Tag: Sullivan Burgess’20
Women’s Hockey Takes On Nittany Lions
by The Cowl Editor on October 24, 2019
Friar Sports
Friars Struggle in First Game, Manage a Tie in Second
By Sullivan Burgess ’20
Sports Staff
Last weekend, the Providence College Women’s Hockey Team faced Pennsylvania State University in a non-conference, weekend series. Coming into the matchup, the Friars sat at a 2-1-1 record, while Penn State boasted a record of 2-2-2.
This is the second time in the last year the Friars have faced Penn State, with last years games being played on the Nittany Lions’ home ice. The teams split last year’s series to the tune of a 3-2 Friar victory in overtime, and a 3-5 loss the next day.
Before the game, the team focused on competing with full effort for all three periods. Avery Fransoo ’20 emphasized how the team was looking to take numerous shots. Fransoo stated, “More shots lead to more chances, and we need to do our best to take advantages of any given situation.”
The first game had a rough start as the first goal from Penn State was scored in the first period off of a five-on-three power play. Penn State shut out the Friars up until the third period, when Maureen Murphy ’21 scored her third goal of the year, pushing the score to 3-1. Then, a second goal was scored by Sara Hjalmarsson ’22, for her third goal of the year, assisted by Murphy and Hayley Lunny ’21, putting the game to 3-2.
In the end, the game went to Penn State with a 2-4 loss for the Friars. The Friars outshot Penn State 33-26. They took what they learned in this game into the next day.
The second game against Penn State had the Friars dominating throughout, constantly taking shots. At the end of the first period, Penn State was on top with a 2-1 lead, with the sole Friars goal coming from Chloe Gonsalves ’21. The game ended in a 2-2 tie, including the game-tying goal by Murphy for her fourth goal of the season.
Friars goalie Clare Minnerath ’20 finished the game with 15 saves, and the team once again led in shots 31-17.
The next matchup for the Friars puts them up against Hockey East rival Northeastern University for their first conference matchup of the season. Looking ahead, Fransoo stated, “We want to take each game one at a time and focus on every shift in the period, as for Northeastern we want to focus on bringing an effort into the practices and transfer all that high and aggressive energy into the game and secure a win.”
When asked about any advice she has given to the incoming freshman class, Fransoo talked about the importance of the players having an open-mind. So, too, did she speak to how it has been a great yet huge adjustment for them, as they get used to new coaches and a new collegiate system of play.
Where Are They Now?
by The Cowl Editor on October 3, 2019
Professional Sports
Former Basketball Players Making Waves With Overseas Teams
by Sullivan Burgess ’20
As media day approaches for the new NBA season, both fans of the Chicago Bulls and Providence College Friars are looking foward to seeing former Friar point guard Kris Dunn ’16 as he prepares for his fourth season in the NBA and third season with the Chicago Bulls.
Dunn, the fifth pick of the first round of the 2016 NBA draft, is a well known name in the Friar community, recognized for his accomplishments on and off the court. However, when we think of a player such as Dunn, we also remember the other former Friars that are making a name for themselves globally in the world of basketball.
One of the Friars that comes to mind is former guard Bryce Cotton ’14. Cotton led the Friars to their first Big East Tournament win since 1994 and was named two-time First-Team All-Big East player in the years 2013 and 2014, averaging 19.7 and 21.8 points respectively.
While Cotton went undrafted in the 2014 NBA Draft, he bounced around from the G-League Austin Spurs to the Utah Jazz, to the Phoenix Suns, and to the Memphis Grizzlies. On the Austin Spurs he was named to the NBA G-League All-Star team, the All-Rookie First Team, and the All-NBA G-League Second Team in the year 2015. He eventually made a name for himself in the Australian basketball league known as the National Basketball League, where he is a two-time champion for the Perth Wildcats. Cotton also was awarded the Grand-Final MVP in 2017 and was named to the All-NBL First Team in 2018 and 2019. One of the best players in the league, Cotton will look to defend the Wildcat’s championship in the coming season.
