2011 Manhattan Women's Tennis Media Guide by Manhattan Jaspers

2011 SCHEDULE SEPTEMBER

15 18 19

at Sacred Heart at Rider* at Monmouth

4 p.m. 12 p.m. 12 p.m.

at Fordham at Hofstra ITA Regionals (at Dartmouth)

12 p.m. 1 p.m. 8 a.m.

at Navy vs. St. John’s# at Army

12 p.m.

5 10 25 27 31

at Hartford NIAGARA* at Loyola* at Saint Peter’s* at Marist*

6 p.m.

6 8 9 14 16 21-24

NJIT 4:30 p.m. at Siena* at Albany 2 p.m. FAIRFIELD* 4 p.m. at Bryant 11 a.m. MAAC Championships (at USTA National Tennis Center)

OCTOBER

2 3 22-25

FEBRUARY

19 26 27

MARCH

APRIL

3 p.m. 1 p.m. 3 p.m.

Home matches in CAPS played at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center *-Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference match #-at West Point, N.Y.

SEASON PREVIEW bounce back after a rocky 2009-10

campaign. She was all over the lineup last season, playing singles in four

different spots and doubles with three different partners.

Among the freshman class, the player

most expected to make an immediate

impact is Brianna Turano. A native of

Nutley, N.J., Turano was the No. 1 singles player at Mt. St. Dominic Academy,

where she qualified for the New Jersey

state championships as both a junior and a senior. Turano should step into the

vacant place in the singles lineup while also providing an important option in doubles.

A pair of freshmen rounds out the

roster. Megan Maffei is a local product from Stony Point, N.Y., while Kaitlynn Zaffuto comes to Manhattan from

Rochester, N.Y. Maffei was a three-

time all-county and all-league selection at Albertus Magnus High School, and

Zaffuto played on the No. 1 doubles team Youth was served for the Manhattan

College women’s tennis team in 2009-10. Five of the six regulars in Head Coach Scott Blumberg’s lineup last season

were either freshmen or sophomores. All five of those players return this

season, and they each gained invaluable

experience during the 2009-10 campaign. Sophomore Lili Johnson immediately

stepped in as the Lady Jaspers’ No. 1

singles player last season, and she put

together an impressive rookie campaign.

match victories and notched a 4-3 record in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference

(MAAC) in 2009-10. The third sophomore who saw significant playing time last year is Stephanie Tsao. Tsao was

used primarily in the No. 5 position and put together a respectable 3-4 record in MAAC play. She was also one of

Manhattan’s top doubles players, teaming with Johnson in the No. 1 spot on 12 occasions.

The most experienced members of

Johnson played at No. 1 singles in all

the squad are junior captains Hilary

Including tournament play, she posted a

Valenzuela was responsible for the Lady

17 dual matches, posting eight victories. 12-11 overall record in 2009-10. Johnson also notched eight wins, including seven in dual match play, at No. 1 doubles.

Another sophomore who was thrown

into the fire right away last season is

Christina Puleo. Playing at primarily No. 4 singles, Puleo picked up seven dual

Valenzuela and Christina Ton.

Jaspers’ most thrilling win of 2009-10

when she notched a 6-4, 5-7, 7-5 victory at No. 3 singles to provide the decisive

point in a 4-3 triumph over rival Fordham. She moved into the No. 2 position shortly after that match and started in the No. 2 position 12 times. Ton is looking to

at Our Lady of Mercy High School. They provide important depth that the Lady

Jaspers didn’t have a year ago, and give Blumberg the opportunity to experiment

with different lineups in both singles and doubles.

“The addition of these three freshmen

does two things,” Blumberg said. “It

makes us a stronger team in doubles,

as well as adding depth to our singles lineup.”

Last season, the Lady Jaspers played

a majority of their matches at home. That favorable schedule will be reversed in 2010-11, as Manhattan plays 13 of its 16 contests on the road, including all

10 spring matchups. In a change from prior years, only the top four teams in

the MAAC standings will advance to the

conference tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in mid-

April. Manhattan was picked to finish fifth in the MAAC Preseason Coaches Poll.

