Tag: Friar Sports
Young Roster Not Deterring the Tennis Team
by The Cowl Editor on September 20, 2018
Friar Sports
By Cam Smith ’21
Sports Staff
The Providence College Women’s Tennis Team will kick off their regular season on Wednesday, September 26, on the hallowed grounds of the PC Tennis Courts. The Friars are scheduled to take on Fairfield University in a match that is sure to provide some thrills.
The two teams battled it out last year with the Friars coming up just short in the match, falling to the Stags 4-3. Now, the team will have the chance to begin the season on a strong note, against an opponent that they came inches away from knocking off in the 2017-2018 season.
University of Mississippi tennis legend, Jakob Klaeson, enters his third season coaching the Friars after taking over prior to the spring term in January of 2016. The past two years the team has fallen in the first round of the Big East tournament, including last April’s 4-0 result against the seventh seeded Creighton University Blue Jays. However, there is reason for optimism in Friartown, as the squad returns almost all of last year’s members.
The Friars’ lone senior, Risa Takenaka ’19, will look to finish off a successful career at the College. Takenaka started her 2017 fall season in dominant fashion, with a 4-0 record in league singles play. Playing out of the number one slot, Takenaka saw her fair share of exciting victories in the spring season as well. Takenaka took down Villanova’s top dog, Lexi DeNucci, in a riveting match that was decided in a tiebreaker.
Takenaka is far from alone, as her doubles partner Aidan Epstein ’20 returns to the court as well. Epstein also saw a successful run last fall with a 3-1 singles record, and the dynamic duo teamed up for huge match wins in the spring against Sacred Heart (6-4) and Marist (6-3). Emily Collins ’20 and Natalie Pitocco ’20 also return to the team, and will look to replicate their 2-0 fall record in doubles play.
The upperclassmen will be joined by three compelling sophomores: Lauryn Jacobs ’21, Sera Satkowski ’21, and Grace Goyette ’21. The trio had their share of memorable freshman year moments, and will look to build on them in year two. All three were able to win their first singles matches of their collegiate careers, an outcome which the new class of incoming freshmen will surely want to replicate.
Mimi Dailey ’22, a graduate from Ursuline Academy, joins the squad after being named a Catholic Conference League All-Star in high school. Haley Gurski ’22, a Minnechaug Regional graduate, enters her collegiate career after making it to the championship match in all four years of high school play. The third newcomer, Katie Markham ’22, comes in as a veteran of the United States Tennis Association (UTSA) circuits, which allowed her to compete in matches across the country.
The Friars were able to step on the courts for the first time this past weekend, as they traveled to Hamden, Connecticut to participate in the Quinnipiac Invitational. They were joined in Hamden by other big-name schools such as Boston University, West Point, and the University of Connecticut. The tournament provided some much needed in-game experience for a squad coming off a long layoff since the spring season.
After taking on Fairfield last Wednesday, PC will stay at home to face off against the College of the Holy Cross on Saturday, September 29. They will hope to knock off the Crusaders in a similar fashion to last year, when the Friars handed them an emphatic 5-0 loss.
With a mix of savvy veterans and exciting young players, the Friars have a good chance of doing just that.
PC Swimming and Diving Makes Waves to Fight Cancer
by The Cowl Editor on September 13, 2018
Friar Sports
Team Raises $30,101 for Cancer Research
By Liza Sisk ’19
Sports Staff
This past weekend, the Providence College Men’s and Women’s Swim Teams left the comfort of their home pool, the Taylor Natatorium, and braced the cold ocean current in the waters of Narragansett, Rhode Island. Their venture into the open water was motivated by their determination to raise money for cancer research.
On Sept. 8, the Friars participated in the annual Swim Across America (SAA) event. The race is hosted by the SAA organization as a fundraiser to support doctors with ideas to fight cancer who are struggling to receive funding for clinical trials and research. The organization holds races nationwide. The swim is open to athletes of any age and skill level and typically offers both a half mile and a 1-mile race.
This season, SAA hosted 18 open-water swims at locations across the United States. They also offer the opportunity for individuals to hold pool races to contribute to their cause.
