Tag: Marc DeMartis ’21
Cross Country Teams Finish Strong
by The Cowl Editor on December 5, 2019
Friar Sports
By Marc DeMartis ’21
Sports Staff
The Providence College Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Teams both ended their fall seasons strong, each team winning the ECAC/IC4A Championship in the Bronx, NY recently. For the men, five finished in the top 12, with Ryan Gallagher ’21 leading the way with his third place finish. On the women’s side, Abbey Wheeler ’20, Maria Coffin ’21, and Lilly Tuck ’23 finished in first, second, and third place, completely dominating the rest of the field. The captain of the men’s team, Michael O’Leary ’19GS, explained just how much this win meant to his team: “It felt great to run well as a team and end our season on a high note. For some of us, it was our last cross country race for Providence so to come away with a win against some good teams was a special moment for everyone there.” With such a strong finish to their fall season, it is time to reflect on all that these teams have accomplished so far.
The men’s team finished in first place out of 25 teams at the New England Championships this year. This was their 26th New England Championships victory, their first since 2014. With this great accomplishment, the Friars hope to keep this momentum going. O’Leary said, “Winning New England was a great day for the team. We ran with a lot of confidence and I think that helped us run as a group and come away with a win.”
At the Big East Championships this year, the women’s team finished in fourth while the men came in fifth place. The women were led by Wheeler, Coffin, and Tuck who all earned All-Big East Honors following the race. Wheeler secured her fourth consecutive year having earned All-Big East Honors, an impressive accomplishment by the senior.
The men were disappointed in their performance this year since they finished in fifth in last year’s meet. O’Leary expressed his disappointment with the team’s performance, saying, “Big East is a big race for us and we definitely wanted to do better. We know we are a better team than fifth, so I know the guys will come together next season and make sure we’re back to where we should be.”
At the NCAA Northeast Regionals, the men finished 13th and the women were 10th with three members of the team earning All-Region honors due to placing in the top 25. Wheeler, Tuck, and Marcelo Rocha ’21 all earned All-Region honors.
With regards to their upcoming spring season, O’Leary explained, “For spring, we always want to make sure we’re setting personal bests, performing well at Big East, and sending as many guys to regionals as possible. We have a really strong team this year and we’re looking forward to racing on the track again soon.” With the fall cross country season coming to an end, the men and women’s track and field season has just begun.
Cross Country Teams Finish Strong
by The Cowl Editor on December 5, 2019
Friar Sports
By Marc DeMartis ’21
Sports Staff
The Providence College Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Teams both ended their fall seasons strong, each team winning the ECAC/IC4A Championship in the Bronx, NY recently. For the men, five finished in the top 12, with Ryan Gallagher ’21 leading the way with his third place finish. On the women’s side, Abbey Wheeler ’20, Maria Coffin ’21, and Lilly Tuck ’23 finished in first, second, and third place, completely dominating the rest of the field. The captain of the men’s team, Michael O’Leary ’19GS, explained just how much this win meant to his team: “It felt great to run well as a team and end our season on a high note. For some of us, it was our last cross country race for Providence so to come away with a win against some good teams was a special moment for everyone there.” With such a strong finish to their fall season, it is time to reflect on all that these teams have accomplished so far.
The men’s team finished in first place out of 25 teams at the New England Championships this year. This was their 26th New England Championships victory, their first since 2014. With this great accomplishment, the Friars hope to keep this momentum going. O’Leary said, “Winning New England was a great day for the team. We ran with a lot of confidence and I think that helped us run as a group and come away with a win.”
At the Big East Championships this year, the women’s team finished in fourth while the men came in fifth place. The women were led by Wheeler, Coffin, and Tuck who all earned All-Big East Honors following the race. Wheeler secured her fourth consecutive year having earned All-Big East Honors, an impressive accomplishment by the senior.
The men were disappointed in their performance this year since they finished in fifth in last year’s meet. O’Leary expressed his disappointment with the team’s performance, saying, “Big East is a big race for us and we definitely wanted to do better. We know we are a better team than fifth, so I know the guys will come together next season and make sure we’re back to where we should be.”
At the NCAA Northeast Regionals, the men finished 13th and the women were 10th with three members of the team earning All-Region honors due to placing in the top 25. Wheeler, Tuck, and Marcelo Rocha ’21 all earned All-Region honors.
With regards to their upcoming spring season, O’Leary explained, “For spring, we always want to make sure we’re setting personal bests, performing well at Big East, and sending as many guys to regionals as possible. We have a really strong team this year and we’re looking forward to racing on the track again soon.” With the fall cross country season coming to an end, the men and women’s track and field season has just begun.