2011 • MANHATTAN COLLEGE TENNIS

2011 ROSTER Johnson, Lili

So.

5-5

Tulsa, Okla./Booker T. Washington

Maffei, Megan

Fr.

5-3

Stony Point, N.Y./Albertus Magnus (Caldwell)

Puleo, Christina

So.

5-7

Leonia, N.J./Leonia

Ton, Christina

Jr.

5-1

Milipitas, Calif./Archbishop Mitty

Tsao, Stephanie

So.

5-8

Scarsdale, N.Y./Yonkers

Turano, Brianna

Fr.

5-3

Nutly, N.J./Mt. St. Dominic

Valenzuela, Hilary

Jr.

5-4

Mesa, Ariz./Red Mountain

Head Coach: Scott Blumberg (South Florida ’82), 5th Season

2011 • MANHATTAN COLLEGE TENNIS

scott

BLUMBERG

HEAD COACH – FIFTH SEASON

Now in his fifth season as head coach of the women’s tennis program, Scott Blumberg came to Riverdale with an accomplished background in tennis and in the field of education. Blumberg is currently the Dean of Students at P.S. 93 in the Bronx, and he has worked for the New York City Board of Education for 20 years. He attended the University of South Florida, where he was a standout member of the Bulls’ tennis team and earned a B.A. in Health Education. Upon graduating from South Florida, Blumberg played on the professional tour for several years. He has also held several different national and sectional rankings over the years. Before coming to Manhattan College, Blumberg was a tennis pro at Club Fit at Jefferson Valley and the director of tennis at Twin Oaks Swim and Tennis Club in Chappaqua, N.Y.

2011 • MANHATTAN COLLEGE TENNIS

christina

hilary

5-1 • Junior Milipitas, Calif.—Archbishop Mitty

5-4 • Junior Mesa, Ariz.—Red Mountain

TON

2009-10: Team captain…Saw action in four different singles positions, as well as teaming with three different doubles partners…Primarily played at No. 3 singles…Also played one match at No. 4 singles, as well as one match at No. 5 and two at No. 6…Posted an 8-4 win with Hilary Valenzuela at No. 3 doubles in the Lady Jaspers’ season-opening victory over Monmouth (Sept. 23)…With Stephanie Tsao, tallied an 8-1 victory at No. 3 doubles against Saint Joseph’s (Oct. 12). 2008-09: Saw action mostly at No. 6 singles and No. 3 doubles… Went 4-9 at No. 6 singles, including back-to-back wins against Fordham (Sept. 21) and Wagner (Sept. 22)…Posted a 10-5 mark, including a 5-2 MAAC record, with Lindsey Keeler at No. 3 doubles…Won first three matches, and five out of first six, after being paired with Keeler…Tallied five straight doubles wins to open the MAAC season. BEFORE MANHATTAN: Played No. 1 doubles at Archbishop Mitty High School…Earned second team all-league honors in 2007 and honorable mention recognition in 2008 while leading Archbishop Mitty to back-to-back league titles…Attended St. Lawrence Academy for two seasons, earning team MVP honors twice…Went undefeated at No. 1 singles for St. Lawrence. PERSONAL: Daughter of Nghia and Melissa Ton...Has one sister, Stefanie, and one brother, Andrew, both of whom also play tennis…Has participated in the Relay for Life…Majoring in communication…Born on February 10, 1990.

