Tag: Friar Sports
More Than Just an Athlete
by Meaghan P Cahill on January 30, 2020
Friar Sports
Davis Bunz ’21 Nominated for Humanitarian Award
By Thomas Zinzarella ’21
Sports Staff
The term “summer” means something different for every college student. Some spend their days lounging at the beach, others go on vacation with their family, while some obtain an internship and work in their prospective field or work the summer job they have had since high school.
The summers Davis Bunz ’21 has had have been very different than those of most students during their three-month hiatus from school. Bunz, a defenseman on the nationally-ranked Providence College Men’s Hockey Team, has been making annual trips to Haiti for almost a decade.
He is currently one of thirteen nominees for the Hockey Humanitarian award, which is handed out every year to “college hockey’s finest citizen—a student-athlete who makes significant contributions not only to his or her team but also to the community-at-large through leadership in volunteerism,” according to the Hockey Humanitarian Award Foundation’s website.
“[Growing up] We always did mission trips as a family and within our church. We would bring a bunch of kids with us; mostly friends and teammates. One year we went to Jamaica and then one year we decided to go to Haiti,” Bunz stated.
“There was something different about Haiti. They had a little bit less than everywhere else. The connections that we made with the kids, you could see how loving they were and how much they needed a sense of family…it really hit home…we felt we needed to help.”
On January 12, 2010 at approximately 4:53 p.m., a 7.0 magnitude earthquake occurred just 15 miles from Port-Au-Prince, the capital of Haiti. Even before the earthquake, almost a quarter of the country lived in poverty and was one of the poorest in the Western Hemisphere. The whole country was shaken and international aid was desperately needed.
This incident inspired the Bunz family to help Haiti while continuing their work of giving back. As a result, the Fond Blanc Foundation was established. If you drive about two hours north of Port-Au-Prince, you will stumble upon the village of Fond Blanc nestled up in the mountains.
The foundation’s goal is to help the orphanage in the village in whatever is needed. “A lot of them have parents, but they can’t afford to have the kids, so they will give them to us,” Bunz added. “We can provide schooling, housing, food ,and medical attention, cater to whatever they need.” The school is one of the few buildings along with a church and other sustainability projects that the foundation has completed since Bunz’s mom, Tia, first went with 22 students in 2012.
“When we first started going down there, there was just a main building where all the kids would stay. They would do all their schooling there, go to church and cook…When you go down there now, it’s completely different than when we started 10 years ago,” Bunz explained.
The orphanage houses kids as young as two years old and up to the age of 18. The school itself started with 60 students at the orphanage and now has amassed 500 students. In an interview from this past October with NBC15, Tia Bunz, who also is the executive director of the foundation, added, “We had to start turning away kids, so we were able to purchase land just down the road from us, and we have five acres and we are going to do a farming project, a school, and have a little medical clinic,” said Bunz. They hope to build a second school.
The full round success story can be seen in one of the orphans himself.
His name is Swenson. He is currently 23 years old and goes to college in Wisconsin. He still goes back to Haiti to serve as a translator with some of the people in the orphanage and village as they learn English at the school. Bunz described him as “almost like a brother to me.”
Bunz’s older brother Jake just graduated this past May from the University of Wisconsin where he was also a member of the men’s ice hockey team, a team his dad had played for. Jake not only played hockey at the Division I level, but won the Hockey Humanitarian Award last April in Buffalo during the Frozen Four festivities while Davis and his Friar teammates were trying to bring home the program’s second National Championship.
When asked how he would feel about the possibility of the Bunz brothers winning this award in back-to-back years, Davis really wanted to credit his parents and acknowledged how deserving his brother was of the award.
“It goes back to the effort my mom and dad put in…It speaks volumes to them for me more than it does for me and my brother. It’s nice to get my name recognized but I wish it could be Davis Bunz plus Tia and Gary Bunz.”
After the travel safety ban last summer by the U.S. government, Bunz was unable to go back to the orphanage because of the limited number of planes that could go down to Haiti due to protests. He is looking forward to hopefully heading back to Fond Blanc again this summer, potentially with some of his teammates as well. He opened an invitation to anybody in the PC community to join the effort.
“It’s my favorite part of the year,” said Bunz. “It’s funny because you wouldn’t think that going to a third world country would be the part you are looking forward to most of the year…you are so much more thankful for everything and how lucky we are.”
