Going up against teams from powerhouse conferences SEC and Atlantic Sun Conference, the Binghamton University baseball team had an up-and-down weekend. The Bearcats split two games against the University of Tennessee and were swept by Kennesaw State in the University of Tennessee Tournament. Binghamton (1-6) picked up its first win of the year facing Tennessee (6-5), a member of the SEC which includes Vanderbilt, LSU, Georgia and Ole Miss. While the 7-4 win was followed by a 19-2 drubbing at the hands of the Volunteers, a victory against Tennessee was significant for the Bearcats. “I’m not sure a school from…

Marqus Blakely and Apolo Ohno: Among fans of their sports, both players have broken out this year to become superstars. Ohno was the face of the United States’ Olympic promotion efforts, and after winning three more medals this year is now the record holder for most Winter Olympic medals by an American. Blakely, on the other hand, has become just as decorated in the America East. He is tops in blocks, steals and offensive rebounds, and ranks second in scoring, rebounding and shooting percentage. Joe Zeglinski and Brian Rafalski: Both of these guys are veteran leaders on their squads who…

It’s America East tournament time once again, and the Binghamton University women’s basketball team is hoping to earn that coveted spot in the NCAA tournament. The Bearcats will need all of their talent, experience and recent momentum, though, to take on the Stony Brook University Seawolves and, potentially, the home team and No. 23 in the nation in the University of Hartford. Binghamton (11-18, 7-9 AE) is the No. 5 seed in the tournament, which matches the team up with No. 4 seed Stony Brook (9-19, 7-9 AE). It’s the sixth straight year the Bearcats have been in the 4-5…

With the Binghamton area being hit with heavy snow, it seems like an odd time to be thinking about freshly cut infield grass and the crack of baseballs off bats, as outfielders take fly balls while fighting the sun. For the Binghamton University baseball team, though, defending an America East title means that it’s time to think about spring once again. The Bearcats enter the year with a target on their backs as defending AE tournament champions and winners of an NCAA regional game. But at the same time, the team faces many doubts and questions as it faces major…

Coming off three straight losses, including one to the last-place team in the conference, the Binghamton University women’s basketball team is looking to pull out of its downward spiral at home Friday against the University of Maine. The Bearcats (9-18, 5-9 America East) are now sixth in the conference and in danger of falling into the 8-9 seeded play-in game for the tournament. After winning three of four at the end of January, Binghamton has now lost five of its last six games. On Monday the team lost to last-place University at Albany, giving the Great Danes just their second…

The Bearcats’ losing streak may have come to an end, but their recent success at home will be put to the test on Saturday as the Bearcats host defending conference champion University of Vermont. They will then go to the state capital for a Presidents’ Day matchup with the University at Albany. Binghamton University (9-15, 5-6 America East) is fourth in the conference, coming off a 34-point home win on Wednesday against sixth-place University of Maryland, Baltimore County. The victory was the Bearcats’ third straight at home and broke a two-game losing streak overall. Although BU is 4-2 at home…

After a couple of big road losses, the Binghamton University women’s basketball team will look to regain the magic it left at home more than a week ago. The Bearcats are set to face off against the University of Maryland, Baltimore County at 7 p.m. on Wednesday night in the Events Center. The game can be seen on Time Warner Sports. Binghamton (8-15, 4-6 America East) just completed a two-game road trip, in which it lost games to Boston University and Stony Brook University, dropping the Bearcats to sixth in the conference. The Bearcats have lost three straight on the…

After climbing back into contention with a pair of wins at home, the Binghamton University women’s basketball team suffered a setback on the road to Boston University, losing 79-56. The Bearcats (8-14) are now 4-5 in America East play, good for fourth in the conference. The team had won its previous two games, both at home, though those matches were against two of the bottom three teams in the America East. Boston (12-10, 8-2 AE), which is currently tied for second in conference, jumped out to a quick lead, going up 16-3 just seven minutes into the game, and leading…

