Tag: Men’s ice hockey
Incoming Men’s Hockey Class
by The Cowl Editor on October 4, 2020
Friar Sports
Men’s Hockey Welcomes Seven New Members
by Liam Tormey ’22
Sports Staff
Although there will be a delay to the start of Hockey East play, the Providence College Men’s Ice Hockey Team is excited to welcome seven new faces to the 2020-21 roster. The list consists of four freshmen and three transfer students. Included in the list of seven players are Brett Berard ’24, Anton Martinsson ’21GS, Nick Poisson ’24, Uula Ruikka ’24, Jaxson Stauber ’23, Matt Tugnutt ’21GS, and Chase Yoder ’24.
The first player on the list, Brett Berard, is a 5-foot-9-inch, 163 pound forward from East Greenwich, Rhode Island. Berard played for the U18 USA Hockey National Team Development Program in the 2019-2020 season, and recorded 16 goals and 18 assists in 41 games. He has also been ranked No. 45 by the NHL Central Scouting for North American Skaters in preparation for the 2020 NHL Draft. Although it did not occur this summer due to COVID-19, Berard was one of 44 United States players named to the 2020 World Junior Summer Showcase.
Berard is the son of PC alums David Berard ’92 and Lynne Berard ’93. David played men’s hockey and is currently the head coach of the College of the Holy Cross Men’s Ice Hockey Team. He has also spent time at PC on the men’s hockey staff as an assistant coach (1994-96 and 1998-2011) and the director of hockey operations (2013-14). Lynne starred at field hockey while at PC and is the current President of Samsonite LLC North America.
When pressed on his small stature in an interview, Berard noted that, “As an undersized guy, I’m trying to play like Brad Marchand. He doesn’t take anything from anyone, no matter how big they are, and he’s a great offensive player.” Friar fans certainly hope Berard replicates the play of the Bruins’ forward.
Anton Martinsson is the next name on the list. Martinsson, from Klippan, Sweden, is a 6-foot-1-inch, 175 pound goalie coming off a full four years at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Martinsson had a career-best year last year with a 2.51 GAA and a .919 save percentage. Most notably, he had a 35-save shutout on the road against the No. 8 ranked team in the country, Penn State University. With Michael Lackey ’20GS having graduated last year and the transfer of Jake Kucharski to American International College, Martinsson will be up for the starting job alongside Gabe Mollot-Hill ’21 and Jaxson Stauber.
Indeed, Stauber is another goalie transfer. Last season, Stauber appeared in just one game for Minnesota State University, but showcased a 1.00 GAA and a .933 save percentage. He was also a part of the Sioux Falls Stampede in the United States Hockey League, where he led all goaltenders with a .918 save percentage in the 2019-2020 season. Stauber was instrumental in leading Sioux Falls to the 2019 Clark Cup title. In 12 playoff games, he posted a 1.46 GAA and a .941 save percentage, securing him the 2019 Clark Cup MVP.
Stauber’s coach in the USHL, Scott Owens, had nothing but praise for the new Friar goalie. “First you can see that his fundamentals and technique are so much better than the average goaltender,” said Owens. “And then you can see a little bit of it in the genes. He moves well, he’s athletic. He understands the position very well.”
Nick Poisson, from Vancouver, British Columbia, is a 5-foot-11-inch, 185 pound forward. He played for Prince George in the British Columbia Hockey League before coming to Friartown. During his time at Prince George, Poisson put up better numbers each year. Last season, Poisson led Prince George in scoring with 21 goals and 26 assists in 49 games played. He also led the team with five game-winning goals while serving as an alternate captain.
Uula Ruikka is the lone defenseman on this list. Hailing from Oulu, Finland, Ruikka last played for the Chicago Steel of the USHL. Last season, he posted four goals, 21 assists, and a +17 rating for the Steel. “On the ice, he is a team-first guy with a lot of skill to go along with his great skating ability,” said Steel general manager Ryan Hardy. Ruikka will be one of nine defenders on PC’s active roster.
Matt Tugnutt is another graduate student transfer for the Friars. The forward transferred from Sacred Heart University where he served as the alternate captain for the Pioneers. Over the course of his career, Tugnutt has earned himself 30 goals and 42 assists in 97 career NCAA games. He finished with 14 goals and 16 assists last season.
