of the fourth and two errors led to the Anchorwomen regaining the lead, 2-1. RIC freshman center fielder Jackie Dube grounded to third and advanced to second on Samantha Kuhles' errant throw. JJeanne Rosa attempted to sacrifice Dube to third by laying down a bunt that Bailey fielded but her underhand the throw to first was wide, allowing Dube to score.
Bailey and Tinker provided the offense once again for the Jumbos in bottom of the fourth as Bailey singled and scored on Tinker's double to left center field. Tinker came around to give Tufts its only lead of the game, 3-2, on Megan Cusick's double. Riley was chased from the contest as freshman Jamie Sacco came on with two on and two out to end the threat.
The Anchorwomen took the lead for good in the top of the sixth as Dube walked and Lotti reached on a fielder's choice. After Lotti stole second, Burgess hit a single to center field, which plated both RIC runners and make the score 4-3.
RIC built its advantage in the top of the seventh to, 8-4, plating four runs on six hits, capped by an Alexander two-RBI double down the left field line.
The Jumbos tried to come back in their final at bat. After Sacco retired the first two batters she faced, she gave up three consecutive hits and a run, but Bailey was cut down trying to score at the plate to give RIC the win.
Sacco earned the victory (6-2), allowing one unearned run on four hits in 3.1 innings. Riley allowed three runs on seven hits in 3.2 innings. Bailey took the loss (8-5), allowing six runs, four of which were earned, on five hits to go along with three strikeouts. Gelmetti gave up nine hits and two runs in 3.2 innings of work.
RIC freshman right fielder Mandy Shurgot paced the 14-hit Anchorwomen attack with a 4-for-4 performance that included a double and a run scored. Lotti, Alexander and sophomore left fielder Kelli McCartin each had two hits.
SCOTT GIBBONS (RIC Athletics)
Posted by Corey Bourassa at 5:14 PM | Permalink
May 12, 2007
DURHAM, N.C. — Duke’s lacrosse team endured 13 character-testing months marked by rape allegations against players and a discarded season, all for another chance to compete for an elusive national championship.
Once they finally made it to the postseason, a lengthy weather delay was no big deal.
Zack Greer scored five goals, and top-seeded Duke scored 15 straight goals in an 18-3 rout of Providence on Saturday in an NCAA tournament first-round game suspended for 2 hours and 2 minutes.
“(The delay) is something that’s going to distract you, obviously,” Greer said, “but at the same time, we’ve been through worse.”
Greer was referring to the scandal that tainted the image of both the program and Duke University. Last season was canceled after eight games amid rape allegations against three players who ultimately were exonerated.
The Blue Devils returned to the field this season and dedicated themselves to rebuilding their sullied reputation. In the NCAA opener, Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year Matt Danowski helped the Blue Devils take an impressive first step toward the national title they were among the favorites to claim a year ago.
Danowski had two goals and a career-high seven assists, setting the school’s career assist record in his final game at Koskinen Stadium and helping Duke (15-2) win its 10th straight.
“To be honest, it was kind of nerve-racking because I haven’t played at this stage (in the tournament) in what seems like a really long time,” Danowski said. “This step was really important because we won the right way. It wasn’t what the score was — we played right, we played with confidence and a sense of swagger, offensively. That’s something we’ve been looking for all season.”
Greer, who entered ranked second nationally with 51 goals, had his fifth straight game with at least three goals. Danowski recorded his 118th career assist and surpassed Tony Cullen’s previous record of 114, helping the Blue Devils advance to face the Navy-North Carolina winner May 20 in Annapolis, Md.
Greer helped Duke pull away from overmatched Providence (7-10) by scoring three times during the Blue Devils’ five-goal second period.
The backbreaker came just before halftime when Greer took a pass from Danowski and snapped it past Providence goalkeeper Peter Littell to make it 9-1 with 6 seconds left.
“It seemed like in the second and the third periods, every time I turned around, they had a guy coming on top of me,” Littell said.
Bennett Murphy scored both of his goals late for Providence, which wanted to play a slow, stalling style to shorten the game but ended up falling victim to Duke’s siege and dropping to 0-3 in NCAA tournament play.
“I see them going pretty far in this tournament,” Providence coach Chris Burdick said.
Brad Ross added two goals and an assist for Duke, which made its first appearance in the NCAA tournament since losing 9-8 to Johns Hopkins in the national championship game in 2005.
The following year, the Blue Devils were talented enough to make another run at the title. Then, the phrase “Duke lacrosse” took on a scandalous connotation that was touched off when a stripper told police she was raped by three players at a team party.
The players’ attorneys steadfastly maintained their clients’ innocence. After 13 months of investigating and legal maneuvering, prosecutors agreed and dropped all charges against the athletes.
Duke’s return to the NCAAs came one day after the city of Durham expressed regret for the photo lineup used to obtain the indictments against former players David Evans, Reade Seligmann and Collin Finnerty, saying the gallery was intended to identify witnesses, not suspects.
The game was suspended because of lightning and thunderstorms with 11:34 left in the third and Duke leading 10-1.
--ASSOCIATED PRESS
Posted by Chris Venditto at 6:03 PM | Permalink
May 5, 2007
Providence – For the first time in the history of the program, the Brown baseball team is the Ivy League Champion, thanks to a sweep of Penn by scores of 1-0 and 20-6 on Saturday at Murray Stadium. In Game One, junior Jeff Dietz (Altamonte Springs, FL) pitched a three-hitter, striking out 10 batters and driving in the game’s only run on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth inning. In the second game, the Bears got off to a hot start, as sophomore Robert Papenhause (Hillsborough, CA) and senior tri-captain Devin Thomas (Gainesville, FL) blasted grand slams in the first and second innings, respectively, to put the game out of reach barely after it had started. Thomas’ blast, his 15th of the year, broke Brown’s single-season record, previously held by John King ’79.
“This is an incredible feeling,” said Brown Head Coach Marek Drabinski. “I’m happy for all the players, especially the seniors, who’ve worked so hard for four years. They came so close freshman and sophomore year. It’s taken a long time for me and I feel like a burden’s been lifted off my shoulders. It’s unbelievable.”
Earlier in the week, Dietz had said he was not going to come out of game one, and he made good on his promise with his sixth complete game of the year and first over nine innings. The right-hander threw just 109 pitches to out-duel Penn ace Todd Roth, who also threw a complete game, allowing six hits and three walks over eight innings. With the win, Dietz moved to 7-3 on the season and dropped his ERA to 3.12.
The Bears’ only run came in the bottom of the eighth. Sophomore Steve Daniels (Fox Point, WI) led the inning off with a four-pitch walk. He then stole second for his 25th steal of the year, advancing to third when shortstop William Gordon could not handle catcher Jeff Cellucci’s throw. Roth buckled down, striking out junior Ryan Murphy (Mantoloking, NJ) before intentionally walking Thomas. Dietz then came up, and although he hit what seemed like a harmless foul pop-up that was caught by Penn second baseman Steve Gable. Looking to get a run across, Drabinski sent Daniels home after the catch, and the speedy soph easily beat a weak throw from Gable for the game’s only run.
Penn put the winning run on second with two out in the top of the ninth, but Dietz dramatically ended the game with a strikeout of Alex Nwaka, Penn’s top hitter entering the game.
In stark contrast to the nail-biter that opened the day, the second game was all but decided in the first two innings, as the Bears jumped out to a 9-0 lead. Sophomore Matt Nuzzo (Everett, MA) brought Murphy home for the first run of the game on a two-out RBI single to right, extending his hitting streak to 19 games. Two batters later, Papenhause drove a ball to right field that got caught in the heavy winds out to that direction, carrying over the wall for a grand slam.
In the second, the first three batters of the inning reached base. Thomas then came up and drilled a missle over the right-center field wall. Two outs and two hits later, Penn starter Jim Birmingham, who had a 3.15 ERA in Ivy play, was pulled. The Bears added two in the third, four in the sixth, one in the seventh and four in the eighth for their round total of 20.
Senior James Cramphin (Simsbury, CT) breezed through the first five innings before tiring in the sixth. He struck out 12 batters, picking up his fifth win of the year. Junior Peter Moskal (Glastonbury, CT) came on in relief, and after allowing two inherited runners to score en route to escaping the jam in the sixth, went on to pitch into the eighth, allowing just one baserunner. Senior Ethan Silverstein (Woodbridge, CT) threw the final two outs of the eighth, then junior Rob Hallberg (River Edge, NJ) came on and dominated in the ninth, striking out all three batters he faced before the team stormed the field to the triumphant horns of “Gonna Fly Now,” the theme from Rocky.
With the wins, Brown became the first team to qualify for the 2007 NCAA Regionals, which will be held over the first four days of June. The Bears will not find out where they will play until the NCAA Selection Show on May 28. This will be Brown’s first appearance in the NCAA Tournament, now in its 61st year.
Posted by Thom Cahir at 10:59 PM | Permalink
The Brown men's varsity heavyweight crew beat Princeton by a length at Princeton, N.J. yesterday, winning the Content Cup from the Tigers for the first time in four years. The varsity's victory highlighted a five-race sweep by Brown over Princeton, the first time the Bears had accomplished the feat since 1994. The varsity and first freshman crews finished their dual-meet seasons with 4-1 records and the Brown second varsity finished with a 5-0 record.
Posted by Thom Cahir at 7:15 PM | Permalink
May 3, 2007
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - Louisville men's basketball coach Rick Pitino signed a three-year contract extension Thursday that will keep him with the Cardinals through 2013.
The new deal increases Pitino's annual salary from $1.65 million to $2.25 million a year beginning next season and will pay Pitino $2.5 million a year if he stays until the end of the contract. The contract also boosted a loyalty bonus due Pitino on July 1 from $1 million to $1.75 million.
The 54-year-old Pitino is 142-58 in six seasons at Louisville and led the Cardinals to the 2005 Final Four. Louisville went 24-10 this past season, losing to Texas A&M in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. He is 494-182 in 21 seasons overall and won a national championship at Kentucky in 1996.
"I'm more energetic today than I was 20 years ago," Pitino said. "I'm excited about this basketball team and the opportunities we're going to have down the road."
Posted by Mike McDermott at 11:41 AM | Permalink
April 29, 2007
With a 2-0 win in the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader with Yale, the Brown baseball team (20-18 overall, 14-6 Ivy) clinched first place in the Red Rolfe Division for the first time in team history and a spot in the Ivy League playoffs.
The Bears fell to the Bulldogs (15-27, 8-12) in game two, 7-5, but the important work had been done by that point. The Bears will now face Lou Gehrig Division winner Penn at Murray Stadium next weekend for a best-of-three series to decide the Ivy League Championship.
Posted by Chris Venditto at 7:08 PM | Permalink
April 28, 2007
Salve Regina University clinched its first-ever automatic bid to the NCAA men’s tennis tournament by defeating Colby-Sawyer College 7-2 in The Commonwealth Coast Conference championship match Saturday. It was the sixth straight league title for the Seahawks.
Salve Regina (13-7) won five singles matches in straight sets to secure the victory. Junior Robbie Norton [Exeter, N.H.] won at No. 1 singles 6-0, 6-2, while classmate and team captain Jason Lago [Seabrook, N.H.] won at No. 2, 6-2, 6-1. The duo also won at No. 1 doubles, 8-0.