The beneficiaries of the funds raised during the respective races are cancer research facilities in the direct community where the race took place. The goal of SAA is to “fund $100 million in the next decade, to speed up cures for cancer.”
Saturday’s event took place at the Roger Wheeler Beach in Narragansett. The Friars participated in the one-mile swim. This year, the event attracted over 600 participants, many of whom represented collegiate swim teams across New England. The Narragansett-based event raises funds specifically for gynecological and breast cancer research at the Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island.
Providence College has been participating in the event since its inaugural year nine years ago. Coach John O’Neill is on the commitee that brought the event to Rhode Island and is committed to cultivating it into one of the largest SAA events in the nation. Each year the team promotes the event amongst family and friends, and on social media, and where they raise money to contribute to research.
This year, as a program, the Friars was the highest fundraising team, raising $30,101 to support the local hospital. The swim itself collected $204,641 nearly reaching their goal of $210,000 with time still left to donate. In the nine years that the Friars have been involved with SAA, they have raised over $175,000.
The event not only attracted 600 participants, but four Olympic swimmers also made appearances at the race. Craig Beardsely (1980), Elizabeth Beisel (2008, 2012, 2016), Alex Meyer (2012), and Clara Walker LaMore (1948) supported the Rhode Island race and were available for photos and additional inspiration. These four Olympic athletes along with over 100 Olympians promote SAA events annually, generating awareness and raising donations for the beneficiaries of the races.
O’Neill made the following statement after the meet: “We would like to again thank the leaders of every college program for continuing to join us helping in the fight against cancer. The big winners on this day each year are the patients who will benefit from the outstanding doctors and research specialists at Women and Infants Hospital.”
Liam Straker ’19 is serving as a captain for the Friars. He reflected upon the significance of the program’s participation in such a powerful event and explained that “it’s important to take a step back and appreciate how lucky we are to have our health. It’s something I know I take for granted almost every day.”
Straker shared that the event is particularly important because “everyone’s life has been touched by cancer, so it’s really something that hits home for all of us.” Straker expresses his pride in the program for “making the commitment to this event year after year,” and is “grateful for the support [they’ve] received along the way.”
Volleyball Sweeps Annual Friar Classic
by The Cowl Editor on September 13, 2018
Friar Sports
Team Looks to Continue Making Improvements Early on in the Season
By Sullivan Burgess ’20
Sports Staff
It has been an exciting few weeks for the Providence College Women’s Volleyball team as they continue to extend their 6-4 record.
The Friars are coming off of a series of two tournaments in the last two weeks, starting with the 14th Annual Friar Volleyball Classic. This year, the teams included PC, Brown University, the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, and Fairleigh Dickinson University, one of the opponents from last season’s tournament.
The mindset going into the tournament was to fix the mistakes made at the Boston College Invitational, where the Friars fell 0-3 to both Sacred Heart University and Boston College, while beating the University of Hartford, 3-0. Megan Onyundo ’19 stated the best ways to fix these mistakes came from practicing to watching film as well as from analyzing stats from the previous games in order to determine goals. Additionally, the team practiced servicing and ball distribution. Onyundo is currently sixth in kills with 31, and third in service aces with eight.
When asked about her goals for her last year on the team, Onyundo stated, “We needed to win every game, I know we can definitely win with all our talent, we need to do our job to help the team win in any of our roles.”
Onyundo also wanted to enjoy her time on the court as much as possible and take in every moment she spends with the team.
Their mindsets and goals worked perfectly, as they turned around and went onto win the Friars Classic, creating a positive atmosphere in the locker room. Each player was able to take pride in their performance, as they adapted to each opponent’s games in order to fix the problems from previous matches.
This new mindset was helpful for the Friars as they went to their next tournament in Kansas City, the Kangaroo Classic. This year’s matchups included Southeast Missouri State University, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, and Arkansas State University.
Injuries have set the Friars back this season. No one on the team has been seriously injured, but a series of knee injuries and concussions have affected a few players this season.
One thing Onyundo wanted to express clearly was the amount of useful advice she has been giving to the freshmen as school starts and practices become longer. Since school, practice, jobs, and life takes a toll on them, she has been talking one-on-one with each of them to create a bond with each player, making them feel like family.