Last on the list is another forward: Chase Yoder. Yoder, 5-foot-11-inches, 185 pounds, comes from Fairview, Texas and last played in the U.S. National Team Development Program. Last season, Yoder produced 10 goals and 10 assists for the U.S. U18 Team. Yoder grew up as a two-sport athlete, starring in baseball as well. “There are definitely some similarities between the two sports, especially when it comes to having a short memory,” Yoder said when questioned about how his upbringing translated to his current success. “Whether you strike out in baseball or have a bad shift in hockey, you just have to let it go and focus on your next play.”
With four forwards, two goaltenders, and one defenseman, the Friars appear to have a deep class of newcomers to add to an already talented team. All players hope to showcase their skills sooner rather than later, as all eyes are on the status of the Hockey East.
Sport Shorts Feb. 27-March 5
by The Cowl Editor on March 5, 2020
Sports
Sport Shorts Week of 2/27-3/05
by Cam Smith ’21
Sports Assistant Editor
Indoor Track and Field:
The Providence College Men’s and Women’s Indoor Track Teams turned in impressive performances over the weekend at the Big East Championships in Geneva, OH. Day one of the competition featured an Abbey Wheeler ’20 women’s 5,000-meter victory, the first Big East Championship in her storied PC career. Wheeler maintained her positioning in the lead pack for most of the race before pulling away from the rest of the runners with five laps to go. Day one also featured a remarkable first place finish in the distance medley relay by the grouping of Tessa Hunt ’23, Niamh Gowing ’22, Alex O’Neil ’23, and Lilly Tuck ’23. The foursome started off strong thanks to an explosive push out of the gates from Hunt. The squad never relinquished the lead from that point on. Day two of the event saw Wheeler achieve another Big East Championship, this time in the women’s 3,000-meter. Tuck and Maria Coffin ’21 also finished strong in the same race, placing second and fifth respectively. Day two also saw Michael O’Leary ’19GS finish second in the 3,000-meter on the men’s side due to a strong push on the final lap. The weekend was made all the better for the Friars as it was announced that Wheeler had been named Co-Most Outstanding Track Performer, putting the perfect finishing touch on her Big East career.
Men’s Lacrosse:
The Providence College Men’s Lacrosse Team took home the Ocean State Cup on Feb. 29, defeating Brown University 13-12 in a thrilling overtime contest. The Friars dominated the first half of the game, outshooting Brown 23-14 on their way to a 7-4 halftime lead. The start of the second half would be much of the same, as John Hoffman ’23 started a scoring onslaught for PC that netted three more Friar goals. The Bears would claw their way back into the game, scoring three goals in the final 2:27 minutes of the game to knot the contest up at 12 a piece heading into overtime. PC would escape with the victory on a Sean Leahey ’20 game-winner, a shot that would give him three goals on the day and his second hat trick of the season.
Men’s Hockey:
The Providence College Men’s Hockey Team got a much-needed win on Feb. 29, as they took down the fifteenth ranked University of Maine Black Bears. Jack Dugan ’22 got the scoring going for the Friars, as he exploded out of the box to snag the puck at the blue line before sneaking a backhander past the Maine goalie. Goals by Jason O’Neill ’21 and Greg Printz ’21 would add to the lead, although Maine would keep it close in the third period. In the end, the play of Friar goalie Michael Lackey ’20GS would allow PC to hold on in the third, as he turned away 13 shots in the period on the way to a 3-2 PC victory.
Sport Shorts 2/20-2/27
by The Cowl Editor on February 27, 2020
Friar Sports
Sport Shorts Week of Feb. 20-Feb. 27
by Sullivan Burgess ’20
Sports Staff
Men’s Ice Hockey:
This weekend, the Providence College Men’s Hockey Team played a home-and-home series against Hockey East rival Merrimack College. The first game occurred on Friday, February 21 in Providence, where the Friars lost to Merrimack 0-2; this was their tenth loss of the season. While goalie Michael Lackey ’20GS recorded 21 saves for the Friars, nothing could stop Merrimack’s goal in the second period, which put Merrimack up 0-1. Merrimack then closed the game on an empty net goal late in the third period, to win 0-2. The next night at Merrimack, the Friars did manage to score but lost again—this time with a score of 2-3. Patrick Moynihan ’23 started the game off for the Friars with a pair of goals, making the score 2-1 by the end of the first. However, Merrimack scored the tying goal on a power play during the second period. The winning goal came for the Warriors at even strength during the third period.
