by Joshua Lopes on May 5, 2021

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Friar Sports

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With Big East Tournament on the Horizon, PC Prepared

Margaret Maloney ’23

Sports Staff

The Providence College Men’s Lacrosse Team has risen to the occasion in this difficult spring 2021 season, and are ready to continue the momentum they had at this time last year before COVID-19 struck. Last year, the Friars started their season 5-1 and were ready to dominate in the Big East tournament. This year, they have used their disappointment as a motivator and now aim to make some noise in the Big East tournament.

The Friars, the fourth seed in the tournament, will take on top-seeded University of Denver on May 6 right here on the PC campus. The Friars have lost their two matchups this year against a talented Denver squad and will look to pull off the upset in their semifinal matchup. 

Head coach Chris Gabrielli shared how proud he was of his team for pushing through all sorts of COVID-19 restrictions and protocols, explaining that the adversity has made the team better overall and more committed to the sport. He especially emphasized their win against Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI. 

Gabrielli explained that the trip to Milwaukee entailed taking “multiple flights and buses, wearing masks, isolating in our hotel rooms…It was an in-and-out trip, leaving the day before, and it was a very quick turnaround to play the next morning, and we just played great.”  

He then spoke about how hard it has been mentally for his players to stay healthy, get tested multiple times a week, and also stay focused on the fact that they play the game because they love it. All of the protocols and restrictions have made the season a difficult one, but that all seems to go away when they step on the field to practice or play in games. Gabrielli has made the extra effort to ensure that his players remember this feeling of normalcy. 

 When talking to coach Gabrielli about preparing for the tournament this season, he explained how important it is to have fun. While the Friars are sticking to their regular practice schedule with extra shooting sessions heading into the tournament, there was an organized “inter-squad scrimmage to make it competitive and fun” for the team the week before the tournament. Gabrielli emphasized that the team is putting in hard work to succeed in the postseason, but it is also important to stay loose going in. 

 This year, the Friars had eight returning graduates who decided to take advantage of the opportunity given to them by the NCAA to play one more season. When asked about what winning the Big East tournament would mean to him as a coach and what it would mean to his players, Gabrielli responded that “a Big East championship would mean the world to us, especially for all of our fifth year athletes who came back with the goal of competing for a Big East championship on Chapey Field.” 

Indeed, PC is lucky enough to host the Big East championship this year, giving the Friars home-field advantage. As they approach their first game in the tournament on May 6, the men’s lacrosse team is fully prepared to excel in the tournament and earn back what they lost last year.

 

by Joshua Lopes on April 22, 2021

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Friar Sports

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PC Administrator Talks Social Change in Sports

By Jack Belanger ’21

Sports Co-Editor

This article is part of The Cowl’s Listening Tour, a series that aims to amplify the voices of BIPOC members of our community and bring awareness to social justice initiatives on campus.

 Three years ago, Fox News commentator Laura Ingraham infamously said, “Shut up and dribble” on her TV program in response to criticisms made by NBA star Lebron James of former president Donald Trump. Ingraham argued it was unwise to take political advice from someone who gets “paid $100 million a year to bounce a ball.”

Fast forward to now and countless professional athletes across the country are using their platforms to speak out against issues plaguing our society and to make change. Where at one point socially active athletes stood out like a sore thumb, today’s environment has opened the doors for all athletes to have a voice, even providing young college athletes with the opportunity to make changes in their own communities.

At Providence College, the athletic department has become a leader in pushing for change and promoting conversations about diversity, equity, and inclusion. Thanks to much of the work of director of training and education for DEI, Nick Sailor ’17, a former PC athlete himself, being an athlete at the College has come to mean more than excellence in the gym and in the classroom.

“Student-athletes are starting to recognize they do have influence and they do have a voice,” said Sailor. “They don’t have to wait on someone else to do something. They recognize they can be advocates for change.”

Ever since Sailor came back to PC 18 months ago, he has worked to create a space where everyone in the athletic department can be part of an inclusive environment. What separates PC’s athletic department from other schools, Sailor believes, is the support and participation from the senior staff, starting with athletic director Bob Driscoll, to make diversity, equity, and inclusion a priority.

“We are really fortunate we have someone like Bob Driscoll who is passionate [about promoting DEI],” Sailor commented. “This work doesn’t happen without our senior staff.”

Sailor recalled a conversation with Driscoll during his final interview for director of training and education for DEI in which Driscoll expressed that he wanted to expand the goals of the athletic department.

“[Driscoll] says to me, ‘We have the national championships, we have built great facilities, now we need to enter this new frontier.’ He wants to be an innovator and a leader when it comes to creating these inclusive spaces on campus.” Driscoll and the rest of the senior staff have done their part to attend workshops and be a part of the growth process.

Needless to say, the staff’s work has turned into student-led action that has made a real impact. In the fall, the Student-Athlete Advisory Council worked to ensure every single student-athlete at the College registered to vote in the election, achieving 100% voter turnout for eligible athletes.

