Tag: Friar Sports
Men’s Lacrosse: Road to Redemption
by on February 11, 2021
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 on February 11, 2021
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 on February 11, 2021
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 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.
Men’s Basketball at Mid-Season
by on February 4, 2021
Sports
Friars Navigate Through Ups and Downs
by Leo Hainline ’22
Sports Staff
The Providence College Men’s Basketball Team simply refuses to produce a dull moment this year. Recent games against Marquette University and Georgetown University have been representative of an entire season full of closely fought battles that go down to the wire.
The Friars are currently projected to be on the outside looking in at the NCAA tournament. However, a strong finish down the stretch could still place PC in the 68-team field. The Friars have been inconsistent in their ability to close out tight games. Five of the Friars’ last seven games have either gone to overtime or have been decided by less than five points.
While PC is 3-0 in overtime games (defeating Seton Hall University, DePaul University, and Marquette), they have fallen short in games against the likes of Xavier University and Georgetown in which they led. These losses will undoubtedly hurt their chances of making the tournament in March. Particularly during the Jan. 30 game against Georgetown, the Friars failed to keep their foot on the gas after being up by 15 at one point in the first half. Losses like the one against the Hoyas can be aggravating, and this frustration is partly because the Friars have so much potential.
David Duke ’22 and Nate Watson ’21 have been the leaders of the team this year. The duo is known as two of the best players not only in the Big East, but also in the entire country. Both players have massively improved from the 2019-2020 season. Watson has even been named as a top-10 finalist for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, which is given to the best center in college basketball.
Neither of the two players are afraid to assert themselves and have dominated on both ends of the court. Much of the Friars’ success is due to their individual contributions. Their most recent game against Georgetown was an outlier: Duke had only five points, and Watson had just five rebounds before fouling out of the game. This loss highlighted just how vital Duke and Watson are to the team’s success, considering that much of their supporting cast showed up to play.
AJ Reeves ’22 played especially well, dropping 28 points while shooting six of 12 from behind the arc. Noah Horchler ’21 also contributed valuable minutes and supplied one of the dunks of the season, posterizing Georgetown center Qudus Wahab with a vicious right-handed slam. Either way, it is clear that Duke and Watson are the centerpieces of the program, and that the Friars will struggle if both have an off day. Fortunately, this is a rare occurrence, and both are in the conversation for making the All-Big East First Team.
A talking point throughout the season has been whether the Friars can find a third star to complement Duke and Watson. During the past two weeks, freshman guard Alyn Breed ’24 has stepped up to fill this role for the team. He replaced Jared Bynum ’23 in the starting lineup after the St. Joseph’s University transfer suffered a groin injury on Jan. 2 against Creighton University. Breed had impressed in limited minutes during non-conference games earlier in the season, and many were optimistic that he could succeed in a more prominent role. It took a couple of games for him to settle into the starting lineup, but he stepped up in the Friars’ rematch against Creighton, a key win against a top-25 ranked team.
Breed backed up his performance by being the Friars’ best player against third-ranked Villanova University. The savvy guard registered 18 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists. In the Friars’ Jan. 27 win against Marquette, Breed came up with clutch offensive and defensive plays down the stretch that were necessary for the Friars to seize the win. While his game-sealing three-pointer against Marquette was his headline moment, he made defensive plays throughout the game including getting a key stop at the end of regulation. He also added a vital steal on a Creighton fast break in overtime.
Jimmy Nichols, Jr. ’22 has also stepped up for the Friars. After redshirting his sophomore year, Nichols has impressed with improvements in all aspects of his game. While his offense has certainly progressed with him shooting over 50 percent from the floor and over 38 percent from downtown, his defense has arguably been the greatest development in his game. Nichols came into Friartown as a lengthy shot-blocker, but now he is dominant in almost all aspects on the defensive end. He moves his feet well and has the ability to cut off quick, smaller players, but he also has the strength to lock up bigger post players too. Nichols’s strong defensive play has landed him a regular spot in the Friars’ starting lineup, and his versatility will be incredibly valuable for the team down the stretch.
