Tag: Friar Sports
Former Friars: Where Are They Now?
by The Cowl Editor on February 14, 2019
Friar Sports
Pro Ambitions Hockey Developers
By Cam Smith ’21
Sports Staff
Jeff Serowik’s ’90 professional hockey career came to an abrupt conclusion 10 years after he graduated from Providence College. It was then that Serowik suffered his career-ending concussion during a breakout season in the National Hockey League (NHL). He had tallied six assists in 26 games as a smooth skating defenseman for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Instead of taking time off from the ice following his injury, Serowik jumped right back onto it. “I graduated from Providence and that summer is when I started my camps, 29 years ago,” Serowik said in a recent interview with The Cowl. “I started off with one or two camps per summer while I was playing [professionally]… After the injury my wife and I took a lot of the money we saved over the years and invested it in this Pro Ambitions and really blew it up.”
Pro Ambitions Hockey is now the largest hockey development company in the world, offering dozens of different specialized training camps from “Hybrid Powerskating” to “European Micro Stick Skills.” Their Division I AAA Camp features Serowik and many other Hockey East alumni as coaches in a camp that is the official development program of Hockey East.
“We really took it throughout the country and into Europe and into Canada and kept expanding,” Serowik said of the now massive scope of Pro Ambitions. “Each year we tinker with it… We try to keep up with the times. The game is so fast now that we’ve created these different types of power skating camps and we try to keep up with the technology. We’ve been doing this for so long, you don’t want to get stale.”
Serowik and his team certainly have the technology nailed down, as they even offer the Pro Ambitions app that supplies on and off the ice training right from your phone. With these technological feats, in addition to the masterful training kids get on the ice, it is no wonder that Division I hockey and the NHL boasts numerous Pro Ambitions alumni. But, to Serowik, achievement on the ice is not the only way to measure success.
“It’s great when you see kids have victories, going off to prep school or going off to college to play,” Serowik explained. “But, the most rewarding thing for me is something like where a dad called me recently and said, ‘Hey, my son came to your camp 10 years ago. He’s working on Wall Street now. He said his boss gave him the job because of the handshake that he had.’”
At every camp he hosts, Serowik holds a handshake competition. There, he teaches the kids the importance of looking someone in the eye and maintaining a good firm grip. As his Wall Street anecdote shows, it certainly pays off down the line.
“Hockey’s hockey, we do a great job out on the ice, but I think you can differentiate yourself off the ice with your relationships with your coaches. These kids are there, and they want to learn. They’re little pieces of clay and you just got to mold the clay into the good people that you know they can be,” Serowik explained. “All that stuff is rewarding.”
While a lot has changed for Serowik since he last skated for the Friars, the PC experience remains dear to his heart. “Providence was just a fantastic experience. It’s a great school,” he lauded. He also commented on the transformation the campus has undergone since his time in Friartown, citing his amazement about all the new changes. “There’s a lot of chatter about it everywhere you go,” he went on to say. “A lot of applicants, a lot of great things going on in Providence. Kudos to them, I’m proud of it.”
In a testament to his good-natured disposition, Serowik closed his interview with some profound words about the lessons he hopes his campers take away from the camps they participate in. “Be the best you can be. Nothing replaces hard work. I want these kids working hard and being humble,” remarked the PC alum. “The biggest thing: I want them to improve. I want them to be a great person off the ice and I want them to enjoy it and be passionate about it on the ice.”
With this philosophy of hard work and all-around improvement, it is clear that the next generation of hockey players are in good hands with Jeff Serowik and Pro Ambitions Hockey.
Desharnais ’19 Nominated for Humanitarian Award
by The Cowl Editor on February 7, 2019
Athlete of the Week
Defenseman Raises Money to Fight Against Cancer
by Sam Scanlon ’19
Every eye in Schneider Arena is fixated on the home bench, as one by one the Friars enter the spotlight and take the ice, anchored by defenseman Vincent Desharnais ’19.
Standing at 6’6”, Desharnais plays the role of intimidator and aggressor on the ice, protecting his teammates at all costs. However, it is his contributions off the ice that have gotten him nationally recognized this year.
Desharnais is one of 17 nominees for the 2019 Hockey Humanitarian Award, which recognizes college hockey’s finest citizens for their efforts in their communities through leadership in volunteerism. Donning the “A” on his chest as the team’s alternate captain for the second straight year, Desharnais is no stranger to leadership on and off the ice.
