The Dartmouth Sports Weekly 5/9/16

05.9.16

Dartmouth football players sign with NFL teams

BASEBALL ENDS PLAYOFF STREAK p.5

NEW COACHES FOR WOMEN’S TEAMS p.7

THE D SPORTS AWARDS: BEST MOMENT p.8 IAN KELSEY, KATELYN JONES, ANNIE DUNCAN/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF

SW 2

The Roundup

THE DARTMOUTH SPORTS WEEKLY

MONDAY, MAY 9, 2016

Compiled by James Handal and Evan Morgan

SEAMORE ZHU/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF

Men’s track and field took fifth place overall at the Ivy League Heptagonal Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

ANNIE DUNCAN/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF

Baseball ended its eight-year playoff streak this past weekend.

Baseball The Dartmouth men’s baseball team fell to Yale University 5-4 in its one-game playoff to decide the winner of the Red Rolfe Division, with a spot at the Ivy League Championship Series on the line. Yale was able to score two runs in the bottom of the eighth and closed it out in the top of the ninth to play Princeton University next weekend.

Yale’s win prevented Dartmouth from winning its ninth consecutive division title.

Dartmouth scored a run in the second when Adam Gauthier ’16 had a sacrifice fly to lead 1-0. In the fourth inning, the Big Green doubled their lead as Kyle Holbrook ’18 hit a solo home-run to lead 2-0.

The Bulldogs responded by scoring two runs in the fourth and a run in the fifth to take the lead 3-2. The Big Green scored a run in the sixth and another in the eighth to regain the lead 4-3. Yale

responded in the bottom of the eighth and scored the two game-winning runs to ultimately win 5-4. Dartmouth was unable to respond in the top of the ninth.

The Bulldogs had 10 hits to the Big Green’s eight. Duncan Robinson ’16 pitched seven and one-third innings allowing four runs and 10 hits.

Men’s Track and Field The men’s track and field team finished fifth in the Ivy League Outdoor Heptagonal Track and Field Championships at Princeton University this weekend.

The team participated in each individual event, earning points towards each school’s total. Anthony Anzivino ’16 placed eighth in the 3000-meter steeplechase. Joey Chapin ’16 placed fifth in the 5000-meter finishing in 14 minutes 21.92 seconds. Parker Johnson ’19 placed sixth in the 400-meter hurdles to earn a point for the Big Green.

Rebecca Asoulin ’17 Editor-in-Chief

05.02.16 VOL. CLXXIII N. 77

Alec Eschholz ’19 placed sixth in the 110 hurdles. Tim Gorman ’16 placed seventh in the 1500. Dartmouth placed fourth in the 4x100 relay to earn two points and sixth in the 4x400 race to earn another point.

On Saturday in the 10,000, Daniel Salas ‘17 finished fourth in 29:43.54.

Max Cosculluela ’17 placed third in the pole vault at 5.00 meters. Corey Muggler ’17 placed sixth in the long jump at 7.02 meters. Colin Minor ’18 placed fourth in the hammer throw at 61.16 meters. In the discus throw, Lucas Ribeiro ’19 finished ninth at 48.44 meters.

On Sunday in the field, Jacob Shippee ’16 placed second in the javelin throw. Minor placed 12th in the shot put at 15:36 meters. Alex Frye ’17 placed seventh in the high jump. In a last event of the day, Justin Donawa ’19 placed third in the triple jump leaping 15.36

meters.

Women’s Track and Field At the Ivy League Outdoor Heptagonal Championship this weekend, Dartmouth placed fifth, improving on a seventh-place showing in 2015. The Big Green’s total of 81 points was well behind three-time champion Harvard University (160) but ahead of Brown University, the University of Pennsylvania and Yale University.

In her final Heps, Dana Giordano ’16 turned in a big-time performance, winning the 1500-meters in 4 minutes 20.03 seconds and coming from behind in the 5000 (16:33.39) to eke out a victory by just over half a second.It was her first career win in the 5000. The victories made her First-Team All-Ivy in both events and the first woman ever to win both in the same year. Giordano

also became the first Ivy League woman to take three consecutive titles in the 1500m.

Also competing in her last Heps, Kaitlin Whitehorn ’16 jumped 5 feet 10 inches (1.78 meters) to win the high-jump, besting her competition by seven-tenths of a meter. Whitehorn, who competed at the NCAA indoor championships in March, is the only Dartmouth woman to not only win three high jump titles but also win them consecutively.

Two Big Green athletes also earned second team all-Ivy honors. Jennifer Meech ’16 crossed the line second in the 400 with a time of 53.99, adding to her fourth-place showing in the 200.