2011 • MANHATTAN COLLEGE TENNIS

VALENZUELA 2009-10: Team captain…Played in all 17 dual matches, making 12 starts at No. 2 singles and five in the No. 3 position…Teamed with Christina Puleo at No. 2 doubles 15 times, while also twice playing with Christina Ton at No. 3 doubles…Posted victories at both No. 3 singles and No. 3 doubles in the Lady Jaspers’ season-opening win over Monmouth on Sept. 23…Clinched Manhattan’s 4-3 victory over Fordham on Oct. 4 with a 6-4, 5-7, 7-5 win over Bethany Boyle at No. 3 singles in a match that took more than three hours…Opened MAAC play with a 6-1, 6-2 win at No. 2 singles against Rider (March 24)… Also notched an 8-5 victory at No. 2 doubles against Rider…Recorded a 6-1, 6-4 victory at No. 2 singles in the regular season finale at Niagara (April 18). 2008-09: Posted a 9-7 singles record in dual matches, including a 4-3 mark in the MAAC…Went 7-6 at No. 3 singles and 2-1 at No. 2 singles…Won the first two matches she played at No. 2 singles (Sept. 22 at Wagner, April 2 vs. Rider)…Tallied four consecutive singles wins from March 21-April 2, all against MAAC opponents…Went 10-7 overall and 4-3 in the MAAC with Casey Conklin at No. 2 doubles… Also played four doubles matches with Lindsey Keeler, going 2-2… Recorded a win in both singles and doubles in the same dual match eight times…Picked up Manhattan’s only two match victories in a 6-1 loss to Loyola in the MAAC Tournament (April 17), posting a 6-2, 6-2 win at No. 3 singles and a 9-8 triumph with Conklin at No. 2 doubles. BEFORE MANHATTAN: Played No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles at Red Mountain High School…Named team MVP and first team all-region all four years…Led Red Mountain to the 2005 state team championship…Finished third in the state doubles tournament in 2006 and 2008…Earned the No. 14 ranking in the Southwest Section and reached a high of No. 232 in the national 18-under rankings…A member of the National Honor Society. PERSONAL: Daughter of Antoinette Richter...Has one brother, Tanner…Majoring in communication…Born on March 8, 1990.

lili

christina

5-5 • Sophomore Tulsa, Okla.—Booker T. Washington

5-7 • Sophomore Leonia, N.J.—Leonia

JOHNSON

2009-10: Played at No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles in all 17 dual matches…Went 8-9 at No. 1 singles and 7-10 at No. 1 doubles… Reached the singles consolation final at the season-opening NJIT Invitational (Sept. 11-13)…Had a six-match singles winning streak from Sept. 12-Oct. 12, including a 4-0 mark in dual matches… Finished the fall season with an overall singles record of 9-2 (4-0 in dual matches)…Opened MAAC play with a 6-0, 6-0 victory over Rider (March 24)…Also had a 6-1, 6-2 win over Siena (March 27) and a 6-2, 6-0 victory in the win at Saint Peter’s (March 31)… Rallied from a set down to post a 4-6, 6-2, 10-7 win at No. 1 singles against NJIT on April 5…Teamed with Stephanie Tsao to post an 8-7 victory in No. 1 doubles at Niagara on April 18. BEFORE MANHATTAN: Won four varsity letters at Booker T. Washington High School, playing mostly at No. 1 and No. 2 singles…Led Booker T. Washington to the state championship as a sophomore after a state runner-up finish during her freshman campaign…Held the No. 1 ranking among Oklahoma high school players…Played No. 1 singles on the Missouri Valley intersectional team. PERSONAL: Daughter of John and Victoria Johnson…Brother, Milo, played tennis at Virginia…Has another brother, Axel…Born on March 24, 1991.

PULEO

2009-10: Put together a 9-11 singles record, including a 7-10 mark in dual matches…Went 4-3 in MAAC matches at No. 4 singles…Also played No. 2 doubles on 15 occasions… Advanced to the semifinals of the NJIT Invitational in her first collegiate tournament (Sept. 11-13)…Won each of her first two dual matches at No. 5 singles (Sept. 23 vs. Monmouth, Oct. 4 at Fordham)…Tallied wins at both No. 4 singles and No. 2 doubles against Rider on March 24…Opened MAAC play by winning four of her first five singles matches, all in the No. 4 position…Lost the first set 6-0 before rallying for a 0-6, 7-5, 10-7 win at Saint Peter’s on March 31…Notched back-to-back doubles wins against Bryant (April 11) and St. Bonaventure (April 17)…Also posted a 6-1, 6-3 victory at No. 4 singles against St. Bonaventure. BEFORE MANHATTAN: Went 23-0 in singles and earned team MVP honors at Leonia High School in 2008…Won the BCWCA championship at No. 2 singles that season…Earned three allleague selections…Also played softball and ran track. PERSONAL: Daughter of Sal and Fran Puleo…Brother, Phillip, also attends Manhattan…Also has two sisters, Masina and Elaine…Enjoys playing the piano…Born on January 8, 1991.

