Edito Letter From The Editor
Ultimate Athlete Magazine
Letter from the Editor
It’s the most wonderful time of the year … No, I’m not talking about Christmas, I’m talking about March Madness! This is the time for college sports fans to get a double-dose of action because the NCAA basketball tournament is in full swing and the snowy weather is finally clearing for all the spring sports they can handle. This year, Ultimate Athlete Magazine is ready to get into the college sports craze! With so many strong athletic programs in the New York TriState area – many of which have nationally ranked teams – we knew it was time to expand our coverage beyond high school to the collegiate level. In our first-ever college edition, you’ll get a sneak peek at the evolution of two Big East teams headed to The Big Dance: perennial powerhouse UConn and the resurrected St. John’s Red Storm. As the basketball season winds down, we also spring forward to lacrosse season, with the Hofstra Pride looking to dominate in Division I men’s action and the Adelphi Panthers attempting to become 3-peat national champions in Division II women’s play. No matter what your preferences are, Ultimate Athlete Magazine strives to give you an inside look at the makings of a college team; from the entire team and staff down to the individual players who are making a difference in the sports world. If you like the magazine, be sure to check out our website, ultimateathletemagazine.com, where you can read more articles and watch our show, UA Insider: College Edition, which gives you a front-row seat to some of Long Island’s top college squads in action. With so many options to choose from, I invite you to simply turn the page and enjoy the winter edition of UA Magazine! Sincerely, Diana Rodriguez College Sports Editor
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ultimateathletemagazine.com Ultimate Athlete Magazine (ISSN 1931-5295) is published 12 times a year by Ultimate Athlete, Inc., 40 Woodbine Avenue, Northport, New York 11768. All contents copyright 2009 by Ultimate Athlete, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use in whole or part of the content without the prior written consent of Ultimate Athlete, Inc. is strictly prohibited. All logos and trademarks are the properties of their respective owners. Although the writers and the publisher have exhaustively researched all sources to ensure the accuracy and the completeness of the information contained in this publication, we assume no responsibility for errors, inaccuracies, omissions, or any inconsistency herein. The opinions expressed in all materials are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of Ultimate Athlete, Inc or Long Island’s Ultimate Athlete Magazine.
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WINTER 2011Volume I
Conten
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Featu Features
14 St. John’s University Mens Basketball
20 C.W. Post
Mens Basketball
28 NYIT
Mens Lacrosse
32 Sports Psychology Foul Shooting
36 UA Training
Muscles You Can’t See
40 Empire Challenge
2011 Game Announcement
44 Stony Brook
Mens Basketball
48 Dowling
Womens Basketball
54 Hofstra
Mens Lacrosse
60 Adelphi
Womens Lacrosse
66 UCONN
Mens Basketball
70 Hofstra
Womens Basketball
75 NYU
Mens Volleyball
80 Hofstra
Cheerleading
84 Pro Corner Knicks
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Photo by Morgan Harrison
Senior forward Sean Evans of St.John’s University goes up for a dunk during a heated game at Madison Square Garden.
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Photo by Andrew Adler
Hofstra University’s Shante Evans pushes past a defender for a layup against Towson.
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Coming into the 2010-11 season, there were not many expectations for the St. John’s men’s basketball program. The Red Storm have struggled in recent years and have not made an NCAA tournament appearance since 2002. However, under the guidance of first-year head coach Steve Lavin, this once-proud basketball institution has already exceeded expectations on the court. Without question, the biggest win of the season thus far for the Red Storm was the 93-78 home victory against Duke University on Jan. 30. Coming into the game, the defending national champion Blue Devils were the third-ranked team in the nation and boasted a 19-1 record. St. John’s steadily maintained a double-digit lead throughout the game and, at one point, was leading by as many as 25 points. The win over Duke marked the Red Storm’s third win against ranked opponents this year. For Coach Lavin, this major upset couldn’t have come at a better time.
“You’re caught up in the moment of the game and I wanted St. John’s fans to come to the party in terms of supporting the players on the court,” Lavin said. “We had this arduous stretch of games and having lost five of six – at that moment it was just wanting to jumper cable the crowd and bring energy for our players because they deserved a pat on the back and some appreciation for the yeoman’s effo rt and the cohesive brand of basketball they had been playing against the defending national champions.” Prior to the Duke win, St. John’s endured a brutal schedule, with five of its last six opponents being nationally ranked teams. Although the Red Storm lost five out of these six games, Lavin knows that his club is still playing quality basketball.
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“This was an interesting stretch as a coach. I don’t think it had ever happened,” said Lavin, who previously served as UCLA’s head coach for seven years. “The mathematical probabilities have got to be one in a zillion. We’ve had to temper things with them and be mindful of that frustration. The concern was that our players realize this conference is really tough and you can lose five of six and not be playing bad basketball.” After the thrashing of Duke, St. John’s was able to follow-up with a home win vs. Big East rival, Rutgers. As of Feb. 7, St. John’s has an overall record of 14-9 and is on pace to finish well ahead of last season’s record of 17-16. One of the key reasons for the Johnnies’ success this year has been the emergence of senior guard Dwight Hardy. The 6-foot-2-inch Bronx native has improved in virtually every major statistical category.