In the javelin, Olivia Wiener ’19 threw 41.93 meters on her first attempt to take second in the event.

Elsewhere, Dartmouth earned two third place finishes: Reid Watson ’16

Rachel DeChiara ’17 Publisher

Annie Ma ’17 Executive Editor

Gayne Kalustian ’17 Ray Lu ’18 Sports Editors

Annie Duncan ’17 Kate Herrington ’17 Photography Editors

SEAMORE ZHU/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF

On the track, Dana Giordano ’16 won both the 1500-meter and the 5000m.

THE DARTMOUTH SPORTS WEEKLY

MONDAY, MAY 9, 2016

in the 10,000m (34:55.52) and Kaitlin McCallum ’16 in the pole vault (3.70 meters). The Big Green relay teams took fourth in both the 4x100 and 4x400.

Allison Frantz ’18 and Maria Garman ’19 also added points in the heptathlon, coming in fifth and sixth respectively.

Equestrian Four Dartmouth equestrians — Lindsay Seewald ’16, Catherine Conway ’17, Anna Knowles ’16 and Erin McCarthy-Keeler ’19 — competed at the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association National Championships this weekend in Lexington, Kentucky.

Seewald was third in the country in the Intermediate Equitation on the Flat and Knowles took the overall crown in the Teresa McDonald Scholarship Challenge.

Conway and Seewald qualified for Nationals by placing first or second in their class at Regionals and then do-

ing the same against riders from all of New England at the highly competitive Zones. Nationals upped the competition even further, as the 16 riders in each class are the cream of the crop of the thousands of collegiate riders from across the country.

As at shows during the regular season, horses are randomly assigned to riders at Nationals. Conway rode first in the Novice Fences class on Thursday morning and “had a little bit of a tough start to her course,” according to head coach Sally Batton. After Conway’s first horse was spooked by the full arena at the Kentucky Horse Park, she was granted a re-ride on another difficult horse. Despite a solid ride, Conway’s score was not high enough to earn a ribbon.

Like Conway’s second mount, Seewald’s horse was provided by Skidmore College. This time, the pairing of Dartmouth rider with the horse proved fruitful. Seewald — who Batton said “is

so strong she can ride any horse” — impressed the judges with her “beautiful” touch and hands, and eventually earned a third place finish and a yellow ribbon.

Knowles and McCarthy-Keeler represented not just Dartmouth but all of New England. The pair qualified for Nationals by earning Zone 1’s top two scores on a on a comprehensive timed written examination of equine knowledge, including “veterinary information, horse health care, vaccinations and medications,” Batton said.

At Nationals, the written examination was replaced by a practicum in which competitors demonstrated practical knowledge like wrapping a horse’s leg or taking its pulse. McCarthy-Keeler was seventh in the practicum, while Knowles earned the highest score of all sixteen competitors. After winning Dartmouth’s first national equestrian title in the event last year, Knowles becomes the Big Green’s first two-time national champion.

TIFFANY ZHAI/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF

The equestrian team sent rides to the National Championships for the second year in a row.

TIFFANY ZHAI/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF

Lindsay Seewald ’16 placed third this weekend at the IHSA National Championships.

SW 3

THE DARTMOUTH SPORTS WEEKLY

SW 4

BY THE NUMBERS

8 Football players with professional opportunities

73 Strikeouts on the year for Duncan Robinson ’16

4 Lead changes in baseball’s playoff game against Yale

967 Career kills for Paige Caridi ’16, tying her for sixth all-time

MONDAY, MAY 9, 2016

Jacob Flores ’16, Vernon Harris ’16 sign with NFL

By VIKRAM BODAS

The Dartmouth Staff

Last Saturday, on a cloudy 50-degree spring day in Hanover, Jacob Flores ’16 nervously waited for a phone call that he had been hoping to receive his entire life. He decided to go to church to find solace in this time of nervous anticipation.

“It was Saturday night and I was actually at Aquinas House,” Flores said. “I was just so nervous watching the draft that I went to church and I just sat there to gather myself. I sat in the back so in case my phone buzzed I could easily walk out and take the call.”

Then, Flores’ phone did ring and, anticipating it was from an NFL team, he eagerly answered the call as he pictured his football career progressing past college.

“I was waiting and waiting and then my phone buzzed,” Flores recalled with a grin on his face. “It was actually my mom and I told her, ‘Mom don’t call me when I am waiting for a phone call.’”

After about another hour or so, Flores finally did receive the call of a lifetime — he was going pro.

“Church went by and at the end I got the phone call from the Green Bay Packers scout who had seen me at our pro-day,” Flores said. “He told me on the phone, ‘I said we would call you, and we really like your game and your intangibles.’”

