Almost time to lace up the skates and sneakers
Friday, October 07, 2011
The countdown to winter sports is on.
By this time next week, college hockey teams will be starting their seasons, and college basketball teams will begin their practice sessions, in preparation for their seasons.
With traditional fall sports like football, soccer and volleyball already in full swing, it makes for a busy and fun time of year on campus. Add to this mix Alumni weekends, and the ever-present “holiday party,” it gets pretty difficult NOT to like what’s going on around a college campus.
There is anticipation and excitement over the face-off to the college hockey season at PC, where new head coach Nate Leaman will lead his Friars in their season opener on October 14th against Hockey East rival Boston University at Schneider Arena. That could be a night to remember for many Friars, since PC’s version of “Late Night Madness,” unofficially tipping off the college basketball season, will also begin that night at Alumni Hall on campus. “Rhody Madness” will take place at URI on October 14th, with similar practices beginning at schools throughout the state.
There were two big hockey stories this week – as Notre Dame has agreed to join Hockey East beginning with the 2013-14 season, and the NCAA Ice Hockey East Regional will return to Rhode Island in 2013 at the Dunkin Donuts Center. The Irish program joins with Providence, BU, Boston College, Northeastern, Merrimack, Vermont, Maine, UMass, UMass-Lowell and New Hampshire to become the 11th school competing in Hockey East. ND’s membership also signals an athletic department comfort level with Eastern schools in general, as their stated preference is to remain a member of the Big East Conference in all sports except for football. As for the NCAA Ice Hockey East Regionals, Brown will serve as the host school as the Dunk gets the chance to host the tournament for the first time since 2003. Eight schools (and their fans) will travel to Providence for the right to move onto the Frozen Four.
Brown:
On the gridiron, the Bears face Holy Cross in a 12:30 pm kickoff Saturday at Brown Stadium. Fresh from their 35-21 conquest in the battle for the Governor’s Cup against URI, the Bears are 2-1 on the season, and face a 2-2 Crusader team that battled 7th ranked UNH down to the wire last week before falling, 39-32. Senior quarterback Kyle Newhall-Caballero (named Ivy League Offensive Player of the Week) threw for two touchdowns and ran for two more in the win over the Rams, and he’ll lead a Bears’ team looking to extract a little revenge for a 17-13 loss to Holy Cross last season in Worcester. In the last game between the two teams in Providence, Newhall-Caballero set an Ivy League record with 46 pass completions against the Crusaders, and Patrick Rooney hit a 34 yard field goal with four seconds remaining to give Brown a 34-31 win…men’s soccer battled 9th ranked St. John’s to a scoreless, 0-0 tie Tuesday night in New York. The Bears are now 5-4-1 on the season, and will host Princeton Saturday night at Stevenson Field…field hockey got its second win of the year with a 6-5 decision over Quinnipiac at Warner Roof Tuesday…men’s tennis won 30 of 35 matches played at the Brown Invitational against Boston College, Stony Brook and Georgetown…women’s hockey named Andrew McPhee as an assistant for head coach Amy Bourbeau. McPhee had nine successful seasons as head coach at Division III Trinity College…
University of Rhode Island:
URI hosts “Experience Youth Day” at Meade Stadium Saturday when the football team hosts 25th ranked Old Dominion in a 1:00 pm kickoff. All youth football players 12-and-under will receive FREE admission to the game if they wear their football jerseys, and are accompanied by a paying adult. It will be the first-ever meeting for URI and ODU on the gridiron, as the Monarchs are in their first season of play in the Colonial Athletic Association as a football member. Rhody is 5-1 in their last six games played at home…men’s soccer returns to the pitch Friday night, hosting Saint Louis at 7:00 pm. The Rams will also face Charlotte Sunday at 1:00 pm, both games at the URI Soccer Complex…volleyball lost a five-set marathon at LaSalle last weekend, and will look to get back on the winning track against Duquesne Friday night, and Saint Louis Sunday afternoon, with both games at Keaney Gym…men’s and women’s cross country will compete in the New England Championships in Boston this weekend…women’s tennis will host Fordham on Saturday afternoon, and Monmouth on Sunday at the URI Tennis Complex…
Providence College:
On Tuesday, the Providence College men's basketball Vision Team held its 1st Annual Vision Cup golf tournament at Wannamoisett Country Club in Rumford. The tournament was sold out with 18 foursomes, with the event raising over $45,000. The funds will be used to help with expenses for the team's charter trip to South Carolina on December 1…both cross country teams still find themselves in the national rankings this week. With their win in the Paul Short Invitational in Bethlehem, PA last weekend, the women are currently #2 in the nation. The Friar women placed four runners among the top 12 finishers, led by sophomore Emily Sisson’s 3rd place finish overall. The men’s team is ranked 24th nationally this week in the poll released by the US Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. Both teams will compete in Boston this weekend at the New England Championships Sunday at Franklin Park …men’s soccer is now 6-3-1 on the season, after gaining a 1-1 draw at South Florida last weekend, and dropping a 1-0 decision at Boston University Tuesday. The Friars get back to the Big East Saturday at home in a 1:00 pm kickoff against Marquette…the 9th ranked women’s ice hockey team lost its opener on the road last weekend 3-1 against Bemidji State. They’ll go after their first win Saturday at Clarkson…field hockey hosts Villanova at 12 Noon Saturday…
