Last year around this time, I took a trip to Albany to see the America East men’s basketball tournament. The weekend turned into one of my finest memories of college, and it wasn’t just because Binghamton won both of its games. Every single matchup was intriguing and entertaining; the atmosphere of the fans, the intensity of the players and the glorious prospect of an NCAA tournament berth made the weekend truly memorable. I got to witness Binghamton make its way toward history, and I was among the Bearcats fans that stormed the court. With all the players that were released…

It was a game that had more to do with pride than conference standing. A rivalry that has grown increasingly bitter the last several seasons added another chapter this past Sunday. After a close second half, the University of Vermont (22-9, 12-4 America East) held off the Binghamton University men’s basketball team (13-18, 8-8 AE) down the stretch, winning each team’s regular season finales 78-69 at Patrick Gym in Burlington, Vermont. “We definitely wanted to win,” said Binghamton interim head coach Mark Macon. “I thought we played well enough to win, we made a few mistakes towards the end of…

Another big second-half lead was blown and another road game was lost for the Binghamton University men’s basketball team. Elements that have been habitual problems all season long for this young Bearcats team continued Thursday night as New Hampshire defeated Binghamton 67-60 in an America East Conference game at Lundholm Gym. After holding a 42-32 lead with 12:42 to play in the second half, the Bearcats wilted down the stretch, losing on the road to New Hampshire (10-13, 5-7 America East). Binghamton (11-15, 6-5 AE) missed its last five field goal attempts and the Wildcats ended the game on an…

It may be cliché to say it’s tougher to win on the road, but for the Binghamton University men’s basketball team, the saying has certainly been proved true this season. The Bearcats (11-14, 6-4 America East) fell on the road to conference foe University of Maine (15-8, 7-3 AE) this past Saturday, 61-49, in the first of a four-game road swing. The teams were battling for sole possession of third place. Maine led 50-49 with just 2:40 to play in the second half. However, the Bearcats missed all their field goal attempts and free throws down the stretch, while Maine…

Colts: 38-28. I’ve been saying it all season long. The Colts will win the Super Bowl. This matchup is going to be one for the ages, with two great teams going at each other. The deciding factor will be Peyton Manning. It doesn’t matter if he’s down in the fourth quarter or up at the half, he delivers in big moments in big ways. If Dwight Freeney plays and is effective, then I think defensively the Colts will take control. When it comes to the passing game, both teams are talented, but the Colts have made a living off the…

A season sweep of a rival is always a confidence boost for both players and fans. The Binghamton men’s basketball team (11-13, 6-3 America East) completed the rare sweep of Albany (6-19, 1-9 AE) with a 78-73 victory Wednesday at the Events Center. The Bearcats needed four players in double figures to hold off a late Albany surge and extend their current win streak to four games. Led by star junior Greer Wright, who had 19 points, the Bearcats withstood three Albany 3-pointers in the final 1:04. Binghamton held a 73-62 lead with just 1:21 left in regulation. The Great…

When University of Vermont head coach Mike Lonergan was asked after his recent loss to Binghamton University if he was surprised by the Bearcat squad, his response was “No.” He said, “I know Kevin Broadus, I knew they had signed players, I knew they would have some good players.” Someone should tell Mike that he, along with the rest of the America East coaches, in the preseason poll, voted for Binghamton to finish last in the conference. It’s about time that everyone admits that Binghamton is a lot better than anyone imagined. I personally predicted that the team would win…

What do you know about Baxter the Bearcat? The answer is probably “very little.” Like every other student at Binghamton University, you see Baxter at the basketball games, the occasional soccer match and, as some freshmen may remember, at orientation. But there is so much more to our beloved mascot than basketball games. Not to mention, he has been a part of Binghamton’s athletic transformation that started 10 years ago. Binghamton made the transition to Division I athletics in 2001, but the move required the school to make some adjustments to its appearance. The first of those changes was a…

Riding the shoulders of their star player, the Binghamton University men’s basketball team treated returning students to a solid victory over rival Vermont. Junior Greer Wright exploded for a season-high 30 points and 10 rebounds leading the Bearcats (8-13, 3-3 America East) to a 73-67 win over visiting Vermont (14-7, 5-2 AE). His offensive output along with junior forward Mahamoud Jabbi’s defense had an Events Center crowd of 3,928 on their feet at the final buzzer. It was the first home game played in front of students since Dec. 7. With the Catamounts holding a 62-60 lead with just 2:01…

Binghamton Intramurals: Wrap-up More than 3,000 students participate in at least one intramural sport at Binghamton. Fittingly, we will give the breakdown of the champions in each of the sports. Flag Football: Carrying the top seed in the playoffs was Pi Lam B, going 3-0 in the regular season while holding all their opponents scoreless. However, in the quarterfinals of the playoffs, the top-seed was upset by eighth-seeded Victorious Secret. In a nail biter of a semi-final, the Double Agents, seeded fifth, gained a finals berth with a 28-27 win over Victorious Secret. The Double Agents claimed the Flag Football…

When a second half comeback falls short, you still pick up the loss but it often becomes a moral victory. After trailing by 17 at halftime and by as much as 22, the Binghamton University men’s basketball team rallied in the second half but came up short to Marshall University, 69-55 in a non-conference game Monday night at the Events Center. The Bearcats went on a 20-6 run to start the second half and cut the deficit to 43-40 with 11:52 left in regulation. Freshman guard Dylan Talley sparked the rally with five points and a block. The Thundering Herd…

Lock: New England (-5.5) over MIAMI: In this final week of our pool, the lock has never meant this much. The Pats are coming off a tough loss to the undefeated Saints, and they are looking for revenge. Earlier this season, Randy Moss had a great outing against the Dolphins in a 27-17 Patriots win, with 147 yards and a score. Brady and Moss will connect early and often and hopefully they will carry me to Pipe Dream Picks glory. New Orleans (-9.5) over WASHINGTON: I have been in love with the Saints all year, and despite a few times…

Imagine every muscle in your body begging for mercy. Imagine your lungs screaming in agony, pleading for you to stop. Now, imagine this is your hobby. Welcome to the life of Chris Gaube. Every time he competitively races in a cross country event, it is another battle between the mind and body. It takes intense mental strength to run cross country in the first place; it takes another kind of crazy to run as hard as he does. The real kicker is that he manages to be one of the best runners in America East while getting his master’s of…

On their longest road trip of the year, the Bearcats found some consistency as well as their second win of the year. During a stretch of five games in nine days, which included three games on three straight days, the Binghamton University men’s basketball team went 1-4 but showed marked improvement by the end of the road swing. This past Saturday the Bearcats traveled to Rider University in a non-conference matchup, and despite holding the lead for most of the game, fell to the Broncs 58-50. “[Rider] hit shots, they went on a run and we just never recovered as…

Lock: MINNESOTA (-10.5) over Seattle: With Adrian Peterson running the ball, you know the Vikings are going to be in winning positions game in and game out. His explosive runs have come frequently this season along with 11 TDs. Brett Favre has enjoyed hitting Rice and Harvin regularly but Shiancoe has been his favorite target in the end zone. Vikings should handle the Seahawks this week. NEW ENGLAND (-10.5) over New York Jets: I’ve got one word for you: REVENGE. The Pats are going to be looking for payback after the Jets got the better of them back in Week…

Three years ago, every cross country article written for Pipe Dream was detailing the successes of the women’s team, while the men’s team struggled. In two short years, those roles were reversed. All the years of rebuilding and developing were in preparation for a title run — and the efforts were not in vain. The men’s team made history, winning its first-ever America East championship this season. I have been the beat writer for the cross country teams for the past four years. I was given the position as a freshman with no previous experience with news-writing, let alone sports-writing;…

