Spring Sports Preview 2016

The Daily Princetonian

Thursday february 25, 2016

Spring Preview

page S1

{ www.dailyprincetonian.com }

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Woman’s water polo seeks repeat

Track and field show promise

Baseball returns veteran core

S6

S5

S2

MEN’S LACROSSE Difficult schedule to put men’s lacrosse to the test

By Andrew Steele sports editor emeritus

Under warm skies this past Saturday, Princeton men’s lacrosse emerged from their first game with a convincing 21-4 victory. NJIT, a new set of faces for the crowd at Class of 1952 Stadium, held 1-1 share of the lead for just under one minute. The next 12 goals would be scored by individuals wearing the Tigers’ home white uniforms. Anything is possible, but it’s not likely that Princeton will manage a 12-goal streak against their upcoming slate of opponents: Hofstra, No. 6 Johns Hopkins and No. 4 Maryland.

Again, anything is possible.

But it’s certain that, in the coming months, the Tigers will face very many of the nation’s best teams. To represent how it’s possible to attain even lofty goals with dedication over time, they employ a visual metaphor of a wall. The ‘player of the practice’ places a brick in the wall with words of a concept he considers important to success. At the completion of the wall is the Ivy League trophy. Last year, Princeton was a single goal away from hoisting that cup but ended their season with an 11-10 loss to Yale in the championship game.

Senior midfielder Austin deButts, 2015 team leader in caused turnovers, consulted his older brother, Hunter deButts ’14, on the matter of what his particular words should be. The two settled on reference to a newspaper, “Men Wanted” advertisement for the Antarctic expedition of Sir

Earnest Henry Shackleton. bler will likewise be looked to for “It says,” deButts explained, offensive firepower. In addition “‘Men wanted. Low wages. Eter- to his being named a team capnal darkness. Chance of survival tain, Ambler recently joined the limited. Possible honor and glory ranks of Princeton players who upon return.’ That’s just kind of have been selected in the Major the group of guys we have.”

League Lacrosse draft — includIn order to realize said honor ing the aforementioned Orban and glory, Princeton will be able and MacDonald as well as midto draw upon a strong core of fielder Tom Schreiber ’14. His returning players. Despite that play has been refined through fact, many rightly perceive that three years of starting nearly evthe program lost two standout ery game — last season saw him seniors to graduation. tally 51 points on 22 goals and 29 Attackman Mike MacDonald assists. and midfielder Kip Orban tal“He’s played a big role in implelied 48 and 45 of Princeton’s 180 menting the system dynamic of goals in the spring of 2015. Com- moving off-ball and getting guys bined, just over half. That kind of in the right spots,” deButts said. production does not come about “His leadership’s been really aweautomatically. But the Tigers re- some this year.” main hopeful that last year’s sucWhile Currier and Ambler cesses can be improved upon. will shine against nearly any deOn offense, Princeton fans will fender in the nation, the question have the good fortune of watch- of Princeton’s offensive identity ing the play of 2015 second-team is somewhat unresolved at this all-Ivy selection Zach Currier. early point in the season. When The sophomore midfielder hails asked how he would define his from Peterborough, Ont. and team’s offense, from the perspechas found himself on a number tive of a defenseman, sophomore of preseason all-America lists. Daniel Winschuh gave the folRightly so. He regularly makes lowing explanation, “Fight to defenders and goalies look fool- eight (yards) and hammer the ish with his repertoire of skills. pipes.” To explain, ‘eight yards’ What’s more, he makes opposing refers to the ideal shooting disball-carriers look equally fool- tance from the goal, while ‘hamish with an arsenal of takeaway mer the pipes’ refers to aiming checks. shots at the orange metal frame “He’s a game changer,” deButts of a lacrosse goal. said. “In practice, he’ll do some Sophomore midfielder Austhings that make you turn your tin Sims, an aspiring offensive head. Really explosive on offense. player, invoked the concept of the But he’s also a ‘between the lines’ “Anonymous Man” — possibly reguy, getting ground balls. He lated to the Stoic paradox of the does all the little things that don’t Veiled Man. Given the mysterious get noticed as much.” name, it’s fair to leave the notion Senior attackman Ryan Am- explained through play alone.

Filling out the offensive fense unit comprised of juniors set will be returning junior at- Alistair Berven and Bear Goldtackman Gavin McBride and stein as well as a rotating third his sophomore linemate Riley defenseman.