The access athletes had to vote was a major change from when Sailor, in 2016, had to take a train from campus into Boston just to get onto a bus to Connecticut in order to vote in that year’s election. Sailor notes that he would never want a student-athlete to go through what he did just to vote.

Sailor believes that the work the athletic department has done could prove to be sustainable as long as everyone remains committed to it long-term, and that includes smaller departments like marketing or even business development. While racial injustice became a hot topic during the summer, the athletic department has shifted their strategy to how they can keep pushing for change in a post-pandemic world where it does not take tragic events to grab people’s attention.

“I want us to be able to talk about these issues and take action without having to unearth deep pain. What is it that we can do long-term?”

Sailor believes that everybody in the department has a role in helping promote change, and he is passionate about helping people find their specific role. Even for those who are not experts in DEI, there are actions individuals can take to be part of the solution.

“You probably aren’t going to be up here giving an hour-long lunch and learn about intersectionality. You can make sure you have diverse candidates when hiring for [graduate assistant] positions. There are ways everyone in our department can do something to help where we are trying to go.”

More recently, SAAC created a new initiative called United Friars Week that ran from April 6-11. Each day during the week, student-athletes ran workshops that covered topics such as allyship, LGTBQ+ inclusivity, and anti-xenophobia. Athletes also wore Friars United warm-up shirts before games.

What makes college athletes especially amazing is how different the landscape is for them from just four years ago when Sailor was at school. Much of Sailor’s work now can be traced to his time as a student on campus.

“There are times I think how nice it would have been to have someone focused in DEI in an athletics role such as the one I am in now when I was a senior. Somebody that I could have looked up to as a Black student-athlete.”

Sailor’s time at PC coincided with events like Eric Garner’s death and when Colin Kaepernick began kneeling during the National Anthem. As a Black student, Sailor found Garner’s death was hard to process, and PC was still learning how to talk about events involving racial injustice. There were times Sailor felt isolated when it came to processing these kinds of events. He did point out, though, that the College is now much better equipped to talk about events involving racial injustice.

Trying to navigate through those tough conversations as a student-athlete “was definitely a tough time,” Sailor remembers. “Even then, the notion of athletes using their voice was not as commonplace as it is now.”

Looking to the future, a driving theme that Sailor envisions for student-athletes is “being bigger than the sport” and utilizing their sport for change.

“Our favorite athletes are obviously good athletes, but they have a voice bigger than their sport. Whether that is gender equity with Serena Williams, or the work Lebron James has done or Muhammed Ali. Of course, they are once-in-a-generational talents but we are drawn to them because we recognize their sport is just a part of what they are doing for a bigger cause.”

Sailor wants every student-athlete to find their voice at PC. Much like these inspirational athletes, Sailor encourages every student-athlete to help change their community for the better.

 

by Joshua Lopes on April 22, 2021

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Friar Sports

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Despite Outstanding Season, Women’s Soccer Falls Short of Playoffs

By Ryan Carius ’21

Sports Staff

On April 12, the Providence College Women’s Soccer Team concluded a tremendous season. Their draw against St. John’s University cemented a final record of 7-2-3. PC came heartbreakingly close to competing for the Big East tournament, but missed out even with a strong record because of new tournament requirements adopted for the altered season. In addition to this season being played in the spring, as opposed to the normal fall season, entrance to the Big East tournament was determined by winning percentage, not overall record. The conference was also then split into two divisions, with only two teams receiving a bid from each division.  

Although the Friars missed the tournament, coach Sam Lopes praised the team for their tireless effort throughout the spring: “It was a very successful season, and a lot of it can be attributed to the talent that exists in the group and our depth.” During the duration of the 90-minute games, Lopes was able to confidently utilize 21 players, all capable of playing and helping the team win.

Lopes also remains optimistic about a season that was filled with success: “The group is certainly disappointed, but I don’t think that erases the success that we had and also the level of excitement that we have going towards our fall season because we know what we are capable of.”

The record is impressive in itself, but it is made more so when considering the uncertainty born out of the shift from the fall to the spring season, and more importantly, an offseason training program in the winter. However, the offseason proved to be vital for creating team chemistry after nearly a year of instability. “All the new players and all the returning players got a semester to some capacity to train and develop some relationships with each other before having to play a competitive match,” said Lopes as he explained the benefits of the long offseason. As tough as training in the harsh winter conditions and acclimating to warmer spring temperatures can be, Lopes believes that “the spring showcased that level of connection amongst the group from a fall semester of training.”

That group was filled with freshmen who had the tall task of replacing a strong roster of graduating seniors. They did just that, playing to the standard set by the previous year’s players. Goalkeeper Emma Bodmer ’24, in particular, had to replace Friar legend Shelby Hogan ’20RS. Throughout the season, Bodmer proved to be a worthy successor to Hogan, achieving great success in just her first year at the collegiate level. 

Lopes praised Bodmer’s abilities in the net, saying that “we just felt Emma had a level of confidence and presence about her.” After “spending some time with her in the fall, we felt that she would be equally capable of the job in goal as Shelby [Hogan] had been in the past.” 