Dec. 19 Opponent: University of Miami (7-1) Result: L, 68-52 Bearcat of the Game: Erica Carter. Carter, a senior starting guard, posted a team-high 17 points, 15 of which came off 3-pointers, shooting 43 percent overall. Carter also added three steals and four rebounds in the losing effort. Why They Lost: BU was outrebounded 51-28 for the game. More than half of Miami’s rebounds came on the offensive glass, creating 19 second-chance points. The Hurricanes also picked up 27 points off 21 Bearcat turnovers, compared to just five points off turnovers for BU. Miami had two 20-point scorers. Why They…

Every year, teams search for that mysterious ingredient that separates the champions from the rest. Some point to talent, others to leadership, others to character and still others to team chemistry. Well, it seems that, just to be safe, the America East champion Binghamton University women’s volleyball team covered all its bases. The talent was never in question on this team. The coaches in America East knew it — they predicted the Bearcats to finish first in the conference this year. History certainly didn’t present any arguments against it, as three of this year’s starters made the All-Conference first team…

The Binghamton University women’s volleyball team’s season has come to a close, and the final results were as good as anyone could have hoped. The Bearcats ended the year doing battle with the top team in the nation, though it was in a losing effort, after having overcome a low seeding to win the conference tournament. The Bearcats finish with a 15-16 overall record, and a 7-5 record in America East, including tournament matches. Binghamton earned a berth in the NCAA tournament and was given a matchup with top-seeded Penn State University in the first round, as was the case…

After overcoming the odds and winning the America East tournament, the Binghamton University women’s volleyball team will look to pull off an upset of epic proportions this weekend — or at least enjoy the experience of trying. The Bearcats (15-15, 5-5 AE) had to beat a hot University of New Hampshire team, and then three-time defending conference champion University at Albany, in order to take the America East crown. As winners of the conference, Binghamton has earned an automatic berth into the NCAA tournament, its first appearance since 2005. “They’re even more excited than I am,” said Binghamton head coach…

For the Binghamton University women’s volleyball team, it was an up-and-down year that included a No. 1 pick in the preseason poll, a 1-5 stretch in conference play, multiple heartbreaking five-set losses and a playoff spot earned via a tiebreaker. When it mattered most, though, the talent of the Bearcats shone through. The team upset No. 2 seed University of New Hampshire and No. 1 seed University at Albany to win the America East tournament and clinch a spot in the NCAA tournament. “It’s hard to describe,” said Binghamton head coach Glenn Kiriyama. “I’m very elated and just excited to…

Over the next two days, the champion of America East women’s volleyball will be decided. The Binghamton University Bearcats are just hoping that their talent and recent successes will propel them to the top this weekend. The Bearcats (13-15, 5-5 AE) are the No. 3 seed in the tournament, finishing in a tie with three other teams for second through fifth place in the conference. To make the tournament, Binghamton won its last two conference games after losing five of its previous six. According to senior Brianna Strong, the team is past its poor play. “I feel pretty good,” she…

A season filled with ups and downs has led to this: the Binghamton University women’s volleyball team will play in the America East tournament. The Bearcats (13-15, 5-5 AE) finished the year in a four-way tie for second place. The University of New Hampshire entered the weekend 3-5 in conference but beat both Stony Brook University and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County — who were 5-4 going into their matches — to put each of the teams at 5-5. With each of the four teams going 1-1 against the other three, the tiebreaker got complicated, but in the end…

It will be a fight to the finish for a playoff spot in the America East tournament, and the Binghamton University women’s volleyball team is determined to be one of those last teams standing after this weekend. The Bearcats (12-15, 4-5 America East) will play what amounts to a must-win game this Friday against the University of Hartford. Binghamton currently sits in fourth place in the conference, which would be good for the final playoff spot. Just a half-game up on fifth-place University of New Hampshire (11-14, 3-5 AE), a loss on Friday would open the doors for New Hampshire…

In a conference of talented and dominant teams, the Binghamton University women’s basketball team is looking to be more than just another face in the crowd. A squad on the rise, the Bearcats will need to discover their identity quickly in order to succeed, as they adjust to life without their former star. Binghamton finished last season 14-17 overall and 8-8 in America East. The team advanced to the America East semifinals as the No. 4 seed, beating fifth-seeded University of Maryland, Baltimore County in the quarterfinals. Binghamton was eliminated in the second round by Boston University, who went a…