Flores, who starred at center for Dartmouth during a decorated fouryear career for the Big Green, then received a call from his agent who told him it was a done deal. Now, it was time to celebrate and share the news with his friends and family.

“I started calling and FaceTiming everyone in my family,” Flores said. “My siblings and parents were crying. It was really cool and just surreal how quickly it happened and I am so grateful to now have this opportunity.”

This is a scene that has become

KATELYN JONES/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF

Jacob Flores ’16, wearing number 63, signed with the Green Bay Packers this spring.

a regular occurrence in recent weeks here at Dartmouth, with a grand total of eight players having opportunities to compete with professional franchises. Cornerback Vernon Harris ’16 signed with the Kansas City Chiefs while a group of players earned tryouts from several NFL teams — defensive back Troy Donahue ’15 with the Denver Broncos, receiver Ryan McManus ’15 with the New England Patriots, defensive end Cody Fulleton ’16 with the Seattle Seahawks, defensive lineman AJ Zuttah ’16 with the Tennessee Titans and Atlanta Falcons and finally, quarterback Dalyn Williams ’16 will work out for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Chicago Bears and Cincinnati Bengals. Additionally, speedy cornerback Chai Reece ’15 survived the first round of cuts at the Canadian Football League Free Agent Camp.

According to cornerback David Caldwell ’16, what set Flores and Harris a cut above was their ability to play at a high level on a day-in and day-out basis.

“I think what really made both players so special was the combination of athleticism and consistency,”

Caldwell said. “From playing behind Vernon on defense last year, his athleticism and measurables put him in an elite class, but his ability to consistently use that athleticism to execute on the field sets him apart as well.”

Head coach Buddy Teevens ’79, who led Dartmouth to a share of the Ivy League title this past season, lauded the on-the-field exploits of all of these players but believes it is the rare blend of physical prowess and mental sharpness that makes Dartmouth players so attractive to professional teams.

“They are all highly intelligent guys,” Teevens said. “Scouts have an intelligence test and they are always surprised with just how sharp our guys are. They are all tremendous leaders who are independent thinkers that will do the right thing. They will be good teammates and that is something that NFL teams want.”

For Flores and all of these standouts, getting into a camp is certainly an accomplishment. However, making the 53-man regular season roster is the ultimate goal.

“Right now NFL teams are allowed to have 90 guys on the roster,”

2 Dartmouth rugby players who played for Middlebury College due to player shortages

WEIJIA TANG/THE DARTMOUTH STAFF

After a successful Ivy campaign, two Big Green players signed with NFL teams.

Flores said. “So the goal is to make the 53-man roster and hopefully contribute and help out any way I can this year. It’s a great opportunity so I have to make the most out of it and work as hard as I can.”

Teevens thinks that the number of Dartmouth players who are getting looks from professional teams speaks volumes about the trajectory of the program.

“I think it’s a very positive statement that guys can come to an Ivy League institution and take both their academic and athletic pursuits very seriously,” Teevens said. “We push that aggressively in the recruiting process. We like guys who have aspirations of competing for as long as they can in the sport.”

Dartmouth hosted the most number of scouts out of any Ivy League programs its pro-day on April 2. When asked whether this would help future recruiting classes, Teevens responded unequivocally.

“Without question,” Teevens said. “We had 23 NFL scouts in for our pro-day, which is by far the most of anyone in our league, and our players know that, the recruits know that and moms and dads know that.

Flores, who was a member of the All-Ivy League First Team and All-New England Team this year, credited Teevens and his coaching staff for creating a culture in which student athletes have the opportunity to flourish and have a chance to play at the next level.

“Coach Teevens and his staff have done a great job recruiting the type of players that may have a shot to get to the NFL and that in turn helps Dartmouth as a whole,” Flores said. “It’s a great step for the program.”

The Dartmouth football team is coming off one of its most successful seasons in recent memory, and if the interest by NFL teams in Dartmouth players is any indication, the future looks bright in Hanover.

THE DARTMOUTH SPORTS WEEKLY

MONDAY, MAY 9, 2016

SW 5

Baseball falls short of ninth bid to Ivy Championship Series

ALEXANDER AGADJANIAN/THE DARTMOUTH STAFF

Dartmouth baseball had the highest expected win percentage and the best run differential in the Red Rolfe Division, while Yale University significantly overachieved.