“I could not be more proud of this team,” said Salve Regina head coach Brian Shanley, who was named CCC Coach of the Year for the seventh time in his career. “Colby-Sawyer is a class program that we have the utmost respect for. They gave us a battle today, and both teams displayed a high level of tennis.”
Salve Regina will find out its seeding in the NCAA tournament on Monday, April 30.
Posted by Chris Venditto at 7:01 PM | Permalink
Salve Regina University junior Robbie Norton [Exeter, N.H.] was named men’s tennis Player of the Year and head coach Brian Shanley was named Coach of the Year by The Commonwealth Coast Conference on Saturday. Joining Norton on the all-conference team were teammates Jason Lago [JR/Seabrook, N.H.], Michael Collins [JR/Winchester, Mass.], Andrew Martin [FR/Glastonbury, Conn.] and Steve Masso [FR/North Scitutate, R.I.].
The Player of the Year honor was the second of Norton’s career. He also won it as a freshman in the 2004-05, when he also won the conference Rookie of the Year award. This season Norton was named to the CCC first team in both singles and doubles, where he and Lago repeated.
As the No. 1 player for Salve Regina, Norton was 21-6 in singles play this season, including a perfect 7-0 in the conference. He was 3-0 against competition from Division I and II. Norton defeated opponents from Connecticut and Holy Cross (Division I) as well as St. Cloud State (Division II). Each of those wins came in straight sets.
For Shanley, the Coach of the Year honor was the seventh of his 12-year career at Salve Regina. This season is led the Seahawks to their sixth consecutive CCC championship with a 7-2 win over Colby-Sawyer University on Saturday. The victory - the 145th at Salve Regina for Shanley - clinched an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history.
--Salve Regina Sports Information
Posted by Chris Venditto at 6:51 PM | Permalink
Salve Regina University junior Robbie Norton [Exeter, N.H.] was named men’s tennis Player of the Year and head coach Brian Shanley was named Coach of the Year by The Commonwealth Coast Conference on Saturday. Joining Norton on the all-conference team were teammates Jason Lago [JR/Seabrook, N.H.], Michael Collins [JR/Winchester, Mass.], Andrew Martin [FR/Glastonbury, Conn.] and Steve Masso [FR/North Scitutate, R.I.].
The Player of the Year honor was the second of Norton’s career. He also won it as a freshman in the 2004-05, when he also won the conference Rookie of the Year award. This season Norton was named to the CCC first team in both singles and doubles, where he and Lago repeated.
As the No. 1 player for Salve Regina, Norton was 21-6 in singles play this season, including a perfect 7-0 in the conference. He was 3-0 against competition from Division I and II. Norton defeated opponents from Connecticut and Holy Cross (Division I) as well as St. Cloud State (Division II). Each of those wins came in straight sets.
For Shanley, the Coach of the Year honor was the seventh of his 12-year career at Salve Regina. This season is led the Seahawks to their sixth consecutive CCC championship with a 7-2 win over Colby-Sawyer University on Saturday. The victory - the 145th at Salve Regina for Shanley - clinched an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history.
--Salve Regina Sports Information
Posted by Chris Venditto at 6:51 PM | Permalink
Quarterback Bobby Sewall ’10 (Portsmouth, RI) and running back Jonathan Edwards ’09 (Roanoke, VA) ran the White Team to a 20-7 victory over the Brown Team on Saturday’s annual Spring Football Game at Brown Stadium. After being converted from wide receiver this spring, Sewall ran for 77 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries, while Edwards had 70 yards and one touchdown on 10 carries, also catching one pass for nine yards.
The white team got on the board first. Edwards nearly scored on a 43-yard run, before being knocked out-of-bounds on the one-yard line. A false start penalty pushed the white team back to the six, and Edwards ran up the middle for the first score of the game with 5:55 remaining in the first quarter. Robert Ranney ’08 (West Bloomfield, MI) converted the point-after for a 7-0 white lead. With 9:02 remaining in the second quarter, Sewall scampered 13 yards for the White Team’s second touchdown. Another Ranney point-after gave White a 14-0 lead, which it took into the half.
The Brown Team got on the board early in the third quarter. Quarterback Phil Samenuk ’10 (Ridgefield, CT) hit wideout Geoff Rhatican ’08 (Plano, TX) on the left sideline, and the rising senior took it the rest of the 65 yards for a touchdown. Kicker Steve Morgan ’08 (New Albany, OH) converted the point-after to cut the lead to 14-7.
The teams traded quick drives for the rest of the half, before the White Team took over after a turnover-on-downs deep in the Brown end of the field. After moving the ball a few yards to the 15, Sewall took off to his right on what would be the last play of the game. After dodging a couple of tacklers, he leaped for the end zone, just barely reaching the nose of the ball over the goal line with one arm as he was knocked out of bounds, making the final score 20-7.
Samenuk finished with five completions for 94 yards on 13 attempts, throwing one interception and one touchdown. His counterpart, Sewall, was more productive with his legs than with his arm, as he completed five of 12 attempts for 28 yards and an interception. Wideout David Hearington ’08 (Hopewell, VA) had a game-high four receptions for 19 yards, while Rhatican’s 69 receiving yards on two catches was a game-high.
The Brown team’s Dereck Knight ’08 (Pawtucket, RI) and the White team’s Justin Kurkiewicz ’10 (Allison Park, PA) tied for the game-high with 13 carries each, running for 46 and 39 yards, respectively. For the Brown team, wideout Chris LaMar ’10 (Henderson, KY) had two catches for eight yards, and tight end Andrew Fertig ’10 (Alexandria, VA) caught one ball for 16 yards.
Defensively, linebacker Steve Ziogas ’09 (Bristol, CT) led all players with eight tackles, four solo, also grabbing an interception on a ball tipped by defensive back Jonathan May ’09 (Naples, FL). Linebacker Brendan Gallagher ’10 (Orefield, PA) and defensive lineman James Develin ’09 (Gilbertsville, PA) were both right behind Ziogas with six tackles, with each picking up one quarterback sack. All six of Develin’s tackles were solos. Defensive back David Clement (Lansdale, PA) had the other interception, which included a long run back that was brought back by a penalty. Clement also had a pass defended to go with two tackles, one solo. Defensive lineman Joseph McPhee ’09 (South Weymouth, MA), who saw time for both squads, had the lone fumble recovery to go with three tackles.
--WWW.BROWNBEARS.COM
Posted by Chris Venditto at 6:23 PM | Permalink
April 25, 2007
Boston College women's hockey coach Tom Mutch, the reigning Hockey East coach of the year, has resigned amid a scandal surrounding explicit text messages from a 19-year-old player, The Boston Herald is reporting today.
Mutch is married to fromer Providence College hockey star and Olympic Gold Medalist Laurie (Baker) Mutch. The two recently had a baby, The Herald reports.
The Herald reported that BC has not found evidence of a sexual relationship between Mutch and the player, Kelli Stack, who won both the Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year awards this past season in Hockey East.
Boston College finished this season with a 24-10-2 record.
Posted by Mike McDermott at 9:52 AM | Permalink
April 22, 2007
Rhode Island College senior pitcher Nicole Riley had her NCAA Division III softball record winning streak of 43 straight victories snapped on Sunday in a 4-0 loss to Keene St.
Riley, of North Providence, won her 20th game of the season in the opener, a 3-0 RIC victory.
But Keene St. ended RIC's winning streak at 22 games in the second contest. Riley went three innings and gave up one run to fall to 20-1 on the season.
Posted by Corey Bourassa at 5:32 PM | Permalink
April 20, 2007
Dr. David Metzen, a former University of Minnesota hockey player who went on to an exemplary career in the field of public education, has been chosen as the recipient of the 2007 Lou Lamoriello Award.
The award, named after the former Providence College player and coach — and current New Jersey Devils president and coach — honors a former member of the college hockey community who has forged a unique career after college hockey.
Metzen, a native of South St. Paul, MN, captained the Gophers as a senior in 1964 and also played on the U.S. National team during the 1965-66 season. Shortly therafter, he ended his hockey playing days and launched a career in education.
Starting as a sixth grade teacher in his hometown, Metzen earned Master’s and PhD degrees from the University of Minnesota on the way to become Superintendent of Schools for South St. Paul.
When hard times fell on the city, Metzen created the Community Educational Foundation to rally supporters of public education and improve educational opportunities for the children of South St. Paul.
Metzen moved on from impacting the local community to impacting the state as he earned a position on the Minnesota Board of Regents in 1997, eventually serving as its Chairman from 200-2005. He remains on the Board of Regents today.
Metzen has also developed a career as a motivational speaker through his company Metzen Leadership.
Previous winners of the Lamoriello Award are John Mayasich of Minnesota (2006), Tom “Red” Martin of Boston College (2005) and Lou Lamoriello (2004). The award will be presented on April 27 during the 2007 AHCA Convention in Naples, Fla.
Posted by Thom Cahir at 8:58 PM | Permalink
April 10, 2007
Rhode Island College senior pitcher Nicole Riley, of North Providence, tossed her second career perfect game and third career no-hitter in the first game of a softball double header against Lasell today -- a day after breaking the NCAA Division III record for consecutive wins. Riley improved her winning streak to 38 games,
Riley struck out 13 batters, the second highest single-game total in her career, in a 4-0 victory over the Lasers. Her previous no-hitters came in 2006 and 2005 against UMass Boston, both of which were in five innings.
Posted by Chris Venditto at 8:38 PM | Permalink
April 9, 2007
Rhode Island College senior pitcher Nicole Riley, of North Providence, set an NCAA Division III record in women's softball by recording her 36th consecutive victory today. Riley threw a one-hit gem at Roger Williams University in an 11-0 victory. She improved to 13-0 this season and the 18th-ranked Anchorwomen boosted their record to 17-2 after the first game of the doubleheader.
Riley broke the record for consecutive victories set by Janet Nagle of the University of St. Thomas (St. Paul, Minn.) last year. She had tied the record in RIC’s 3-1 victory at Curry last Thursday.
“I can’t believe I did it. Unbelievable!” she exclaimed. About 50 spectators at the Dayna A. Bazar Memorial Softball Complex witnessed her record-breaking performance, a five-inning effort because of the mercy rule, on a sunny, 48-degree afternoon.
Riley has not lost since March 17, 2006, when Plattsburgh State rocked her for a 7-0 victory in Florida, and her record dropped to a mediocre 3-2.
The Streak started in her next appearance, coincidentally a 9-2 victory over Roger Williams on March 23, 2006. Riley won her next 22 games and finished the season 26-2.
--MIKE SZOSTAK
Posted by Chris Venditto at 7:10 PM | Permalink
April 5, 2007
ST. LOUIS — Nathan Gerbe scored the go-ahead goal with 4:06 to go, leading Boston College to a 6-4 victory over North Dakota in the Frozen Four semifinals Thursday night.
Boston College (29-11-1) will take a 13-game winning streak into the championship game Saturday night against Michigan State (25-13-3). The Eagles are seeking their first title since 2001, while the Spartans haven't won it all since 1986.