Thompson. Freshmen have been deButts described how “Blaze” impressive early, with the rookie has come fulfill a defensive field quartet of Emmet Cordrey, Carter general role. “He’s been much Flaig, Charlie Durbin and Daw- more comfortable voicing that son McKenzie combining for strong Boston accent. He’s a great seven goals goals and two assists ball stopper, but he’s starting to against NJIT. Coming from the understand next steps in terms of midfield, the Tigers will look to getting the ball up and down the a number of players in rotation, field. Also, Matt O’Connor had including Sims, junior Adam a great fall, keeping Tyler on his Hardej, sophomore Braedon Gait. toes.” deButts gave his perspective Along the same lines as the on the team’s developing offen- wall-building metaphor, Sims sive identity. “This year maybe referred to the aphorism of early more than any year in the past, birds getting worms, analogous our offense is really predicated to the team’s mindset of makon being ‘Off-Ball Americans,’ as ing the extra effort to get sucin not just being great one-on- cess. “Being the early bird,” as it one dodgers and beating guys. were. “I’d say as a team our worm It’s working in a system, cut- is definitely Hofstra next week. ting at the right time and using First test, they pulled off a good pick plays. Defensively, it’s really win against North Carolina. It’s tough to guard.” a big game for us. If we’re going They say defense wins cham- to be that early bird, we’re gopionships. Lucky for the Tigers, a ing to need that early season win solid — in the Marshawn Lynch against Hofstra.” sense — defensive core returns Next week, the Tigers will travfrom last season. el to Hepmstead, N.Y. to face the “People say we’re a young team,” Pride. The Tigers currently have deButts noted. “But at the same a 16-13 advantage in the series. time we’re returning a lot of guys Hofstra recently pulled off an upwith game experience. Defen- set win against No. 7 UNC. Still, sively, we have pretty much our the Tigers should be confident in entire defensive unit back. And their ability to handle this early we’re also adding guys like (se- opponent. After that, it’s a long niors) Will Reynolds and Mark road which includes five teams Strabo, who have been starters in currently in the top 20. This writthe past. Coming back from inju- er has seen three good teams in ries, they don’t look like they’ve three years come up just short of lost a step at all.” their final goal. A conference title Sophomore Tyler Blaisdell, at the end of this season’s road who tallied 70 saves in 8 games would be nice consolation. last season, will lead a close de-

YICHEN SONG:: STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

PRINCETON LACROSSE - BY THE NUMBERS

180 34.5

Total goals from last season.

93 of those goals came from Mike MacDonald and Kip Orban, both graduated seniors.

The shooting percentage of the team from the 2015 season; opponents averaged only 29.8 percent against their attack.

4 9

Number of goals by junior midfielder Zach Currier against NJIT. Combined with three assits Currier currently leads the team’s offense.

The number of freshmen currently on the squad; four have already scored in the season opener.

The Daily Princetonian

page s2

Thursday February 25, 2016

MEN’S ROWING Men’s rowing looks to make YASH HUILGOL:: STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

immediate impact in the water

After training throughout the winter, Men’s crew will be looking to show the results of their skills in the water come spring.

By Michael Gao

Last fall’s rowing season for the Tigers culminated in the successful Princeton Chase invitational hosted on Lake Carnegie.

There, among top competitors and fierce rivals such as Yale, Cornell, George Washington, Penn, and Boston University, the Princeton “A” men’s heavyweight 8 crew took first, avenging an earlier defeat at the Charles River, with the “B” squad following close behind at fifth place.

The men’s varsity lightweight 8+ team, the defending champions from the Charles competition, placed a still-impressive second place on the Carnegie, finishing narrowly behind a strong Cornell

lightweight crews are contenders for national titles.

While the fall season consisted of various invitational meets, the spring season features dual meets against other top rowing squads, many of them Ivy League rivals, and national championship races.

Freshman Alex Levine says that, “Our primary goal is to win Eastern Sprints and the IRA championships”.

Last year, the heavyweight team placed well in both championship meets but fell just short of first place.

In Eastern Sprints, they placed third behind Yale and Northeastern, while being just out-touched by California and Washington in the IRA champion-

team.

But the Tigers have never been a team to rest comfortably on their laurels.

Though the spring season doesn’t formally begin until March, both heavyweight and lightweight varsity teams have been training hard for the start of their spring season. The past winter intercession, the team braved the wintry storms of Jonas and slews of canceled f lights to head to Tampa for an annual training trip. Braving the waters of Carnegie in cold weather and “erging”, using a rowing machine, when the waters froze over became daily rituals for Princeton rowers.

Both heav yweight and

contributor

ships. This year, the Tigers hope to take their level of success one level higher.

Led by accomplished rowers like senior captain Martin Barakso, senior Patrick Eble, and juniors Nick Mead and Franco D’Agostino, the heav yweights hope to avenge their losses last year and claim the title for themselves.