Men’s Basketball:
The men’s basketball team won a 84-72 victory against the no. 26 seed Marquette University this past weekend. The win puts the Friars at a 16-12 record overall 9-6 in the Big East. It was their fourth win over a ranked team, as well as the Friars’ third straight win. While Marquette’s Markus Howard dropped 38 points on the Friars, nothing stood in the way of the overall outstanding defense played by the team throughout both halves. Six Friars broke double digits in scoring, including Luwane Pipkins ’20GS with a team high of 24 points. David Duke ’22 scored 15 points, which included a pair of alley-oops to ignite the crowd. Coach Ed Cooley was beyond proud of the team as the season ends soon and the Friars desperately work to make the NCAA Tournament.
Men’s Lacrosse:
On Saturday, men’s lacrosse found themselves in Pennsylvania for a non-conference matchup against Saint Joseph’s University. Sadly, the team came up short in their matchup, losing 8-10 for their first loss of the season. SJU started the game with a 3-2 lead throughout the first quarter. Three players from the Friars, Dan Axelson ’20, Ryan Nawrocki ’20, and Sean Leahey ’20 each had three points in the outing. This marked Axelson’s first hat-trick of the season and third of his career. Goalkeeper Toby Burgdorf ’21 had 11 saves with an overall .524 save percentage, recording three more saves than SJU’s goalie. This puts the Friars at an overall 3-1 record for the season as they continue their non-conference games for the beginning of the season until Big East play comes into effect in late March. The Friars will look to secure the Ocean State Cup against Brown University next weekend.
College Hockey’s Hobey Baker Award Nominees Announced
by The Cowl Editor on February 6, 2020
Athlete of the Week
Two Friars Nominated for Prestigious Award
by Meaghan Cahill
Sports Co-Editor
In the final stretch of their sophomore season, Providence College Men’s Hockey Team players Jack Dugan ’22 and Tyce Thompson ’22 were announced as nominees for the prestigious Hobey Baker Award, which is given to the top player in college hockey. They were joined by 76 other Division I college hockey players throughout the country.
The Hobey Baker Award follows four criteria when considering the nominees: strength and character, on and off the ice; contribution to the integrity of the team and outstanding skills in all phases of the game; scholastic achievement and sportsmanship; and compliance with all NCAA rules, including being a full-time student in an accredited college or university and completing 50 percent or more of the season.
All 78 players who were nominated will go through a three-part selection process. First, NCAA head coaches nominate players from the league in addition to the top three players in the nation. Then, fans have the chance to vote online to narrow down the top 10 candidates. Lastly the Hobey Baker Memorial Award Selection Committee that consists of 29 individuals representing print and electronic sports media, college hockey coaches and officials, and NHL scouts, will vote on their top three candidates and, ultimately, who they think should win the award. Fans are also allowed to provide input by voting during this stage as well. Notable players that have won the Award in recent years include NHL players Johnny Gaudreau, Jack Eichel, Jimmy Vesey, Will Butcher, Adam Gaudette, and Cale Makar.
Dugan, whose goal is to be “the best player in college hockey,” currently leads the NCAA in assists (34), points per game (1.78), power-play points (17), and even strength points (24). He also currently leads the league with 41 points over the course of 23 games. In addition, Dugan has an impressive presence on the ice and has been a key player for the Friars all season long, especially since he has spent time transitioning into a more defensive style of play.
On his way to becoming a well-rounded two-way player, the Las Vegas Golden Knights draft pick said, “I’ve become more of a 200-foot player. Coming in, I was pretty offensive, and now I can play in the last few minutes of a game and be trusted defensively.”
Thus far, the numbers have backed his improvement and the efforts he has put into being recognized as the top player in the NCAA. Described as a “dominant player,” throughout the course of the season, there have been 14 games where he notched at least two points, five games of at least three points, and three games of four points—the most in the nation.
Despite the fact that he has yet to complete two full seasons of play, head coach Nate Leaman believes that Dugan has a lot going for him, saying, “He’s strong on pucks, he’s got a good stick, he’s got very good vision.”
Ranked the best forward in college hockey by the NHL, as well as being listed in their top three for this year’s most valuable player, Dugan is believed to be the frontrunner for the Hobey Baker Award. Should he win, he would be the first player in PC history to win, something that he finds to be “very cool.”
However, Dugan is not letting his explosive second season cloud his judgement as he looks to what he hopes to be a future in the NHL. And similarly, neither is Thompson, who is listed as the NHL’s top breakout player.
After a relatively quiet freshman year due to Leaman’s stacked “older team” and desire to allow him to develop and grow, Thompson is experiencing a breakout sophomore season that has led to him being nominated for the Hobey Baker Award.