By ALEXANDER AGADJANIAN The Dartmouth Staff

Less than two weeks ago, the Dartmouth baseball team’s chances of representing the Red Rolfe Division in the Ivy League championship — for the eighth straight year — looked slimmer than ever. Tied atop its section with Yale University entering a four-game series against the Bulldogs at home, the Big Green dropped three consecutive games before salvaging the fourth. Plunging two games back in the loss column with only one weekend of regular season baseball left, Dartmouth had no choice but to hope to receive some extra help.

And that it did, from one of the worst teams in the conference, Brown University, which unexpectedly took three of four in its series against Yale, infusing the Big Green with new life.

Sweeping its first two at Harvard University, the team tensely waited through a rainout for two days back home. Yet Dartmouth managed to only split a Tuesday afternoon doubleheader when play resumed, meaning a one-game playoff in New Haven, Connecticut lay ahead later that week.

After battling through an excruciatingly close ball game that featured four lead changes and no side leading by more than two runs at any point, the Big Green (18-25) finally fell by a score of 5-4 to Yale (18-26-1) this past Saturday. For the first time in nearly a decade, Dartmouth has yielded its claim to Red Rolfe supremacy.

“We just didn’t make enough plays in the moments we needed to,” Joe Purritano ’16 said. “That’s baseball, it really is a game of inches and timing. When we needed it the most we couldn’t pull through.”

Sending out pitching staff ace Duncan Robinson ’16 nearly sealed the team’s most important fixture of the season, but the senior couldn’t survive Yale’s comeback push in the bottom of the eighth inning. A single and double from Bulldog hitters paved the way for a definitive two-run inning, despite not

collecting any strong hits that left the infield to drive in those runners.

In 7.1 innings of pitching, Robinson struck out eight and walked none, though suffered from allowing three extra-base hits. Bulldog third baseman Richard Slenker particularly foiled the pitcher. Going 3-3 with 2 RBIs and 2 runs, the junior smacked a solo home run off Robinson to score Yale’s first run in the fourth inning and started the eighth inning rally with a single and eventually scored the tying run.

Nevertheless, having played his last game as a senior, Robinson now leaves the program with a decorated career behind him. Entering the season as the reigning Ivy League Pitcher of the Year, the senior continued to thrive in 2016. Among all Ivy League regular starters — those with at least five starts on the season — Robinson posted the highest strikeout percentage at 25.6 and lowest walk percentage at 2.8 in the conference. Moreover, his numbers stand out substantially from the pack.

The closest another regular starter comes to his 9.29 strikeout to walk ratio is with a 5.57, and the average among all conference pitchers is 1.68.

Tendencies to succumb to the long ball caused pains — captured in a 0.59 HR/9 innings rate, only the 20th best among conference starters — but by the end of the year, Robinson still sported the best fielding-independent pitching statistic among all Ivy League starters.

His 73-strikeout total through the season also marked the most made by a Dartmouth hurler in 16 years. It would not be a stretch to conclude Robinson merits back-to-back conference pitcher of the year recognition.

Offensive struggles, on the other hand, hampered Dartmouth throughout the season. Despite tying for the second best Ivy League record, the Big Green only scored the fifth most runs within conference play. More specifically, the team suffered from a dearth of power in its lineup, posting the lowest isolated power — a stat that measures hitting power in emphasizing extra-base hits — among all league

teams. Despite the Big Green showing great plate discipline in having the lowest strikeout percentage, the catch-all offensive metric OPS also pointed to Dartmouth as the worst hitting team, with a conference-worst .673 mark.

The great irony in Dartmouth being forced to play in a one-game division playoff and eventually lose comes from the fact that over the course of the conference season, the Big Green proved the strongest team in its section.

A simple win-loss record undermines that notion, but the more useful run differential statistic supports it. Within Ivy League play, Dartmouth easily posted the best run differential, +17, of any Red Rolfe club — the next closest was

Harvard, with +1.

Using those numbers, we can then derive a Pythagorean expectation — the winning percentage for a team we should expect based on runs scored and allowed. At the Major League level, this has been established as a more accurate indicator of team ability than actual win percentage. For Ivy League games — those that matter most for season success — Dartmouth had the highest expected win percentage among Red Rolfe teams, but also the largest deviation from its observed one.

In other words, the Big Green underperformed and, had it played over a larger sample of games, the team would likely have an improved

actual win percentage. Yale, on the other hand, overachieved by nearly 10 percentage points.

Regardless of this season’s outcome, Big Green players — and in particular senior ones — remain proud of their club’s performance and that the team managed to push its divisional rival to the brink.

“You work for eight, nine months to have it all come down to a three-hour game,” Purritano said. “It’s still hard to swallow. As far as performance, some things didn’t go our way but we never gave up and that’s something this team should be really proud of. We needed a miracle to even continue the season after the regular season. With our backs against the wall we played some great baseball against Harvard. At the end we just came up a little short.”