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While his statistics for rebounds, assists, and steals have all shown moderate improvement, Hardy’s major transformation has been as a scorer. Hardy leads the team in scoring with 15 points per game, a vast improvement from last year’s average of 10.5. Hardy has been a more effective scorer because his free-throw percentage has gotten dramatically better, going from 71 percent to 87 percent. In fact, in 11 of the team’s 21 contests, Hardy has not missed a single freethrow. Hardy’s hard work in the off-season to improve his shooting has paid dividends on the court, and Coach Lavin has high praise for his senior leader, noting that Hardy “is as pure a shooter as I have ever coached.” This is quite a compliment considering that Steve Lavin once coached NBA great Baron Davis at UCLA. Senior forward Justin Brownlee has also improved his game by leaps and bounds this year. The 6-foot-7 native of Tifton, Ga., has nearly doubled his scoring average from last year, going from just 6.8 points per game to this year’s average of 13.3. Brownlee has also been an important cog on the defensive end for Coach Lavin, averaging one block and one steal per game, both of which are career highs. Most recently, Brownlee hit the game-winning shot with 3.5 seconds remaining in the 58-56 win over Rutgers on Feb. 2.
In the game, Lavin called timeout with a six seconds left and drew up a p lay the John nies had never even p racticed. Bro w nlee set a screen for senior swing man D.J. Kennedy on the low block . Brownlee then moved out to the free throw line to catch th e in-bound p ass from reserve senior guard Malik Boothe. From there, Brownle e drove to the net an d scored the winning lay-up. February will be a telling tim for the Johnn e ies as they loo k to make a push for th e NCAA Tou rnament. St. John’s has three nationa lly ranked teams remain ing on their schedule: Thursday, Feb . 10 vs. Ucon n; Saturday, Feb. 19 vs. Pitt; and Saturday, Feb. 26 at Villa nova.
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Going into a new season, most college basketball teams have to deal with players leaving and new ones coming in. This was no different for the C.W. Post Pioneers, who saw seven players leave the team; including its leading rebounder from last year, Nemanja Jokic, and its head coach Tim Cluess, who left to coach at Iona College.
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Despite the big turnover in players and coaches, C.W. Post has continued the success of its previous years, posting an 18-7 record (15-3 in conference and 10-0 at home) and are currently tied for first place in the East Coast Conference under first year head coach Chris Casey.
The Pioneers have played at a high level this season due to their ability to score points. They have averaged 80.1 points per game as of Feb. 12, as well as spread the offense around the whole team, with four players averaging double figures in points.
“They give an effort every time they step on the floor,” said Casey, who spent the last six years on the men’s basketball staff at St. John’s before coming over to coach the Pioneers. “I think that’s a lot of the reason that they’re doing well. It’s because of the fact that they work hard at it.” Things got off to a rough start at the beginning of Casey’s tenure. A 15-point loss to Southern New Hampshire University back on Dec. 30 saw the team’s overall record dip to 4-6 with a season-high three-game losing streak. They broke that losing streak with a 70-58 victory over Post University on Jan. 2 and have not looked back since. After their loss in late December, the Pioneers have gone 14-1 with nine of those victories coming by 10 points or more. The only loss in the past two months was to the University of Bridgeport, the team that is tied with the Pioneers for first place in the conference. One of the many reasons for their surge in the past couple of months is junior guard Stefan Bonneau. Averaging 18.8 points per game, Bonneau leads the team in points for the season and has been the leading scorer in 11 different games this year, which includes a 39-point effort in a double overtime win over Queens College.
Besides the amount of points he puts up, Bonneau said that playing defense and taking on a bigger leadership role, have been big parts of his game as well. Bonneau said that helping out on team defense and picking up the morale of a teammate if he seems down have been keys to his and the team’s success. Senior forward Aaron Hall has also been a catalyst for the team’s success this year. Hall is second on the team in scoring, averaging 14.2 points per game and 5.6 rebounds per game. Hall said that the reason for his success this year is because he’s been doing more of the little things that don’t show up on the box score, which include taking defensive charges. “I did it sometimes, but this year I’m more concentrated on doing more than just scoring and rebounding,” Hall said.
Hall, who is a business management major, said the main reason for doing more of the small stuff is to make him a better allaround player. He also said that he hopes to make a career out of basketball and to play for any team that is interested in having him. “If I ever get a chance to play somewhere, then that’s what I want to do,” Hall said. “It’s something that I feel I can do and I know I wanna do.” The Pioneers continued to roll along in their most recent game against Molloy College on Feb. 16. Just five minutes into the game, the Pioneers jumped out to a 20-9 lead and never trailed for the entire game. Molloy got as close as 4 points, trailing 4036 at halftime. Once play resumed, the Pioneers re-established their double-digit lead and never let go of the firm grip they had on the game. Hall led the team with 22 points as C.W. Post cruised to a 77-65 victory. As the regular season ends, the Pioneers figure to be one of the top two seeds in the conference playoffs. Coach Casey noted that Bridgeport, Queens College and NYIT are the three teams that will be the biggest challengers to C.W. Post’s hopes of winning the conference championship. “There’s a couple of teams that can win the tournament,” Casey said. “And that’s why they play the games.” The semifinals and the finals will be played on March 5 and 6 at the University of Bridgeport in Bridgeport, Conn.
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Sophomore George Koch of NYU spikes the ball over the net for a point against their opponent.
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Stony Brook’s Timmy Trenkle takes a leaping shot at the goal against Delaware.
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The NYIT men’s lacrosse team was ranked sixth nationally in the annual NCAA Division II preseason poll, which selected its East Coast Conference rival C.W. Post as the nation’s top team. But NYIT head coach Bill Dunn and his staff are less concerned about preseason rankings than they are about their team’s preparation for the upcoming season, which commenced with an 11-8 defeat at home at the hands of seventh-ranked Merrimack College on Feb. 28.
Hopes remain high for the NYIT Bears, who won their last national championship with a 16-11 victory over Le Moyne College in 2008. NYIT has won four NCAA Division II national championships (1997, 2003, 2005 and 2008).
