Tag: Friar Sports
Adapt or Lose: PC Softball Returns
by Joshua Lopes on March 4, 2021
Friar Sports
Friars Return to Field After Shortened Season
By Leo Hainline ’22
Sports Staff
Few programs in Friartown have experienced a turnaround these past few years like the Providence College Softball Team. Coach Jill Karwoski took over in 2018 and led the Friars to their best record since 2005 in her first season as head coach. Like many other sports, PC’s softball season was cut short last spring. The team is now eager to make the most of the opportunity that the COVID-19 pandemic took away from them last season in order to further establish themselves as a competitive force in the Big East.
The pandemic has forced the program to adjust to many new challenges. “There have been a lot of adaptations and adjustments in the past several months as you could imagine—from the coaching staff perspective, I think it was important to be open and transparent with everything,” said Karwoski. “We did our best to keep the lines of communication open throughout the pandemic from the moment where our season got shut down last spring to even today.”
Given the ever-changing and unpredictable nature of this season, the players have taken initiative and have created a motto that will guide the team through the season: adapt or lose. “I think it really sets a tone that we’re getting mentally and physically prepared for anything and everything this season,” stated Karwoski. “I think it’ll come in handy.”
The Friars have four seniors on their roster and one graduate student, Crista San Antonio ’20GS, who took advantage of the NCAA’s decision to grant graduating student-athletes the option to take an extra year of eligibility. “We love having veterans come back that are seasoned and experienced, and she brings that to the table.”
PC also added Sarah Gunderson ’20GS to the roster, a pitcher who played her previous four years at the University of Rhode Island. She will add depth to a veteran rotation that includes Julia Murphy ’21 and Olivia Sprofera ’21, alongside ace Daniela Alvarez ’22. In total, the Friars have six pitchers in their rotation, which Coach Karwoski believes can give them an advantage over some of their competition. “Defensively we have six pitchers on staff, which is really unique this year, so we can be creative and strategic with our pitching rotations,” she said. “We want to be focused on keeping our opposition’s score under two runs a game.”
Jessica Tomoso ’22 and Skie Villani ’22 hold the highest batting averages out of all returning players from last season. The offense should also be helped by University of Virginia transfer Madi Traver ’22. A main point of emphasis this season for the Friars will be executing with runners in scoring position, and these three players will look to lead by example.
PC softball opens their season on March 5 with a double-header against Boston University and another double-header against the Terriers on March 7. The Friars have been able to complete a successful run of practices leading up to the game, a tough thing to do on a campus mid-pandemic. Nevertheless, Karwoski is pleased with how the build-up to the season has been: “Right now we’ve been successful—we’ve had consecutive days of practice outside or in the gym where we haven’t had any pauses or shutdowns because of any outbreaks…we are just going to have to evaluate each day and what success looks like in the moment.”
Usually, the first half of the Friars’ season is filled with out-of-conference matchups and warm-weather tournaments in places like Texas, California, and Florida. This season will be much different, as the upcoming games against BU are the team’s only non-conference series. “It’s definitely going to be a challenge, and we’re not looking at it necessarily as a disadvantage, but it is a change,” said Karwoski. “A lot of the time we play a third of our season before we see conference games and this year, we’re going to play four games, weather pending…we’re going to have to be able to adapt and take advantage of each inning as they unfold next weekend.”
The solid run of successful practices will hopefully make up for the lack of non-conference games. “We’re trying to simulate as much competition as we can in practice to make up for those lost games,” admitted Karwoski. “But it’s up to us to ultimately be physically and mentally prepared regardless of whether we have the quantity of games as we did in years past.”
Qualifying and succeeding in the Big East tournament are always the program’s biggest goals, and the Friars will look to get off to a hot start as they will dive quickly into conference play this season. Only the top four teams in the conference make the Big East tournament, and this year, each team, from the top to the bottom of the conference, will have a chance to make a run in an unusual season.
The Friars will open Big East play on the weekend of March 13 against Creighton University at home, and then will travel to Chicago, IL to face the 2019 Big East Champion, DePaul University. The Blue Demons knocked the Friars out in the semifinals of the Big East tournament in their last matchup, and PC would love to get revenge against the top-ranked team in the Big East Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
No matter what happens, Karwoski and the Friars are just relieved to almost be back in season again. And with a talented group of veteran players, PC is ready to make some noise.
Listening Tour: Coaches For Action
by Joshua Lopes on February 25, 2021
Friar Sports
An Interview with Coach Ivan Thomas
By Cameron Smith ’21
Sports Co-Editor
This article is part of The Cowl’s Listening Tour, a series that aims to amplify the voices of BIPOC members of our community and bring awareness to social justice initiatives on campus.
On May 25, 2020, just before 8 a.m., a white woman made a 911 call in Central Park, in which she falsely accused Christian Cooper, a Black birdwatcher, of threatening her life. Just a few hours later, George Floyd would be killed in Minneapolis, MN, after a police officer pinned Floyd’s neck under his knee. Both incidents, captured on video, would go viral, igniting what is now considered the largest mass movement in U.S. history.