Women’s Basketball Coach Hits Career Milestone
by The Cowl Editor on November 21, 2019
Friar Sports
Coach Jim Crowley Lands 300th Career Win
By Marc DeMartis ’21
Sports Staff
Coach Jim Crowley of the Providence College Women’s Basketball Team earned his 300th career win last Saturday over the University of Massachusetts-Amherst Minutemen. He has been coaching for more than 20 years.
Coach Crowley’s career started back at his alma mater, Keuka College, in upstate New York. After spending three seasons with the team and leading them to an Eastern College Athletic Conference Championship appearance, Crowley caught the eye of St. Bonaventure University. At St. Bonaventure, he spent his first four seasons as the assistant coach of the team before being promoted to the head coaching position, where he would remain for another 16 years. During his long tenure, Crowley experienced immense success.
He saw a lot of this success come in his last eight seasons at St. Bonaventure; six of those eight were 20 plus win seasons. Most importantly, however, Crowley led the Bonnies to their first ever NCAA tournament appearance in 2012 during the same season that he broke St. Bonaventure’s record for most wins in a season with 31. That season he was also awarded Coach of the Year by ESPN.com.
With such an impressive past, Crowley caught the eye of PC’s Athletic Director, Bob Driscoll, who decided to name him the 10th head coach in PC women’s basketball history in the spring of 2016. Coach Crowley brought all three of his assistant coaches, Priscilla Edwards, Tiara Johnson, and Jessica Jenkins, with him from St. Bonaventure to help continue his success. So far, he has proven that he will turn the Friars back into a winning program considering his team has kicked off their season undefeated, with a 3-0 record.
Now, looking at his 300th win, Crowley’s great coaching was on full display as the team looked incredibly efficient against the UMass Minutemen. Four players for the Friars posted scores in the double digits. Kyra Spiwak ’21 scored a career-high 15 points, shooting 50 percent from the field. Spiwak said, “It was really special for Coach Crowley to get his 300th win, and I was honored to be a part of it. I think it says a lot about his hard work and commitment to all of the teams he has coached in his career. It is an incredible accomplishment and definitely well deserved.”
Spiwak explained that Crowley “was a big part of why I chose to play at Providence. He pushes us to be the best players we can be on and off the court. He cares about us as people and wants to see us succeed in all aspects of life, not just basketball.”
With regards to Crowley’s coaching staff that followed him from St. Bonaventure, she said, “It’s a privilege to play under him and the entire coaching staff he has. They know how to make it a family atmosphere.” Comments like these are important for a team’s success and it is great to hear how well the team is performing under Coach Crowley and his staff this season.
Coach Crowley and the Friars take on the University of Massachusetts-Lowell this Sunday, November 24 as they try to remain undefeated.
Swim and Dive Host Weekend Meets
by The Cowl Editor on November 7, 2019
Friar Sports
Women’s Team Pulls off First Win of the Season
By Marc DeMartis ’21
Sports Staff
This weekend the Providence College Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving Teams had two meets against two different opponents. The first was on Friday against Iona College. Unfortunately, the Friars did not come away with the win, but it was a hard-fought meet.
The team seemed to lack energy in the first half, losing the majority of their events. However, the Friars came back in the second half looking alive and shifting the momentum in their favor.
Andrew Ferrell ’21 said, “We were deflated in the first half of the meet, which allowed them to take advantage and keep their momentum going. But we picked up the energy in the second half of the meet and although we performed much better in the second half, it doesn’t matter at the end of the day since we still lost.”
The Friars’ loss in their meet against Iona could have been due to the number of swimmers missing due to injury or sickness. Parker Cramer ’21 explained, “We’ve had a lot of injuries and illnesses plaguing our team this past week, which did not help us when it came to training for these meets. We weren’t as prepared as we could’ve been against Iona but we made those adjustments against Fairfield and it made it a much better meet.”
The Friars woke up Saturday morning ready to take on Fairfield University. Determined to avoid two consecutive losses, the team rose to the occasion, and the fans were extremely engaged in each and every event because of how close it was the entire time.
The men’s team lost 154-137, but the women’s team saved the day on their end, winning 151-149. It was an exhilarating meet to say the least; the final event decided whether or not the meet would end in a loss or split for the Friars.
Jamie Eigner ’21 described the meet as “definitely one of our most competitive and exhilarating meets that we’ve had considering it came down to the last relay.” Luckily, the women’s team came up clutch and got the job done to avoid back-to-back losses this weekend.
Despite the men’s team losing the majority of their events, they set a new school record for the 800 meter freestyle relay with a time of 8:01.19.