The lightweight team similarly looks to build on their success from last season. The varsity lightweight 8 squad also had impressive finishes in both major championship meets, finishing third in Eastern Sprints behind Columbia and Cornell and fifth in the IRA

championships against Yale, Columbia, Harvard, and Cornell. Having finished first and second in the two major invitational meets of the fall season, the lightweight crew seeks to replicate its fall success this spring. Pivotal players include seniors Isaiah Brown, James Goble, and Cameron Howie, who seek to bring the IRA title to Princeton this year.

The first meet for both heav y weight and lightweight teams will be against Georgetown at Carnegie Lake on March 26th. With their determination and fighting spirit, the Tigers look forward to another promising, successful season the water.

WOMEN’S ROWING Fall success bodes well for team

By Hamza Chaudhry contributor

Both the open and lightweight women’s rowing teams are looking forward to strong seasons, after enjoying a host of successes last year and starting on the right note in fall racing.

The lightweight women’s team 2014-2015 season included highlights such as capturing both the Class of 1999 Cup against Harvard and Class of 2006 Cup against Georgetown University. The Tigers concluded the year at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) National championships, where they missed the medal stand with a fourth place finish, being edged out

by Boston University by 2.5 seconds. Reflecting on last year’s heartbreaking result in the eight grand final, junior cocaptain Christina Warren said, “It was a super well fought out race and there was nothing else anybody could have done.

Our performance took a lot of guts and we were really proud.”

Though the team was certainly delighted with its efforts, Warren added that last year will provide extra motivation for the squad this season: “IRA was tough, but we have a lot of returners keeping that in the back of their heads and using it as fire under their butts.”

In the fall racing season, the team fared well at both the Head of the Charles Regatta and the Princeton Chase. The 8+ boat finished fifth overall, losing the fourth place position by a margin of only 3 seconds to University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the 4+ took sixth in the championship

event. At the Chase, the V8 was happy to produce a 22 second swing from the Charles a week before, and top one of their rivals Boston University. Junior co-captain Juliette Hackett summarized the races saying, “We knew we were making progress, and we started to get our culture going. The main takeaway was getting motivation moving forward. We were also more focused on the Chase this year.”

The team boasts two new recruited freshmen, Grace Cordsen and Madelynn Prendergast, both of whom have had an immediate impact on the team, with Prendergast in the top four and Cordsen in the top eight. Hackett says the team has high expectations as it looks forward to its upcoming season: “We’re aiming big, looking at Radcliffe especially, and trying to be gutsy in all of our races, not leaving anything behind.”

Meanwhile, the open women’s squad is trying to build on its improvements from last season which included victories against all-Ivy League teams except Brown and an impressive 12th place finish at the NCAA championships.

This year at the Head of the Charles the team made great strides, seeing it’s a boat jump from 10th in 2014 to a fourth place finish this year. The team was second fastest in the Ivy field, trailing only reigning champions and powerhouse Brown. At the Chase, the team slipped slightly, taking fourth in a strong field, but the fours had a nice 1-2 finish. Senior Mary Ann McNulty explained how “the Chase was very frustrating because Yale got third.

The second half of the race was a little more disconnected in comparison with the Charles, where we were really gunning for it.”

The team is eager to take a shot at Ivy champion Brown this year as it continues to embrace a perfectionist philosophy. Senior captain Meghan Wheeler added, “At this point, every moment matters, and we can’t lose sight of the loftiness of our goals in the long winter stretch. We’re definitely aiming to beat Brown, as we have lost our opener for two years in a row. We think this is a feasible target and in general our BEVERLY SCHAEFER:: STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

COURTESY OF PRINCETON CREW

After a couple of heart-breaking finishes in the fall, the women’s crew team will be looking to win big,

The Daily Princetonian

Thursday February 25, 2016

page S3

SOFTBALL Softball looks to once again qualify for NCAA tournament

By Miles Hinson sports editor emeritus

With spring fast approaching, it means the softball team will gear up for another run, and hunt for their first appearance in the NCAA tournament since the 2008 season.

After finishing middle of the pack in the league standings from last year, it’s clear that the Tigers have the chops to compete with their fellow Ivies. In order to remain competitive, however, the focus is on developing talent on the offensive end. Three of the Tigers’ top 4 scorers from last year were seniors who’ve since departed. While looking towards all their players to help fill the freshly made void, the Tigers will look to players such as senior First Base Emily Viggers and junior infielder Haley Hineman, who were second and third respectively in hits for the Tigers during the 2015 season.