Currently sitting on 38 points overall, Thompson’s 17 goals have him tied for top goalscorer in the country. In the 23 games already played this season, he has scored at least one goal in 15 of them, which leads all NCAA players, and has 13 multi-point games.
Like Dugan, Thompson also is a dominant player on the ice who brings “the energy and the smarts” to the game, according to Leaman. Furthermore, from last season to this season, Leaman also acknowledges that Thompson’s overall strength buildup has significantly helped him with having such a great season with the Friars.
In addition to the Hobey Baker nomination, the 2019 New Jersey Devil’s draft pick is joined by Dugan and co-captain Michael Callahan ’22 in being nominated for the Walter Brown Award, which recognizes the best American-born Division I college hockey players in New England.
The winners of both awards will not be announced until the end of the season during the NCAA tournament.
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.”
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.
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
Sports Shorts Week of No. 22-Dec. 5
by The Cowl Editor on December 5, 2019
Friar Sports
By Scott Jarosz ’21
Sports Staff
Women’s Basketball:
The women’s basketball team is off to an excellent start to the 2019-2020 season. The team began the season with four consecutive wins and took the momentum into their Nov. 24 contest against the University of Massachusetts-Lowell. PC beat the visiting Riverhawks handily by a score of 63-38, with four Friars scoring in double digits. Leading the way for PC was Chanell Williams ’21 who scored 12 points while tallying four rebounds and four assists. PC took its 5-0 record into a matchup with Yale University, which was a continuation of a suspended game from Nov. 5.
On Dec. 3, PC traveled to Yale to resume the game with 10 minutes remaining in the third quarter. Despite a 19-point performance by Mary Baskerville ’22 and 16 points by Kyra Spiwak ’21, PC fell short 79-82. The loss marks PC’s first of the season as its record drops to 5-1. The team will play at Bryant University on Dec. 7.
Men’s Ice Hockey:
The men’s ice hockey team entered the 34th edition of the Mayor’s Cup with a record of 8-3-4. PC took the ice on Nov. 30 against the Bears of Brown University looking to take home the trophy, and did just that. PC beat Brown University by a score of 4-2 to win the Mayor’s Cup and improve to 9-4-3 on the season. Despite Brown scoring the first goal of the game in the early minutes, Patrick Moynihan ’23 leveled the game at one towards the end of the first period. PC would take control from there, as Patrick Ford ’23, Tyce Thompson ’22, and Shane Kavanagh ’20 each scored goals to make the score 4-1. The Brown Bears would add a late goal, but it was not enough. Goaltender Michael Lackey ’20GS recorded 23 saves in the game and Jack Dugan ’22 tallied two assists to stay atop the NCAA points leaderboard with 31 total points. PC is now set to face UMass-Lowell on Dec. 6.
Women’s Ice Hockey:
The women’s ice hockey team also hosted Brown University in the Mayor’s Cup on Nov. 30. This meeting marked the 25th edition of the Mayor’s Cup, with PC having won the previous four meetings between the teams. PC entered the game with a record of 8-6-2 and was ready to continue its winning streak against the Bears. Lauren DeBlois ’23 started the scoring off early for PC with a goal six minutes into the game. Isabelle Hardy ’23 followed shortly after with her first career goal to increase the lead to 2-0. Sara Hjalmarsson ’22 then increased the lead to 3-0 with a goal of her own on a power play. Hjalmarsson would go on to score two more goals in the game and tally three assists for a total of six points. Her single-game point total from this game marked the highest in Mayor’s Cup history. PC would go on to win by a score of 10-0. The team now looks ahead to its next contest against the University of Connecticut on Dec. 5.
Sports Shorts Week of No. 22-Dec. 5
by The Cowl Editor on December 5, 2019
Friar Sports
By Scott Jarosz ’21
Sports Staff
Women’s Basketball:
The women’s basketball team is off to an excellent start to the 2019-2020 season. The team began the season with four consecutive wins and took the momentum into their Nov. 24 contest against the University of Massachusetts-Lowell. PC beat the visiting Riverhawks handily by a score of 63-38, with four Friars scoring in double digits. Leading the way for PC was Chanell Williams ’21 who scored 12 points while tallying four rebounds and four assists. PC took its 5-0 record into a matchup with Yale University, which was a continuation of a suspended game from Nov. 5.
On Dec. 3, PC traveled to Yale to resume the game with 10 minutes remaining in the third quarter. Despite a 19-point performance by Mary Baskerville ’22 and 16 points by Kyra Spiwak ’21, PC fell short 79-82. The loss marks PC’s first of the season as its record drops to 5-1. The team will play at Bryant University on Dec. 7.