For Ivan Thomas, an assistant coach for the Providence College Men’s Basketball Team, both of these incidents were jarring, but far from surprising. “I was brought up in the South…I’ve seen a lot,” Thomas said. What was different this time was that the incidents happened to be caught on camera during a time period when a COVID-19 lockdown had the whole nation glued to their screens.
As protesters took to the streets, companies and organizations began releasing statements in support of the movement for racial justice. For Thomas, it was vital that these words of support be backed up with meaningful action. “It was important that you’re just not releasing a statement,” said Thomas. “I’ve seen a lot of people release statements. And you know that’s good, to come out and say where you stand, that you don’t believe in it, but what actions are you taking to prove that you don’t believe in it?”
It turns out that other coaches in the Big East held the same sentiments. Thomas soon began speaking with Marquette University associate head coach Dwayne Killings, University of Connecticut assistant coach Kimani Young, and Villanova University assistant coach Kyle Neptune as they pieced together what they could do to enact meaningful change. The product of these talks: Coaches for Action, a coalition of all 21 Big East assistant coaches of color.
“We began to form a think tank in terms of what we wanted to do with the platform that we have, to better take action for the athletes that we recruit,” said Thomas. “We wanted to make sure that we just did not talk or form a group of coaches that was symbolic. We wanted to take real action for our players.”
Thomas explained that the main purpose of the group was to make sure they offered their current players a platform that could simultaneously teach them how to use their voices while amplifying the players’ voices as well. From this, Coaches for Action founded themselves on three main initiatives meant to deliver concrete action.
The first was to place Black Lives Matter patches on all Big East men’s basketball uniforms for the upcoming season. “We thought it was very important to give them an opportunity to basically say that their lives matter,” said Thomas. “We were the first to put forth having in collegiate athletics, BLM put on our uniforms.” Their efforts were successful. Thomas credits the support of PC athletic director Bob Driscoll, as well as Big East commissioner Val Ackerman, with getting the resolution passed.
The Friars, and the rest of the Big East, have now played almost an entire season with the BLM patches on their uniforms. “I was very pleased with how it came out,” said Thomas. “It means a great deal not only to me but to our players, and we want to be clear when saying Black Lives Matter, we’re attaching ourselves to the statement: our players’ lives matter. And we want you to understand that it matters not just when they’re in uniform…when they’re not shooting and dunking for your entertainment, that their life matters outside of that uniform.”
The second foundational initiative was centered around familiarizing student-athletes with voter registration and election issues. This took the form of a Big East-wide voter drive that made sure student-athletes were registered to vote in the November general election. Thomas spoke to the emphasis Coaches for Action placed on the importance of each of the players using their vote as a way to project their voice.
Indeed, the initiative was a resounding success. Thomas proudly relayed that the Big East reported 100 percent voter registration for both men’s and women’s basketball. This was part of a remarkable push for student-athlete registration across the board in November, as PC’s Student Athlete Advisory Council also reported 100 percent voter registration for all eligible voters across all sports at PC.
Finally, Coaches for Action’s third foundational initiative was establishing a scholarship fund for first-generation students of color to attend Big East institutions. This was a pivotal step in ensuring one of the group’s main goals: sustainability.
“We wanted to take action in terms of education,” said Thomas. “We created this scholarship, which is still growing, and we want to eventually give it to young men and women to attend one of the 11 Big East schools that are non-athletic related.”
Furthermore, Thomas stressed that “in order to take real action, education has to happen, and diversity within education.” While the Coaches for Action coalition is still working on the details, its members hope to begin officially awarding the scholarship as soon as possible.
Even as all 21 coaches are deep into their basketball season, they continue to provide a platform for their student-athletes. “We still talk regularly,” commented Thomas. “We have leadership building skills for our players. We’ve had different opportunities for building leadership skills with our current coaches.” When the basketball season ends, they will likely turn their attention to a new set of initiatives, in addition to the ongoing efforts in building the scholarship fund.
Thomas identified two potential areas of focus for these future initiatives. The first centers on the coaches themselves, as each is an aspiring head coach in their own right. “We want to make sure that we are ready for opportunities of leadership, so we do empowering sessions for ourselves in preparation,” said Thomas. Ingrained in this idea is also the importance of diversity in positions of power. “We think it’s important that we try to impact administratively, we can’t talk about diversity if none of the people who are hiring are diverse,” added Thomas. “You tend to hire people who look like you and talk like you. In order to make that happen, we have to effectively get more people of color in positions of power, and get these positions balanced.”
The second area focuses on the future of their student-athletes, beyond the realm of basketball. This includes ensuring that the players use their educational and athletic experiences at PC in the most successful manner possible. “We want to make sure our players take full advantage of their education and get opportunities to be in diverse situations that they are not typically hired in,” said Thomas. “Whether it’s Wall Street, whether it’s executive positions, and then putting their expertise of leadership that they learned for four years, and team building, of being part of something collectively, to good use.”
