If there is one thing that comes with attending Binghamton University, it is school pride. It is a kind of pride that doesn’t go away when a student graduates.
Athletics are extremely important here in Bearcat Land. In the past few years, some serious talent has passed through Binghamton, and these former undergrads have remained proud of their school.
Between 2007 and 2009, notable athletes such as Reggie Fuller, Jacki Kane, Rory Quiller, Mike Gordon and Scott Diamond have all moved on from the University. These tremendous players each went right back to work and continue to achieve new heights every day.
From Bing to Europe
The most recent athletes continuing in their accomplishments are basketball mavens Gordon and Fuller. Many may remember Fuller for helping to lead Binghamton to its first NCAA tournament in the history of the program. Gordon, who graduated in 2008, was just as much of a tour-de-force while on the team, averaging 12.5 points a game in his senior year. Fuller averaged over 10 points per game in his senior season.
Fuller is currently playing in Germany for the Cuxhaven BasCats, and the basketball star has had an outstanding first season with the team, averaging 12.9 points per game. With no intention of stopping his athletic career, it seems that he is only getting better after college. Despite all his success, he still keeps himself grounded, touting good study habits and setting an example in an interview with www.AmericaEast.com.
“It’s important to always act like a role model,” he said in early 2009, “even when you think people aren’t paying attention … I have been at two schools and I can say for sure that if you don’t do well in class, you will not play. I don’t think young kids understand what it takes to be successful both on the court and in the classroom.”
After taking a year off, Gordon also signed with a team in Germany, named BSV Wulfen. Though he’s still successful overseas, he still talks of the pride that comes with being a Bearcat.
“[The best thing about being a Bearcat is] the pride that the school has,” Gordon told www.AmericaEast.com in an interview. “I respect the staff and students. No matter what happens, everyone seems to be there for you.”
Kane reports
The graduates from 2007 and 2008 were unforgettable. The most notable players were volleyball MVP Kane, pitcher Diamond and track star Quiller. These three athletes have all traded in their student titles to become extremely successful, all while embodying Bearcat pride.
Jacki Kane was one the best volleyball players while she was at Binghamton, making the America East first-team All-Conference three consecutive times, setting a school record of 609 blocks and even getting a nomination for America East Woman of the Year in her senior year.
After graduating, instead of continuing her sport, Kane began a job as a reporter for FOX40 the very next day. After working there for two years, she joined the WWLP News NBC team earlier this month. Though she is no longer an athlete, Kane retains the lessons she learned from being a Bearcat.
“I just finished printing out a bunch of awards that I won when I played volleyball,” Kane said. “I was thinking it’s kind of silly that I’m putting this stuff up because I graduated three years ago, but it gives me confidence. I’m nervous. I’m starting a new job, but then I just look back at my career and I did great things individually and I did good things with my team too. It just makes me have confidence and it makes me proud of myself.”
BU: Home of the Brave
In contrast to Kane’s change of focus, Scott Diamond has chosen a career in baseball. The lefty pitcher had impressive collegiate stats — a 1.85 ERA, a then-school record of 37 starts and America East Conference Rookie of the Year honors in 2005.
After three years at Binghamton, Diamond was signed by the Atlanta Braves. He shined with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, the Braves high Class A minor league team, leading the league with 12 wins and a 2.79 ERA. His baseball career shows no signs of slowing. Last summer he was part of the Canadian team for the World Baseball Classic. But the Binghamton academic spirit and pride is still instilled in Diamond, and he is determined to finish college and get his engineering degree from Watson.
“I’m proud of it always,” he said of being a Bearcat. “With the problem that happened in this past the fall with the basketball program, I’m still proud, still proud to talk about it. And whenever someone approaches me and asks where I went to college, I’m always proud to tell them. I still don all of my Binghamton gear, and I still have a ton of T-shirts in my wardrobe, so it means a lot.”
The NCAA champ
Rory Quiller may have been one of the single greatest athletes at Binghamton University during his time on the track and field team. Among his many accolades are a team MVP, his victory in the pole vault at the AE Indoor Championship as a freshman and a Binghamton University Male Athlete of the Year award in his sophomore year. He broke meet records in the pole vault at both the Indoor and Outdoor championships as a senior. As a post-grad, he became the first-ever BU athlete to win a Division I NCAA championship.
Quiller continues to exhibit his school pride as a graduate student here at Binghamton. He is also one of the assistant coaches this season for the track team. His outstanding athletic record makes it clear that the recent talent emerging from Binghamton athletics is nothing to be taken lightly.
Earlier this year the basketball scandal rocked the Binghamton community, especially the athletic department. However, in true Bearcat style, the school and its alumni rallied around their team, wore their green and white and supported their school in other athletic events. It is this pride, the former Bearcats say, that makes Binghamton and its athletes so great. Kane put it best when discussing what it means to her to be a Bearcat.
“And after all those scandals and everything,” she said. “I’m still proud to be a BU athlete and it gives me confidence, and I’m full of pride because of that.”