Tag: PCI
Providence College Investigates
by The Cowl Editor on December 6, 2018
PCI
The Clemson University Tigers will win the College Football Championship
By Sullivan Burgess ’20
Sports Staff
This year in the 2019 College Football Playoffs, the no. 2 Clemson University Tigers (13-0) will win the National Championship in Santa Clara, California. While the road ahead may be tough, the Tigers have the tools and skills to be victorious at the end of the season.
In their first matchup of the playoffs at the Cotton Bowl in Arlington, Texas, the Tigers will face the University of Notre Dame, who is the no. 3 seed at 12-0 this season. Meanwhile, on the other side at the Orange Bowl, the No. 1 seed University of Alabama will face the no. 4 seed University of Oklahoma.
While the game against the Fighting Irish will be tough, the Tigers will ultimately succeed. Clemson’s offense and defense have been unstoppable this season, with six potential NFL first round picks next year.
Though they were off to a slow start, the now-starting quarterback, Trevor Lawrence, has proven to be a threat one game at a time, adjusting quickly to any situation at hand, ultimately increasing their confidence. This season, Clemson has scored at least 27 points or more in all 13 of their games.
On the defensive side of the field, the Tigers are allowing the least amounts of yards per games in the country, at 2.40 yards. Their defensive backs have been nothing but quick in their strategy which allows them to beat their opponents. Clemson has managed to force nine interceptions this season.
The Tigers’ defensive line has been the best in all of college football. Clemson as a team is third in the country in sacks with 45.
Against a team like Notre Dame, who has no down field threats, Clemson’s front seven will be looking for them to run, which only plays into the Tigers’ strength. Teams have averaged 93 rushing yards per game against Clemson, which is third lowest in college football.
Notre Dame’s offensive line will need help against the strong pass rush, which will cause their tight ends to come in to block, freeing up the Tigers’ linebackers to make plays.
After defeating Notre Dame, the Tigers would look to take on Alabama for the third time in the last four years. In 2016, Alabama defeated Clemson 45-40 in the championship game, then one year later Clemson came back and won 35-31.
Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, hurt his ankle against the University of Georgia in the Southeastern Conference Championship, allowing Jalen Hurts to return to the starting lineup and rally back from a 21-point Georgia lead.
Overall, these are two well-coached teams with good quarterbacks and defensive threats that can pressure offense. They both will prove to be extraordinary football teams, but Clemson will win for the second time in the last four years.
Providence College Investigates
by The Cowl Editor on November 29, 2018
PCI
Colin Miller ’19RS and Shelby Hogan ’20RS Were the Top Athletes for the Fall
By Sullivan Burgess ’20
Sports Staff
Of all the male athletes that participated in fall sports this season at Providence College, one that stood out amongst the crowd was men’s soccer goalie Colin Miller ’19RS. The season for the Friars was quite successful, with a 10-7-2 overall record, and a 6-2-1 record in the Big East, tying them for second in the Big East along with Georgetown University, who defeated PC in the Big East Soccer Championship Semi-Finals 4-0.
Miller’s final season began with high expectations, as he was selected unanimously for the 2018 Preseason All-Big East Team and was named the 2018 Men’s Soccer Preseason Goalkeeper Of The Year. In the 19 games played and started this season, Miller had 54 saves, 21 goals allowed, and GAA of 1.06 goals.
While only ranking seventh in saves in the Big East, he ranked first in shutouts in the Big East, and fourth in GAA in the Big East.
Miller’s numbers were certainly the key factor this season for the men’s soccer team in terms of keeping their ranking afloat, but they also allowed Miller to be named to the All-Big East Second Team. For these reasons, he is the best male athlete of the fall season.
On the same pitch, the best female athlete for PC this fall season is women’s soccer goalie Shelby Hogan ’20RS. This season, Hogan was able to provide a spark for her team to gain the playoff berth for the Friars.
The Friars’ playoff run sadly only lasted until the Semi-Finals of the Big East Women’s Soccer Championship where they lost to Butler University 2-3. While the Friars may have been knocked out, Hogan’s stats and ambitions will carry on for the rest of her career.
At the end of the season, it was announced that Hogan was named to the 2018 United States Soccer Coaches NCAA Division I Women’s All-East Region Third Team. Hogan was also named into the All-Big East Second Team for her achievements this season.
Some of these stats included: 16 goals allowed, 0.77 GAA, and 95 saves throughout the season. These stats have placed her third in GAA, second in saves, and second in shutouts in the Big East.