Former Friar point guard Kyron Cartwright ’18 has also made a name for himself overseas. The 5’11” point guard remained a Friar for his four years of eligibility and was awarded Second Team All-Big East in 2017, as well as Most Improved Player. In the 2018-2019 season, Cartwright signed with Alba Fehérvár of the Hungarian basketball league where he averaged 9.1 points and 4.4 assists before leaving in 2019. Currently, Cartwright is signed with the Leicester Riders of the British Basketball League, and is waiting for his new season in a new country to begin.
Coincidentally,Cartwright’s teammate and former Friar forward Rodney Bullock ’18 has signed with Alba Fehérvár in the 2018 season.
The last Friar alumni to watch is former second-round pick for the Boston Celtics, Ben Bentil ’16. After traveling from G-League teams,to China, to the Dallas Mavericks, Bentil currently resides on the Greek EuroLeague team known as Panathinaikos B.C. In his last season in the EuroLeague, he averaged 12.5 points and 6.7 rebounds, making him a dominant force in the league.
While some Friars found success in the NBA, some were able to make a name for themselves around the world on international basketball teams, all carrying on the Friar values they were instilled with in their time here at PC.
Men’s Soccer Wins Two Games 1-0
by The Cowl Editor on September 26, 2019
Friar Sports
By Sullivan Burgess ’20
Sports Staff
Last Friday, the Providence College Men’s Soccer Team played its first Big East game against the Seton Hall University Pirates. The last time the two teams faced off against one another was last season, when the Friars defeated Seton Hall 1-0 in double overtime.
Heading into the game against Seton Hall, the team was looking to keep their win streak after a great week of wins against Sacred Heart University and Harvard University, winning 4-0 and 1-0 respectively, putting the Friars’ record at an overall 4-2, and making a name for themselves in Big East men’s soccer.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the pitch, Seton Hall came into the game still trying to find their footing, after a 1-3 record in the beginning of the season.
Throughout the first six games of the season, the Friars have been outshooting their opponents 111-32, even holding Harvard to five shots and Sacred Heart to only two shots.
In the first 26 minutes of the match, PC scored on a header from Paulo Lima ’22 to the top left frame of the goal right over Seton Hall’s goalkeeper. The goal came from an assist off a crossed ball corner kick from Joao Serrano ‘20RS, on the backside of the eighteen-yard box on the pitch. The corner kick came from Danny Griffin ’20, which Lima was able to head into the net for the Friars’ first and only goal of the match.
Within the first 45 minutes of the match, Seton Hall was not able to find a shot. Their chance came in the 63rd minute of the game off a free kick, which was tipped away by the Friars goalkeeper Austin Aviza ‘20RS. Aviza finished the game with four saves, and the Friars had 12 shots, including four on goal.
This win put the Friars at a 5-2 record, making them third in the Big East Conference, right behind St. John’s University and Georgetown University.
Immediately after the weekend, the Big East Weekly Honor Roll was announced. Both Aviza and Serrano were featured on the list. This was Serrano’s third time on the list this season, and Aviza’s first time this season. Aviza has so far recorded three straight shutouts for the season, on top of .61 goals against average, and .778 save percentage.
On Wednesday, PC faced off against their Rhode Island rival Brown University. After a tough defensive game, PC walked away from the match with a 1-0 victory, improving their record to 6-2, on a four-game win streak. The lone goal was scored by Ramzi Qawasmy ’22.
Coming off this match, the Friars look forward to continuing their Big East play with an away game in Washington, D.C. to face off against rival Georgetown.
PC Competes In Friar Volleyball Classic
by The Cowl Editor on September 19, 2019
Friar Sports
Friars Go 2-1; Lose to Brown in Final Game
By Sullivan Burgess ’20
Sports Staff
From Friday, September 13, to Sunday, September 15, Providence College hosted its 15th Annual Friar Volleyball Classic. This year the College hosted Fairleigh Dickinson University, Coppin State University, and Rhode Island’s own Brown University.