A Big East opponent, a national television audience, and a brand new roster mark the start of a six-game road swing for the Bearcats. The Binghamton University men’s basketball team travels to the University of Pittsburgh Tuesday as part of the O’Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic. The game will be televised on ESPN2 and it is the second time that the Bearcats have appeared on national television; the other was last season’s America East tournament final win over UMBC. The game marks the first meeting between the two schools. Binghamton is coming off a 54-49 win over Division II Bloomsburg…

What has been a record year for the team has also turned out to be a record year for its star. At the Northeast Regional meet on Saturday, junior Erik van Ingen became the first Binghamton runner to ever qualify for the NCAA Division I cross country championships. His seventh-place finish out of 243 runners helped the Binghamton University men’s cross country team to a program-best eighth out of 36 teams. “We’re just thrilled with the fact that he made it,” head coach Annette Acuff said. “It’s a tough task to make it the NCAA championships with the level of…

LOCK: New Orleans (-13.5) over ST. LOUIS: The Saints improved to 8-0 last week with a 10-point win over the Panthers; unfortunately, the spread was 14 and my lock got hosed. The Rams are quite a bit worse than Carolina, so I’d like to see the almighty Saints hold down the spread this week. I won’t get into why the Saints will steamroll the Rams because it’s just too obvious. Atlanta (-1.5) over CAROLINA: The Falcons are jockeying for wild-card positioning so this game carries more weight for Atlanta. With Turner pounding the ball up the middle the Falcons should…

The goal of exhibition play is primarily to fix problems to prepare for the regular season, rather than getting a victory; winning the game is just an added perk. The Binghamton University men’s basketball team started unofficial play with a 64-50 exhibition win over visiting Holy Family University this Tuesday. The Bearcats gave fans their first look at a team that was overhauled following the permanent release of six players in late September. Freshman guard Dylan Talley scored a team-high 14 points and junior forward Greer Wright finished with 12 points, seven rebounds and five steals. “I think Holy Family…

We recently sat down with junior cross country runner Erik Van Ingen to get to know him a little better. Erik was the winner of the America East individual title at the cross country championships earlier this month. Pipe Dream: Who is your favorite athlete? Erik van Ingen: Michael Jordan; I have a life-size cutout of him. PD: Who is your favorite Binghamton athlete to watch outside your sport? Erik: Ryan Walter. PD: What is your favorite food? Erik: Any kind of Mexican or Italian food. PD: Talk about one of your craziest moments. Erik: I broke into my high…

For a sports team, enduring controversy usually requires a strong leader to help them through it. After the Binghamton University athletic department released six players from the program earlier this year, the men’s basketball team went through as big of a controversy as any has; the icing on the scandals was the suspension of head coach Kevin Broadus. With their leader and mentor gone, the Bearcats needed someone to step up and lead them through the haze of audits, suspensions and six walk-ons. Who better than to take the reins of a program in shambles than a former NBA star,…

Lock: NEW ORLEANS (-13.5) over Carolina: Not enough can be said about the Saints; they win ball games no matter what. They win in dominant fashion, they rally from huge deficits and they hang tough during close games. The defense has been making plays and even scoring in clutch situations. With the offense and the defense clicking, this team is too good and it is the best team in the NFL right now. Dallas (+3.0) over PHILADELPHIA: The Cowboys have been firing on all cylinders the last few weeks. Romo has been solid and he’s been hitting Miles Austin with…

The America East men’s basketball preseason coaches’ poll was released at the Tip-Off Luncheon held at the Connecticut State Capitol in Hartford. Boston University was the unanimous choice to win its sixth conference crown this year, receiving all eight possible first-place votes (coaches could not vote for their own team). 1. Boston University: The Terriers finished in third place in the regular season last year with an 11-5 record; they lost to University of Maryland, Baltimore County in the AE quarterfinals 79-75 in overtime. Head coach Patrick Chambers begins his first season at the helm just a season after helping…

Volleyball co-captain Dawn Lammert named to the District I Volleyball All-Academic First Team: The senior was selected to the team as presented by ESPN The Magazine and selected by College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Lammert is now eligible for the Academic All-America Team to be named later this year. She posted a 3.94 GPA and graduated with a bachelor’s of biology in just three years and currently has senior year athletic eligibility. Men’s tennis Sven Vloedgraven loses opening match at the ITA National Indoor championship: After winning the ITA Northeast Regional, junior Vloedgraven was given an immediate entry…

For the first time in program history, the Binghamton University men’s cross country team has been crowned America East champions. The America East championships took place this past Saturday at the University of Vermont with all nine schools in the conference competing for the title. The Bearcats earned their first-ever AE title with a dominating team performance garnering 30 points; they finished ahead of the defending champions, New Hampshire, who finished with 60 points. “It was an amazing feeling,” said Binghamton head coach Annette Acuff. “It was one of the coolest things and one of the best experiences of my…

The Binghamton University men’s cross country team heads into this weekend primed to make program history. The team is going into the America East championship as one of the favorites to win the team title, capping what may turn out to be the best season in the program’s history. The Bearcats currently are ranked 10th in the NCAA Northeast region and just two weeks ago, were placed at a program-best ninth. Binghamton is the highest-ranked America East team in the Northeast region. The team finished third in last year’s AE championships, which was the highest finish for the program. In…

Lock: New Orleans (-6.0) over MIAMI: I trust in Drew Brees and his team. Offensively, they did amazing against the previously unbeaten Giants. Their running game has been stellar, the passing game is off the charts and I think they are the best team in the league. Indianapolis (-13.0) over ST. LOUIS: I haven’t had great luck with huge spreads, but this seems like a no-brainer. Peyton Manning and the Colts off a bye-week are going to be tough for any team to beat, but against the Rams, it’s a guarantee. Too many Colts receivers are huge threats and I…

Southeast Division 1. ORLANDO MAGIC — The Magic made it back to the NBA Finals last season, but after a flurry of offseason moves it seems like the team desperately wants a title. The team watched Hedo Turkoglu sign with Toronto, and traded Rafer Alston and Courtney Lee for Vince Carter. Carter should fill the offensive hole left by Turkoglu, but he also adds more versatility on the glass and in the lane. With Dwight Howard anchoring both ends of the floor, the Magic have plenty of talent to make another title run. 2. ATLANTA HAWKS — Joe Johnson had…

Pacific Division 1. LOS ANGELES LAKERS — The defending champs are as strong as they were last season. The only serious roster change was the loss of Trevor Ariza, but the Lakers picked up Ron Artest to replace him. The Lakers’ frontcourt is scary; Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol and Artest make for a great defensive combination. At point guard, the Lakers were exposed as too slow, but the improvement of Shannon Brown should help that area. With Kobe Bryant leading the way, the team is a big favorite to win the West. 2. PHOENIX SUNS — With Amar’e Stoudemire back,…

Lock: Philadelphia (-14.0) over OAKLAND: Quit talking about Vick; McNabb is THE QB in Philly. When you talk about the Eagles, you see that their wins are against bad teams. Good news for Philly fans: Oakland is terrible. JaMarcus Russell is one of the worst quarterbacks in the league, the team has no direction and they look out of sync during every series. Expect Oakland to suffer another embarrassing rout. NEW ORLEANS (-3.0) over New York Giants: Our assistant news editor and I have a monetary bet on this game; he says the Saints are overrated, and I truly disagree.…

You can call the trip whatever you like: an attempt to change the image of Binghamton University, a way to compensate for the collapsing men’s team. The real reason and motivation, however, is an honest desire to do something special for someone else. The Binghamton University women’s basketball team visited the Humane Society in Binghamton last Sunday, designed as part of its efforts to raise funding and spread awareness for the shelter. The program is also planning several events throughout the 2009-10 campaign that will more directly allow the community to give to the shelter during games. “The idea started…

