End of February Sports Sports

by Joshua Lopes on March 4, 2021


Friar Sports


Week of 2/25-3/3

By Joseph Quirk ’23

Sports Staff

Men’s Soccer:

The Providence College Men’s Soccer Team opened Big East play on Feb. 27 at the University of Connecticut. The Friars beat the Huskies 2-0. Paulo Lima ’22 opened the scoring in the 13th minute, converting a penalty kick. In the 61st minute, the Friars would ice the game on Gevork Diarbian’s ’24 second career goal. The shutout win was the second of goalkeeper Rimi Olatunji’s ’22 career. 

Women’s Indoor Track:

On Feb. 25, the Providence College Women’s Indoor Track Team traveled to the University of Rhode Island to take on the Rams and Northeastern University. The meet was a resounding success for the Friars. Abbey Wheeler ’20GS dominated the 3,000-meter with a time of 9:17.17. Tessa Hunt ’23 secured victory in the mile, while Alex O’Neill ’23 never relinquished her lead in the 800-meter. Additionally, PC’s distance medley relay team also beat out their competition, capping off a phenomenal performance by the Friars. 

Men’s Basketball:

The Providence College Men’s Basketball Team got a much-needed win on Feb. 24 at home versus Xavier University. The Friars 83-68 rout improved their record to 12-11 overall and 8-9 in conference play. Noah Horchler ’21RS had a breakout game with 20 points (7-14 from the field, 3-5 from three) with nine rebounds and two blocks. The Friars also had fantastic production from all their big scorers including David Duke ’22 and A.J. Reeves ’22. 

Men’s Ice Hockey:

The Providence College Men’s Ice Hockey Team started their weekend pair of games with a win on Feb. 27 at Northeastern University and ended it on Feb. 28 with a tie in Providence. The Friars exited the weekend with a record of 10-7-5. On Feb. 27, the Friars defeated the Huskies 4-2, and were led by goalie Jaxson Stauber ’23, who had 11 saves. Northeastern scored with a minute left in play, making it a 3-2 game, but the game was iced on an open net goal by Matt Koopman ’22.

On Feb. 28, the teams headed to Friartown, where the Friars tied but dropped the shootout. Patrick Moynihan ’23 and Chase Yoder ’24 would each notch a goal and an assist, while Greg Printz ’21 would record a goal of his own that would tie the game 3-3 just over three minutes in the third period. Neither team could end it in overtime play, as the game went to a shootout that the Huskies won 2-0.

 

Men’s Soccer Starts Season Strong

by Joshua Lopes on February 25, 2021


Friar Sports


Friars Knock off URI in Second-Half Blowout

By Leo Hainline ’22

Sports Staff

The Providence College Men’s Soccer Team opened their season with a 4-0 victory, protecting their home turf against their in-state rivals, the University of Rhode Island. The Friars and the Rams were both scoreless in the first half, but a second-half offensive explosion helped PC seize the victory. Head coach Craig Stewart has plenty of positives to take away from the Friars’ first game.

Photo Courtesy of PC Athletics

The Friars were initially scheduled to play against Boston College for their opener, but due to COVID-19, the Eagles were forced to postpone the matchup to a later date. URI was able to step up at a moment’s notice and square off against PC in Friartown on Feb. 20. Last year, URI made the NCAA Division Men’s I Soccer Tournament and was one of the most dominant teams in the Atlantic 10 Conference. Their top goal scorer from last year, Filippo Tamburini, continues to lead the team. The match was anticipated to be a good challenge for the Friars, especially without Preseason All-Big East selection Paulo Lima ’22, who was out with a lower-leg injury.

During the first half, the Friars were energized and physical on the pitch, but the team appeared a bit rusty as they struggled to generate key passes needed in the final third of the field to break-through on goal. PC was strong in possession and delivered a few precise through-balls but created no clear-cut opportunities. It was actually URI, against the run of play, that had the best chances to score. A few shots on goal forced several solid saves from goalkeeper Rimi Olatunji ’22, who kept the game deadlocked at 0-0.

The floodgates opened in the second half. In the 54th minute, Christopher Roman ’22 out-muscled the URI defender on the right flank and supplied a dangerous cross into the box. Gage Raftery ’23 attacked the ball and volleyed it into the back of the net. This was Raftery’s first goal for the Friars, and it was certainly a memorable one.

