Tag: PCI
Providence College Investigates
by The Cowl Editor on November 15, 2018
Sports
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
Sports
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
Sports
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
Sports
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
Sports
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
Sports
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.
Providence College Investigates
by The Cowl Editor on October 25, 2018
Sports
Winter Sports Should Not Start Before Fall Sports Finish
By Meaghan Cahill ’20
Sports Co-Editor
Ice hockey and basketball are without a doubt two of the biggest sports on the Providence College campus. Both seasons take up a majority of the school year, running from mid-October, through March and into April, depending on playoffs. However, due to the longevity of the two seasons, they interrupt and overlap with many of the fall sports on campus. It is because of that interruption that I believe that winter sports should wait to start until after fall sports are finished.
Fall sports typically last from the end of August all the way through mid-November. However, with winter sports starting in October, there is a big overlap between the seasons. Because ice hockey and basketball are two popular sports, students are always more apt to want to attend these games over, say, those soccer or volleyball. With winter sports starting before the fall sports finish, the fall sports become overshadowed and, in a sense, forgotten on campus.
This is especially unfair to the fall sports because around the time that the winter sports start, they enter playoffs. Due to the popularity of the winter sports, the overlap between games causes a smaller audience to attend any fall sport playoff events.
Another reason that winter sports should wait for fall sports to finish is because, in the cases of two-sport athletes, there can be no rest in between seasons. When one sporting season switches to another, two-sport athletes have to then either divide their time between both sports or pick up with the second sport immediately following the end of the fall season. There is no rest for them and this is often the case for runners if they run in more than one season. They have to go from their fall season of cross country, to indoor track, to outdoor track once the spring season hits. There is no time for recuperation and the lack of a break between seasons can increase the risk for injury.
In conclusion, fall sports should have the chance to finish out their seasons before winter sports start. It would not only allow for students to show more support towards fall sports teams during the most important part of their season, but it would also give two-sport athletes a chance to rest in between their different seasons. Plus, with the overlap into the spring season as well, it would be nice to experience one sport season on campus that is not interrupted.
Providence College Investigates
by The Cowl Editor on October 25, 2018
Sports
Winter Sports Should Start Before Fall Sports Finish
By Sullivan Burgess ’20
Sports Staff
Two of the most popular sports at Providence College occur in the winter: basketball and hockey. Every year at PC, these sports begin their season as the fall sports seasons, including volleyball, soccer, and field hockey, come to an end.
Some students believe that winter sports should start after the fall season has officially ended, like many high school sports. However, the truth of the matter is that it is best for the winter sports to begin as they normally have, before the fall sports are finished.
Hockey and basketball, games start between the middle of October and the beginning of November. Teams need this time to develop and practice their games. The expectations for our sports teams are usually high, so in order for them to play as expected, they need as much practice as they can get.
One of the biggest aspects of being on a team is balancing sports and school. When starting the sports season early, the student athlete is able to adjust faster to balance both heavy school work and training.
Another aspect these student athletes need to experience is the game day vibe on campus, and how to successfully perform in front of bigger crowds where many people are relying on them to bring honor and bragging rights to the school.
Lastly, students also like having multiple games to choose from throughout the week or day to attend and show off their Friar spirit. The idea of going to a soccer or volleyball game around noon, then attending a basketball game in the early evening, followed by a hockey game at night is exciting. Students are able to show support for all sports across all seasons, and be a true Friar Fanatic as they show consistent support for their school.
Winter sports should start before fall sports finish their season because it allows the athletes to train to the best of their abilities and help the school achieve numerous successes for their athletics program. This also brings excitement and spirit from fans.
Providence College Investigates
by The Cowl Editor on October 18, 2018
Sports
The Toronto Maple Leafs Will Finish This NHL Season With the Best Record
By Thomas Zinzarella ’21
Sports Staff
Fans in Toronto and Ontario have waited a long time to bring the cup back to Toronto. It has been 51 years but fans may not have to wait much longer.
The free agent signing of former New York Islander John Tavares is bringing a lot of cup fever to Toronto. Tavares, 28, inked a seven year $77 million contract to return to his home. Tavares, a native of nearby Mississauga, Ontario, looks to propel a Maple Leafs team that was bounced out of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs just one year ago.