2011 • MANHATTAN COLLEGE TENNIS

stephanie

megan

5-8 • Sophomore Scarsdale, N.Y.—Yonkers

5-3 • Freshman Stony Point, N.Y.—Albertus Magnus (Caldwell)

TSAO

2009-10: Played doubles in all 17 dual matches, making 12 appearances at No. 1 doubles, two in the No. 2 position, and three at No. 3 doubles…Teamed with three different doubles partners…Also appeared in the singles lineup in 15 dual matches, mostly in the No. 5 position…Reached the doubles final at the NJIT Invitational in her first collegiate tournament (Sept. 11-13)… Advanced to the singles semifinals at the same tournament… Notched first dual match singles win with a 6-1, 6-2 victory in the No. 5 position against Rider on March 24…Also won her doubles match against Rider…Recorded victories in both singles and doubles in MAAC matches at Saint Peter’s (March 31) and Niagara (April 18)…Ended the regular season on a twomatch singles winning streak…Tallied a 6-1, 7-5 triumph at St. Bonaventure on April 17, then rallied after losing the first set to post a 3-6, 6-1, 10-5 win at Niagara the next day...Teamed with Lili Johnson for an 8-7 win at No. 1 doubles in the Niagara match. BEFORE MANHATTAN: Played six years of varsity tennis at Yonkers High School…Twice selected to the all-league team and won the Bulldog Award as a senior…Named a scholar-athlete four times and was the Yonkers recipient of the Wendy’s High School Heisman in 2008…Took second place in the open adult version of the inaugural Yonkers City Mayor Cup…Won a gold medal with the Hudson Valley squad at the 2008 Empire State Games…Also played softball and ran track…Selected Best Offensive Player on the softball team as a senior. PERSONAL: Daughter of Percy and Grace Tsao…Has two brothers, Duke and Kevin…Majoring in engineering with plans to become a computer software designer…Born on October 29, 1991.

2011 • MANHATTAN COLLEGE TENNIS

MAFFEI

BEFORE MANHATTAN: Earned four letters in tennis at Albertus Magnus High School…A three-time all-county and all-league selection…Named team MVP following both her sophomore and senior seasons. PERSONAL: Daughter of Michael and Mary Maffei…Sister, Melissa, graduated from Manhattan in 2005…Also has a brother, Michael… Majoring in education…Born on May 1, 1991.

brianna

kaitlynn

5-3 • Freshman Nutley, N.J.—Mt. St. Dominic

5-4 • Freshman Rochester, N.Y.—Our Lady of Mercy

TURANO

BEFORE MANHATTAN: Played No. 1 singles at Mt. St. Dominic Academy…Qualified for the New Jersey state championships as both a junior and a senior…Earned First Team All-Super Essex Coference honors as a senior after being named First Team All-NHC as a junior…Twice chosen Second Team All-NHC…A two-time Second Team All-Non Public and Third Team All-Essex County selection…Also played golf. PERSONAL: Daughter of Pat and Cindy Turano…Has one sister, Nicolette, and one brother, Ryan…Majoring in business management…Born on May 18, 1992.

ZAFFUTO

BEFORE MANHATTAN: Played No. 1 doubles at Our Lady of Mercy High School…Earned honorable mention All-Greater Rochester recognition following both her junior and senior seasons…Won the Coaches Choice Award as a junior…A member of the National Honor Society…Also ran track. PERSONAL: Daughter of Raymond and Charlene Zaffuto… Has one sister, Kendra, who runs track at Roberts Wesleyan… Majoring in communications…Born on January 26, 1992.