Along with Bodmer’s tremendous play, Meg Hughes ’24 was voted Big East Freshman of the Year, becoming only the second PC women’s soccer player to ever receive the honor. Hughes led the Friars in points with 12, assists with six, and tied for the team lead in goals scored alongside Amber Birchwell ’21 with four. Lopes was not at all surprised by Hughes’ receiving the honor, saying that it was “really telling of her capabilities and the amount of respect that she has already earned among her peers in the league.” 

In addition to both Bodmer and Hughes, Lopes lauded the play of the six other Friar freshmen, who each had a large impact on the season. Lopes expressed great enthusiasm for the return of these players in the fall. “Those eight individuals have come in and already established themselves within our program, and have developed an understanding of what it takes to compete at this level,” explained Lopes. “I think they will be really instrumental as we continue to be on this consistent successful trajectory.”

Also vital to the team’s success were its seniors. They played the role of establishing the winning standard of the team, constantly driving up the level of play that would lead to the program’s ultimate success. Lopes highlighted the contributions of the seniors who “did an unbelievable job in helping the new players to get settled in and really helped educate them about who we are and our cultural values.” With the extra year of eligibility option for seniors, some will be returning for the fall season, ensuring that at least some of the team’s leadership will still be around next year as well.  

When asked about his goals for next season, Lopes explained that it is about the daily battles that will ultimately decide the team’s success. “What we are working towards is being a winner consistently day in and day out,” he explained. “We took significant steps towards that this year.” From this response, it is no surprise that the Friars were able to have a great season in a competitive division such as the Big East.

As PC turns their focus to next season, it is safe to say that they will most certainly be in the mix for a Big East title. “I think we have the talent and I think we have the right fixture of players, but more importantly I think we have the right attitude for it,” said Lopes confidently. 

With the majority of players from this season returning, the right attitude in place, and an inspiring coach, it will be exciting for the student body to attend a full slate of games in person this fall season. Lopes proudly stated, “I think now we have established a program that is nationally competitive, and for us in a highly competitive league, we want the next step to be being competitive to win the Big East.” 

The Friars certainly showed the potential to do just that this spring, and with a hopefully normal season set for the fall, the sky is the limit for Lopes and the Friars.

by Joshua Lopes on April 22, 2021

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Friar Sports

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Justin Viotto ’22 and Kevin Hood ’23 Secure Thrilling Victories

By Cam Smith ’21

Sports Co-Editor

At the Big East championships in early April, the Providence College Men’s Swimming and Diving Team did something that has not been done since 1985: have swimmers bring home individual championships. After a 36-year wait, the Friars had two swimmers bring home titles in just two days.

In the 200-yard butterfly, Justin Viotto ’22 pulled off a thrilling comeback victory. Trailing after the final turn, Viotto accelerated over the last 50 yards, hunting down Seton Hall University’s Justin Oosterwyk to claim the title. He won by a finger length, finishing just one one-hundredth of a second in front of Oosterwyk.

“I really had no idea,” said Viotto when asked about if he thought he had won when his fingers hit the wall. “The funny thing is that I didn’t know I had won by one one-hundredth until my friend told me about 45 minutes later in the locker room.”

One thing Viotto did know was his game plan going into the race. “With the way that I race, I’m more of a back-half swimmer,” he said. “I knew from the beginning I was probably going to be behind, but after the first 100 I knew that I had a chance.”

In the 100-yard breaststroke, Kevin Hood ’23 captured an impressive championship. Hood never looked back after leading the race at the 50-yard mark, perhaps motivated by the raucous cheers of his teammates.

“I had a good feeling that I could hold on,” said Hood when speaking of his stretch run. “I trusted my training that I would be able to at least stay with the [nearest] guy, or hold on for it, so once I heard the crowd I just tried to get to that wall as fast as I could.”

“When I looked up and saw number one…it was just indescribable,” continued Hood. “Then to hear everyone on the team screaming and going crazy in the stands, it was just an unbelievable feeling.”

Viotto and Hood will return next year to a team that produced strong results in a season shortened by the pandemic. They each spoke to how their team goals center around continuing the squad’s upward trajectory next season, focusing on producing more points across the board at meets.

As far as individual goals, Hood looks forward to defending his 100-yard breaststroke title. “To win it again. That’s the main goal I have personally,” said the sophomore swimmer.

Viotto, in his senior year next year, plans on going out on a high note. “I just want to be able to say I had no regrets in my last season, to be able to give it my all, and hopefully defend the 200-fly title as well.”

by Joshua Lopes on April 22, 2021

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Sports

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Week of April 16-21

By Scott Jarosz ’21

Sports Staff

Men’s Lacrosse:

On April 17, The Providence College Men’s Lacrosse Team played a thrilling game against the Marquette University Golden Eagles. Unfortunately, it ended with a heartbreaking loss for PC. The game was back and forth throughout and featured an impressive fourth-quarter comeback from PC to send the match into overtime. After three scoreless overtime periods, MU finally recorded a goal in the fourth overtime period to win the game 7-6. The loss dropped PC’s record to 4-7 on the season. The team now looks ahead to its next contest at Georgetown University on April 24.