Whatever their next initiative ends up being, Coaches for Action will continue to provide an impactful voice for social justice on all 11 Big East campuses. Their voices are much needed in a country plagued by racial inequality, even as it has receded from the front pages of the news. “Progress is slow,” noted Thomas. “James Baldwin said, ‘How long?’… and it has been a steady crawl in terms of meaningful, impactful progress. The biggest thing is that you can’t just change the mindset of a nation overnight, but what you can do is impact what’s right. Just impact and do what’s right.”
Fall Sports: Back in Action
by Joshua Lopes on February 25, 2021
Friar Sports
Volleyball and Field Hockey Among Fall Sports Starting Back Up
By Joseph Quirk ’22
Sports Staff
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected millions of people worldwide and has made competing in sporting events especially difficult. At Providence College, fall sports managed to complete a full season in 2019 prior to the onset of the pandemic. However, with the pandemic continuing throughout the summer and into the fall of 2020, having a new season start on time was nearly impossible. This led sports like volleyball and field hockey to switch their seasons to the spring, beginning their games in the snowy month of February.
For Margot Royer-Johnson, the head coach of the PC Women’s Volleyball Team, the biggest challenge was making sure her team was in the right condition for the start of the abridged season. In an interview with The Cowl, coach Royer-Johnson said, “Not having access to outside gyms, that kind of thing because of COVID, our bodies just aren’t in competitive shape just yet. That’s been a challenge because we have had to slow practices down a little bit to avoid injuries, and not cover as much as we would normally because we have to stay healthy.”
Royer-Johnson also noted that starting the season in late winter as opposed to mid-fall is “surreal,” and that other unusual issues have come up, such as scheduling conflicts with the men’s and women’s basketball teams. These are just some of the challenges many teams are now facing as a result of the pandemic.
Much like coaches from other teams at PC, Royer-Johnson had to get creative over the past year, especially when her team was studying remotely last spring semester and was unable to have formal practices this fall. “Our strength and conditioning coaches gave them workouts that they tried to modify as best as they could to support them or use the equipment that they have at home,” said Royer-Johnson. “We did a lot of Zoom calls where we did a lot of ‘get to know you’ sort of things. We also did a lot of diversity and inclusion work that I think we all truly needed and continue to need.”
Royer-Johnson also noted that while this whole experience has been difficult, she does try to find the silver linings. She mentioned that the team was given time to “reflect” and to “get in touch with reality,” in addition to feeling a deeper appreciation for the way things were pre-pandemic.
All of this hard work seems to have paid off, however, as the Friars started their season off right with a 3-1 victory over Bryant University on Feb. 14 before posting another 3-1 victory over the University of Rhode Island on Feb. 22. When asked about how confident she is in her team heading into the rest of the season, coach Royer-Johnson said, “I feel really confident with the process and where we are right now.” She emphasized that the team is pleased with their progress this season, especially considering the significantly lesser amount of practice time than usual.
While volleyball deals with its challenges as an indoor sport, head field hockey coach Diane Madl expressed her concerns as an outdoor fall sport starting in what has been a very snowy winter. “I think there’s definitely that component of things that is out of our control, and we tried to acknowledge that from the get-go,” Madl said. “We knew there was going to be a need for adjustment, and we did our best to prepare the team.”
That sentiment of adjustment was something coach Madl mentioned several times in her interview, saying that one of the biggest challenges to a delayed start is adjusting the routine that she previously used during a normal season. Much like Royer-Johnson, Madl got creative to help her players during the offseason.
One of the ways she did so was by doing team building exercises over Zoom. “We do the best we can to have good video opportunities over Zoom, not just showing some hockey but also doing some team building stuff,” said Madl. “Everything from family feud to Jeopardy, to whatever we could come up with.”
In terms of any potential positives of a delayed season, coach Madl expressed the increased time frame to incorporate new additions into the team. “As a fall sport, a lot of times you’re coming in and you have a very short preseason for the newcomers to blend into the team in a way that takes time,” she said. “So, I think having that extended period of time, albeit very different and very unique, I think it did afford the opportunity for those newcomers to blend into the culture of our program and get to know everyone a little bit better.”
The field hockey team has their first game of the season on Feb. 28 against the University of Connecticut. Coach Madl feels confident heading into their season opener. “We feel good,” she said. “Again, it’s a unique year, and the one thing we learned is that we can accomplish a lot by sticking together and fighting for each other.” She believes her team has what it takes to push through any challenges the start of the season may throw at them.
For coach Hoyer-Johnson and coach Madl, the start of their respective seasons is a relief after a long and difficult wait. Despite the adversity caused by the pandemic, each has gotten creative, and their teams look ready to beat the odds in a very unique year.