2011 • MANHATTAN COLLEGE TENNIS

2010 STATISTICS SINGLES

No. 1

Lili Johnson

No. 2

No. 3

No. 4

No. 5

No. 6

8-9

Overall 8-9

Hilary Valenzuela

2-10

2-3

4-13

Diana Lorentz

2-3

Christina Ton

0-12

0-1

Christina Puleo

5-9

2-1

7-10

Christine Krasinski

0-2

Stephanie Tsao

4-9

Nora Hulton Sacchi

0-2

0-16

0-2

4-11

0-8

DOUBLES

No. 1

No. 2

No. 3

Overall

Johnson/Tsao

4-8

Johnson/Lorentz

3-2

Puleo/Valenzuela

4-11

MacTaggart/Tsao

1-1

Hulton Sacchi/Ton

0-7

Ton/Tsao

1-2

Ton/Valenzuela

1-1

1-1c

2011 â&#x20AC;˘ MANHATTAN COLLEGE TENNIS

METRO ATLANTIC ATHLETIC CONFERENCE With 10 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is in its 30th year of competition during the 2010-2011 academic year. The MAAC was founded in 1980 by six charter members: the U.S. Military Academy, Fairfield University, Fordham University, Iona College, Manhattan College and Saint Peter’s College. Competition followed one year later in the fall of 1981 with members competing in the sports of men’s cross country and men’s soccer. On January 2, 1982, Army traveled to Iona for the first MAAC men’s basketball game and the MAAC story had begun. Today, Conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Loyola University Maryland, Manhattan College, Marist College, Niagara University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s College, and Siena College. In addition, associate members include the University of Detroit Mercy, Jacksonville University and Virginia Military Institute in men’s lacrosse. St. Francis (N.Y.) College, Villanova University and Wagner College are all associate members of the MAAC Women’s Water Polo League. Drake University, Robert Morris University and Sacred Heart University compete in women’s rowing, while the University at Albany, Boston University and the University of Hartford began competition in women’s golf in the spring of 2010. The MAAC will support 24 sports and championships during the 2010-2011 academic year. The MAAC Basketball Championships return to the Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport, Conn. for 2011, with Springfield’s MassMutual Center preparing to host the 2012-2014 championships. By having an excellent working relationship with various facilities, the MAAC has been able to attract a number of NCAA Championship events. Most recently, the MAAC, Canisius College and Niagara University successfully hosted the 2010 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship First and Second Rounds at the HSBC Arena in Buffalo, New York. All three parties hosted the event in 2004 and 2007. The MAAC and Rider University co-hosted the 2009 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship Regional at the Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton, N.J., after recording the third highest attendance figure for the women’s championship with the First and Second Rounds in 2006. The MAAC and Rider will work together to co-host the 2011 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pa.

MAAC ASSOCIATE SPORTS

In June of 1995, the MAAC continued to develop opportunities for student-athletes as the conference announced the formation of the MAAC Men’s and Women’s Lacrosse Leagues. The men’s league began competition in the spring of 1996, while the women’s league commenced in the spring of 1997. The men’s league consists of four MAAC schools -- Canisius, Manhattan, Marist, and Siena – and three associate members – Detroit Mercy, Jacksonville and Virginia Military Institute. The women’s league consists of MAAC institutions Canisius, Fairfield, Iona, Manhattan, Marist, Niagara and Siena. In 2002, the MAAC added the MAAC Women’s Water Polo League. The league is made up of three MAAC schools – Iona, Marist and Siena – as well as three associate members, St. Francis (N.Y.), Villanova and Wagner.

Sacred Heart started participating in MAAC Women’s Rowing in the spring of 2008. Drake University joined the league for the 2010 MAAC Championship, while Robert Morris will begin competition in the spring of 2011. In the summer of 2009, the MAAC added three associate members – Albany, Boston University and Hartford – to women’s golf, with the programs starting competition against MAAC members Fairfield, Niagara and Siena in 2009-2010.

