by Benedict Bergeron ’29 on April 16, 2026

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Portfolio - Poetry

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Can one beautician work on thee
And make thy features better still?
Nay, none may yet augment and free
A greater face than what we see.

For beauty showeth out in thee
Akin to gorgeous our one God.
Thou art yet the epitome
Of things that strike an awe in me.

by Emilia Farrall ‘28 on April 16, 2026

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Sports

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Rhett Chambers ’27 has been an all-around allstar for Providence College’s men’s lacrosse team this season. Even before the season started, Chambers was formally recognized by the conference through his selection to the Preseason All-Big East Team. The junior midfielder was also named USA Lacrosse Division 1 Men’s Player of the Week back in February. The week of March 9, he was named to the Big East Weekly Honor Roll for men’s lacrosse. Then, on March 23, Chambers was named to the New England Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association D1 Team of the Week. Also that week, Chambers was named again to the Big East Weekly Honor Roll for men’s lacrosse. Chambers currently ranks No. 3 in the Big East in points per game at 4.44, and also No. 20 among NCAA D1 players in assists per game at two. He currently leads the Friars in assists by a large margin, with 26 on the season. He is No. 1 on the team in goal scoring with 27 goals on the season. A scoring threat on all sides, Chambers has recorded five or more assists three times this season and has had six hat-trick games. Besides his impressive work for the Friars, Chambers competed for Team USA in the 2025 World Lacrosse Men’s U20 Championship last August on Jeju Island in South Korea. While the team ultimately lost to Canada, they were undefeated in pool play. In the championship game, Chambers scored one goal to contribute to the five goals scored that game. Besides his work on the field, Chambers is an accomplished finance major and is heavily involved in the Student-Led Asset Management Fund. Chambers is a dedicated student athlete who puts in tremendous effort both on and off the field. With countless accolades from this season alone, which is far from over, Chambers stands out from his teammates as one to watch.

by Dorothée Durivage ’28 and Pippa Jones ’28 on April 16, 2026

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Sports

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Lightning
Ranking No. 3 in the Atlantic Division, the Tampa Bay Lightning remain a top contender to take home the Stanley Cup. With 49 wins this season, they finished strong despite injuries taking out five of their players. Dominic James, Maxwell Crozier, and Victor Hedman have been on injured reserve and are likely out for the rest of the season, while Zemgus Girgensons and Darren Raddysh are being monitored on a day-to-day basis to see how their injuries progress. This season, they also gained more popularity when they hosted the 2026 NHL Stadium Series game. The game was held in Tampa to highlight the spread of hockey to Florida. With this season’s newfound support, the team has pressure on them to perform. Nikita Kucherov, Tampa’s leading goal scorer, has 43 goals and 85 assists. Their right wing has set a franchise record for the most assists and goals in a season. The Lightning are a team that has had consistent success within the regular season and in playoffs. They have won three Stanley Cup championships: in 2004 against the Calgary Flames, in 2020 against the Dallas Stars, and in 2021 against the Montreal Canadiens. This season they were very successful despite their challenges, affirming their strength as a team. Tampa Bay often  appeared in the Eastern Conference Finals and has set NHL records, such as having the most wins in a season in their 2018–2019 season, which has since been broken by the Boston Bruins in 2023. As a hockey club, Tampa has always been dependable with their great goaltending and strong offense. Their strength as a team will carry them through the playoffs and into the championship, especially considering their experience with success in the Stanley Cup playoffs in other years.
– Pippa Jones ’28
Sports Staff

Avalanche
Having clinched the Presidents’ Trophy, the Colorado Avalanche are in a great position to win the 2026 Stanley Cup. With the start of the playoffs approaching on April 18, the Avalanche currently stand at No. 1for the regular season after 79 games and scoring 115 points. As a result of being the top regular-season team, they are guaranteed to have home-ice advantage for every playoff appearance they make. The current Avalanche team is made up of two key players who are dominating the league, giving them an edge against any opponent they face, both offensively and defensively. Halifax-born Nathan MacKinnon currently leads the NHL in goals, having scored 52 this season. When combining that number with his 74 assists, he has 126 points this season, placing him No. 3 in the league behind the Edmonton Oiler’s Connor McDavid and Tampa Bay Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov. Another strong player for the team has been Brampton-born goalie Scott Wedgewood, who has the NHL’s highest save percentage at .918 having played 43 games out of 79. Wedgewood also has the league’s lowest goals against average, sitting at 2.10. 