As with every year, this team will be facing its fair share of road matches before returning to their home turf at 1895 Field. They kicked off

the year with a 2-3 performance at the UT Arlington Tournament down in Texas, and have four straight weekends of travel to follow. The road schedule itself certainly won’t be without challenges: one of the highlights will be battling UCLA in March, a team currently ranked No. 7 in the NCAA. While the road trips may be tough, at least the first weekend indicates a bright future for the Tigers. They’ve shown they remain loaded with talent, particularly from the freshman class. During their Arlington trip, freshman outfielder Mikayla Blaska would lead the Tigers in hits and was second in runs, with 5 and 2 respectively. Her classmate, freshman third base Kaylee Grant, led the team in runs on the weekend with 3.

“In terms of an offensive perspective, we’re already way ahead of where we were last year.” Junior pitcher Claire Klausner said. “We had a really productive senior class, but this freshman class might even be more productive.”

“On the defensive side, we

have returning [upperclassmen] pitchers,” Hineman said.

“From here on out, the only thing we need to work on as a team is getting the kinks out defensively, and other than that, we’re vibing this year.”

This influx of talent will certainly aid the Tigers come Ivy League play. By then, every game in itself becomes a door-die battle, as each team contends to represent the Ancient 8 in the NCAA Tournement.

Princeton, however, will have an edge that was not present last year: hosting last year’s two top teams, Dartmouth and Harvard, at 1895 Field.

“The excitement level goes up during the Ivy League season, because there’s a tangible goal: the Ivy League championship,” Hineman said.

“We’ve been playing against the same girls for a while, and it’s exciting in that sense, we want to beat them … [and] have this goal in mind.”

Indeed, with a team stocked with young guns and a strong veteran core, the Tigers look as well placed as any to contend for first come April.

NATALIA CHEN:: PHOTO EDITOR EMERITA

BASEBALL

Baseball’s veteran leadership hopes to bounce back with resilience and cohesion

By David Liu sports editor

Just a week separates the baseball team from its season debut against Louisville. For a team itching to get onto the open field, March 4 could not come quicker.

While many take the return of warm weather and blue skies for granted, the Tigers relish this spring as an opportunity to turn a new leaf. Last year, Princeton baseball skidded to a 7-32 record which included blowout losses to Maryland, Monmouth and Cornell.

However, after ref lecting for a year and adding a stellar freshman class, the team returns more hopeful than ever.

The core of baseball’s new season centers on the team’s long-time head coach Scott Bradley and four senior captains: Danny Hoy, Billy Arendt, Cameron Mingo and Luke Strieber. Every single one brings veteran experience to the team: Bradley will be entering his 19th year as baseball’s head coach and the Hoy-Arendt duo have been a staple of the starting lineup for four consecutive years.

However, for the casual fan, it would be a mistake to misinterpret the veteran experience as complacency or sluggishness. Far from it, the team, entering this season, will emphasize a culture of change and growth. According to Hoy, “This year everything has changed from top to bottom. Our coach [Bradley] from day one has been a big advocate of change. We have a lot of good team leadership.”

HEATHER GRACE :: SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Baseball to combat uncertainty with strong leadership, young talent, and renewed positivity thi spring.

In terms of senior captains, All-Ivy infielders Billy Arendt and Dan Hoy have been a menace to opponents for years. In fact, the duo led Princeton’s team in batting averages last year.

Their offensive and defensive dominance earned them the William J. Clarke Award for overall baseball proficiency last year. Even so, as fierce competitors,

Hoy mentioned that he still has higher goals for himself. The Pennsylvania native said, “Personally, you have to build on last year. I want to try to run the base a little better this year – make the most of the things out on the field. I also want to cut down on defensive errors, really focusing on the little things.”

On the other hand, senior captains Cameron Mingo and Luke Strieber will lead a team of 14 pitchers.

Mingo missed the majority of the past season, but Strieber started in eight of the team’s 39 games last season. During that time period, Strieber accumulated a team-best 3.86 ERA. Mingo and Strieber hope to share their experience with the young squad to improve Princeton’s sixth place pitching ranking within the Ivy League.

At the same time, the captains bring more than an impressive skill set and long history of accolades; they bring a new attitude and energy to the team. When asked to expand, Billy Arendt said it best: “A big one is just making sure that I maintain a positive attitude no matter what the game brings. Last year when we were down, we’d be done. I just want to make sure our guys know that we may be down but we’re going to fight. Maybe even breaking the tension of a pressurefilled moment with a goofy attitude. Every once in a while you get a moment to be silly.”

Hoy complemented Arendt’s hopes with his own optimism, “How you bounce back from last year?