In December, with the help of two classmates, Desharnais held an event at Schneider Arena called “PC Beats Cancer” to benefit the Gloria Gemma Resource Foundation.
“We decided to partner up with the Gloria Gemma Resource Foundation, because they specify in providing free services for individuals and families who are affected by breast cancer,” explained Desharnias.
This event was also hosted in honor of Providence College Women’s Hockey Team goaltender, Clare Minnerath ’20. “She was diagnosed with Stage 3 Lymphoma Cancer last April,” Desharnais said, “Her story was so inspirational that we decided to center our event around her.”
In order to raise funds during the event, $20 tickets were sold to members of the PC community, which allowed attendees access to food and beverages, as well as a raffle ticket for an autographed Noel Acciari ’15 jersey. Around 80 tickets were sold during the event.
“At first, our team’s goal was to raise $2,000…We ended up raising over $5,000 through our events and gofundme page within three weeks,” recounted Desharnais. The amount of money raised is certainly a terrific feat, but the leadership and determination of Desharnais is what set him apart and truly showed his character.
At first, not much money was being raised for their charity, which caused Desharnais plenty of frustration. Through positivity, he and his classmates were able to start raising more and more money. “I think my biggest takeaway is to have high goals and always stay positive,” a mentality that Desharnais utilized to have such a successful fundraiser.
“Also, if you want something, go get it. I sent over 150 personalized emails to my teachers, coaches, teammates, friends, and family members to let them know that I needed their help to make a difference.” Desharnais’ impressive motivation and leadership behind raising money for a cause that he is passionate about certainly shows why he is nominated for the Hockey Humanitarian Award.
Being nominated for an award for both on and off the ice contributions is assuredly a humbling experience, and Desharnais is well aware of that. He explained, “Being nominated for this award is truly an honor. I feel like not too long ago I was still in high school back home in Laval, Quebec. Now, here I am nominated for the Humanitarian Award.”
Since coming to Providence four years ago, Desharnais has matured significantly. From being a bottom defensive pairing player, to a two-year captain, to being recognized for community service, Desharnais has made the most of his college experience. It is clear that the Edmonton Oilers draft pick has mades strides both on and off the ice.
He is not planning on stopping here, however. As he enjoys his time reading to children in Providence schools, Desharnais has bigger plans for his community service. He stated, “I was passionate about the event and I would really like to hold an event yearly.”
Desharnais has demonstrated a tremendous amount of character throughout this entire process, and is incredibly deserving of this prestigious award. If you would like to support Desharnais and the Gloria Gemma Resource Foundation, visit www.gloriagemma.org to make a donation and find out more about this incredible cause.
Friars History: 2013 XCC Underdogs
by The Cowl Editor on February 7, 2019
Friar Sports
Coach Treacy Discusses Special 2013 Cross Country Season
by Eileen Flynn ’20
For the past 33 years, Providence College has been lucky enough to have one of the best cross country and track coaches in the nation. Ray Treacy ’82 came back to coach in 1984, just two years after he graduated. The running program at PC has grown into a powerful dynasty, finishing on the podium in seven different seasons over the course of the last 30 years. I recently got a chance to ask Coach Treacy a few questions about his time at the College. When asked if the big wins and success stories of his former players help him return each year with the same energy, Treacy smiled thinking about the past. “It definitely keeps you motivated. There is a turnover every year, you lose some great runners and bring in others. The cycle has been pretty good to us over the years. Each group that comes into the program motivates you in a different way.”
Although Coach Treacy enjoys every year, there are obviously some seasons that are more memorable than the rest. Luckily for the Friars, there have been two in the past 25 years that have been extra special. In 1995 and again in 2013, Providence College clinched the highest title in the nation and became NCAA champions. Treacy described the season leading up to the 2013 race and the hard work it took to come out on top. “We had the top-three runners in the country on our team: Sarah Law, Emily Sisson, and freshman Catarina Rocha. Our number five person, who is just as important as the number one person, was Grace Thek. Unfortunately, she didn’t race that season until the week before the Big East.” At the pre-nationals meet, PC and all the other contenders were out-raced by Georgetown. Without Thek, Coach Treacy appreciated the lack of attention his team received during the season. He wasn’t nervous about losing a couple spots in the national ranking. In fact, he was grateful that it lightened the pressure on his athletes.