Only 32 seconds after North Dakota tied it, Gerbe beat Philippe Lamoureux with a one-timer from the slot off a pass from Brock Bradford for his 24th goal and a 4-3 lead. Gerbe, a fifth-round pick of the Buffalo Sabres in 2005, is tied for second in the nation with seven game-winners.
Dan Bertram had his first two-goal game of the season for the winners, who also beat North Dakota in the semifinals last year before losing to Wisconsin in the championship game.
Chris Porter scored twice for North Dakota (24-14-5) and T.J. Oshie, the St. Louis Blues' 2005 first-round draft pick playing on the NHL team's home ice, had a goal and an assist.
The teams combined for six goals in the final 7 minutes, including a pair of empty-netters in the final minute by Boston College to put it away. Andrew Orpik's empty-netter put Boston College ahead 5-3 with 50 seconds to go, North Dakota answered with Porter's power-play goal with 16.4 seconds left, and Gerbe added another empty-netter with 5.5 seconds to go.
Boston College has outscored the opposition 61-23 during its winning streak.
Porter opened the scoring at 10:28 of the first period with his 12th goal from the slot after the puck squirted loose. Boston College tied it on a power play at 15:41 when Bertram's deflection attempt dropped at his skates well in front of the net and he converted his own shot.
Oshie's shot off the right side of the net rattled around to the other side and nearly trickled in before Jonathan Toews slapped it in on a North Dakota power play at 3:15 of the second. Bertram's eighth goal was the third shot in a flurry that knotted it at 2 at 15:21 of the second, with only 6 seconds to go on Erik Fabian's hooking penalty.
ASSOCIATED PRESS --
Posted by Thom Cahir at 11:14 PM | Permalink
Rhode Island College senior pitcher Nicole Riley tied a NCAA Division III softball record for the most consecutive wins today in a 3-1 victory over Curry college in Milton, Mass.
Riley, a North Providence resident, notched her 35th straight victory, tying the record established by Janet Nagle from St. Thomas (Minn.) in 2006.
Riley allowed just four hits and one run, to go along with eight strikeouts.
Riley last lost, 7-0, to Plattsburgh State on Mar. 17. 2006 during the Anchorwomen¹s spring trip to Florida. She did not lose the remainder of the season to finish with a 26-2 overall record.
She is currently 12-0 on the season with a 0.17 ERA and 87 strikeouts. She has allowed just five runs, only two of which are earned, in 79.1 innings pitched. She is RIC's all-time career wins leader, posting a 60-15 record.
--RIC ATHLETICS
Posted by Corey Bourassa at 9:38 PM | Permalink
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Coach Billy Donovan will stay at Florida, spurning a chance to return to Kentucky and take over the tradition-rich program, a person familiar with Donovan’s decision said Thursday.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the decision had yet to be announced.
Donovan, who met with Gators athletic director Jeremy Foley earlier Thursday, planned to announce his decision at a 4 p.m. news conference.
Donovan acknowledged interest in the Kentucky job this week, but also said he intended to stay in Gainesville and continue building the program that won consecutive national championships.
The Gators became the first team to win back-to-back titles since Duke in 1992. But following Monday night’s 84-75 victory against Ohio State, Donovan’s future had become the biggest question mark surrounding Florida.
Donovan acknowledged interest in the Kentucky job this week, and had been the obvious leading candidate to replace Tubby Smith. Donovan worked five years as an assistant with the Wildcats.
But he spent the last 11 years in Gainesville, putting down roots with his wife and four children.
Donovan has two years remaining on his current contract worth $1.7 million annually, but was expected to sign a long-term extension. He has not yet agreed to a new deal with Florida.
Kentucky received permission to talk to Donovan about its coaching vacancy, a person familiar with the search process said earlier Thursday.
Foley left a voice mail with Kentucky AD Mitch Barnhart on Wednesday night, giving Barnhart the OK to talk with Donovan, said the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter. It was unclear if Barnhart spoke to Donovan.
Posted by Mike McDermott at 1:04 PM | Permalink
March 30, 2007
ESPN is reporting that the University of Kentucky is preparing to offer its head coaching job to former Friar Billy Donovan. The report comes as Donovan's Florida Gators prepare to take the court in Atlanta tomorrow in the Final Four against UCLA -- the team that Florida beat for the national title last year.
According to the report by the sports network's Mark Schlabach, Kentucky is prepared to offer Donovan a seven-year contract that could be worth $3.5 million a year, including incentives. Donovan has five years remaining on his contract with Florida, which is worth about $1.8 million a year, ESPN reports.
Posted by Mike McDermott at 3:39 PM | Permalink
March 28, 2007
Ben Eaves, a 6-foot-8 forward who played for the University of Connecticut men’s basketball team this season, spent a day at the University of Rhode Island this week and is strongly considering transferring to URI.
“There’s a good possibility,’’ said Ed Reilly, the former Bryant University coach and current Worcester Academy coach who is mentoring Eaves. “We spent Tuesday at URI on an unofficial visit. Ben met the coaches and players. … He likes what he sees.’’
Eaves is receiving interest from numerous schools around the country since announcing earlier this month that he will be leaving Connecticut after only one year. Eaves plans to take a bit more time before making a final decision.
“I think Ben has a huge upside,’’ Reilly said. “He’s a very well conditioned athlete, with a strong body (232 pounds).’’
Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun announced 10 days ago that Eaves would be leaving his program.
“While I am sad to see Ben leave, I completely understand his feelings and will do everything I can to help him transfer to a school where he can enjoy the best experience for him as a student and as a basketball player,’’ Calhoun said. “I wish him nothing but good luck in the future.’’
--Paul Kenyon
Posted by Chris Venditto at 7:24 PM | Permalink
UMass-Dartmouth football coach Bill Kavanaugh, who has skippered the Corsairs for all but two years of the program's existence, is stepping down to accept a positoin as the head coach at Bishop Stang High School.
Kavanaugh compiled a 104-64 record in seventeen years. UMass Dartmouth has finished with a .500 or better record in 14 of the 17 seasons since Kavanaugh succeeded Paul Harrison after the 1989 season. The Corsairs earned or shared New England Football Conference titles twice during his tenure. UMass Dartmouth was the New England Football Conference champion in 2002, finishing with a perfect 11-0 record and advancing to the NCAA Division III Championships, where they lost in the first round at Muhlenberg. In 1994, the Corsairs were NEFC co-champions with Maine Maritime, and lost to Union in the ECAC North-West championship game.
Posted by Chris Venditto at 5:21 PM | Permalink
March 27, 2007
The Rhode Island football team kicks off spring practice Wednesday, March 28 at 4:45 p.m. on the URI practice facility next to the Ryan Center. It’s the first of 15 spring practices allowed by the NCAA and will culminate in the Blue & White scrimmage Saturday April 28 at noon in Meade Stadium.
Posted by Thom Cahir at 6:05 PM | Permalink
March 26, 2007
AP photo / Mia Malafronte
Connecticut Gov. Jodi Rell welcomes the Division II women's champions on Sunday as they return to New Haven after Saturday's championship game in Kearney, Neb.
La Salle graduate Katie Lynch scored 14 points and pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds on Saturday as the Southern Connecticut State Owls defeated Florida Gulf Coast, 61-45, for the NCAA Division II women's basketball championship. Lynch, a former Journal All-State selection, is a junior forward on the Southern Connecticut State team, which finished the season with a 34-2 record.
Posted by Mike McDermott at 8:17 AM | Permalink
March 23, 2007
The Community College of Rhode Island’s men’s basketball season came to an end last night with a 71-69 overtime loss to Des Moines Area Community College in the losers’ bracket of the NJCAA Division II tournament in Danville, Ill.
The Bears got out to a quick start, using a full court press to force the Knights to turn the ball over, leading to three of Des Moines’ first four field goals being dunks. Settling down and getting a handle on the early turnovers, CCRI battled back and ended up taking their biggest lead of the first half at 14-10 on a Carl Lee bucket.
The two teams traded runs, the Bears leading 18-17 and later 31-25 while the Knights came back to make it close each time Des Moines stretched a lead, the final time on a last second tip in by Connor Evans to give the team momentum going into the locker room down 32-31 at the half.
The second half started out the same way with Des Moines making an early run but the Knights came back and held the lead for much of the time. With 2:35 left to play the Knights held a 64-60 lead and the score remained that way until 25.2 seconds left to play when the Bears’ guard, Grant Burns, went to the line and made the first of two free throws and missed the second. The rebound of the miss bounced in and out of several players’ hands until it ended up back with Burns and he hit a three-point shot with 6.3 seconds left to tie the game.
In the overtime CCRI was without starting center Will Lyons who fouled out and backup center Jameil Nesbett was unavailable because of injury. The two teams traded baskets and the lead see-sawed back and forth in the extra session. Down 71-69 with 18 seconds remaining the Knights called a play for Jake Grimes who got a shot off and missed, got his own rebound and went right back up with it but it hit the front of the rim and the Knights’ ended up on the wrong end of a two-point decision.
The Knights had a balanced scoring attack with Pat Dame leading the way with 16, Grimes and Evans each chipping in 12 and Chris Birrell and Lyons each adding 11. With the loss, CCRI ends its season with a 16-18 record.
DES MOINES AREA CC (71): Homes 6 3-7 15, Grace 5 1-3 11, Burns 3 3-6 11, Sauls 3 0-1 7, Gaddy 6 0-0 14, Jackman 0 2-2 2, Blackwell 1 1-2 3, Stojnic 2 4-6 8; totals 26 14-27 71. CCRI (69): Evans 5 2-6 12, Lyons 3 5-6 11, Birrell 4 0-0 11, Grimes 5 2-2 12, Dame 7 0-1 16, Jones 1 0-0 2, Lee 2 1-4 5; totals 27 10-19 69.
Halftime — DM 32-31. 3-pt. goals — CCRI 5 (Birrell 3); DM 5 (Burns 2, Gaddy 2). Records — CCRI 16-18; DM 31-4.
Posted by Corey Bourassa at 5:19 PM | Permalink
March 21, 2007
The Community College of Rhode Island’s run at the NJCAA Division II championship came to an end last night as the Knights dropped a 74-61 loss to Lewis & Clark Community College in Danville, Ill.
The Trailblazers jumped out and got a 5-0 lead, and CCRI took their only lead of the game at 6-5 at 15:01 of the first half but from there the hosts took control and never looked back. Lewis & Clark went on a 13-3 run to take an 18-9 lead in the next five minutes.
“We got behind the eight ball early and they hurt us badly in the paint with all the offensive rebounds they got,” said head coach Rick Harris of CCRI.
The Knights settled down and the two teams traded baskets for the next six minutes but Lewis & Clark went on a 7-0 run with four minutes remaining in the half to open a 38-21 lead at the intermission.
“There were over 200 college coaches here recruiting today,” said Harris. “And the kids were a little bit in awe at the beginning of the game.”
In the second half the Knights made a run at Lewis and Clark and managed to get the point spread down to 10 on back-to-back steals resulting in fast break layups by Jake Grimes, pulling CCRI within 10 at 43-33 with13:48 remaining to play.