How can you deal with the failure? Resilience. It’s the guys who came back after striking out. We have a lot of guys that really embody that spirit. There’s a new feel in the locker room.”

Beyond the unified leadership under the captain, Princeton baseball returns and welcomes a deep team, starting with this year’s cohort of eight freshmen.

Covering every position on

the field, the freshmen are catcher Alex Dickinson, pitcher and infielder Joseph Flynn, outfielder Jesper Horsted, pitcher Tanner Kliewer, infielder and outfielder Max Machiorlette, pitcher Trey Ramsey, pitcher Ryan Smith and finally catcher Max West.

The impressive rookies add both diversity (Horsted also plays on the football team and West originates from Singapore). Even though an age gap may divide the veteran seniors from the freshman, the two groups have already begun to bond. Arendt said, “I am most excited probably about our freshman class.

We brought in eight or nine guys but they all have really embraced work ethic that is amazing. They push themselves to be the best they can be. We’re looking forward to seeing how they can make our team better.”

Eye will also be watching the Tiger’s catcher position with the graduation of fouryear starter Tyler Servais.

In his place, senior Andrew Christie, freshman Alex Dickinson, senior Andres Larramendi and freshman Max West will all vie for the position. Dickinson and West have shown potential to lead the team but for the moment, the choice rests in Scott Bradley’s hands.

With the renewed leadership and depth, the Tigers will spend the majority of March traveling along the East Coast to face the likes of Louisville, Old Dominion and Georgetown to name a few. The team will then focus on Ivy League opponents through April.

Yet, even with the preparation, the team’s true test will come as the season wears on. With the battle in sight, senior Danny Hoy left a few words to advice for his fellow teammates when he said, “I would say keep your head up. You’re going to have good days and bad days. There are going to be many more lows than highs. You have to be resilient. There’s no room for those who aren’t.”

The Daily Princetonian

page 4

Thursday February 25, 2016

PLAYERS TO WATCH #14

These Tigers are ready to roar this spring RYAN AMBLER

Men’s Lax - senior attack After netting two goals and three assists, in Princeton’s 21-4 rout of NJIT, Ambler has started the season on the right note.

These goals rank Ambler as the 20th all-time highest scorer for the Orange and Black. This spring he returns to the squad as the leading scorer and will definitely spearhead the offensive front.

#1

CECILIA BAROWSKI Track and Field - mid distance

Cecilia Barowski, who has already had a successful indoor season, will be looking to carry her current momentum into the outdoor season this spring. Indeed, she has already set two new school records: one in the 400m this February and in the 1000m back in December.

#4

DANNY HOY

#3

HALEY WAN

Baseball- senior infielder Danny Hoy started in all 40 games for the Orange and Black last season.

He hit .285 last season, setting a high standard for the team with three home runs, nine doubles, and 25 scored runs.

Furthermore, Hoy was also successful on 7 of 8 steals last season. In addition, to being a crucial player for the Princeton squad, Hoy has also been a key leader.

W. water polo- utlity

Princeton’s squad will be looking to fill large gaps this season. Haley Wan has already risen to the challenge of her increased role on the team. She netted 11 goals in four games to be named the CWPA player of the week. This season Wan will look to improver on her performance last year, when she led the team in both assists, steals, and blocks.

TO

GAMES WAT C H Feb 27-28

Track and Field Ivy League Heptagonals: The track team has seen considerable success in the Ivy League in its early matches, winning the Harvard-Yale-Princeton meet. The first of two pan-Ivy League meetups will offer the strong men’s and women’s teams their first chance to officially match up against other conference squads.

March 5

Women’s water polo versus Harvard: This early matchup will thus not only pit two top-ranked rivals against each other, but also serve as one of the few instances where Princeton women’s water polo will be able to compete against other Ivy League schools.

March 12

Men’s Lacrosse versus Maryland: Maryland, currently ranked No. 4 in the country, will face the Tigers at home on Saturday, March 12. The Terrapins will be the toughest opponent Princeton has faced yet, and the game will prove an important benchmark a week before the Ivy League season starts.

March 13

Women’s Lacrosse versus Notre Dame: Both teams are currently ranked in the top 10, with Notre Dame No. 6 and Princeton No. 9. This exciting matchup promises to be an important test for the Tigers two weeks before their Ivy League season.

March 26

Women’s Open Crew class of 1987 trophy against Brown and Ohio State: Last year, Princeton fell to Brown by just 7.9 seconds at this same meet, giving the Bears their second straight win in the matchup. However, Princeton has great confidence in their team this year, and a reversal of last year’s close result would vindicate such confidence.

