Owl News Spring 2015 by Southern Connecticut State University

FOR THE TEAM BEHIND THE TEAM

SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT STATE UNIVERSITY | SPRING 2015

“Oh my gosh Southern Connecticut, we did this...”

an era that oozes instant gratification, you can only imagine the tension that Southern Connecticut State University women’s track and field student-athletes Crystle Hill, Sarah Hill, Georgette Nixon and Shatajah Wattely must have endured at the 2015 NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships in March. The quartet that comprised the Owls’ 4x400 relay team entered the national championship as the top overall seed in that event. When Wattely crossed the finish line first in her heat, the final heat, SCSU had seemingly secured the first relay national title in school history and 79th overall individual crown. However, due to a protest in one of the previous heats, it wasn’t until nearly an hour later that the official decree was out – the Owls were Crystle Hill, Sarah Hill, Georgette Nixon and national champions. Shatajah Wattely stand atop the podium after It was an even more impressive feat considering winning the national championship in the that the quartet had really only been racing 4x400 relay. together for a few weeks. Teammate Adriana Carrasco had also spent time during the winter as part of the 4x400 relay group. However, once the two Hills, Nixon and Wattely paired up to win a New England championship in the event a few weeks before, the final four participating at the NCAA Championships was decided upon. The range of vantage points for both relay members and coaches provided an interesting dynamic when assessing the emotional pendulum of the race. “Going across the finish line was unreal,” Wattely said. “The last 100 meters of the race it was like ‘okay, if I don’t haul right now, if I don’t get out, then this might not happen’. Then I did that and the girl kept drifting and drifting and during that last straightaway. I’m like ‘oh my gosh we did this, this is happening’. When I crossed, I looked at the screen waiting, patiently waiting, waiting for the results to come in and when it showed up I was like ‘oh my gosh Southern Connecticut, we did this.’” A race that spanned just under four minutes - 3:44.91 to be exact – was the culmination of years of training and included support from head women’s track and field coach Melissa Stoll, head men’s CONTINUED ON PAGE

“Going across the finsh line was unreal.” – SHATAJAH WATTELY

Senior captain Luke Houston earned All-Conference honors as part of the Owls’ run to the Sweet 16.

Owls Reach Sweet 16 for Second Straight Year On the heels of a school record 30 victories and a trip to the Elite Eight, the Southern Connecticut State University men’s basketball team ensured that more accomplishments would be attained during the 2014-15 season. The Owls most recent campaign came to a close on March 17 with a loss in the NCAA East Regional final. SCSU finished the year with a 24-8 record and reached the Sweet 16 for the second straight year, a program first. Along the way, the Owls reached as high as No. 2 in the national rankings and won the Northeast-10 Conference Southwest Division title for the second consecutive season. After years of being an afterthought in the highly competitive NE-10, the Owls are now clearly reestablished as not only a conference contender, but also a player on the regional and national stages. “It was a wonderful year, it CONTINUED ON PAGE

SCSU OWL NEWS | SPRING 2015 Former SCSU football player Dan Lauria, then and now.

Former Gymnastics Coach Receives Frank Bare Award

Former Southern Connecticut State University men's gymnastics coach Abie Grossfeld has been selected to receive the Frank Bare Award by the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame. He was formally recognized at the organization's annual induction dinner in Oklahoma City, Okla. The International Gymnastics Hall of Fame (IGHOF) presents the Frank Bare Award to individuals who have made exceptional contributions in promoting and growing the sport of gymnastics throughout the United States. This award celebrates the legacy of its namesake, the long-time IGHOF chairman of the board, who passed away in 2011. Mr. Bare was one of the most beloved leaders and admired statesmen in the history of gymnastics in the United States. While serving as the first executive director of the U.S. Gymnastics Federation, he guided the sport into its Abie Grossfeld golden age of popularity. Mr. Bare conceived of and staged promotional tours and competitions, including the American Cup, that introduced much of the world to such legendary stars as Nadia Comaneci, Bart Conner, Olga Korbut, Cathy Rigby, Nikolai Andrianov, Kurt Thomas and dozens more. Grossfeld was a three-time head coach of the United States men's gymnastics team (1972, 1984 and 1988) and an assistant for the men's squad in 1964 and the women's squad in 1968. Grossfeld served as head coach at SCSU from 1963-2004. A member of the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, Grossfeld served as head coach for the 1984 U.S. Olympic Men's Gymnastics Team that earned eight medals, including the U.S. men's only Olympic team gold medal. He was also the personal coach of Peter Kormann, who became the first U.S. man to win an Olympic medal in 44 years with a bronze medal on floor exercise in 1976. Grossfeld also served as head coach for the U.S. men's gymnastics team at five World Championships and two Pan American Games, including the 1987 Pan Am Games when the men won the team gold medal. The U.S. national coach for men's gymnastics from 1981-88, Grossfeld coached the first U.S. men's team that defeated the USSR in 1982. While at SCSU, Grossfeld was a three-time National Coach of the Year who led the men's gymnastics team to three NCAA championships (1973, 1975, 1976). He coached 29 individual NCAA champions, 126 All-Americans and four Nissen Award winners. As an athlete, Grossfeld represented the USA internationally from 1952-67. He competed in two Olympic Games (1956, 1960), two World Championships (1958, 1962) and three Pan American Games (1955, 1959, 1963: the U.S. won the team gold all three years). At the University of Illinois, he won four NCAA titles and seven Big Ten Championships, as well as the Big Ten Medal of Honor. Additional honors include: National Coach of the Year for USA Gymnastics (1984) and the NCAA (1973, 1975 and 1976); USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame (as an athlete, coach and contributor); and the first and only American to achieve the status of FIG Master Coach (2000).