But from that point on the Trailblazers went on another run to take a 68-49 lead at the 4:21 mark, giving them their biggest lead of the game at 19 points. The Knights fought back and ended up outscoring the Trailblazers in the second half but it wasn’t enough against the tournament hosts.
Eric Gilchrese led all scorers for the Trailblazers with 24 points, scoring 12 points each in half, while teammate Pierre Howard chipped in 21 points with most of his points coming in the second half. Connor Evans led the way for the Knights with 16 points and Grimes was the only other player for CCRI to reach double figures with 15 points.
The Knights play again Saturday and with a win have a chance to avance in the loser’s bracket and a chance at a top eight spot in the division.
LEWIS & CLARK (74): Stennis 4 2-3 10, Steen 2 1-3 5, Gilchrese 8 7-11 24, Howard 9 0-0 21, Taylor 4 0-1 8, Hughes 3 0-0 6; totals 30 10-18 74. CCRI (61): Evans 6 3-4 16, Lyons 3 4-6 10, Birrell 1 3-4 5, Grimes 5 4-4 15, Dame 2 0-0 5, Portee 2 0-0 5, Coppola 1 1-2 3, Lee 1 0-0 2; totals 21 15-20 61.
Halftime — LC 38-21. 3-pt. goals — LC 4 (Howard 3); CCRI 4 (Evans, Grimes, Dame, Portee). Records — 16-17; LC 26-7.
Posted by Thom Cahir at 11:34 PM | Permalink
March 19, 2007
Barrington's Julie Ruggieri signed a National Letter of Intent to play field hockey at Providence College next season.
Ruggieri, a midfielder, led Barrington to two straight Division I state championships in 2005 and 2006. Ruggieri is a three-time First-Team All-State and All-Division selection (2004-06). She also is a two-time Regional All-American (North Region) and was named the MVP of the Rhode Island state championship in 2005 and 2006.
Ruggieri led the state in scoring as a junior with 51 points on 20 goals and 11 assists. She achieved the feat for a second-straight season as a senior in 2006 with 59 points on 21 goals and 17 assists.
In 2007, she earned Words Unlimited School Girl Athlete of the Year, was featured in Sports Illustrated’s Faces In the Crowd and was named Rhode Island Interscholastic League Female Athlete of the Year. Ruggieri has participated in Futures each of the last two years. Aside from field hockey, she also is a stand-out lacrosse player. She is a two-time All-State selection and earned All-America honors at the conclusion of her junior campaign.
--PROVIDENCE COLLEGE
Posted by Corey Bourassa at 4:36 PM | Permalink
Cranston's John Mollicone, a senior catcher at Fordham University, was named Atlantic 10 Baseball Player of the Week today.
Mollicone, a Bishop Hendricken graduate, hit .476 (10-for-21) while driving in nine runs over five games last week. He had a pair of three-hit games, including a 3-for-4 game with three RBI in a win over New Jersey Institute of Technology. Mollicone also went 3-for-5 with two RBI in a loss to Northern Illinois. The next day, he had two hits and drove in two runs in a 10-7 win over Northern Illinois.
On the year, Mollicone is hitting a team-high .396 (21-53) with four doubles, four home runs and 18 RBI, leading the squad in home runs and RBI. After going hitless in his first game of the year, he has hit safely in his past 12 games.
Posted by Chris Venditto at 4:34 PM | Permalink
March 16, 2007
PHOENIX — CCRI women’s basketball coach Marcus Reilly described yesterday’s NJCAA Division II Tournament contest for fifth place as a “game of runs.”
With neither team leading by more that seven points after the first 10 minutes, the remainder of the game was marked by momentum shifts and lead changes. But in the final minute, with the Knights down by six points, they staged a run that got them to within two before running out of time and falling, 79-77, to fourth-ranked North Central Missouri College.
Denise Scott scored a game-high 23 points for the Knights and teammate Michelle McNamee had 18, including 16 in the second half. Ashley Abrahamson chipped in 13 points for the Knights, who shot 42 percent from the floor. CCRI was forced to play without Jennifer Kinney, one of its top scorers, because of a high-ankle sprain she suffered Thursday night against top-ranked Kirkwood (Iowa) Community College.
Amber Vandevender led the Pirates with 22 points. Amber Jordan and Jillian Pallan added 17 and 12 points, respectively. North Central Missouri made 51 percent of its shots.
The Knights held a 43-39 halftime lead. But North Central Missouri went on a 6-0 run to open the second half for a two-point lead. After two more lead changes, the Pirates built their lead to six, which stood up until the last minute.
Despite the two losses in the national tournament, Reilly says he has no regrets.
“Not at all. From where we were back in June, I’m very pleased,” he said. (The season) was an uphill battle. Our kids overachieved. They played very well. I thought it was a quality performance to end the year on. I’m proud to finish in the elite eight in the country.
Posted by Corey Bourassa at 5:29 PM | Permalink
You won't find many Rhode Islanders on the courts for this year's NCAA Tournament, but there are plenty of high-profile Ocean State alumns in the coaching ranks.
Former URI coach Al Skinner has his Boston College Eagles in the second round, where they'll face a brutal matchup with Georgetown tomorow at 5. Former Providence coach Rick Pitino has also made it to the second round; his Louisville Cardinals will play Texas A&M at 3:30 tomorrow. Former Brown coach Glen Miller wasn't so lucky. His Penn Quakers lost yesterday to Texas A&M.
The Texas Longhorns, coached by former PC headman Rick Barnes, play their first game tonight at 7 against New Mexico State. And former Friar star Billy Donovan will coach his defending champion Florida team tonight at 9:30 against longshot Jackson State.
The only former Rhode Island high school player in the Tournament, red-shirt junior guard Abdi Lidonde, from St. Andrew's, is heading home early. His Old Dominion team fell yesterday to Butler. Lidonde had three rebounds and no points.
Two former Ocean State high school stars will play on in the NIT. Demetris Nichols, of Barrington, scored 15 points on Wednesday as Syracuse defeated South Alabama in the first round. Nichols' Orangemen play San Diego State on Monday night. And Hendricken's Joe Mazzulla scored 8 points off the bench as West Virginia won its second-round matchup last night against Massachusetts. The Mountaineers await the winner of tonight's game between North Carolina State and Marist.
Posted by Mike McDermott at 1:46 PM | Permalink
March 15, 2007
The Community College of Rhode Island women’s basketball team’s run through the NJCAA Division II national championship came to an end last night in Phoenix as the Knights ran into top-ranked Kirkwood (Iowa) Community College (32-1) and lost 92-40 in a game that was never in question.
With an up-tempo style and pressure defense, the Eagles forced CCRI into several early turnovers and used a 10-2 run to take control, scored eight more before the Knights scored their second field goal and ended up with a 49-13 lead at the half.
Overall Kirkwood caused the Knights to turn the ball over 23 times.
Coach Marcus Reilly of the Knights made it clear the Eagles had too many weapons, noting that even if his team shut down Kirkwood’s perimeter game they just switched tactics and started dumping the ball down low to the forwards. Kirkwood hasn’t lost a game since dropping their first contest of the season in a one-point thriller to Miami-Dade Community College in early November.
“Kirkwood was the number one team in the country and showed it tonight,” said Reilly. “Our goal now is to come back tomorrow (Friday) and win, and finish out the season Saturday with a win. With respect to Kirkwood, making it to the Elite Eight in the nation was an accomplishment for our group and our kids have something to be proud of.”
Ashley Abrahamson and Kinney were the only players to hit for double figures for the Knights with each netting 10 points and grabbing 6 rebounds.
The Knights play the loser of the Mott Community College and North Central Missouri St. today for a chance at the 5-6 game on Saturday.
KIRKWOOD CC. (92): Sepulveda 4 0-0 8, Homewood 1 0-0 3, Schneden 2 0-0 6, Lindermann 7 0-0 17, Monroe 4 0-0 9, Thomas-Johnson 1 2-2 4, Boyd 1 0-0 2, O’Connell 4 4-5 12, Hill 5 1-2 11, Postisil 0 3-4 3, Brodsack 5 1-3 11, Grosh 2 2-3 6; totals 36 13-19 92. CCRI (40): Sierra 0 0-0 0, Perkins 2 1-4 5, Scott 0 0-0 0, Vails 2 2-4 8, Abrahamson 3 3-5 10, Clarke 1 1-2 3, McNamee 2 0-1 4, Kinney 3 4-6 10; totals 13 11-23 40.
Halftime — K 49-13. 3-pt. goals — CCRI 3 (Vails 2, Abrhamson); K 7 (Lindermann 3, Schneden 2, Monroe, Homewood). Records — CCRI 19-10; K 32-1.
Posted by Corey Bourassa at 7:24 PM | Permalink
March 14, 2007
If the post-season is supposed to deliver plenty of thrills along with much-needed experience, the Providence Friars saw large handfuls of both at Carver Arena.
Despite fighting tooth-and-nail the entire game, the Friars wilted in overtime and lost at Bradley, 90-78, in a first round National Invitation Tournament game. PC forced overtime when Weyinmi Efejuku nailed a 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds remaining but the Braves responded by out-scoring the Friars in o.t., 16-4.
The Braves (22-12) will move on and play at Mississippi State on Saturday afternoon. PC ends its season at 18-13 and losers in its last three games.
After Efejuku’s tying trey, Bradley opened the overtime by scoring eight of the first 10 points to grab a 82-76 lead. The Friars tried to close the gap but three missed free throws in the extra session prevented another comeback.
Efejuku led the Friars with 28 points while Herbert Hill added 19.
--KEVIN McNAMARA
Posted by Corey Bourassa at 10:24 PM | Permalink
Denise Scott had a game-high 31 points and the CCRI women's basketball team defeated Edison CC (Ohio) 68-65 today in the first round of the NJCAA Division II Tournament in Phoenix, Ariz. CCRI, the No. 8 seed, will play top-seed Kirkwood CC (Iowa) tomorrow at 5 p.m. EST.
Posted by Corey Bourassa at 5:30 PM | Permalink
Brown University men's basketball coach Craig Robinson, who led Brown to wins in four of its last six games, has been named the Ivy League Coach of the Year by Basketball U.
In his first-year at Brown, Robinson guided the Bears to an improved 11-18 mark, 6-8 in the Ivy League, finishing fifth in the league. He led the Bears to a stunning 51-41 victory over Providence College, limiting the Friars to 14 second half points and 18 percent shooting from the floor in the second half (4 of 22). His Brown team also limited Michigan State to 45 points, its lowest point total of the season.
--BROWN UNIVERSITY
Posted by Corey Bourassa at 4:20 PM | Permalink
March 13, 2007
Bulldog pitchers Brent Almeida and Eric Polvani combined for a six-hitter in a pitcher’s duel that lasted only a little over two hours but the Trojans’ Casey Hodges recorded 11 strikeouts and took a perfect game into the fifth inning as nationally 26th-ranked Mount Olive defeated Bryant 3-0 in non-conference baseball yesterday.