Basketball Loses Heartbreaker to Nova
by Meaghan P Cahill on January 30, 2020
Friar Sports
By Joseph Quirk ’23
Sports Staff
The noise was deafening. Screams and shouts coming from every corner of the sold out Dunkin’ Donuts Center, ready to watch the Providence College Friars take on rival Villanova University Wildcats. That same energy would remain for the entire game, which resulted in a close, yet devastating loss for the Friars.
“I really want to thank our crowd. Our crowd gave us every opportunity to be successful. The energy in here, I couldn’t be more blessed,” said head coach Ed Cooley after the game. The crowd showed up for the Friars team coming off two road losses to Creighton University and Seton Hall University that some believe may have killed their tournament chances. But the fans were not ready to give up on their Friars.
The game was close and physical for the entire 40 minutes. The Friars showed some improvement offensively, but a lot of the struggles that had haunted them all year came back to bite them in the end.
“That’s the Big East this year, man,” said Villanova head coach Jay Wright. “That’s what every game has been for us. That’s what makes this league great.” The Big East has been one of the most competitive conferences in all of college basketball this season. Many believe there will be up to six of the ten member schools in the NCAA tournament this year, which has caused almost every game to be thrilling, exciting, and important. This game was no different.
Both teams felt the pressure heading into Saturday’s game. Villanova was ranked in the top-10, looking to defend their spot against a gritty PC team at home. And PC has been trying to dig themselves out of a hole since the first few weeks of their basketball season.
The young Wildcats were led by junior guard Collin Gillespie, who dominated the game. He had 18 points, four assists and seven rebounds all while shooting 50 percent from the floor and controlling the pace. Gillespie is one of the oldest and most experienced on the young Villanova team and is taking on his leadership role very well.
“I still got a year and a half left. It’s just so fun with this group, we’re all so young and everything is a learning experience for us,” said Gillespie when asked if he felt like an “old man” with such a young group. Gillespie rose to the challenge in this game, staying in for most of the second half with four fouls. “Definitely still be aggressive but be smart,” Gillespie said of his play style in the second half. “On defense and offense you just gotta be smart.”
Unlike Villanova’s offense, the Friars had another rough night shooting-wise. PC shot an abysmal 31.7 percent from the field, 13.0 from three and 77.3 from the free throw line. But that was not the only issue as turnovers also killed the team.
“[The turnovers were] as costly as we’ve had since I’ve been coaching here.” said Cooley. “For a game of that magnitude to not even get shot attempts turnovers.We try to work as much as we can on time and scoring.”
Cooley also spoke about the overall offensive struggles the team has dealt with all season. “When you look at the overall body of work of this year’s team, our offense is really struggling,” he said. “The efficiency just isn’t there.”
Cooley noted how the team runs different situations and drills in practice and that the same shots that are missing in games are falling in practice. He stressed that the team has put in the effort and has the talent and that’s why it has been such a stressful season on the coaching staff.
However, the offense showed promise and life in the first half when they utilized off ball motion, more pick-and-roll plays and had more of an intensity driving to the rim. Perhaps the brightest star who thrived for PC was Nate Watson ’21. The center had been coming back from a knee injury suffered in the preseason and had been either off the bench or on a minutes restriction for most of the season. “Nate is coming along. I’m really proud of him…today was a big day for him.”
Watson finished shooting 7-12 with 18 points, nine rebounds, and a steal. It was a very encouraging performance for the future.
The Friars play 16th-ranked Butler on the road next Saturday, followed by Creighton at home and Xavier University on the road.
Abstreiter ’21RS Earns Hockey East Honors
by Meaghan P Cahill on January 30, 2020
Friar Sports
Goalie Sets Career-High in Saves
By Eileen Flynn ’20
Sports Staff
Born and raised in Freising, Germany, Sandra Abstreiter ’21RS is starting to get comfortable in her new home between the pipes for the Providence College Women’s Hockey Team. As a redshirt sophomore, Abstreiter was recently recognized as the Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week for the first time in her career. You might be curious as to what it takes to reach this milestone, and in this case, it was not an easy feat. Abstreiter spent a weekend getting peppered in net against a top Hockey East team, the University of New Hampshire. She made a total of 64 saves and allowed just two goals during 120 minutes of play, helping her team sweep the series.
Abstreiter reflected on her accomplishment, “Obviously, it is a great honor to get this recognition and all the congratulations from friends.” She was quick to refocus on what is really important: the next game. “The more important part to me is to win games. I would say it is an indirect goal of mine to get selected for this because it means I was doing my best to help my team win which is always the main goal as a goalie.”
The two teams joined each other on the ice in Durham, NH on Friday, Jan. 17. PC was hungry to avenge the 2-6 loss UNH handed them earlier in the season in their first Hockey East match up.