PC will only face one currently ranked team during the rest of its regular season, which will take place against Villanova on March 6, the Friars’ regular-season finale. While the team can certainly win the majority of its remaining games, none of them will be easy. Arguably the most enticing games on the schedule are when the Friars play their series against the University of Connecticut. The Huskies are back in the Big East for the first time since 2013, and both sides are excited to resume this classic Northeast rivalry. These games will have huge consequences for both teams, as UConn is currently projected as an eight-seed in the NCAA tournament.
Grabbing two wins against UConn would be a major boost to PC’s tournament ambitions and would certainly give the team momentum going into the final stretch. The Friars also play St. John’s University twice. The Red Storm are a dangerous team despite having a losing record in the Big East. Guard Posh Alexander is an elite defender and one of the best freshmen in the conference. Sweeping both UConn and St. John’s would do wonders for the Friars and would give them a lot of confidence heading into the Big East Men’s Basketball Tournament.
Ultimately, PC has the talent and the ability to make the NCAA tournament. Nichols and Breed’s play this season, complementing the dominance of Duke and Watson, should give optimism to many Friar fans. Reeves’s breakout game against Georgetown gives hope that he, too, can keep up his hot shooting. If the team continues to play well as a unit and acquires a killer instinct when closing out games, they should be able to make a run in the Big East tournament and lock up a spot in the NCAA tournament’s field of 68.
Women’s Hockey: Simply Terrific
by on February 4, 2021
Sports
Friars Break into National Rankings
By Liam Tormey ’22
Sports Assistant Editor
The Providence College Women’s Hockey Team held a record of 5-0-1 when the fall semester ended in mid-December. At the start of the new semester, the Friars are ranked 10th in the country with a 9-4-1 record.
Due to COVID-19 concerns, the Friars played only eight games while classes were out of session. Series against Boston University and the University of New Hampshire were both canceled. In the eight games that they did play, PC went 4-4-0.
To begin the winter break, the Friars hosted the University of Maine for two games on Dec. 18 and 19, 2020. The team split the weekend series against the Black Bears with a 4-0 victory and a 2-1 loss. In the victory, Sara Hjalmarsson ’22 and Annelise Rice ’21 led the way. Hjalmarsson recorded three assists while Rice scored two goals. Goaltender Sandra Abstreiter ’21 finished the night with a shutout, 23 saves, and her second shutout game of the year.
In the loss, Maine grabbed a goal in the first period before the Friars tied it up in the second, but an early third-period goal by the Bears sealed a victory and a split of the weekend series.
After a break due to the holiday season, PC was scheduled to play Boston University in a home-and-home series on Jan. 8 and 9, but due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols, the weekend series was postponed and has yet to be rescheduled.
Instead, the Friars traveled to the College of the Holy Cross on Jan. 9 to start off the new year against the 3-7-0 Crusaders. After falling in a 2-1 hole, the Friars would tie things up in the second with a goal from Hayley Lunny ’21. The Friars then exploded offensively in the third, as Lindsay Bochna ’24, Bailey Burton ’23, and Lauren DeBlois ’23 all netted goals to secure a 5-2 victory. The Friars ended with 48 shots on net and improved their record to 7-1-1.
Three of the Friars’ four losses since the winter break have come against a very strong Northeastern University squad. PC traveled to Boston for the first time this season on Jan. 12 to take on the Huskies. Unfortunately, the play of Huskies goalie Aerin Frankel and her 32-save shutout led to a Friar defeat.
Before their most recent games against Northeastern, the Friars got back on the winning track in a home-and-home with Merrimack University. The first period would remain scoreless, but Hjalmarsson got the Friars on the board in the second period. Ciare Barone ’22 would build the lead with a goal right before the end of the second, and Bochna would seal the deal with an empty netter to secure a 3-0 victory. Abstreiter made 22 saves in the shutout victory.
On Sunday, Jan. 17, the team again handled business against the Warriors. Isabelle Hardy ’23 put one in the net just 51 seconds into the contest. However, Merrimack would tie things up before the period ended and took the lead in the second. This proved to be of little issue to PC, as they rode another three-goal third to a 4-2 victory. Peterson, Burton, and Claire Tyo ’24, were the heroes in the third this time, as they helped push the Friars to an impressive 9-2-1 record.