The American League championship series is now set. The two teams with the best records during the regular season swept their way out of the divisional round. On one hand you have the New York Yankees, who have not won a World Series since 2000, and on the other you have the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, who have had early postseason exits the last couple years. The two best teams in baseball are dueling for the chance to play in the Fall Classic. The Yankees have only four members of their last championship team on the roster, but they…

Lock: New England (-3.0) over DENVER: I think the Pats proved themselves against the Ravens last week, and Brady is getting used to playing football again so I expect him to go off this week. The Broncos are a weak 4-0; they did beat Dallas, but I really think they have had some good breaks and they are due for their first loss. Minnesota (-9.5) over ST. LOUIS: The Vikings have been one of the best teams this year, their defense has been solid, Favre is playing great and Adrian Peterson is his usual self. Even Vikings receivers have been…

Lock: NEW ORLEANS (-7.0) over New York Jets: The Saints have been money makers for me this season, but the Jets are a tough test. I think Brees will put enough pressure on the Jets defense, and Sanchez will finally show some signs that he’s actually a rookie. NEW ENGLAND (-2.0) over Baltimore: This game is a gift to Ryan since he is in desperate need of some help in the standings. I would normally stay away from a game like this. Ravens defense versus a patchy Patriots offense, I would prefer to flip a coin to decide this. Oh…

Last year we saw a sellout; this season there is little reason to expect anything less. The Binghamton University men’s soccer (5-4, 0-0 AE) returns home tomorrow to face the University of Rhode Island for this year’s homecoming game. Last season, a sold-out crowd of 2,534 fans saw the Bearcats beat Vermont 1-0 on homecoming night. Cameron Keith netted the game-winner in the second half, avenging Binghamton’s loss to Vermont in the 2007 America East finals. The homecoming crowd was the largest ever at the Bearcats Sports Complex; it broke the facility record of 2,078 fans that came to the…

From what I see, things are looking pretty good for Binghamton University athletics. Binghamton has shown the America East and the NCAA that it will be a fixture in Division I for years to come. The quality of Binghamton teams has continued to improve since the school made the move to Division I. Last year, three Bearcat programs won an America East championship: men’s basketball, baseball and men’s tennis. Men’s soccer, volleyball and women’s tennis were all runner-ups to the championship last year with a handful of other teams getting to the semifinals or securing top-3 finishes. Across the board,…

There is no love for etiquette these days following a peculiar finish to the 2009 U.S. Open. The tournament featured some spectacular tennis, late-tourney weather delays, some warm-feeling upset stories as well as a raucous meltdown and two surprising winners. The biggest story of the tournament unfortunately was Serena Williams’ debacle. Williams trailed 6-4, 6-5 and was serving at 15-30 in the semi-finals to Kim Clisters. Williams missed a first serve, then was called for a foot fault by the line judge, on the second. She imploded and screamed at the line judge; let’s just say her choice of words…

Lock: Pittsburgh (-3.0) over CHICAGO I looked up and down the spread and this is really the only lock that looks moderately safe. The Bears looked terrible and Jay Cutler seriously disappointed me. With the loss of Brian Urlacher the Bears are looking extremely weak. I like the Steelers to win by more than a touchdown. New Orleans (PK) over PHILADELPHIA With no spread to worry about I feel more confident saying the Saints will win. Drew Brees was outstanding against the Lions last week. I do realize the Eagles’ defense is 1,000 times better than Detroit, but the Saints…

A perfect start to the final season for one Bearcat began this weekend at the Binghamton Cross Country Invitational, as Binghamton University graduate student Chris Gaube claimed the men’s individual title on Saturday, propelling the Bearcats to a second-place finish. “It was a thrill,” Gaube said of the win. “It had been a long time since I got to compete at home. To get the victory in front of friends and family was a thrill.” Gaube is a graduate of Vestal High School and had more support because of his local roots. “I’m a local guy,” Gaube said. “So I…

With another season about to kick off, things are looking pretty good on paper for Binghamton University cross country. The men’s team finished third at the America East championship last fall, a program-best. With every major contributor of last year’s team returning, expectations are just as high. “We want to finish as high as we possibly can,” head coach Annette Acuff said. “Top three is a realistic finish for us.” University of New Hampshire, which has been notoriously dominant in the sport for several years, looks just as strong this year and was selected to defend its AE title in…

Trying to figure out the sources of the men’s soccer team’s immense success these last six years is not hard. Coach Paul Marco has been an outstanding leader for the team all these years. Great players have stepped up every season, along with a brand new stadium and outstanding practice facilities. However, the group of devoted fans that are at every men’s soccer game, a group called the Bearcat Hooligans, never seem to get much credit or attention ― until now. “We are really excited that we’re SA chartered this season,” said the head of the Bearcat Hooligans, Danny Stern.…

Finally getting an elusive conference title means more than just succeeding one year. It means the past years of losing the championship game were not in vain. Binghamton University’s baseball team captured its first ever America East conference title and a NCAA tournament berth following its 16-6 win over Albany in the championship game of the tournament on May 23. “It’s all part of the process,” head coach Tim Sinicki said. “The previous two years was valuable experience for our team.” The Bearcats have lost each of the past two conference championship games. Both years the Bearcats won the regular…

A record-breaking season wasn’t enough to end a 16-year streak. The women’s tennis America East championship came to an end last weekend. The tournament saw the Binghamton Bearcats fall to 15-time defending champion Boston University, 4-1, in the finals. It was the fifth consecutive year that Binghamton made the finals but also their fifth failed attempt at ending Boston’s 16-year reign as the best in women’s tennis. The Bearcats broke their single-season record for team wins after compiling a 17-4 record, breaking the previous record of 16 set in the 2004-05 season. Binghamton’s head coach Mike Stevens was named AE…

NCAA Tournament First Round: Binghamton vs. No. 15 Texas A&M Binghamton makes the tournament for the fifth time in seven seasons while Texas A&M is in the tournament for the 16th straight year. Binghamton: Sven Vloedgraven: The sophomore was voted the America East Player of the Year by the conference coaches yesterday. Vloedgraven has been Binghamton’s No. 1 player this season and he went 7-1 at the top spot late in the season. He won both his singles matches at the AE Championship against Maryland-Baltimore County and Stony Brook. He earned First Team All-Conference honors for the second straight year.…

NBA Playoffs The regular season is officially over, which means the most wonderful time of the year is here: the NBA playoffs. Things are a little different than last year when Boston was the team to beat and Andrew Bynum was out for the playoffs. Now, Cleveland holds the best record, Kevin Garnett might not play in the playoffs and the Lakers have Bynum. With plenty of upsets possible in a Western Conference loaded with capable teams at every seed, these playoffs may turn out to be more exciting than many past years. To the matchups! Eastern Conference: Cleveland Cavaliers…

A matchup of the only two winless teams in the America East turned out to be an offensive showcase. In the battle of two last place teams through pouring rain on Long Island, the Binghamton University women’s lacrosse team dropped their fourth conference game, 16-10, to Stony Brook this past Saturday. The Seawolves held a 9-4 lead at the half before Binghamton rallied to score six goals, cutting the deficit to 12-10. Freshman Emily Thon and junior Lizzie Wright each scored twice while sophomore Beth Moore tallied one goal. But Stony Brook closed out the game, scoring four unanswered goals…

Riding a five-game losing streak won’t help a team’s confidence, but perhaps it will serve as motivation. This was not the case Saturday for the Binghamton women’s lacrosse team, who suffered a 22-7 loss at the hands of the nation’s 11th-ranked team, the Vanderbilt Commodores. Vanderbilt built a 13-4 lead at the half, a result of taking a whopping 29 shots in only 30 minutes of play. Commodores junior Sarah Downing tallied five goals and an assist as Vanderbilt ran away with the game. On Wednesday the Bearcats faced America East rival UMBC and suffered a 16-4 loss. Binghamton’s loss…