In playoff history, Colorado has played postseason games in 21 seasons and are on a nine-year streak, having made it past the regular season every year since 2018. The Avalanche have appeared in three Stanley Cup Finals since the move from the Quebec Nordiques to the Colorado Avalanche in 1995. Out of their three appearances, the team has won all of them, winning in 1996, 2001, and 2022. Head coach Jared Bednar has been with the team since the 2016–2017 season and has taken the team to the playoffs every season except for his first and coached them through their 2022 Stanley Cup win. Coach Bednar has the experience needed to bring the trophy home again this year, making the team a very strong contender to make it all the way. 
– Dorothée Durivage ’28
Sports Staff

by Izzy Mignardi ‘27 on April 16, 2026

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Sports Shorts

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Softball: On Sunday, April 12, the Friars took the series against St. John’s University with a 6–0 win. Alyssa Twomey ’27 pitched the whole game, Cameron Dunn ’27 had a three-RBI double, and Sofia Peterson ’26 hit a three-run home run. The Friars play a double header at home on Wednesday, April 15, against Boston University and Brown University. 

Men’s Lacrosse: Providence College men’s lacrosse defeated Villanova University in overtime this past weekend in Villanova, PA, with a final score of 10–9. Rhett Chambers ’27 scored both the game-tying and game-winning goals. The Friars are now 5–8 overall and 1–2 in the Big East. Their next game is against the University of Denver at Chapey Field on Saturday, April 18, for their senior day. 

Track and Field: On Friday, April 10, the men’s and women’s track teams participated in the Friar Invitational at Hendricken Field. Providence College won in nine events: Maeve O’Neill ’27 in the 800 meter (where she broke her own record and set the facility record), Cara Laverty ’26 in the mile, Emily Bush ’28 in the 3,000 meter-invite, Kaleigh Higgins ’27 in the 3,000 meter-open, Anna Gardiner ’28 in the 5,000 meters, Thomas Breen ’28 in the 800 meters, Elliott Pugh ’28 in the mile, Cormac Dixon ’28 in the 3,000 meter, and Nik Ventura ’26 in the long jump. 

Men’s Golf: Providence College men’s golf is currently competing in three rounds at the Wofford Invitational, hosted by Wofford College. They play the Donald Ross par-72 course at the Country Club of Spartanburg in Spartanburg, SC. The lineup for Sunday included Callan Fahey ’29, Campbell Skelly ’27, Evan Buddenhagen ’27, Will Spring ’29, and Logan Jaeger ’26G. The Friars’ last tournament was the Cutter Creek Intercollegiate at the end of March, where they placed No. 14. 

by Olivia Gleason '26 on April 16, 2026

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Editor's Column

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I’m finding it very hard to believe that this is the third-to-last issue of The Cowl that I will ever take part in producing. What started as my timid entrance into the office as a freshman copyeditor and is ending in my time as co-editor-in-chief is quickly coming to an end, and this is something that, no matter how hard I try, feels impossible to wrap my head around. 

As a spring-semester senior, I’ve found myself experiencing such disbelief in just about every area of my life. It’s hard to believe that these are my last few weeks living in a house full of some of my closest friends. It’s hard to believe that I only have a few weeks left to finish my senior English thesis. It’s hard to believe that this time next year—in fact, this time next month—I will no longer be a college student, and will have to face the reality of the workplace that comes after Providence College. For the past several weeks, I’ve experienced a particular instinct to dwell on what is coming to a close in my life, to try to grapple with my graduation that is so quickly approaching on the horizon. 