Men’s Ice Hockey:
The men’s ice hockey team entered the 34th edition of the Mayor’s Cup with a record of 8-3-4. PC took the ice on Nov. 30 against the Bears of Brown University looking to take home the trophy, and did just that. PC beat Brown University by a score of 4-2 to win the Mayor’s Cup and improve to 9-4-3 on the season. Despite Brown scoring the first goal of the game in the early minutes, Patrick Moynihan ’23 leveled the game at one towards the end of the first period. PC would take control from there, as Patrick Ford ’23, Tyce Thompson ’22, and Shane Kavanagh ’20 each scored goals to make the score 4-1. The Brown Bears would add a late goal, but it was not enough. Goaltender Michael Lackey ’20GS recorded 23 saves in the game and Jack Dugan ’22 tallied two assists to stay atop the NCAA points leaderboard with 31 total points. PC is now set to face UMass-Lowell on Dec. 6.
Women’s Ice Hockey:
The women’s ice hockey team also hosted Brown University in the Mayor’s Cup on Nov. 30. This meeting marked the 25th edition of the Mayor’s Cup, with PC having won the previous four meetings between the teams. PC entered the game with a record of 8-6-2 and was ready to continue its winning streak against the Bears. Lauren DeBlois ’23 started the scoring off early for PC with a goal six minutes into the game. Isabelle Hardy ’23 followed shortly after with her first career goal to increase the lead to 2-0. Sara Hjalmarsson ’22 then increased the lead to 3-0 with a goal of her own on a power play. Hjalmarsson would go on to score two more goals in the game and tally three assists for a total of six points. Her single-game point total from this game marked the highest in Mayor’s Cup history. PC would go on to win by a score of 10-0. The team now looks ahead to its next contest against the University of Connecticut on Dec. 5.
PC Athletes Earn Conference Honors
by The Cowl Editor on November 7, 2019
Friar Sports
Four Friars Recognized for their Standout Performances
by Scott Jarosz ’21
Sports Staff
Athletes from multiple Providence College athletic teams received awards this past week for their athletic performances. The athletes that received awards were Jack Dugan ’22 of men’s hockey, Paulo Lima ‘22 of men’s soccer, Lydia Rice ’20GS of field hockey, and Clare Minnerath ’20 of women’s hockey.
Dugan started off the 2019-2020 season on the right foot to say the least. On Friday, November 1, Dugan was named the Hockey East Player of the Month for October by the Hockey East Association. Dugan currently leads NCAA Division I Men’s Hockey in points with 18 total on five goals and 13 assists. The player of the month honor is not the only award Dugan has won this season, as he was previously named Hockey East Player of the Week after totaling five points in just two games against the University of Massachusetts- Lowell and Boston College. Dugan’s consistently impressive numbers throughout the early stages of the 2019-2020 season show that he is deserving of the Hockey East Player of the Month award.
Another athlete who has put out a series of impressive performances as of late is Paulo Lima of the men’s soccer team. On Oct. 28, Lima was named to the Big East Weekly Honor Roll for the first time in his career. Lima had an outstanding week to earn the honors, as he totaled five points in just two games for PC that week. In the team’s first game of the week against Villanova University, Lima played a part in each of PC’s goals in a 2-0 victory over VU. Lima assisted the first goal and scored the second to secure the win for the Friars. Lima’s impressive week did not stop there, as he scored the golden goal game winner in overtime against Creighton University in the following game. Lima’s five-point week led him to receive the Weekly Honor Roll recognition from the Big East.
Another athlete who received an accolade this past week is Rice, a graduate student goalkeeper for the field hockey team. On Oct. 28, Rice was named the Big East Defensive Player of the Week. This marks the first time this season that Rice received the award and the third time in her career. The performances that led to Rice being named defensive player of the week were a five-save shutout against Georgetown University and a three-save shutout against Rider University. These back-to-back shutouts against Georgetown and Rider solidified Rice as the Big East Defensive Player of the Week.
The final Providence College athlete that earned an award this past week was Claire Minnerath, goaltender for the women’s hockey team. Minnerath was named the Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 28. In an upset 1-0 victory over Northeastern University, Minnerath recorded 33 saves, a career-high. Minnerath then recorded 20 saves on Oct. 26 in a game against the University of New Hampshire. Her impressive performances against both secured her the defensive player of the week honor.