ACADEMICS AND ATHLETICS

The MAAC prides itself on the accomplishments of its studentathletes in the classroom, as well as on the field. Mary Beth Riley, a 1991 graduate of Canisius, was the first recipient of the NCAA Woman of the Year Award. In the fall of 1998, Erin Whalen, a member of the Iona women’s rowing team, was awarded one of the nation’s 32 Rhodes Scholarships for academic achievement and civic leadership. Jose Vargas, a Loyola student, was also awarded a Rhodes Scholarship in 1999. First-class facilities are the rule with MAAC schools, as teams regularly play in top-notch arenas, such as Madison Square Garden, the IZOD Center, HSBC Arena, Times Union Center, the Arena at Harbor Yard and the Sun National Bank Center. The other MAAC championships boast their share of outstanding locales as well, such as the Reverend Harold Ridley, S.J., Athletic Complex at Loyola, where both the men’s and women’s soccer championships will be contested in the fall of 2010, and Waterfront Park in Trenton, home of the 2011 MAAC Baseball Championship. This year, the MAAC will take its volleyball championship to Orlando, Florida, where it will conduct its post-season event at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The MAAC Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships will be held at Disney’s Magnolia Golf Course. In the past several years, a number of the MAAC schools have also enjoyed success in NCAA Championships. MAAC schools have made a total of 75 NIT appearances and 45 NCAA appearances. In addition, Fairfield represented the league last season in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament while the Fairfield women participated in the Women’s Basketball Invitational. The MAAC currently possesses 13 automatic bids to NCAA Championships in men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, softball, men’s and women’s soccer, volleyball, men’s golf, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s lacrosse, and women’s water polo. In 2007, the Marist women’s basketball team advanced to the Sweet 16 before falling to the eventual National Champion, the University of Tennessee. Last fall, the No. 11 Iona men’s cross country team finished tied for eighth place at the NCAA Championship race, extended the Gaels’ streak to eight straight Top 10 national finishes. Canisius softball, Manhattan track, Manhattan and Marist baseball and Loyola soccer and lacrosse have also flourished on the national stage. The MAAC has also been a leader in the forefront of technology, expanding the notoriety of the league into cyberspace. In 2007, the league reached an agreement with JumpTV, Inc. to sponsor the MAAC web page. Launched in November 1999, www.maacsports.com has been a great success, providing fans with up-to-date contest results, multimedia content and an online merchandise store. The MAAC President for the 2010-2011 academic year is Rev. Jeffrey von Arx, S.J., the President of Fairfield University. The Vice-President is Dr. Eugene J. Cornacchia, Ph.D., the President of Saint Peter’s College. Ed McLaughlin, Director of Athletics at Niagara University, will chair the Committee on Athletic Administration, and Karin Torchia, Associate Athletic Director/Senior Woman Administrator at Rider University will serve as Vice Chair. 2011 • MANHATTAN COLLEGE TENNIS

2011 • MANHATTAN COLLEGE TENNIS

Dr. Brennan O’Donnell is the 19th president of Manhattan College, having assumed the responsibilities of the position July 1, 2009. Dr. O’Donnell comes to Manhattan from Fordham College at Rose Hill, Fordham University’s oldest and largest school. As dean of Fordham College, he was the chief academic officer of a College of Arts and Sciences enrolling about 3,200 students under a faculty of more than 200. Before coming to New York, Dr. O’Donnell spent 17 years at Loyola College in Maryland (now Loyola University Maryland), where he served as a professor of English and, from 1999-2004, as director of the university-wide Honors Program. An active scholar, his teaching and research interests focus mainly upon poetry, especially of the British Romantic period, and on religion and literature, particularly contemporary American Catholic writers. He has authored two books on the poetry of William Wordsworth and co-edited The Work of Andre Dubus, a collection of essays published as a double issue of Religion and the Arts. In addition, Dr. O’Donnell has published articles, essays and reviews in some of the leading journals in his field. At Manhattan, he will continue to hold a faculty appointment, as he had at Fordham and Loyola, as professor of English. As the first president of the College not to be a member of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, Dr. O’Donnell is treading new ground at Manhattan College. He has experience in such transitions, however, as