And yet, I’ve begun to realize that this instinct is largely what makes graduation feel so daunting in the first place. When everything is framed as a loss, it’s easy to feel as though we are leaving something behind without gaining anything in return. But that framing ignores a crucial truth, in my opinion: none of these experiences are actually disappearing. Instead, they are accumulating, compounding on themselves as things we can take with us, and actively shaping how we move through whatever comes next after our time at PC.

I think that focusing primarily on what we are losing as graduation approaches risks reducing our college experience to something temporary, when in reality, its value lies in how enduring it is. The skills we’ve developed, the relationships we’ve built, and the passions we’ve discovered do not stay limited to the confines of campus; they stay with us and can be accessed at any time.

Although focusing on loss in this moment of my life feels like the natural option, I’ve been challenging myself to focus more on what I can take away from each experience that is coming to a close. Since joining the newspaper as a first-semester freshman, for example, I can focus on how my time on The Cowl has been wholly positive. From improving my own editing and proofreading skills, to having the opportunity to design the front page, to being a part of a bustling community of people who share my passion for journalism, the experiences I have been fortunate enough to have while on The Cowl are ones I will carry with me well beyond graduation into whichever career I find myself in. 

So while it may be natural to feel unsettled by all of these lasts, in truth, they really only tell half of the story that is our time at PC. What feels like an ending is, in many ways, evidence of just how much there is to carry forward with us into our next chapters.

by Maria Mantini ’26 on April 16, 2026

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Opinion - Campus

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Graduating from college is a major achievement. An undergraduate degree takes a large investment of time, money, and effort, and not just on the part of the students. Families have helped move students in and out of dorm rooms, worked long hours to help cover expenses, and gave encouraging words to help them feel less homesick or make the final push to get through midterm exams. This effort began long before the student’s attendance at Providence College: walking students to elementary school, coordinating drop offs for after-school activities, and helping with math homework late at night. Some students are the first to graduate in their family, some have been through serious trials to get to graduation day, and some have relatives that have traveled hours to be with them to celebrate this special milestone in their lives. When a student walks across the stage on graduation day, their diploma is not just a representation of their hard work, but also the sacrifices their family made to get them there.

However, many family members are being excluded from the graduation ceremony at PC. Members of the class of 2026 were surprised to learn that this year they would only get five tickets to their graduation ceremony, not six as there have been in previous years. The reasoning for this may be that we were the largest class to enter PC at the start of our freshmen year. I think that it is fair that all available seats are split evenly amongst the graduates; everyone deserves to have people there on their graduation day. With the classes below us being even bigger though, students are left to wonder if the number of tickets will continue to decrease.

The Amica Mutual Pavilion has hosted the PC graduation ceremony for decades, but could the increasing class sizes be outgrowing it? Already, the five tickets given to the 2026 graduates are leaving them with some difficult decisions to make. Typically people come in pairs, and I have heard from many students who are having to choose between grandparents, siblings, or aunts and uncles to attend the ceremony. One of my friends can’t even have all of her immediate family in attendance. The vast majority of students have been left scrambling to see if they can acquire extra tickets from those who are not using all of theirs after already inviting guests back in the fall.