April 2

Baseball against Dartmouth: Princeton baseball will open their season against Dartmouth on April 2; the contest against the Big Green, who won the Red Rolfe division of the Ivy League last year, will prove a crucial first run for a team trying to reverse its fortunes of last year.

April 23

Men’s Crew against Yale and Cornell: At the Princeton Chase this past fall, the Princeton heavyweight men’s crew team defeated Yale to take the Collegiate title, beating the Bulldogs by just five seconds. The rematch of Ivy League rivals promises to be equally competitive.

April 30

Softball against Cornell: Losses to Cornell just pushed the Tigers out of contention for the Ivy League South title and a possible shot at the NCAA tournament. These two teams will again vie for dominance and a chance to advance on April 30th.

The Daily Princetonian

Thursday February 25, 2016

page 5

WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD OLIVIA BEASON :: STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

By Berthy Feng contributer

The women’s track and field team will look to extend its indoor season success as it begins its outdoor season next month.

The team has been particularly hungry this year, having already won two titles and broken several records. It all started with the fall cross country team, which took first place at the 2015 Ivy League Heptagonal Championship in October.

Junior Lizzie Bird won the individual title at that race and has continued to be a strong force on the track team.

Senior Cecilia Barowski, who has had a record-setting indoor season, will be a runner to watch outdoors. On February 12, she set a school record in the 400m, finishing her lap in 54.39. Back in December, she set a Princeton record in the 1,000m by clocking 2:48.56.

Between setting both records, Barowski grabbed victories in several different events, including the 600m and 500m.

Last month at the HarvardPrinceton-Yale meet, Barowski won the 800m at 2:05.85. Her time was just over two seconds away from the Olympic Trials qualifying time of 2.03.

Barowski will surely seek to meet that time in the coming months.

Overall, the Orange and Black have a formidable group of upperclass women. Bird recently won the 3,000 Invitational at the Fasttrack National Invitational at Staten Island and should continue to round up points in the distance events. Junior Ally Markovich is another strong longdistance runner who finished third in the 3,000m at the Sykes & Sabock meet on February 6.

Senior Meghan McMullin, a hurdles veteran, has also put up strong performances. She won the 500m at the HYP meet.

On the field side, senior Brielle Rowe has made an impact on throwing events. Recently, she won the weight throw at the Tiger Open and won again at the HYP with a PR of 16.55.

Her younger teammate, sophomore Kennedy O’Dell, is an asset on the field team, as well.

O’Dell won the shot put and the weight throw at the first meet of the indoor season, the Metro Holiday Meet in December, and has since performed well in her throwing events.

Another record-setter on the Princeton track and field team is junior pole-vaulter and hur-

dler Allison Harris. Earlier this month at Sykes & Sabock, Harris set the Ivy League record in the pole vault by clearing 4.20. Senior Taylor Morgan will no doubt be another asset on the field. At the HYP meet, she won the high jump and long jump and finished second in the shot put. Most notably, she set a Princeton record in the pentathlon with 4,050 points at Sykes & Sabock.

Other key athletes include sophomore runner Melinda Renuart, who won the 3,000m at Sykes & Sabock with a PR of 9:37.62. The freshman squad also offers a host of strong athletes, including sprinter Carly Bonnet, and distance runners Allie Klimkiewicz and Brighid Leach. Leach put up an impressive performance when she won the 3,000m at the Tri-Meet Invite in January.

While these athletes have proven the strength of the track and field team indoors, there is reason to expect even more from the outdoor season because the team will gain a key runner who could not compete in the indoor season: senior Emily de La Bruyère.

De La Bruyère was a top runner on the cross country team, winning second at the NCAA

Tigers looks to translate indoor success to outdoors this spring.

Tigers hope to carry momentum forward Regional this year with a time of 21:13.5. As a distance runner, she will make an impact in events such as the mile and 3,000m, as evidenced by her strong performance in those events last year.

The outdoor track and field season will kick off after the NCAA Championships in March. The team will head to Tampa to compete at the South Florida meet on March 17-18. Princeton will host several meets in April, including the Sam Howell Invitational, the Princeton Outdoor Invite and the Larry Ellis Invitational. Given the cross country team’s impressive showing at Heps and the indoor team’s impressive season thus far, the team should look to impress again at the outdoor Ivy League Heptagonal Championships, which will take place at Weaver Stadium on May 7-8.

Most importantly, if the team manages to continue its

MEN’S TRACK & FIELD

By Claire Coughlin

string of successes outdoors, it will be because of a supportive and collaborative team, not because of individual feats.