With the next tournament swiftly approaching, the team aims to continue the chemistry they had developed from the last few games and to continue to adapt to changed lineups.
Overall, the team went 2-2 in the Kangaroo Classic beating both SIUE and Southeast Missouri, and losing to UMKC and Arkansas State.
The team came back home on Sept. 11 looking to bounce back against Bryant University. PC played the Bulldogs tough all the way; forcing a fifth set after being down two sets to one. Unfortunately, the Friars were not able to pull out the win, losing the fifth set 15-10. Allison Impellizeri ’19 led the team with 14 kills.
Fans make a major impact at home games when they come out to visit and cheer. The players have been noticing more students attending each year and how they love their support and even insults/jokes used on the other team.
The Friars’ season is already off to a hot start, and it is exciting to see what is in store for the ladies this season as Big East Conference play commences.
Cross Country Off to a Great Start
by The Cowl Editor on September 13, 2018
Friar Sports
By Meaghan Cahill ’20
Sports Co-Editor
On your mark, get set, go! The 2018 cross country season has officially begun for the Providence College men’s and women’s teams.
On Sept. 1, both teams traveled to Durham, New Hampshire to compete in the University of New Hampshire dual meet, which included both men’s and women’s teams from the College of the Holy Cross.
In a Northeast Regional poll taken just before the meet, PC’s men’s team was ranked No. 4 and the women’s team was ranked No. 1.
The meet was a success; the men’s and women’s teams both captured their first wins of the season. The men gained a total of 15 points and swept the top eight spots. The women came in positions one, two, and four in the top six—they would go on to win the meet with a total of 22 points.
Abbey Wheeler ’20 was the top runner for the Friars after gaining a lead early on and winning the entire race with a time of 17:21.37. Wheeler finished her previous cross country season in 10th place at the Big East Championship and earned All-Big East First Team Honors.
Finishing closely behind Wheeler, Maria Coffin ’21 finished strong with a time of 17:21.45 to secure second place overall. Last season, Coffin was a top-eight runner for PC all throughout the season and was a member of the Big East Runner-Up team.
In the fourth and sixth positions were graduate student Regan Rome (17:50.58) and Alex DeCicco ’20 (18:00.26). Much like Coffin, DeCicco was a consecutive top-eight runner last season for the Friars and she finished in the Top 50 at the Big East Championship.
The men’s team finished in the top spots as well. Michael Wyman ’19G finished his first race as a Friar in first place overall with a time of 15:05.63. Marcelo Rocha ’21 finished three seconds behind Wyman with a time of 15:08.23. This was Rocha’s first meet as a Friar. Less than a second after Rocha crossed the line, David Rosas ’21 finished third with a time of 15:08.71. Rosas’s time showed an impressive improvement, shaving off over 30 seconds from his time at last year’s dual meet.
The men’s team will be looking towards their seasoned runners to aid them the rest of the season. Austin Scola ’19 is coming into his senior year after being a repeated top eight finisher for the men’s team all throughout last year. He also finished 27th overall at the Big East Championships.
Along with Scola, Liam Harris ’20, who won the UNH dual meet last year, was also a solid top eight finisher and placed 18th overall at the Big East Championships. Harris’s cross country season concluded last year with him earning Big East Second Team honors.
While the men will be looking to their upperclassmen to guide them to a successful season, the women’s cross country team will be looking down to their underclassmen.
Hanna Johnston ’21, who redshirted last season, is expected to have a big inaugural season along with Hannah McReavy ’22.
Prior to joining the Friar Family, Johnston, a Thunder Bay, Ontario native, was a member of the 2017 Canadian Junior Cross Country Team that finished sixth at the World Junior Cross Country Championships in Uganda.
McReavy, who is from Colorado, was the Tri-Peaks runner of the year for cross country two consecutive years in a row (2016 and 2017) and finished fourth overall in the Colorado State Cross Country Championships.
PC’s men’s and women’s Cross Country teams will be competing next on Sept. 21 at the Coast-to-Coast Battle in Beantown Meet, hosted by Boston College.