2011 • MANHATTAN COLLEGE TENNIS

he was also the first layperson to serve as dean of Fordham College at Rose Hill. His publications and lectures demonstrate a keen engagement in issues of faith and education, specifically Catholic higher education. From 1994–2000, he served as editor of the national magazine Conversations on Jesuit Higher Education, and he was a member of the National Seminar on Jesuit Higher Education from 1993–2000. In addition, he has served as a board member for the Lilly Fellows Program and for Collegium, a consortium of Catholic universities that strives to strengthen faculty understanding of and participation in the mission of Catholic higher education. A native of Pennsylvania’s Wyoming Valley, Dr. O’Donnell earned his B.A. with highest distinction and Honors in English at The Pennsylvania State University in 1981, where he was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. He earned an M.A. and a Ph.D. at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in English and American Literature and Language. He is the recipient of numerous fellowships, grants, awards and honors. Dr. O’Donnell is married to Angela O’Donnell (formerly Alaimo), a poet and writer who teaches at Fordham, where she serves as associate director of the Francis and Ann Curran Center for American Catholic Studies. The couple has three sons: Charles (a graduate of Saint John’s University, Minnesota, and a teacher in the St. Paul, Minnesota, public schools), Patrick (a 2009 graduate of Columbia University, currently pursuing graduate studies in philosophy in Leuven, Belgium), and Will (a senior English major at Fordham).

A 1968 graduate of Manhattan College, Byrnes enters his 23rd year as director of athletics. Since his arrival back to Riverdale in May of 1988, Byrnes has presided over a renaissance period in Manhattan College athletics. During his tenure, the men’s and women’s basketball programs have earned eight NCAA Tournament bids (four women, four men). Additionally, the Jaspers have appeared in five postseason and preseason National Invitational Tournaments (NIT). Women’s soccer and men’s and women’s lacrosse began competition at the Division I level under Byrnes, and 14 different teams have won conference championships-men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s indoor track, men’s and women’s outdoor track, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s lacrosse, volleyball, men’s tennis, softball and baseball. In addition, to date, 26 student-athletes have received All-America honors for both athletic and academic achievements. Before returning to Manhattan, Byrnes spent 13 years with the Morrison-Knudsen Company, one of the largest engineering and construction firms in the nation. A native of Garrison, New York, Byrnes earned his undergraduate degree in physical education with a minor in biology. He also holds an M.B.A. from City University in Seattle, Washington. As an undergraduate, Byrnes was a member of the Jaspers’ club football team. Byrnes served as team captain and played both defensive tackle and

offensive end. He spent one season as an assistant coach and helped guide Manhattan to a 6-2 overall record in 1969. Upon graduation, Byrnes began a teaching and coaching career at Queen of Peace High School in North Arlington, New Jersey. He also served as the school’s director of athletics from 1970-73. Under his leadership, Queen of Peace registered state tournament appearances in baseball and basketball, while also capturing the Parochial “B” State Championship in football (1972). In addition to his responsibilities at Manhattan, Byrnes served two stints (1997-99, 2004-06) as president of the Metropolitan Intercollegiate Basketball Association, at one time the sponsoring body of the NIT. He also served on the NCAA Championship Committee in 1999-2000. He is currently the chair of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Men’s Basketball Committee and the Committee on Athletic Administration, as well as a member of the ECAC Officials Negotiating Committee. In recognition of his years of outstanding contributions to Jasper athletics, Byrnes was inducted into the Manhattan College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2004. Byrnes resides in Croton-on-Hudson, New York, along with his wife, Rosemary. He is the father of five children: Bob, Carolyn (Manhattan ’97), Brian (Manhattan ’99), Darren and Brigid.

2011 • MANHATTAN COLLEGE TENNIS