The team lacked experience, but they didn’t lack confidence. The No. 4 seeded Binghamton University women’s basketball team claimed victory over the No. 5 UMBC Retrievers, 66-54, in their quarterfinal matchup at the America East Championship this past Friday. This win placed them in a semifinal clash with top-seeded Boston University. “For us this is the third time in the program’s history since going Division I that we advanced to the semifinals,” said Binghamton head coach Nicole Scholl. Binghamton started the game with a 7-0 run that junior Erica Carter finished off with a 3-pointer. UMBC countered with a 13-9…

I can safely say that I just had my most memorable moment in college; oddly, it was in Albany. Watching D.J. Rivera steal the inbounds pass and run it back for a dunk with 11 seconds left was incredible. Every single fan rooting for Binghamton University was screaming and out of their seat at this point. I don’t think my adrenaline has ever been at a higher point. And I wasn’t the only one. “The energy of all the fans was amazing,” said Binghamton senior Evan Dworkin. “The end of the game was one of my most exciting moments in…

Center: Vermont: Colin McIntosh has averaged 13.2 points and 5.2 rebounds this year. He’s started in all 30 games this season for Vermont and has been a consistent performer. His efforts with Marqus Blakely have and will make Vermont tough to beat under the basket. Albany: Brian Connelly, alongside Brett Gifford, looks to take control of the paint. Connelly is averaging a modest 8.1 points 4.7 rebounds. Gifford has registered a team-high 22 blocks this season, but he’s going up against one of the premier forwards in the league. Advantage: Vermont Forward: Vermont: Marqus Blakely is the defending Player of…

A successful reign as king of the America East is coming to an end. After four years of leading his team to success year after year, senior Mike Trimboli is approaching the end of his illustrious career. Trimboli has been a dominating presence in AE men’s basketball from the moment his sneakers hit the court. His efforts have given Vermont basketball more national recognition, adding to the Catamounts’ 2005 upset of No. 4 Syracuse University in the first round of the NCAA tournament. His freshman season was highlighted by Vermont’s 66-59 upset of Binghamton University in the semifinals of the…

The owners of five of the last six America East titles clash tomorrow. Despite the seeding imbalance, this quarterfinal battle promises to be the best of the tournament. The No. 2 seeded Vermont Catamounts (23-7, 13-3 AE) face off against the hometown favorites, Albany (14-15, 6-10 AE), seeded seventh in the AE championships at Albany this weekend. In the regular season, Vermont only suffered losses to two conference teams; Albany can claim to be one of them. An 82-77 victory back in early January will be the Great Dane’s motivation going into this weekend. Albany’s Anthony Raffa and Will Harris…

More than three months after my original article, it’s safe to say this season has been one to remember. Struggles with injuries, inexperience, feisty reporters and the general ups and downs of a college basketball season has left Binghamton University’s women’s basketball team smarter and wiser. I was cautiously optimistic about this season back in November, an attitude many of the players I spoke to shared. Despite the departure of four seniors the previous year, there stood a handful of juniors who were experienced enough to lead this team to success, as well as the senior anchor that is Laura…

For a team looking to bounce back from a road loss that dropped them into a fourth-place tie, what better way is there than to face the No. 1 team in the conference. The Binghamton University women’s basketball team (10-14, 5-6 AE) will face the Boston University Terriers (17-6, 11-0 AE) in a conference matchup at the Events Center tomorrow. Boston comes in with that record following a 75-53 rout of New Hampshire on Sunday, while Binghamton is coming off of a 62-51 loss to Stony Brook on Saturday. The Bearcats are coming off the loss to Stony Brook where…

It is never an easy game with a star player down, especially when facing a high-caliber team. Now take away the first player coming off the bench and see how it goes. The Binghamton University women’s basketball team suffered a 74-54 loss this Wednesday to the defending champions from Hartford. The Bearcats (10-13, 5-5 AE) got bad news going into the game, finding out that their versatile junior guard Muffy Sadler would be sidelined due to a sprained ankle suffered during practice. Sadler, who leads the America East in 3-point field goal percentage at 46 percent, joined senior teammate Laura…

It hurts to say this, but I can’t deny it anymore. Rafael Nadal is the best tennis player in the world following his 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(3), 3-6, 6-2 victory over the world’s No. 2 player, Roger Federer, Sunday’s Australian Open final. The tennis world has been blessed the last few years with Nadal and Federer trading majors and playing epic matches that leave us wanting more; Sunday did not disappoint. Nadal was as good on Sunday as anyone could dream of, especially after a marathon semifinal match that stretched over five hours and set the record for longest match in…

A quick trip up north should provide Binghamton University’s women’s basketball team with a chance to get back on its feet. With star senior center Laura Franceski’s mild concussion, a blowout loss at home against Vermont and an upcoming road game in Albany, the Bearcats have their hands full. Locked in a tie for fourth place in the America East, Binghamton (9-12, 4-4 AE) can gain ground in the win column as they travel to play Albany this weekend for a conference showdown. The two rivals played three times last season with Albany taking all three games, including a 64-57…

The Binghamton University women’s basketball team looks to snap their slide on the road as they travel to the University of Maine tomorrow for an America East conference matchup. And for a team looking to gain confidence on the road, Saturday’s game might be the way to go. The Bearcats have lost six of their last seven road games, including three straight AE games on the road. They appear to be struggling to find a consistent rhythm on the road during their slide, and the team’s mentality in these losses is tough to figure out. “I don’t think that it’s…

As the conference season gets into full swing, teams turn to certain players for consistent performances to anchor their teams. The Binghamton University men’s basketball team has D.J. Rivera averaging 20-plus points a night; the men’s soccer team has Jason Stenta. The women’s basketball team has been searching for that go-to player, and they may have found her. Freshman point guard Andrea Holmes has emerged as a legitimate threat for Binghamton. She started the year struggling from the field and trying to get used to the Division I basketball style. Her shot selection was indicative of a freshman on an…

On a night when its defense was functioning perfectly, it was the same night that the offense stalled out. The Binghamton University women’s basketball team struggled offensively in the second half and dropped a non-conference game against Villanova 55-37 on Wednesday. The loss ended the Bearcats two-game win streak. “Villanova is a good program,” said Binghamton head coach Nicole Scholl. “I’m happy how we came back as a team.” BU used an 8-0 run to close out the first half and get within 29-25, led by junior Erica Carter who had eight points in the first half on 3-4 shooting.…

As I sat there watching the Binghamton University women’s basketball team’s home opener, a single thought came to mind that I felt compelled to write. My cautious optimism that I employed at the beginning of this season seems to have been misplaced. I do not like to write off a team only seven games into the season, especially when they hold a 3-4 record, but the efforts of the Binghamton women’s basketball team in this first stretch of the season make it difficult not to. The team’s 3-4 record is a joke. Their opening non-conference schedule should have been Christmas…

Laura Franceski (57): The 6-foot-2 senior forward had 57 blocks last season, averaging 1.9 per game. Franceski is primed to be the leader for this team, and you can and expect her 9.4 points and 5.3 rebounds per game from last year to improve this season. Erica Carter (49): The junior is a potent threat from the outside as she hit 49 3-pointers last season while shooting 39 percent. Carter averaged 9.8 points per game last season. Both of these numbers are expected to climb. Muffy Sadler (.804): Sadler shot 80.4 percent from the free-throw line last season, and with…

Not quite the same effort as last season, but a win is a win. The Binghamton University women’s basketball team notched a 66-41 victory against Colgate on Wednesday. This win marks the fourth consecutive win in as many seasons for the Bearcats against the Raiders. Binghamton beat Colgate, 74-26, last season at the Events Center and a similar result was expected this year. However, another average shooting night for the Bearcats kept the Raiders closer than usual. BU used an 11-0 run to break open the game in the first half. The Bearcats built a 38-22 lead at the break…