Mount Olive scored two runs with two outs in the bottom of the first as David Cooper advanced to third on an errant pickoff attempt at second base and scored when the ball was misplayed in center field. Dustin Richardson walked and Erik Lovett followed with an rbi-double on a misjudged fly ball that landed well in front of Taylor Ferguson.
Bryant got its first hit in the fifth inning as Mike Rocco lined a 1-1 pitch through the right side for a clean single and finished with two of Bryant’s three hits.
Bryant starter Brent Almeida settled down to retired eight consecutive batters during one stretch until running into trouble in the bottom of the sixth, facing six batters before being relieved by Polvani.
Hodges’ 11 strikeouts are the most this season for a Mount Olive pitcher this season.
Posted by Thom Cahir at 10:21 PM | Permalink
WALTHAM, Mass. — The Bryant University men’s basketball team shot just 35 (21-for-60) percent from the field, which wasn’t enough to overcome a 13-point halftime deficit, as the third-seeded Bulldogs season came to an end last night with a 63-54 loss to top-seeded Bentley College in the NCAA Division II Northeast Regional Championship game at the Dana Center.
Junior Jon Ezeokoli led the Bulldogs with 13 points and sophomore Ryan McLean came off the bench to add 12. The Falcons, led by guard Lew Finnegan’s 13 points, not only improved to a perfect 32-0 overall but earned their first-ever regional title and a trip to Springfield, Mass. for their first Elite Eight appearance (March 21-24 at the Mass Mutual Center).
Bentley, ranked second nationally, has the longest win streak in New England men’s basketball history, for any division. The Falcons will face defending national champion Winona State, winner of the North Central Region, in the next round.
For the Bulldogs, the game was the last for seniors Chris Burns, Nate Sudlow and Dan Hammond. The three were part of more than 90 victories during their careers and helped lead Bryant to four consecutive NCAA Tournaments and three Sweet Sixteen appearances in the last four years.
“I can’t thank them [the seniors] enough for what they have given to the program,” said coach Max Good. “To participate in the Sweet Sixteen three of the last four years is really an unbelievable accomplishment.”
Bryant (21-11) took a 6-2 lead out of the gate. But the Falcons came back with six straight buckets. With the Bulldogs trailing, 21-10, Jon Ezeokoli drained a three from the top of the key and Hammond scored on a power move inside to get back to within six, 23-17. Shortly thereafter, the Falcons would push ahead for a 29-17 lead, but the Bulldogs wouldn’t go away just yet.
Ezeokoli drained another trey and McLean scored on a putback to pull Bryant back to within five, 29-24. But the Falcons went on a 10-2 run to close out the first half, taking a 39-26 lead into the locker room.
In the second, the Bulldogs were able to stay within striking distance after McLean made three straight hoops. A jumper from just outside the free-throw line, made it an 11-point game (53-42) with 7:24 left. But a Jason Westrol putback from his own miss and fastbreak basket after a block on the other end, put the Falcons back in front comfortably and they never looked back. McLean finished with six rebounds to go with three blocks off the bench.
“We’ve won a lot of games,” said Burns after the game. “There is a special bond with our team and with the seniors in this room. We’ve had a tremendous run and I am proud of being a member of this team.”
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Posted by Chris Venditto at 8:45 PM | Permalink
Providence - Sophomore attackman Kyle Hollingsworth circled around Bellarmine goalie JC Hutchens and scored an unassisted goal with 3:08 remaining in regulation to break an 8-8 tie and lift the Bears to their third straight win. Brown's senior attackman David Madeira led the team with a career high five goals in a game that was tied seven times and saw four lead changes.
Brown fell behind 8-7 on a goal by Justin Norbraten early in the fourth quarter but bounced back and tied the game on Hollingsworth's first goal with 6:48 remaining in regulation.
Brown held a 2-1 lead after one quarter, but Bellarmine grabbed a 6-5 lead at the half. The Knights grabbed their biggest lead, 7-5, on a goal by Bobby Snider early in the third quarter. Madeira answered for the Bears with his fourth and fifth goals of the game to tie the score, 7-7 after three quarters.
Madeira added an assist to go with his five goals to lead all scorers. In addition to Hollingsworth's two goals, senior Alex Buckley and freshman Thomas Muldoon scored one goal each for the Bears. Sophomore Jordan Burke registered six saves in goal for Brown.
Bellarmine was led by Bobby Snider, who scored two goals, while Ray Finnegan handed out three assists. Hutchens made 15 saves in goal for the Knights.
The victory lifts Brown to 3-1 overall, while the Knights fall to 1-4 overall.
Brown plays again Saturday at 1 p.m. in Amherst against last year's national championship finalist, UMass.
Posted by Thom Cahir at 8:08 PM | Permalink
March 12, 2007
Fresh off an outstanding performance at the NFL Combine, Brown linebacker Zak DeOssie will participate in the Boston College Pro Day on March 21 in Chestnut Hill, Mass.
After the combine, several schools hold a Pro-Day workout for draft eligible players. During Pro-Day, players will perform drills for scouts and NFL personal.
A two-time All-American at Brown, DeOssie improved his draft stock for the upcoming NFL Draft by excelling in most of the physical tests at the NFL Combine. DeOssie, a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award as the nation's top defensive player, weighed in at 250 pounds, was measured at 6'4 5/8 ". He ran a time of 4.58 in the 40-meter dash, the eighth fastest linebacker at the Combine.
In lifting, DeOssie put up 26 reps on the 225-pound bench press, just seven fewer than the best linebacker total. Only four of the 34 linebackers did more reps.
He recorded the fourth best time in the three-cone drill (6.84 seconds). His 10'2" broad jump was also good for fifth in his group, while he placed seventh in the shuttle (4.22 seconds). DeOssie's strong performance at the Combine places him among the top middle linebackers eligible for the upcoming draft, and he's projected to be drafted in the middle rounds. He also has the added ability to be a long-snapper in the NFL.
DeOssie, a three-time first team All-Ivy selection, opened the eyes of many NFL Scouts with his performance at the East-West Shrine game in Houston, Texas. Competing for the East Team, DeOssie was a standout at outside linebacker and on special teams, making eight tackles.
--BROWN UNIVERSITY
Posted by Corey Bourassa at 5:13 PM | Permalink
Cox Sports Television (Cox3) will televise Wednesday night's PC-at-Bradley game in the National Invitation Tournament, beginning at 8 p.m.
Posted by Art Martone at 12:30 PM | Permalink
March 11, 2007
The Providence College men's basketball team earned a berth in the 32-team NIT field tonight. The Friars (18-12) are the No. 5 seed in the North Region and will play at No. 4 seed Bradley (21-12) on Wednesday night at 8:05 p.m.
Posted by Corey Bourassa at 9:10 PM | Permalink
The Bryant men's basketball team defeated Saint Rose, 65-62, in the semifinals of the NCAA Division II Northeast Regionals at Bentley College in Waltham, Mass.
With the win, the third-seeded Bulldogs advance to the regional final for the third time in the last four years. They'll take on top-seeded and unbeaten Bentley College (31-0) on Tuesday night at 7 o'clock in Waltham, Mass.
Chris Burns scored a team-high 20 points, Jon Ezeokoli added 18 and Bryant made 23-of-25 free throws for the Bulldogs.
Posted by Chris Venditto at 7:04 PM | Permalink
March 10, 2007
Freshman John Sullvian scored the game-winning power-play goal at 6:15 of the third period as three-time defending national champion Middlebury defeated UMass-Dartmouth, 3-2, last night at Kenyon Arena in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III men’s hockey tournament. With the win Middlebury advances to the Frozen Four.
This is the second straight year UMass-Dartmouth has lost to Middlebury in the playoffs. With the victory, Middlebury extended its undefeated streak at home against non-conference opponents to 32 in a row.
Middlebury (19-7-3) took a 1-0 lead in the first period on an Eric LaFreniere goal at 7:29. UMass-Dartmouth answered just under two minutes later on Paul Carr’s unassisted, short-handed goal, his sixth of the season.
Middlebury regain the lead 31 seconds into the second period on a Mickey Gilchrist goal off an assist from Jamie McKenna.
UMass-Dartmouth (25-3-1) quickly responded, tying it at 2-2 at 3:24 of the second period. Jeff Grant netted his 25th goal off the year off assists from Francis Gunn and Paul Moran.
Posted by Corey Bourassa at 9:58 PM | Permalink
Amherst ended the Rhode Island College men's basketball team's storybook season as the Lord Jeffs defeated the Anchormen 81-69 in the NCAA Division III Elite Eight.
Posted by Corey Bourassa at 8:41 PM | Permalink
AP photo
Rhode Island's Joe Mbang (1), top, goes for the rebound over Rhode Island's Kahiem Seawright (33) and George Washington's Regis Koundjia (23), right, during the first half of the Atlantic 10 Men's Basketball Championship Finals in Atlantic City, N.J.
Carl Elliott scored 17 points to help George Washington to a 78-69 victory Saturday over Rhode Island in the Atlantic 10 tournament championship that gave the Colonials their third consecutive NCAA bid.
Dokun Akingbade scored 15 points for George Washington (23-8), Maureece Rice had 12 and Regis Koundjia had 11.
Will Daniels scored a career-high 29 points for Rhode Island (19-14), which was appearing in its first tournament final since 1999. Jimmy Baron and Kahiem Seawright, who scored 17 points each in the Rams' 79-71 upset of top seed Xavier Friday night, were held to 10 and eight, respectively.
For the third straight game, George Washington won with a relentless pressure defense that on Saturday produced 21 turnovers against the Rams. In wins against Saint Joseph's and Saint Louis, the Colonials forced a total of 41 turnovers.
George Washington led by eight at halftime and by 11 midway through the second half but couldn't shake the Rams, particularly Daniels, who was the only Rhode Island player to score in the half's first seven minutes.
Daniels' dunk off a steal and a jumper by Keith Cothran cut the Colonials' lead to 66-62 with 2:55 left, but Akingbade scored in the lane and Rice sank two free throws to extend the lead to eight points. George Washington made 10 free throws in the final 1:38.
As in its quarterfinal and semifinal wins, George Washington's pressure defense took Rhode Island out of any rhythm it tried to establish early in the game. The Rams turned the ball over 15 times in the first half, leading to 19 points for the Colonials.
Three of the turnovers came in the final two minutes after the Rams had closed the gap to 40-36, and allowed George Washington to take a 44-36 lead into the intermission.
The Colonials made six of their first eight shots and raced to a 14-4 lead, but Rhode Island pushed back behind Daniels, who was held to nine points in Friday's win over Xavier after scoring 21 the night before against Fordham. The last of his 12 first-half points gave the Rams their biggest lead at 31-28 with 7:16 left.
The Colonials responded with 12 straight points to take a 40-31 lead.
Rice, who led George Washington in scoring in its tournament wins over Saint Joseph's and Saint Louis, had a quiet first half with five points on 2-for-10 shooting. His teammates made up for it by containing Baron: he took six shots and made just one, a 3-pointer for Rhode Island's first points of the game.
--ASSOCIATED PRESS
Posted by Corey Bourassa at 8:33 PM | Permalink
The CCRI men's basketball team defeated Harkim CC (Pa.), 77-68, in the NJCAA Division II-Northeast District final at Warwick and qualified for the national championship, which will be held March 21-24 in Danville, Ill.