Eigner also mentioned, “All of our guys were there for each other the entire meet and I think we all did great. Looking ahead, we look forward to what’s to come in the future and are ready to remain positive and train hard every day for the rest of the season.”
With newcomers like Taylor Loud ’23 on the women’s team, the Friars seem to be in good hands going forward. Loud impressed after placing first in the 100 meter freestyle event against both Iona and Fairfield.
The women’s swim and dive team participated in a tri-meet this Wednesday, November 6 against the University of Rhode Island and Sacred Heart University at 6 p.m.
Women’s Soccer Vying for Final Playoff Spot
by The Cowl Editor on October 31, 2019
Friar Sports
By Marc DeMartis ’21
Sports Staff
This past Sunday, the Providence College Women’s Soccer Team took on the Villanova University Wildcats for the Friars’ Senior Day. Although the Friars were defeated 0-1, they dominated the stat sheet in almost every category.
The Friars had a total of 14 shots compared to Villanova’s six. Rhode Island native Hannah McNulty ’21 led the Friars’ attack with five attempted shots, with one shot-on-goal being a header that ended up hitting the right post. A goal that the Friars could have used to tie the game. McNulty also scored an impressive header that was waved off after being ruled offsides in the 60th minute.
The Wildcats began the game strong, scoring early in the 21st minute, but lost their momentum in the second half as the Friars outshot them 10-0.
Even though the seniors were upset after losing a hard-fought game, they were just as happy to play with their teammates for their last home game. Olivia Lucia ’20 said, “Although we didn’t get the result we wanted tonight, I was so proud of the effort and hard work that the team put forth. It was an emotional day, but I was overjoyed to be surrounded by my team and fellow seniors on our home field for our last home game.”
When asked about how she felt about her Senior Day, Lucia said, “I honestly can’t put into words how emotional and amazing my senior season has been for me. It doesn’t feel real that I might be playing my last game this week. The little girl inside me doesn’t want to let go of the sport that became her escape and passion.”
Now the Friars look forward to their last game of the regular season against Seton Hall University on Oct. 31. After that, they have the Big East Tournament ahead of them. Lucia is looking forward to this year’s tournament, saying, “Going into the Big East Tournament, I have a lot of confidence in the team and know that if we work hard we can be very successful.” Tournament play starts for the Friars on Nov. 3.
PCI: Who Will Win the World Series?
by The Cowl Editor on October 24, 2019
PCI
Washington Nationals
By Thomas Zinzarella ’21
Sports Staff
The Washington Nationals swept the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Championship Series to advance to their first ever World Series since moving from Montreal to Washington, D.C.
For many fans, it has been a long time coming since the Nationals came into formation in 2005. After winning the NL East four times in five years from 2012-2017, the Nationals were unable to advance past the NLDS every year. This led to the Nationals losing their coveted All-Star outfielder Bryce Harper to free agency. Many people wrote them off but, the Nationals were able to rebuild without Harper and improve their team for the better.
The Nationals finished the season hot and made it into the Wild Card game where they defeated the Milwaukee Brewers.
Because the Nationals have been underdogs the whole way and because they have certain key players, I believe they will win the World Series.
The Astros do have a superior roster in some ways, but the Nationals are not far off. Again, this is Washington’s first World Series in franchise history. The Nationals were able to overcome the Phillies and find a way into the playoffs. As of this past weekend, the Houston Astros are the largest favorites in a World Series since the Boston Red Sox in 2007 against the Colorado Rockies. The Nationals were underdogs to the Dodgers in the NLDS, then were slightly favored in the St. Louis Cardinals series even though the Nationals were just 2-5 versus the Cardinals this year.
The Nationals have that “October Clutch” factor that not many teams have. Just go back to Game Five of the NLDS where they were trailing on the road 3-1 facing arguably one of the best pitchers in baseball history in Clayton Kershaw. Back-to-back home runs by Juan Soto and Anthony Rendon tied the game and sent the game to extra innings, where Howie Kendrick blasted a grand slam.
In 38 at-bats in this postseason, he has hit two homeruns and has driven nine runs. Those nine runs are the most by a Washington National in postseason history. Kendrick is boasting himself for an early WS MVP award if the Nationals keep going on this track.
Let’s not forget the other stars on the Nationals. Their rotation will include Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Patrick Corbin, and Aníbal Sánchez. Strasburg, who is now Top-10 All-Time in postseason ERA with a 1.10, has been phenomenal this October. Sánchez took a no-hit bid into the eighth inning in the first game of the NLCS is not something to undermine.