Actor Dan Lauria Honored with Distinguished American Award

The Casey-O'Brien New Haven County Chapter of the National Football Foundation/College Football Hall of Fame honored former SCSU football player Dan Lauria with its Distinguished American Award at its annual awards dinner on April 10 at Fantasia in North Haven. Lauria, a 1970 graduate of SCSU, played varsity football for the Owls from 1967-69. During his time with the team, SCSU won Eastern Football Conference titles in 1967 and 1968. He went on to an acclaimed career as an actor in film, television and on stage after graduation. During the 2010-11 season, Lauria did over 275 performances of Vince Lombardi, the legendary coach of the Green Bay Packers, in the Broadway production of the play “Lombardi.” He is most recognized as the father in the highly acclaimed Emmy-winning ABC television show “The Wonder Years.”

Two Former Owls Appointed to NFL Coaching Staffs

Two former Owls joined the coaching staffs of National Football League clubs earlier this winter. Chris Palmer, top, was named to the staff of the Buffalo Bills. A veteran with 23 years of NFL coaching experience, including two seasons as head coach of the Cleveland Browns, Palmer will serve as the Senior Offensive Assistant. Palmer has held numerous posts across professional and college football during a distinguished career. He was the quarterbacks coach for the New York Giants from 2007-09 and helped the club win Super Bowl XLII over the New England Patriots. Palmer most recently served as the offensive coordinator of the Tennessee Titans in 2011 and 2012. He led the Titans to the fourth highest passing yardage total (3,923 net yards) in franchise history in 2011. Palmer has also been the offensive coordinator with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans. In total, Palmer has worked in a total of four professional leagues (NFL, UFL, USFL, CFL) and has 15 years of experience in the college ranks as well. In addition, former Southern Connecticut State University football studentathlete and coach Tim Holt, bottom, has been named the assistant offensive line coach with the Oakland Raiders. Holt previously served on the staffs of the Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While with the Bears, Holt was the offensive line coach after three seasons with Tampa Bay as an offensive assistant and later, assistant offensive line coach. Holt's collegiate coaching experience includes stops at Stetson, Stonehill, American International, Cornell, Lehigh, and two stints at his alma mater, SCSU.

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SCSU OWL NEWS | SPRING 2015

TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR SELECTION TO THE ACADEMIC ALL-

CONFERENCE TEAMS, A STUDENT-ATHLETE MUST HAVE MET

AND/OR EXCEEDED THE FOLLOWING MINIMUM

REQUIREMENTS: PARTICIPATED IN

AT LEAST HALF OF THE TEAM'S

COMPETITIONS

AND BE EITHER A STARTER OR

SIGNIFICANT

CONTRIBUTOR ACHIEVED A 3.30

CUMULATIVE GRADE POINT AVERAGE

(ON A 4.0 SCALE) COMPLETED AT LEAST

ONE ACADEMIC YEAR AT HIS/HER CURRENT INSTITUTION

THE NORTHEAST-10 ACADEMIC ALL-

CONFERENCE TEAMS ARE CHOSEN BY A VOTE OF A COMMITTEE

OF ATHLETIC

ADMINISTRATORS AND FACULTY ATHLETIC

REPRESENTATIVES (FAR).