Ciara Barone, ’22, tallied her second goal of the season for the Friars and netted the first goal of the night. Assists came from Annelise Rice ’21 and Kathleen McHugh ’20. UNH snuck in a goal just before the end of the first period, sending both teams into their locker rooms with one goal under their belt. A power play opportunity in the second period helped the Friars gain the momentum they were looking for all game. Lauren DeBlois ’23 hit line mate Sara Hjalmarsson ’22 in stride as she skated up the ice, finishing with a wrist shot that leapt up over the UNH’s goaltender. Hayley Lunny’s ’21 empty net goal sealed the victory for the Friars, as Abstrieter stood strong in the Friars’ defensive zone snd skated away with a career-high 32 saves.
“The whole team was very excited to show how much we have improved together and to show UNH what we are capable of doing. It was a great chance to get revenge for the last game but also to jump them in the Hockey East standings because they were one point ahead of us before the weekend.” With this win, PC moves up to fifth place in the Hockey East standings.
It is tough to face the same team back-to-back, especially after such a close game. The Lady Friars, however, were ready to prove their toughness and stepped back onto the ice on Jan. 18 with the same attitude as the day before.
The first period remained scoreless, despite the Wildcats’ two-minute power play advantage. Providence trailed in shots 14-7 but Abstreiter kept the score even. Hjalmarsson scored her 13th goal of the season in the second period which put the Friars ahead. The tying goal came in the first couple of minutes in the third period, after the Wildcats continued to outshoot Providence. Caroline Peterson ’22 decided this game was not going to end in a draw, and with just two minutes remaining she helped the puck find the back of the net with a redirection. Abstreiter stopped another 32 shots and improved her record to 5-4-0 after an outstanding weekend performance.
“I think our team keeps improving and keeps getting better every day and every game. It is always challenging to get back into it after break but I think we set ourselves accomplishable goals for every game.”
Abstreiter is excited about playoffs, but her only focus right now is the next team up on the schedule. “I think, as I said, we cannot take anyone for granted and if we keep playing our game and stick together we don’t have to be scared of anyone.”
Sports Shorts Weeks of Jan. 18-Jan. 26
by Meaghan P Cahill on January 30, 2020
Friar Sports
By Meaghan Cahill ’20 and Jack Belanger ’21
Sports Co-Editors
Women’s Basketball:
On Jan. 26, the Providence College Women’s Basketball Team snapped an eight-game losing streak and earned their first Big East win of the year, beating Xavier University 60-48. The Friars only scored 15 points in the first half before finding their groove after halftime. Three players finished in double-figures for points, led by Earlette Scott ’22 who finished with a career high 20, including 11 made free throws. Kaela Webb ’22 scored 10 of her 12 points in the fourth quarter. As a team, PC shot 41.3 percent from the field while holding the Musketeers to 27 percent. The Friars are now 10-11 in the season.
Indoor Track and Field:
On Jan. 18, the Providence College Men’s and Women’s Indoor Track Teams competed at the Boston University Multi-Team Meet, which featured six additional schools from throughout New England and Ireland. During the meet, four women runners qualified for the ECAC Championships: Maria Coffin ’21, Abbey Wheeler ’20, Lilly Tuck ’23, and Bridget Mitchell ’22; and four men qualified for the IC4A Championships: Michael O’Leary ’19GS, Jack Carleo ’21, Marcelo Rocha ’21, and Ryan Gallagher ’21. Coffin ran a personal best in the 3,000-meter event which she placed first in, and Wheeler finished first in the mile run. On the men’s side, O’Leary finished first in the 3,000-meter run and Carleo finished first in the 800-meter sprint.
The following weekend, the Friars returned to Boston to compete in the John Thomas Terrier Classic where multiple Friars, including Wheeler, Coffin, and Carleo finished top-ten in their respective events. Ryan Jendzejec’s ’21 2:28.04 time in the 1,000-meter dash qualified him to compete in the IC4 Championships.
Swim and Dive:
On Saturday, January 25, the Providence College Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving Teams hosted the University of Maine. It was the Friars’ senior meets and the men’s team gained their second consecutive win with a score of 195-99; the women’s team tied 150-150. Four different swimmers on the men’s team set new school records: Kevin Hood ’23 in the 100-meter breaststroke, Justin Viotto ’22 in the 200-meter butterfly, and both the 200-meter medley and 200-meter freestyle relay teams. The women’s team had six first place finishes: Sally Alrutz ’23 in the 100-meter backstroke, 100-meter butterfly, and the 200-meter backstroke; Elizabeth Murray ’23 in the 800-meter freestyle; Jennifer Banks ’22 in the 400-meter freestyle; and Taylor Loud ’23 in the 200-meter freestyle. The team’s final regular season meet will take place this upcoming weekend against Seton Hall University and Georgetown University in New Providence, NJ.