Last season PC won the tournament, so the pressure was on for the Friars as they prepared for the first game against FDU, especially with the loss of four key seniors from last year. Senior Jenae Alderson ’20, who recently made a spot in the Big East Honor Roll, stated that the team wanted to strengthen their identity and figure out a solid game plan for the upcoming season.
In the first game of the tournament, the Friars faced the FDU Knights, and swept the match, 3-0, snatching a total of 51 kills, 50 blocks, and 64 digs. Jennifer Leitman ’23 led the match with 15 kills, while Allie Barber ’21 had to most assists with 43. The match allowed the Friars to show their strengths in the tournament.
The next match saw the Friars against the Coppin State Eagles, who had previously lost to Brown, 0-3. After dropping the first set 21-25, the Friars quickly turned things around to win the next three sets and notch their second win of the weekend.
The Friars outscored Coppin State 68 points to 47 points. PC’s offense outperformed the Eagles by a wide margin, getting 51 kills to the Eagles’ 36, and 46 assists to 32. Addison Root ’20 led the game with 14 kills and Barber led the game with 39 assists.
The table was now set for the Friars’ final match against Brown University, who also went 2-0 in the classic leading up to the final game.
The first set belonged to Brown, while the second and third went to PC; however, the last two sets belonged to Brown as they defeated PC 3-2. Though Brown ultimately won, the stats for the Friars kept their spirits high, especially with Root and Barber once again leading in kills and in assists.
Alderson called the game a learning experience, citing how she now believes the team has what it takes to form a chemistry that will lead them into the spotlight for the upcoming Big East season. Alderson also mentioned how she was looking forward to surprising everyone this season and molding the raw potential that she and the team have to make strides this season.
”It has been fun experience so far to teach the newbies the game I was taught,” said Alderson. “And being their mentor, the way the former classes taught me, and in a way the newbies are teaching me a thing or two also.”
Up next for the Friars is the 2019 Dog Pound Challenge where PC will face off against Dartmouth University, the College of the Holy Cross, and tincoming Big East member the University of Connecticut. This will be an important game, as it presents a chance to show off what they can do to their rivals.
The team is ready for the spotlight, has found the identity it has been searching for all preseason, and is ready to show other teams that the Friars will be a tough opponent every match.
Providence College Investigates
by The Cowl Editor on September 12, 2019
PCI
School Prepares Athletes off the Court
By Sullivan Burgess ’20
Sports Staff
High school basketball players who are highly ranked and have the potential to become part of the NBA are given the choice to take their talents overseas to be paid to play, or to simply go to college. Ultimately, the best option for these players is to remain in the United States and go to college after their high school careers.
While for some players, the one-and-done option is appealing so they can simply go straight to the professional league, there are still plenty that consider the advantages of what a college experience can give to a player.
First and foremost is an education. A college program in the United States can give these athletes the proper tools they need to further their lives beyond the game of basketball. An education can provide the players with benfits far beyond those that any athlete can receive. These include the presence of professors at certain top tier schools, the ability to access the latest technology, and even the access to on-campus academic reasources.
Second, players can become associated with the booster clubs of the schools and develop connections where they meet agents and financial advisors who will help them have financial security during and after their careers.
When looking at some of the best players in the NBA, one notices the trend of All-Stars entering the league straight out of the NCAA, whereas some of the players who are coming from overseas often do not have the talent to stay on an NBA roster. These players include Brandon Jennings as well as Emmanuel Mudiay. On the other hand, players from college develop professional skills in the NCAA, which allows for a smooth transition into the NBA. Since much of the top-tier talent in college goes onto the NBA, college basketball is a much better indicator for who will succeed at the next level.
Last but certainly not least, nothing beats the school spirit the players embrace on campus, especially at schools such as Providence College, where everyone knows everyone, and students develop personal connections to the players. Players who choose to go overseas rather than to college miss out on the education and personal relationships NCAA players receive.