Season Finally Arrives for Swim and Dive
by Joshua Lopes on February 25, 2021
Friar Sports
Men and Women Swim First Races of the Year
By Jack Belanger ’21
Sports Co-Editor
One week after their opening race of the season was canceled, the Providence College Swimming and Diving Teams each had their first meet of the 2021 season. The men’s team fell to Bryant University, 169-119, and the women’s team lost to the University of Rhode Island, 165-108.
Out of the four first-place finishes for the men, three of those came from Justin Viotto ’22 in the 800- and 400-meter freestyle races as well as the 200-meter individual medley. The women were able to win five races during their meet. Katie Winklowski ’24 won two individual races, while the 200-yard freestyle team of Katie Thornton ’21, Sami Martin ’24, Lauren Zawacki ’21, and Jennifer Bankes ’22 also took first place.
Even though PC did not get the outcomes they were hoping to see, the teams are excited to be back in the pool after an extended break. On top of getting their season pushed back, the teams were not able to practice as an entire group, forcing swimmers to train on their own time.
“Typically, we have a practice week where most training groups lift twice a week,” said assistant coach Margaret Howe. “We really have not been able to lift at all this year.”
With the reduced number of team activities, several athletes have had to schedule gym sessions in the Concannon Fitness Center or run outside on their own. Howe also pointed out that the loss of full team activities has hurt the process of building team chemistry.
While every sport has had to make scheduling adjustments, the swimming and diving teams had to cut down some of their usual travel due to the varying COVID-19 protocols across different states and college campuses. The Friars were fortunate enough to schedule several dual meets with teams around New England that were within driving distance, including their annual rivalry meet against the College of the Holy Cross Crusaders.
Some of the notable returning swimmers include Viotto and captain Andrew Ferrell ’21 on the men’s side. Howe noted that Ferrell’s versatility to compete in a variety of events will be big for the team. Viotto currently holds four school records while Ferrell holds three.
As for the women, Zawacki and Sally Alrutz ’23 should help carry the team. Zawacki currently holds the school record for the 50-yard freestyle and is hoping to get a chance to break the 100-yard freestyle record at the Big East Swimming and Diving Championships. Alrutz currently holds the school record in the 100- and 200-yard backstroke events.
Howe also expressed her excitement for a recruiting class that brought 22 new swimmers to PC. “It’s crazy that we haven’t gotten to see any of them race [before the season],” she said. “But I’m looking forward to working with every single one of them.”
While uncertainty and adjustments due to COVID-19 can be sources of distraction, the coaches have made sure players are focused when it comes to practice and training.
“We are trying to create an environment where you are cheering for your teammates at practice or you are really going after the set you have on the board [during workouts]. We want to create that team atmosphere during practice. We want the sport to be a bright spot in all of the craziness that’s going on.”
COVID-19 has made it harder for the teams to practice together, but the coaches have made the best situation for their swimmers. Both Howe and head coach John O’Neill have committed to creating a program that provides all their athletes with a chance to improve and compete at a high level.
Men’s Soccer Starts Season Strong
by Joshua Lopes on February 25, 2021
Friar Sports
Friars Knock off URI in Second-Half Blowout
By Leo Hainline ’22
Sports Staff
The Providence College Men’s Soccer Team opened their season with a 4-0 victory, protecting their home turf against their in-state rivals, the University of Rhode Island. The Friars and the Rams were both scoreless in the first half, but a second-half offensive explosion helped PC seize the victory. Head coach Craig Stewart has plenty of positives to take away from the Friars’ first game.
The Friars were initially scheduled to play against Boston College for their opener, but due to COVID-19, the Eagles were forced to postpone the matchup to a later date. URI was able to step up at a moment’s notice and square off against PC in Friartown on Feb. 20. Last year, URI made the NCAA Division Men’s I Soccer Tournament and was one of the most dominant teams in the Atlantic 10 Conference. Their top goal scorer from last year, Filippo Tamburini, continues to lead the team. The match was anticipated to be a good challenge for the Friars, especially without Preseason All-Big East selection Paulo Lima ’22, who was out with a lower-leg injury.
During the first half, the Friars were energized and physical on the pitch, but the team appeared a bit rusty as they struggled to generate key passes needed in the final third of the field to break-through on goal. PC was strong in possession and delivered a few precise through-balls but created no clear-cut opportunities. It was actually URI, against the run of play, that had the best chances to score. A few shots on goal forced several solid saves from goalkeeper Rimi Olatunji ’22, who kept the game deadlocked at 0-0.
The floodgates opened in the second half. In the 54th minute, Christopher Roman ’22 out-muscled the URI defender on the right flank and supplied a dangerous cross into the box. Gage Raftery ’23 attacked the ball and volleyed it into the back of the net. This was Raftery’s first goal for the Friars, and it was certainly a memorable one.
PC doubled their lead five minutes later. Gevork Diarbian ’24 dished the ball to Kevin Vang ’22, who returned a perfect through-ball that Diarbian was able to finish into the top right corner. Diarbian played high school soccer a few minutes away from Friartown at La Salle Academy, and the local product could be an integral part of the squad going forward.