Upperclassmen Look to Continue Last Season’s Success
by The Cowl Editor on September 13, 2018
Friar Sports
By Jack Belanger ’21
Sports Co-Editor
In terms of consistency, it would be hard to find a team more solid than the Providence College Field Hockey Team. In the past 12 seasons, the team has qualified for the Big East tournament eight times. Only four out of eight teams qualify for the tournament.
Last season, the Friars finished fourth in the Big East with 11-8 record overall and 4-3 in Big East play. The team faced the University of Connecticut Huskies in the semi-finals for a chance to compete for the Big East finals. Unfortunately, the Huskies, who would go on to finish the season undefeated and win the National Championship, beat the Friars 3-0, ending their season.
This season, PC returns six starters including Corinne Kenney ’19 and Mikayla Michals ’20, who were named to the all Big East Preseason Team. Kenney was named All-Big East Second Team last year and she returns as one of PC’s top defenders.
Last season, Michals was tied for the team lead in goals with five. She was second on the team in points and returns as the top scorer from last season. Izzy Mendez ’20 also had five goals last season, giving PC its top two goal-scorers for 2017.
In goal, Lydia Rice ’19 takes over this season after Megan Guilbert ’18 graduated. Rice comes into the season with only two career games under her belt. Rice should have plenty of help in front of her as the Friars return multiple defenders from a team that allowed the second fewest goals in the Big East with 35 goals.
Allyson Parker ’20 is another returning starter to watch out for. Last season, Parker started in every game for the Friars. After scoring two goals last season, she will be tasked with picking up the scoring as several of the top scorers left the team.
Two freshmen who are looking to make an immediate impact this season are Jenna Puleo ’22 and Amanda Collins ’22 who play forward and midfielder/defense, respectively. Through seven games this year Collins has registered three assists and started every game, while Puleo has appeared in six games.
So far this season, PC is 3-4 and has not played any Big East games yet. The team started 0-3 after a trip out to California. Once the team came home, the Friars responded with a three game winning streak, followed by a loss to the University of Iowa.
The 2018 Big East Field Hockey Preseason Coaches’ Poll picked the Friars to once again finish fourth in the league. The University of Connecticut, the defending champs, are once again picked to finish in first, receiving seven first place votes.
New Faces in Friartown
by The Cowl Editor on August 30, 2018
Friar Sports
PC Welcomes Coaches for Women’s Hockey and Softball
By Meaghan Cahill ’20
Sports Co-Editor
“We are excited to welcome Matt Kelly as head coach of our women’s ice hockey program,” Providence College Athletic Director Bob Driscoll announced on June 18. Kelly, the sixth coach in the history of the program, was hired after the abrupt firing of former Head Coach Bob Deraney, who had been with the program for 19 years.
The decision to replace Deraney came after the team was ousted from the Hockey East Tournament in Game 3 of the quarterfinal round by the University of Connecticut.
Kelly’s “extensive experience as a coach” began in 2008 when he was hired as the assistant coach for Clarkson University’s women’s ice hockey team. During his six years with the program, he helped the Golden Knights qualify for the ECAC playoffs six years in a row, claim three league titles, reach the NCAA Tournament three times, and win a National Championship in 2014.
Following his time at Clarkson, Kelly went on to become the assistant coach for Quinnipiac University for the 2007-2008 season after volunteering as an assistant coach for Wayne State University from 2006-2007, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree.
The former goaltender for the Wayne State Warriors took a break from coaching when he became a Head Scout for USA Hockey and the women’s national teams, which was the role he was serving in at the time of his hire. With the primary responsibility of overseeing and maintaining the player pools for the U-18, U-22, and women’s national teams, Kelly was the one responsible for assembling the team that won gold in the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics—a feat that has not been accomplished by the U.S. in 20 years.
“As a scout for USA Hockey, he has continued to refine his skills as one of the top evaluators of talent in the women’s game,” Driscoll stated. “We look forward to the future of our women’s hockey program under Matt’s direction, competing for Hockey East championships, and returning our storied program to the national stage.”
Upon his hiring, Kelly commented, “I want to thank Father Shanley, Athletic Director Bob Driscoll, and Associate Athletic Director Kyle Murphy for this tremendous opportunity. The vision, support, and rich women’s hockey history at Providence College are second to none and my family and I are excited to be a part of the Friar family.”