The NYIT roster, which is dominated by former Long Island high school products (32 of the 45 players on the roster are from Long Island), is led by preseason All-American Ryan Amengual, who starred at West Babylon High School in Suffolk County. The diminutive Amengual, a 5-foot-8-inch senior attackman, is both a prolific scorer (36 career goals) and a playmaker (27 career assists). The Bears have compiled a 307-2 record during Amengual’s three-year varsity career. According to coach Dunn: “Ryan will be one of many important pieces to the Bears’ success in 2011. He will be looked at to lead our offense and help develop our younger players through his skills and experience.” The Bears are coming off an 8-4 record in 2010 and are counting on the following freshmen to play key roles this season: attackman Sean Rimmer; midfielder Tyler Chin; midfielder Tom Duggan and attackman Cory Triola. Among the key returning players from the 2010 team are midfielder Joe Herman; attackman Chris Lubin; midfielder Keith Clancy; attackman Matt Gordon; midfielder Jason Smith; midfielder Thomas Anthis and goalkeeper William McGee. This makes for an exceptional blend of veterans and rookies, who will be playing one of the toughest NCAA Division II schedules in the country. This will be Dunn’s second season as the head coach of the Bears. He succeeded coach Jack Kaley after serving for 10 years as assistant coach, defensive coordinator and strength and conditioning coach. Dunn, who played lacrosse at Hicksville High School, went on to have a stellar career at SUNY Cortland, where he helped Cortland to three consecutive SUNYAC championships, three trips to the NCAA Division II tournament and one appearance in the NCAA Division II championship game.
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Dunn also coached lacrosse and football at MacArthur, Hicksville, Kellenberg Memorial and Long Beach high schools before joining the staff at NYIT. While at Kellenberg, Dunn was named Catholic High School Association (CHSAA) Lacrosse Coach of the Year and Man of the Year twice. Three of his teams went to the CHSAA finals. Hopes are high at NYIT, and the coaching staff and players fully expect to challenge C.W. Post for the title at the 2011 East Coast Conference Championships. Much will depend on the contributions of an outstanding freshmen class and the leadership of Amengual and his seasoned teammates. Despite the team’s season-opening loss, graduate student Chris Lubin shined in the game, scoring three goals for NYIT. His veteran presence should be an important ingredient in the Bears’ drive for a championship season. Four of NYIT’s opponents – C.W. Post, Mercyhurst, Dowling and Bentley – are ranked in the NCAA Division II preseason Top 10 by the Inside Lacrosse Face-Off Yearbook. Without question, the NYIT lacrosse team has the talent to be a championship contender.But the road to a championship will not be an easy one to travel.
Psyc Sports Psychology
By Jay P. Granat, Ph.D. Exclusively for Ultimate Athlete Magazine All rights reserved
How To Make Eighty Percent Of Your Foul Shots Nine Tips For Basketball Players, Coaches And Parents I get calls all the time from basketball players who want to improve their foul shooting. Some of these players are young children. Some are high school players. Some are college players. And some are playing at the professional level. A few weeks ago, I got a call from a manager of an experienced NBA player. This athlete had more than ten years of playing experience and had been an all star player in the league. Yet, he too, was struggling with his free throw shooting. There was nothing I could teach him about the physical and mechanical aspects of free throw shooting. However, there were some things he could learn about the mental part of shooting foul shots. He was quite concerned about choking
and missing shots under game pressure. He lacked the confidence, focus and relaxation you need to make free throws. He was fine in practice, but was quite uneasy in game situations. When a player can shoot free throws efficiently in practice but struggles in a game, it is a clear sign that something mental is getting in his or her way. In some instances, the same may hold true for outside shooting as well. Of course, how a player responds to a defender or a defense is another important factor where shooting form outside is concerned. Making an open shot is a different issue than is making a shot where you are being guarded closely and can not create an opening for your shot. Basketball players call me because they realize that making foul shots has a lot to do with what is going on in their head before they get to the line and once they get to the line. Like some other tasks, “Foul shooting is a matter of a few inches. The inches between your ears.� Shooting foul shots is quite mental, once you master the mechanics of holding the ball properly, aiming properly, using your legs, maintaining your balance and imparting some backspin on the basketball.
cholog Here are a few more tips to help you be more consistent and efficient at the foul line during game conditions: Develop a consistent routine when you step up to the foul line. Your routine needs to enable you to be relaxed, confident and focused. Taking three deep breaths before you get to the line can be quite helpful. Practice foul shooting with distractions. Some coaches teach their players to make foul shots with fans screaming and waving towels and banners behind the backboard. They stimulate these conditions in practice. Learning to manage these kinds of stimuli will help make you a better foul shooter. Practice shooting with your eyes closed. This will help you to develop touch, feel and confidence. Try to get your foul shooting to the eighty percent level in practice. Spend some time every day imagining yourself sinking foul shots. If you like, imagine that you are your favorite basketball player who is at the line is an NBA game. If you miss your first free throw, remind yourself that the most important shot is the next one that you are about to take. Remember, there is nobody guarding you at the foul line and you get the opportunity to get set, get comfortable and find your shooting eyes, your shooting touch and your shooting mind. The pace during a basketball game is very different than the pace when you are at the line. So, take enough time to get ready to sink your free throws. Learn how to let go of a missed shot. A missed shot is history. Learn how to place yourself into the zone at the line by mastering self-hypnotic techniques. The zone is an ideal state of mind to make free throws from consistently. Basketball players love my “http:// www.stayinthezone.com/shop-stay-in-the-zone/6shop-stay-in-the-zone/55-get-in-the-zone-andstay-there-with-self-hypnosis.html� zone program and they especially like the chapter on developing accuracy.