The end of a season always brings mixed feelings, but not for the Binghamton University cross country teams. A year with numerous records and firsts for the program has both teams smiling proudly following the NCAA East Regional Championships last weekend. The Bearcats traveled to New York and were led by junior Christopher Gaube as he finished 39th out of 239 runners. He finished the 8,000-meter course in 33:08, leading his men’s team to a 15th-place finish out of 33 teams. “It was the highest finish by a male since Division I,” head coach Annette Acuff said. “Chris ran a…

New coach, new philosophy. A new head coach brings all sorts of changes to a program. It brings a new authority and a new style of coaching. But for the Binghamton University women’s basketball team, it brings a drastic change to their game plan. “The switch from head coaches has been easy,” said first-year head coach Nicole Scholl. “I am very happy with it.” The switch includes a change in how the Bearcats approach games defensively. “Defensively, we are going to be putting out full-court defense,” Scholl said. “Create more opportunities for our offense and a better transition game.” The…

A disappointing end to last season spurred the change that might lead to Bearcats success. The Binghamton University’s women’s basketball program left behind five-year head coach Rich Conover at the end of last season and promoted the associate head coach Nicole Scholl to the top job for the start of this season. She had been an assistant coach at Binghamton for the last nine years. “The players have worked hard,” Scholl said. “They have had a great summer and a great preseason so far. I have been very happy with how things have gone the past few months.” Binghamton is…

Write this down and hold me to it: the Los Angeles Lakers will win the NBA championship. Barring a horrifying injury (knock on wood), the Lakers have the most complete team in the league. Their starting lineup features the reigning MVP Kobe Bryant, veteran Derek Fisher, sharp-shooter Vlad Radmanovic and 7-footers Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. They brought the versatile Lamar Odom off the bench. Both Jordan Farmar and Sasha Vujacic have turned into key players for the Lakers and they join Odom in a second unit that rivals many other teams’ starters. Houston Rockets guard Brent Barry said it…

Wrapping up a record year with a strong conference meet seems fitting. The Binghamton University cross country teams traveled to Oregon Ridge Park in Baltimore, Md. for the America East Cross Country Championships this weekend. The men’s team finished third which was a record for the program since its jump to Division I. The women finished sixth out of the nine schools in attendance. “Overall it was a very good meet,” head coach Annette Acuff said. “We had some really great individual races.” BU junior Chris Gaube led the way for the men’s team and BU sophomore Erik Van Ingen…

When it comes to popular sports that fans care about, I think of men’s basketball and men’s soccer. The Binghamton University men’s soccer team had its first sellout crowd this season when 2,534 fans attended the rematch of last year’s America East Championship. The team has acquired serious accolades in the last few years and deserves the loyal fan base that it has. The men’s basketball team draws huge crowds every year due to the popularity of college basketball and our high-profile head coach. There is no problem in supporting these sports, but why can’t fans get excited about anything…

In the one final tune-up for the America East championship, perhaps the last test before a potential record-breaking year comes to a close for Binghamton University cross country, the men’s and women’s teams competed in different races this weekend. The men’s team traveled south to the Penn State National on Friday, finishing 11th out of 28 teams, while the women participated in the Albany Invitational on Saturday; they placed fourth out of 32 teams. BU sophomore Erik van Ingen led Binghamton again for the third straight meet, finishing 26th out of a field of 306 runners. He completed the 5.2-mile…

A season that has been marked by the teams’ ascension to the top echelon of their sport continued that trend this weekend. Binghamton University’s cross country teams competed at the Lehigh Paul Short Run this weekend, highlighted by the men’s team finishing 20th out of 45 teams. The prestigious race attracts competitive programs from around the nation. “We were facing a stacked field of incredible programs,” said head coach Annette Acuff. “We did excellent competing with top programs from both the Northeast and the Great Lakes.” Sophomore Erik van Ingen led the men’s team to its best finish at this…

Progress has been the goal: to better a program that started from the ground and has worked its way to an elite level. The Binghamton University cross country teams continued this theme and their strong season this past weekend at the Buffalo Stampede Invitational as the men’s team claimed first place and the women placed fourth. “Right now we are excited as a team,” head coach Annette Acuff said. “We are proud with the individual efforts, too.” The men’s team was led by sophomore Erik Van Ingen and junior Chris Gaube, who finished first and second, respectively. Van Ingen finished…

For the first time in program history, Binghamton University cross country has ranked in Division I. Since the Bearcats made the jump to Division I seven years ago, its cross country teams have dealt with the difficulties of transitioning as much as any other program. Now both the men’s and women’s teams are ranked in the Northeast Region preseason poll. The women rank 13th and the men’s team ranks 14th. “The poll was very exciting for our program,” said head coach Annette Acuff, entering her ninth season in the top spot. “I was [personally] very excited because we worked very…

Binghamton University’s cross country teams proved this past weekend that no obstacles could stand in their way of victory. With a team full of runners coming off an injury-plagued season, the Bearcats couldn’t really tell what would happen in their opener. It turned into a successful start, as the Binghamton cross country team ran all over the Baltimore Metro cross country meet this Friday. The BU men’s team claimed first place out of the nine teams competing. Junior Chris Gaube led the meet, finishing first ahead of 122 runners on the 5,000-meter course and crossing the line in 15:29. The…

After miles of running, Binghamton University is gearing up for brand new season of cross country. The Bearcat teams have been struggling to prove that there was so much more that could be accomplished. The main obstacle to BU success has been injuries to key runners. With a healthy team for the first time in two years, the Bearcats look to have their best seasons. “This is the most talented team we’ve had since I’ve been here,” ninth-year head coach Annette Acuff said. “This team is both highly motivated and committed to being successful. We just need to stay healthy.”…

In the midst of an overwhelming focus on one athlete, the rest of the Binghamton track team has been performing at a level higher than the program has seen. Several Bearcats have had spectacular seasons and they’ll be looking for more of the same this weekend at the America East Championships, hosted by the University of Maine. At the AE indoor meet this season the men’s team placed a program-best second. Freshman Christian Smith won the 500-meter dash at the indoor championships, setting a school record and IC4A-qualifying time of 1:04.81. He also is set to run in the 400.…

Ready, Set, Go With the end approaching, it’s time to put 18 weeks of play into perspective. Nine teams fighting for one spot in the NCAA tournament will make for an interesting weekend at the America East women’s basketball championship, which began last night in Hartford. The Binghamton Bearcats go in as the No. 5 seed, and will face the Albany Great Danes in the quarterfinals. Binghamton has never advanced past the semifinals of the America East championship, nor has it beaten Albany this season—two hills they hope to climb this weekend. “We are going to have to make changes,”…

An attempt to secure its first 10-win conference season since 2004 was unsuccessful this weekend as the Binghamton University women’s basketball team fell at Vermont in the regular season finale 63-49. Binghamton (11-18, 9-7 America East) came into the game guaranteed the fifth seed in the tournament regardless of the outcome. “We didn’t have that do-or-die mentality,” said BU head coach Rich Conover. Vermont sophomore guard Courtnay Pilypaitis scored 13 of her team-high 20 points in the second half, leading Vermont (22-7, 13-3 AE) to a win on Senior Night, padding their second seed for the tournament. “Vermont is very…

CENTERS Albany: The Great Danes rotated three players at center this season, with Al Turley, who averaged 2.8 points and 2.2 rebounds, leading the way. Turley has performed well as of late and should control the paint. Brett Gifford averages 2.1 points and 2.1 rebounds per game. Boston: Freshman center Matt Killen has seen a total of just four minutes all season long and has failed to score a point. They have been playing without a serious center all season long. Advantage: Albany FORWARDS Albany: With Brian Connelly and Brent Wilson of Albany, you get the experience of two straight…