Dartmouth co-captain Thomas Roulis ’15 expressed similar sentiments as his career in Hanover came to a close.

“You never realize until you’re a senior, you finish that last game, and that’s it, you’re done,” he said. “There’s no more next year. It’s tough for us, but I wouldn’t trade playing here for anything in the world. The guys that I’ve met here, the guys that I’ve played with, to be part of Dartmouth is something I’ll cherish forever. It’s something special. Unfortunately this season didn’t go our way, but we had a good group of guys who went out, just tried to play baseball and left it all on the field. At the end of the day, if that’s [what] we did, I couldn’t ask for anything more.”

ANNIE DUNCAN/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF

Dartmouth’s baseball team fell two runs short of winning its ninth consecutive Red Rolfe Division crown.

THE DARTMOUTH SPORTS WEEKLY

SW 6

MONDAY, MAY 9, 2016

Senior Spring: Paige Caridi ’16 reflects on team’s turnaround

By MARK CUI

The Dartmouth Staff

Hailing from Austin, Texas, Dartmouth volleyball co-captain Paige Caridi ’16 first started playing the sport because of her height. Although she also tried tennis, swimming, track and soccer, volleyball soon became her passion.

After leading a successful volleyball career as the captain of her competitive club team and winning numerous volleyball accolades, Caridi had to make a difficult decision about college. While many of her teammates chose larger Division I programs, Caridi decided to prioritize academics, visiting five of the Ivy League schools. Although Dartmouth was initially low on the list due to its location in rural New Hampshire, her visit to campus changed her mind.

“I was set on using volleyball to get me to the best school, as opposed to going for volleyball,” Caridi said. “We flew in [on Cape Air to Dartmouth] and it was amazing. I had never seen so many trees and it was like a little wonderland in the woods. Since I’ve gotten on campus, I’ve loved it.”

Despite the drastic move from Texas to New Hampshire, Caridi found the transition relatively smooth. She also adjusted to academic life and even had better grades during the season due to heightened time management habits.

Although just a freshman, Caridi quickly gained a prominent role on the team. She was the only member of the team who appeared in all 84 sets and led the team with 261 digs.

However, the team went just 2-22, and 1-13 in the Ivy League. Caridi noted that she lost more in her first year at Dartmouth than in her entire volleyball career prior. Despite the losses, she remained optimistic and looked forward to the challenge of rejuvenating the program.

“I knew that the program was kind of broken coming in, and that was another reason that lured me here,” Caridi said. “I liked the idea of turning the program around.”

Although the team struggled, the season provided a useful lesson on persistence that would help spark a dramatic turnaround in the coming years.

“It was hard,” Caridi said. “We felt pretty helpless. No matter how much practice or [how] hard we were trying, we just weren’t getting the wins. It helped us realize that we had to work harder to overcome the long lull, and that it wasn’t just going to suddenly turn around.”

Following the tough 2012 season, the team has had a dramatic turnaround. This year, the team was a legitimate contender for the Ivy League title, tied for first place with Harvard University and Princeton University with just one game remaining, but

ultimately fell in the fifth set thriller against Yale University.

“The whole process has been really great and rewarding, and it has ended on a positive note,” Caridi said.

“Now we are competing to win the whole Ivy League, while before we were competing just to get one win.

We’ve come full circle.”

Teammate and fellow captain Kaira Lujan ’16 echoed a similar sentiment on the development of a winning culture.

“When we came in our freshman year, there was a lot of resistance to change [with the new coach],” Lujan said. “Over time, our class really helped shape the culture. With each incoming class and more athletic and higher level volleyball players coming into the program, the team developed a winning culture. It wasn’t an easy journey, but we all benefited from the experience.”

Through her time on the volleyball team, Caridi has earned the respect of her fellow teammates and served as captain in both her junior and senior years. During junior year, her role focused more on logistics, while this year she acted more as a floor captain.

The team’s leadership — Caridi, Lujan and fellow co-captain Kayden Cook ’16 — played an instrumental role in this year’s contention for the title.

“The three captains worked really well together,” Lujan said. “When we have a team meeting, all three of us would be able to express our thoughts and what needed to happen. Having different perspectives was very valuable.”

Caridi’s consistent diligence and determination has been an important guide for the rest of the team to follow.

“She’s super committed to the team [and] always striving to get better,” Lujan said. “She’s always pushing herself in the weight room, leading by example and setting high standards for the team.”

Throughout her career, Caridi feels very fortunate to have avoided serious injuries. Several teammates every year have been plagued with shoulder and back injuries due to the repetitive motions required in volleyball.