PC doubled their lead five minutes later. Gevork Diarbian ’24 dished the ball to Kevin Vang ’22, who returned a perfect through-ball that Diarbian was able to finish into the top right corner. Diarbian played high school soccer a few minutes away from Friartown at La Salle Academy, and the local product could be an integral part of the squad going forward.

Soon after his goal, Diarbian contributed an assist to Roman that just about sealed the Friars’ victory. Brendan McSorley ’24 attacked up the left flank, finding Diarbian in the middle of the box. Diarbian then laid the ball off for Roman on the right side. From there, all Roman had to do was fire the ball into the back of the net.

Even then, the Friars were not done scoring. Aidan Melville ’24 introduced himself to Friartown by striking a pin-point freekick on his debut. He powered the ball over URI’s wall and placed it so perfectly into the top-left corner that URI’s goalkeeper, Stefan Schmidt, did not even attempt to save it. After this strike, it is likely that Melville will step up to take similar dead-ball situations in the future.

The Friars will play their first Big East game at the University of Connecticut on Feb. 27 at 2 p.m. If PC performs the way they did in the second half against URI, the Huskies could be in for a long afternoon.

Men’s, Women’s Soccer Eager to Begin Season

by Joshua Lopes on February 11, 2021


Friar Sports


Top Goal Scorers Return For Another Run

By Jack Belanger ’21

Sports Co-Editor

After an extended offseason, the Providence College Men’s Soccer Team will finally open their season this Saturday at home versus in-state rival University of Rhode Island. Due to the postponement of fall sports, the last time the Friars played was over a year ago in the third round of the NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Tournament, losing to Clemson University 2-1 in overtime.

Photo Courtesy of PC Athletics

It will be an interesting year for the Friars as they lost seven players from last season, five of whom were starters, including captain Joao Serrano ’19 and grad-transfer goalkeeper Austin Aviza ’20GS. This means Rimi Olatunji ’22RS will start the season in net for the Friars.

Inexperience in the goal and on offense will be a big roadblock the team must overcome if it wants to have a successful season. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the soccer team has had only about a week or two of full practices as an entire team and has played one intra-squad match. Olatunji has only made two appearances in the last two seasons, and the offense lost five of its seven top point scorers. Luckily for the Friars, Paulo Lima ’22 was named to the Preseason All-Big East Team after leading the team in goals last season.

The strength of the team resides in their defense. Last season, the Friars averaged only one goal allowed per game as well as only 7.2 shots allowed. Ramzi Qawasmy ’22 and recently named captain Malcolm Duncan ’21 both started all 23 games last season on the backline, and will be tasked to be the anchors when things get chaotic.

In order to cut down on travel, the Big East broke into two divisions and shortened the season schedule. The six teams in the Northeast will make up the East Division, while the remaining five will comprise the Midwest Division. 

After two local games against URI and Boston College, the Friars will face each team in the East Division twice, including the reigning national champion Georgetown University, who is the preseason favorite to win the East Division. The Friars are picked to finish second, which will make the matchups against the Hoyas especially exciting if the Friars find themselves on the edge of an NCAA tournament bid thanks to a decrease in the number of tournament teams this year.

The Providence College Women’s Soccer Team is also looking to build on their 2019 season when they snuck into the Big East Tournament as a sixth seed and upset the third seed Butler University in the first round. Hannah McNulty ’21 scored the game-tying goal in the 82nd minute, and the Friars were able to win the game in a shootout after two overtimes.

Similar to the men’s league, the Big East will be split into two divisions in which the Friars are predicted to finish third in the East, though they did receive a first place vote, indicating that coaches are taking the team seriously.

Photo Courtesy of PC Athletics

McNulty will once again be the focus of every opponent’s defense. She has scored 19 goals over the past two seasons and was a unanimous selection on the Preseason All-Big East Team this year.

While the team needs McNulty to be at her best in order to have a chance to win, they also need to find secondary options when teams put extra pressure on her. Elayna Grillakis ’22 was the only other player on the team to score more than one goal. Thankfully, the Friars will return with every player who scored last season, which means they will need less time to build team chemistry on the offensive side of the field.

A big question for this team is who will replace standout goalkeeper Shelby Hogan ’21RS, who decided to go into the professional league. The team currently has three goalkeepers on the roster, with Caroline Drinkwater ’22 as the only one that has any game experience for the Friars.