“After we introduced her at the Big East meet, and it went really well, we knew we had a really good chance of winning it.”
Big East was first on the agenda and the athletes from the College were focused and prepared. “We dominated that day. We had three in the top four and Catarina finished in 7th while Grace was closely behind in 13th.”
The confidence that came with winning the Big East helped the Friars in the national competition. Luckily enough, there were no injuries in between races. The three high-profile, all-American runners for Providence were ready to lead their team for one final race. Coach Treacy was grateful for the shortcomings in his 2011 and 2012 seasons because he thinks his team learned a lot from losing. On a very windy day in November, the Friars beat teams like University of Arkansas, Georgetown University, and University of Arizona and took the national title for the first time in over 15 years. “A fall could put an end to your chances of winning so it was all about staying on your feet and executing the race to the best of our ability and we knew we’d win if we could do that.”
It takes a certain type of coach to lead a team to victory. When asked about his coaching style, Treacy gave some insight into how he manages his team. “It’s a very individual sport and we treat everyone individually. You’re a team until you step on the line, you’re an individual from the time the gun goes off to the time you finish and you’re a team again at the finish line. It’s a matter of everyone doing their job on that day, and if everyone does their job than you’re going to be successful.” And successful these Friars were, in 2013 and in seasons since.
This past season was not exactly what Coach Treacy was hoping for, but even the Friars are allowed rebuilding years. “When you don’t go to the NCAA for us, that’s not good. A lot of things didn’t come together for us at the end of the season. To be successful at that level, you have to be good, but you also have to have a little bit of luck as well.” Looking forward, there is hopefully some luck in the future for the Friars. Although they will have a young team by normal standards, Coach Treacy is excited about the new talent joining the experienced group of runners. And with that Coach Treacy tells me, “I am just as excited about what I do now as I was 30 years ago.” The PC family is forever grateful to have a coach and person like Treacy on campus, and will be expecting great things as he continues his coaching career.
Dropping the Mitts for Drew Brown
by The Cowl Editor on February 7, 2019
Friar Sports
PC Honors Former Hockey Player
by Meaghan Cahill ’20
The Providence College Men’s Hockey Team hosted more than the University of Vermont men’s hockey team this past weekend at Schneider Arena. In attendance at the game was none other than former Friar and Boston Bruins player Noel Acciari ’15 and family and friends of Drew Brown ’16.
Brown was a member of the hockey team that would go on to win the 2015 NCAA National Championships. During his junior year, Brown was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer, Ewing’s Sarcoma, after he took a hit to his left leg during a hockey playoff game the season before.
Brown overcame the cancer which is known for its one in a million diagnosis, but unfortunately his remission did not last long. In the spring of 2016, the cancer returned to Brown’s body. This time around, Brown was unable to win the fight against cancer and after continuous treatments and 24/7 care, he passed away at the age of 25 on November 11, 2017.
“Drew touched everyone with whom he came into contact with his energy, his smile, and his big heart. Drew showed amazing courage in his battle with cancer. Our Friar Family will miss him dearly,” Head Coach Nate Leaman commented after the passing of Brown.
One person who was with Brown through it all was Acciari. The two had a friendship that went all the way back to Kent School, a prep school that they both attended and played on the same hockey team. It is due to their long-lasting friendship that Acciari decided to start the “Dropping the Mitts for Drew Brown” fundraiser.
Starting out as a gofundme.com page, which has accrued more than $60,000, the fundraiser has expanded to the national level as Acciari uses his public platform to raise awareness for his friend and cause. The most notable moment that he utilized his platform was in November during the National Hockey League’s Hockey Fights Cancer month-long campaign when he did a special interview about Brown while wearing a custom-made lavender suit in honor of his friend.
“He left his legacy…he was a character guy and he always brought a smile to your face and was always laughing…I can still hear his laugh, it’s definitely missed,” Acciari commented.
And now, once again Acciari is taking the opportunity to raise awareness for his friend, this time bringing it back to their old stomping grounds.
Before the official puck drop between PC and UVM, Acciari, along with Brown’s mother Sandy and fiancé Michelle, and PC Athletic Director Bob Driscoll, came out onto the ice for a ceremonial puck drop to kick off the “Dropping the Mitts for Drew Brown” night at Schneider Arena.