Tavares joins a team that has a lot of young talent but has not won a playoff series since 2004. The Leafs have one of the most potent offenses in the Eastern Conference with three 30-goals scorers and Tavares is coming off a season where he scored 37 goals (T-12th in NHL) and had 47 assists. Tavares brings a lot of veteran experience to a team that has a young core of forwards.
Phenome Auston Matthews, 21, will look to stay on the ice this year after missing 20 games last year due to injuries. However, these injuries did not stop Matthews as he put up 21 goals and 34 assists in 62 games last seasons. Through seven games this season, he has 10 goals and 16 points, leading the league in both categories.
Besides Matthews, the Leafs have other offensive weapons with Patrick Marleau and Nazem Kadri. Kadri has put up back-to-back 32 goal seasons with the Maple Leafs.
On the other end of the ice, the Leafs have a good net minder in Frederik Anderson who is coming off a season in which he set the Maple Leafs record in wins. Anderson put up a 38-21-5 record with a 2.81 GAA. This success did not transfer over to the Stanley Cup Playoffs where Anderson went 3-3 with a 3.76 GAA. There is a lot of anticipation surrounding how much he will play this season. Last year Anderson played in 66 out of the 82-game schedule.
Another concern for this team is going to be the defense. The Leafs do not have a top tier level defense and will rely on the offense for most of the season. Moreover, how well the defense will perform this season remains a question, though defenceman Morgan Rielly has gotten off to a quick start. As of Oct. 17, he leads the NHL in assists with 10.
It may take a little bit of time for the Leafs to take off and look like themselves, as most new teams need some time to develop chemistry. The Leafs may start off slow, but Head Coach Mike Babcock will most likely play around with the lines. There is a ton of talent on offense and it should be exciting season north of the border in Toronto.
Providence College Investigates
by The Cowl Editor on October 18, 2018
Sports
The Tampa Bay Lightning Will Finish This NHL Season With the Best Record
By Scott Jarosz ’21
Sports Staff
As of Oct. 4, the National Hockey League’s 82-game regular season is officially underway. The anticipation to see which team comes out on top in the 2018-19 season is high after an exciting 2018 Stanley Cup Finals that featured a team in its inaugural season for the first time since the 1967-68 season. Although it would have been historic for the Las Vegas Golden Knights to win the Stanley Cup in its first season, the Washington Capitals ultimately prevailed in the series 4-1.
These teams proved that they were among the best in the league this past season, but there is one team that has shown great promise in recent years and is likely to continue performing at a high level. That team is the Tampa Bay Lightning, who will have the best record in the NHL at the end of the 2018-19 season.
The Lightning’s 2017-18 season ended on a sour note after reaching the Eastern Conference Finals, but ultimately falling to the Capitals in Game 7 by a score of 4-0 on home ice. The Lightning finished with the best record in the 2017-18 NHL season, but the team is surely not content with the way the season came to an end. After the team’s unsatisfactory finish this past season, the Lightning looks to come back stronger than ever. All signs point to the Lightning having just as much success as last season, if not more. The team has depth in every position and has showed that it has a winning mentality.
The Lightning has all the components necessary to be the best team in the NHL. Starting at defense, Victor Hedman was awarded the James Norris Memorial Trophy last season for the best defenseman in the league. In addition, both Hedman and right-winger Nikita Kucherov were named to last season’s First Team All Stars. The Lightning has re-signed forward J.T. Miller, who was acquired at last year’s trade deadline from the New York Rangers. While with the Lightning, Miller played in 19 games, netting 10 goals and recording 18 points. Over the offseason, the Lightning also decided to sign defenseman Ryan McDonagh to a seven-year, $47 million contract extension.
With key pieces, such as captain and forward Steven Stamkos and goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy also remaining with the team, I predict the Tampa Bay Lightning will boast the NHL’s best record for the 2018-19 season.
Through four games this season, Tampa Bay is a-1-0 with a plus-six goal differential. Vasilevskiy has been the major key for the team’s success with a spectacular 1.67 goals against average.