Women’s Field Hockey: 

The field hockey team had a tough final week of the season, falling in each of its three games. On April 14, PC hosted Boston College. The visiting Eagles spoiled PC’s senior day, winning the game by a score of 2-0. Next, the Friars traveled to Old Dominion University for a two-game series. In the first game of the series on April 16, ODU shut out PC by a score of 3-0.

PC then went on to play ODU again on April 17 for its final game of the season. The visiting Friars put up a strong fight against No. 17  ODU, but ultimately fell by a score of 2-1. The loss ended the season for PC, who finished with a record of 2-9.

Women’s Softball: 

The softball team traveled to play Villanova University this past weekend for a three-game series. The series opened with a doubleheader on April 17. Villanova came ready to play. The Wildcats struck for three runs in the first inning of game one and did not look back. Villanova  beat PC by a score of 6-1 in the first game of the doubleheader.

In the second game of the doubleheader, PC held the home team to just two runs but were unable to put any runs on the board and lost 2-0. The final game of the series was a hard-fought, low-scoring battle. Jacque Harrington ’24 hit a home run for PC, but it was not enough to earn a victory, as the Wildcats would go on to win by a score of 2-1.

Despite the loss, Daniela Alvarez ’22 pitched a phenomenal game, allowing just three hits and striking out five batters. PC now looks ahead to its next series against Butler University, which is scheduled to start on April 24.

 

 

by Joshua Lopes on April 15, 2021

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Athlete of the Week

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Runners Excel in Championship Races

By Joseph Quirk ’23 and Cam Smith ’21

Sports Staff and Sports Co-Editor

Last month, two Providence College athletes took their talents to the NCAA championships. Abbey Wheeler ’20GS finished fifth in the 5,000-meter at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships. Maria Coffin ’21 placed 99th out of 253 runners at the NCAA Cross Country Championships. The Cowl sat down with each runner to reflect on their NCAA experiences, the challenges of racing in the COVID-19 pandemic, and their goals for the future.

Abbey Wheeler ’20GS:

During her illustrious career at PC, Abbey Wheeler ’20GS has been one of the most consistently dominant athletes on campus. Wheeler, recently named the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association 2021 Women’s Track Athlete of the Year, recently finished fifth at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships for the 5,000-meter race.

The fifth place finish earned Wheeler an All-American nod, her third in her PC career. The championships took place in Fayetteville, AR, and Wheeler described the experience as both “wonderful” and “different” from other meets she had been to  because of COVID-19 protocols. 

“It’s always so exciting to be at a meet where you’re truly among the best of the best,” Wheeler said. “That’s always a bit nerve-racking, but also exciting where you get to test yourself in a field where there are no soft spots.”

One would imagine that such a race would stir up a slew of emotions, but Wheeler kept herself composed, despite how difficult she said it could be. That would be needed, as she described the race itself as an “odd run” where the pack paced weirdly and stayed together for a lot of the race.

“It was really difficult to remain comfortable and composed with all those weird pacing things going on,” Wheeler said. She added that “with everyone getting a little aggressive with pacing, everyone was pushing and in your head you’re just trying to stay in it until the race actually gets going.” Despite it being easy to lose focus and composure, Wheeler was able to hang on for a strong finish, passing multiple runners in the final lap when the pack finally began to split.

This was Wheeler’s first appearance at the indoor track championships. She had previously competed in the outdoor championships and had qualified for the indoor race last year; however, it was unfortunately canceled. She said that the finish felt like a “long time coming,” especially because she felt ready to make this breakthrough at last year’s event before its cancellation.

When comparing it to previous 5,000-meter races she had run, she called it her “best performance at the national level. I definitely leveled up a bit there,” Wheeler proudly said. “My last one I was second team All-American, so this was the first time I was first team All-American, so that was super exciting.” She also pointed to a major difference between the indoor and outdoor versions of the 5,000-meter, citing that the indoor race only features 16 runners while the outdoor race features 24.

Following nationals, Wheeler proceeded to again finish fifth overall at the Raleigh Relays, one of the first races of the spring track season. Her finishing time of 15:46.87, as well as previous years’ performances, should be enough to qualify her for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field First Round in Jacksonville, FL on May 27-29.

When asked about the meet, the humble Wheeler mentioned her excitement about her time and possible qualification, before expressing a lot of happiness for her teammates who she also thinks could qualify following their performances. “It was nice to get a bunch of my other teammates to get times that can be competitive to qualify for that as well,” stated Wheeler. “That was pretty much the goal of the meet.”

Wheeler made sure to give credit to her coaches and teammates for keeping each other “grounded” throughout the season, especially with the challenges the COVID-19 pandemic held over both the school and the track season. This was especially important with a short season and a hard winter, making it difficult to stay ready and having less chances to qualify.