This team will face some challenges as they welcome 10 new players, including eight freshmen and two sophomore transfers.

The women will also begin their season this weekend hosting URI on Sunday before hosting another in-state rival Bryant University a week later.

While both teams will share the challenge of opening their season in the midst of winter, there is a lot of excitement around the College’s two soccer teams. Just being back on the field is a relief for the players and coaches, but there is still work to be done. Both teams are hungry after a long break and after each had an incredible finish to their 2019 seasons.

 

A Story of Resiliance: Keasel Broome ’14

by The Cowl Editor on September 17, 2020


Athlete of the Week


Former PC Goalkeeper Talks Soccer Career and New Interests

by Jack Belanger ’21

Sports Co-Editor

When we see athletes celebrate after winning a championship, it shows us what it looks like to reach the pinnacle of sports. We witness these athletes in their finest moments. What we miss are the struggles and challenges they must endure just to step on the field. For every MVP season, there is a story behind the athlete. Fans hear about the transformation the player makes on the field to become the best at their craft, but what often goes unnoticed are the trials they had to face behind the scenes. In some ways, the trials make those successful seasons more remarkable.

In 2014, the Providence College Men’s Soccer Team had their best season in program history. Not only did the team win its first-ever Big East championship, they also made a run in the national tournament where they made it to the College Cup Semifinal. During the Semifinal, they pushed the University of California, Los Angeles into double overtime but fell short of making the championship, losing 2-3. It was a record-setting year for the team, in large part thanks to the man in the net, Keasel Broome ’14. Broome had his best season with the Friars that year, posting a career-best 1.10 goals against average to go along with eight shutouts. He ended the season being named to the Big East All-Tournament Team and getting picked by the San Jose Earthquakes in the third round of the MLS Draft, not to mention leaving PC with a degree in hand.

The fans who watched Broome in person during the late season run saw one of the best goalkeepers in college soccer doing his job and giving his team a chance to win every game. What many missed is Broome’s journey to become the starting goalkeeper and the challenges he faced during his college career.

Photo Courtesy of Keasel Broome ’14

Broome came to PC back in 2010 when the Friars still played their games on the grass field outside of Guzman Hall. The two schools who recruited him were PC and Penn State University, but once Broome visited campus, it was clear PC was where he would continue his career.

“I felt right at home,” Broome said. “The coaches made me feel really good. I loved the campus and how it was small.”

Despite being the No. 2 ranked recruit out of Delaware with an opportunity to play right away, Broome did not see any game time during his first two years at PC, taking a redshirt year to get an extra year of eligibility. Even though he did not get to play in a match for the 2010 and 2011 seasons, Broome committed himself to work every day during the school year and summer to get ready for the chance to get into the game.

Going into the 2012 season, Broome was primed for the starting goalkeeper spot. Unfortunately, he separated his shoulder during a preseason game, causing him to miss the first game of the season. Just as he worked himself back into the starting spot, Broome pulled his quad in another game. He once again rehabbed and worked back into the starting spot. Broome managed to play in 14 games that season, though he had a 1.42 goals against average and the team only posted a 3-8-2 record in the games he appeared in. Still, Broome had two more seasons at PC and was going to keep improving. It looked like all his hard work would pay off.

That was before he got the text.

In December of 2012, Broome was in Las Vegas with family when he got the text that his father was diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer that had spread to his liver. He immediately locked himself in the bathroom and started to cry. Millions of questions raced through his head.

“Never in a million years did I think someone close to me would be affected by cancer. I didn’t know how to react. I didn’t know what to do next.”

Over the course of the next semester he would split his time between living at PC and at home. During the week, he took classes and worked out at PC, then drove five hours home to Delaware on the weekends to spend time with his father. Broome’s schedule was so packed that he was on “auto-pilot” up until spring break.

“There came a point in time I couldn’t sleep anymore. There was too much going on in my head; anger, frustration. I couldn’t sleep naturally.”

While it was tough to see his father sick, Broome learned to be his dad’s biggest support system, just like his dad had been for him.

“It wasn’t easy to watch someone you love struggle, but the thing I kept reminding myself was that if he wasn’t complaining, I’m not complaining.”

Getting to spring break was tough for Broome, who was trying to keep up with his normal schedule as a student-athlete while also taking care of his father. Fortunately, around the break, it was announced that the 2013 Big East Tournament was moved to Philadelphia, a short drive from Broome’s home in Delaware.