The Friars’ most recent series was during the weekend of Jan. 22 in a home-and-home against Northeastern. Unfortunately for the Friars, the results were much of the same from the previous meeting. Prior to the game, the Huskies ranked fourth in the country. PC cut the lead down in the second period to make it a 2-1 game, but two goals in the third period lifted Northeastern to a 4-1 victory.
Saturday’s game was not much better. Northeastern jumped on PC from the start, riding three powerplay goals to a 5-0 win.
These results would bump the Friars down to No. 10 in the nation, the position in which they currently sit. Last weekend’s meeting against UNH was canceled due to COVID-related issues within the program. Like many teams in this altered season, the Friars will have to now wait and see when they are scheduled to play next.
Nevertheless, the Friars have enjoyed a tremendous start to their season. Hjalmarsson has been a major factor in the team’s success so far. She leads the team in points this season with 14 and has tallied five goals and nine assists. Additionally, Rice is tied for first in the nation with three game-winning goals this season.
Abstreiter, the senior goaltender from Freising, Germany, has appeared in every game for the Friars. She currently has a save percentage of .930 and a goals against average of 1.91, and is ranked 12th in the nation.
Another major part of the Friars’ success over the first 14 games of the season has been the power-play. The team is fourth in the country in power-play percentage at 24 percent with 12 power-play goals overall.
PC currently sits third in the Hockey East standings just behind Boston College and Northeastern with a strong 9-4-1 record and will look to continue to climb even higher in the rankings.
Women’s Basketball Winter Roundup
by on February 4, 2021
Sports
PC Eager to Start Back Up After Long Hiatus
By Scott Jarosz ’21
Sports Staff
The Providence College Women’s Basketball Team started its unique and challenging 2020-2021 season on the right foot. Despite falling to a talented Quinnipiac University team on the road in their season opener by a score of 71-65, PC bounced back in the following contest against its in-state rival, the University of Rhode Island.
Although the PC-URI rivalry was much different this year with there being no fans in attendance, PC seemed unaffected. The team arrived in South Kingstown, RI, ready to compete. PC outscored the host by a score of 24-16 in the first quarter and 17-16 in the second quarter, leading 41-32 at halftime.
After an impressive first half, PC did not slow down its attack after halftime. The Friars dominated the Rams in the third quarter, outscoring them 22-10. PC then held URI to just eight points in the fourth quarter. This dominant second-half performance sealed a 76-50 blowout win. PC shot 57.6 percent from the field in the game and 50 percent from three-point range. Mary Baskerville ’22 finished with a team-high 16 points and also collected a team-high seven rebounds.
PC carried the momentum from its win over URI into its game the following day, which took place in Alumni Hall against Bryant University, another in-state foe. Both teams battled hard in the first quarter, with PC narrowly coming out on top 12-11. PC began to pull away in the second quarter, as it outscored the visitors 15-7.
Again, after a strong first half, PC showed no signs of slowing down. The Friars opened the third quarter by scoring 13 consecutive points, and continued to play exceptionally well through the rest of the second half, eventually securing a 67-40 victory. Leading PC in scoring was Baskerville, who netted a both game and season-high 18 points. Following close behind Baskerville was Chanell Williams ’21, who logged 15 points, nine of which came from three-point field goals. The win improved PC’s all-time record against Bryant to 7-1.
After a solid 2-1 start to the season, PC struggled to maintain its hot streak, falling to Boston College in its next game by a score of 58-46. PC headed into Big East play with a record of 2-2. Its first Big East game came against a tough Marquette University team. MU was simply too much for PC to handle, going on to defeat the Friars 89-40.
However, PC did not allow back-to-back losses to deter them, as they arrived at Hinkle Fieldhouse ready to take on Butler University. PC controlled the game from the start, outscoring Butler 17-9 in the first quarter and 32-15 in the second quarter. Butler tried to battle back in the second half, but it was too little, too late. Kyra Spiwak ’21 played a fantastic game for the Friars, recording a career-high 28 points in the 73-52 win.
After dropping their next matchup to the University of Maine, the Friars completed an impressive 76-53 win over St. John’s University. Williams led the Friars with 20 points, good enough for her season-high. However, after recording their second consecutive Big East victory, PC failed to find their rhythm. The Friars posted a record of 1-3 in the following four games, which concluded with an 87-50 loss to the University of Connecticut on Jan. 9.