Since he joined the program, Kelly brought Jake Anderson, the former assistant coach at Merrimack College; Alison Domenico, the former assistant coach at Syracuse University; and Doug Ferry, the team’s graduate assistant for the past two years onto his staff.
Kelly and his staff will not be the only new faces in Friartown this year. PC’s Softball Team will be welcoming in an entirely new coaching staff this season. In early July it was announced that Jill Karwoski will be the new head coach of the team.
Karwoski, who previously served as a volunteer assistant coach for the Friars during the 2012-2013 season, was acting as the head coach of the Quinnipiac softball team when she was picked up by Providence.
In the announcement of her hire, Driscoll said, “We are excited to have Jill come back to Friartown and lead our softball program. She has 10 years of head coaching experience and she has recruited at the highest level in the ACC. We believe we have one of the top facilities in the conference and with Jill’s leadership we can become one of the top programs in the Northeast and compete for the Big East title.”
Along with her experience at both PC and Quinnipiac, Karwoski served as the head coach at both Merrimack (2011-2012) and Morehead State University (2004-2007), and as the associate head coach and recruiting coordinator at Boston College (2007-2011).
“I could not be more excited and grateful for this opportunity to return to Friartown as the next head softball coach,” Karwoski said. “I strongly believe Bob and I share a similar vision that success is built around strong core values, talented athletes, and dynamic students. Providence softball is rich in tradition, resources, and Friar pride. It is my mission to instill a championship mindset, which will lead to a promising future in the Big East.”
In regards to her plans for her first season with the team, Karwoski claims she will “hit the ground running and make an immediate impact.”
Since her own hire, Karwoski has announced that she will be bringing in Bree Nasti to join her as the team’s assistant coach.
Holding the single season national high school record with a .774 batting average, Nasti previously coached at Adelphi University for the past six seasons. While at Adelphi, Nasti led her team to the Northeast-10 Tournament Championship three times, as well as five NE-10 regular season Southwest Division titles. She also coached her team into six-straight NCAA Division II regional appearances, four NCAA Division II super regional appearance, and advanced to the NCAA Division II Women’s College World Series twice. As a result, Nasti and her staff were honored as the National Fastpitch Coaches Association East Region Coaching Staff of the Year in 2013, 2015, and 2016.
“I am beyond excited to have the opportunity to bring Bree to Friartown. Proven in her track record…I am confident she will be a positive influence and make an immediate impact on our program,” Karwoski stated on her hiring choice.
After a disappointing season last year that ended with a record of 13-32, all eyes will be on Karwoski and Nasti as they look to turn the program around.
With the extensive experience that each coach brings to the table, hopes are high for success in the 2018-2019 season for the women’s hockey and softball teams.
PC Soccer Teams are Hopeful Contenders
by The Cowl Editor on August 30, 2018
Friar Sports
By Jack Belanger ’21
Sports Co-Editor
Last Fall, the Providence College Men’s and Women’s Soccer Teams looked to build off their 2016 seasons in pursuit of Big East Championship wins.
Unfortunately, after finishing first in the Big East in 2016 and a run to the Elite Eight, PC’s men’s soccer team fell to fifth place in the conference finishing 5-8-5 overall in 2017, losing in the first round of the Big East Tournament.
While PC’s women’s team record did not drastically improve from 2016 to 2017, the team went from fifth to third place and made their way into the Big East Semifinals.
Both teams are in position for improvement, as the women’s team only lost four seniors, and the men still have several key players from the 2017 season.
Women’s Team
PC’s women’s soccer team has plenty to look forward to this season as four out of the top five point-scorers from last year return this season, including Hannah McNulty ’21 and Casey Estey ’19 who were tied for the team lead in goals with three.
Defenseman Katie Day ’19 and midfielder Kayla Steeves ’19 were named to the Preseason All-Big East Team. Last season, Day was named to the All-Big East First Team, while Steeves was named to the Second Team. Midfielder/forward Amber Birchwell ’21 was named to the All-Big East Freshmen Team as she was tied for third on the team in points.