To honor and remember the late Friar, PC players wore special pins created by the non-profit organization, Beads of Courage, in honor of Brown. In between periods of the game, tribute videos were shown with both Leaman and Acciari expressing how Brown was an “important part of the Friar family” and that they, along with everyone from the PC community, thanked everyone who came to the game “in support of the night.”
Brown’s mother commented on how “very touched” she was by not only Acciari’s actions to honor and keep her son’s memory alive, but also by PC as a whole.
Friars Compete at the John Thomas Terrier Invitational Meet
by The Cowl Editor on February 7, 2019
Friar Sports
by Jack Belanger ’21
The cross country season is long over, but as the Providence College Track and Field Team heads into the midst of the winter track season, records are still being broken, and one runner has been making headlines. While it was Abbey Wheeler ’20 who dominated in the fall, placing first in multiple races and being named both NCAA XC Division I National Athlete of the Week twice, Millie Paladino ’18RS has led the team this winter.
During the John Thomas Terrier Invitational on Jan. 25, running on the indoor track at Boston University, Paladino broke the school record for the 1,000-meter run where she finished with a time of 2:42:13. Not only did her time break the 29-year-old school record, she also broke the New England Collegiate Record and her time is good for 10th best all-time in the NCAA.
Her time is also a huge improvement from last season. At the University of Rhode Island Sorlien Memorial Invitational on January 20, 2018, Paladino finished the 1,000-meter at 2:51:01. Earlier in the winter season she also set a personal best in the 800-meter run during the Penn Challenge, finishing at 2:08:94.
Two other Friars also came in first for their individual events. Brianna Ilarda ’18RS won the 3,000-meter race with a time of 9:12:58. Regan Rome ’18GS and Maria Coffin ’21 were among the leaders for the entire 5,000-meter race. Rome managed to separate herself from the rest of the pack and win with a time of 16:27:34. Coffin finished strong, placing sixth with a time of 16:46:94.
This meet was the second time this winter that Ilarda and Rome have come first for a respective events. At the Penn Challenge, Illarda won the mile while Rome won the 3,000-meter race.
On the men’s side, the Friars found their most success in the 1,000-meter run. Two Friars, Ryan Jendzejec ’21 and Nick Carleo ’19, finished in the top-20 as Jendzejec finished 0.02 seconds before Carleo. With times of 2:28:39 and 2:28:41, respectively, both runner qualified for the IC4A Championships.
Both the men’s and women’s teams will return to Boston University this weekend to take part in the Valentine Invitational. The team will have two more meets after the invitational to prepare for the Big East Championship at the end of the month.
New Season for Softball
by The Cowl Editor on January 31, 2019
Friar Sports
By Gavin Woods ’22
Sports Staff
As the winter season rages on, we begin to look forward to the start of the spring and the collegiate sports that come with it. Perhaps the most notable is the Providence College Softball Team, led by new Head Coach Jill Karwoski. The Friars are looking to bounce back from a somewhat underwhelming 2018 season, ending with an overall record of 13-32.
The primary change from last season is the difference in team management. The Friars said goodbye to longtime prior Head Coach Kerri Jacklets, who served in the position for a staggering total of 13 seasons with the College. In her time as head coach of the Friars, Jacklets was able to produce 15 All-Big East selections, one All-Big East Tournament Team player, three All-Northeast Team selections, one College Sports Madness Big East Rookie of the Year, and one NFCA All-Region Team player.
However, Karwoski is no stranger to the job; this will mark Karwoski’s return to Friartown as she formerly served as volunteer-assistant coach for the Friars’ 2012-2013 season, ending with an overall record of 23-28-1. While she looks forward to bringing her new head coaching experience back to PC, Karwoski insists, “I am still the same person and coach as I was when I volunteered with the Friars. The biggest difference now is that I feel I am able to invest all of my time and energy into building relationships with each player equally and play a more significant role in enhancing their overall student-athlete experiences.”
Karwoski returns to PC after serving five years as head coach for the Quinnipiac University Bobcats. Coach Karwoski values her time with the Bobcats and looks forward to following their next season, this time as a fan. As far as carrying over her experience from Quinnipiac to PC, Karwoski maintains, “With me I have already brought my love for the game as well as my coaching philosophy that has allowed our team to frame out the program’s new core values. It’s through these core values, every player, no matter what program, can be guided when making decisions on and off the field and long after they’ve received their hard-earned degree.”