Jay P. Granat, Ph.D. is a Psychotherapist in River Edge, New Jersey and the Founder of www.StayInTheZone.com. Dr. Granat has coached top athletes from around the world in virtually every sport. He has been featured in many major media outlets including The New York Times, Golf Digest and Good Morning America. He can be reached at 888 580-ZONE or at info@stayinthezone.com.
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UA TRAININ UA Training
Back in Action. Young athletes need to devote more time working the muscles they can’t see.
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By Mike Meija There’s no arguing the fact that the mirror plays a pretty big role in the life of a teenager. Whether you’re using it to check your hair, or make sure that new outfit looks good before heading off to school, some of you spend more time looking in the mirror than you do on your homework. As if the potential impact it can have on your grades isn’t bad enough, too much time in front of the mirror can also pose major problems when you’re in the gym. Devoting the bulk of your attention to the muscles on the front of your body, like your pecs, abdominals and quads, can set the stage for some serious imbalances to develop- imbalances that can negatively impact your performance on the playing field. The only way to avoid this scenario and realize your full athletic potential is to start thinking backwards!
Prioritize your posterior. Targeting the muscles on the back of your body might seem sort of counterintuitive, but it really is one the best ways there is to improve both joint integrity and athletic performance. By strengthening areas you hardly ever think about, like the back of your neck, your upper back and even something called your posterior chain, you can help offset the overuse of the same muscles and movement patterns you’re continually engaging in your sport. Everything from shooting free throws, to blocking an opponent, to swimming freestyle, places a heavy demand on the muscles located on the front, or anterior portion of your body. So, when it comes time to train, going into the gym and giving these same muscles priority just doesn’t make a whole lot of sense- especially if one of your goals is to help prevent injuries. The following exercises are designed to target areas that often get overlooked by young athletes. It’s important to note the use of the word “areas” here, and not necessarily “muscles”. As athletes, you need to start thinking in terms of training more functionally, by using groups of muscles together to produce desired movements, rather than chasing after individual muscle groups like a body builder would. Combined with regular flexibility work, this will not only help restore balance to your physique, but you’ll probably notice some substantial improvements in stability, strength and speed as well.
The Band Row: Hook a resistance band to a stable object that you know isn’t going to move- like a squat rack in the gym, or a staircase banister if you’re training at home. After positioning yourself far enough away to ensure that you have some initial tension on the band, make sure that your knees are slightly bent and your core is braced. Next, with your palms facing the ground, initiate the pull by pinching your shoulder blades together and you sticking your chest out, as you simultaneously pull with your arms until both handles are at the sides of your chest. In the finish position your elbows should be slightly behind you torso, and pointed out away from your body, with your forearms parallel to the ground. Pause for a second and then repeat for 10-12 total Repetitions. Remember to try and do as little pulling as possible with your arms, you’re really trying to target the scapular retractors of the upper back here, by brining your shoulder blades back and down.
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The Upper Back: I’ll actually be highlighting a couple of different drills here. Although they serve the same purpose- to strengthen muscles that stabilize the scapulae (shoulder blades), both are worth including in your routine. The first, called the YTWL will target your middle and lower trapezius, along with your external rotators. The high repetitions required for this drill (8 reps, in each of four different positions) will help increase the endurance of these muscles, making the entire region more resistant to fatigue and better able to withstand the rigors of sports participation. The second, the band row, will target this same area, while also incorporating the arms to help increase pulling strength. When combined with regular stretching of your pecs, lats and better postural awareness, these exercises can improve things like throwing mechanics and overhead activities like shooting a basketball, or serving in tennis.
The YTWL: *Start out with just the weight of your arms on this exercise and progress to light dumbbells as you get stronger.
Back on Track
Lie prone (face down) over a stability ball with your arms extended out in front of you and knees bent, so that your thighs are touching the ball. Keeping your back flat, begin by raising your arms (thumbs pointing up) so they form the letter Y with your torso. Try to use the muscles between your shoulder blades to do this and avoid allowing your shoulders to “ride up” towards your ears. Hold at the top of for a second (where your arms are hopefully at least parallel to the ground), and then lower and repeat for 8 reps. Next, bring your arms to your sides so they’re in line with your shoulders, and your palms are facing your body. Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, pinch your shoulder blades together and down, as you raise your arms up until they’re once again at least parallel to the ground, forming the letter T with your torso. Hold the top for a second, then lower and repeat for 8 total reps. Immediately after that, bring your arms to the front of the ball and bend them approximately 90 degrees, with your palms facing the floor. Once again, pinch your shoulder blades together and down as you raise your arms up to form the letter W. Make sure you rotate your palms so that the pinky side of your hand is higher than your thumb at the top of the movement. Hold for a second and lower and repeat for 8 total reps. Finally, bring your arms back to the sides of the ball and bend them 90 degrees so that your forearms are perpendicular to the floor. Keeping your upper arms perfectly still, rotate your forearms until they’re as close to parallel to the floor as possible to form the letter L at the top. Pause for a second and then lower and repeat for the final 8 reps.