PC’s goalkeeper, Shelby Hogan ’20RS was named the Big East Freshman of the Year last season, as she had seven shutouts last season and a 1.05 goals against average.
The team welcomes five new freshmen to the team, including Celina Falzarano ’22 and Hannah Morgan ’22, who play forward and defense respectively.
This season, the team will head down to Durham, North Carolina to play in the Duke Nike Classic, where they will play the University of North Carolina and Duke University.
The team is picked to finish fourth based on the Big East Preseason Coaches’ Poll, receiving 55 points, though third place Marquette University garnered only four more points than PC.
Georgetown University is picked to be the favorite after winning the championship last season.
Men’s Team
After a season that was filled with injuries and performance inconsistencies, the PC men’s soccer team comes into 2018 with plenty of hope of success with players returning and 10 new players in a strong incoming freshman class.
The team looks to find its next goal scorer as 2017 top goal scorer Mac Steeves ’17RS graduated and was drafted by the Major League Soccer team, the Houston Dynamo. The Friars hope midfielder Danny Griffin ’20 and midfielder/forward Alex DaCosta ’20 can fill the void left by Steeves.
Joao Serrano ’20RS led the team in assists and was second in points in 2017 at the center midfielder. Serrano is a captain this year and is one of the team’s better ball distributors.
In goal, Colin Miller ’19RS returns for his third season as the team’s starting goalkeeper. Last season, Miller had a 1.08 goals against average along with five shutouts, earning Big East Goalkeeper of the Week twice.
Miller, the 2016 Big East Goalkeeper of the Year, was voted as the Big East Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year and was voted to the All-Big East Preseason Team along with Griffin.
Two freshmen to watch are Kevin Vang ’22 and Ramzi Qawasmy ’22, who play midfield and defense respectively.
Midfielder Simon Fisher ’21 is also a potential breakout player. Fisher had a strong spring season and looks to give the team quality minutes on the field.
The Friars have the pieces to compete this year if all of their players can stay healthy and they can find a number one scoring option.
Looking around the league, Georgetown looks to repeat as league champions, while Xavier University also returns with a strong team.
PC has their home opener on Friday, August 31 at 7 p.m. against Boston College.
Volleyball Looks to Build From 2017
by The Cowl Editor on August 30, 2018
Friar Sports
By Meaghan Cahill ’20
Sports Co-Editor
Coming off their first winning season since 2007, which included a five match win improvement in Big East play, Providence College’s Volleyball Team is looking to improve those numbers this year.
Returning player Addison Root ’20 will be looked at as a key player for the upcoming season. The only Friar to be named to the All-Big East Second Team, Root concluded her rookie season by leading the team in kills (416), service aces (36), and points (416). She was third on the team in digs with 258. In overall Big East play, Root, who is an outside hitter, ranks third in service aces per set (.31), fifth in kills per set (3.59), and fifth in points per set (4.01). A big part of the team’s success last season, Root recorded 21 kills in a single match twice and recorded double digit digs and kills in the same match on nine different occasions.
Aside from Root, Allison Impellizeri ’19 is another key player to be on the lookout for. Starting in 17 of the 20 matches she played in last season, Impellizeri tallied 152 kills and 45 blocks. Her sophomore season consisted of her starting in 33 matches and leading the team in blocks (80), ranking third on the team in kills (246), and setting a season high for kills in a single match (16).
Allison Barber ’21 is a returning player that turned many heads during her freshman year alongside Root and Impellizeri, and will definitely be a player to watch this upcoming season.
As a freshman, Barber started in all 33 matches and played in all 116 sets. Her breakout season concluded with her leading the team in assists (1,162) and she recorded a season-high 54 assists against the University of Alabama, Birmingham.
The incoming freshman class consists of four new players; Katie McLellan ’22, Mackenzie Taylor ’22, Emma Fink ’22, and Nina Askew ’22, to join 11 returning players, including two sophomores, five juniors, and four seniors.
The season started for the Friars on Aug. 24, when they appeared in the Boston College Invitational. Coming out of the tournament, the team went 1-2, dropping matches 0-3 against both Sacred Heart University and Boston College. The tournament ended on a high note for the team as they swept Hartford University in all three matches.