Albany’s senior class has enjoyed success in the past, but now it looks to the future. The two-time defending champion Great Danes come to town looking to defend their title, starting with a quarterfinal matchup against Boston University at 8:30 p.m. in the Events Center. Senior starters Brian Lillis and Brent Wilson of Albany (15-14, 10-6 America East) have the experience in the playoffs that will be invaluable to the Great Danes. “We have to rely on our experience,” said Albany head coach Will Brown. “When it comes down to the postseason, it comes down to half-court and that’s where…

For a team that has struggled on the road all season long, the Binghamton University women’s basketball team’s recent two-game road swing must have seemed like a daunting task. The Bearcats ventured on the critical road trip looking for their second and third road wins of the season, and found them. Binghamton (11-16, 9-5 America East) picked up a 59-47 win over New Hampshire this Saturday after defeating Stony Brook last Wednesday 73-72. The Bearcats carry a three-game win streak and have won five of their last seven. “We picked up big wins on the road,” said BU head coach…

When the Hartford Hawks come to town, they bring an elite type of basketball that is unmatched in the America East, much like their 64-58 upset win over Temple in the first round of the NCAA tournament two years ago. The league-leading Hawks’ championship mentality was certainly present Wednesday night as they defeated the Binghamton University women’s basketball team 71-63 at the Event Center. The loss snapped BU’s five game home win streak. “We didn’t bring our A-game for 40 minutes,” said BU sophomore Erica Carter. “We need to handle the pressure better.” Carter led Binghamton (8-16, 6-5 AE) to…

The tumultuous journey of Binghamton University wrestling, from a non-existent season to a competitor in the Colonial Athletic Association, has been one to remember. There were times when there was no season, times when there was a winless season and now times are as good as they ever have been. For two Bearcats, it will be on the line versus the American Eagles this Thursday. BU seniors Kyle Fried and Mike Patterson will be participating in their final home match. For Fried, the realization is starting to hit. “I think about it a lot,” said Fried. “My matches as a…

Honoring the achievements of female athletes was the theme of the evening. First came the “Girl’s Night Out” presentation. Then came a fifth consecutive Binghamton University win over Vermont. A late University of Vermont rally came up short as the Binghamton (7-14, 5-3 America East) women’s basketball team hung on for a 73-69 America East Conference win at the Events Center Tuesday night. “Everyone hit free throws and we got the defensive stops we needed,” said Bearcat senior Laine Kurpniece. The game featured a second-half thriller that had the crowd standing in the final minutes. Vermont sophomore May Kotsopoulos forced…

It was a familiar sight this weekend for Bearcats track fans. Binghamton University graduate student Rory Quiller again dominated the competition with a top finish in the men’s pole vault at the Syracuse Invitational on Saturday. He cleared 5.30 meters to win the event. Senior teammate Kris Yelverton finished second behind Quiller at 4.70 meters. Also taking top finishes on the men’s side were junior Joanel Lopez, in shot put, and freshman Justin Halleck, in weight throw. Freshman Cazal Arnett finished second in the 500-meter dash and classmate Christian Smith had a fourth-place finish in the 400-meter dash. On the…

What was supposed to be a game to stay near the top of the standings turned into an effort to keep a rout from getting out of control. The Binghamton University women’s basketball team struggled early and fell to host Albany, 80-60, in an America East Conference clash on Wednesday. The Bearcats (6-13, 4-2 AE) were aiming for their fifth conference win this season as well as their fourth straight road win against Albany. Instead, the Bearcats struggled out of the gate, shooting 28 percent and committing 14 turnovers en route to a 42-21 halftime deficit. “We didn’t handle Albany’s…

The only thing worse than trailing by 27 points after one half might be losing by 36 points after two halves. Binghamton University fell to host Liberty University, 76-40, in a non-conference women’s basketball game in Lynchburg, Va., on Saturday. It was Binghamton’s worst loss in Division I history. The Bearcats shot just 34 percent, including two-for-14 from 3-point range, and have just one win in their first eight games. “[Liberty] played very good defense,” said BU head coach Rich Conover. “We’re also not as comfortable shooting on the road yet.” BU sophomore point guard Muffy Sadler had a team-high…

The first win took a little less than three weeks, but it could not have a come at a more crucial time. After starting its season with five straight losses, the Binghamton University women’s basketball team finally broke through with a 71-61 win over La Salle in a non-conference game Saturday. BU, playing at the Events Center again following its four-point home loss to Bucknell on Wednesday, shot a season-best 50.9 percent from the floor and held the Explorers (3-4) to 39 percent shooting. The team converted on a number of open opportunities created by impressive ball movement. “I thought…

This Thanksgiving provided more than just turkey and stuffing to a team that was still searching for its rhythm. It gave the Binghamton University’s women’s basketball team time to prepare for another chance to notch its first win. But after losing to host Sacred Heart on Sunday, 70-52, the team was left picking up the pieces from a four-game road trip that started its season on the wrong foot. That loss made four straight to open the season for the Bearcats, who lost to host Canisius in their previous match, 65-56 on Tuesday in Buffalo. Against Canisius, a large early…

The Binghamton University cross country teams took part in their final races of the season at the IC4/ECAC championships held at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx on Saturday. The Bearcats competed in both men’s and women’s university races and were led by mostly freshmen, as has been the case most of the season. “We improved a lot as a team from last year, and considering our top kids are freshmen, this year was a great year,” said head coach Annette Acuff. “It really shows our true talent as a team.” Freshman Ashley Horton led the way again for the…

It looked like it was finally going to happen: a season opening win, the first since the move to Division I. A 55-45 lead with 8:19 to play was what Binghamton University had to work with. Don’t good things happen to those who wait? The BU women’s basketball team waited for Portland State to give up, but there was no reward. A 17-5 Viking run finished the game, handing the Bearcats a stunning 62-60 loss on Saturday night in Portland. Head coach Rich Conover had plenty to say about the Bearcats’ collapse. “We did a great job in the first…

A team full of freshmen usually spells a rebuilding season full of development. Not so for the Binghamton University cross country teams as they continue to show exactly what talented freshmen can do. This weekend both the men’s and women’s teams competed at the NCAA Northeast Regional and achieved more than impressive results. Ashley Horton led the way for the women’s team as she finished in 58th place in a field of 254 runners with a time of 22:10. Horton has led the team in every race this season as a freshman. Déjà vu anyone? Her breakout freshman season is…

The Binghamton University women’s basketball team started its season off with a 65-58 exhibition win over Le Moyne on Thursday to bring the basketball season back to Binghamton. Despite the win, the Bearcats have several issues to work out before they can be considered conference contenders. “We saw the seniors play the game the way they should,” said head coach Rich Conover. “We got to see what the rest of the team needs to do better.” The Bearcats now turn to another Division II threat in St. Rose. Conover will be able to use this final exhibition game as a…

It is hard to keep track of how long the Western Conference has dominated the NBA. It seems that since the end of the Jordan-Pippen era, the West has been in control. The Laker dynasty and the Spurs’ consistent championship run every season has given the West a stranglehold on the Larry O’Brien trophy. However, it’s questionable whether the West will remain on top following a trade-filled summer that saw Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis leave for East teams. Time will tell. West Rankings: 1. San Antonio: The defending champs look as good as they have in any…

In what has been an injury- and emotion-filled season, the Binghamton University cross country teams continued to overcome their challenges this weekend at the America East Championships in Stony Brook. The women placed fifth out of the nine teams while the men ended up sixth out of nine. “We were hoping for fourth for both teams,” said Binghamton coach Annette Acuff. “We had some individuals who ran well, but as a team we didn’t perform our best.” Freshman Ashley Horton led the way for Binghamton with a 16th place finish in a time of 18:43. She was the third overall…