Since then, PC has yet to play another game. After their loss to the Huskies, PC’s next six games were postponed due to COVID-19 issues within the team. Despite hoping to return to the court on Feb. 2, that game has also been postponed due to issues with the virus in the Xavier University organization. When PC does finally start back up, the likes of Baskerville, Williams, and Spiwak will look to lead the Friars to a successful second half of Big East play.
Men’s Hockey Finds Their Stride
by on February 4, 2021
Sports
Team Sweeps Weekend Series with UNH
By Thomas Zinzarella ’21
Sports Staff
After picking up a pair of ties last weekend against the No. 8 University of Massachusetts-Amherst, the Providence College Men’s Hockey Team matched up against the University of New Hampshire in a home-and-home series.
Coming into the game, the Friars had moved up a spot in the rankings from No. 18 to No. 17. The Friars’ weekend began in Durham, NH on Jan. 29. UNH led the visiting Friars 1-0 early in the second period. That would change dramatically, however, as PC would score five unanswered goals, including four in the third period
Friars’ forward Jamie Engelbert ’23 started off the scoring barrage to tie things up at one in the second period. The goal was his first of the season. Greg Printz ’21 and Nick Poisson ’24 then scored goals just 52 seconds apart to start the third period, followed by Davis Bunz’s ’21 first career goal to make it a 4-1 game. All three goals were scored in a span of three minutes and 18 seconds. The final goal was driven home by New Jersey Devils draft pick Patrick Moynihan ’23, who scored a power-play goal with just under two minutes left, sealing the 5-1 victory.
Both squads then matched up again on Jan. 31 in Providence at Schneider Arena. Once again, the Friars went down early to the Wildcats, via a goal in each of the first two periods by UNH. The Friars would have been trailing by a lot more if it was not for their defensive prowess on the penalty kill. PC warded off a five-on-three penalty and were a perfect seven-for-seven on the penalty kill in the game.
A five-minute major penalty towards the latter half of the second period against Kohei Sato of UNH allowed the Friars to crawl back into the game. PC would score two quick goals thanks to Brett Berard ’24 and Tyce Thompson ’22 in the first 3:32 of the third period off the penalty. Thompson continues to be the leading goal scorer for Nate Leaman’s squad, with this being his sixth goal of the season.
A few moments later, Engelbert struck again. His second goal of the weekend was in fact the game-clinching goal as the Friars held on for the rest of the period to sweep the weekend series.
“I like the belief in the locker room that we can do that…I like the fact that guys believe that they can come back and win games,” Leaman said after his team’s win on Sunday. “But I think our starts certainly need to get better…[and] us getting to our game quickly is something that we definitely need to work on,” he added. It has been a theme many Friar hockey fans have witnessed this year. Nevertheless, the Friars are still producing results. Currently, PC is tied for the second most points in the Hockey East, alongside the nation’s No. 1 team in Boston College.
Jaxson Stauber ’23 continues to produce strong results in between the pipes for the Friars. Stauber was recently named Hockey East Co-Defensive Player of the Week alongside Filip Linderg of UMass. Stauber stopped 26 of 27 shot attempts on Friday and followed that performance up with 29 saves on Sunday. He has allowed just four goals in the last four games.
The Friars are now 7-5-4 on the season and are unbeaten in their last four games. The Hockey East Conference is reverting to a week-by-week schedule, so their opponent for this upcoming weekend will be announced at a later time. Whoever their opponent is, the Friars will look to push their unbeaten streak to five.
Editor’s Corner: Race in Sports
by The Cowl Editor on November 12, 2020
Sports
By Cam Smith ’21
Sports Coeditor
Below is an all too brief synopsis of just one talking point from Providence College Athletics’ “Race in Sports” panel, a feature in its 2020 Diversity and Inclusion Campaign in partnership with the NCAA. The Cowl encourages you to visit the PC Athletics YouTube channel to view the full event.
PC Athletics’ “Race in Sports” panel gathered five brilliant Friar alumni for a discussion on race, sports, and the ongoing diversity efforts at the College. Moderated by Rudy Cline-Thomas ’00, founder and managing partner of Mastry, Inc., the conversation proved to be both insightful and moving.