When asked how she feels about her return to the PC program, Karwoski replied, “Words can’t express how grateful I am to be back in Friartown. Previously, when I was with the program, the Friars were able to leave a positive impression that I still cherish to this day.”
Another development from last season is the change in experience. Last year, the Friars had a relatively young squad. With only four seniors on the roster, PC fielded as many freshmen as they did seniors. This year, however, PC’s softball team features a total of seven seniors. This increase in experience will, no doubt, assist the Friars in improving their overall record.
While PC softball only lost four seniors to graduation, they will certainly be missed. Such talents include Julianne Rurka ’18, who held the Friars’ highest batting average at .333, and Brittney Veler ’18, who led the team in RBIs, home runs, and second to most runs. While these are enormous losses for the program, PC softball has much to look forward to with this relatively older team. Emma Lee ’19 looks to improve her already-stellar reputation from last season with the most hits, runs, and second to highest batting average on the squad. On defense, the Friars pitching staff features four relatively young players. The oldest of which is Miranda Trinidad ’20, who held the lowest ERA of all pitchers last season.
Coach Karwoski remains poised and eager to make her mark on the Big East conference, this time as head coach. She is especially enthused over one match-up in particular, “New to the Big East, every opponent will be an exciting match up for both our players and coaching staff. Having grown up in a suburb just northwest of Chicago, I am particularly excited to travel to DePaul to see some of my family and friends in the stands cheering for the Friars!”
Cheerleading Team Takes Nationals
by The Cowl Editor on January 31, 2019
Friar Sports
Team Competes in Nationals For the First Time
By Sullivan Burgess ’20
Sports Staff
On Jan. 17, the Providence College Cheerleading Team traded in their snow boots for sandals and sunscreen as they headed down to the magical world of Disney for the school’s first appearance at the UCA College Cheering National Championship in Orlando, Florida. While the overall experience was amazing, the journey to the competition was something unlike anyone on the team has ever experienced.
The team was able to practice all throughout winter break and utilize the extra sessions to finalize and perfect its routine for the competition. On days off, they were able to mentally prepare for what was in store in Florida and manage the pressure to be positive throughout the performance.
When it came to preparing for the trip, Assistant Coach Dan Weaver knew the challenges the team faced, and helped them prepare for something the team has never seen before in the school’s history. Yet, he had ultimate confidence. “As a first-year team, our mindset was unlike some of the other teams that have been competing for years,” Weaver stated. “They perform in the Dunk and Madison Square Garden in front of thousands of people. They can handle anything. And when we opened up the routine by hitting our elite hand-in-hand stunt sequence, I knew Providence Cheerleading had arrived.”
One of the biggest challenges when going into a competition like this, is facing the big name schools who have been in the competition before. Going into the event, Coach Melissa Scungio was excited for the team to enjoy this experience, while at the same time become comfortable with the idea of one day being on that stage as national champions. She stated, “It is amazing to be able to compete at the same level as some of the high profile teams in our Division such as University of Memphis, Purdue University, University of Delaware, Bowling Green State University, and University of Alabama-Birmingham. These teams have been competing at this level for years (some over 15-20 years). With that being said, and this being our first year, we were unbelievably proud and excited to be representing Providence College on this prestigious level. Our expectations were different than theirs, those top schools are competing for a National Championship. We are not there yet. As we grow, our expectations will continue to rise, and one day Providence College Cheerleaders will be competing for a National Championship.”
At Disney World, the team stayed for four days at the Disney All Star Resort. They were able to explore the resort and meet other teams from around the country. Between practice times and competition, the resort provided shuttles to the parks so the teams could enjoy a true Disney experience, go on all the rides, and see iconic locations.
As a team, they were able to watch the partner stunt competition and Division 1A finals. While the cheerleading team itself was on the mat for roughly two minutes and 30 seconds and did not to advance to the final, they succeeded in their own way by managing the life of a student-athlete, preparing for the basketball games, and getting ready for the team’s overall first competition.
The advice given by Taylor Dimond ’19 was simple when it comes to preparing for next year, “Going into next year, and future competitions, we definitely want to step our difficulty up…Yet this was a great place to start and we are only going to get even stronger from this point.”
Overall, this is a big step for the improvement for the cheerleading team that anticipates a bright future.