Five players scored in double figures for the Knights led by Will Lyons, who had 15 points. Lyons also had 11 rebounds. Teammate Conor Evans chipped in with 12 points and 12 rebounds.
CCRI will be one of 12 teams competing for the national crown. The Knights will find out this week who and when they'll play in the opening round.
Posted by Chris Venditto at 5:54 PM | Permalink
March 9, 2007
Wildcat goalie Kevin Regan turned back 42 Friar shots for the second night in a row and top-seeded New Hampshire blanked Providence 6-0 to take their Hockey East quarterfinal last night in Durham, N.H.
New Hampshire scored twice on power plays in the first period, at 7:11 Chris Murray one-timed a pass from teammate Mike Radja past Friar goalie Tyler Sims. Later in the period Brett Hemingway tapped in a pass from Jacob Micflikier for a 2-0 Wildcat lead. Providence outshot the Wildcats 16-7 in the period but even with a four-minute power play the Friars were unable to get anything past Regan.
The second period was more of the same, the Wildcats scoring on only a few opportunities, Thomas Fortney capitalizing twice within a five-minute span early on and Trevor Smith netting another power play goal at the 13:14 mark. Matt Fornataro rounded out the scoring at 13:58 of the final period.
Providence finishes the season 10-23-3 while New Hampshire (25-9-2) now moves to the Hockey East semifinals Friday at the TD Banknorth Garden.
-- ASSOCIATED PRESS
Posted by Thom Cahir at 9:49 PM | Permalink
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — Jimmy Baron and Kahiem Seawright scored 17 points apiece to help Rhode Island defeat Xavier 79-71 Friday night in the Atlantic 10 tournament semifinals and snap a 12-game losing streak against the Musketeers.
It was the first time Rhode Island (19-13) had defeated Xavier since a 69-68 win on Feb. 24, 1998.
Rhode Island's win virtually assures the Atlantic 10 will send at least two teams to the NCAA Tournament. Xavier (24-8) is considered a safe pick, while Massachusetts (23-8), a quarterfinal loser Thursday, is not as certain.
Rhode Island will face the winner of Friday night's semifinal between Saint Louis and George Washington in Saturday's championship game. The Rams have been to the Atlantic 10 tournament final once, in 1998 when they won on Lamar Odom's last-second shot against Temple.
Drew Lavender led Xavier, which had its nine-game winning streak snapped, with 18 points and Justin Doellman added 13.
Rhode Island led 68-64 with 2:20 remaining when Baron, the fifth-most accurate 3-point shooter in the country at 48 percent, drove the lane and missed an underhanded scoop shot. But he followed his own miss and tapped home the rebound to give the Rams a six-point lead.
Seawright made three foul shots down the stretch to help seal the win.
Xavier had looked poised to create a cushion early in the second half when Doellman drove and scored and was fouled to give the Musketeers a 46-41 lead. But he missed the foul shot and Baron buried a 3-pointer to tighten things up, and they stayed that way until Rhode Island pulled away in the final two minutes.
Rhode Island led by as many as eight points in the first half before getting sloppy and letting Xavier pull even and eventually retake the lead.
A 3-pointer by Parfait Bitee gave the Rams a 21-13 lead with 8:42 left, and when Rhode Island switched to a zone defense it appeared to throw off Xavier momentarily. But the Musketeers regrouped and used their own defensive pressure to subdue the Rams.
Steals on three consecutive possessions sparked a 7-0 run that erased a 27-21 Rhode Island lead, and back-to-back driving layups by Stanley Burrell and a follow by Justin Cage in the final minutes gave Xavier a 34-33 lead at the break.
--ASSOCIATED PRESS
Posted by Corey Bourassa at 8:57 PM | Permalink
The Rhode Island College men's basketball team advanced to the NCAA Division III Elite Eight with a 75-73 victory over Keene State tonight in Amherst, Mass.
Posted by Corey Bourassa at 7:44 PM | Permalink
March 8, 2007
DURHAM, N.H. — Kevin Regan stopped all 42 shots he faced as top-seeded New Hampshire blanked eighth-seeded Providence College, 4-0, in the first game of a best-of-three Hockey East quarterfinal series at the Whittemore Center.
New Hampshire, ranked fifth in the country, leads the series, 1-0. Game two will be played tonight in Durham, N.H. at 7 p.m.
Posted by Corey Bourassa at 9:34 PM | Permalink
Jimmy Baron drove into the lane and banked the go-ahead basket with 11.1 seconds left, as the Rhode Island Rams defeated Fordham, 73-69, in today's Atlantic 10 quarterfinal from Atlantic City, N.J.
The game was sealed on Fordham's next possession, when Fordham's Brenton Butler was called for traveling as he looked for the game-tying shot. Two URI foul shots with less than a second remaining accounted for the victory.
Rhode Island will play top-seeded Xavier tomorrow at 6:30. The Musketeers defeated Dayton earlier this afternoon.
Click here to talk about the game, and about tomorrow's matchup, or check our URI Bulletin Board to see what Rhody fans are saying about the game.
Posted by Mike McDermott at 4:37 PM | Permalink
FORDHAM Ht. PPG RPG
Kevin Anderson 6-3 3.9 2.8
Marcus Stout 6-4 15.1 3.3
Bryant Dunston 6-8 14.4 7.3
Sebastian Greene 6-8 9.8 5.6
Michael Binns 6-7 5.0 3.5
Key reserves:
Brenton Butler 6-2 9.2 2.7
Herb Tanner 6-4 1.8 0.7
Chris Bethel 6-5 5.1 2.3
URI Ht. PPG RPG
Parfait Bitee 6-2 7.2 3.1
Jimmy Baron 6-2 14.8 2.1
Darrell Harris 6-10 7.2 3.9
Kahiem Seawright 6-8 10.9 7.5
Will Daniels 6-8 17.2 5.6
Key reserves:
Joe Mbang 6-7 8.9 4.3
Keith Cothran 6-4 6.3 2.7
Lamonte Ulmer 6-6 4.0 3.1
THE SCOUTING REPORT
FORDHAM (18-11, 10-6 in the Atlantic 10): The Rams from the Bronx have had a breakthrough season. It is the first winning season at the school since 1991-92. The 10 victories in A-10 play were the most ever for a Fordham squad. ..... The team has done it with a rotation that includes only one senior, Anderson, in its top eight. ..... These Rams enter on a five-game winning streak, which followed a four-game losing streak. ..... Stout is a key. He was 1-for-12 from the field in a loss to URI, then had 24 points in the victory in the second meeting of the teams.
URI (17-13, 10-6): Rhody's Rams hit a wall at the end of the regular season, losing their last three. Still, the team earned a first-round bye for the first time since 1999. That was the year the team won the tournament. ..... Daniels became the 44th Rams player to reach 1,000 points in the regular-season finale at Richmond. He had 17 for 1,004. ..... Baron needs one 3-pointer to tie Tyson Wheeler's school record of 91 treys in one season. ..... Cothran, who missed the regular-season finale with a bruised knee, is expected to be able to play. ..... URI is 16-25 all time in the A-10 tourney. .....Harris is playing through shoulder and ankle problems.
EXTRA POINTS
WHERE : Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J., about 2:30 p.m.
SERIES: URI leads, 25-22. THIS SEASON: The teams split, winning on each other's home court. URI won, 45-44, at Rose Hill; Fordham won, 71-62, at the Ryan Center. TV-RADIO: Cox Sports Television, WHJJ (920) and WJZS-FM (99.7).
- PAUL KENYON
Posted by Mike McDermott at 7:34 AM | Permalink
March 7, 2007
NEW YORK — West Virginia made a Big East tournament record 17 3-pointers and the seventh-seeded Mountaineers beat Providence 92-79 in the opening round Wednesday night.
The win kept alive West Virginia’s chances of an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament should it not win the conference title. Frank Young and Alex Ruoff each scored 21 points for the Mountaineers, who moved to the quarterfinals against second-seeded Louisville.
The Friars beat the Mountaineers 64-61 on Feb. 20, but West Virginia was just 9-for-41 from behind the arc in that game.
Wednesday night was much different as West Virginia hit its ninth 3-pointer early in the second half. The Mountaineers finished 17-for-31 on 3s in the game, matching their season high.
Ruoff and Young each hit five 3s and Darris Nichols added 16 points for West Virginia (22-8).
Dwain Williams scored 21 points, Herbert Hill added 20 and Weyinmi Efejuku had 19 for the Friars (18-12).
Trailing by two late in the first half, West Virginia went on a 25-8 run to take a 53-38 lead with 14:51 left in the game. The Mountaineers hit seven 3-pointers during the spurt, including three each by Young and Rouff.
Providence answered with its own 15-3 run. Hill started and ended the spurt with dunks.
Nichols then made a 3-pointer to restore a six-point advantage for West Virginia. After trading baskets, West Virginia led 66-60 with 9 minutes left.
The Mountaineers then used a 10-3 spurt to take a 76-65 lead. Nichols capped it with West Virginia’s 15th 3-pointer of the game, surpassing Seton Hall’s record of 14 set in 1995 against Boston College.
Providence missed the Big East tournament for the first time last season. The Friars also lost in the first round to West Virginia in 2005. They fell to 1-8 in the tournament under coach Tim Welsh.
- ASSOCIATED PRESS
Posted by Chris Venditto at 9:21 PM | Permalink
NEW YORK — West Virginia made a Big East tournament record 17 3-pointers and the seventh-seeded Mountaineers beat Providence 92-79 in the opening round Wednesday night.
The win kept alive West Virginia’s chances of an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament should it not win the conference title. Frank Young and Alex Ruoff each scored 21 points for the Mountaineers, who moved to the quarterfinals against second-seeded Louisville.
The Friars beat the Mountaineers 64-61 on Feb. 20, but West Virginia was just 9-for-41 from behind the arc in that game.
Wednesday night was much different as West Virginia hit its ninth 3-pointer early in the second half. The Mountaineers finished 17-for-31 on 3s in the game, matching their season high.
Ruoff and Young each hit five 3s and Darris Nichols added 16 points for West Virginia (22-8).
Dwain Williams scored 21 points, Herbert Hill added 20 and Weyinmi Efejuku had 19 for the Friars (18-12).
Trailing by two late in the first half, West Virginia went on a 25-8 run to take a 53-38 lead with 14:51 left in the game. The Mountaineers hit seven 3-pointers during the spurt, including three each by Young and Rouff.
Providence answered with its own 15-3 run. Hill started and ended the spurt with dunks.
Nichols then made a 3-pointer to restore a six-point advantage for West Virginia. After trading baskets, West Virginia led 66-60 with 9 minutes left.
The Mountaineers then used a 10-3 spurt to take a 76-65 lead. Nichols capped it with West Virginia’s 15th 3-pointer of the game, surpassing Seton Hall’s record of 14 set in 1995 against Boston College.
Providence missed the Big East tournament for the first time last season. The Friars also lost in the first round to West Virginia in 2005. They fell to 1-8 in the tournament under coach Tim Welsh.