It seems only fitting that the Binghamton University women’s volleyball team snapped its losing streak with a win against the team that handed the Bearcats their first loss of the conference season. Binghamton beat the University of Maryland, Baltimore County Retrievers on Saturday, after losing to Stony Brook University on Friday. With the win, the Bearcats (12-14, 4-5 America East) ended a season-high five-match losing streak and held on to their fourth-place position, which would prove to be good for the final seed in the America East tournament. Losing both games would have put them in fifth, behind the University…

The fate of the Binghamton University volleyball team’s season may depend on the outcome of two matches this weekend. The Bearcats are set to face off against Stony Brook University on Friday and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County on Saturday. Binghamton (11-13, 3-4 America East) is clinging to the fourth and final spot in the AE playoffs, just one game up on the University of New Hampshire. The Bearcats lost to the Wildcats in three sets in their last match. Though Binghamton won three of its first four conference matches, they have now lost four of five in the…

Fans of the Binghamton University women’s volleyball team are beginning to reach for the panic button, as the America East’s projected No. 1 seed lost another match in conference, this time to the University of New Hampshire, 3-0. The Bearcats also dropped a nonconference match to Colgate, 3-2. At 3-4 in conference, Binghamton (11-13) now sits in fourth in the America East. The Bearcats have lost four of their last five in conference, and five of their last six overall. Meanwhile, UNH (10-14, 2-5 AE) picked up its second conference win on the year and split the season series with…

A potential statement weekend against the defending champions turned into a pair of disappointing losses for the Binghamton University women’s volleyball team. The Bearcats once again struggled against conference foe University at Albany, losing both on the road and at home. Binghamton (11-11, 3-3 America East) had won its first two conference matches but is currently 1-3 in its last four, including two losses at home. The Bearcats are tied for third place in the conference with Stony Brook University. “We’re playing good teams,” said Binghamton head coach Glenn Kiriyama. “Albany’s a really solid team. It’s not like we’re playing…

If the Binghamton University women’s volleyball team is going to have a defining moment this season, it could very well come this weekend. The preseason conference favorites will face off against three-time defending America East tournament champion University at Albany over the weekend in a home-and-home series. The Bearcats (11-9, 3-1 AE) are coming off a three-set win over Stony Brook University on Sunday. Prior to that match, the Bearcats rallied back from two sets down before falling in five sets to the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Both matches were at home and freshman Alex Roland was named America…

A team’s character can be seen in the way it handles adversity — some are crushed, but a select few will rise to the occasion. Over the weekend, the Binghamton University women’s volleyball team showed that they aren’t a team that will just lie down when times are tough. The Bearcats (11-9, 3-1 America East) rallied back from a two-set deficit in their first match of the weekend home stand before finally losing in the fifth set. The team bounced back from the heartbreaking loss, taking their match on Sunday in three sets. Despite the 1-1 weekend, Binghamton has still…

As students prepare for midterms, the Binghamton University women’s volleyball team will be getting ready for some tests of its own. After defeating two winless conference opponents in their last two matches, the Bearcats will have to deal with a pair of 2-0 conference foes at home this weekend. “Their confidence is high,” said Binghamton University head coach Glenn Kiriyama. “They’re playing pretty well. They’ve played a couple of teams now in the America East and they’ve done well. Hopefully they can carry that over into the next few weekends here. I think the opponents will be a little bit…

It’s a well-known principle that great teams win the games they’re supposed to. Beating the last-place Hartford Hawks 3-0, the Binghamton University women’s volleyball team did just that Sunday afternoon. For the Bearcats (10-8, 2-0 America East), the win was their fourth straight and the 10th in their last 13 regular-season conference matches. Binghamton is one of four America East teams that are 2-0 in conference. According to Binghamton head coach Glenn Kiriyama, the team is stepping up to the pressure of these conference matches. “It’s pretty intense,” he said. “They know every match is big from here on out.…