Eleven student-athletes from SCSU were named to the Northeast-10 Conference All-Academic Team – four during the fall and seven in the winter – for sustained excellence academically and athletically within their respective sport. The fall student-athletes recognized were: Sarah Brochu (women’s soccer), Sebastian Brems (men’s soccer), Markus Jacobsen (men’s soccer) and Jack Mallis (football). During the winter season, the Owls matched a conference-high with seven student-athletes honored: Luke Houston and Tylon Smith (men’s basketball), Crystle Hill, Sarah Hill and Sarah Vaughan (women’s indoor track and field), Dean Bhatt (men’s indoor track and field) and Katherine Krajcik (women’s swimming and diving). Brochu and Brems both had decorated campaigns on the pitch this winter, earning All-America honors for their play. Brochu helped the Owls claim the 2014 ECAC championship, while Brems and Jacobsen played pivotal roles in helping the men’s soccer team reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament and finish the year with a No. 17 nation ranking. Mallis was also previously honored by the National Football Foundation as a Campbell Trophy semifinalist for his allaround efforts. Houston and Smith were both All-Conference performers and captains who helped the Owls reach the Sweet 16. Bhatt earned All-New England honors in the 4x800 relay and the distance medley relay. Both Hills ran a leg of the national champion 4x400 relay, while Vaughan was an All-Region pick in the 5,000 meters. Krajcik registered six top-13 finishes at the NE-10 Championship, including a pair of runner-up marks. HHHHHHHHHH

With the spring season still in full swing, ten SCSU student-athletes have already been named All-Americans for their efforts athletically within their respective sports this year. • Men’s Soccer, Sebastian Brems • Women’s Soccer, Sarah Brochu • Men’s Indoor Track and Field Yakabu Ibrahim, 60 hurdles • Michael Lee, long jump • Women’s Indoor Track and Field Michelle Grecni, pole vault • Crystle Hill, 4x400 relay Sarah Hill, 4x400 relay • Georgette Nixon, 4x400 relay Shatajah Wattely, 4x400 relay, 400 meters • Men’s Basketbal, Tylon Smith

DEAN BHATT

SEBASTIAN BREMS

SARAH BROCHU

MICHELLE GRECNI

CRYSTLE HILL

SARAH HILL

LUKE HOUSTON

YAKABU IBRAHIM

MARKUS JACOBSEN KATHERINE KRAJCIK

MICHAEL LEE

JACK MALLIS

GEORGETTE NIXON

TYLON SMITH

SARAH VAUGHAN

SHATAJAH WATTELY

HHHHHHHHHH

Success in the classroom remained a staple for SCSU athletic programs this fall. Eleven of the Owls’ 19 programs achieved a team grade point average of 3.0 or higher during the fall semester. The women’s basketball and field hockey teams each posted a 3.35 team GPA to lead all programs, while the men’s cross country team’s 3.12 GPA was tops among men’s squads in the fall. In addition, a total of 180 student-athletes were named to the Fall, 2014 Northeast-10 Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll.

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SCSU OWL NEWS | SPRING 2015 Women’s Track and Field Championships CONTINUED FROM PAGE

Senior Dan Elliot of the men’s swimming and diving team was one of four SCSU recipients of the prestigious Barnard Award.

Elliott Earns Prestigious Barnard Award

Senior Dan Elliott, below, of the men’s swimming and diving team has been selected as a recipient of the 2015 Henry Barnard Award from SCSU. Only four students are selected from the Southern campus, while just 12 are tabbed from across the Connecticut State University system. He was honored at a dinner at the Aqua Turf in Southington on April 6. Elliot distinguished himself academically and athletically over the course of his four years and persevered through adversity along the way. He was named an Academic All-American by Capital One and the College Sports Information Directors of America as a junior in 2013-14. In addition, he also claimed five Northeast-10 Conference titles as a junior in helping the Owls win the Northeast-10 Conference team crown. However, in the summer of 2014, while lifeguarding, Elliot broke multiple vertebrae in his neck after being caught in a riptide. After surgery and rehabilitation, he was able to return to a normal everyday schedule except in the pool, as the injury forced him to miss his entire senior season. A team captain, Elliot finished his career as a six-time NE-10 individual champion and was twice named to the Men’s Swimming and Diving AllAcademic Team. As a junior, he was also tabbed as the NE-10 Men’s Swimming and Diving Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Award winner. Elliot has also been active with numerous community outreach efforts, including Comcast Cares Day, Day of Service and both conference and state championship swim meet competitions. An exercise science major who carries a 3.73 GPA, Elliot will pursue a master’s degree in occupational therapy in the fall at Columbia University.