Speaking about the outlook for the track and field team, freshman mid-distance runner Taylor Bacon said, “I think we had a very strong team dynamic for indoor. We really worked on our goals and how we can support each other in reaching our goals, and I think that will carry over very well into outdoor.”

Bacon added that she is most excited to see how the team will stack up at the outdoor Ivy League Championships. “I think we have a good chance at outdoor Heps, which is really exciting as a team,” she said.

The forecast for the outdoor women’s track and field season is certainly exciting, as the Tigers will look to translate their success from indoor to outdoor.

Talent, depth carry Tigers to greater heights JACK MAZZULO:: SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Men’s track and field to balance short term Heptagonal goals with long-term challenges.

contributor

With the Indoor Heptagonal Invitational coming up this Sunday, the Spring outdoor season for Princeton Men’s Track and Field is the last thing on most of the runners’ minds. But with the warmer months right around the corner, the team cannot help but look back to last year’s victorious performance.

The Men’s Track and Field team finished first place last year in the Ivies, beating out their most competitive rival, Cornell, by only three and half points. In 2015, the team successfully won a total of six events at the championship meet, including the 100m dash, 10,000m

run, Pole Vault, Long Jump, Triple Jump and the Decathlon. The meet proved to be a battle between only Cornell and Princeton, as Penn fell to third place by a large margin of 74 points.

With thirteen strong new freshmen this year, the team hopes to achieve the same success it experienced last year. Andrew Diehl, a freshmen high jumper from Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, is very excited to be competing in his first outdoor season. As a former high school basketball player, track did not become Diehl’s focus until just two years ago. He still feels a lot of pressure to perfect his technique and form and his goal for the outdoor months is

to “just get a little more consistent and a little more comfortable every day with what I am learning.”

In Diehl’s opinion, the team’s “greatest strength is probably our depth. In every event we have a lot of very talented athletes that put us in great positions to win championships.” Diehl is certainly right, as the Tigers have dominant competitors across the board in almost every event this season. Some athletes to keep a close eye on are Charles Volker (60), Christian Fryer-Davis (500), Stephen Rossettie (800), Brett Kelly (3k), Greg Caldwell (60 hurdles), Andrew Diehl (high jump), Jake Scinto (long jump), Lane Russell (triple jump) and Adam Kelly

(weight). The team’s goal this year and every year, according to Diehl, is to win the Ivy League. “I came to Princeton knowing the rich history of the track program and I just want to be part of a team that continues that tradition of winning.”

This coming season, the team expects to be neck-and-neck with Big Red once again. According to sophomore pole-vaulter August Kiles, the team’s biggest asset throughout this past year has been the “competitive and motivated culture” that each member has helped maintain throughout all seasons of running thus far. Kiles, who recently placed second in the pole vault event at the Princeton Indoor

Invitation at Jadwin Gymnasium this past Sunday, has big goals for the outdoor season. His personal ambition is to qualify for nationals and for the Olympic trials for the Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro this summer.

Three out of nine of the team’s meets this year will take place at home, which the runners love because of the home crowd and field it maintains. Not only is the team excited to frequently compete at home, but they are also thrilled to finally be getting outside. Diehl said, “After being cooped up in the gym for the whole winter season, its just nice to get to practice and compete outside in nice weather.”

The Daily Princetonian

page 6

Thursday february 25, 2016

WOMEN’S WATER POLO

Defending champs look to further impress KIRAL VARSSON:: STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

After losing their two leading scorers and star-goalie, the women’s water polo squad will have some big spots to fill in the Spring on their path to another championship.

By Alan Balson contributor

On the weekend of Feb. 12, the Princeton Women’s Water Polo team started their season with the Princeton Invitational, facing California Baptist University, Villanova University, California Lutheran University and Iona College. The Tigers swept all four teams over the course of the weekend, beginning the season strong at 4-0.

The early wins follow from the great success Princeton enjoyed last year, compiling a 31-5 record, winning the Collegiate Water Polo Association Championship, and finishing 6th in the NCAA tournament. The season also included an impressive 14-game win streak, victory at

the inaugural Ivy League Championship and a late season win over past nemesis Indiana in the CWPA Championship game.

However, this year’s Tigers lost six seniors, including their two leading scorers from last season, Ashley Hatcher ’15 and Jessie Holecheck ’15, to graduation and are also without star goalie Ashleigh Johnson, who is training with U.S. national team in preparation for the Olympics this summer. Nevertheless, despite slightly decreased expectations, no one will be taking lightly a talented Tiger squad looking to return to the NCAA tournament. Acknowledging that many may see this as a rebuilding year, freshman utility Lindsey Kelleher said, “there’s less pressure for sure,” viewing

the lower expectations in a positive light.