By taking a slightly different approach in the gym, you can make some major changes to way your body looks, feels and performs. Start paying more attention to the stuff that you can’t see in the mirror and I promise you won’t be disappointed with the results. You can still include some of your favorite exercises like bench presses and squats, just don’t make them the focal point of your routine. In the end, I’m sure you’ll find that this kind of backwards thinking will bring your athletic abilities even more to the forefront
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UA TRAINING UA Training
The Posterior Chain:
It may sound like something that you’d get serviced at a body shop, but your posterior chain is actually one of the most important areas of your body when it comes to guarding against injures. By working the muscles that extend your hips and lower back as a functional unit, instead of isolating them with exercises like leg curls, you’ll be better able to replicate the way you use them during competition. It will also cut down on the number of hamstring pulls, hip flexor strains and non-contact knees injuries that often plague young athletes- especially females who suffer ACL (anterior cruciate ligaments) injuries up to 6 times more frequently than males. Besides genetic factors, some of this is also due to the quadricep dominant nature of many athletic conditioning programs. The featured exercises here include the unilateral Romanian deadlift and the step up. While any deadlift variation will be of benefit, a one-legged version will incorporate more balance and stability into the movement, as well as help you identify and potential strength imbalances that may exist between limbs. As for the step-up, even though it does also involve the quadriceps to a certain degree, hip extension can be emphasized depending on how you execute the step. Making a concerted effort to drive through the heel, instead of off the ball of the foot, can dramatically change the effect of the exercise.
Unilateral Romanian Deadlift: Stand holding a light medicine ball, or dumbbell in your hands while balancing on one leg (your other foot should be just a couple of inches off the ground). Keeping a slight bend in your working leg, begin the movement by bending at the hips as you lean over with your arms extended towards the floor. As you lean over, try and keep the same amount of bend in your working leg, while simultaneously keeping your back flat and raising your back leg straight behind you. At the bottom of the movement your torso should be just about parallel to the ground, with no rounding whatsoever in your back. Pause for a second and then drive through your heel to stand back up. Continue for 8-10 reps and then switch sides.
Step Ups: Stand in front of an exercise bench, or platform that is just slightly below the height of your kneecap. Holding some light dumbbells at arm’s length, begin by placing one foot completely on the step. Next, keep your torso nice and straight as you step up, being sure to emphasize pushing through your heel to maximize glute and hamstring involvement. Lightly tap your other foot on the step at the top, and then step back down with the same foot, followed by your working leg. Continue on the same side for 10-12 reps before switching over.
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The Calves: They might be relatively small, but the calves play a major role in both knee stability and explosive power production. Not that I want to see you doing hundreds of reps of calf raises, like a body builder. But, it is a good idea to incorporate some more functional calf strengthening exercises into your routine, to help improve your ability to generate force from different angles, and on different surfaces. Let’s face it; in the midst of competition, you’re not always going to land from either a jump, or a running stride, perfectly even every time. Having the stability and mobility to be able to compensate for these landings and still push off with great force can often make the difference between making the play and not. Reason enough why you’ll not only want to make your calves stronger, but strengthen them in such a way as to augment your athletic ability.
The Balancing Calf Raise: Position yourself on a step so that only the ball of your foot is on the step, with your heel hanging off. Keeping your other foot off the ground, maintain your balance while rising up as high as you can onto the ball of your foot. Pause for a second and then lower back down until your heel drops below the step to get a good stretch. Pause for a second and then continue until you’ve completed 10-12 reps and switch sides.
The back of the neck:
The Chin Tuck:
Admit it. You didn’t see this one coming, did you? I mean, who really needs to worry about the back of their neck when they’re in the gym? Well, if you’re among the legions of young athletes that walk around with forward head posture, then you do. When your head juts forward so that your ear is lined up in front of your shoulder from a profile view (have a friend, or coach check this for you), it places a lot of strain on the back of your neckwhich has to work overtime to keep your chin from dropping down on your chest. The answer here is an exercise called the chin tuck. In one simple move it helps stretch and alleviate the strain on the back of the neck, while simultaneously requiring an isometric contraction of the flexor muscles on the front, which are typically the weak link in this scenario.
Stand with your feet about a foot in front of a wall and lean back on it. Making sure your entire back is in contact with the wall, simply “tuck” your chin towards the back of your head. I’ll usually tell my athletes to envision a cash register drawer closing to get a sense of the movement. Then hold this chin in the tucked position for 5 seconds per rep, as you gently press the back of your head into the wall. Relax for a second and continue until you’ve done 8-10 reps.
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By Adrienne Lazovick
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The date has been set: Put your face paint on and get your game face ready because the Outback Steakhouse Empire Challenge is coming! This year’s game will be held on June 21, 2011 at James M. Shuart Stadium at Hofstra University. Currently in its 16th year running, this ultimate football challenge will feature allstars from both Long Island and New York City high schools in a game dedicated to help fight cystic fibrosis. All proceeds raised during the event will go toward the Boomer Esiason Foundation, the Gunnar H. Esiason Scholarship Fund, and to local New York youth football programs. Thousands of fans will gather as they watch two great teams fight for one great cause. New York City proved to be last year’s victor as it triumphed over Long Island with a final game score of 15-10. Flushing’s Jason Bromley earned the MVP title of the game while doing more than his fair share in leading NYC to victory. Long Island’s efforts didn’t go unnoticed as Player of the Game Malcolm Carter blocked an extra point attempt following a touchdown for NYC in the first quarter. The fiercely competitive and evenly matched game was brought to life with the cheer and
support of the 8,224 fans in attendance. Whether on the field or in the stands, everyone’s efforts played a huge part in raising millions of dollars for the Boomer Esiason Foundation and for cystic fibrosis. The anticipation and excitement is mounting as we inch closer to this year’s challenge. The roster of all-star players is in the process of being chosen and the announcement of head coaches is just around the corner! A full day of entertainment leading up to the game will include a Fanfest with Generation Jets Fest, an Outback Steakhouse Tailgate Party, and a multi-dimensional Sports Expo provided by Ultimate Athlete Magazine. This expo will showcase all the latest apparel and equipment in the sports world, as well as dynamic demonstrations of action sports, live music, and more! Keep checking in with Ultimate Athlete Magazine to get the latest updates on the Outback Steakhouse Empire Challenge. We look forward to seeing you on June 21: You and your family will not want to miss out on this legendary event of football for the fight!