Although many topics were covered throughout the discussion, one prevailing theme from the former athletes seemed to be their dual identities as both athletes and students. James Best ’88, former PC men’s basketball player and current Senior Advisor for the American Business Forum Inc., described how the “red-carpet treatment” that basketball players got could sometimes shelter them from a racialized campus climate.
Best spoke to how it was not until he sat out a season with an injury and got more involved with on-campus organizations that he really understood and appreciated the difficulties that Black, non-athlete students faced on campus. Britt King ’86, a former PC women’s basketball star and a member of PC’s Hall of Fame, added that “on the court I had a great experience with my teammates…[but] I had friends who did not play sports, and the struggle was real.”
With this being said, the former athletes certainly still faced issues on campus because of the color of their skin. Megan Onyundo ’19, a former PC women’s volleyball star, spoke to how she constantly compared herself to the small, blonde girls on campus. Onyundo relayed how this really wore on her mental health, and how now “just realizing that and changing my mindset to I can’t be like them so I’m going to do my best based off who I am…that I’m going to be happy and proud of all the work I put in.”
Nick Sailor ’17, former men’s soccer standout and current director of training and education for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at PC, added further insight on this. “Like James [Best] said, you’re kind of in this bubble, yet at the same time you’re not void of those things, you’re still a young Black student on campus,” he stated. “Yes, you’re a student-athlete, yes you get the gear, yes they know who you are, but at the end of the day you’re still racialized and seen in that light. So, having to navigate those two things at one time can be challenging.”
Hockey East Stays in Scheduling Limbo
by The Cowl Editor on November 12, 2020
Sports
Friars Remain Prepared for Eventual Season Opener
by Ryan Carius ’21
Sports Staff
In September, the Hockey Commissioners Association (HCA) delayed the 2020-2021 NCAA men’s hockey season due to a nationwide increase in COVID-19 cases and the virus’s ongoing effects. Recently, the HCA stated that each of the 11 conferences would have the autonomy to decide when it would be safe for college hockey to commence. Friar fanatics should expect an intense season with challenging opponents; however, it seems that the HCA will inhibit out-of-conference competition. At this moment, the Hockey East Association has not yet announced an opening date, a regular season schedule, or a location and date for the Hockey East Tournament.
The Hockey East Association plans to ensure the safety, mental, and physical well-being of all student-athletes, coaching personnel, on-ice officials, and administrators. An important factor in the potential success of a Hockey East season during the pandemic is the proximity that the colleges and universities have to one another, as members of the league play most conference games in the northeast. The league proposed creating multiple balanced schedule models, a move that the Hockey East hopes will increase safety and flexibility during the uncertainty of the pandemic. They also must cooperate with the guidelines established by federal, state, and local authorities, which could prove to complicate transportation to and from games.
Steve Metcalf was appointed as the new commissioner of the Hockey East Association in February, shortly before the season was abruptly canceled due to COVID-19. The commissioner expressed his optimism in regards to the Hockey East’s return to play and highlighted the advantages of the northeast. Metcalf made the point that the league is “taking advantage of our geography and our current situation we are in in New England. COVID-related [we have it] a lot better than other situations,” given that New England has fewer cases than many other regions in the country. Although the schedule has been delayed and is yet to be released, the Hockey East has worked relentlessly to ensure that there will be a season. Metcalf understands the challenges of the Hockey East, saying that there is “a lot of work to be done— what the module looks like, what our return play protocols are like, how we are going to handle all that for sure—and that is work that is happening everyday.”
This season, the Friars are looking to redeem their previous season that was cut short and compete for their third Hockey East Championship. The Hockey East will be very competitive, as both Boston College and Boston University are stacked with talented prospects and great coaching. However, the Friars added multiple elite transfers and have three new draftees in the 2020 NHL draft.
These three recent draftees consist of Brett Berard ’24, Chase Yoder ’24, and future Friar Riley Duran. Each should bring a unique style of play to the ice. Berard and Yoder will look to make an immediate impact and will greatly help the Friars’ scoring attack this upcoming season. However, Friar fans will have to wait another season to watch Duran grace the ice, as he will spend this upcoming year with the Youngstown Phantoms of the USHL.
This NCAA season will present all kinds of challenges for the Friars; however, the Hockey East is working diligently to create a safe environment for these student athletes. In no time at all, Friar hockey will be back.