A Decade of PC Athletics
by Meaghan P Cahill on January 16, 2020
Friar Sports
A Look Back at a Monumental Ten Years
By Thomas Zinzarella ’21
Sports Staff
This decade has shown one of the largest growths among every sport at Providence College. There are so many moments to choose from but here are some of the greatest from this past decade:
Men’s Basketball Capture 2014 Big East Championship
Ed Cooley and the Friars playing in Madison Square Garden are something Friars fans have begun to enjoy throughout this decade, and it all began back in 2014. This was the first year of the newly aligned 10-team Big East conference and the Friars only championship was back in 1994. The Friars were an NCAA Tournament bubble team coming into the tournament making it vital for them to win. Some had the Friars succeeding and others had them as the first four teams out. Well, the Friars burst a couple of bubbles and downed the Creighton University Blue Jays to punch their ticket. This Creighton team held one of the greatest college basketball players ever to roam the floor, Doug McDermott. The Friars were led by Bryce Cotton ’14 and LaDontae Henton ’15 with a number of other upperclassmen who started the rise of Friar basketball. This would be their first of five straight NCAA tournament appearances and set the standard of what PC basketball is today.
Friars Knock off No. 3 Villanova
Valentine’s Day 2018: The Friars needed a win to bolster their NCAA tournament resume, having already defeated the No. 5/4 Xavier University Musketeers about a month prior in Providence. The holiday featured a Big East match-up against rival Villanova University. The team PC faced is considered by many college basketball critics to be the best team of the decade, as they would go on to win the NCAA Tournament. It was a fast-paced, nail biter of a game as the Wildcats and Friars remained within single digit points of each other over the course of the two halves. Ultimately, the Friars pulled ahead at the end and beat Villanova 76-71 in a game that Cooley cites as “the greatest win” that he has had with the College. Scenes of students storming the court in a matter of seconds have stuck with many Friar basketball fans ever since. The win was a pivotal moment for the team that year as it gave them the momentum they needed to make a push in the Big East Tournament which secured them a spot in the Championship game.
2014 Men’s Soccer College Cup
Just like the men’s basketball team, 2014 brought great success for the men’s soccer team. The Friars advanced to the NCAA tournament as the 11th overall team. The Friars earned themselves a first round bye and picked up victories over Dartmouth University, the University of California-Irvine and the No. 3 team Michigan State University en route to their first ever College Cup appearance. The Friars faced a tough task with in the No. 2 University of California-Los Angeles Bruins and fell 3-2 in double-overtime. Under the direction of Craig Stewart, the Friars have made six NCAA tournament appearances with a follow-up Sweet 16 appearance in 2016 under future MLS star Julian Gressel ’16.
Women’s Cross Country National Championship
Any time there is a national championship mentioned, it more than likely will be involved as one of the greatest moments. The 2013 National Championship Women’s Cross Country Team is no exception. The Friars were runners up the year prior and would not be deterred the following year. The Friars were led by Emily Sisson ’14 who finished seventh overall. Sisson is now currently competing for a spot on the U.S. National team for this upcoming Olympics and is well known in women’s running. It was the Friars first championship since 1995. Under head coach Ray Treacy ’82, the team has won two national championships and has transformed into one of the best programs in the country.
Men’s Hockey Team Wins 2015 National Championship
Friars head coach Nate Leaman has elevated this program to national prominence once again and brought the Friars back into the spotlight by advancing to the 2015 Frozen Four. The Friars were one of the final teams to make the tournament and used this motivation to their advantage. After the Friars got past the University of Nebraska-Omaha, the Friars faced off against the Boston University Terriers in the NCAA National Championship game at the TD Garden in Boston. The Friars were searching for their first National Championship in program history and, after falling behind 3-2 after two periods of play, needed some magic to secure the win. In what is considered one of the craziest finishes to an NCAA Championship hockey game, the Friars were able to come out on top in last ten minutes of the third period after finding themselves in a tied game when BU accidentally scored on their own net. It was Brandon Tanev ’15 who flicked in the game-winner wrist shot with just over six minutes left of play that secured the program’s first ever NCAA championship. Tanev would go on to become one of seven Friars to play in the NHL from the team.