I would like to reiterate that ticket limits for graduation are fair, necessary, and reasonable, but at some point, it becomes unfair to require students to choose so few people to witness this major moment in their lives. Watching on a live stream just isn’t the same. Moving forward, I think it is time for PC to find a new and larger location to host the graduation ceremony, one that can accommodate the ever growing classes of graduates. College graduations are once in a lifetime achievements, and students and their families deserve to be able to celebrate this milestone together, when the culmination of their hard work is recognized.

by Emilia Farrall ‘28 on March 19, 2026

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Sports - Men's Basketball

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While the 2025–2026 season for the Providence College men’s basketball team was undoubtedly discouraging to most, there was one player who I believe made a positive difference overall this season. Compared to most, he is sneakily underrated, and his impact is not talked about enough; No. 20, Nilivan Daniels ’28. Daniels embodies the grit and resilience of the PC Friars that we all hold close to our hearts on campus. He is a graduate of Chaminade College Prep in Missouri and their powerhouse basketball program, which boasts notable alumni such as Jayson Tatum and Bradley Beal. During his time in high school, Daniels was Metro Catholic Player of the Year and averaged 18.8 points per game. He also held the highest three-point shooting percentage in Chaminade College Prep history. Despite his high school success, Daniels did not receive any Division 1 offers out of high school and instead opted for a postgraduate year at Link Year Prep. Daniels did not let this discourage or frustrate him, but instead chose to keep improving day by day. The decision to do a postgraduate year eventually paid off, as he accepted a preferred walk-on spot at PC, giving him a chance to fulfill his dream of competing at the Division 1 level. After a good first season in Providence, Daniels was awarded a full scholarship by former head coach Kim English for the 2025–2026 season, showing a belief in his ability and development as a player. This season, Daniels has appeared in 20 games, a significant increase from his six appearances last season. He has worked hard to get into the regular rotation during conference games. Daniels had a season high of seven points against the University of Connecticut on Jan. 27. Players like Daniels are often overlooked because their impact is not always shown in the team’s box score. However, his energy and willingness to help the team wherever possible are what make him a greater player and overall teammate. Many times, Daniels’ work on the court has provided a spark that has carried momentum for the Friars. Overall, he constantly embodies the type of teammate you want on your team, embracing every possible opportunity as he works his way up through the basketball ranks. Even in a season that has not met anyone’s expectations, Daniels demonstrates how the future of Friars basketball can still be promising. 

by Dorothée Durivage ’28 and Pippa Jones ’28 on March 19, 2026

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Sports - Men's Basketball

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Arizona

With March Madness approaching, there is a big debate over who will win the 2026 NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament due to the many highly competitive conferences. While the University of Florida won the tournament in 2025, the University of Connecticut won the title consecutively in 2023 and 2024. This year, the University of Arizona is projected to earn a No. 1 seed and is a reliable team to bet on to win the title. As a team, Arizona has proven to be strong, given that they finished No. 1 in the Big 12, one of the most competitive conferences in the NCAA. Arizona managed to pull out some of the biggest victories this season with its wins over Iowa State University and its championship win against the University of Houston. Arizona managed to break Iowa State’s three-game winning streak, which shifted expectations for Iowa State fans. While many trusted Iowa State to be a top contender, this result proved Arizona’s strength as a team and emphasized their capability to apply their skills under high pressure. Furthermore, this specific game shows that Arizona actually thrives under pressure—a skill that most NCAA teams lack, especially in a highly competitive tournament such as March Madness. In a post-game interview, head coach Tommy Lloyd emphasized that the team often practices situations where the players need to figure out what to do on their own. With this  skill under their belts, Arizona’s team can persevere in tight situations. This season, Arizona had to deal with illness and injuries, which would seemingly be a setback, but allowed the team to evolve overall and become stronger without some of their best players, thus making them a more well-rounded team overall. Arizona’s record this season was 32-2, earning them a No. 1 seed in a West region that contains many other top teams such as Michigan State University, Gonzaga University, and Purdue University.”One of Arizona’s top players, Jaden Bradley, was named Big 12 Player of the Year, further elevating the program. He also had the first Big 12 buzzer-beater against Iowa State since 2015. Coach Lloyd often boasts about Bradley’s capabilities to lead the team, and his sacrificial actions allow Lloyd to be confident in Bradley’s performance. With the Big 12 Player of the Year award on Bradley’s back, he is sure to continue proving himself as a successful leader in the tournament while guiding his teammates through the pressure of being a top seed. While Duke University is another team projected to win, Arizona competed in one of, if not the most competitive, NCAA basketball conferences and won the entire tournament. With that being said, both teams are likely to go far in the tournament, but Duke is at a disadvantage due to Arizona’s consistency of performing  in the tournament. There is a lot riding on Arizona to succeed in this tournament, but as the results show, diamonds are made under pressure, and Arizona doesn’t break.
– Pippa Jones ’28
Sports Staff