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NYIT offensive player makes a move past an opponent as he passes the ball off to a teamate closer to the goal.
Photo by Adil Barluca
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Coming off it s most succes the Stony Bro sful season in ok University program histo men’s basketb continue its p ry, a ll rogress this y team was pois ea ed r. the America Picked to finis to East Conferen h second over ce in the pre-s all in Seawolves loo eason coaches ked like a stro poll, the ng contender While that op to go dancing portunity is st in March. ill within reach quite the way , things have head coach Ste not gone ve Pikiell had anticipated. It all started b efore the seaso Brenton, who n even began led the confe . Junior Tomm rence in rebo located his kn y unding in 20 ee cap in a pic 09-10, diskup game an Sophomore g d was lost for uard Marcus the year. Rouse went d kept him out own with an for the first si in jury that x games. Even tendon and w Pikiell tore his as in a walkin Achilles g boot for man y of the early practices.
“Last year we didn’t have a guy miss a practice with a sprained ankle or anything,” Pikiell said. “This year we have guys out for the year, out 10 games, two broken noses, torn meniscuses – we’ve had everything. It’s been bizarre. I’ve never experienced a year like this in 20 years of basketball. Everyday there’s a knock on my door and somebody else is out.” The team knew coming into the season that it would be without reigning conference Player of the Year Muhammad El-Amin, the team’s leading scorer a year ago, who graduated and has since gone on to torch professionals in Hungary. It would be on Brenton, guard Bryan Dougher, and forwards Dallis Joyner and Danny Carter – a group of juniors that brought stability to the program two years ago – to lead the way. Dougher, the team’s unquestioned No. 1 option on offense, has seen his scoring average dip to 13.1 points per game after averaging 13.8 last season. “It’s a different role now, everyone is gunning for him,” Pikiell said of Dougher. “Last year they were gunning for Muhammad and he would get the second or third best defender, now he’s getting the best defender and everyone’s scouting report starts with him.”
Dougher believes that coming into the season as defending champions has bumped up the level of competition that his team gets every night. “The expectations this year weren’t weighing us down,” he said. “We’re just getting everyone’s best shot now.” Even though things have not gone as well as he would have hoped, Dougher said he believes that hard work is the key. “I just have to add a few more things to my game and keep working hard,” he said. Pikiell agreed: “Every game, it’s got to be Bryan (Dougher). He’s got to bring points and score,” he said. “When he’s been real good, we’ve won; When he’s struggled, we’ve struggled. That’s how the season has gone for him, but he’s had a good year. When he’s good, he’s as good as anybody.” This Seawolves team is very similar to the team two years ago. That team relied on four freshman – Dougher, Brenton, Joyner and Carter – to lead a team that finished 8-8 in conference play.
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That team, like this one, relied on defense and the timely hoops it could create off the defense. “We’re the best defensive team in the league without our best defensive player Tommy Brenton,” Pikiell said when touching on the positive aspects of the season. “Our freshmen are getting a lot of minutes and starting to play better. We’ve shown some signs of being very good. We’ve also shown the signs of being very young and inexperienced. It’s been a different kind of year than I expected. We’ve just been plagued with injuries. It’s bizarre.” One player who has stepped up big time down the stretch is sophomore Lenny Hayes. The 6-foot-4 guard has scored in double digits in six of the last eight games in conference play, including a career high 22 points against Maine. “Lenny Hayes has been great. He’s really been the guy (to step up),” Pikiell said. “He took advantage of all these injuries and is shooting the ball well; he’s defending. … If we can have Bryan and Lenny play well on the same night, we can win a lot of basketball games.” Through all the injuries and hard luck, the Seawolves realize that a strong weekend showing in the America East tournament would make everyone forget about the struggles they have endured. “We just have to keep winning and go into the tournament on a good note,” Dougher said. Pikiell noted that the team would most likely be without three starters in the tournament. Senior guard Chris Martin has played sparingly the last two months as well and is doubtful to return. “If we had all of our guys healthy, we’d be right where we need to be,” Pikiell said. “It’s hard to replace those guys. Chris Martin is our guy to the rack, he’s had a tough year. You’re losing two really experienced guys that have been through a lot of the wars and you’re adding two guys who haven’t been through any wars.” Pikiell still had a tone of confidence in his voice as he spoke. He said he believes that with a little luck, a lot of hard work and a strong defense, his team is capable of finding its way into the NCAA Tournament. “Last year we had all the pressure on us. We had to win,” Pikiell said of being the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament. “We’ve played with everybody in the league; there’s not a match up I don’t like. Tell me who we’re playing, that’s fine. If we have to play Vermont – that’s fine. Maine? Terrific. New Hampshire? Terrific. “This year we’ll go and have the advantages and none of the pressure. If we can be just somewhat healthy for those games, we can be interesting.”