Hogan’s drive and goals throughout the season pushed the Friars to go beyond the expectations that everyone had of them, making her the best female athlete of the fall season.
Providence College Investigates
by The Cowl Editor on November 29, 2018
PCI
Colin Miller ’19RS and Shelby Hogan ’20RS Were the Top Athletes for the Fall
By Sullivan Burgess ’20
Sports Staff
Of all the male athletes that participated in fall sports this season at Providence College, one that stood out amongst the crowd was men’s soccer goalie Colin Miller ’19RS. The season for the Friars was quite successful, with a 10-7-2 overall record, and a 6-2-1 record in the Big East, tying them for second in the Big East along with Georgetown University, who defeated PC in the Big East Soccer Championship Semi-Finals 4-0.
Miller’s final season began with high expectations, as he was selected unanimously for the 2018 Preseason All-Big East Team and was named the 2018 Men’s Soccer Preseason Goalkeeper Of The Year. In the 19 games played and started this season, Miller had 54 saves, 21 goals allowed, and GAA of 1.06 goals.
While only ranking seventh in saves in the Big East, he ranked first in shutouts in the Big East, and fourth in GAA in the Big East.
Miller’s numbers were certainly the key factor this season for the men’s soccer team in terms of keeping their ranking afloat, but they also allowed Miller to be named to the All-Big East Second Team. For these reasons, he is the best male athlete of the fall season.
On the same pitch, the best female athlete for PC this fall season is women’s soccer goalie Shelby Hogan ’20RS. This season, Hogan was able to provide a spark for her team to gain the playoff berth for the Friars.
The Friars’ playoff run sadly only lasted until the Semi-Finals of the Big East Women’s Soccer Championship where they lost to Butler University 2-3. While the Friars may have been knocked out, Hogan’s stats and ambitions will carry on for the rest of her career.
At the end of the season, it was announced that Hogan was named to the 2018 United States Soccer Coaches NCAA Division I Women’s All-East Region Third Team. Hogan was also named into the All-Big East Second Team for her achievements this season.
Some of these stats included: 16 goals allowed, 0.77 GAA, and 95 saves throughout the season. These stats have placed her third in GAA, second in saves, and second in shutouts in the Big East.
Hogan’s drive and goals throughout the season pushed the Friars to go beyond the expectations that everyone had of them, making her the best female athlete of the fall season.
Providence College Investigates
by The Cowl Editor on November 29, 2018
PCI
Abbey Wheeler ’20 and Tiago Mendonca ’20RS Were the Top Athletes for the Fall
By Meaghan Cahill ’20
Sports Co-Editor
Cross country runner Abbey Wheeler ’20 and soccer player Tiago Mendonca ’20RS are the top two standout athletes of the fall sports season.
This racing season, according to Head Coach Ray Treacy, Wheeler has been Providence College’s top runner for the women’s team. Wheeler finished as the overall winner in the University of New Hampshire Dual Meet, the Coast-to-Coast Battle in Beantown, and the Central Connecticut State University Mini Meet. She finished the CCSU Mini Meet with the fastest posted time by a non-redshirt collegian in the past six years with a time of 9:48.9 for the 5K.
At the Big East Championships, Wheeler finished first for the Friars and fourth overall—an improvement from her 10th place finish last season. Her 20:35.3 time earned her All-Big East honors for this season. At the NCAA Northeast Regional Meet, Wheeler finished second for the Friars and 33rd overall.
The NCAA named Wheeler the Cross Country National Athlete of the Week twice this season. Wheeler was also named Big East Runner of the Week twice this season.
Wheeler deserves best female athlete of the 2018 fall sports season because of the key role she has played in the cross country team’s success these past few months.
Alongside Wheeler, another standout athlete from the fall season is Mendonca, who is a plays midfield for the men’s soccer team.
Arguably, goalie Colin Miller ’19 RS is considered to be the star of the soccer team this year, but no matter how good the goalie is, a team cannot win games if they do not score goals—and that is exactly what Mendonca did this season.
Playing in all 19 games of the season, Mendonca led the team in goals (5), points (10), shots (40), and shots on goal (15). During a season where nine of the team’s wins were decided by just one goal, Mendonca’s value in regards to the team’s success was definitely heightened.
Mendonca is the only member of the soccer team to be named to the All-Big East First Team and earlier in the season, the Portugal native was named to the Capitol City Classic All-Tournament Team.