Soon after his goal, Diarbian contributed an assist to Roman that just about sealed the Friars’ victory. Brendan McSorley ’24 attacked up the left flank, finding Diarbian in the middle of the box. Diarbian then laid the ball off for Roman on the right side. From there, all Roman had to do was fire the ball into the back of the net.
Even then, the Friars were not done scoring. Aidan Melville ’24 introduced himself to Friartown by striking a pin-point freekick on his debut. He powered the ball over URI’s wall and placed it so perfectly into the top-left corner that URI’s goalkeeper, Stefan Schmidt, did not even attempt to save it. After this strike, it is likely that Melville will step up to take similar dead-ball situations in the future.
The Friars will play their first Big East game at the University of Connecticut on Feb. 27 at 2 p.m. If PC performs the way they did in the second half against URI, the Huskies could be in for a long afternoon.
Weekly Award Roundup: Four Friars Honored
by Joshua Lopes on February 25, 2021
Friar Sports
Awards Announced on February 15
By Scott Jarosz ’21
Sports Staff
Despite drastic changes as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Providence College athletics are now in full swing. Teams that would normally play in the fall are now playing in the spring, adding to the teams that usually play their games in the current season. With athletic teams from all seasons playing simultaneously, a plethora of PC athletes recently earned awards. On Feb. 15, Mary Baskerville ’22, David Duke ’22, Emma Bodmer ’24, and Nick Poisson ’24 all received awards in women’s basketball, men’s basketball, women’s soccer, and men’s hockey, respectively.
Baskerville was a star for the PC Women’s Basketball Team during the week of Feb. 8, averaging 16.5 points, six rebounds, 4.5 steals, and three blocks over the course of two games. Baskerville’s impressive numbers earned her a spot on the Big East Weekly Honor Roll. In the first game of the week against Creighton University, Baskerville recorded her fourth double-double of the season, scoring 14 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. In the second contest of the week against Marquette University, Baskerville scored an impressive 19 points on nine of 13 shooting from the field. Baskerville will look to build off of this outstanding week as her and her team forge on through the remainder of the season.
David Duke, a guard for the men’s basketball team, also earned an award on Feb. 15 after putting on two impressive performances. Across two games, Duke averaged 17 points, 9.5 rebounds, three assists, and two steals. These averages secured Duke the Big East Player of the Week award. This marks the second time Duke has been named Big East Player of the Week this season. Duke and the Friars played two games over the course of his award-winning week, the first being at home against the University of Connecticut, and the second being away at DePaul University. He scored 17 points in each game and also led his team to victory in both games. Duke hopes to maintain his high level of performance moving forward as he and his team eye a run in the Big East Tournament.
Another PC athlete who received an award on Feb. 15 was Emma Bodmer, the goalkeeper for the women’s soccer team. Bodmer was named Big East Goalkeeper of the Week after her first collegiate appearance on Feb. 14 against the University of Rhode Island. Shw recorded three saves in her first game and did not allow a single goal. Thanks in part to her performance, PC came out victorious over URI by a score of 2-0. Bodmer’s outstanding debut bodes well for the Friars, as she has big shoes to fill following the departure of former standout goalie Shelby Hogan ’20RS after the COVID-19 pause. She has continued to fill in those shoes valiantly, as on Feb. 22, she was again named Big East Goalkeeper of the Week.
Nick Poisson of the men’s hockey team was named Hockey East Rookie of the Week on Feb. 15 thanks to his strong performance in PC’s game against UConn. He tallied two assists, guiding PC to a 4-0 victory over the visiting team. Poisson has recorded a total of four goals and six assists this season, and he will look to continue his strong rookie year play as the Friars wrap up their season.
Even though their seasons have been drastically impacted by COVID-19, PC athletes have adapted to the changes and have performed at an elite level. These four athletes in particular have proven that hard work pays off, especially during this unusual time in collegiate sports.
Men’s Lacrosse: Road to Redemption
by Joshua Lopes on February 11, 2021
Friar Sports
Coach Gabrielli, Friars Finally Return
Liam Tormey ’22
Sports Assistant Editor
In 2020, the Providence College Men’s Lacrosse Team started the season 5-1. Wins against Boston University, the College of the Holy Cross, and a 13-12 victory in the Ocean State Cup over Brown University seemingly marked the start of a fantastic season. But then, COVID-19 struck.
Head coach Chris Gabrielli admitted to how crushing it was to have the season cut short when his team was just getting started. “It was devastating, it was one hundred percent devastating,” Gabrielli said. “We were playing well in all phases.” He lamented, “Any end to the season is brutal, but to end in mid-March so abruptly was tough.”
Heading into a 2021 season still marked with difficulties, Gabrielli can take some solace in the NCAA’s decision to allow for an extra year of eligibility for any player who missed out on last season. The decision gave Gabrielli, his coaching staff, and his players an idea of what things would look like this year. “I’m thankful for all the people on campus who have helped in making this process for myself and my players easier.”