Duke

With a nearly perfect record this season of 32–2, the No. 1 Duke University Blue Devils are well-positioned to take home the championship trophy for the sixth time in school history. This could mark their first March Madness win since their Hall of Fame coach, Mike Krzyzewski, retired and was replaced by head coach Jon Scheyer. Scheyer has two national championship titles under his belt; one in 2010 as a player at Duke, where he was a guard under Coach Krzyzewski and another in 2015 when he returned to Duke as assistant coach. With experience both on the court and on the sideline, Scheyer knows how to lead his team to a win. Over this past season, Duke has had success both offensively and defensively. Offensively, the team stands at No. 1 in the country in point differential, where they averaged 19.1 points more than their opponents per game. Moreover, they also excelled defensively. The Blue Devils stand at No. 3 in terms of points allowed, where, on average, they allowed the other team to score only 63.1 points per game. These two aspects have contributed to their high number of wins and show how well-rounded the team is. Duke has talented players all over the court, especially when it comes to the freshmen Boozer twins, Patrick Ngongba II, and Isaiah Evans. Cameron Boozer leads the Blue Devils with 765 points this season, averaging 22.5 points per game, which places him No. 10 in the country. Cameron Boozer also leads the team in rebounds, averaging 10.2 rebounds per game, while his twin brother, Cayden Boozer, has been a key distributor and often plays an important role in his brother’s scoring. Evans and Ngongba are both sophomore players who were with Duke last season when the team made it to the Final Four.  
– Dorothée Durivage ’28
Sports Staff

by Andrew Vines ’29 on March 19, 2026

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Sports Shorts

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Softball

The softball team had a great week, going 4–1. On Wednesday, March 11, they swept Stonehill College in a doubleheader. In game one, the Friars won 10–1 and had five homers from Zoe Krizan ’28, Cameron Dunn ’27 (2), Sofia Peterson ’26, and Julia Renny ’26. In game two, Grace Brooks ’29, Tori Grifone ’26G, and Alyssa Twomey ’27 shut out the Skyhawks in an 11–0 victory. The Friars opened Big East play in Omaha against Creighton University. After dropping game one of the series, the Friars bounced back and won games two and three on Saturday, March 14. The Friars were down 6–0 in game two, but battled back in a comeback that was capped off by a two-run double from Elisa Smith ’26 in the sixth to put the Friars ahead 8–6. The Friars won game three 6–3 behind a strong pitching performance from Twomey, who tossed a complete game, allowing 0 ER and striking out two. DePaul University comes to town next March 20–22. 

Men’s Ice Hockey

The men’s ice hockey team hosted the quarterfinal of the Hockey East playoffs on Saturday, March 14 when the No. 8-seeded Merrimack College Warriors came to Schneider Arena. The Friars came up short in overtime. In the 3–2 defeat, the Friars scored goals from Graham Gamache ’27 and John Mustard ’28. Mustard’s goal came late in the third period to send the game to overtime. With this loss, the Friars will not be participating in the Hockey East semifinals at TD Garden for the third straight season. Luckily, the Friars had a great regular season and find themselves comfortably in the NCAA tournament. They will learn their next opponent during the selection show on Sunday, March 22.  