Both Wheeler and Mendonca were key players in their team’s successes this fall season and it is for that reason they should be recognized as the two athletes with the most successful sports season.
Providence College Investigates
by The Cowl Editor on November 15, 2018
PCI
If PC Were to Bring Back a Varsity Sport, They Should Bring Back Baseball
By Sam Scanlon ’19
Sports Staff
Spring 1999 marked the last time that a baseball player donned the Friars uniform and played on Hendricken Field. Providence College was once home to a successful and beloved baseball program. It has been dearly missed over the years, which is why PC should bring baseball back.
Could you imagine the atmosphere on campus on a warm, sunny Saturday afternoon in May as the Friars host our bitter rival Villanova University?
Our school has a rich tradition of athletics, from our national championship in ice hockey to our distinguished basketball program. However, it still feels like there is just one thing missing. I believe that the one thing missing is a day at the ballpark.
Our softball program does an excellent job creating a terrific atmosphere on campus for each game, but I believe that a baseball team would be the perfect addition in order for our students to be ecstatic about game day.
Everyone loves going to baseball games. It would be great for students to head over to the ball field, grab a hot dog, and watch some college baseball. Both students and fans of the Friars’ baseball team were devastated by the announcement that the baseball program was being eliminated, so bringing the team back would definitely be something that the PC community would be excited about.
Most teams are cut from school or town leagues due to their poor performances, but in the final year of baseball at PC, the team finished the season with a 49-16 record — the best season in the program’s 78-year history. The Friars also qualified for the NCAA tournament in their final season. PC has been home to so many talented baseball players including Lou Merloni ’93 and Keith Reed ’00, both of whom had MLB careers. There was no shortage of success for the program, which is what made it so hard for students and fans to let go of the team.
Adding a baseball team with a successful history will not only make PC’s campus a better place to be on game days, but will attract many more students. The widespread love for the game of baseball, the program’s incredible history, and the comeback and reinstatement of one of PC’s most beloved teams of all time makes it a no-brainer for PC to add a baseball team to the College’s athletic program.
Providence College Investigates
by The Cowl Editor on November 15, 2018
PCI
If PC Were to Bring Back a Varsity Sport, They Should Bring Back Golf
By Thomas Zinzarella ’21
Sports Staff
There are a lot of sports that Providence College could add, but the first one that comes to mind is a men’s and women’s golf team. Providence had a men’s golf team that was eliminated in 2002, which followed the removal of the men’s baseball team due to compliance with Title IX.
The men’s golf team dates back to 1932 when Waldo Martin coached the team. However, it was quickly dropped in 1935 due to a lack of interest from students. The men’s golf team was brought back by Joe Prisco ’49 who started the club golf team during his studies at the College in 1947. Prisco came back to PC as a business professor in 1953 and restarted the club golf program once again before it was elevated to the Division I level in 1960. Prior to Prisco retiring in 2012, he accumulated a 403-119-1 record while leading the team to eight NCAA Tournament appearances and 16 individuals to the NCAA Championship. Prisco also won two Big East Titles and eight NCAA Division I Coach of the Year awards during his 42-year coaching career at PC. Prisco would go on to coach the club team from 2002-2012.
The men’s team has a storied tradition that dates back to the 1930s. To put that into perspective, the men’s basketball and hockey teams’ inaugural seasons were in 1926. A lot of Title IX was not just about equal numbers of men’s to women’s sports, but it concerned the amount of scholarships that could be offered. Some Division I teams such as Boston College have as few as eight men’s players (six women) while other powerhouse schools such as the University of Texas at Austin have 12 players on the men’s team and nine on the women’s. According to nextgengolf.org, the University of Tulsa cut their golf team which is expected to save them $520,000 dollars.
Now, the College may have to pay more or may have to pay less but that’s a ballpark price.
Currently, the Friars in their club format hold a lot of talent on the roster. They compete with teams throughout the country in the National Collegiate Club Golf Association (NCCGA). Friars are the no. 1 team in New England and are ranked no. 49 in the country from the poll last Spring. Last May, the Friars competed for the National Championship in St. Louis. The Friars finished in 11th place out of 28 teams in the field. These 28 teams are some of the best in the country and the Friars finished higher than teams such as Florida State University, Arizona State University, Michigan State University, and Maryland University. From the undergraduate enrollment of each of these schools, they outnumber Providence College 4.5x to 1. For a school of 4,306 undergraduates, the Friars are competing with much larger schools. Why not try and take a dip into a sport where we have had success?