Looking back, Caridi found that two moments stand out in particular. During freshman fall, the team defeated Harvard University in its first Ivy League game of the season.

The stunning victory initially generated an optimistic attitude going into the season, but the team ended up losing nearly every game thereafter.

Her second moment came this year, when the team made a dramatic comeback against Columbia University after being down 14 to 11 in the fifth set. Caridi added that anytime Dartmouth beat Harvard or Yale could be considered a high point.

Her greatest memories, however, came off the court.

JEFFREY LEE/THE DARTMOUTH STAFF

When Paige Caridi ’16 was picked up, she was one of the most highly touted recruits for the Big Green.

“The highlight for me from playing volleyball is the people I’ve met,” Caridi said. “Through my fifteen years playing volleyball, my teammates have all become my best friends, and I can still go to them. It’s so different to get to know them on a different level. ”

Outside of volleyball, Caridi majored in government with a minor in markets, management and the economy and is planning on working in finance in New York next year. She looks forward to the challenges of a new job, and depending on her hours, hopes to continue to play volleyball as

a hobby in the Chelsea Piers league.

“I want to get in my foot in the door, learn as much as possible and really challenge myself,” Caridi said.

“That’s what attracted me to my field, because I’ve always been competitive.

Losing volleyball, this new challenge helps fill the void.”

THE DARTMOUTH SPORTS WEEKLY

MONDAY, MAY 9, 2016

SW 7

Women’s hockey, volleyball hire new head coaches for 2016-17

By BRANDON LEE The Dartmouth

The women’s ice hockey and volleyball squads are next in a series of teams to see a new face at the helm for the upcoming season.

After finishing with a record of 6-19-3, the women’s ice hockey team is handing the reigns over to Laura Schuler. Schuler brings to the ice a resume stacked with accolades as both a player and coach. She coached internationally at various positions. Her most recent stint was as the head coach of the Canadian national team. She has also spent time with the programs at Northeastern University, the University of Massachusetts Boston and the University of Minnesota-Duluth.

As a player, Schuler earned a silver medal as a part of the 1998 Olympic Winter Games Canadian women’s team, among many others with the Canadian national team.

“Obviously her pedigree with the Canadian national team was really exciting for us,” athletic director Harry Sheehy said. “We hope that’s a nice recruiting connection for us.

She’s so well-known out there in the ice hockey community. She’s technically proficient, a great person, really fun to work with.”

Schuler’s success is no big secret, though, following a simple, fundamental coaching philosophy.

“I believe in the importance of preparing my players to the best of

Each week The Numbers Game will break-down one Dartmouth sports statistic.

This week’s number: .556 — Thomas Roulis ’15’s batting average over the past week to force a playoff game.

Going into the 2016 season, the biggest question facing the Dartmouth baseball team was how they were going to replace the production left in their lineup by the recently graduated Nick Lombardi ’15 and Matt Parisi ’15. Losing these two main cogs in the lineup had many wondering whether head coach Bob Whalen and his bunch would

their abilities, physically, mentally, technically and tactically,” Schuler said. “I believe a holistic approach to ensuring proper preparation is a fundamental of all great coaches.”

Although the team has failed to reach .500 for the past three years, Schuler is not worried.

“For me, right now, the most important thing is making time to get to know who my players are as people and as elite D1 student athletes,”Schuler said. “I am really excited to get to know each and every one of our student athletes better and am equally excited about the plan that I have in place, which will continue to build upon an already solid foundation.”

Meanwhile, the women’s volleyball team is coming off one of their best seasons, in which they went 9-5 in Ivy League play, their best conference record to date. Former head coach Erin Lindsey was named one of the Ivy League Coaches of the Year in 2015, the first Dartmouth head coach in volleyball’s history to receive the award and had three student athletes named to the All-Ivy First Team.

Following Lindsey’s departure to Illinois, Sheehy recruited head coach Gilad Doron from the other side of the country, the University of San Francisco, where he “did an outstanding job in a very tough league and had some huge victories,” Sheehy said.

Doron, who coached internationally after ruthlessly racking up four

even contend for their ninth Rolfe Division title in as many years.

Early on in the season, however, it became clear that co-captain Roulis, who missed all of the 2015 season due to injury, would help at least partially fill this void. The surehanded middle infielder seamlessly reintegrated into the Dartmouth lineup, providing the team with a sense of grittiness and speed in the middle of the order that the team missed last year.

Roulis’ impact on the Big Green offense reached a climax last week as he reached base in all six games. To begin his hot week, the New Hyde Park, New York native collected two hits and drove in a run in a 5-3 victory against Siena College. Then, in the most important regular season series of the year against Harvard University, Roulis spearheaded the Dartmouth offense by collecting eight hits while also making no errors in 24 fielding chances.