Eight of the 11 seniors from last season took advantage of this opportunity and will be returning. It was a long process, but Gabrielli tirelessly pulled out all the stops to make sure his graduated seniors were prepared: from getting information for them about PC’s MBA program to helping them sign up for the GMAT exam. The process was made more difficult by the fact that many of the seniors already had jobs or were accepted to other graduate programs. However, in the end, a key group of players will be returning.
That includes returning captains Tim Hinrichs ’20GS and Nick Shaw ’20GS. They are joined by new captains, Toby Burgdorf ’21, Matt Grillo ’22, Evan McGreen ’21, and Mike O’Grady ’22. “Certainly an older team is typically a better team,” Gabrielli said. With 16 seniors and graduate students, the Friars will indeed be an older team this season. “They’ve seen it all, they’ve been through a lot, and they know how to handle certain emotions.”
With the new additions to the captain list, Gabrielli wants his main guys to “continue to be themselves, but don’t be complacent and don’t be satisfied.” He knows his captains will continue to perform on the field, but “I now challenge them to elevate their leadership role. It’s the next challenge, you have established yourself on the field and now I want you to be a leader, and we wouldn’t give that title to anyone if they didn’t deserve it.”
Last season, Grillo led the way for the Friars with 25 total points. In just six games, Grillo put up an astounding 21 goals and four assists. In PC’s win against Sacred Heart University, Grillo scored seven goals and added one assist.
Once again, Burgdorf will be in the net for the Friars. Last season was his first year as the starting goaltender and he did not disappoint. In just six games, Burgdorf ranked second in the country in save percentage, third in goals against average, and 13th in saves per game. As a result of his performance, Burgdorf has been named an Inside Lacrosse Preseason All-American Honorable Mention.
In five games last season, McGreen recorded six points with four goals and two assists. O’Grady added two goals in six games for the Friars as well.
Gabrielli was adamant that the opportunity to have an older team bodes well for the future of the program. “These guys are all tremendous leaders,” he said. “Having the graduate students back and the freshman class being able to learn from them, it’s great for us. They are going to learn how to work, how to lead, and how to get better.”
Learning from the graduate students will be 13 incoming freshmen. Gabrielli is aware that this situation is not unique to PC. Many teams will welcome back seniors from last season, as well as a new freshman class. “This isn’t just happening to us,” said Gabrielli, “but it’s happening all around the country, and the competition is just going to be fiercer.”
Gabrielli expects a handful of these freshmen to have roles right out of the gate. Some of the players Gabrielli mentioned as standout freshmen to watch are Michael Chabra ’24, Ty Thureson ’24, Chris Cusolito ’24, and Tom Fegley ’24. All four will be seeing playing time in the upcoming season.
Channeling the frustration of how last season ended, Gabrielli has made it a focal point that the Friars now get to complete the season they thought they would have had last year. Gabrielli said, “Our team has to be tremendously disciplined, tremendously committed, use common sense, and the sacrifice level has to go to a whole new level this year.”
Indeed, it will be a year of sacrifice if things are going to go smoothly for the Friars. Gabrielli knows that with what his team has been through already, they are all ready to make sacrifices for the benefit of the team.
Gabrielli mentioned how his expectations are high every year, but this year, his expectations are “higher than ever.” With his top players returning, there was always the belief that this season will be a successful one, but “we know how challenging it is to be successful and this year with the pandemic makes it a challenge.”
Now, at the end of a difficult offseason, Gabrielli explained how his team has only been able to practice together just a handful of times as a whole unit. For most of the time, they were working in pods. With no outside scrimmages able to be played, the preparation has been different and difficult.
On Feb. 13, the Friars will travel to Bryant University for their first official game of the season. Without any of the outside scrimmages to prepare, “the sense of urgency is so great for us right now, we can’t take shortcuts and we have to be disciplined,” said Gabrielli. “The Big East games are so critical and Feb. 20, boom, we’re in it.”
That Feb. 20 game will see the Friars begin Big East play by traveling to Queens, NY to take on St. John’s University. Their first home game of the season will not be until March 3 against Fairfield University.
Gabrielli is still unsure about the status of spectators for the upcoming season, though, there may be the potential for students to come to the games. He emphasized, “If you are able to come out and not be stuck in your dorm room anymore, we would love for the students to come out and support us.” If they are allowed, fans will have plenty to look forward to, as Gabrielli and the Friars, motivated and talented as ever, are finally back.
Watson Joins Legendary Company
by Joshua Lopes on February 11, 2021
Friar Sports
Providence Big Man Named to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Watch List
By Scott Jarosz ’21
Sports Staff
Nate Watson ’21 played his first official game with the Providence College Men’s Basketball Team on Nov. 10, 2017. On this day, PC squared off with Houston Baptist University at Alumni Hall. Despite being a freshman at the time, Watson showed no signs of nervousness and made his presence known from the start, shooting four of five from the field while registering nine points and grabbing six rebounds.