A late rally by Le Moyne College gave them a slim lead with three minutes to go, forcing the Binghamton University women’s basketball team to use a timeout in an exhibition game at the Events Center yesterday. The Bearcats, who had once led by 13, needed to regroup in order to hold off the feisty Division II Dolphins. The Bearcats rallied to beat Le Moyne 65-58 in a game that was close to the final minute. A 13-point BU lead early in the second half was whittled away quickly, forcing the Bearcats to rely on senior stars Laine Kurpniece and…

In a large race, it takes a lot for a team to get noticed. The elite will be the teams standing in the spotlight. The Binghamton University women’s cross country team garnered some of that attention this weekend placing fifth out of the 29 teams competing in the Albany Invitational. Head coach Annette Acuff was more than satisfied with the effort and did not hesitate classifying this as one of the team’s best. “I was very pleased with how they ran,” Acuff said. “Especially seeing that our top five runners were freshmen. This is by far the best team performance…

It was the race of the freshmen this weekend as the Binghamton cross country teams traveled down to Bethlehem, Pa. to participate in the Lehigh Paul Short Run. Over 40 teams participated in the prominent race, and both the men’s and women’s teams were again led by their freshmen stars. Freshman Gerald McDonald highlighted an impressive outing by the men’s team on the 8,000-meter course as he finished 84th out of the field of 270 and had a time of 25:43, leading the Bearcats to a 24th place finish out of 41 teams, a big step up from their 35th…

The Binghamton University cross country teams may find this season quite different from last year. Both teams showed tremendous improvement across the board last year, and with a batch of talented new faces, the Bearcats expect to make a lot of noise in the America East this season. The teams opened the season last weekend at the Stony Brook-hosted Seawolves Invitational with a pair of third place finishes. Eight teams battled for the men’s race while seven women’s teams fought it out for first place. Two freshmen led the Bearcats, as Gerald Mcdonald and Ashley Horton stole the spotlight with…

This weekend’s four-game series featured the America East’s top two baseball teams and lived up to the hype as Binghamton (21-15, 15-4 AE) and Stony Brook (24-20, 10-5 AE) slugged it out this weekend, splitting the series that finished with a Bearcat victory in the finale on Sunday, 11-5. Zach Groh pitched seven scoreless innings in Friday’s opener to pick up the win. Third baseman Kyle Klee registered a two-out, two-run triple in the fifth to provide the run support, and Binghamton cruised to the win with relief pitcher Khalid Afify closing out the ninth for his fifth save of…

No. 1 Detroit vs. No. 5 Chicago: It is a shame to see these two great teams battling in just the second round of the playoffs, both squads having played outstanding basketball in their opening round series wins. Luol Deng was the key in the Bulls sweep of the defending champion Miami Heat. Needless to say however, he better have a great series again or things might be troublesome for Chicago. Kirk Hinrich and Ben Gordon also need to be aggressive to counter the Pistons’ star-studded backcourt of Richard Hamilton and Chauncey Billups, because Chicago cannot match up down low…

Their last home game symbolized the season as a whole. A rare home game against a determined New Hampshire squad, which showed no mercy in dominating the game, was just another piece of the lackluster season for the Binghamton women’s lacrosse team as it was routed 22-5 by the Wildcats this Saturday. The Bearcats were able to counter a 3-0 start by the Wildcats with goals by Heather Grose and Leanne Musso to narrow the deficit to 3-2. But that would be the closest the Bearcats would get as the Wildcats ran off a 9-1 spurt to grab a 12-3…

Eastern Conference: No. 1 Detroit vs. No. 8 Orlando: This will be a quick series. Detroit has too many weapons all around the floor. Chauncey Billups will use the size advantage over much smaller Jameer Nelson, and Rip Hamilton will be sensational in the backcourt. The Magic is still too young and is going against a Pistons team that has gotten to at least the conference finals four straight years. Orlando can extend the series if Dwight Howard and Grant Hill have some big games. Pistons in five. No. 2 Cleveland vs. No. 7 Washington: This had the potential for…

A trip to Beantown for mostly anyone is a fun excursion. But if you are playing lacrosse and fail to score more than once in the second half, fun will quickly turn into misery. The Binghamton women’s lacrosse team traveled to Boston University this past weekend for an America East showdown that had the Bearcats searching for their first conference win. That occasion would have to wait as the Boston Terriers ripped Binghamton 19-5. Leanne Musso and Erika Travis gave the Bearcats a good start as they stuck with the Terriers by scoring three consecutive goals to counter Boston’s 4-0…

A close first half gave the smattering of fans something to cheer about; the second half was a different story. The Binghamton women’s lacrosse team trailed by only four going into the second half. The 8-4 deficit was manageable, but the visiting Vermont Catamounts had other plans for the second half; they scored three unanswered goals to start the final period and cruised to an 18-11 victory Wednesday at the East Gym Complex. The team continues to look for consistency in its game, as it has let teams score with too much ease. The porous defense forced Sandra Alvarez, who…

The victory was methodical and dominant for Stony Brook this weekend as the Binghamton women’s lacrosse team fell behind early and never recovered. The Seawolves powered to a 6-1 start to open the game and never looked back, cruising to a 21-7 win. The loss drops the Bearcats to 0-5. The BU defense allowed a total of 42 shots on goal, while the offense managed just 17. The porous defense caused many problems for Sandra Alvarez in goal, who did manage to fend off 20 of Stony Brook’s shots. “We need to stay consistent,” said head coach Emily Edmonston. “Once…

After playing its first four games on the road against some stiff competition, the Binghamton women’s lacrosse team finally holds its home opener tonight against St. Francis (Pa.). Both teams come into tonight’s matchup having lost their previous games, but nonetheless sport very different records. The Bearcats have lost four straight to open the season, while St. Francis has played just one game against Iona last week, where it was blown out 19-4. The matchup continues the tough schedule that the Bearcats will face this season, and is BU’s lone home game sandwiched between seven road games. The Bearcats are…

A four-game road trip to start the season, including a visit to nationally ranked Syracuse, makes it difficult to start a season off on the right foot. Binghamton’s women’s lacrosse team found that out this season, and finished its road stint with a loss to Siena this Wednesday, bringing its season record to 0-4. “We’ve prepared well and have been practicing hard; it’s just a problem of consistency,” said freshman attack Tracy Weinstein. “We need to play consistent the entire 60 minutes, not just the beginning and end of the game.” The Bearcats visited No. 12 Syracuse last Tuesday for…

What is the best outcome when there are two matches in three days after three matchless weeks? How about routing both opponents and improving to a school-best 6-0 in dual events this season? The Binghamton women’s tennis team clobbered both St. Bonaventure and Niagara this weekend winning 7-0 and 6-1, respectively. The Bearcats traveled north to St. Bonaventure on Friday and displayed superior talent and experience, steamrolling from beginning to end. As a team the Bearcats won every match played and dropped a total of only nine games; this included three perfect singles matches completed by Zeynep Altinay, Jenn Naegeli…

The only thing they have lacked in the past is confidence. For the past few seasons, the Binghamton women’s lacrosse team did not believe in its abilities, which resulted in only seven wins in the last two years. With a new practice arena, 11 of 12 starters returning, a fresh batch of talent in this year’s recruiting class and a new sense of confidence, this year could be one of the best in program history. “This is far and away the most productive preseason we’ve ever had in my three seasons here,” said third-year head coach Emily Edmonston. “Our program…

Despite nearly three weeks passing since its last match, the undefeated Binghamton women’s tennis team has a full weekend ahead of them. They will head to Olean, N.Y., to take on St. Bonaventure tonight before returning home on Sunday to face Niagara. The Bearcats will look to add to their 4-0 record in dual matches this season. Binghamton will face St. Bonaventure on the road later tonight. The Bonnies are coming off their third straight loss against Albany in a 5-2 decision. St. Bonaventure has yet to capture a victory in dual matches this season. Niagara University visits Binghamton with…