When reflecting back on her racing career here at PC, Wheeler noted something interesting. Aside from all the other accomplishments she has, one of her proudest moments actually came from overcoming adversity at a regional meet her junior season. “I was in the 5k and I wasn’t in particularly fantastic shape, but I was racing to get a spot in outdoor nationals,” she started. “And someone stepped on my shoe early on in the race and so I was running with my shoe kinda off. In the last mile I just kicked it off and I was running with only one shoe.”

She said in those kinds of moments it is easy to give up on yourself, but vocal support from her teammates kept her focused and pushed her forward. She ended the race with a qualifying time, and while she said it was not her best race, overcoming that adversity made her really feel that she belonged competing at this level.

As for her goals for the remainder of the season, Wheeler is “just trying to run really fast, make the championship season, and make outdoor nationals. And if I can run fast there, that would be great.”

Maria Coffin ’21:

In October 2020, Maria Coffin ’21 finishing in the top-100 at the NCAA Championships in March 2021 would have seemed improbable. After a summer of hard training, Coffin suffered a femoral stress reaction in October, which effectively shut down her training for the foreseeable future. When she was finally able to ramp back up her training in January 2021, the cross country schedule remained murky as COVID-19 regulations stayed in flux.

Nevertheless, Coffin persevered. Coming into her trip to nationals, she had just raced once, in the Big East Championships. Her performance there booked her a ticket to Stillwater, OK to compete with the best cross country runners in the nation.

The massive field of 253 runners, and a distinctly challenging course, made the event a grueling one for all parties involved. “It was a very difficult course,” said Coffin. “Super windy, super hilly. I’d definitely say it’s the hardest one I’ve run in my career.”

Coffin’s plan going into the race was to stay middle of the pack for the first half of the event, explaining that “in a course like that you can’t really go out too quick, so I was trying to be conservative, stay in the middle, and then do most of my damage in the last half of the race.”

Coffin did just that, passing 28 runners in the final 3,000 meters of the race. “When I finished, I really had no idea where I was,” explained Coffin. “I was hoping I had gotten in the top 100 and luckily I just made that.”

This was not Coffin’s first trip to the biggest stage in the sport. In the 2017-2018 cross country season, her entire team qualified for the event, allowing her to participate in nationals in just her freshman year. That time around, Coffin placed 245th.

“That was definitely a tough race for me as a freshman,” said Coffin. “I definitely did not do nearly as well [as this time].” Indeed, three years later, Coffin shaved off over a minute on her time, vaulting her up 146 spots. “It was cool to come back and really see that improvement,” she added.

 As much as Coffin was thrilled to be able to finish top-100 at nationals, she also lamented the fact that her team could not be there with her. It was always going to be an uphill battle for the team, as the Big East Championship was the only time they could all compete together as a squad. “We have such a young team, it was pretty difficult for the freshmen without much race experience to jump right into the Big East Conference meet,” said Coffin. “They still did really well there considering that was the first cross country race of their collegiate careers…I think that will help us next year having a few races under our belt.”

 Coffin, a senior who will be returning as a graduate student next year, will get the chance to again lead her team in a season that will hopefully resemble a normal one. She has high hopes for a squad that she says will return more experienced and more confident. Coffin’s goals: a Big East championship, an NCAA regional victory, and a whole team appearance at nationals.

For Coffin herself, “[I want] to improve upon my place and try to get around that All-American top-40 status at nationals.” With a full slate of races next season, and an injury far in the rearview mirror, Coffin has what it takes to do just that.

by Joshua Lopes on April 15, 2021

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Friar Sports

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Watson and Horchler to Return as Well

Scott Jarosz ’21

Sports Staff

The Providence College Men’s Basketball Team is coming off what many would call an unsatisfactory 2020-2021 season. After being projected to finish third in the Big East Preseason Coaches’ Poll, the Friars finished at sixth in the Big East standings upon the conclusion of the season.

PC finished the regular season with an impressive victory over Villanova University at Alumni Hall, but was unable to carry the momentum from this win into the Big East tournament. The Friars fell in the first round of the tournament to DePaul University by a score of 70-62. With the loss, the Friars finished the season with a record of 13-13 and failed to qualify for the  postseason tournament.

To add insult to injury, several key players on PC’s roster entered the transfer portal shortly after the season ended and one player declared for the NBA Draft. Jimmy Nichols Jr. ’22, Kris Monroe ’22, and Greg Gantt ’23 all announced that they would be leaving PC to search for a new team. 

Shortly following this news, star guard David Duke ’22 announced that he declared for the NBA Draft, a brutal blow for the Friars. However, despite these announcements, the PC basketball community still has a great deal to be excited about for the upcoming season.