Conference play is upon Binghamton University for the fall sports, and the volleyball team has high expectations to live up to. This weekend, they’ll try to avoid a potential pitfall against the University of Hartford. The Bearcats (9-8, 1-0 America East) will be heavily favored entering the match. The preseason coaches’ choice to finish first in the conference, Binghamton comes into the match having won its last three matches, dropping just two sets in that span. The team won its conference opener last Friday, beating the University of New Hampshire, 3-1. Binghamton also features multiple players who are in their…

Predictions in sports are never a sure thing, but the Binghamton University volleyball team took the first step in proving the predictions of the coaches of the America East right: The coaches’ preseason favorite to win the AE took their first match of the conference season, beating the University of New Hampshire 3-1. The Bearcats (9-8, 1-0 AE) are riding a three-game winning streak, which immediately followed a three-game stretch of losses. They are currently one of four 1-0 teams in the conference. New Hampshire (8-11, 0-2 AE) came into the match having won all four games of their road…

After getting a taste of life back home, the Binghamton University women’s volleyball team was on the road again, taking one of three in West Point over the weekend. The Bearcats (6-6) are midway through a six-game road stretch that includes matches at Army and Yale University. Binghamton is 3-6 on the road so far this season. The Bearcats opened the West Point Challenge on Saturday against the University of Iowa (8-4). Keeping the score close at 10-10 in the first set, the match had the makings of a tight battle. However, the Hawkeyes would proceed to go on a…

The Binghamton University women’s volleyball team’s first weekend at home meant a return to the cheers of supporters, the presence of family and friends and the jeers of those heckling the opposing team. Not coincidentally, it also meant a return to the team’s winning ways. Coming off of three losses last week, the Bearcats (5-4, 0-0 America East) hosted the 2009 Binghamton Invite hoping to turn things around in their first matches at home this year. BU did just that, dropping just one of the 10 sets they played over the weekend en route to a tournament championship. “It’s always…

An auspicious start to the women’s volleyball team’s season hit a snag last weekend as the Bearcats were swept 3-0 in each of their three matches at the Marquette Challenge. The team will look to bounce back as it hosts its own tournament here in Binghamton this weekend. The Bearcats (2-4, 0-0 America East) were coming off a 2-1 weekend at the Hofstra tournament before the three losses. Binghamton head coach Glenn Kiriyama hoped the tough weekend served a good purpose. “Every team’s got to deal with it [losing] and work to get past that,” he said. “It is a…

The Binghamton University volleyball team isn’t going to catch anyone by surprise this season. A year after finishing second, despite being projected to end up in fourth, the Bearcats are the preseason favorites to take the America East title. In the annual poll of the six AE coaches, Binghamton University received four first-place votes and a total of 26 points. That put the team ahead of three-time defending champion University at Albany, which received two first-place votes and 19 points. The Bearcats are coming off of a 9-3 conference season (16-15 overall) and a second-place finish. After defeating UMBC in…

Saturday was a dark spot in an otherwise bright season for the Binghamton University baseball team as the Bearcats dropped both games of its doubleheader against the University of Maine. Binghamton lost its games 11-2 and 2-0, marking the first time the Bearcats have been swept in a doubleheader in conference play this year. The Bearcats’ offense, which has been potent of late, had not scored two runs or less in both games of a doubleheader since they played the University of New Mexico on March 7. Senior left-hander Jeff Dennis opened the series and did not have the kind…

When both the offense and the pitching are playing to their potential, Binghamton University’s baseball team is tough to stop. Maryland-Baltimore County found this out the hard way over the weekend as the Bearcats won both games of a rain-shortened weekend series. The teams were scheduled to play four games in Baltimore over the weekend, but the Sunday doubleheader was rained out, with the games not currently scheduled to be made up. Binghamton (23-15, 10-2 America East) won the Saturday opener, 10-0, and the night game, 9-3. The team’s two aces, senior Jeff Dennis and junior Murphy Smith, each pitched…

Late-inning heroics once again lifted the Binghamton University baseball team as it used a three-run eighth inning to beat Marist College, 8-5, on Tuesday. The win was the 12th in 14 games for the Bearcats (21-15, 8-2 America East) and extended its winning streak to five games. Marist fell to 22-20 on the year. The game also marked the end of non-conference play for Binghamton, as its final 12 regular season games are scheduled against conference opponents. “Momentum and confidence and character, the belief in each other, I think all those things are important, and I think that’s what a…

It didn’t matter whether the Binghamton University baseball team was playing at home or on the road this weekend, because it was ready to win. The Bearcats swept four games from the New Jersey Institute of Technology, winning two games in Binghamton and two in New Jersey. “I think it’s hard to sweep any team,” said BU head coach Tim Sinicki. “It doesn’t happen very often. It’s a good feeling and a real tribute to our guys for staying focused, showing the ability of not easing off and instead trying to go for the kill when we had a team…

Binghamton University’s offense was hot at the plate on Tuesday, but they couldn’t convert hits into runs as the Bearcats fell to Army, 5-2. Despite the loss, the Bearcats (16-15, 8-2 America East) are enjoying some praise for individual players, with Dave Ciocchi being honored as America East Player of the Week and Greg Lane being named to the watch list for Stopper of the Year. Traveling to West Point, Binghamton faced an Army team (21-16) that was coming off of a four-game sweep of Lehigh University. The Bearcats started freshman right-hander Alex Adami, who had given up two runs…

It was a weekend of late-inning heroics for the Binghamton University baseball team, as they used late rallies to take three of four games from conference rival Stony Brook University. Every game of the series was decided by one run, and in all but one game the winning run scored in the final inning. “We talked to our guys about a heightened level of focus and concentration during the conference games, and when they get played out like they did this last weekend, they’re gut-wrenching at times,” said Binghamton head coach Tim Sinicki. “I think as an athlete and as…

A surging offense and team-first attitude have helped the Binghamton University baseball team prove why they were picked to win the America East this year. The Bearcats (13-13) went 6-3 over spring break, including 5-1 against conference opponents. “We don’t want to be peaking in March,” said Binghamton head coach Tim Sinicki. “We want to be peaking come conference time, and it seems like we’ve been playing some of our best baseball as of late.” After playing their first 17 games on the road, the break also marked the team’s first games at home this season. The Bearcats took advantage…

Pitching was the story this weekend, as the Binghamton University baseball team took three out of four games from Lehigh University. The Bearcats (6-7) have now won five of their last six games, rebounding from a poor performance against the University of New Mexico earlier this month. BU’s starters showed more promise this weekend, as a freshman and a sophomore each earned their first win of the year. The team’s relievers only had to pitch one inning total in the first three games. Meanwhile, the Mountain Hawks (4-18-1) have lost 14 of 16, though their sole win of the weekend…

While the men’s basketball team was securing a place in the conference finals, the Binghamton University men’s wrestling team was playing in a championship of their own. The Bearcats had six wrestlers place at the Colonial Athletic Association Championship in Virginia over the weekend, leading to a fourth place finish overall. Of the six wrestlers who placed, two finished third, three finished fourth and 184-pound junior Josh Patterson finished first, earning him an automatic berth in the NCAA tournament. “I thought we achieved pretty much our goal we set out to achieve, placing as many guys as we possibly could…

New Mexico proved to be a harsh environment for the Binghamton University baseball team as the Bearcats suffered a four-game sweep over the weekend at the hands of the University of New Mexico. The Bearcats (1-6) were outscored 66-9 in the four games, including a 30-2 loss on Saturday. Only two of the 13 pitchers who made an appearance for BU were able to avoid giving up a run. The Lobos (13-2) fell behind quickly to Binghamton in the series opener on Friday. Junior left fielder Joe Charron hit a home run with two outs in the top of the…

CENTERS New Hampshire: Sophomore Dane DiLiegro is fifth in the conference in rebounding and shoots over 50 percent from the field. The Wildcats’ backup big man, sophomore Jose Valladares, doesn’t put up significant numbers. Stony Brook: The Seawolves don’t start a pure center, preferring to play their taller forwards instead. The team’s centers off the bench have seen their minutes cut even more in conference play, preventing any of them from being an individual threat, though junior Desmond Adedeji will block shots when he’s on the floor. Advantage: New Hampshire FORWARDS New Hampshire: UNH starts one forward in junior and…

Going into the season, it was expected that if there was a first-round matchup between the University of New Hampshire and Stony Brook University in the America East men’s basketball championship, it would be as the No. 8 vs. No. 9 seeds. Instead, the teams will battle tomorrow as the surprise fourth and fifth seeds as the tournament begins at Albany. The UNH Wildcats (13-15, 8-8 AE), picked to finish seventh in the conference in the coaches’ preseason poll, carry the momentum coming into the game. The team has won four of its last five games, with their only setback…

After winning a school-record 29 games last year, the Binghamton University baseball team notched its first of the year this weekend, taking one game out of its three-game set against Dallas Baptist University. BU (1-2), the favorite to win the America East in the preseason coaches’ poll, lost its match Friday and split a Sunday doubleheader to the Patriots, who were a 30-win team last year and are now 2-1. This is the only matchup between the two teams this year. “What I expect to see is competitive-type spirit, which I thought we had,” said Binghamton head coach Tim Sinicki…

With the conference and national championships just a few weeks away, Binghamton University’s men’s wrestling team was reeled in by a pair of Cowboy teams on Sunday, losing 40-6 to No. 15 Oklahoma State and 27-9 to the University of Wyoming. The losses snapped a three-game winning streak by BU. Going in it was clear that the games would not be easy for the Bearcats (12-14), as they faced a ranked team with a 12-7 record and another opponent with an 11-3 record that had only lost to ranked opponents. According to Binghamton head coach Pat Popolizio, even the pre-game…

It was a cakewalk in Clifton Park as the Binghamton University men’s wrestling team swept their two matches on Sunday. The Bearcats beat Boston University, 18-16, followed by a 31-3 win over Lycoming College. The wins snapped a five-match losing streak for Binghamton University, pushing the team’s record up to 11-12 and 2-4 in the Colonial Athletic Association. Josh Patterson, a 184-pound junior, won his one bout of the day against Boston University, improving his record to 34-4. He is now ranked No. 8 in the nation by InterMat. Matt Kaylor, a 147-pound redshirt freshman, was unable to improve on…

It’s been a rocky road for the young Binghamton University wrestling team. Even though it has had its struggles, the team has begun to develop. The Bearcats (9-12) have been up and down all year, and are currently riding a five-game slide. While it would be easy to dismiss the Bearcats as another average team, it’s important to look behind the wins and losses to see what’s really happening. Over their last eight matches, of which Binghamton has lost seven, the team has faced two ranked opponents and two opponents with excellent records (Virginia Tech and American University). The Bearcats…

While Binghamton University students were taking a break from the school year, the wrestling team was fighting to discover how good it really was. The Bearcats went 4-6 from Dec. 12 to Jan. 24, showing flashes of their potential but struggling against top teams. “I think we’ve competed pretty well,” said Bearcats head coach Pat Popolizio. “We’ve wrestled a lot of great competition, and we’ve been learning from our experiences and mistakes we’ve made. As the year goes on, they improve and get better and better, and that’s what we’re shooting for right now.” The Bearcats (9-10) began their stretch…

It was a dark night for Binghamton University’s men’s wrestling team Friday night, but its star junior remained the shining light in a 37-3 loss to No. 19 Hofstra. The Bearcats’ (5-5, 0-1 Colonial Athletic Association) only win came from 184-pound junior Joshua Patterson in the first bout. BU was coming off a performance at the Penn State Open in which they had six wrestlers place. However, after the first bout, they were not in this match. On the other hand, the Pride (3-1, 1-0 CAA) have won 61 straight matches in conference. “We were wrestling one of the top…

Whether she is in her home country in Europe or attending school in the United States, one thing has remained constant for Binghamton University sophomore Anna Lejina: volleyball reigns supreme. Raised in the Northern European country of Latvia, Lejina attended Riga Secondary School and became a two-year letter winner there. She spent her freshman year of college attending the University of Latvia before transferring to BU. During her time in Latvia she was named to the Latvian Junior National Team, which is no small feat. So 20-year-old Lejina came to the United States to study and play volleyball for BU.…

Although this season is still young, one member of the Binghamton University men’s wrestling team has already established himself nationally. Junior Joshua Patterson has been ranked No. 14 by InterMat and No. 9 by WrestlingReport.com. The 184-pound wrestler has been slowly moving up the ranks, starting the year at No. 18, according to InterMat. He has started out the year with a stellar 11-2 record overall, with six pins. People expected great things from Patterson this year. A senior High School National Champion, he qualified for the Division I NCAA Championships each of his first two years. In his freshman…

The Binghamton University men’s wrestling team has had an up-and-down season, but is currently on a high after defeating East Stroudsburg University last night. The Bearcats (5-4) defeated the Warriors last night by a score of 24-17. The win marked the Bearcats’ second straight for the season. On the other end, it was only the Warriors’ second match this year; they first fell to Drexel University, 22-11, on Nov. 18. Junior Josh Patterson, currently ranked 14th in the country in the 184-pound weight class, led the way for Binghamton with his pin on Warriors freshman Trevor Salvatore. It was Patterson’s…

The Cinderella run is over for the Binghamton University women’s volleyball team. BU lost to Albany in the America East finals, wrapping up their up-and-down season. Binghamton was able to beat UMBC in the semifinals, but could not hold off top-seeded Albany, who beat the Bearcats both times the teams met this year. The loss gives BU a strong final conference record of 10-4, including tournament play. The Bearcats also finish with an overall 17-16 record in the regular and postseason, an accomplishment after their 4-11 start to the year. “They performed well, especially during the conference,” said head coach…

All season long, the Binghamton University women’s volleyball team has worked toward one goal: the America East Tournament. This afternoon, the Bearcats begin their efforts of realizing that goal. Today at 4 p.m., Binghamton (15-14, 9-3) plays third seed UMBC (18-12, 7-5). The winner will play the winner of the match between Albany and Maine in the finals to determine the America East Champions, and who will get a shot in the NCAA Tournament. All games will take place at the home of the top seed, Albany. The Bearcats and the Retrievers have already faced off twice so far this…

For the Binghamton University women’s volleyball team, it’s playoff time. The Bearcats finished up their regular season with a 1-1 weekend. Their final record for the year stands at 15-14, with a 9-3 record in the America East, a two-game improvement over last year’s conference mark. The No. 2-seeded Bearcats will match up against the No. 3 seed UMBC, while top seed Albany will face No. 4-seeded Maine. BU opened the weekend on the road against the University of Maine (14-12, 7-5). Binghamton had won the last meeting between the two by a large margin, but this time that would…

It’s nearly playoff time for the Binghamton University women’s volleyball team. But before they can think about the America East Tournament, the Bearcats will have to finish up the regular season with two road matches against conference opponents this weekend. BU (14-13, 8-2 America East) will finish up its season with away games this weekend at the University of Maine and the University of New Hampshire. The Bearcats have beaten each of the teams once already this season, including a dominating win over Maine on Oct. 10. The Bearcats, coming off a 1-1 weekend, have already secured the No. 2…

The Binghamton University women’s volleyball team went into a pivotal weekend and came out with a win, but not the decisive blowout they hoped for. The Bearcats split the weekend, beating UMBC and losing to first-place Albany. Binghamton (14-13) is now 8-2 in conference play, with both losses coming against the Great Danes. The weekend also clarified their playoff position, as Binghamton is now assured the No. 2 seed in the America East tournament. “I thought we played hard; I didn’t think we played too bad,” said BU head coach Glenn Kiriyama. The weekend began on Friday with Senior Night,…

The America East women’s volleyball playoffs don’t start for another two weeks, but this weekend could have serious postseason implications for Binghamton University. The Bearcats will be facing two tough opponents in UMBC tonight at 6 p.m. and Albany on Sunday at 1 p.m. Both matches are at home — the last home games of the regular season. The UMBC Retrievers (16-10, 5-4AE) are third in the conference, directly behind Binghamton. The team comes off a much-needed win against America East opponent New Hampshire, which snapped a four-match losing streak. One of those losses was a close home loss to…

The World Series is over, the baseball power rankings are done and Manny is done jogging out ground balls. With the season over, an equally intriguing time begins: the offseason. It’s that time of year, full of free agents, trades and baseless rumors. This year in particular is an interesting one. There are Cy Young winners, future Hall of Famers and Gold Glovers up for grabs. The New York teams are looking to make significant changes after missing the playoffs — especially the Yankees, who have about $80 million freeing up and a new stadium opening next year. Plus, teams…

On Sept. 24, the Binghamton University women’s volleyball team had a 4-11 record and was looking at a potentially very disappointing year. Now, a month later, after yet another strong weekend, the Bearcats have solidified their turnaround with a berth in the America East Tournament. BU swept both the Hartford Hawks and the Stony Brook Seawolves over the weekend. This, in combination with a UMBC win over New Hampshire, clinched a playoff spot for the Bearcats (13-12, 7-1) for the fifth straight year. Having won nine of their last 10, this also marks the first time this squad has been…

Even when not playing conference opponents, the Binghamton University women’s volleyball team proves that they are a force to be reckoned with. The team pulled out a three-set sweep of the Cornell Big Red in Cornell on Tuesday, improving its record to 11-12. The Bearcats have won seven of their last eight matches and remain 5-1 in conference, second to Albany’s 7-0 mark in the America East. BU jumped out early against the Big Red (7-12), utilizing a 14-2 run to put the set out of reach on the way to a 25-17 win. “In order to do that, our…

A combination of conference play and playing at home proved to be the perfect ingredients for victory. Over the weekend, Binghamton University’s women’s volleyball team defeated America East Conference opponents Maine and New Hampshire. The wins put the Bearcats (9-11) at a perfect 4-0 in conference play so far this season. The team seems to have hit its stride as it rides its five-game winning streak, its longest of the year. “Well they’ve started out conference really strong, and I think their confidence level is high right now,” said BU head coach Glenn Kiriyama. “They go into each match thinking…

The Binghamton University women’s volleyball team couldn’t have asked for a better start in their quest to make the America East Tournament, rolling over conference foes Stony Brook University and the University of Hartford at home over the weekend. The Bearcats (7-9) are now 2-0 in conference play, an important step for a team that, though it has performed well in years past during this time of year, is relatively young and new to the environment. Conference wins not only help teams get into the America East Tournament, but they can also build confidence for later matches against conference opponents.…

Baseball’s Cathedral. The House that Ruth Built. The Stadium. Parkland? When you look at baseball’s historic ballparks, three names come to mind: Fenway Park in Boston, Wrigley Field in Chicago and, of course, Yankee Stadium in New York. Very soon, that list will dwindle to two. Next year, the New York Yankees will move into their new, state-of-the-art ballpark across the street from the current one. The team gets a brand new park and fans get a cleaner stadium. It seems like a good deal. Everyone wins, right? Not quite. While the new stadium may seem just like the old…

Binghamton University women’s volleyball fans, it’s time to get excited again. Not only did the team pull out a solid home win over Robert Morris on Sunday afternoon, BU’s win over the Colonials (10-6) gives the team some much needed momentum going into the highly anticipated conference play after having won just one of its previous eight matches. “The win against Robert Morris really helped out our confidence,” said head coach Glenn Kiriyama. “We definitely needed that win, especially going into the conference season.” Things looked bleak early for the Bearcats (5-11) as they lost the first set, 25-22, despite…

They may not have come out smelling like roses, but the Binghamton University women’s volleyball team was able to salvage one win as it went 1-2 over the weekend. The Bearcats (4-10) faced a tough slate at the Bowling Green Invitational, with all of their opponents either having winning records or close to winning records going into the tournament. However, the team knew from the start the challenge they would face. “Going into the Bowling Green tournament, we knew there were going to be tough teams, but we also thought that we would have a chance to beat any of…

By Justin Mathew America’s first colony was the last place the Binghamton University Bearcats wanted to be this weekend, as the women’s volleyball team was swept in three matches in the Marriott Jefferson Cup at the University of Virginia. The Bearcats’ (3-7) opponents ran the gamut from a sub-.500 team in Appalachian State University (2-8), to a team with a middling record in Virginia Commonwealth University (5-4), to an apparent powerhouse in host school Virginia (7-2). However, regardless of the opponent, the final result was the same: a furious Binghamton rally, eventually leading to a loss. “It’s still fairly early…