Women’s Basketball Team Advances it to the 16th Round of the 2018 Women’s Basketball National Invitation Tournament
Women’s basketball had lost its way for a bit after their great success in the 1980s and early 90s at PC. Jim Crowley in his third year at the helm took tremendous strides for the Friars. The Friars made postseason play for the first time since 2010 and just the second time since the Friars advanced to the 1991-92 NCAA tournament. The Friars defeated University of Hartford and University of Pennsylvania to advance to the Sweet 16 of the WNIT and were set to face their fellow Big East foe, the Georgetown University Hoyas. The Friars ultimately fell to them, but this was a special collection of players young and old. Friar fans saw one of the greatest scorers in program history, Jojo Nogic ’19, and featured the Big East Freshman of the Year, Mary Baskerville ’22. Nogic finished as the 4th all time leading scorer in program history and Baskerville also set the program record for blocks for a freshman and the most by a Friar since the 1999-2000 season. The Friars also won eight games in conference play, the most since the 1996-1997 season. These are just a few of many accomplishments for this women’s basketball program as they look to continue their rise in the rigorous Big East conference.
Earthquake Shakes Swim Team
by Meaghan P Cahill on January 16, 2020
Friar Sports
Major Quake Rocks Puerto Rico During Team’s Winter Training Trip
By Jack Belanger ’21
Sports Co-Editor
On Jan. 2, the Providence College Men’s and Women’s Swimming Teams made their annual trip down to Ponce, Puerto Rico for their winter training trip. While the team was looking forward to spending time together and enjoying the warm weather, Puerto Rico was dealing with some of its own issues. In the days leading up to their arrival, there had been several smaller earthquakes on the south side of the island. Even though the team was not staying at the epicenter of the shakes, they felt the effects of some of the tremors during their first day on the island.
Co-captain Erin Boyle ’20 and her roommates first noticed the effects when they felt their beds shaking after they had arrived at their hotel room. Boyle added that she has never experienced something like this before. Throughout the next few days the team felt some of the tremors periodically—luckily none were a serious threat.
It was not until Tuesday, January 7 when they felt an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.4. The shaking occurred early in the morning, waking up the entire team.
“The entire room was shaking,” said Boyle. “The curtains looked like they were swaying like they were on a boat. The walls looked like they were moving. I thought the T.V. was going to fall down.”
After the earthquake had finished, the team gathered in the lobby of the hotel. Head coach John O’Neill canceled practice that day and had the athletes go back to their rooms until a plan of action was decided.
Later that day, the team got a bus to the north side of the island where they would finish the rest of their training camp in Dorado, far enough away to avoid the major effects of the earthquake.
Outside of the earthquake, the team had a successful time in Puerto Rico. The trip served as a great opportunity for the team to bond while practicing twice a day for the majority of the trip.
After the trip ended, the women’s team came back to campus for the meet against Assumption College while the men flew to Pennsylvania to face Villanova University. The men did not fare well against the Wildcats, loosing 75-130. Justin Viotto ’22 paced the team with two first place finishes in the 1000-yard freestyle and 200-yard butterfly. His performance at the meet earned him Big East Swimming and Diving Male Athlete of the Week.
The women on the other hand won their meet against the Greyhounds 113-92. Lauren Zawacki ’21 led the team with two individual first-place finishes in the 50-meter and 100-meter freestyle events. The team also won two relay events in the 400-meter medley and 400-meter freestyle. Katie Thornton ’21 also stood out, making both her cut times for the Big East Championships at the end of February.
Both teams will travel to the College of the Holy Cross this Saturday to face the Crusaders in their annual meet.
Men’s Hockey Cruises Over Break
by Meaghan P Cahill on January 16, 2020
Friar Sports
By Eileen Flynn ’20
Sports Staff
While most of us spent Christmas break catching up on sleep and spending time with family and friends, the Providence College Men’s Hockey Team had quite a busy month. The Friars participated in two different tournaments, the 2019 Catamount Cup and the 2020 Fortress Invitational.
Just a few days after Christmas, the Friars laced up against the Lakers from Lake Superior State University to kick off the Catamount Cup. Ranked at No. 13/15, PC set the tone for the game from the start, outshooting the Lakers 9-7 in the first 20 minutes. Co-captain Spenser Young ’20 tallied his first goal of the season, finishing a pass from Jamie Engelbert ’23. The majority of the second period was spent in the Friar’s offensive zone, testing Lake Superior State’s defense. The score remained 1-0 at the end of the second despite both Jack Dugan’s ’22 and Patrick Moynihan’s ’23 prime opportunities. The Lakers were able to capitalize on their power play at 6:25 in the third period, keeping both teams on the ice a little bit longer for overtime. Greg Printz ’21 ended the game with a rebound goal, finalizing the first win of the break for the Friars as well as Coach Leaman’s 186th team win as head coach.