Broome’s father had only once seen his son in action for the Friars, and playing near home would have been a special moment for both of them. Broome and his teammates’ new goal was to get to the semifinals that season to give Broome’s father one last chance to see him play. 

Sadly that chance never came. In the final weeks of the semester, Broome’s father’s health took a turn for the worse. The cancer had spread aggressively and his blood sugar began to drop. Broome’s family began to make phone calls to friends, family, and former co-workers to have them say their final good-byes. Soon, the hospital room became so packed that his father’s roommate had to be moved in order to accommodate the amount of visitors. Broome’s father passed away shortly after with Broome right at his side.

While Broome was devastated about losing someone so close to him, he focused on the special moments he had with his dad and appreciated the time they spent together. That season, the Friars improved to 12 wins, with Broome starting in 22 matches despite dealing with shoulder injuries. The Friars managed to make it to Philadelphia in the tournament, and Broome’s family made sure to pack the stands. That night Broome played one of his best games, leading PC to a 1-0 win over Georgetown University in penalty kicks to head to the finals. From the moment he stepped onto the field, he knew that it was going to be a special night.

Photo Courtesy of Keasel Broome ’14

“That night I felt him [my dad] with me. I felt his presence next to me protecting the net.”

After his breakout season, Broome continued to push himself. He spent more time at PC during the summer to get better. Everything came together for him and the Friars in 2014. It was a monumental season that changed the direction of the College’s soccer program.

After getting drafted, Broome bounced around several American soccer teams in hopes of eventually making it to the MLS. Even though he was drafted by San Jose, Broome made his professional debut for the Harrisburg City Islanders in 2016. Unfortunately, injuries began to pile up and he struggled to stick with any team. His last appearance was in 2017 in a game for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC in the United Soccer League.

In June of 2015, Broome made his debut for the Barbados National Team, shutting out Aruba in a World Cup qualifying match. Since his father was of Barbadian heritage, Broome was able to apply for citizenship and represent his family on the big stage. Playing for a national team gave him the opportunity to travel the world and play against some of the greatest soccer players. One of his favorite memories playing for the team was traveling to El Salvador and playing in front of 40,000 passionate fans.

Now, Broome has a job in sales and continues to coach on the side. His newest endeavor is making his own podcast called “Keepin’ It Real w/ Keasel.” With each new episode, he shares his life experiences in hopes that his experience can help people get through struggles similar to those he faced. Some of his themes include: dealing with adversity in sports, relationships, picking the right college, and being thankful for the things we have in life.

“Over the past couple years, whenever I got together with my friends I could talk about any topic for hours. My friends told me I should become a motivational speaker or start my own podcast.” 

Since he has gotten plenty of positive feedback, Broome is not worried about the direction of where the podcast is heading in the future. His goals may be different from when he was in college, having shifted from running goalkeeper reaction drills to working on building his professional network, but no matter what the goal, Broome has the resilience to tackle any obstacle in his path.

Nick Sailor ’17: Soccer, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

by The Cowl Editor on March 5, 2020


Athlete of the Week


Former Soccer Player Returns to Campus

by Jack Belanger ’21

Sports Coeditor

Nick Sailor ’17 can be associated with a lot of firsts since stepping onto campus back in 2013. He was the first male student to graduate as a women’s studies major, co-founded the Black Chalk Corps Council within Teach for America down in Baltimore, and was named Providence College’s first director of training and education for diversity, equity, and inclusion back in October, a new position created by the Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and the athletics department to help promote these ideals within athletics but across campus.

And ironically, had another school not been recruiting him to play soccer, Sailor may not have found the College at all.

Photo Courtesy of PC Athletics

Sailor and his father came to Providence to meet with a coach who worked at a different school within the city. The two arrived early and Sailor’s father suggested they visit PC to kill some time. Immediately, Sailor fell in love with the campus, though it was not until later in his recruitment process that he got the chance to consider PC.

“As the [recruiting] process got going they reached out to me, because they were interested in me as a soccer player,” Sailor said. “And I told them ‘I actually really liked this school from a while ago.’ It all came together where I fell in love with the school first then the soccer part came second.”