Team USA Takes Bronze at the Pan Am Games
by The Cowl Editor on August 29, 2019
Friar Sports
First Time Since 1975 Friars Earn Medal at the Event
By Sullivan Burgess ’20
Sports Staff
This past August, the Big East all-star team defeated the Dominican Republic 92-83 in the Pan American games in Lima, Peru while representing USA Basketball. This win secured a bronze medal for the summer games, the third straight Pan American games in which Team USA has won the bronze medal.
For those not familiar, the Pan American games is a multi-sport event that features numerous athletes and teams from all over North, South, and even Central America as well as the Caribbean. It is played every four years, in the year preceding the Olympics.
The team’s overall record was 3-2. It consisted of various players from the Big East, including four members of our very own Providence College Basketball Team. These players were Alpha Diallo ’20, Nate Watson ’21, David Duke Jr. ’22, and AJ Reeves ’22, all while being coached by the Friars’ own Ed Cooley.
Seton Hall University senior guard Myles Powell showed nothing but love and respect for coach Ed Cooley, saying, “Since the first day I stepped foot on Providence campus (for training camp) he has shown me nothing but love.”
In the opening game of the event, USA claimed its victory over the Virgin Islands in a 119-84 victory. In this game Diallo led the team with 20 points and 11 rebounds, staking their ground in the games.
When asked about the victory and the team going forward for the rest of the event, Cooley stated to the press, “I thought our depth was an important factor today along with our 3-point shooting. We got contributions from everyone. We have to guard the ball a little better moving forward, but today was a good day for us.” Other Friar contributions in this game included Duke’s 13 points and six rebounds.
The rest of the trip included a win and a loss against Venezuela, and a loss against the games favorite Argentina, all leading to the bronze-securing game against the Dominican Republic.
In this victory, Diallo was 8-12 from the court and finished with 23 points and five rebounds. On top was Villanova’s Collin Gillespie, who led the team with 24 points.
At the end of the match, Cooley was nothing but proud and honored to represent the team he had in front of him. He stated, “We have been together for two short weeks and we asked a lot of these young men. The way they came together and competed for five consecutive nights was impressive. They represented our country with pride.”
With the first medal won for the College since 1975, Diallo, Watson, Reeves, and Duke can look forward to taking this experience and applying it to the upcoming season.
What Was the Top PC Sports Moment of the Year?
by The Cowl Editor on May 2, 2019
PCI
Men’s Hockey Frozen Four Run
By Sullivan Burgess ’20
Sports Staff
On March 31 at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, the Providence College Men’s Ice Hockey Team defeated Cornell University 4-0, punching their ticket into the NCAA’s Men’s Ice Hockey Frozen Four Tournament.
This would be the team’s second time in the Frozen Four in the last four years, and second appearance for Coach Nate Leaman and his Friars. This has also been the team’s sixth appearance in the tournament.
This moment not only brought excitement into the locker room, but also created buzz among students on campus ranging from freshmen to seniors. A moment such as this does not happen very often in the PC community and every student wanted to make sure they would be part of history in the making.
The season resulted in a 22-11-6 record for the Friars and put them in the fourth seed in the East Regional section of the tournament against Minnesota State, Northeastern University, and Cornell University.
The Friars’ first game took them against Minnesota State at the Dunk, where students, alumni, and fans from around the country gathered to support their Providence Friars. The crowd was electric and helped Providence secure the win with a 6-3 victory and move onto the next round against Cornell University.
The Friars then won 4-0 against Cornell University and the Dunk could not have been any crazier.
The Friars then found themselves preparing for the tournament in Buffalo to play the University of Minnesota-Duluth. Though the Friars hustled every period, they lost 4-1, ending the Cinderella story.
No one had expected PC would make it this far let alone be in the Frozen Four tournament, so defying the odds brought nothing but joy and excitement to the students. It is safe to say that even if some students were not the biggest hockey fans, they definitely enjoyed rooting for and supporting the accomplishments of the team.
While it may not have been the outcome we hoped for, the history behind it and the accomplishments the team achieved will never be forgotten.