Shortly after the end of the season, Jayden Epps, a highly touted four-star guard from Virginia, announced his commitment to Providence College. The news of Epps’ commitment to PC coincided with other good news. On March 17, Nate Watson ’21 announced that he will be returning to Friartown for a fifth season. Watson is eligible to play a fifth season because the NCAA granted all winter athletes an additional season of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Elaborating on his decision to return to PC for a fifth season, Watson cited the fans as a major reason for his return. “I did not want to end my career without being able to have my final season playing at the Dunk in front of my family and all the great fans in Friartown,” Watson explained. Watson averaged 16.9 points and 6.7 rebounds per game in the 2020-2021 season and was a finalist for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award for the best center in college basketball.

Just over a week after Watson announced that he would be returning to PC for a fifth season, teammate Noah Horchler ’21RS announced that he, too, will be returning to PC to play an additional season. 

Horchler is a high-energy player whose presence has had a tremendously positive impact on the court. In the final eight games of the season, Horchler averaged 11.5 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. Horchler’s return is a welcome one considering the major hole in the scoring column created by Duke’s departure. 

Additionally, Al Durham, a guard from Indiana University, announced on Twitter that he will be transferring to PC for his final season of eligibility. Durham averaged 11.3 points per game for IU and reached the 1,000-point mark during his final season with the team. Durham is also an excellent three-point shooter, and he will certainly be a valuable asset for the Friars.

Despite the loss of a few key players, the outlook for the PC Men’s Basketball Team is positive due to the return of Watson and Horchler, and the additions of Epps and Durham. The Friars appear prepared to have a successful 2021-2022 season.

 

by Joshua Lopes on March 18, 2021

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Athlete of the Week

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Diarbian Right at Home in Friartown

By Thomas Zinzarella ’21

Sports Staff

Coming into the fall season, Providence College Men’s Soccer player Gevork Diarbian ’24 did not know what to expect. Colleges around the country were still attempting to figure out a safe way for fall sports to occur. As a conference with member schools spanning from Rhode Island to Nebraska, the Big East Conference ultimately decided to follow suit with other conferences by moving all fall sports to the spring season.

 “The freshman guys, we were all prepared and we couldn’t wait,” Diarbian stated. “I remember we had a couple of practices; they were telling us games are coming up and then we hear ‘practice is canceled’…it was really hard. There were some moments where I was like ‘Are we going to get the chance to play?’”

When play finally resumed in February, Diarbian instantly made a major impact on the field. He scored a goal in each of his first three games, including a double overtime game-winner against Big East foe Villanova University. Across this stretch, the Friars went a perfect 3-0 to start the year with wins over the University of Rhode Island, the University of Connecticut, and Villanova.

Diarbian collected seven points in his first three collegiate games and has helped PC rise in the national rankings. The Friars came in at No. 13 in the United Soccer Coaches College Rankings last week following a draw at home against No. 5 Georgetown University. Since then, PC has dropped their last two matches.

Diarbian’s performance caught the attention of other Big East schools when he was named to the Big East Weekly Honor Roll on March 1. He was then tabbed the Big East Freshman of the Week the following week, too. 

Diarbian’s accolades are representative of his teammate’s success as well. Goalie Rimi Olatunji ’22RS has been honored twice with Big East Goalkeeper of the Week after several impressive shutout performances. Christopher Roman ’22 was named Big East Offensive Player of the Week on Feb. 22 following his three-point showing in PC’s season opener.  

It is never easy to please all fans, especially after the performances that Diarbian has put up, but for him, it is the mindset for the future that keeps him going. “For me, always in my mind, I just tell myself to keep going and keep going…the most important thing is us as a team, to stay together and to work as a group to get better.” With this competitive mentality, Diarbian looks primed to continue to reach not only his goals, but the team’s as well.

In high school, Diarbian wore the coveted number 10 jersey. When he arrived on campus over the summer, the number was available, yet, he was not sure which number was going to be on the back of his jersey. Former captain Danny Griffin ’20 had worn number 10 for the previous four years prior. “As a freshman, it’s an amazing feeling. Ever since I was a freshman in high school, I always dreamed of starting and wearing the number 10 for PC.” He had some big shoes to fill, but so far he is doing so very successfully.

Hailing from Cranston, RI, Diarbian is very familiar with New England soccer. He played a number of years for Bayside FC (the state’s premier soccer club), before starting at La Salle Academy, just down the road from PC. Then, he was a part of the New England Revolution Youth Academy prior to enrolling at PC.

His older brother, Azad Diarbian ’22, attends all of the Friars’ home games along with his parents and other family members. “It’s an unbelievable feeling. Without them [my family] I wouldn’t be where I am today…just seeing them watching me play, it’s an unbelievable feeling,” said Diarbian.                 

Diarbian is one of two local players on the men’s soccer roster from Rhode Island, the other being another Cranston native and fellow Revolution Youth Academy alum Kevin Vang ’22.

“You know, for me, it’s very good to play with Kevin. He’s a great player, a good kid, and I feel I have a good connection with him on the field. For example, he assisted me against URI.” On that play, Vang sent a gorgeous through-ball to a cutting Diarbian in the box. Diarbian then beat the keeper with a shot to the top right corner. 

“I love to play with him,” said Diarbian. “He’s great on the ball and very easy to play with because we have known each other for a very long time.”