For the next four years, Sailor showed what it meant to be true student-athlete, finding great success on and off the field. He played four seasons for the men’s soccer team and was named co-captain during his senior year. While he only scored three goals in his career, it was the last one that came at one of the most important moments in the program’s history. It was the second round of the NCAA tournament against the undefeated University of Maryland where the Friars found themselves down 2-4 with just over 20 minutes left in the game.

After the Friars forced a turnover and went on the attack, Sailor found himself with the ball outside the box and ripped a shot from the right that was just out of the Terrapin goalie’s reach. The goal closed the gap 4-3 and helped fuel the Friars’ comeback. They eventually upset Maryland 5-4. Sailor admitted that it was not until after the game was won that he was able to appreciate the goal.

“If I took a second to think about how crazy the goal was, I think I would have been out of order,” Sailor explained. “So, all I was thinking was, ‘This can’t be my last game,’ and I was focused on what I could do next to keep things going.”

While Sailor played on some successful teams, what he took away most from his time on the team was the brotherhood they built and connections he continues to keep with former teammates and former coaches.

For as much of an impact he made on the field, Sailor made just as much of one off of it. He served as the President of Student-Athlete Advisory Council, a Friar Foundation mentor, and sang with the Footprints Gospel Choir. Rather than focusing his studies in one area, Sailor double-majored in sociology and women’s studies, while also minoring in black studies, fitting for someone who has spent his time after graduating focused on empowering others and striving for inclusivity everywhere he goes.

Upon graduation, Sailor joined Teach for America and moved to Baltimore, where he became a special education math teacher at Walter P. Carter Elementary & Middle School. Not only did he help shape young students, Sailor worked on supporting black educators in the Baltimore area.

“It was a good time for me to be there after graduating. It was good to go to a new place and while it was challenging at times, I was surrounded by many talented young black entrepreneurs and learned from them to grow as a young professional.”

In Baltimore, Sailor helped co-found the Black Chalk Corps Council, a group within the Baltimore corps that strived not only to help empower black educators within the classroom but also outside in the community. He pointed out that data shows that black educators go through challenges on a day-to-day basis that other groups do not experience, such as having to be a disciplinarian. Sailor stressed that it is important to support black educators since they only make up 10 percent of all educators, yet they have a great value in public schools.

“The Council gave us the support to help black teachers flourish which, in turn, allows for our students to flourish. And overall that was our goal: to see our students be successful.”

After two years in Baltimore, Sailor received a call from PC about a new position that focused on diversity in athletics. It seemed like a perfect fit for him after showing passion in promoting diversity during his time in school. Eventually it was announced on Oct. 25 that Sailor would become the College’s first-ever director of training and education for diversity, equity and inclusion, a position that is not very common in colleges across the country.

Since it is such a new position, Sailor says most of his day-to-day work involves what he calls “infrastructure building.” Not only does he plan for what the next year will look like, but also set the stage for the position years down the road. While having no predecessor has its challenges, Sailor enjoys how much freedom he has to shape the job to fit the needs and culture of PC.

One of his biggest goals in his new role is to push the value of student-athletes’ mental health, something that he brought up during his time as a student-athlete. He also wants to connect with the entire athletic department and push the ideals he has been promoting since day one.

“For me, I want to bring the value of inclusion, diversity, and equity and show how it can be valuable to the different facets of the athletic department.”

One of the initiatives Sailor has already created is called “Wisdom Over Waffles.” The monthly event gathers the athletic staff into one room to discuss topics of diversity and inclusion in how it relates to sports over chicken and waffles. Sailor is focused on creating consistent events that continue the conversation of diversity rather than just one-time events such as bringing in speakers. He has given presentations to different teams while trying to connect to students as much as he can.

Looking back on his time as a student, Sailor believed the two things that have helped shape his career has been discipline and commitment. When it came to teaching, he believed in the idea of being a light for others and doing everything he had to support students.

“No one had to convince me to work hard. No one had to convince me to get up early and prepare. I knew if I had the passion in something, I could give it everything I had.”

This drive and passion that has led Sailor to create change everywhere he has gone. He has been given the tools to have an influential impact at PC for years to come.

Trio of Men’s Soccer Players Go Pro

by Meaghan P Cahill on February 13, 2020


Friar Sports


By Liam Tormey ’22

Sports Staff

providence college men's soccer players mls draft griffin Aviza Mendonca
Nicholas Crenshaw ’20/The Cowl

Three Providence College men’s soccer players are now professional soccer players. Danny Griffin ’20 and Austin Aviza ’20RS are now both part of Major League Soccer (MLS) teams, while Tiago Mendonca ’20RS has signed in the United Soccer League (USL).