PC Student to Run in Boston Marathon
by The Cowl Editor on April 11, 2019
Friar Sports
Kathleen Garvey ’20 Raises Money For Boston Children’s Hospital
By Sullivan Burgess ’20
Sports Staff
In just a few days, the city of Boston will host its annual marathon, commemorating the state holiday Patriots’ Day. 2019 will mark the 123rd marathon. There will be an estimated 30,000 runners participating, both amateurs and professionals.
The marathon runners include amateurs of all ages, who are able to run as a sponsor for charity. One of the sponsor runners for this year’s marathon includes Providence College’s own Kathleen Garvey ’20.
Growing up in Massachusetts, Garvey has been an avid fan of the marathon throughout her whole life, and has always dreamed about running it. In watching the marathon every year at Wellesley Square, she was out on the street cheering for her mother, who has run over 24 marathons over the years, and the Boston Marathon for 14 years in a row, supporting the Boston Children’s Hospital.
With her 15th year coming up in the Boston Marathon, Garvey’s mother has decided to make this her final one in Boston. When Garvey heard this news, she quickly decided to join her mother in her last race for her own first ever Boston Marathon.
For Garvey, she sees the race as not only a memorable moment with her mom, but also a passing of the torch moment. Garvey says, “It will be quite different than watching on the sideline, and I am looking forward to compete with her for such an amazing cause.”
As mentioned, in support of the Boston Children’s Hospital, each member supporting this charity has a goal of $6,000, and is given a sponsor child to represent. For the past 15 years, Garvey and her mother have represented a patient named Jillian, who has basically grown up with the family and is a member in Garvey’s eyes.
One of the most important aspects of the race, as well as the longevity of how long her mother has been running the marathon, is how it brings Garvey’s family together even in the worst times.
Garvey’s mother was one of the runners of the 2013 Boston Marathon, the race when the bombs had gone off at the finish line of the race. She had finished the race before the bombs had gone off, but was just a mere few blocks away from the scene.
Garvey says this event shows the accomplishment her mom had put into running the next year along with the other survivors, Garvey notes, if she can accomplish this, she can accomplish anything.
While abroad last semester, around Thanksgiving, Garvey had gotten the call that she was able to compete and run in the marathon. From the moment she returned home from Europe, the training began. Running most days around PC and into the city, Garvey is ready for the marathon.
One note of excitement she is able to witness while running is being able to hear the cheers of her name from the groups of people around Massachusetts supporting her and her cause. While she does not care what her time is for the marathon, she has asked everyone around her and around the world to donate to her cause for the Boston Children’s Hospital.
Men’s Basketball Roster Features a New Face
by The Cowl Editor on April 4, 2019
Friar Sports
Friars Welcome UMass Player Luwane Pipkins After Two PC Players Decide to Transfer
By Sullivan Burgess ’20
Sports Staff
After a season of ups and downs for the Providence College Men’s Basketball program, it is time to recruit and make big decisions for the program. Ed Cooley knows first hand that the team needs to be reevaluated to see what can be done for the future of the Friars.
After the National Invitational Tournament first round loss to the University of Arkansas, Cooley stated to press “We didn’t have it this year—not a year that I’m happy about. To me, it’s unacceptable. I have to do a much better job with the group. We have to look at our program and evaluate it as to what we need going forward…Along the way, we have to change some things. We’re looking for players who can help the Friars, period.”
The changes began with the announcement of redshirt forward Drew Edwards ’19 transferring from PC to another school as a graduate transfer. The school at which he will be playing has yet to be announced, but the entire student body will miss his hard work on the court and dedication to the game.
Late in March, the news spread around Providence like wildfire that University of Massachusetts of Amherst Guard Luwane Pipkins would transfer to PC. He will come to the school as a fifth-year graduate transfer, which will make him immediately eligible for the upcoming 2019-2020 basketball season.
Pipkins took to Twitter to announce the news, tweeting “I just want to say thanks to all the coaches that contacted me during this time, but after careful consideration, I have decided to use my last year of eligibility to play for coach Ed Cooley and the Providence Friars.” When asked about why he was joining PC, he stated “Basically, I felt a connection with Coach Cooley and his staff…They kept it real from the start and were very honest with me.”