Providence College Investigates
by The Cowl Editor on November 8, 2018
PCI
The Men’s Basketball Team Will Have The Best Record This Season
By Jack Belanger ’21
Sports Co-Editor
After making their fifth straight appearance in the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball tournament, the Providence College Men’s Basketball Team is poised to take the next step and compete for first place in the Big East and surpass the PC Men’s Hockey Team as the best winter sports team on campus.
The basketball team is loaded with talent at every position and has a high potential to succeed this season in a conference that has gotten much weaker since last season. All the uncertainties around this team, such as the return of Emmitt Holt ’19RS and a promising freshman class, will fall in PC’s favor.
With the loss of offensive leaders Kyron Cartwright ’18 and Rodney Bullock ’18, Alpha Diallo ’20 will be ready to take on a larger role after having a breakout sophomore season. Last season, Diallo averaged 13.2 points per game and ended the season by scoring 21 points against Texas A&M University in the national tournament. This season he was named to the All-Big East Preseason First Team. Diallo will be one of the best players in the Big East this season which will make it difficult for any team to beat the Friars.
There has been plenty of speculation as to how Holt, a forward, will perform this season after missing all of last season due to injury. During the 2016-17 season, he averaged 12.5 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. The Friars missed his presence underneath the hoop last season and his return will be a big boost for the young squad.
Before this season, Head Coach Ed Cooley put together possibly his greatest recruiting class during his time at PC. Highlighted by four-star recruits, David Duke ’22 and A.J. Reeves ’22. The freshmen will be able to step in immediately and produce right away. With the other teams in the Big East losing a lot of talent, the freshmen should not be terribly overmatched come conference play.
Despite the loss of three starters, the Friars have been able to reload on the fly and have the potential to improve from their overall record 21-14 and 10-8 record in the Big East. PC still has plenty of returning players that have lots of potential to improve. Christopher Novak of SB Nation is picking the Friars to finish in the top half of the conference this year. He predicts ”this Friars team being good enough to earn a Top 4 finish in the Big East and get one of their highest seeds in the NCAA Tournament in recent memory.”
While the men’s hockey team may be ranked third according to the USA Today poll, the team has yet to play top-15 ranked opponents such as the University of Denver, the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, and Northeastern University, all of which will be tough games for the Friars to pullout. Likewise, Villanova University is the only team in the Big East that is ranked, which means PC will fair much better against the conference this season.
Providence College Investigates
by The Cowl Editor on November 8, 2018
PCI
The Men’s Ice Hockey Team Will Have The Best Record This Season
By Liza Sisk ’19
Sports Staff
The Providence College Men’s Ice Hockey Team is speeding towards what already looks like an incredibly successful season. The Friars are currently ranked third in the United States College Hockey online polls, and are dominating with a 5-1-1 record.
PC has been able to dominate its competition to this point in the season as their only loss was against the #2 nationally-ranked University of Notre Dame early in the season. The Friars have crushed Hockey East rivals such as Boston University and the University of Connecticut by scores of 5-0 and 7-2 respectively.
If these scores are any indication for the future, the Friars will have a good chance to find themselves on top of the Hockey East standings.
The Friars only graduated five players last year, leaving their underclassmen powerhouses and strong goaltending to carry on the legacy. The team is led by six seniors this year and welcomed six freshmen to the squad.
This team is loaded with talent at every position and the team’s strong depth separates themselves from the rest of the league. The Friars have multiple players who can score at any moment as 13 have already found the back of the net.
Assistant Captain, Vincent Desharnais ’19, will be the leader on the defensive side of the ice and is one of the top defenders in the conference. Desharnais currently is tied for third in the Hockey East with 14 blocked shots. The 2016 NHL Draft pick, has played in at least 19 games in every season during career at PC.
An asset that separates PC Hockey from other teams is the consistent goaltending of Hayden Hawkey ’19. Hawkey just claimed his third shut-out of the season in a 3-0 victory over the College of the Holy Cross on Nov. 3 in Worcester, Massachusetts. Hawkey tallied 27 saves contributing to his 0.955 save percentage this season. Hawkey’s consistency allows for the Friars to excel both defensively and offensively. He leads from the crease and can be relied on to perform in every game.