The 2020 MLS SuperDraft took place on Thursday, January 9. In the draft,  Aviza was selected in the second round, number 44 overall, by Orlando City. Griffin was also selected in the second round, just five spots after Aviza in the number 49 spot overall, selected by the Columbus Crew SC. Mendonca has signed a professional contract with the New England Revolution II in the USL League One. 

providence college men's soccer players mls draft griffin Aviza Mendonca
Lillie Hunter ’22/The Cowl

In the 2019 campaign for the Friars, Aviza, from Medway, MA, featured in all 23 games as PC’s goalie. Aviza was also honored to the Big East Weekly Honor Roll twice along with being awarded All-Big East Third Team honors. After their second round win in the NCAA Men’s Soccer Tournament against Penn State University, Coach Craig Stewart credited Aviza, saying, “I think he’s been steady all year and very consistent as a goal keeper,” and a large part of the comeback win against Penn State was because of Aviza; as Coach Stewart mentioned, “We don’t win that game without him.” In the 23 games Aviza played this season, he posted a 16-7 with 56 saves and recorded nine shutouts. 

Griffin, one of the captain midfielders from Wethersfield, CT, had the same profound impact for the team in his time spent at Friartown. In his career, Griffin recorded 32 points with 13 goals and six assists. Griffin has been named to the Preseason All-Big East Team in 2018 and was also a unanimous pick into the Big East All-Freshman Team. He played and started in all 80 games during his career. In the 2019 campaign, Griffin had eight points and one game-winning goal this season against the University of Villanova in a 2-0 victory. He was also awarded All-Big East Third Team Honors this past season. 

providence college men's soccer players mls draft griffin Aviza Mendonca
Nicholas Crenshaw ’20/The Cowl

Mendonca, from Faro, Portgual, was another captain for the Friars this season. He started all 23 games and was an integral part in the midfield. He was crucial in helping the team reach the  third round of the NCAA Tournament. In his time at PC, Mendonca recorded 26 total points with 11 goals and four assists. Before the season’s start, Mendonca was named to the Preseason All-Big East team and then was named to the All-Big East First Team and Big East All-Tournament Team to round out the season. In the second round game against Penn State, Mendonca scored the equalizer with just under five minutes remaining in regulation before the Friars would go on to win in overtime. 

After PC’s heartbreaking loss to Clemson Unversity in double overtime in the third round of the NCAA Tournament, Coach Stewart commended his senior captains, saying he “couldn’t be more proud for the work that they’ve contributed towards the program.” Stewart said they were both “fantastic footballers but also human beings.” 

In the same press conference, Griffin spoke of his time with the Friars and said, since freshman year, “The community, the coaches, the staff, the trainers, it’s been a family and it’s meant everything to us.”

Aviza, Griffin, and Mendonca all played crucial roles in the big success PC had on the pitch this past season. They were role models for the organization and have left their mark on Friar history. 

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:

Coach Ed Cooley holding trophy
Photo Courtesy of PC Athletics

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.

Cross country team after win
Photo Courtesy of PC Athletics

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. 

Hockey team celebrating after championship
Photo Courtesy of FTW/USA Today

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.

 

Sports Shorts Over Winter Break

by Meaghan P Cahill on January 16, 2020


Friar Sports


By Meaghan Cahill ’20

Sports Co-Editor

Women’s Ice Hockey:

This past weekend, the Providence College Women’s Ice Hockey Team split a home-and-home series against the eighth ranked Boston University Terriers. Captain Avery Fransoo ’20 kicked off the scoring for the Friars with a wrist shot in the final five minutes of the first period for her second goal of the season. Similar to the first goal, the second goal the Friars snagged came in the final few minutes of the second period when Hayley Lunny ’21 notched her seventh goal of the season. Annelise Rice ’21 had assists on both of the goals; this was her first multi-point game of the season. Despite the Terriers scoring a late third period goal, the Friars finished the game with a 2-1 win. Goaltender Sandra Abstreiter ’21 made 29 saves overall.