Men’s Basketball

The men’s basketball team competed in the Big East Tournament this past week at Madison Square Garden. Stefan Vaaks ’29 had two great games. He had 28 points, going 8/13 from beyond the arc, against Butler University. Against St. John’s University, he had 23 points, shooting 5/9 from the three-point line. Against Butler, Ryan Mela ’28 and Jaylin Sellers ’G26 both had 23 points. Sellers had a great season, which ended with a Second Team All-Conference honor. Jamier Jones ’29 and Vaaks both made the Big East All-Freshman Team with Vaaks being a unanimous selection. The team officially parted ways with head coach Kim English after the Big East Tournament. 

Women’s Basketball

The women’s basketball team traveled to Mohegan Sun Arena for the Big East Tournament. The Friars were the No. 7 seed and opened up the tournament against DePaul University. In this first round game, Sabou Gueye ’26G had 31 points in a 69–55 victory. Sabou also was awarded First-Team All-Conference honors this season. She averaged 15.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.1 assists on 49 percent shooting. Gueye and Orlagh Gormley ’28 both had 19 points in the quarterfinal loss to No. 2 seed Villanova University. Gormley shot 3/6 from beyond the arc. Coach Erin Batth and the team finished 15–18 with a win in the Big East Tournament. 

by Greg Lahr ’26 on March 19, 2026

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Sports - Men's Basketball

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The English era at Providence College has mercifully come to an end after the Friars were toppled by St. John’s University in the Big East Tournament quarterfinals—a game in which the Friars were down 21 by halftime. After a fluctuating, and often grueling, three-year English experiment, the head coach of the Friars and the athletic department have decided to part ways. English had a promising first year at the helm, even earning a contract extension, but the last two years have been nothing short of disastrous. In English’s three seasons, Providence has gone 48–52 overall, 31–51 in non-bye games, and 13–34 in road/neutral site games. Over the last two years, the Friars have gone a horrific 13–27 in Big East play. English, a coach who showed promise to revitalize a proud program that had been stabbed in the back by its former coach, unfortunately, fell short. Way short.

English failed to make the NCAA tournament in his three seasons, and the last two years have been the worst-performing seasons for the Friars in over 40 years. By no means is this meant to bash English as a person, but nobody has done less with more than him. He is a great person, but not a great coach. Last year, the men’s basketball team experienced its first-ever 20-loss season in the past 36 years. The Providence College Friars have state-of-the-art facilities, an extremely passionate fanbase, and millions in NIL, yet they were an afterthought and a laughingstock of the Big East for two straight seasons. A change was more than necessary.

So what went wrong? While English had an incredible reputation for recruiting high school talent, he lacked an important part of a coaching resume: head-coaching experience. The talent was there, but figuring out what to do with that talent was absent. In two of English’s three years, he had the Big East scoring champion on his roster (Devin Carter and Jaylin Sellers ’26G). Under English, the Friars never had a true identity. This year, defense was a real struggle, as the team allowed 84 points per game. That will not lead to sustained success for a team, especially in the Big East. Injuries played a big role (especially when Bryce Hopkins ’25 tore his ACL in English’s first year), but English still used 25 different starting lineups over the last two seasons alone. Also, English had a handful of portal misses. When you look at Christ Essandoko, Wesley Cardet Jr ’25., or even Duncan Powell ’26G this year, they did not perform as one would think. English’s only two real portal gems were Bensley Joseph ’25 and Sellers.

What these last two years have shown is that Carter, in year one, was nothing short of superhuman, carrying the Friars to the Big East Tournament semifinals and what should have been an NCAA tournament appearance. Sellers played a similar role this year, carrying the Friars on his back with 18.3 points per game. Still, the Friars have been one of college basketball’s most unlucky teams this year, ranking 350 out of 365 teams. After blowing multiple leads and making in-game decisions that had fans scratching their heads (why not foul when you’re up three?), the English era is over at Providence College. Now, it is up to athletic director Steve Napolillo to make the correct hire as the Friars will enter search season for the second time in three years.