In addition to their competitive goal tending, the strength of the freshman class is solidifying the season for the Friars. Jack Dugan ’22 was named Hockey East Rookie of the Month for October. Dugan is the first Friar to earn this honor since Anthony Florentino ’17 in March 2014. He is a fifth-round draft pick for the Las Vegas Golden Knights, and has already proven himself to be an incredible asset to the Friars.
The Friars will continue their legacy of success and make a competitive run for the NCAA Frozen Four Championship title, largely because of the reliable goaltending and strong underclassmen assets. Providence men’s ice hockey will be the most successful team this season, and will hopefully bring a championship back to Friartown.
Providence College Investigates: Should PC Offer Student Season Tickets For Men’s Hockey
by The Cowl Editor on November 1, 2018
PCI
New System Would Eliminate Hassle
By Meaghan Cahill ’20
Sports Co-Editor
It is a well known fact that students at Providence College are able to purchase season tickets for men’s basketball games and not men’s hockey games. In the words of Claire Woods ’21, “[It’s] not fair.”
Students at PC should be given the opportunity to purchase season tickets each hockey season. I believe that it would increase attendance at games. More students may attend the men’s basketball games simply because they have the ability to do so without having to pay each week. And while students are only being asked to pay a game fee of $4, consistently having to pay for a ticket can become not only annoying, but also a hassle. Therefore, if students had the opportunity to purchase season tickets at the beginning of the school year, students might be more inclined to go and watch the hockey games on a more consistent basis.
Secondly, on PC’s campus, men’s hockey is just as popular and valued in terms of national press. By offering season tickets for one and not the other shows which sport the athletic department favors more. Giving students the opportunity to buy a pass that gets them into every basketball game, but not every hockey game, is just a visual way of showing that they wish to see more students at the basketball games than the hockey games.
“It’s a matter of equality. Hockey also has a strong fan-base and they should be rewarded as well,” said Woods.
Lastly, as minor as it may seem, the current method of having to purchase a ticket for each game creates a sense of unease amongst ticket buyers because there is no cash option when paying for tickets. Therefore, for every game that students want to go to, they have to input their credit card information.
In today’s day and age, inputting any type of bank information online can lead to accounts being hacked. Students may not want to attend games because they are not comfortable paying online with credit cards. Therefore, if they had a season ticket that they had the chance to pay for at the beginning of the year (like they do for basketball), then they would not have to worry and be able to attend more games.
It is not only a matter of equality, but implementing a season ticket system for hockey would not only decrease the annoyance with having to pay per game, but also make attending games more secure and accessible. This is a matter that the PC athletic department should definitely work on with the start of basketball and hockey seasons upon us.
Providence College Investigates: Should PC Offer Student Season Tickets For Men’s Hockey
by The Cowl Editor on November 1, 2018
PCI
Current System Forces Attendance
By Scott Jarosz ’21
Sports Staff
There has been a lot of debate at Providence College over why students do not have the option to purchase a season ticket package for men’s ice hockey games. Currently, students who wish to attend games must purchase tickets for each game individually at price of $4. However, just a couple of years prior, students were able to reserve an individual seat at hockey games on the PC app at no charge.
While allowing students to attend hockey games for free may seem like it would attract more fans, what occurred was the opposite. Because students could reserve seats for free, they would often reserve their seat but not attend the game, as there were no consequences for not attending. The current frustration that students are having is not about having to pay for tickets, but rather not being able to buy season tickets. This raises the question: should students be able to purchase season tickets for men’s hockey?
The answer to this question is no—the current system that is being used for hockey tickets has worked well, and there is no real reason to change it. The main complaint that students have about the current system is that it is an inconvenience to have to enter credit card information and purchase a ticket for each game.
However, this is a minor downside to an otherwise great system for purchasing tickets. Beginning with pricing, $4 per game is a very low rate to pay to watch Division I hockey, especially when compared to the price the general public must pay. According to the PC Athletics website, the cost for an individual game ticket for non-students is $20. The website also notes that the price of season tickets for non-students is $250, which is far more than what a student would have to pay if they attend every game.
The current system also allows students to purchase tickets whenever they please. Students have the option to wait until the day of a game to decide if they want to purchase a ticket. This way, if students have a last-minute conflict, they will not have to waste money on a game they cannot attend.
Overall, the current system in place for purchasing hockey tickets works well. Students are able to decide on a game-by-game basis whether they wish to attend, and this leads to higher attendance and higher satisfaction.