Now, in his final year at PC, Watson’s growth and development as a player is on full display. Also, fittingly enough, PC’s home court for the 2020-2021 season is Alumni Hall, where Watson made his official debut in a PC uniform. Although he may be playing on the same court where he played his first game as a Friar, Watson is a much different player now. His confidence and strength on the court is unmatched, and he has established himself as one of the most dominant centers in not only the Big East Conference, but also in the entire nation.
So far this season, Watson has averaged 17.2 points per game and 6.8 rebounds per game. His average of 17.2 points per game is good enough to place him fifth amongst all scorers in the Big East this season. Watson is also scoring efficiently, posting a field goal percentage of 61 percent this season, placing him second in field goal percentage among Big East players. In addition to these impressive averages, Watson also joined the 1,000-point club this season on Dec. 20, 2020 in PC’s game against Seton Hall University. On top of that, on Jan. 20, Watson scored 29 points against Creighton University, which marks his career-high single-game point total.
Watson’s efforts have not gone unnoticed, as the fourth-year player has been named one of 10 finalists for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award. As the name suggests, this award is given to the best center in college basketball every season. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was a standout center at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he led his team to three consecutive National Championship victories from 1967-1969.
Watson’s appearance on the list is rather fitting, as Abdul-Jabbar will be the keynote speaker at PC’s fourth annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Convocation on Feb. 11 at 7 p.m.
During his time at UCLA, Abdul-Jabbar was recognized as the National College Player of the Year in both 1967 and 1969. He would then go on to have one of the most successful careers in NBA history. In the NBA, Abdul-Jabbar was a 19-time All-Star, six-time Most Valuable Player, and six-time NBA Champion. He also holds the NBA all-time scoring record. Many consider him to be one of the greatest basketball players ever.
Given Abdul-Jabbar’s tremendous accomplishments in the basketball world, it is quite the accomplishment for Watson to be named a finalist for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award. However, Abdul-Jabbar’s impact goes far beyond basketball. At a young age, he was passionate about racial and social justice. Abdul-Jabbar grew up in Harlem and joined the Harlem Youth Action Project in his final year of high school. The project’s purpose was to educate Black youth and prepare them for the future.
Additionally, Abdul-Jabbar served as a journalist for HYAP, covering a variety of events held by the organization. His activism did not stop there. After completing high school, Abdul-Jabbar arrived at UCLA not only to play basketball, but also to fight for justice. During his time there, Abdul-Jabbar headed movements to promote better treatment of Black athletes and Black students on campus. Abdul-Jabbar’s strength and leadership started to catch people’s attention as he fought for the causes he believed in.
Despite knowing that his activism could have negative consequences, Abdul-Jabbar continued to be outspoken on the topic of racial justice throughout his professional career. He has also remained active throughout his retirement. “I know it came at a price,” Abdul-Jabbar said of his outspoken nature, “but being able to have an identity that is in harmony with who I am, what my ancestry is about and what my moral and political feelings are, that was the most important thing.” He continued, “That’s one of the wonderful things about life in America. We can all define ourselves and have the freedom to speak our minds and pursue the things that make us feel whole and make us feel useful.”
Indeed, Abdul-Jabbar is not only one of the greatest basketball players of all time, but also one of the most impactful activists of his time. Watson being named a finalist for Abdul-Jabbar’s award is a huge achievement in itself, and one made even more impactful by both Abdul Jabbar’s on-the-court and off-the-court legacy.
The two will be further connected on Feb. 11 when Abdul-Jabbar speaks to the PC student body. One of Watson’s teammates, David Duke ’22, will be a moderator at the event. All students and members of the PC community are encouraged to register and attend the event via Zoom.
Men’s, Women’s Soccer Eager to Begin Season
by Joshua Lopes on February 11, 2021
Friar Sports
Top Goal Scorers Return For Another Run
By Jack Belanger ’21
Sports Co-Editor
After an extended offseason, the Providence College Men’s Soccer Team will finally open their season this Saturday at home versus in-state rival University of Rhode Island. Due to the postponement of fall sports, the last time the Friars played was over a year ago in the third round of the NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Tournament, losing to Clemson University 2-1 in overtime.
It will be an interesting year for the Friars as they lost seven players from last season, five of whom were starters, including captain Joao Serrano ’19 and grad-transfer goalkeeper Austin Aviza ’20GS. This means Rimi Olatunji ’22RS will start the season in net for the Friars.
Inexperience in the goal and on offense will be a big roadblock the team must overcome if it wants to have a successful season. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the soccer team has had only about a week or two of full practices as an entire team and has played one intra-squad match. Olatunji has only made two appearances in the last two seasons, and the offense lost five of its seven top point scorers. Luckily for the Friars, Paulo Lima ’22 was named to the Preseason All-Big East Team after leading the team in goals last season.