Men’s Swimming and Diving Program Continues Reign Of Dominance A stellar championship run continued for the SCSU men’s swimming and diving team this winter. The team claimed its 11th Northeast10 Conference title in the past 12 years in the event held from Feb. 5-8 at Hutchinson Natatorium. Junior Christopher Curtin was selected as the Most Outstanding Swimmer for his individual efforts.

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track and field coach John Wallin, and assistant coach Joe Van Gilder, who works with both the men’s and the women’s teams. “Watching the race, we were with Lincoln,” said Van Gilder, a SCSU alum and former member of the Owls’ track and field and football squads. “They’re a very good team. They’ve run 3:40 or better the last few years. We were going back and forth with them for the first three legs. When Shatajah got the baton, they were together…With 100 meters to go, she ran away from her. “To see her (Shatajah) run away, to see her face…there have been pictures of her, she’s crying coming down the straightaway because she knew that she had won. When the time came up, we knew that we had won. Coach Wallin and I were hugging each other in the stands.” For Nixon, a first-time participant at the NCAA Championships, the result was eye-opening. “When I was watching Shatajah with the baton in her hand and she was approaching the finish line, I saw the gap that we had and I already knew we we’re going to win. It was just a surreal feeling. We were jumping around on the side. Personally I’ve never made it to Nationals. This is my first time making it and then I’m a National Champion. It was so surreal I couldn’t believe it at first.” Crystle Hill earned All-America honors in the 4x400 relay last year, so she was familiar with the spotlight of a national stage. But there’s no substitute for the joy that comes with a national title. “Individually for me this is kind of like the building blocks to my future,” she said. “Having this national title kind of made it realistic for me that I can actually compete on this national level. “(Coach) Wallin always tells us we’re good enough to be here, we’re good enough, we’re good enough but we never really believed it until we were actually good enough. If we can do it as a team, I honestly think we can do it individually.” Stoll was quick to credit a collective effort in the buildup to an eventual national title. “I’m really proud of everyone, not only just the girls on the team but the coaching staff that has prepared them very well,” she said. “Not only affectively in handling competing at the highest level coming in as the number one seed. But they’ve done a fantastic job of just setting up the training perfectly and to where they were able to run at their best. I definitely owe a large gratitude and credit to Coach Wallin and Coach Van Gilder. “The ladies have really come together this entire season and even throughout the week when we were taking it one day at a time. They were really excited and they were really running like they were going to win a National Championship. From approaching practice and even approaching the actual day, being in the bullpen and seeing all the other heats go in front of them. There’s always an air of nervousness, but they handled the environment, the pressure and they performed well.”

There’s no substitute for the joy that comes with a national title.

SCSU OWL NEWS | SPRING 2015 Owls’ Reach Sweet 16 CONTINUED FROM PAGE

really was,” said Owls’ coach Michael Donnelly. “Compared to last year, the expectations that we had coming into this season were extremely high. Last year was a magical year, so compared to last year it was completely different. We went through much more adversity. We went through many more challenging times, but at the end of the year we really pulled together.” Donnelly, the architect behind the Southern resurgence, has reinvigorated a program that won a combined total of four games in the two seasons prior to his arrival. The last two seasons have seen 54 wins – against just 11 losses – another SCSU program record for a two-season stretch. A key factor in the Owls’ success on the court, in the classroom and in the community was their senior class – Jose Cruz, Luke Houston and Tylon Smith. Together, the trio matched a program record with 85 See Page 6 wins over their four years. Smith capped his senior season by earning All-America, All-Region and First-Team AllConference honors for his play on the court. He also collected Academic All-America honors from the College Sports Information Directors of America and Capital One for the second straight year. Smith also departs as the school’s all-time assist leader and is top-10 all-time in points and rebounds. Houston also earned All-Conference honors as a senior and eclipsed the 1,000 point mark early in the campaign. Sophomore Michael Mallory was also recognized as an All-Conference honoree. “I think it was a pretty good season,” Smith said. “For us to get where we were, back to the regional championship, that’s a huge accomplishment. Not many teams do that. You don’t see that very often. Obviously, it didn’t end the way that we wanted it to, but in the grand scheme of things, the season was a huge success. Equally as important during the campaign is the fact that the Owls have continued to sustain a foundation that should strengthen in the years ahead. “Going forward with 10 guys returning, there’s going to be a lot of motivation and hunger in the program to get back and to do better than we did this year,” Donnelly said. “The future is certainly bright here.”