The Friars brought a similar energy to their next matchup. In their second game of the tournament against Union College, Tyce Thompson ’22 scored the first goal for PC. On a power play in the first period, Thompson netted his NCAA-leading 14th goal of the season. PC more than doubled the amount of Union’s shots on net, but could only put one goal in before the end of the first period. The Friars let Union finish a rebound with 5:11 left in regulation, ending the game in a tie.
The Friars were off to their next tournament, the Fortress Invitational, a week later, this time just a little bit further away. PC played Army West Point in Las Vegas, NV at the T-Mobile Arena on Jan. 3. The bigger the venue, the better the Friars played, securing the 3-1 win. Dugan found the back of the net first, quick to follow was Luke Johnson ’23 and Matt Koopman ’22. The Friars remain unbeaten now in their past four games, scoring first in every match-up.
Young discussed the team’s positive experience in Las Vegas, saying, “It’s cool to do trips like these. It gives the team a regional type feel and allows us to play against competitive teams.” The Fortress Invitational hosted 4 out of the top 20 teams. “Since we have such a young team, it is good to get an idea of how we need to prepare for the future.”
The Friars advanced to the championship game against Cornell University after their win against Army West Point. In yet another intense game, PC came out strong, scoring the first goal about 6:35 into the first period. Thompson scored, bringing his impressive goal count to 15. The game went back and forth, until the third period ended in a stalemate. Although the teams played more hockey in overtime, the game was eventually resolved in a shootout. Michael Lackey ’20GS protected the Friars’ net while Dugan scored the winning goal, a fitting performance from the Vegas Golden Knights draft pick.
“We knew Cornell and Army were both skilled but hard working gritty teams so it took a complete team effort to come out of the tournament with the trophy,” Young reflects on the team’s win over break. “We stuck to our game plan and our best players stepped up and scored some big goals.”
Although the Friars had a busy month, their winning momentum has already helped them beat the American International College Yellow Jackets on Jan. 9, as well as fellow Hockey East opponent the University of Connecticut on Jan. 11. Young is looking forward to the rest of the season, especially the upcoming games against the University of New Hampshire from his home state. With more Hockey East teams to face, the competition does not get easier. However, the Friars are in a good position to take on the second half of their season as they continue to move up in the NCAA rankings all while looking to build upon their seven-game win-streak.
What You Missed: Men’s Basketball
by Meaghan P Cahill on January 16, 2020
Friar Sports
Friars Get Back on Track With Four Game Win-Streak
By Liam Tormey ’22
Sports Staff
As the first semester of the 2019-2020 school year came to an end on Dec. 14, the Providence College Men’s Basketball Team was sitting at a 5-5 record, a record that the team did not expect to be at. However, the season was young, with winter break just around the corner. That Saturday night, Ed Cooley’s team faced off at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center against Stony Brook University.
The Friars got off to a quick start against Stony Brook, getting up by ten points at halftime. Stony Brook made it interesting in the second half, scoring 54 points, but thanks to David Duke’s ‘22 and Luwane Pipkins’ ‘20G 21 points on the night, the Friars pushed their record to 6-5 after a 82-78 victory.
The Friars would be back in action just three days later as they traveled to Brooklyn, NY to play in the Air Force Reserve Basketball Hall of Fame Invitational against a solid University of Florida side. From the very start, the Friars were just not in the game.
The Gators got an early lead and went on a couple of runs to push their lead at halftime to a score of 37-22. There was no looking back for the Gators after that and the final score in the sixth loss of PC’s season was 83-51. The Friars were 15-58 (25.9%) from the field, 1-18 (5.6%) from three-point range, and 20-34 (58.8%) from the free throw line.
This game was one the Friars wanted to forget about. It would have been no Christmas gift.
The rest of the month-long winter break was very successful for the Friars. Right before the Christmas festivities, PC finished up their non-conference play and hosted the University of Texas Longhorns in a solid challenge for a Big East-Big 12 Battle. The game was nothing like the previous one, and the Friars answered the call. The Friars were great defensively and held the Longhorns to 48 points. Ed Cooley’s team grabbed a 22-point victory by a score of 70-48 and grabbed 52 rebounds, the first time they have grabbed over 50 rebounds in a game since they played the University of Connecticut on January 31, 2013. Alpha Diallo ’20 led the team with 14 points and 12 rebounds. The Friars finished up their non-conference play at 7-6.