Diarbian also pointed out just how different of an experience it is to play at the college level compared to the youth academy ranks. “It’s way different,” Diarbian admitted. “When you were there, it felt like a job…you were there every single day training Monday through Friday and then games on the weekend. It was always traveling.”  

The Revolution Youth Academy would travel all over, competing against fellow Major League Soccer youth academy teams. “The competition…you’re playing the best kids in the country. It was good for me, though, to be in that environment. I feel like it helped me as well to show what I can do but also what the other academies do.”

It mirrors a similar experience to that of men’s soccer head coach Craig Stewart. Stewart spent a number of years as a youth academy player for big English football clubs in Sunderland AFC, Newcastle United, and Everton FC.  

One figure Diarbian looks up to as a role model is PC men’s soccer legend Julian Gressel ’17. Gressel was an All-American at PC in 2016 and led the Friars to the NCAA tournament quarterfinals before they fell to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in double overtime. Gressel currently plays in the MLS with DC United.

 Diarbian hopes to one day follow in the footsteps of Gressel and fulfill his own dream of playing in Europe for his favorite football club: FC Barcelona.

 

by Joshua Lopes on March 18, 2021

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Sports

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Week of 3/11-3/17

By Ben Bilotti ’23

Sports Staff

Women’s Volleyball

The Providence College Women’s Volleyball Team played a two-game series against the University of Connecticut Women’s Volleyball Team on March 12 and March 13. PC won both games three sets to one and improved their record to 5-1. In game one, Emma Nelson ’23 stood out with 14 kills, including a go-ahead kill in the first set. Jennifer Leitman ’23 and Elena Leontaridou ’23 both had 12 kills. Allison Barber ’21 also impressed, accumulating 45 assists and 16 digs. In game two, Barber continued her success with 39 assists and 10 digs. PC looks to continue their hot start to the year against St. John’s University on March 19 and 20.

Women’s Soccer

The Providence College Women’s Soccer Team hosted Villanova University on Sunday, March 14. The Friars dominated the match, beating the Wildcats 4-0. They improved their record to 5-1-0 on the season: the program’s best since 2010.  Hannah McNulty ’21 shot and scored the first goal of the game. After that, Samantha Adams ’24 did not waste much time, scoring 14 minutes later for her second goal of the season. In the second half, Elayna Grillakis ’22 scored her first goal of the season before Meg Hughes ’24 added the final goal of the game. PC’s defense went to work in the match, only allowing two shots on target. The Friars will look to continue their winning ways at St. John’s University on March 18.

Men’s Hockey

The Providence College Men’s Ice Hockey Team faced the University of Connecticut on March 14 in hopes of advancing to the Hockey East Semifinals. The Friars bested the Huskies, beating them 6-1 in dominant fashion. Six different Friars shot and scored. Parker Ford ’23 scored first early into the first period. In the second, Uula Ruikka ’24 and Nick Poisson ’24 scored within 60 seconds of each other to put the Friars up 3-1. Tyce Thompson ’22, Brett Berard ’24, and Max Crozier ’23 each added a goal later in the game to solidify the impressive 6-1 win.

Women’s Hockey 

The Providence College Women’s Ice Hockey Team fell 3-0 to the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the first round of the NCAA tournament on March 16. This was the second-ever NCAA tournament appearance for the No. 7 Friars, the only other time being in 2005. Goalie Sandra Abstreiter ’21 did all she could to will the Friars to a victory, tying her season-high with 41 saves, but the Friars could not get anything going against the talented Wisconsin defense. The loss marked the end of a fantastic season for the Friars, one that also saw them make it all the way to the Hockey East finals.

by Joshua Lopes on March 4, 2021

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Friar Sports

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Coach Kelly, Friars Always Competing

By Scott Jarosz ’21

Sports Staff

The 2020-2021 season has been one to remember for head coach Matt Kelly and the Providence College Women’s Ice Hockey Team. After the team’s 2019-2020 campaign came to a close with a loss to the University of New Hampshire in the Hockey East Quarterfinals, both Kelly and his team were itching to get back on the ice to prepare for this season.

Unfortunately, due to the impact of COVID-19, the team’s return to the ice was delayed. The delay was certainly not what PC wanted, especially after the team’s early exit from the Hockey East Tournament. However, despite the team’s strange offseason, they made the most of it and focused on controlling what they could. Their hard work has produced great results thus far in the 2020-2021 season.

Despite the different feel of this season, Kelly approached the year with the same game plan as always. When asked about his approach, Kelly responded, “When it comes down to just the game and our game plan, it was the same mentality going into it. It’s ‘win as many games as you can, win the league, get to the NCAA tournament, and compete for a national championship.’” He continued, “Those are our goals every year and that’s our vision every year and we don’t waver from that.” Kelly has also ensured that his players and staff stay healthy, reiterating that everyone’s health during the pandemic is the top priority.