- ASSOCIATED PRESS
Posted by Chris Venditto at 9:21 PM | Permalink
Brown University junior guard Mark McAndrew, of Barrington, has been named first team All-Ivy by the conference's basketball coaches. McAndrew, who was Player of the Week four times this season, was the Ivy League's leading scorer with 18.6 points per game. He's the 15th Brown player to be named to the first-team in the school's 51-year history. McAndrew was also a candidate for the Most Improved Player in the nation. He averaged just 1.2 points per game in the 2005-06 season.
Teammate Damon Huffman, a junior guard, was an honorable mention. Huffman was injured in Brown's first game of the season against Michigan State and missed the next six games. But he returned to the lineup in December and finished as the league's seventh-leading scorer with a 14.7 ppg average.
Posted by Chris Venditto at 6:30 PM | Permalink
MEN: FORDHAM VS. URI
FORDHAM Ht. PPG RPG
Kevin Anderson 6-3 3.9 2.8
Marcus Stout 6-4 15.1 3.3
Bryant Dunston 6-8 14.4 7.3
Sebastian Greene 6-8 9.8 5.6
Michael Binns 6-7 5.0 3.5
Key reserves:
Brenton Butler 6-2 9.2 2.7
Herb Tanner 6-4 1.8 0.7
Chris Bethel 6-5 5.1 2.3
URI Ht. PPG RPG
Parfait Bitee 6-2 7.2 3.1
Jimmy Barron 6-2 14.8 2.1
Darrell Harris 6-10 7.2 3.9
Kahiem Seawright 6-8 10.9 7.5
Will Daniels 6-8 17.2 5.6
Key reserves:
Joe Mbang 6-7 8.9 4.3
Keith Cothran 6-4 6.3 2.7
Lamonte Ulmer 6-6 4.0 3.1
THE SCOUTING REPORT
FORDHAM (18-11, 10-6 in the Atlantic 10): The Rams from the Bronx have had a breakthrough season. It is the first winning season at the school since 1991-92. The 10 victories in A-10 play were the most ever for a Fordham squad. . . The team has done it with a rotation that includes only one senior, Anderson, in its top eight. . . These Rams enter on a five-game winning streak, which followed a four-game losing streak. . . Stout is a key. He was 1-for-12 from the field in loss to URI, then had 24 points in the victory in the second meeting of the teams.
URI (17-13, 10-6): Rhody’s Rams hit a wall at the end of the regular season, losing their last three. Still, the team earned a first-round bye for the first time since 1999. That was the year the team won the tournament. . . Daniels became the 44th player to reach 1,000 points in the regular-season finale at Richmond. He had 17 for 1,004. . . Baron needs one 3-pointer to tie Tyson Wheeler’s school record of 91 treys in one season. . . Cothran, who missed the regular-season finale with a bruised knee, is expected to be able to play. . . URI is 16-25 all-time in the A-10 tourney. . . Harris is playing through shoulder and ankle problems.
EXTRA POINTS
WHERE : Boardwalk Hall, about 2:30 p.m. SERIES: URI leads, 25-22. THIS SEASON: The Rams split, winning on each other’s home court, URI 45-44 at Rose Hill and Fordham 71-62 at the Ryan Center. TV-RADIO: Cox Sports Television, WHJJ (920) and WJZS-FM (99.7).
— PAUL KENYON
Posted by Chris Venditto at 5:27 PM | Permalink
March 6, 2007
Providence College senior center Herbert Hill has been named Big East Most Improved Player in men's basketball.
Hill became only the third Providence player to win the Big East scoring crown. He averaged 19.9 points in league games this season after averaging only 10.4 points in the conference play a year ago. In all games this year, Hill averaged 18.0 points and 8.6 rebounds. Last year, his rebound average was 4.8. A native of Kinston, N.C., Hill was second in the league in field goal shooting, making 64 percent of his shots. The other Friars to win the conference's scoring title were Ryan Gomes (2004-05) and Eric Murdock (1990-91).
Posted by Chris Venditto at 7:32 PM | Permalink
WEST VIRGINIA Ht. PPG RPG
Darris Nichols 6-2 10.7 2.7
Alex Ruoff 6-6 10.0 3.3
Rob Summers 7-0 4.5 4.5
Joe Alexander 6-8 11.8 4.7
Frank Young 6-5 13.7 4.3
Key reserves:
Da'Sean Butler 6-7 9.9 3.6
Jamie Smalligan 7-0 4.9 2.7
Joe Mazzulla 6-2 2.9 0.9
PC
Sharaud Curry 5-10 16.0 2.9
Weyinmi Efejuku 6-5 13.4 4.3
Herbert Hill 6-10 18.0 8.6
Geoff McDermott 6-7 10.0 9.3
Jon Kale 6-8 7.1 4.2
Key Reserves
Dwain Williams 6-0 6.8 0.7
Ray Hall 6-11 2.5 1.9
Brian McKenzie 6-5 3.5 1.7
THE SCOUTING REPORT
WEST VIRGINIA (21-8, 9-7 Big East): The Mountaineers head to New York very close to an NCAA bid but almost certainly need to win to remain in the mix. . . Finished season with a win over Cincinnati but did close the regular seasons with losses in three of the final five games. Lost at PC on Feb. 20, 64-61. Horrid 3-point shooting (9-of-41) led to that defeat. . . Have an RPI of 57 and own a non-league win over UCLA. Weak overall schedule has hurt a bit. . . Young was a first-team all-Big East pick and led the league in 3-pointers made. Coach John Beilein likes ot play four 3-point shooters at once, if possible. . . Big men Summers and Smalligan aren't rebounders. PC beat WVU off the glass, 41-33.
PROVIDENCE (18-11, 8-8 Big East): The Friars return to the Big East Tournament after a one-year absence. Haven't won a tourney game since 2003 and own a 15-25 record all-time in the event. . . Captured the 1994 tournament title. Hold a 2-1 edge over West Virginia in New York. The winner will play second-seeded Louisville Thursday night. . . PC ended the regular season 16-3 at home, 2-8 on the road. . . Hill led the Big East in scoring and was second in rebounding. He was a first team all-league pick. He averaged 27.5 points, 11 rebounds, 6 blocks and shot 66 percent in two games last week. . . Curry has a dislocated pinky finger on his left (non-shooting) hand. . . McDermott is 1-of-15 in the last three games and didn't score a field goal in the final two contests.
EXTRA POINTS
WHERE : Madison Square Garden, 7 p.m. Wednesday SERIES: WVU leads, 8-7. TV-RADIO: ESPN. WSKO (99.7 FM).
- KEVIN McNAMARA
Posted by Mike McDermott at 3:05 PM | Permalink
March 4, 2007
Bryant men's basketball earned an at-large bid in the NCAA Division II Tournament as the No. 3 seed in the Northeast. Bryant (19-10) will play No. 6 Adelphi (18-12) at noon on Saturday at Bentley College’s Dana Center in Waltham, Mass.
Posted by Corey Bourassa at 11:30 PM | Permalink
The UMass-Dartmouth men's hockey team earned a first-round bye in the Division III Tournament. UMD (25-2-1), the ECAC Northeast champion, will play the winner of Fredonia St. and Middlebury on Saturday night at a site to be determined.
Posted by Corey Bourassa at 11:15 PM | Permalink
The CCRI women’s basketball team qualified for the NJCAA National Championship yesterday for the fourth year in a row after the Knights beat Union County College, 86-64, in the title game of the Northeast Disctict championship at Warwick.
The Knights jumped out to a 16-4 lead and never looked back. The closest Union County got was within eight points (38-30) just before halftime, which CCRI led 40-30. The Knights outscored Union County, 46-34, in the second half.
Jenny Kinney led all scorers with 25 points and added 8 rebounds, 4 steals and 4 assists for the Knihgts. Teammate Denise Scott had 22 points and Ashley Abrahamson added 12 points, 7 boards, 4 assists, 3 steals and a block.
CCRI, which won the Region 21 Championship this past Thursday (a 96-69 win over Deanr) will leave next Monday for Phoenix where the nationals are being held. The tournament will be March 13-17. The Knights won’t find who their opponent is until later this week.
Posted by Chris Venditto at 9:55 PM | Permalink
Princeton erased a 3-2 deficit with two third period goals as the Tigers won the third and decisive game in the ECAC men’s hockey quarterfinal series with a 4-3 victory over Brown.
Posted by Corey Bourassa at 9:38 PM | Permalink
Qa'rraan Calhoun had 21 points to help St. John's snap a 10-game losing streak to Providence with a 77-64 win Sunday in the Red Storm's regular-season finale at Madison Square Garden.
Herbert Hill scored 27 points on 12-of-16 shooting for the Friars (18-11, 8-8). Dwain Williams added 12 points and Sharaud Curry had 10.
Providence earned the 10th seed in the Big East tournament and will play seventh seed West Virginia. That game is Wednesday night at 7 p.m.
Posted by Corey Bourassa at 5:10 PM | Permalink
The CCRI men's basketball defeated Orange County CC, 68-61, today in Warwick to win the NJCAA Division II Region XXI Championship.
Former St. Raphael standout Jake Grimes had 12 of his 18 points in the second half while Cranston's Connor Evans added 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Posted by Corey Bourassa at 5:08 PM | Permalink
Providence College couldn't overcome a 2-0 deficit as the Lady Friars lost to New Hampshire, 3-1, in the women's Hockey East championship game Sunday in Durham, N.H.
PC goalie Jana Bugden made 34 saves and was named tournament MVP.
Posted by Corey Bourassa at 4:51 PM | Permalink
Rhode Island College learned its opponent today in the NCAA Division III men's basketball Sweet 16. The Anchormen will play Little East rival Keene St. on Friday night at 6 p.m. at Amherst College.
Posted by Corey Bourassa at 4:48 PM | Permalink
March 3, 2007
The Providence College women’s hockey team (16-15-4) upset eighth-ranked Boston College (23-9-2), 3-2, yesterday to advance to the Hockey East championship game. PC will face New Hampshire today at 12:30 p.m. in Durham, N.H. It is the Friars’ fourth championship appearance in the last five years. The Friars overcame a 2-0 second period deficit on power-play goals by Mari Pehkonen and Jenna Keilch. Freshamn Jackie Duncan scored the game-winner 1:24 into the third period. PC goalie Jana Bugden made 33 saves.
Posted by Corey Bourassa at 7:54 PM | Permalink
Sean Muncy scored at 1:24 of overtime to lift the Brown men’s hockey team to a 4-3 win over Princeton in the opening game of the ECAC first-round series last night.
Posted by Chris Venditto at 12:33 AM | Permalink
The Providence College men's hockey team scored three times in each of the first two periods en route to a 7-2 victory over Merrimack Friday night at Schneider Arena. With the win, the Friars (9-21-3, 8-15-3 Hockey East) clinched a spot in the upcoming Hockey East Quarterfinals where they will play top seed New Hampshire.
Posted by Chris Venditto at 12:29 AM | Permalink
Atlantic 10 tournament
St. Joseph’s 68, URI 52
ECAC Division III tournament
Wheaton 69, RIC 67, o.t.