Big East play opened on New Year’s Eve at the Dunk as the Friars hosted Georgetown University. From the get-go the Friars came out to play. At the end of the first half, the Friars went up 54-23, shooting 64.5 percent from the field. Alpha Diallo once again led the team with a game-high 20 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 steals. The Friars led the entire game and closed out their first victory in the Big East 76-60.
PC then had to go on the road for two tough contests against DePaul University and Marquette University.
Both teams had very good non-conference performances. In Chicago, the Friars were in a nail-biter against DePaul. After being down by two at halftime, the Friars came back and grew their largest lead of ten points in the second half. DePaul would not go down easy and, with under a minute to go, the game could go either way. Thanks to Maliek White ’20 and his 16 points off the bench, the Friars won another Big East game by a score of 66-65. Three days later PC headed to Marquette, having to face up against Big East Player of the Year Markus Howard. This was probably the most entertaining game of the break. The Friars did as much as they could to shut Howard down although he had 39 points on the night. AJ Reeves ‘22 saved the day for the Friars as he hit a game-tying three pointer with under ten seconds remaining. White had another big game and in overtime propelled PC to their fourth straight win behind his 19 points.
The final game of the break was against the No. six team in the country, Butler University. Although being down by 12 at halftime, the Friars had made the game as close as it could have been, but the shots were not falling. PC shot 31 percent from the field and 24 percent from behind the arch. It was a tough test for the Friars and, unfortunately, they lost their first game in five games. PC now currently sits at 10-7 overall and fifth in the Big East standings at 3-1.
A Decade of Success: PC in the Pros
by Meaghan P Cahill on January 16, 2020
Professional Sports
By Cam Smith ’21
Sports Assistant Editor
The 2010s produced a slew of immensely successful Providence College athletic teams, cementing the College’s status as a major player in the Big East conference and beyond. However, collegiate success is not the only thing that PC produced last decade, as the College also churned out a bevy of professional players who are currently finding success at the highest levels of their respective sports.
Three players that exemplify this wealth of Friar talent are Julian Gressel ’17, Noel Acciari ’15, and Kris Dunn ’16.
Gressel wrapped up his historic college career for the men’s soccer team in 2016, a season in which he scored a whopping 15 goals, placing him in the top four in scoring in the country. Following a two-goal performance against the top-seeded University of Maryland in the 2016 College Cup, Gressel was drafted by Atlanta United with the eighth pick of the 2017 MLS SuperDraft.
The sure-footed midfielder wasted little time adjusting to the big leagues, as he registered nine assists, third-most all time for a rookie, to go along with five goals in a first-year campaign that landed him the 2017 MLS Rookie of the Year award. Since then, Gressel has only continued his success, tallying a total of 15 goals and 35 assists across three seasons for an Atlanta United team that he has helped turn into one of the best expansion teams in recent history.
Acciari, too, found collegiate success prior to entering the professional ranks. His final season with the Friars featured the first national championship in men’s hockey history, a season in which Acciari tied for most goals scored on the team with 15.
After spending four solid seasons with the NHL’s Boston Bruins to begin his pro career, Acciari signed a three-year, $5 million deal with the Florida Panthers this off-season. The deal has immediately paid dividends for both sides, as Acciari has already set a career high in goals with 17, a number boosted by a remarkable two-game stretch in December that featured back-to-back hat tricks.
Dunn, perhaps the most well-known recent PC alumni, also finished his PC career strong, leading the men’s basketball team to a NCAA tournament victory over the University of Southern California in the first round. The Big East player of the year for 2016, Dunn was drafted fifth overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2016 NBA draft.
Though shooting woes have marred the start of his promising career, Dunn has found his stride this season with the Chicago Bulls on the defensive end. The fourth-year point guard has locked down some of the best offensive players in the league, and trails only Philadelphia 76ers’ star Ben Simmons in total steals, all while playing almost 400 minutes less than Simmons.
‘‘I’ve been guarding my whole life,’’ said Dunn on his defensive prowess. ‘‘I know when somebody is kind of fearful. I can see it, I can smell it, and I just try and act on it.’’
Indeed, the past decade has shown that PC can produce world-class athletes, ones who can succeed against the toughest competition in their respective sports. Players like Gressel, Acciari, and Dunn will continue to serve as inspirations to the next generation of Friar athletes.