In spite of the losses, Princeton still returns plenty of experienced players, including last year’s third leading scorer, senior two-meter Hannah Lapkin, and sophomores Chelsea Johnson and Haley Wan, who each contributed 34 goals last season. Wan has already taken advantage of her increased role, scoring 11 goals during the first four games to lead the team and being named the CWPA player of the week. Replacing Ashleigh Johnson in goal is sophomore Helena van Brande, who comes in with some collegiate experience as well, going 9-0 with .675 save percentage last season as a freshman.

In addition to its returning

players, the team also added four talented freshmen to the squad who will be expected to contribute right away. Three of the newcomers, attack Eliza Britt, Kelleher and utility Charlotte Valentine, each played and scored during the Princeton Invitational, a positive sign about the impact they will make on the team this season.

Discussing their opening games, Kelleher noted, “It was a great way to start the season, especially beating [Cal Baptist] in our first game, who’ve been training and playing all year”.

Furthermore, with the loss of two outside offensive forces, Kelleher remarked that team this year will have to “rely more on center play” and that “everyone has to step to share the load

on offense”. This balanced approach seems to be working so far, as 11 different players scored during the first four games. The increased focus on center play has also been apparent, with junior center Morgan Hallock contributing eight goals during the Princeton Invitational, the third most on the team at this early stage in the season.

As far the the rest of the season goes, Kelleher sees “Indiana, Michigan and of course Harvard” as the Tiger’s biggest challengers in reclaiming their CWPA title. Currently ranked 14th in the country, Princeton quest to return to the NCAA championship continues on Saturday, Feb. 27, when they take on Wagner and the Virginia Military Institute at the Bucknell Invitational.

WOMEN’S LACROSSE

Lacrosse ready to showcase grit and physicality

By Miranda Hasty contributor

As the reigning Ivy League champion, the women’s lacrosse team opened their 2016 spring season against UVA at Sherrerd Field at the Class of 1952 Stadium, and pocketed an early win at 14-7.

The Tigers had an impressive season last year, finishing at No. 5 in the NCAA tournament and at 16-4 in their overall season. They easily claimed their second consecutive Ivy League title with a clean record of seven wins.

Returning are ten starters, including their entire defense anchored by captain senior Liz Bannantine, senior Maddy Lynch, junior Madeline Rodriguez and junior Amanda Leavell. Behind the defense is junior Ellie DeGarmo, who started in all 20 games and posted an 8.71 goals against average and a .467 save percentage with 23 ground balls.

Though the Tigers lost the offensive All-America duo of Erin Slifer and Erin McMunn, junior Olivia Hompe, the team’s leading goal scorer, is expected to lead the offense with 54 goals, 16 assists, 70 points and 27 ground balls under her belt. Senior Stephanie Paloscio, senior Anya Gersoff and junior Anna Doherty are

also expected to provide a strong offensive front as they had scored a total of 64 goals.

In addition, sophomores Camille Sullivan and Abby Finkelston return from their freshman year with a combined total of 24 points.

With an experienced set of players returning from a successful season and a talented, seven-member freshman class entering the scene, the Tigers have been training throughout the school year to help meet their goals for this season. “We really have been preparing for our first game since we got on campus back in September,” DeGarmo said about their preparation for the new spring season, “With such a long preseason, it was important for us to take each day at a time and really focusing on getting better with each practice, lift and conditioning workout. With the new freshman class came a degree of athleticism that I have not yet seen in my time at Princeton.

This addition really allowed for each member of the team to really elevate their individual game and compete at a higher level each day.”

Lynch also didn’t hesitate to show her pride in her team’s hard work that translated onto the field during their season opener this Saturday. “We were held to higher physical

standards this season, with prep starting over the summer. This team has worked incredibly hard to meet this standard, and there has been a lot of individual extra work put in outside of practice, which our play today really reflected.”

DeGarmo also credits their past success to their unity on

and off the field and hopes it will help them reach new heights in the upcoming weeks of the 2016 season. “This year’s team is the most close knit group I’ve ever been a part of,” she expressed about this year’s group, “We just mesh so well and the different personalities and unique interests of each person contribute to the

bonds we form and the love we have for one another. I truly consider my teammates to be my best friends. I think us knowing one another so well off the field is one of the major reasons that we are so successful on the field. We want to work our hardest and push ourselves for the girls next to us.”

DANIEL COSIO :: STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Women’s lacrosse will depend on new leadership to fill the shoes of McMunn and Slifer this spring.