Men’s Swimming Tops Crusaders
by The Cowl Editor on January 24, 2019
Friar Sports
Women Fall Short Despite Multiple First Place Finishes
By Eileen Flynn ’20
Sports Staff
Throughout the season, the Providence College Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving Teams have battled hard against Bryant University, Iona College, Fairfield University, Brown University, and Villanova University. Despite coming up short at the start of the season, the team proved their strength and potential during the Harold Anderson Invitational.
A definite highlight of the season for the Friars, the invitational gathered teams together in Kingston, Rhode Island on Nov. 16-18 at the University of Rhode Island. Facing rivals like Bryant, University of Maine, and URI, the team had to show up each day with the desire to win. After a full weekend of close races, the women finished in third place, ahead of the College of the Holy Cross, Bryant, and the University of Maine. The men impressively placed first in the invitational and worked together to beat the pool of teams that the women also out-raced.
This momentum helped fuel the team’s energy for their senior meet this past Saturday, January 19. The men and women on the PC Swimming and Diving team gathered together in the Taylor Natatorium for their last home meet of the season. Despite the brisk weather outside, the intensity and praise for the seniors made for a fun atmosphere to compete in. The Holy Cross Crusaders traveled from Worcester to face a relentless group of Friars coming off of a tough schedule this season.
Lauren Zawacki ’21 finished first in the 50-meter freestyle, while her two teammates, Jennifer Bankes ’22 and Kathryn Presley ’22, placed on top in the 400-meter freestyle and the 100 meter breaststroke, respectively. Despite their efforts, the women’s team fell to Holy Cross in a close score of 136 to 161.
On the men’s side, Ryan Trammell ’19 decided he was going to make the most of his last time competing at PC. Although already holding the program record, Trammell improved his time in the 100-meter breaststroke to a quick 1:06.22. “It was really special to be able to improve my record one final time. It’s great to know I finished off with my best and gave it everything I could.” Justin Viotto ’22 followed Trammell’s lead by improving upon the program record he already held as well in the 200-meter butterfly with a time of 2:07.03.
When asked more about his experience on Saturday, Trammell explained how grateful he is for his teammates and how he will miss competing with them next year. “I really love this team and the support I have received over my four years has been awesome.” With the help of his teammates, the men’s team was able to clinch a win over Holy Cross, a special memory for his last meet on campus. “Getting to race in front of a home crowd, cheering on my teammates, and watching the team do well is what makes all the hours of practice and pain worth it,” said Trammell.
Trammell, along with his teammates is looking forward to his final Big East Championship appearance on Feb. 20. “I have a few individual rivals on each of the other teams so obviously I’m looking to beat out those guys for the top of the podium.” Competition aside, Trammell is quick to say he will cherish his last couple of meets, enjoying the moment and swimming alongside his teammates.
Women’s Basketball Sweep Homestand
by The Cowl Editor on January 24, 2019
Friar Sports
By Thomas Zinzarella ’21
Sports Staff
The weather this weekend was well below freezing in the Providence area, but the Providence College Women’s Basketball Team continued their scorching hot streak, winning four of their last five Big East games. The Friars improved their Big East conference record to 4-4 with a thrilling triple overtime victory over the Butler University Bulldogs on Friday and a 71-58 victory over the Xavier University Musketeers.
Friday’s game also featured the 12th annual Project Providence game where there were over 1,000 local elementary and middle school students from eleven schools in three different states. The home court advantage was seen early on thanks to the over 1,000 local kids that turned up. The Friars started the game on an 11-2 run where their suffocating defense led to a fast offense. The Friars started 3-3 from downtown with two of those shots coming from Maddie Jolin ’19. The Bulldogs mounted a 14-0 run in the second quarter but the remainder of this game was a back and forth affair with eight lead changes and six ties. In the end, it was the Friars defense that outlasted the Bulldogs after their second leading scorer Tori Schickel fouled out in the second overtime period.
A layup by Earlette Scott ’22 sealed the win for the Friars with the final score being 74-68. After the game, Jovana Nogic ’19 really stressed the defensive effort of her and her teammates. “We know defense wins games and we were always going into the next overtime thinking we need to win this game on defense.”