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Being a student-athlete at any college requires much more than just balancing school with sports. As a student, there’s a desire to socialize and have “the college experience,” and then there’s also the goal of getting a degree for future career plans. As an athlete, there’s an expected level of discipline and commitment to the sports program, which often requires the player to be an upstanding individual and a role model even when he or she is not dressed up in uniform. So how does the student-athlete find a way to make all of this work? Just ask the ladies of the Dowling women’s basketball team, who not only excel on the court but do commendable work off the court as well. This season, the Golden Lions finished the regular season with a strong 17-11 overall record and an even more impressive 15-6 East Coast Conference record. That kind of dominant play also helped them secure the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye heading into the ECC playoffs. This year’s squad certainly has the potential to make it far in both the conference and NCAA Division II tournaments, but it’s what the ladies do when they’re not playing basketball that’s most notable – they always find time to give back to the community. Junior guard Brianna Layton knows how much work the team puts into practices and games each week, but she said the coaches have always stressed that being a collegiate athlete goes beyond training hard and winning big. “Our coach has always emphasized that as athletes, we are given a lot, we’ve been blessed with a lot, and it’s always important to give back,” said Layton, of Columbus, Ind. “That’s something that if you’re part of the college basketball team or you become part of this team, that’s something that you learn to respect. So I think giving back has just been instilled in us since Day One and that’s how we got involved in all the community service that we do.” As a team, the players are actively involved with the MakeA-Wish Foundation as well as Keep Islip Clean
a not-for-profit organization that helps clear the littered streets in the township. Individually, some of the Golden Lions have taken part as volunteers with other organizations such as Goodwill, Boys and Girls Clubs of America and the Special Olympics. The team’s participation in community service has been an integral part of Dowling athletics for years, but it was associate head coach Laura Mullally-Pruitt’s vision that helped spearhead some of the major volunteer efforts of recent. Mullally-Pruitt, a Dowling alum and former member of the basketball team, said that she mentioned the Make-A-Wish initiative about three years ago at an annual retreat for the entire athletic coaching staff at Dowling. Since then, the college has been one of the top fundraisers for Make-A-Wish in all of Division II schools, raising more than $17,000 in the 2008-09 season and breaking the record for the most money raised by a DII school in NCAA history. “We didn’t want to make it an overly complicated process, and all we did was sold paper stars,” said Mullally-Pruitt about the team’s original fundraising scheme. “Normally they sell them for a dollar, you know, in the malls at Christmas and things like that. So all we did was ask each of our kids to sell a particular number of stars for $5 each, and we raised over $5,500. It was such an overwhelming success that the whole athletic department just kind of jumped on board, and from then on, everybody brainstormed and it just snowballed. It’s unbelievable what the athletic department and the young athletes have done for the cause.” Aside from the recognition that the college receives from the NCAA and other colleges, the Golden Lions are also recognized as role models to many of the young female basketball players who hope to one day play at the college level. Sophomore guard Connie Simmons said that she hopes the team’s volunteer efforts will teach aspiring athletes to do more than just play the sport.
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“Being a college athlete, younger athletes definitely look up to us,” said Simmons, a native of Syosset, N.Y. “We have to bear a certain name around the community and in everything. People come to watch our games and we try to get other little girls to come watch us and see what hard work and dedication really does.” The Dowling women’s basketball team is proof that student-athletes can be more than just people who play a sport during college. Student-athletes have an exclusive position in the sports world because they are not paid to play and yet they still are expected to perform on one of the biggest platforms. But the Golden Lions embrace the challenge of being a student-athlete by playing at the top of their game each week and using their spare time to give back to the community that supports them throughout the entire season. As a coach for the team she once played on, Mullally-Pruitt simply hopes the players learn that that they are fortunate to be playing on the level at which they are and should use their position as a student-athlete to do something positive whenever they can. Once the ladies graduate and move on from Dowling, she said she wants them to remember the benefits that come from being positive influences on and off the court and what it meant to really be a part of the Dowling basketball program. “I think the most important thing is that they understand that it’s a privilege to be here,” MullallyPruitt said. “It’s a privilege to be able to play a sport that you love, that you’re healthy, that you can go to school every day and really have a family here that supports everything that you do. I hope that by doing our various community services – not everybody, unfortunately, has that support system in their life – that they learn to really want to be there for each other and really be sisters, genuinely happy, and be good sisters to each other.”
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ports Card and Lincoln, who combined for 64 goals and 42 assists last season. Their ability to play off of each other is their greatest strengths, as Card makes Lincoln more effective and vice versa. On a team that’s loaded with talented shooters, Lincoln may be regarded as the best, with an impressive 46.5 shot percentage. The biggest strength for the Pride this year is their impressive depth at midfield. They welcome the reigning Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year and honorable mention All-American, former Lafayette midfielder, Steve Serling. Serling, a Rockville Centre, N.Y., native, is a graduate student at Hofstra and tallied 37 goals and 12 assists on his way to being the ninth overall pick by the Denver Outlaws in last year’s Major League Lacrosse draft before deciding to pursue his MBA. “He is a very talented player; he is a gamer, he understands the flow, he’s got very good lacrosse IQ and he makes very good reads when he’s dodging,” Tierney said of Serling. Put his three goals and six assists this season with senior attackman Stephen Bentz’ seven goals, and it’s easy to see the complementary talent and the offensive senior leadership of the Pride.
With all the veteran leadership on offense, however, defensively, the Pride are young. Sophomore starters Cody Solaja and Corey Caputo will have to do some on-the-job learning, especially when facing No. 18 Drexel (1-1) on Mar. 26 and No. 9 UMass (3-0) for the ESPNU Warrior Classic on April 24. “Coach [Joe] Amplo and coach [Kevin] Unterstein, they deserve credit for us playing together,” Tierney said. “We don’t have a star on defense, so we need to play together, as seven, a goalie and six players out front.” The loss of senior defender and team leader Christian Scuderi will hurt the Pride’s defense and force junior goalkeeper Andrew Gvozden (54.6% career save percentage) to make more plays in the net, which may push a competition between him and sophomore Rob Bellairs throughout the season. Despite the aforementioned match-ups with Drexel and UMass, the Pride feature a favorable schedule with their tougher games against Harvard on Mar. 5 and CAA rival Delaware on Mar. 19. Missing on their schedule, for only the second time in 20 years, is Johns Hopkins University. The Pride have beaten the Blue Jays, who are currently
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Pride have beaten the Blue Jays, who are currently ranked eighth in the nation, in three of their past five regular-season meetings. With the Pride already at a steady boil, the season should be one to savor for coach Tierney and his players as they play out the rest of their 2011 schedule.