Impellizeri started the match off strong as she collected 6 of her 10 kills in the first set and finished the match with a team-best 10 kills for PC and hit .471. Along with Impellizeri, Jenae Alderson ’20 and Root both notched nine kills in the win and Mackenzie Taylor ’21 recorded a season-best 24 digs.
The Friars will play next in their 14th Annual Friar Volleyball Classic, which kicks off on Friday, August 31 against University of Massachusetts, Lowell in Mullaney Gym.
A Year in PC Sports: Fight for Drew Brown Night
by The Cowl Editor on May 3, 2018
Friar Sports
By Sam Scanlon ’19
Sports Staff
The Providence College community lost a great one this year. Drew Brown ’16, a former Friar hockey player and National Champion, lost his courageous battle with cancer on November 11, 2017, at the age of 25.
The Friars hosted the University of Massachusetts Amherst Minutemen for a weekend series on Nov. 10-11. Earlier that week, the game against UMass Amherst was named “I Fight for Drew Brown Night” with all proceeds going to the Brown family. By doing this, it was a way the community could stand with Brown and fight alongside him. Unfortunately, hours before the game, Brown lost his battle. “I Fight for Drew Brown Night” proceeded as planned, with countless heartfelt tributes throughout the night.
With their fallen brother in mind, the Friars took the ice on Saturday night to play and fight for Drew Brown. Former teammate and captain of the Friars, Brian Pinho ’18, got the Friars going early as he deposited his first goal of the game in just under five minutes. Pinho’s emotion throughout the game was felt by everyone in the arena that night, so his first tally opened the floodgates and sparked the Friars’ onslaught.
Following Pinho’s first strike, four consecutive power play goals ensued for the Friars, starting with Scott Conway ’19, a pair from defenseman Ben Mirageas ’21, and Pinho’s second of the game. The power play success brought the score to 5-2 with one period left to play.
The Friars’ main goal was to win this contest against a Hockey East opponent. However, everyone’s mind was on winning for Drew Brown, and the entire locker room wanted to do something special for him.
A little over halfway through the third period, forward Erik Foley ’19 scored a beautiful goal to extend the Friar lead to 6-2. With time winding down and a sizeable lead for the Friars, something still felt missing from the game. The missing piece was provided by Kasper Björkqvist ’20 with under two minutes left to play on yet another power play goal. This goal, however, lit up the entirety of Schneider Arena. This goal was goal number seven for the Friars on “I Fight for Drew Brown Night”. In his time with the Friars, Drew Brown wore number seven.
A Year in PC Sports: Catarina Rocha Wins Cross Country Title
by The Cowl Editor on May 3, 2018
Friar Sports
PC Runner Caps Off College Career as a Champion
By Meaghan Cahill ’20
Sports Co-Editor
Catarina Rocha ’17GS may not be the most well-known athlete on Providence College’s campus, but that does not diminish the outstanding performances she gave this year for the Providence College Women’s Cross Country Team. Her individual achievements as a runner are what makes her stand out as having one of the best sports moments of the 2017-2018 year.
The Big East Cross Country Championships were a success for the women’s cross country team, as they came in second place. However, Rocha was the star of the meet. She came in first place out of all of the female runners. Her placement earned her not only the title of the best runner in the Big East, but she was also awarded All-Big East First Team Honors. Rocha is the ninth Friar in history to win the individual Big East title.
Commenting on her success at the Big East Championships, Rocha claimed it was her “biggest sporting achievement to date.” Rocha also confessed her win came as a “surprise,” especially after being sidelined the year before due to an injury.
Head Coach Ray Treacy also commented on the four-time elected All-Northeast Regional Team member after her win saying, “I am especially proud of Catarina for winning the individual title. She has been a standout runner for us.”
Rocha is also a member of the track team at PC and, during the winter season, was the Big East Champion in the 5000-meter race.
In her final year at PC, Rocha went out on top as she wrapped up her athletic career as the winner of the Paul Connolly Memorial Award. This award is given to the female athlete who distinguished herself among her peers through sportsmanship, courage, and honor.