Nogic also added a game total of 24 points to the winning effort. The Friars scoring was also aided by Kaela Webb ’22 who piled on 16 points. Coach Crowley praised his squad’s offensive aggressiveness throughout the game. “A big key was our offensive aggressiveness…we fouled out four or five of their kids because we were being really aggressive offensively,” Coach Crowley stated. It was only the fourth triple overtime game in Big East history. The game that would help set up success for the rest of the weekend.
In Sunday’s victory over the Xavier Musketeers, the Friars led the game straight from the opening tip until the end of the game. Nogic led the Friars with 16 points on 6-16 shooting from the field. It was also a freshman showing in Alumni Hall with Webb putting up 15 points and with Mary Baskerville ’22 producing 11 points and 6 rebounds. Webb’s performance this week garnered her Big East Freshman of the Week honors. She averaged 15.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, three assists, and two steals this past week which helped lift the Friars to a weekend sweep.
Webb is the second Friar to earn the Big East Freshman of the Week honors. Mary Baskerville earned the award three times this year including the prior two weeks. In fact, four of the last five weeks a Friar has been awarded the Big East Freshman of the Week award. It is the first time since 2000-2001 that two freshmen Friars have earned this award. Both freshmen contributed to a strong weekend showing, and it was the first time since the Big East realignment that the Friars have swept a weekend series.
With the 4-4 conference record, it is their best start in conference play since 2011-2012 as the Friars look to continue this recent success when they hit the road for the next three games. The Friars will head out to Omaha to play the Creighton University Bluejays this Saturday, January 26 at 2 p.m. You can tune in to the Big East Digital Network on Fox Sports Go to catch the action.
Men’s Hockey Scores Big to Win Mayor’s Cup
by The Cowl Editor on January 24, 2019
Friar Sports
Friars Unable to Build Off of Win in Game Against Boston College
By Cam Smith ’21
Sports Staff
The Providence College Men’s Hockey Team was looking for a win this past week after two straight losses. In their meeting against Brown University, the Friars did just that.
The annual matchup against the Brown Bears, known for the past 33 years as the Mayor’s Cup, has historically gone PC’s way. The Friars came into this year’s Cup with a 51-46-3 advantage. Last year’s matchup on the Schneider Arena ice ended with a PC win as five different Friars scored in a 5-0 shutout.
There was much of the same this year, as PC won the Mayor’s Cup taking a 5-1 victory. The game was decided soon after it had begun, as PC caught the Bears off-guard with an onslaught of early offensive plays that resulted in four goals in just the first nine minutes of play.
Kasper Björkqvist ’20 started off the festivities as he hammered home a rebound off the post to make it 1-0. The goal was Björkqvist’s 10th on the season, a total that puts him second in goals scored on the team. Just a mere 39 seconds later came the second goal of the night, as Greg Printz ‘21 fired a shot past the goalkeeper off a centering feed from Jacob Bryson ’20. Josh Wilkins ‘20 would get in on the action a couple minutes later with a wrister to the right corner, and Jack Dugan ‘22 would cap off the flurry of first period offense by sneaking one through the Bears’ keeper’s pads for his eighth goal of the season.
PC never looked back after their first period blitz, as they dug in on the defensive end en route to their 5-1 victory. The quick burst of goals and resulting lead allowed for a total team effort the rest of the way, as all three PC goalkeepers saw action in the third period as the game remained firmly in control. The Friars have now held ownership of the Cup since the 2015-16 season and will look to continue that trend in next year’s 34th annual Mayor’s Cup.
The other game on the schedule last week did not go nearly as well for the men’s hockey team, as they fell to Boston College 1-4. It was the second meeting of the year between the perennial Hockey East powerhouses. PC also fell to the Eagles on Jan. 11 by a score of 2-4.
The Eagles jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead on a Michael Kim powerplay goal. The Friars would then go on to give up a shorthanded goal to make it 2-0 BC after the first period. The second period of the game went to the Friars, as goalie Hayden Hawkey ’19 made several superb saves while Jason O’Neill ’21 tapped in a Bryan Lemos ‘19 shot to make it 2-1 BC after two.
Unfortunately, the rally would come up short as BC responded in the third period with two additional goals, placing the game firmly out of reach.
The new year hasn’t been so kind to the Friars, as they now hold a 2-3-1 record in the month of January. However, a return to Schneider Arena might help to cure the January blues. PC takes on no. 8 Northeastern University Huskies on Jan. 25 in a battle between Hockey East heavyweights.