Already this year, Jack Dugan ’22, a Vegas Golden Knights 2017 draft pick, has shined for the men’s hockey team. In addition, a pair of men’s soccer players, Austin Aviza ’20RS and Danny Griffin ’20, were both taken in the second round of the 2020 MLS SuperDraft and will hope to follow in the footsteps of Gressel. The triumph of these players and many more bodes well for another decade of success beyond Friartown for PC athletes.
PCI: What was the Best PC Sports Moment of the Decade?
by Meaghan P Cahill on January 16, 2020
PCI
Men’s Hockey Wins National Championship
One of the best parts of sports are the iconic, unlikely, and exciting pieces of history they create. A lot of these great sports moments have blessed Providence College within the last decade alone. With a plethora of iconic memories to choose from, it is difficult to pick just one. However, for me, it has to be the 2015 Men’s Hockey National Championship.
Hockey has been a staple of this school and the New England area for a very long time. It was not until recently that the men’s hockey team became a competitive force to be reckoned with in the NCAA. Led by head coach Nate Leaman, at the time in his fifth year with the team, the 2015 Friars won 26 games. That was their best mark since the 1980’s. This, along with a second-place finish in the Hockey East conference set them up nicely for the tournament and a chance to reclaim glory for PC hockey.
Unfortunately, this was not the case. The Friars suffered a quarterfinal upset to the University of New Hampshire and crossed their fingers. Eventually, they did secure one of the last tournament spots and started their improbable run that included beating 4-seed Miami University, the University of Denver, and the University of Nebraska-Omaha.
The Friars faced off against the Boston University Terriers on April 11, 2015 at the TD Garden in Boston, MA. Slated to win, the Terriers went into the second half of the third period with a 3-2 lead against the Friars. However, in the final minutes of the game, PC scored two unanswered goals to not only win the game, but also to secure the program’s first ever NCAA win in hockey.
The team was packed with several great players who would eventually move on to the NHL. Players like Noel Acciari ’15, Brandon Tanec ’16, and Mark Jankowski ’16 were key players that pushed the Friars to the title. Acciari was tied for the team lead in goals while Jankowski was second on the team in assists.
The win managed to pull the Friars not just back to relevancy, but to the top of the nation as the team still remains one of the biggest powerhouses of hockey to this day. This championship was an incredible feat for the school as well as a turning point for the program as it allowed the team to consistently compete at this level in the years to come and set them up with great, national recognition.
– Joseph Quirk ’23
Sports Staff
Kris Dunn Drafted in 2016 NBA Draft
One of the best Providence College sports moments of the decade occurred off the court: the 2016 NBA Draft. Indeed, this event was made so special because point guard and Friar Legend, Kris Dunn ’16, was drafted fifth overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Being selected to play professionally in the NBA is already an accomplishment in itself. However, being selected in the first round, and in the top five especially, is a shining moment in a decade of PC success.
Dunn was among All-NBA talent, like Ben Simmons, Brandon Ingram, and Jaylen Brown. This gives a better picture of just how special this moment was. Indeed, it cemented him as one of the top talents not only from the collegiate level, but also from around the world.
The talented Friar point guard did not get drafted as high as he did for just any reason. His college career featured a wealth of highlights and notable awards including being named a Second-Team All-American in 2016, receiving Big East Player of the Year in 2015 and 2016, and a two-time First-Team All-Big East in 2015 and 2016. Dunn was also a two-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year in 2015 and 2016, and finally, was a Big East Tournament champion in 2014.
Even with all the statistics and accolades received throughout his tenure at PC, Dunn never let personal achievement get in the way of the success of the team. He was renowned for always putting in 110% in every game and against every team he faced. This is best shown in the win over a challenging University of Southern California team in the 2016 March Madness Tournament.
As brilliant as the 2016 draft was, Dunn struggled in his rookie season for the Timberwolves. Dunn, in 78 games played, averaged 3.8 points and 2.4 assists per game.
Currently, Dunn, in his fourth season in the NBA and third with the Chicago Bulls, is averaging 7.2 points, 3.2 assists, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game. He is in second place in the league for total steals, and has been hot on the tail of league-leader Ben Simmons for the entire season.
Truly, college basketball players work hard to achieve their dream of making it to the professionals, going out every night to play the game they love. This is why hearing one’s name called on the stage is such a special moment for not only the player, but also for the school they represent. It exemplifies the hard work put in to get to that point, and the support the school provided along the way.
Dunn was able to use the knowledge he had gained from PC to achieve the greatest accomplishment for a basketball player: getting drafted. His recent success on the biggest stage makes it one of the best moments of the decade for PC athletics.
– Sullivan Burgess ’20
Sports Staff