Kelly’s determined game plan paid off from the very start. PC began the season on a seven-game winning streak, starting 6-0-1 during that stretch. Kelly attributed much of the team’s success during those first seven games to an excellent power play and exceptional goaltending. Kelly emphasized, “Whenever you can chip in a special team’s goal and then you’re able to get two or three more five on five [goals], you’re putting yourself in a good [position] to win the game.”

He added, “We were getting great goaltending too. Great goaltending can take you a long way, especially early in the season.” Kelly explained that goaltending is especially important early in the season when other areas of the team’s game are still developing, and that a few extra saves can be the difference maker. Both an effective power play and great goaltending definitely gave PC a boost during the opening stretch of the season, and the team has continued to build off of that.

Sometimes, teams rely on one or two key players to propel them throughout the season and lead the team to victory. However, when asked if there was any one player on the team who has exceeded expectations this season, Kelly could not point to one specific player. “I would say everyone on our team [has exceeded expectations] from last year to this year. Their game has developed and grown.”

Elaborating on this point, Kelly said, “We talk a lot in our program about having a beginner’s mindset. Get better every day [and] learn something new every day.” Kelly concluded his response to this question by emphasizing how impressed he is by his players. “Each year that I’ve come back and started a season, I’m surprised by everyone.” He continued, “It’s fun to see as a coach that we have a group of [players] that are very dedicated to improving their craft and always getting better.”

While Kelly stressed that every single player on the team has done a great job of working hard and improving every day, he highlighted one player in particular that has truly been a catalyst for the team’s success this season. “To compete at a high level, to win a Hockey East Championship, to win a National Championship, you need an elite goalie, and I feel like she [Sandra Arbstreiter ’21] has been playing very elite this year and we’re very impressed with how she’s come along over the last two years.”

Arbstreiter’s statistics certainly prove that she has performed at an elite level this season. Through 17 regular-season games, Arbstreiter has recorded 424 saves and boasts an impressive save percentage of 92.8 percent. PC has won 10 of those 17 games and Arbstreiter’s excellent goaltending has been a major reason for PC’s success.

The Friars finished the regular season with a record of 10-6-1, good enough to rank No. 10 in the country and also earn a No. 3 seed in the Hockey East Tournament. As a No. 3 seed, PC was matched up against No. 6 seed Boston University in the Hockey East Quarterfinals.

This matchup between PC and BU marked the first time the two teams would meet this season. When asked what his team would need to focus on to be victorious over BU, Kelly spoke highly of the visiting Terriers. “They’re a really good team. They’ve got really good goaltending and they have a very high-end forward in Jesse Compher. I know Brian Durocher, the coach, very well…and he always has his team prepared and ready to go, so we [need] to make sure we’re ready to go too.”

In addition to preparing to combat BU’s strengths, Kelly discussed the importance of focusing on his own team’s strengths, as well. “Defense is huge,” he emphasized. “You want to limit their opportunities and chances. [Our defense] has been good all year but [we want to] keep tightening that up and working on that.”

Along with focusing on the team’s strong defense, Kelly explained the importance of staying competitive during the final stretch of the season when teams begin to get fatigued. He explained that everything comes down to, “Are you willing to outcompete your opponent every shift, every puck battle, every period, every minute of the game?” He concluded, “If you’re willing to do that, more times than not, you’re going to come out on top.”

When asked what his biggest takeaway from the regular season was, Kelly expressed  how proud he is of his team for what they have accomplished and how they have adjusted. He continued, “They’ve been incredible at doing all the right stuff to get us to this point… Some teams out there don’t have this luxury to be playing this weekend in the playoffs. I’m just super proud of them and all they’ve done and overcome this year to get to this point.” Kelly certainly has a great deal to be proud of with his team. Not only have they exceeded and outperformed expectations on a daily basis, but they have also done everything in their power to beat adversity in an unprecedented season.

With all of this, PC entered their Hockey East Quarterfinal matchup on Feb. 28 ready to play. PC took the lead over BU at Schneider Arena just two minutes into the first period thanks to a wrist shot goal by Brooke Becker ’24. PC did not slow down from there, as Caroline Peterson ’22 notched the second goal for the Friars just over two minutes later. Then, on a power play in the second period, Hayley Lunny ’21 scored PC’s third goal of the contest.

Entering the game, BU had killed off a remarkable 97.1 percent of opponent power plays, making Lunny’s goal all the more impressive. The Terriers scored the following goal in the second period, but Peterson answered with her second goal of the game to extend PC’s lead to 4-1 heading into the third period. BU attempted a comeback, scoring two goals in the third period to cut the score to 4-3. However, BU’s valiant effort proved to be too little too late, as the Friars secured the victory by a final score of 4-3.

The impressive win earned PC a spot in the Hockey East Semifinals, where they will take on the University of Maine. PC will look to continue to build on its already impressive season by making a deep postseason run, as they are now just one game away from the finals. Doing so will mark a great success for a team that has exceeded expectations all year, just as coach Kelly emphasized.

“This article was printed prior to the semifinal game against UMaine. You can visit Friars.com for full results”