Some websites even have Pipkins as a projected starter for next season alongside Providence guard David Duke ’22. Last season at UMass, Pipkins averaged 16 points per game, alongside 4.9 rebounds and 5.2 assists. These stats, along with veteran leadership will be of great use to the team.
Twenty-four hours after the announcement of Pipkins, rumors began swirling that sophomore point guard Makai Ashton-Langford ’21 was looking to transfer from Providence. Soon after, Ashton-Langford took to his social media thanking the staff and school for the last two years as well as his supporters from the student body, and officially announcing his transfer.
Originally committed to play at the University of Connecticut after high school, Ashton-Langford had then de-committed from the program to join the Friars. After a tough freshman season, this season offered Ashton-Langford more opportunities to show his playmaking skills that he displayed in high school. However he was still only able to average 3.7 points. 1.5 rebounds, and 2.3 assists this season.
The Friars will now head into next season with their depth chart at point guard looking like Pipkens, Duke, and Maliek White ’20 as players who will be trusted to bring the ball up the court.
Friars Come Up Short at Madison Square Garden
by The Cowl Editor on March 21, 2019
Friar Sports
Providence College Misses NCAA Tournament for First Time in Six Years
By Sullivan Burgess
Sports Staff
The last week has been quite eventful for the Providence College Men’s Basketball Team. From the Big East Tournament in Madison Square Garden to the National Invitational Tournament at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center, the team experienced ups and downs that ultimately closed the season, which had also been a rollercoaster.
On Wednesday, March 13, the team, ranked as the eighth seed for the Big East Tournament, faced conference rivals Butler University. After a close first half, the Friars began to pull away and defeat Butler 80-57. Shooting 55.8 percent from the field and 47.8 percent from the three point line. The last time the team shot this well was in 1993 against the University of Connecticut.
Four players achieved double digits in points during this game. The leader was guard Maliek White ’20. White had a consistent and career-high 19 points providing a spark throughout the entire game, being the team’s go-to player. Alpha Diallo ’20 also scored 18 points with two threes, David Duke ’22 recorded 16 points shooting 6-8 from the field and 2-3 from the three. Lastly, Isaiah Jackson ’19RS, came off the bench with another performance of clutch shooting for 13 points.
The next day for the first game of the quarterfinals, the Friars had to face the top-seed team of the tournament and #23-ranked team Villanova University. While the Friars kept the pace for most of the game, they ultimately failed and lost the game, 62-73.
The team was led in scoring by Nate Watson ’21 with 15 points, and more double digit scoring from Diallo and Jackson. After the game, Coach Cooley said to the press, “Our youth and mistakes on the floor came back to bite us all day…We play hard as hell and are right in these games and then you can’t score enough. It’s a microcosm of our season.”
Villanova would go on to win the Big East Tournament, earning the title of back to back champions of the tournament and guaranteeing their place in the 2019 March Madness NCAA Tournament. Meanwhile, back in Providence, the Friars had to wait and watch for their placement in either the March Madness Tournament or the NIT.
Cooley was open to the media about the possibility of being selected for the NIT, stating, “We earned exactly what we got this year. If we get into the NIT, I’ll be excited about it because I still want to play with this young group. If we don’t, we’ve got to look ourselves in the mirror. We deserved to be in that 8-9 (Big East) game. That was our body of work.”
Four Big East schools were selected for the March Madness tournament, including Villanova, Seton Hall University, Marquette University, and St. John’s University. Later that night, the Friars were selected to host the University of Arkansas as the fourth seed for the NIT hosted at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center.
The day came on Tuesday night, and sadly the Friars’ struggle throughout the season came back to haunt them as they fell to Arkansas, 72-84. While White put another career high of 19 points, the team shot 38.7 percent from the field goal, and 13 percent from the three point line.
The back and forth season came to a close, leaving the team at a record of 18-16. It was certainly not the season the coach or players had hoped for, but the pieces are in place for the team to be successful next season.