The following day, the Friars travelled to Boston where Abstreiter was once again in net for the Friars. A goal apiece was delivered to each team early into the first period with BU striking first and Sara Hjalmarsson ’21 finding the back of the net minutes later; she would be the only goal scorer for the Friars this game. The goal was Hjalmarsson’s 20th point of the season and she is now tied with Whitney Dove ’20 for most points this season. Abstreiter had 19 saves throughout the game but as the Friars still fell to the Terriers 4-1. 

Women’s Basketball:

The Providence College Women’s Basketball Team suffered two Big East losses over the course of last week. The Friars fell to Marquette University 60-50 on Jan. 5 in a close game until the fourth quarter when the Golden Eagles were able to maintain their first double digit lead in the final eight minutes of play. Despite the loss, Mary Baskerville ’22 had a standout game, notching a career-high 24 points and eight rebounds. It was her second straight 20-point performance and fourth of her career.

The following Saturday, January 11 was another close game for the Friars that came down to the final minutes of play. Despite Earlette Scott ’22 and Kaela Webb ’22 both scoring 14 points apiece, Creighton University rallied in a decisive fourth quarter to edge the Friars out 72-63. The Friars are now 0-5 in Big East Play and 9-8 on the season. They will look to get their first Big East win against St. John’s University this coming Friday in New York.

Men’s Soccer:

Over the winter break, two players from the Providence College Men’s Soccer Team were drafted in the 2020 Major League Soccer SuperDraft on Jan. 9. Goaltender Austin Aviza ’20RS was selected by Orlando City 44th overall in the second round and midfielder Danny Griffin ’20 was selected 49th overall in the second round by the Columbus Crew Soccer Club.

Men’s Soccer Falls in NCAA Tournament

by The Cowl Editor on December 5, 2019


Friar Sports


Penalty Kick in Double-Overtime Ends Friars’ Season

By Liam Tormey ’22

Sports Staff

providence college men's soccer ncaa tournament
Photo Courtesy of PC Athletics

The Providence College Men’s Soccer Team lost in a heartbreaking fashion this past Sunday against Clemson University, losing 1-2 in double-overtime to end their season.

The Friars went down to South Carolina last week to face off against the No. 2 team in the country. Head coach Craig Stewart’s team was not one of the 16 teams ranked heading into the tournament, but they still found themselves in the third round of the 2019 Division I Men’s Soccer Tournament, and for good reason.

After defeating New Jersey Institute of Technology at home on Nov. 21 in the first round of the tournament, the Friars traveled to PA to take on the No. 15 ranked Pennsylvania State University three days after their opening round game. Providence found themselves in a two goal deficit early in the second half, but climbed back into the game, scoring the equalizing goal from Tiago Mendonca ‘20RS with less than four minutes to play in regulation. Esben Wolf ‘23 got the Friars on the board first to start the comeback.

The game headed into overtime, and just four and a half minutes into some free soccer, Trevor Davock ‘20RS found the back of the net to complete the upset and send the Friars into the third round of tournament play. Davock also had assists on both goals in regulation. Paulo Lima ‘22 picked up an assist on the game winner.

The Friars then spent Thanksgiving break in preparation for the number two team in the country. On Sunday, the team came out and fought to the very end.

Unfortunately, after giving the Clemson University Tigers all they could handle, the team fell in overtime in the 105th minute to a 1-2 score.

The Tigers opened up the scoring in the first half with a goal in the ninth minute by their leading goal scorer of the season, Robbie Robinson. The Friars would not give up, though, and found their way into the game throughout the first half. After a Clemson corner kick right before halftime, Danny Griffin ‘20 and Mendonca found themselves on the counter attack. Mendonca tucked it into the far corner with just seven seconds left on the clock in the first half to make it 1-1.

Both sides had their chances in the second half, but 90 minutes of play would not be the way this game was going to end. Extra time would end up being the deciding factor.

After the first 10 minutes of golden goal overtime, neither team would score. In the second half of overtime, five minutes into play, the Tigers would draw a penalty inside the box. The Tigers leading goalscorer and the man who put them in the lead earlier in the game, Robinson, stepped up to send the Friars home.

The Friars gave the Tigers all they could handle with 13 shots and five on target with plenty of opportunities to score. Although this team finished before they would have liked, they have a lot of reasons to hold their heads high.

This was a team for head coach Craig Stewart that had a combination of both young and experienced players. Each side of the age group held their own for this team.