Tylon Smith Profile

A key factor in the Owls’ success on the court, in the classroom and in the community was their senior class – Jose Cruz, Luke Houston and Tylon Smith.

Annual Golf Classic a Huge Success The 2015 SCSU Annual Golf Tournament was held on May 19 at the Lake of Isles North Course at Foxwoods Resort and Casino. The event was filled to capacity, as approximately 200 participants, coaches and administrators enjoyed a tremendous day of camaraderie. This event provides an opportunity for alumni, fans and friends to support and encourage the academic and athletic growth of Southern’s student-athletes. All proceeds from the tournament are used for student scholarships and program enhancements for the Athletics Department.

Follow the Owls on Social Media

The Southern Connecticut State University athletic department continues to provide extensive information through its social media platforms, in addition to its official athletics website, SouthernCTowls.com. Owls’ fans can follow their teams as games progress with Twitter updates. Check out the Owls’ Instagram account for an array of photos and graphics. The department’s YouTube page provides an array of student-athlete features, as well as game highlights and post-game interviews. In addition, regular updates are available through the SCSU athletics Facebook page.

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SCSU OWL NEWS | SPRING 2015

Tylon Smith Part of an Elite Group

Thanks in part to Smith’s efforts, the Owls reached the Sweet 16 for the second consecutive year and also won the Northeast-10 Conference Southwest Division title for the second year in a row. A four-year starter at point guard, Smith, along with classmates Luke Houston and Jose Cruz, matched a program record for victories in a career (85). He was also selected as an Academic All-American by Capital One and the College Sports Information Directors of America for the second straight year. “The hard work that I’ve put in through the years really paid off,” Smith said. “Ever since I was a kid in elementary school, my parents have prided that education is foremost before athletics. To be named both an Academic AllAmerican and an All-American (for basketball), it’s just a honor to them. They instilled in me that academics comes first. It’s more important than athletics, but for me to succeed in both, it’s really a blessing.” Smith will graduate ranked among the program’s all-time leader in points and rebounds and set a new school record for career assists. However, beyond the statistics and grade point averages, it’s the intangibles that have helped set Smith apart. “I know for a fact that I have never coached a better all-around player,” Donnelly said. “To be an All-American on the court and an All-American off the court with what he’s been able to do in the classroom, he’s just a great example of the type of kids that we want here.” In addition to crediting his parents, Smith was also quick to acknowledge many others who helped him along the way at SCSU. “For all of these accomplishments that I’ve had, I wouldn’t have done it without the teammates that I’ve had for the past four years,” he said. “And I sure wouldn’t have done it without the two coaches that I’ve had (Coach Donnelly and assistant coach Mike Makubika). I put in my hard work, but it’s just the grand sum of everything combined.”

he laundry list of accomplishments credited to Tylon Smith during his four years as a studentathlete at Southern Connectiuct State University is nothing short of remarkable. After all, it’s an extremely rare occurrence to achieve status as an AllAmerican based on athletic achievement and as an Academic All-American by virtue of classroom success. Smith is a part of that elite group. More importantly, his cumulative body of work – including a leadership role as a two-year captain and ambassador as one of the Owls’ most visible faces in the media spotlight – speaks exactly to the type of individual that head men’s basketball coach Michael Donnelly is constantly looking for to join his program. “We knew that when we recruited Tylon, we hoped that he would have the type of career that he had, but he’s certainly exceeded our expectations,” said the fifth-year Owls coach. “He’s going to go on and do great things off the court. He’s got a bright future. From a professional standpoint, whatever career path he chooses, he’s going to be successful. “He’s everything that we want in a student-athlete and we’re really going to miss him.” Smith, a recreation and leisure major, will graduate this spring. He carries a cumulative grade point average of 3.68 entering his final semester. With the finish line of the graduation stage in sight, Smith showed no signs of slowing down. He earned a 3.92 GPA during the fall semester, as Donnelly pointed out. This season on the basketball court was also his finest. One of the best all-around players in Division II, Smith averaged 18.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game en route to All-America honors by two organizations, the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the Basketball Times. He was also selected to play in the Reese’s Division II All-Star Game in Evansville, Ind.

“I know for a fact that I have never coached a better all-around player.” – COACH MICHAEL DONNELLY

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