Binghamton’s women’s lacrosse team was in Connecticut this weekend, locked in a nail-biting battle. Looking to start the year with a win, the Bearcats found themselves tied at nine late in the game. The Pioneers of Sacred Heart University had other things in mind as they took control and nailed the game winner with 3:02 to play, handing the Bearcats a heartbreaking loss. The Bearcats wasted no time at the start of the game, netting three goals after just three minutes had passed to grab a 3-0 lead. Danielle Edwards netted the first score with an assist by Liz Wright.…

The streaking Binghamton women’s tennis team will play at home tonight for just the second time in the winter season. The Bearcats are undefeated in dual matches so far, and will look to continue that streak against the Highlanders from the New Jersey Institute of Technology tonight at the Binghamton Tennis Center. The Bearcats have the momentum coming in, after a dominating performance against the Colgate Red Raiders on Feb. 10. The Bearcats swept the doubles matches and grabbed four of the singles matches to secure their fourth straight dual match victory. The Highlanders come into town off a loss…

The Binghamton women’s lacrosse team, trying to improve on last season’s underwhelming record, has some hurdles to overcome if it wants to make strides. But the first step will not be overcoming an opponent, but the unfamiliar surroundings where they have to start. The Bearcats start their non-conference schedule against the Sacred Heart Pioneers this weekend. Sacred Heart is coming off its best conference season last year, going 7-1 against Northeast Conference opponents. Binghamton, looking to improve on last season’s 4-13 record, finally has access to a real practice facility at the Binghamton Indoor Sports Complex; the team had been…

The Binghamton women’s tennis team continued its winning streak Saturday at home, simultaneously handing Colgate its first loss and improving to 4-0 in dual matches — good enough for the Bearcats’ best start since joining Division I. The Bearcats had lost to Colgate in their previous two attempts. “Seton Hall [which the Bearcats defeated the previous Saturday] and Colgate are great schools,” said head coach Mike Stevens. “It feels great to get wins over quality programs. But we need to keep our focus on the road ahead.” Binghamton snatched all three doubles matches and secured the victory by taking four…

The first home match since September could not have come at a better time for the red hot Binghamton women’s tennis team. The Bearcats came in with a perfect record in dual matches, 3-0. Fresh off victories over Army and Seton Hall last weekend, the team looks to continue its winning ways at the expense of the Colgate Raiders. The 3-0 record in dual matches marks the team’s best start since it made the jump to Division I six years ago. Binghamton last faced Colgate in a dual meet nearly two years ago, with the Bearcats winning the match because…

Adam Goldberg, Keisha Short and Kim Williams came away from the Binghamton track teams’ season-opening Cornell Indoor Relays with school records this weekend. The record-breaking performances from the indoor track and field teams came only individually, as there were no team scores kept during the meet, during which Binghamton found a knack for setting school marks and coming up with second-place finishes. Goldberg, a graduate student, placed second in the men’s 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.2 seconds, a new Binghamton record, besting the previous mark of 8.31. Sophomore Kim Williams ran the women’s 60-meter dash, finishing in second…

You can add another one to the record books. Katie Radzik became the first Binghamton runner ever to win the ECAC Division I title this weekend at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx. Radzik crushed the competition, finishing 26 seconds ahead of the next runner. The race is Radzik’s fourth career victory and the largest field that she has defeated. “I think this is Katie’s best performance of the season,” said head coach Annette Acuff. “She improved on her time from last year by 25 seconds, and improved five spots to win it this year.” Tearing through the 5,000-meter course…

There’s more to Katie Radzik than just running. With the constant training that distance runners must go through, it is hard for them to focus on their studies, let alone take part in extracurricular activities. Combine those time demands and the strain the season takes on a runner, and what you get is one tired and busy athlete. But this model of the average cross country runner is drastically off the mark when you look at the star and leader of Binghamton cross country, Katie Radzik. Approaching her last race of the season this weekend, Katie can look back on…

You would think being one of the 25 best runners in the Northeast Region would be an impressive achievement on its own. But that’s old hat to Katie Radzik, who has accomplished this feat in 2006 for the second consecutive season. This weekend at the NCAA Northeast Regional, Radzik secured her second straight All-Northeast Cross Country honors by running a time of 22:14 on the 6,000-meter course at Van Cortland Park. At the race, only the top 25 of the 228 runners in the field receive the recognition; Radzik just made the cut, finishing in 25th. She placed 23rd last…

Who wants to run over three miles in cold rain and strong winds in a Division I conference championship race? The Binghamton University cross country teams do, and they did it well this weekend, with Katie Radzik leading the way with her fourth place finish as the Bearcats competed in Maine at the America East Cross Country Championship. Radzik received All-Conference honors for the second year in a row, running a time of 17:27 on the 5000-meter course. “I thought she ran a great time,” head coach Annette Acuff said. “A top-five finish was a realistic goal for Katie on…

Zeynep Altinay, Lya Kushnirovich and Jenn Naegeli finished off their fall season at the ITA East Regional at Hanover this weekend. It is a select tournament in which only certain players are invited; therefore, the Binghamton women’s tennis team presented one doubles team, comprised of Kushnirovich and Naegeli, while Altinay represented Binghamton at singles. Kushnirovich and Naegeli fell to Boston College’s doubles tandem of Dasha Cherkasov and Brittany Delaney, in a close match by a score of 8-5. Boston College, now a member of the ACC, is considered to be an elite team in its conference this season. Altinay played…

Binghamton’s Lya Kushnirovich pocketed her 71st career singles win this weekend as the Bearcats’ women’s tennis team played at the Cornell Invitational against Cornell and the University of Massachusetts. The event did not have team scoring. Kushnirovich is now just one victory behind teammate and current all-time school wins leader Zeynep Altinay. The Bearcats split their eight singles matches with Massachusetts. Kushnirovich defeated Masha Pozar of UMass 5-7, 6-1, 10-7 at second singles while teammate Danyelle Shapiro, at No. 5 singles, cruised by Stephanie Giminez of UMass 6-4, 6-0. Also, at first doubles Altinay and Erica Rosenblum were victorious over…

Finishing with 130 runners behind you is a great feeling in a field of 200. But finishing with 130 runners behind you in a field of only 134 is even better. Katie Radzik finished fourth at the Lafayette Invitational this weekend and ran a time of 20:37, leading the Bearcats to a sixth place finish on the 6000-meter course. Bearcat freshman Kelda Nelson also finished extremely well, placing 16th out 134 runners. Senior Mary Tursi, competing in one of her last races for Binghamton, placed 46th. On the men’s side, freshman Chris Gaube continued his strong running as the team’s…

What is better than getting a career-best placement at a race? How about finishing with a time faster than any other woman in Binghamton University history? Katie Radzik did just that last Saturday, breaking a Binghamton record for fastest time at the Lehigh Paul Short Run. She finished with a time of 21:14 in the 6,000-meter race. She also placed 13th, two spots ahead of her performance last year. “It felt really good,” Radzik said. “I felt a lot better than last year, and my time was a little better too.” Both the men’s and women’s teams were facing some…

With just 200 meters to go and the adrenaline surging, Katie Radzik trailed Colgate’s Elizabeth Kennedy by a small margin. Then, with the Bearcat faithful behind her, Radzik willed herself to pass Kennedy on the homestretch, winning the 5000-meter Binghamton Cross Country Invitational by one second at a time of 19:17.3. Radzik’s efforts helped the women’s cross country team defeated Siena in their dual meet despite falling to Columbia and Colgate, while the men’s team topped Siena but fell to Columbia. The Bearcat women were led by senior Mary Tursi, who was competing in her last home cross country meet…