Bryant:
Football dropped a close one last Saturday, losing at Duquesne 31-28 in Pittsburgh as the Dukes scored the winning touchdown with just over nine minutes to play. At 3-2 overall, the Bulldogs will play at home for the next two weekends, meeting former NE-10 rival Stonehill Saturday in a 1:00 pm kickoff…volleyball came from behind to get past Holy Cross in five sets on Wednesday, led by senior captain Jazmin Stoner. Stoner had 24 kills and 20 digs to lead Bryant, and the team is playing Robert Morris and Saint Francis (PA) on the road this weekend…women’s tennis found themselves with a 3-1 match lead over Providence (in singles) on Tuesday before rain suspended the match. Before the match resumes next Tuesday, the Bulldogs will host Monmouth Saturday morning at 10:30…field hockey posted a 1-0 win over Holy Cross Tuesday night in Worcester, with sophomore Mallory Hancock scoring the lone goal in the opening 10 minutes of the game. Next up is Monmouth Friday night at 7:00 pm on the Bryant Turf Complex, followed by Rider at home on Sunday…men’s soccer faces St. Francis (NY) Friday afternoon at 3:00 pm, and Monmouth at 12 Noon on Sunday…women’s soccer also hosts Sacred Heart Sunday at 3:00 pm…
CCRI:
The CCRI cross country team hosted their only meet of the season, the 2011 Tri-State Invitational, on the CCRI Flanagan Campus in Lincoln last weekend. CCRI hosted community colleges and four-year schools from Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts, with the men’s team tied for second with Worcester State scoring 54 total points. The overall men’s winner was Mitchell College with 49 points in the six team field. Three Knights’ runners finished in the Top 10 overall, led by Bobby Allen (Cranston) who finished first in 25:04 over the 4.75 mile course. Ben Marino (Warwick) took 5th in 27:22, while Cole Maguire (Foster) came in 10th…12th ranked women’s soccer beat the Community College of Baltimore County-Essex 2-1 to improve to 9-1 on the season. The Lady Knights host Montgomery College-Rockville (MD) Saturday at 12 Noon in Lincoln…
Rhode Island College:
The RIC volleyball team stayed with its hot hand, winning for the 8th time in the last nine matches as they defeated Little East rival UMass-Dartmouth 3-1 Tuesday night at the Murray Center. Junior outside hitter Breanna Boyer (East Greenwich) led the way with 19 kills and 16 digs. Freshman middle hitter Marina Stoermer was named the Little East Conference Women's Volleyball Rookie of the Week as the Anchorwomen posted a 4-0 week. It is the second time this fall Stoermer has received this honor…freshman Patrick Ford captured the medalist honors, finishing first among a field of 15 golfers with a score of 77, as RIC placed second at a tri-match hosted by Anna Maria College at the Blackstone National Golf Course…men’s soccer fell to 6-5 on the season with a 2-0 loss at Montclair State (NJ). The Anchormen travel to Western Connecticut Saturday for a Little East matchup…
Roger Williams University:
Volleyball is coming off of an outstanding run of success over the past couple of weeks. Back-to-back 3-0 sweeps over Emerson and Mass Maritime in the past week were followed by a 3-0 sweep over Gordon, and a 3-1 win over the Coast Guard, previously the 3rd ranked team in New England. The wins push the team to 19-3 overall on the season, and ranked 5th regionally in the NCAA Division III poll. The Hawks return to the court Sunday as they host the Little Rhody Championships beginning at 10:00 am…men’s soccer is not only ranked 3rd in the recent New England poll, but 21st nationally in Division III as well. The Hawks suffered their first loss of the year against UMass-Dartmouth Tuesday night 5-4, and now standing at 9-1-2 on the season, the Hawks host Endicott at 3:30 Saturday on campus…sailing competed in five different regattas last weekend, finishing second overall in the race for the Richard Ross Trophy at Tufts University…
Salve Regina University:
Football dropped a 12-9 decision to Western New England last Saturday, in spite of a strong defensive effort. Eight tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries and a blocked extra point, along with a fumble recovery for a touchdown by linebacker Anthony Hannon weren’t quite enough to get the win. The Seahawks are now 2-3 on the season, and they host UMass-Dartmouth Saturday at 12 noon…field hockey ran past Regis 7-3 on Wednesday, jumping out to a 4-0 lead at halftime and never looking back. They’ll be on the road for two straight before hosting Western New England on October 15…volleyball swept Eastern Nazarene 3-0 Tuesday night to move to 5-0 in the Commonwealth Coast Conference, in first place, and 9-6 overall for the season. Freshman setter Taylor Violet (Tiverton) led all players with 26 assists…men’s soccer shut out Johnson & Wales 6-0 Monday afternoon at Pierce Field in East Providence…
Johnson & Wales:
Men’s soccer defeated Rivier 1-0 on the road Wednesday night, getting the game-winner from freshman Dustin Hughes with just two seconds left in overtime. JWU improves to 2-2-1 in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference, and they will host Norwich at 3:00 pm Saturday…women’s soccer lost a tough one to St. Joseph of Connecticut 4-3 at Pierce Field on Wednesday. It’s their first loss in the GNAC, now 5-1-1 in conference play, and the women will also host Norwich Saturday, starting at 1:00 pm…the golf team placed 12th at the ECAC Division III New England championships, with senior Tim Wolak finishing as the low Wildcat player with a 78, good for 18th overall…the athletics department welcomed the three members of the Hall of Fame Class of 2011 in a ceremony on October 1st when Victoria Spence (tennis ’03), Dan Howard (baseball '05) and Bryan Supple (soccer ’05) became the newest members of the school’s Hall of Fame…
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