With the Houston Astros lineup holding the likes of Alex Bregman, Carlos Correa, and José Altuve; it is going to be up to the Nationals pitching to keep them in it. I believe that with the Nationals having the extended break, especially for pitching, they will be rested and have a shot at knocking off the heavily favorited Houston Astros.
Houston Astros
By Marc DeMartis ’21
Sports Staff
The Houston Astros are headed back to the World Series for the second time in the last three seasons. Coming off a six-game series with the New York Yankees, they show no signs of slowing down any time soon. Although the Washington Nationals have quite the batting lineup to compete with the Astros’ strong pitching staff, the Astros easily match the Nationals firepower with a stacked batting lineup of their own. There is no reason why they will not continue their dominance into the World Series.
The Astros were already having a fantastic regular season with a pitching rotation that included two of the best pitchers in the game, Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole (both of whom are coming off of 300 strikeout seasons). Then, making the trade for star pitcher Zack Greinke towards the end of the season was the final piece to the puzzle for the Astros. With a pitching rotation that includes three of the MLB’s best pitchers, it is going to be hard for the Nationals to hit as well as they have been all year. In terms of Washington’s weaknesses, their bullpen is not nearly as deep as Houston’s. With relievers like Will Harris and Ryan Pressly, the Astros have the depth necessary to go deep into games whereas the Nationals relievers are not nearly as reliable.
Not only is the Astros pitching dominant, but with a batting lineup that includes stars such as Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, George Springer, Carlos Correa, and Michael Brantley it’s hard for any team to stop their hitters. Five out of nine players in the Astros starting lineup hit .296 or above during the regular season which just goes to show how hard it is to pitch to this team. Players like Jose Altuve have been red hot for the Astros this postseason, posting a team-high .315 batting average with two home runs, the second one being his walk-off that sent his team to the World Series over the Yankees in Game Six.
With regards to World Series experience, Houston’s roster carries six position players who were a part of their World Series win back in 2017, which is more than the Yankees, Cardinals, and Nationals combined. With experience on their side, the Astros look to earn their second ever World Series trophy while the Nationals continue to fight for their first ever World Series title.
Another important aspect of this series that must be mentioned is the fact that the Astros will have the home field advantage for this series. Considering the Astros were the best home team in the MLB this season and have only lost one home game this postseason, it seems highly unlikely for the Nationals to pull this one out.
Sports Shorts
by The Cowl Editor on October 10, 2019
Friar Sports
By Marc Demartis ’21
Sports Staff
Tennis Team Update:
The Providence College Tennis Team stole the show at the tournament hosted here at PC last weekend. They won their first PC Invitational Tournament after winning 18 out of the 22 matches that they played against Bryant University, College of the Holy Cross, and Merrimack College. Vannelie Melendez ‘23 and Catherine Gamble ‘23 won their first doubles and singles matches and Gamble and Brenna Magliochetti ‘23 went undefeated for the day. Natalie Pitocco ‘20 and Aidan Epstein ‘20 also went undefeated on the day. They can keep the momentum going forward when they play in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Northeast Regionals on Thursday, October 17 in West Point, New York.
Swim Team Update:
The Providence College Men’s and Women’s Swimming & Diving Teams placed third overall at the New England Catholic Invitational (NECI) this past weekend at Boston College. The men finished in third place with 462 points and the women’s team also finished third with 482 points. There were six men’s teams and seven women’s teams competing in each division with colleges such as Fairfield University, Assumption College, College of the Holy Cross, La Salle University, Mount Saint Mary’s University, and Boston College. The next time the Friars hop in the pool will be on Monday, October 14 in the Taylor Natatorium here on campus where they will be holding their Black and White intrasquad meet.
Men’s Soccer Team Update:
The Providence College Men’s Soccer Team lost to Butler University during alumni weekend on Friday, October 4. After leading 1-0 in the first half, the Friars struggled to contain the Butler Bulldogs in the second half, giving up 3 goals. After the 3-1 loss, the team has a 6-4 record putting them in 6th place in the Big East Conference. The lone goal for the Friars came from Joao Serrano ‘20, his third goal of the season. Providence had 15 shots compared to Butler’s 7. After this devastating loss, the Friars look ahead to their next game on Tuesday, October 8 at the University of Connecticut at 7:00pm.
Women’s Hockey Team Update:
The Providence College Women’s Hockey Team earned their first win of the season against Quinnipiac University, improving their record to 1-1-0. The Friars defeated the Bobcats 3-2. After trailing 1-0 after the first period, the Friars came back in the second period to make it 2-2 by the start of the third. These goals came from Maureen Murphy ‘21 and Annelise Rice ‘21. However, the goal that really stood out from the rest comes from Bailey Burton ‘23 who scored the game winning goal with only one minute remaining in the third period. The Friars’ next game is against the Bemidji State Beavers on Friday, October 11.