For the week as a whole Roulis, who was earned All-Ivy League honorable mention honors during his 2014 campaign, collected 10 total hits in 18 official plate appearances — translating to an eye-popping .556 average. In large part due to Roulis’ flawless play, Dartmouth was able to take three of four games

SEAMORE ZHU/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF

After finishing three seasons under .500, the women’s hockey team picked up a new coach, Laura Schuler.

Israeli League titles as a player, has been described as “a very kind and caring person who cares about [the team] as people and wants [them] to be well-rounded individuals” by setter Stacey Benton ’17. One of the main reasons Sheehy hired the Israeli native was for his ability to connect with student athletes.

Sheehy recounted a story in which he received an email from one of Doron’s former players saying how

lucky the program was to have a coach of his caliber and character.

While the program will miss Lindsey, Benton believes the team is more than ready and excited to handle the workload that comes with a new coach.

After their first few meetings, Benton has said that Doron “knows the game well” and that he “will help elevate [the team’s] knowledge of the game and [their] volleyball IQ.”

“[Doron] is very much about getting as many reps as possible, correcting mistakes right after you make a mistake,” Benton said. “He likes to straight up play and get a lot of touches on the ball.”

Doron believes an Ivy League Championship is in reach, keeping in mind his own philosophy: “Learn how to learn, learn how to work, learn how to lead and then we can accomplish significant things.”

against Harvard and consequently force a one-game playoff against Yale University to determine the 2016 Rolfe Division champion.

If we look closer at Roulis’ impact on the series against Harvard it becomes clear that he flourished in when his team needed him most.

In the first game of the series Roulis gave the Big Green some much needed breathing room when he singled up the middle in the sixth inning to knock in two runs and give Dartmouth a 3-0 advantage.

Although Roulis did not drive in any runs in Game 2, he managed to collect two hits in four plate appearances and consistently applied pressure to the Harvard pitching staff en route to a 2-1 Dartmouth win. After the series shifted to Hanover, Dartmouth dropped the third game by a score 3-1. Then in essentially a must win game, Roulis came up big again delivering three hits, including a double, and scored the insurance run in the bottom of the eighth inning. The Big Green went on to win the last game 3-1 to take home the series win.

In the one-game playoff against Yale on Saturday afternoon, the Big Green dropped a heartbreaking game in New Haven, Connecticut by a final score of 5-4. Even in this

loss, Roulis did everything in his power to will Dartmouth to a win by reaching base twice and driving in a run, but it simply was not enough as Yale took home the 2016 Rolfe Division title. The Bulldogs will face Princeton University, who won the Lou Gehrig Division, next weekend in the best-of-three Ivy League Championship Series.

Even though his team did not

reach the goals that they set out for themselves to begin the season, Roulis has to be proud of his 2016 campaign. It is not often that you see a player miss an entire season and come back arguably an even better player. This is a testament to the work Roulis put in while he was injured as well as an indication of the tremendous natural talent that he possesses.

ANNIE DUNCAN/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF

Thomas Roulis ’15’s incredible offense couldn’t send the Big Green to the ship.

THE DARTMOUTH SPORTS WEEKLY

MONDAY, MAY 9, 2016

SW 8

MONDAY LINEUP

SPORTS The D Sports Awards : E AT / VOT g l / f o r m s . o o //g Kc h t t p : jSXZEO tm

At the end of each academic year, The Dartmouth’s sports section puts up players and moments to be voted upon by the student body as the best of the best. In the first installment of The D Sports Awards, five of the greatest mo-

No sports scheduled

Moment of the Year

ments Dartmouth athletics saw this past year are pitted against each other, the winner emerging only after a popular vote by members of the Dartmouth Community. All five teams had commendable seasons, three of

them ending as Ivy title holders and two of them finishing among the top of an incredibly competitive field of opponents. In order to vote, students and community members must go to the above link to cast a single vote before

Saturday, May 14. The winner of this round will be announced in next Monday’s Sports Weekly in which the next round of voting will take place as five rookies go head to head for The D Sports Awards’ second vote. The final votes will

take place in the last two weeks of school when students and community members will vote on the best male and female athletes this year. Good luck to all the nominees and congratulations on incredible seasons across the board.

