The Binghamton University wrestling team has already made history this season, setting a school record for Division I dual meet wins and winning its first-ever Colonial Athletic Association tournament title. This Thursday at the NCAA tournament in Omaha, Neb., the team will look to put an exclamation point on its already successful season by crowning its first Division I national champion. The Bearcats have their best chance ever at achieving that goal, as they are sending six wrestlers to compete in the tournament. Junior Anwar Goeres (141 pounds), redshirt freshman Donnie Vinson (149), sophomore Justin Lister (157), senior Josh Patterson…

When Pat Popolizio took over head coaching duties for the Binghamton University wrestling team in 2006, he inherited a program in turmoil. The team went 0-12 in dual meets the season before, and the year preceding that Binghamton didn’t even have a wrestling team. In 2010, the Bearcats are Colonial Athletic Association champions. Tallying 87.5 points, Binghamton won the CAA tournament for the first time ever this past weekend at Rider University. The Bearcats’ best previous finish was fourth place, which was in last year’s tournament. Old Dominion University came in second place with 73 points, and host Rider rounded…

Ted Woodward has been with the University of Maine’s basketball program since 1996. He was an assistant coach for eight years, during which he was a part of the program’s only two 20-win seasons; he’s no stranger to success. Since taking over head coaching duties in 2004, however, success has been hard to come by. In his first five seasons as head coach, the Black Bears have finished below .500 each season, including a 9-21 record last season. Those losing seasons seem like a distant memory now. Maine finished the regular season with a 19-10 record, including an 11-5 conference…

The Binghamton University baseball team’s campaign to return to the NCAA tournament got off to a rough start this past weekend in Farmville, Virginia against Longwood University. The Lancers swept the Bearcats in the three-game series, who lost 9-8 in Game 1, 6-1 in seven innings in Game 2, and 8-5 in Game 3. The bullpen cost the Bearcats (0-3) Games 1 and 3. Taking an 8-3 lead into the bottom of the eighth inning in Game 1, the bullpen allowed five runs that inning. Longwood senior David Smiy Jr. hit a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the…

The great Ric Flair has said on many occasions, “To be the man, you’ve got to beat the man.” Of course Flair became famous for being a “fake” wrestler, but the Binghamton University wrestling team’s head coach Pat Popolizio had this mindset when scheduling a dual against his alma mater Oklahoma State University, a perennial powerhouse in college wrestling. Wrestling the Cowboys is a tough task; wrestling them in Stillwater, Okla. can be overwhelming. “Oklahoma State is one of the toughest places in the country to go wrestle,” Popolizio said. “We went there to gain valuable experience for the guys…

The Binghamton University wrestling team cemented its most successful dual-meet season as a Division I program last Thursday. The Bearcats recorded their 14th dual meet win by defeating East Stroudsburg University 35-3 at the Koehler Fieldhouse in East Stroudsburg. The 14 wins this season is the most Binghamton has ever had in Division I, surpassing the 13 wins they had in each of the past two seasons. It is also the highest total for the program since 1975. The Bearcats won nine of the 10 bouts. Freshman James Inghram recorded a major decision at the 125-pound weight class to start…

It had been 35 years since the Binghamton University wrestling team had won a dual meet against Hofstra University; that drought came to an end this past Saturday afternoon at the West Gym. The Bearcats (13-6-1, 4-1-1 CAA) defeated the eight-time reigning CAA champion Pride 28-8. They won seven of the 10 bouts. The loss was just Hofstra’s third loss in conference in its last 71 conference dual meets. Head coach Pat Popolizio was proud that his team was finally able to get over the hump and beat the Pride. “It was a very intense dual meet,” he said. “For…

Destiny. No, I am not making a reference to an episode of “Lost,” I am explaining why the New Orleans Saints will win Super Bowl XLIV. The stench of Archie Manning’s “’Aints” no longer lingers throughout the Louisiana Superdome. The Saints have the city of New Orleans in a frenzy, and none of this would be possible without the guy that wasn’t supposed to make it in the NFL — Drew Brees. Drew Brees’ impact on the franchise and the city of New Orleans can be summed up by the fact that many fans refer to him as “Breesus.” For…

Senior and reigning All-American Josh Patterson has pinned many opponents throughout his career. He led the nation last season with 22 of them. This past Thursday night when the Binghamton University wrestling team squared off against American University at the West Gym, Patterson recorded another pin-fall, but this one marked a milestone. Patterson, ranked 13th in the nation, pinned redshirt freshman Phillip Barreiro in 20 seconds at the 174-pound weight class, giving him his 113th career victory, making Patterson Binghamton’s all-time wins leader. The record was previously held by Mark Gumble, who was a three-time All-American and a NCAA Division…

Last weekend, the Binghamton University wrestling team took part in the 41st annual New York State Intercollegiate Championship at Cornell University. The Bearcats tallied 143.5 points as a team over the two-day tournament, finishing in fourth place out of 18 teams. Host Cornell won the tournament with 194 points. Army finished in second with 158, University at Buffalo came in third with 149.5, and Ithaca College rounded out the top five with 106 points. It was the first time Binghamton competed in the tournament since 2003, where they also finished in the top five, placing fifth out of 17 teams.…

The Binghamton University wrestling team was quite busy over the winter recess. It competed in two tournaments at the end of December, before competing in six dual meets this month, compiling a 2-3-1 record in those matches. Several Binghamton grapplers took part in the Wilkes Open on Dec. 28 at Wilkes University, finishing the tournament with three men placing. Senior 285-pound wrestler Corey Waite took second place, while redshirt freshman Garrett Morabito and redshirt junior Ryan McGarity each took third place, at 133 and 157 respectively. The Bearcats also sent wrestlers to the 47th annual Midlands Championship, one of college…

At last night’s Binghamton University men’s basketball game, there were several events going on, including a book drive and “Sportsmanship Night.” These events were organized by the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). SAAC President Bob Nolte explained SAAC’s mission. “The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee oversees student-athletes’ community service and well-being,” he said. “We represent the student-athletes’ voice to the administration. We’ve been doing different stuff throughout the years; last year we did St. Jude’s, this year we’re volunteering at a soup kitchen in Downtown Binghamton on Sundays, and we’re working on some other stuff as well.” Last night’s events focused on helping…

After an entire season of playing hard in Bearcat green, the only color that mattered for the men’s soccer team on Saturday was red. Binghamton University squared off against the University of Maryland, Baltimore County Retrievers in the quarterfinals of the America East tournament at the Bearcats Sports Complex. Unfortunately for the Bearcats, when the clock turned to 0:00, their season officially came to a close. The Bearcats took a heartbreaking 2-1 loss against the Retrievers after a red card forced them to play man-down for a long stretch of the match. It was the first time Binghamton lost a…

The Binghamton University men’s soccer team has already accomplished its goal of qualifying for the America East tournament. This Saturday night, the fourth-seeded Bearcats are scheduled to begin their next goal of capturing an America East championship at the Bearcats Sports Complex, when they host fifth seed University of Maryland, Baltimore County Retrievers for the second time in as many Saturdays. This past Saturday in their final conference match of the regular season, the Bearcats defeated UMBC 4-0. Although that result is a good omen for the Bearcats, playing a team twice within a week can present some new challenges.…

I am a Mets fan. To some people, they may assume that that means I am also a Yankee hater. This is not the case. I have never fully understood the constant gripe between Mets and Yankees fans. The two teams may “battle” for New York supremacy, but the fact of the matter is, there is no battle. The Yankees have always, and will always, be THE New York team synonymous with baseball. The Yankees are the most historic franchise in American sports. Some believe the Yankee hatred to stem from jealousy. Mets fans come in contact with Yankees fans…

Going into Saturday’s match the Binghamton University men’s soccer team, having already clinched a spot in the America East tournament, had one goal in mind: secure a home game for the first round of the playoffs. Although the Bearcats were successful in the end, defeating the University of Maryland, Baltimore County 4-0, getting there was not easy. The Bearcats took a 2-1 loss at the University of New Hampshire on Wednesday. Junior forward Dylan George netted both goals for UNH, with senior forward Chris Banks notching an assist on each one. Bearcats freshman Jake Keegan tied the game early in…

The Binghamton University men’s soccer team went into its match this past Saturday afternoon with a 2-6 record away from the Bearcats Sports Complex, including a 0-2 record in road conference games. Going into the second game of a three-game road trip, they could have let it get to their heads, but Saturday they showed they were taking a steadfast approach. After 89 minutes of back and forth action, redshirt freshman Matt Kristek rifled the game-winning goal past Catamount senior goalkeeper Tom Critz with just 21 seconds remaining to give the Bearcats a 2-1 victory at the University of Vermont.…

The Binghamton University men’s soccer team is scheduled to continue its road trip this Saturday afternoon at the University of Vermont. The match against the Catamounts will be the second game of a three-game road trip for the Bearcats. The Bearcats fell to 0-2 on the road in conference play following a loss at the University of Hartford Wednesday night. They’re just 2-6 away from the Bearcats Sports Complex this season. Binghamton head coach Paul Marco’s main concern for their next road tilt is getting his players in the right frame of mind. “It’s going to come down to the…

In front of a national television audience, courtesy of FOX Soccer Channel, the Binghamton University men’s soccer team defeated the Boston University Terriers 2-1 this past Friday night at the Bearcats Sports Complex. 931 fans came out to watch the pivotal America East match. The Bearcats (7-5-1, 2-1 AE) were coming off of an upset loss at the hands of Stony Brook University. Losing back-to-back conference matches could have been devastating. Ironically, it was Boston, who was previously ranked among the top 15 teams in the nation, that was coming off of two straight conferences losses. Those losses came at…

The term “home-field advantage” exists for a reason. Home teams have the edge of playing in their comfort zone and in front of their own fans. The Binghamton University men’s soccer team is no stranger to this, considering its 4-0-1 record at home this season and its 27-match regular season unbeaten streak at home. So it is no secret as to why the Bearcats have seen their share of struggles away from the Bearcats Sports Complex this season; teams will often play better on their home turf. This past Saturday, the Bearcats hit another road bump, this time at Stony…

The Binghamton University men’s soccer team won its conference opener Wednesday night, defeating the University at Albany 2-1 in an overtime thriller at a windy Bearcats Sports Complex. It was a back-and-forth match that was a prime example of how tough the America East conference is going to be this season. There was a fierce wind whipping through the air for the duration of the match. It had a severe effect on balls in the air, creating a tough task for the attackers. “Sometimes [the wind] picks up and swirls and keeps the ball in the air a little bit…

It was a special day on the Binghamton University campus this past Saturday. From the parking lot tailgate to the fireworks display, it was quite the experience for all of the alumni that made the trip for the Homecoming 2009 weekend, as well as the student body. The homecoming game is usually one of the best of the season for the men’s soccer team; this year was no exception. A record-setting sellout crowd of 2,604 fans filled the Bearcats Sports Complex Saturday night, as the Bearcats tied the University of Rhode Island 1-1 in a back-and-forth affair. After a scoreless…

Throughout the course of a season, a team is bound to have its high points and low points. Ideally, one would prefer not to be streaky, but those are the kind of results the Binghamton University men’s soccer team has seen thus far this season. They started the season 2-0, then lost three straight games. The Bearcats then strung together three wins, adding to the roller coaster ride that the season has been thus far. The Bearcats hit a snag on Wednesday night, when they were defeated 1-0 by Bucknell University at Emmitt Field at Holmes Stadium in Lewisburg, Penn.…

Three weeks on the road can ruin a team’s morale. For the the Binghamton University men’s soccer team, it only strengthened its resolve. The team is scheduled to play Niagara University at the Bearcats Sports Complex this Sunday. BU is making its long-awaited return home as the game will mark the Bearcats’ first home contest in over three weeks. The team is excited to be back playing at home, according to head coach Paul Marco. “Playing at home … it’s certainly easier on your body,” Marco said. “For the coaching staff, it’s easier for our families. For [the players], it’s…

The Binghamton University men’s soccer team knew it was in for some tough competition at the Nike/TLC Plumbing & Utility Invitational in Albuquerque, N.M., but the team was ready for the challenge. The Bearcats went 1-1 in the tournament hosted by the University of New Mexico. They took a tough 2-1 overtime loss on Friday night against Gonzaga University, but rebounded Sunday afternoon, defeating University of California, Davis 1-0. Head coach Paul Marco was pleased with the effort his team put forth. “We really played … well Friday night,” Marco said. “We just had a couple of letdowns … overall…