Davock, a forward, led the team in points this season with six goals and eight assists. Lima led the team in scoring and played exceptionally well in the center of the field, tallying eight goals this the year.

Austin Aviza ‘20RS was exceptional all year for the Friars. Aviza won numerous games for the Friars this season and recorded a total of 58 saves.

The Friars will not be playing soccer anymore this season, but they finish the year 16-7, third in the Big East Conference. Their season also included a trip to the Conference Finals and a third round appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

Although the squad might look back and think they could have done more, the Friars had a lot of success this season.

14 Friars Named to All-Big East Teams

by The Cowl Editor on December 5, 2019


Friar Sports


Hogan ’20RS, Leitman ’23, Serrano ’20RS Among Athletes Named

By Meaghan Cahill ’20

Sports Co-Editor

At the conclusion of each sports season, the Big East gives recognition to the top stand-out athletes of the season. Following the conclusion of the fall sports season, Providence College had a combined 14 athletes selected to the All-Big East First, Second, Third, and Freshmen Teams. Each athlete was voted onto the teams by coaches throughout the league. The men’s soccer team had the most athletes voted in with five players and women’s soccer and field hockey both had four apiece. The volleyball team had one player selected to an All-Big East Team.

Men’s Soccer

Tiago Mendonca ’20RS and Joao Serrano ’20RS were both selected to the All-Big East First Team. Both players started in all 18 games, and Mendonca finished the regular season with one goal and four assists whereas Serrano finished with four goals and seven assists. As a midfielder, Mendonca logged 1,459 playing minutes. Serrano, who was a defender, logged 1,601 playing minutes; with the exception of one game, he played for the entire duration of games this season. He also tied for first in the Big East conference in assists.

Paulo Lima ’22 received All-Big East Second Team recognition. While he did not log a single playing minute during his freshman season, Lima started every game this year and logged 1,543 minutes on the field. The midfielder is tied with Serrano for most points for the Friars; each player recorded 15. Lima also led the team with seven goals.

Austin Aviza ’20RS and Danny Griffin ’20 were both named to the All-Big East Third Team. In his first year with the Friars, Aviza started in net every game this season and recorded eight individual shutouts and two shared shutouts. He had a 0.85 goals against average and a .717 save percentage. Griffin, who was a midfielder, has started in every game for the Friars over his four years at the College. In his final season, he scored two goals and notched a single assist.

Women’s Soccer

Shelby Hogan ’20RS, who was acknowledged as the Big East’s Goalkeeper of the Year, was named to the All-Big East First Team. Leading the league with 52 saves, she recorded a .788 save percentage and finished the season with four individual shutouts and one combined shutout.

Named to the All-Big East Second Team, Hannah McNulty ’21 finished the season with a team-high nine goals. The forward started every game for the Friars this season and ranked third in the league in shots (66), eighth in the league in goals (eight), and third in the league in game-winning goals (four).

Both Lisa Verhoeven ’23 and Alexis Rothmann ’23 were named to the All-Big East Freshman Team. Verhoeven started every game this season for the Friars and recorded 1,752 total playing minutes. Likewise, Rothmann also started every game and she recorded 1,721 minutes on the field.

Field Hockey

Corinne Kenney ’19 and ’20G and Mary O’Reilly ’20 both were voted onto the All-Big East First Team. Kenney, a defender for the team, has started in each of the 74 games she has appeared in during her career. Throughout the course of the 2019 season, she notched three assists. O’Reilly finished her career as a midfielder with career highs in points (16), goals (five), and assists (six). Four of her five goals were game-winners.

Lydia Rice ’19 and ’20G and Izzy Mendez ’20 received All-Big East Second Team recognitions. A starting goaltender for the Friars, Rice totaled 1,139 minutes in net this season with a 1.26 goals against average and 0.739 save percentage. She registered six shutouts this season, the most in a single season since 2007. Mendez, a forward, was the lead scorer for the team this season with nine goals and notched 20 points total overall.

Volleyball

Jennifer Leitman ’23 was the lone Friar on the volleyball team to gain a spot on an All-Big East Team. Voted onto the All-Big East Freshman Team—the first Friar to be named to the team since 1998—Leitman ranked 10th overall in points per set (3.33), 11th overall in kills per set (2.78), and 11th overall in service aces per set (0.31) in the Big East. Over the course of her freshman season, she notched a total of 239 kills, 31 service aces, and 286.5 points.