Emmanuel 80, Salve Regina 67
Posted by Chris Venditto at 12:20 AM | Permalink
Junior Damon Huffman scored a game-high 21 points, connecting on 5 of 8 3-point baskets, to lead Brown to a 64-55 victory over Princeton Friday night for a sweep of their season series. The Bears remained in fourth place in the Ivy League with a 6-7 record.
Posted by Chris Venditto at 12:17 AM | Permalink
The Rhode Island College men's basketball team held off Coast Guard, 64-60, to advance in the NCAA Division III Tournament Friday night in at The Murray Center in Providence. Senior guard Kinsey Durgin scored 15 of his game-high 18 points in the second half to lead the Anchormen into the second round.
Rhode Island College will host Brandeis University (20-6) Saturday at 7 p.m. in second round action. Tickets for the game will go on sale from 9 a.m. to noon in The Murray Center.
Sophomore guard Bobby Bailey posted his second consecutive game with a double-double, logging 16 points and a game-high 13 boards. He also chipped in with two assists, two steals and a block.
Posted by Chris Venditto at 12:13 AM | Permalink
March 2, 2007
Fifth-seeded Saint Joseph's (17-12) jumped out to a 19-2 lead and never looked back, defeating 12th-seeded Rhode Island, 68-52, in a first-round game of the Atlantic 10 women's basketball tournament this afternoon at the Cintas Center in Cincinnati.
URI sophomore forward Jessica Magley scored a game- and career-high 23 points while grabbing seven rebounds. Sophomore forward Sierra Cooper added 11 points and eight rebounds for the Rams, which finish the season with a 6-23 record
St. Joe's led by as many as 24 points (34-10) with 5:29 remaining in the first half and led 37-18 at halftime. The Rams were held to 31.0 percent shooting on 9-of-29 shots, while committing 13 turnovers in the first 20 minutes.
Trailing 43-20 at 15:52 of the second, Rhody went on an 8-0 run, including six points by Cooper, to get within 15 (43-28). Then the Hawks went back up by 21 points (58-37) at 8:56. The Rams used an 11-3 run to get it back down to a 13-point game, 61-48, at 5:29.
The Hawks advance to Saturday's quarterfinal matchup with fourth-seeded Charlotte at 2 p.m.
Posted by Chris Venditto at 4:52 PM | Permalink
March 1, 2007
Northeast -10 CONFERENCE MEN'S SEMIFINALS
Bentley 85, Bryant 74
NJCAA DIVISION II NEW ENGLAND REGIONAL WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP
CCRI 94, Dean College 67
Posted by Chris Venditto at 8:56 PM | Permalink
February 24, 2007
The Providence College men's hockey team turned in a near-flawless performance and defeated third-ranked University of New Hampshire, 7-1, Saturday night at Schneider Arena.
PC forward Jon Rheault scored twice and added two assists and Colin McDonald, Chase Watson, Matt Taormina, Mark Fayne and Nick Mazzolini contributed a goal each. The Friars outshot the Wildcats, 51-22.
"The stakes are pretty high and we’re running out of time to seal off a playoff spot," said PC coach Tim Army. "I don’t like to talk in terms of winning [a playoff berth] because I think sometimes it takes your focus off. We needed to play as though we needed to win the game. . . we really played well for 60 minutes and we didn’t have a lot of bad patches in the game."
Posted by Chris Venditto at 10:21 PM | Permalink
Megan Barry hit one of two free throws with six seconds to play as Salve Regina won the Commonwealth Coast Conference championship, 53-52, over Colby-Sawyer yesterday in New London, N.H.
The Seahawks receive an automatic berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament. The pairings will be announced tomorrow. The win is Salve’s 18th in a row as the Seahawks ended Colby-Sawyer’s two-year reign as league champions.
Salve, which trailed by as many as 12 in the second half, tied the game at 52 on a Kristen Stone layup with 1:18 to play. After trading missed baskets, Barry was fouled with six seconds left. She missed the first free throw but knocked down the second. Salve then stole the ball when the Chargers attempted the game-winning shot.
Allegra Lovoy led Salve with 14 points while Stone added 10. Barry finished with 7 points and 13 rebounds.
Posted by Chris Venditto at 9:25 PM | Permalink
Megan Barry hit one of two free throws with six seconds to play as Salve Regina won the Commonwealth Coast Conference championship, 53-52, over Colby-Sawyer yesterday in New London, N.H.
The Seahawks receive an automatic berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament. The pairings will be announced tomorrow. The win is Salve’s 18th in a row as the Seahawks ended Colby-Sawyer’s two-year reign as league champions.
Salve, which trailed by as many as 12 in the second half, tied the game at 52 on a Kristen Stone layup with 1:18 to play. After trading missed baskets, Barry was fouled with six seconds left. She missed the first free throw but knocked down the second. Salve then stole the ball when the Chargers attempted the game-winning shot.
Allegra Lovoy led Salve with 14 points while Stone added 10. Barry finished with 7 points and 13 rebounds.
Posted by Chris Venditto at 9:25 PM | Permalink
The Rhode Island College men's basketball team shot 50 percent from the field and 82 percent from the free-throw line as it defeated Keene State, 87-75, in the championship game of the Little East Conference Tournament Saturday.
Four players scored in double figures for the Anchormen led by Tirrell Hill, who had a game-high 19 points, including 11 of 14 from the line. Also for RIC, Bobby Bailey had 17 points, Kinsey Durgin 16 and Brian Stanko 13.
RIC improved to 24-3, which ties a school record for victories in a season. The win gives the Anchormen an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament. They haven’t been in an NCAA Tournament since 1979.
Posted by Chris Venditto at 6:46 PM | Permalink
The Ryan Center season ended on a down note yesterday for the University of Rhode Island basketball team.
The Rams lost any hope of winning their first Atlantic 10 regular-season title in 26 years when they were beaten by Fordham, 71-62. Fordham led from start to finish as it repeatedly built leads, held off attempts at a rally by URI, then took control once again.
Marcus Stout, who had gone 1-for-12 from the field when Rhode Island won the first meeting of the teams, 45-44, in the Bronx, led the way with 24 points. This time he was 9-for-15, including three 3-pointers.
Will Daniels was the only URI player able to reach double figures. He had 24 to move within 10 of 1,000 for his career.
Posted by Mike McDermott at 4:46 PM | Permalink
Freshman Sean McMonagle and junior Jeff Prough each scored in the third period, but the Brown men’s ice hockey team couldn’t net the equalizer as it dropped a 6-5 decision to RPI in an ECAC game last night at Troy, N.Y.
Jeff Prough scored twice for the Bears and Sean Dersch, Chris Poli and Sean McMonagle each had one goal. The Bears close out the regular season tonight when they face Union at 7.
Posted by Chris Venditto at 12:48 AM | Permalink
Freshman Sean McMonagle and junior Jeff Prough each scored in the third period, but the Brown men’s ice hockey team couldn’t net the equalizer as it dropped a 6-5 decision to RPI in an ECAC game last night at Troy, N.Y.
Jeff Prough scored twice for the Bears and Sean Dersch, Chris Poli and Sean McMonagle each had one goal. The Bears close out the regular season tonight when they face Union at 7.
Posted by Chris Venditto at 12:48 AM | Permalink
Third-period goals from New Hampshire's Bobby Butler and Thomas Fortney gave the third-ranked Wilcats a 6-4 victory over the Providence College men's hockey team last night at Durham, NH.
The four Friar goals came from Greg Collins, Tony Zancanaro, Jon Rheault and Cody Wild. Teammate Tyler Sims made 22 saves in net. PC fell to 7-21-3 overall and 6-15-3 in Hockey East. UNH improved to 23-6-2 and 18-4-2.
Posted by Chris Venditto at 12:35 AM | Permalink
Senior guard Kinsey Durgin scored a game-high 24 points, on 8 of 11 shooting, to lead the Rhode Island College basketball team to a 76-68 win over UMass-Dartmouth in the semifinals of the Little East Conference playoffs last night at Providence.
The top-seeded Anchormen, who improved to 23-3, will be playing in their first conference championship game and are one win away from tying a school record for victories in a season. RIC will face second-seeded Keene State in the title game at 3 p.m. today at RIC’s Murray Center. The Owls beat UMass-Boston last night, 79-67.
Sophomore guard Tirrell Hill had 14 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists and teammate Kaseem Johnson had a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds for the Anchormen.
RIC lost both meetings with Keene State during the regular season — 82-78 at home and 92-81 on the road. The Owls will be playing in the title game for the third time in the past four seasons. The winner of today’s game gets an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament. The Anchormen haven’t been in the NCAA Tournament since 1979.
Posted by Chris Venditto at 12:03 AM | Permalink
Senior guard Kinsey Durgin scored a game-high 24 points, on 8 of 11 shooting, to lead the Rhode Island College basketball team to a 76-68 win over UMass-Dartmouth in the semifinals of the Little East Conference playoffs last night at Providence.
The top-seeded Anchormen, who improved to 23-3, will be playing in their first conference championship game and are one win away from tying a school record for victories in a season. RIC will face second-seeded Keene State in the title game at 3 p.m. today at RIC’s Murray Center. The Owls beat UMass-Boston last night, 79-67.
Sophomore guard Tirrell Hill had 14 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists and teammate Kaseem Johnson had a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds for the Anchormen.
RIC lost both meetings with Keene State during the regular season — 82-78 at home and 92-81 on the road. The Owls will be playing in the title game for the third time in the past four seasons. The winner of today’s game gets an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament. The Anchormen haven’t been in the NCAA Tournament since 1979.
Posted by Chris Venditto at 12:03 AM | Permalink
February 23, 2007
The Brown men's basketball team held an 11-point lead at halftime and hung on to beat Columbia, 64-59, Friday night at the Pizzitola Center in Providence. Four players scored in double figures for the Bears led by Damon Huffman, who had a game-high 22 points.
The Bears,who have been plagued by injuries earlier this season, are healthy now and it’s showing. They (10-16, 5-6 Ivy League) captured their third consecutive victory and improved to 10-16 overall and 5-6 in the Ivy League.
Posted by Chris Venditto at 11:43 PM | Permalink
The Brown men's basketball team held an 11-point lead at halftime and hung on to beat Columbia, 64-59, Friday night at the Pizzitola Center in Providence. Four players scored in double figures for the Bears led by Damon Huffman, who had a game-high 22 points.
The Bears,who have been plagued by injuries earlier this season, are healthy now and it’s showing. They (10-16, 5-6 Ivy League) captured their third consecutive victory and improved to 10-16 overall and 5-6 in the Ivy League.
Posted by Chris Venditto at 11:43 PM | Permalink
February 21, 2007
The Brown University lacrosse team is recruiting Reade Seligmann, one of the three former Duke lacrosse players accused of sexual offense and kidnapping, according to reports in today's Brown Daily Herald and on Bloomberg.
A rape charge against Seligmann, David Evans and Collin Finnerty was dropped in December when the accuser, an exotic dancer, changed elements of her story.
Seligmann is a graduate of the Delbarton School, in New Jersey, the same prep school that produced three current members of the Brown lacrosse team, the Daily Herald reports.
Click here to read the full Daily Herald report.
Posted by Mike McDermott at 3:28 PM | Permalink