Golf, Ian Kelsey ’18 Football’sthree-way Undefeated Ivy 15s Soccer repeats at Squash’s historic shine at Ivy Champs tie for first place season for rugby Ivy Championship wins over Ivy foes On the weekend of April 22 to 24, Dartmouth men’s golf finished four strokes back of Harvard University at the Ivy League Men’s Championship behind a strong performance

by Ian Kelsey ’18. Kelsey, who was named First-Team All Ivy, finished as the second-best individual performer and just one stroke behind first place, showing one of the best finishes in school history.

The team was ranked fourth in the Ivy League before exceeding expectations and finishing second at the Championships.

Harvard shot a sparkling first round, but Dartmouth kept pace in the second and tied for the best round three score with 301. Four other Dartmouth golfers contributed to the team’s success. Charles Cai ’16 finished in ninth in the final golf competition of his Dartmouth career, Scott Jaster ’17 tied for 14th, John Lazor ’19 was close behind at 17th and Sean Fahey ’17 wrapped up the team’s performances tied for 34th.

The team returns a strong core, including underclassmen Kelsey and Lazor, for next season.

With a thrilling 17-10 victory against Princeton University in its final game of the season on Nov. 21, Dartmouth clinched a share of the Ivy League football championship.

With 24 seconds left in the game, Kyle Bramble ’16 caught a screen from Dalyn Williams ’16 and found his way to the end zone from 12 yards out. The Tigers were leading with just five minutes remaining in the game. A Dartmouth drive stalled and the Big Green settled for a 22-yard field goal from Alex Gakenheimer ’17 to tie the game.

The Big Green defense got a critical interception from David Caldwell ’16, but the ensuing Dartmouth drive ended in a 39-yard field goal missed wide right. The defense came through again to force a three-andout, giving Williams and the rest of the offense two minutes to drive down the field from its own 37-yard line, 29 yards receiving from Ryan McManus ’15, and a critical fumble recovery by Bramble kept the drive alive, leading to the deciding touchdown.

The title was the Big Green’s first since 1996.

After officially becoming a varsity team in June 2015, the women’s rugby team moved swiftly to go undefeated against Ivy League opponents in the regular 15s season last fall. The team, hosting the Ivy Championship tournament, played the Princeton University Tigers in the semifinals, handily defeating Princeton with some of its best play of the year, resulting in a 44-5 win.

The Big Green took the field for the Ivy Championship against Brown University, setting the stage for a rematch of last year’s championship game during which the Bears put down the Big Green for the second time that season, taking the crown after handing Dartmouth a 42-5 beating. This past fall, the Big Green entered halftime against Brown trailing 12-0.

Rallying after the break, Dartmouth put up 19 unanswered points to send Brown home with its second loss against the Big Green this season.

Audrey Perez ’17 put the gamewinner over the try line after senior co-captains Yejadai Dunn ’16 and Tatjana Toeldte ’16 knotted the score. Dunn will compete in the USA Eagles player pool this summer.

Men’s soccer clinched its second consecutive Ivy League title with a 2-0 victory against Cornell University at home on Nov. 7. Goals from two seniors paced the Big Green to an easy victory. In the 31st minute, midfielder Alberto Gorini ’16 scored his first goal of the season.

Captain Eric Jayne ’15 netted his second to give the Big Green some breathing room in the 56th minute. While two upperclassmen were the difference makers in this game, two freshmen, Amadu Kunateh ’19 and Eduvie Ikoba ’19, led the team in goals at four each.

The Big Green wrecked havoc on the Ivy League all year, picking up just one loss against Brown University in its final conference game of the season after already clinching the title beforehand. The team defeated Hartwick College 1-0 in overtime to advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. There, the Big Green fell to No. 6 Syracuse University 2-1 despite taking the lead in the 29th minute behind Justin Donawa ’19’s second goal of the season.

Men’s squash picked up two historic victories this past season by defeating Harvard University 5-4 for its first victory over the Crimson in nearly 70 years on Dec. 1 and then toppling Princeton University 8-1 on Jan. 9 for the Big Green’s first win over the Tigers since Ivy League play began in the 1956-57 season.

The victories propelled the team to a 9-4 regular season record and a No. 7 ranking, qualifying the Big Green for the College Squash Association National Team Championship. There, the team lost to Yale University and Harvard before toppling Columbia University.

Nonetheless, the team exceeded expectations in part due to strong performances by its freshmen. Carson Spahr ’19 won the Rookie of the Year award for the Ivy League and Matt Giegerich ’19, a freshman, was named the team’s Most Valuable Player. Head coach Hansi Wiens picked up the Coach of the Year award, and Alvin Heumann ’18, the team’s No. 1 spot player, was named First Team All-Ivy and the Big Green’s most improved player..

IAN KELSEY, KENDALL RONZANO, KYLE MARTINO, TIFFANY ZHAI/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF