Record-Breaking ADOD

Athletic Study Mentors Contribute to Academic Success

BY KEN DEBOLT

Thanks to a collaboration between the Hobart and William Smith Athletics Departments and the HWS Center for Teaching and Learning, Statesmen and Heron student-athletes have a new resource in their quest for academic excellence.

Athletic Study Mentors (ASM) are teammates who serve as peer facilitators, helping student-athletes with time management, note-taking, reading and study skills and the transition to college life. Nominated by their coach and embedded within their team, ASMs are hired, trained and supported by the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL). The program began as a pilot project during the 2018-19 academic year with 10 of the Colleges’ varsity teams and has since expanded to all 23 teams.

This academic year, 21 ASMs provided support to their teammates through workshops and one-on-one meetings. “The program is designed to provide student-athletes with support that is real, responsive and responsible,” explains CTL Assistant Director Ingrid Keenan.

Daniel Masino ’21 helps both Statesmen and Heron basketball firstyears make the transition to college studies. “I strongly feel the proactive training helps first-years have an easier transition,” he says. “It’s very helpful to have someone they know they can go to for pretty much any question they have throughout the semester.”

The program has shown clear results. In Fall 2017, HWS first-year student-athletes had an average GPA of 3.03. By the second year of the ASM program, that average had risen to 3.17 and this past fall it was 3.26.

While ASMs are responsive to students’ needs and help them identify effective strategies, they also serve as role models who can set an example with their own study habits and academic engagement.

Hobart basketball first-year Matthew Brand ’24 appreciated the example Masino set and his willingness to listen and offer advice. “I knew Dan was someone I was going to look up to and I knew I was going to pick his brain every opportunity I got,” Brand says. “He was available to help me with anything — whether it was schoolrelated, life-related or basketballrelated.”

William Smith lacrosse senior Sadie Mapstone ’21 is in her first season as an ASM, working with Heron first-years. It was a job made more challenging by COVID-19. “I ran workshops over Zoom with the entire first-year class two times in the fall, had a 30-minute one-on-one meeting with each firstyear at least once and made myself available for additional one-on-ones,” she explains. Mapstone took advantage of nice weather and had “walk-andtalk” one-on-ones outside whenever possible and, of course, made sure to wear masks for all in-person meetings.

Keenan shares that the feedback CTL received on the program has been universally positive. 77% of firstyears rated ASM as ‘very helpful’ to ‘I couldn’t have done it without them.’

“I knew Dan was someone I was going to look up to and I knew I was going to pick his brain every opportunity I got. He was available to help me with anything — whether it was schoolrelated, life-related or basketball-related.”

MATTHEW BRAND ’24 , talking about DAN MASINO ’21 (pictured above) who has excelled on the court and in the classroom.

ADOD Smashes Donor Records

The 24-hour Athletics Day of Donors event held on Feb. 24 shattered the record for most dollars raised in a single day as alums, parents and fans donated more than $800,000 in support of the Statesmen and Herons.

“I can’t say thank you enough for the generosity of our donors,” says Deb Steward, associate vice president and director of athletics and recreation, acknowledging the support “will allow us to make meaningful enhancements to the student-athlete experience and reaffirm the lifelong affinity that our students have for these Colleges.”

The fundraising total includes a challenge gift of $25,000 from James F. ’56, L.H.D. ’12 and Cynthia L. Caird L.H.D. ’12, which provided bonus money to the top three Hobart (soccer, rowing and lacrosse) and top three William Smith (rowing, soccer and lacrosse) teams for percentage of dollar goal met, and also supported prizes to the teams with the most creative fundraising videos (Hobart soccer and William Smith basketball).

All 23 teams as well as the sports medicine and strength and conditioning programs exceeded their dollar goals for the day. Each team also received a $500 boost from the Heron Society and the Statesmen Athletic Association.

“It’s hard to say who’s more competitive, the current Statesmen and Herons or our passionate fan base that once again demonstrated its dedication to the Colleges and to our championship-caliber athletic programs,” says Vice President for Advancement Bob O’Connor P’22, P’23. “We are most appreciative to the Cairds, to our coaching staffs, Deb and our SAA and Heron Society boards for their steadfast support.”

On Athletics Day of Donors, coaches appeared on the webcast to thank donors for their support.

Herons. and Statesmen alums, parents and fans donated more than $800,000 in support of the In a single day Remembering the Historic ‘Soul Patrol’

BY KEN DEBOLT

Before the 2001 Minnesota Twins outfield of Torii Hunter, Jacques Jones and Matt Lawton adopted the moniker “Soul Patrol,” there was Hobart’s all-Black lacrosse midfield unit of Malcolm Anderson ’87, Raymond “Tiny” Crawford ’87 and Mark “Skip” Darden ’87, P’17. Anderson and Darden came up with the nickname after their pregame routine of watching Soul Train. In November, US Lacrosse Magazine featured the trio in the story “The Inside Story of Hobart’s Historic ‘Soul Patrol.’” The article was born out of a podcast published in February of 2020 featuring the former Statesmen, “A History of African Americans in Lacrosse: Part 4,” hosted by Dr. Fred Opie, who played lacrosse at Syracuse. The piece touts the program’s dominance on the field with Anderson, Crawford and Darden helping Hobart win four straight Division III national championships while outscoring opponents by 425 goals, and praises beloved Coach David J Urick. Darden compares the 10-time national championshipwinning coach to a certain 10-time World Series-winning catcher: “He’s like the Yogi Berra of lacrosse because of his sayings.”

The article reflects on their admission to Hobart as well. “As soon as I stepped foot on campus, my mom looked at me and said, ‘This is where you’re going to go, isn’t it?’ I said, ‘Mom I can’t say no. This is heaven,’” Anderson recalls.

Anderson and Darden also note their growth as scholars thanks to the influence of the late Student Resource Center Chair Dean James Henderson ’75. Darden reflects: “He helped us as Black athletes transition from being on the lacrosse field, being rising stars, to being even better students.”

Today, Anderson is a licensed clinical psychologist in the Atlanta, Ga., area, Crawford is retired from the U.S. Marine Corps and lives near Miami, Fla., and Darden is a partner in the law firm Addison-Darden near Baltimore, Md.

Visit the HWS website to read the US Lacrosse Magazine story.