The strength of the team resides in their defense. Last season, the Friars averaged only one goal allowed per game as well as only 7.2 shots allowed. Ramzi Qawasmy ’22 and recently named captain Malcolm Duncan ’21 both started all 23 games last season on the backline, and will be tasked to be the anchors when things get chaotic.
In order to cut down on travel, the Big East broke into two divisions and shortened the season schedule. The six teams in the Northeast will make up the East Division, while the remaining five will comprise the Midwest Division.
After two local games against URI and Boston College, the Friars will face each team in the East Division twice, including the reigning national champion Georgetown University, who is the preseason favorite to win the East Division. The Friars are picked to finish second, which will make the matchups against the Hoyas especially exciting if the Friars find themselves on the edge of an NCAA tournament bid thanks to a decrease in the number of tournament teams this year.
The Providence College Women’s Soccer Team is also looking to build on their 2019 season when they snuck into the Big East Tournament as a sixth seed and upset the third seed Butler University in the first round. Hannah McNulty ’21 scored the game-tying goal in the 82nd minute, and the Friars were able to win the game in a shootout after two overtimes.
Similar to the men’s league, the Big East will be split into two divisions in which the Friars are predicted to finish third in the East, though they did receive a first place vote, indicating that coaches are taking the team seriously.
McNulty will once again be the focus of every opponent’s defense. She has scored 19 goals over the past two seasons and was a unanimous selection on the Preseason All-Big East Team this year.
While the team needs McNulty to be at her best in order to have a chance to win, they also need to find secondary options when teams put extra pressure on her. Elayna Grillakis ’22 was the only other player on the team to score more than one goal. Thankfully, the Friars will return with every player who scored last season, which means they will need less time to build team chemistry on the offensive side of the field.
A big question for this team is who will replace standout goalkeeper Shelby Hogan ’21RS, who decided to go into the professional league. The team currently has three goalkeepers on the roster, with Caroline Drinkwater ’22 as the only one that has any game experience for the Friars.
This team will face some challenges as they welcome 10 new players, including eight freshmen and two sophomore transfers.
The women will also begin their season this weekend hosting URI on Sunday before hosting another in-state rival Bryant University a week later.
While both teams will share the challenge of opening their season in the midst of winter, there is a lot of excitement around the College’s two soccer teams. Just being back on the field is a relief for the players and coaches, but there is still work to be done. Both teams are hungry after a long break and after each had an incredible finish to their 2019 seasons.
Sport Shorts
by Joshua Lopes on February 11, 2021
Sports
Week of 2/4-2/10
By Leo Hainline ’22
Sports Staff
Men’s Basketball:
The Friars suffered a third straight loss on Feb. 6, losing at home to St. John’s University, 92-81. The Red Storm’s dynamic duo of freshman point guard Posh Alexander and sophomore forward Julian Champagnie was simply too much for the Friars to handle. St. John’s seemed to hit every shot to start the game, especially from behind the arc. PC failed to make the necessary defensive adjustments to stop the Red Storm’s offense. Strong play from Nate Watson ’21 and Noah Horchler ’21RS kept the game competitive, but the Friars did not play with enough urgency down the stretch to prompt a comeback.
Women’s Basketball:
PC returned to action on Feb. 3 against Villanova University, after taking an almost month-long hiatus due to COVID-19 issues within the Friars and across the Big East. The Friars fell short to the Wildcats on the road, losing 67-53. PC’s Alyssa Geary ’22 led the way for the Friars with a team-high 22 points. Star point guard Chanel Williams ’21 also scored in double digits. Olivia Orlando ’21 was the team’s leading rebounder, compiling 10 boards.
Men’s Ice Hockey:
The PC Men’s Ice Hockey Team split their weekend series against Merrimack University. On Feb. 6, the Friars seized a 5-1 victory behind Tyce Thompson’s ’22 five assists. The victory was head coach Nate Leaman’s 200th win with PC, just another milestone to add to his renowned coaching career. The No. 16 Friars dropped their following game to Merrimack 3-2. The Warriors took a three-goal lead in the first period, and that deficit was too much for the Friars to overcome despite their best efforts. They nearly mounted a comeback with two third-period goals from Michael Callahan ’22 and Jason O’Neill ’21.
Women’s Ice Hockey:
The PC Women’s Ice Hockey Team split their recent back-to-back against the University of New Hampshire. The No. 10 Friars fell 1-0 on Feb. 5, but they followed up this low-scoring affair with an exciting 5-4 victory on Feb. 6 against the Wildcats. Caroline Peterson ’22 opened the scoring 1:40 into regulation, but UNH responded and tied the game 1-1. The game was 2-2 entering the second period, but the Wildcats would soon pull ahead. However, the Friars responded by scoring three unanswered in the third period thanks to a game-tying goal from Hayley Lunny ’21 and two goals by Lindsey Bochna ’24 to seal the victory.