Club Lacrosse Ready to Defend Title
by The Cowl Editor on October 3, 2019
Friar Sports
Team Returns Strong Championship Core Capable of Repeating
by Marc DeMartis ’21
The Providence College Men’s Club Lacrosse team is entering their 2019 season as the defending champions of the National Collegiate Lacrosse League (NCLL). After defeating the Westchester
Golden Rams 12 – 9 in the National Championship last Spring, the Friars have set the bar high for their upcoming season. Returning junior Ryan Barrett ‘21 said, “As we head into this season, we are expecting to protect our title and continue our success. Last year’s graduating class left us with the right mindset and the boys came back from the off season feeling dangerous this year.”
Tryouts for the team this year were held on Sunday, September 29 from 7-9 p.m. As expected, there was a great turnout according to the Vice President of the club, Teddy Allen ’21. He was pumped to see all of the new faces looking to join the team on their quest for another championship this season.
Allen said, “The first night of tryouts was absolutely phenomenal, it honestly could not have gone better. I saw no shortage of talent out on the field, I’m really looking forward to the season with the guys that we have.” With the talent the team currently has, any additions will only improve the success of the team in the coming year.
Another member of the team, Ryan Gayman ’21, spoke on his thoughts regarding the team’s ability on the field. Gayman stated, “Coming back this season off of a championship, the offense is juiced up as were returning all and necessary firepower… shooters everywhere. Defense has also been buzzing around during the first couple of weeks of practice. Checks are flying hard enough to break sticks.” It seems the team has their heads held high and their goals set for the year ahead. They are entering their fall season with plenty of confidence in their fellow players and this chemistry seems to be extremely valuable to the team.
Although the seniors that started the team only four years ago graduated last year, President John Buckley ’20, Allen, Captain Connor Corrod ’20, Captain Dauzia Etete ’20, Treasurer Kevin Flaherty ’21, and Marketing Manager JohnPaul Adams ’20 have returned as a hardworking group of leaders to kick off the year with new energy. This group of leaders have led multiple practices with a mixture of organization and unmatched positivity. Considering that the club team was only founded in 2016, to already have a national championship under their belt is quite an achievement.
The Club Lacrosse Team’s home opener is against Fairfield University on Oct. 6 at 5:00 p.m. on Chapey Field at Anderson Stadium. The boys all seemed thrilled to kick off the season and get the ball rolling.
Tennis Begins Season
by The Cowl Editor on September 26, 2019
Friar Sports
Migliorini and Magliochetti Shine in First Tournament
By Marc DeMartis ’21
Sports Staff
Starting on Sept. 13, The Providence College Tennis Team was in Hamden, Connecticut to play in the Quinnipiac Invitational Tournament. There was plenty of talent present with competitive teams such as the United States Military Academy at West Point, Fairfield University, Sacred Heart University, Boston University, Bryant University, Quinnipiac University, and the University of Connecticut all in attendance.
The Friars came out strong with four out of the five new freshmen earning their first wins of their college careers.
Brenna Magliochetti ’23 won the last match of the day and said, although she was nervous, “Everyone was watching and cheering and it was just such a great atmosphere.”
Looking forward, the Friars will be hosting their first tournament of the year this coming weekend where they look to keep their momentum going into the season.
Regarding the expectations for the year, Magliochetti said, “I think we are going to have a great year. Our team is really young and hungry so we’re going to be working hard. One of our biggest goals this year is to win a Big East Conference match so hopefully we can make that happen.”
As Magliochetti said, the Friars are a young team. More than half of the team is made up of freshmen, with five out of the nine total players being new to the team this year.
With the talent that Magliochetti has, she spoke as to why she decided to commit to PC over the other schools who had given her offers. She explained, “I chose the team here at PC because I love the chemistry and commitment of the team and coaches. There’s just a really great feeling of family here, not just on the team but all around campus.”
The Friar Family atmosphere here at PC continues to attract great athletes and better students every year. With that being said, there is a lot to look forward to this season, especially with all of the new faces on the team who are just getting their careers started.
Not only does Magliochetti appear to have a promising future for the Friars, but her fellow teammate Julia Migliorini ’23 shined in her college debut as well. She went undefeated in all three of the matches she played. With new members of the team already becoming contributors early on in the season, there is a lot to be excited about in Friartown. As mentioned previously, you can watch the tennis team take on several other schools this weekend on Saturday, September 28.