By Ken Ryan Photos by Morgan Harrison Joe Spallina, the women’s lacrosse head coach at Adelphi University in Garden City, N.Y., uses words like “insane” to describe his 2011 Panthers. That is a term of endearment to summarize the talent assembled on this year’s team. Having compiled a 53-2 record over the last three seasons, the team has appeared in three Final Four’s and became the first team in Division II lacrosse history to win consecutive national championships.
You would think the Panthers might feel the added pressure to stay on top, but if anything, they are more fired up than ever. Adelphi is hosting the NCAA Division II National Championships this spring (May 21-22), and the players would view it as an insult of the highest order not to be playing on their own turf, defending their title. “We’re not going to let anyone beat us on our home field,” said Claire Petersen, of Wantagh, N.Y., who was named Lacrosse Magazine’s 2011 Preseason Player of the Year after leading the nation in scoring last year. Petersen, a first team All-American, scored 47 goals and dished out 81 assists last season. She will lead a potent Panthers offense that will give nightmares to any opposing coaching staff. Last season’s Rookie of the Year, Demmianne Cook, was fourth on the team as a freshman with 63 points, including 52 goals.
The offensive talent does not drop off after the first two, either. Junior Erica Devito, a two-time AllAmerican, and senior Elizabeth Fey, a 2010 All-American, combined for 120 goals last spring and were second and third on the team in points. Fey had 84 and Devito had 83. Junior Alison Staudt also returns to the attack after a solid sophomore season in which she scored four goals and added 15 assists. Sophomore Sara Sangiorgio rounds out Adelphi’s returning attacks, having played in 10 games with four goals last spring. Three newcomers will add depth and versatility to the Adelphi frontline as 5-8 freshman Devan Crimi will provide a tall target for Petersen and assume a spot in the starting lineup from game one. In addition, Joanie Buczkowski, a transfer from Division I University of Maryland-Baltimore County, will give the Panthers a change of pace with her speed. “Devan had a tremendous high school career,” Spallina said, “and from what we have had an opportunity to see throughout the fall and during preseason, we are extremely excited about her upside and what we think she will add to our offense.” Speedsters Marissa Mills and Kaitlyn Carter, along with Cook, give the Adelphi midfield an explosive presence. Mills was fifth on the team in points last spring with 62 (49 goals, 14 assists), while Carter, a two-time All-American who was slowed by an ankle injury, was sixth with 47 points (30 goals, 17 assists). Devito said preparation is the biggest key for the team. “We always want to be fit, we always want to have good stick skills; we are always working on that. Over the last few years we have recruited better and better players.” Recruiting is another reason Adelphi players never get complacent – as the coach recruits better players, the incumbents do not want to lose any playing time, which forces them to stay sharp and continually work to improve their skills. Adelphi’s only loss last year was a 21-16 defeat to C.W. Post, which took place just before the playoffs. That defeat, which ended the Panthers’ perfect season, served to motivate the team down the stretch. Adelphi avenged that Post lost by defeating the Pioneers in the semifinals, and then defeated West Chester of Pennsyl
vania, 17-7, in the Division II final. The Panthers now have won four titles since 2004, beating West Chester in three of those championship games. Despite saying that every year represents a new start and that everyone begins at 0-0, Spallina remains optimistic for the Panthers this season. “Our goal going into every season is always the same – to be national champions,” he said. “This is something we do not hide from and it is something that will always be our focus.” As for hosting the NCAA Division II Championships, Spallina said: “Obviously the Final Four being held on Long Island and having a lot of players from the Island, the location has special meaning, but our goal is still the game.” Adelphi opened defense of its title Feb. 22 with a 21-9 victory against Rollins College in Florida. The Panthers’ next game will be their home opener against Philadelphia University on March 12.
By Ben Rosenthal Photos By Morgan Harrison The University of Connecticut men’s basketball team has shown up in a big way this year. Projected by some analysts to finish 10th in the Big East, the Huskies have climbed to as high as fourth in the country this year. They have had a bit of a hiccup nearing the end of Big East play, but their mini-slide is not of the biggest concern because they would have to essentially lose out the rest of the season to not be assured an NCAA tourney birth. One of their biggest concerns, though, is that nearly all their glory and disappointments so far can be attributed to one player: Kemba Walker. Walker – whom I like to refer to as the “Allen Iverson” of college basketball – is an absolute speed-demon capable of hitting some of the most captivating and unorthodox shots imaginable but also is prone to having dismal shooting nights. Prior to going into a funk, Walker started off on a blistering pace, averaging over 25 points per game, and was second in the nation in scoring to BYU’s Jimmer Fredette. The reason for some people’s concerns about the Huskies before the season started centered around the fact that other than Walker, they had a rookie-laden team at nearly every position. Head coach Jim Calhoun has been at UConn for 25 years, and this year’s team welcomed in the most freshmen in his tenure at UConn. A whopping seven players have either started or provided some solid minutes this
season. Let us not forget that last year’s team, even with a lot more experience, failed miserably and lost in the NIT tournament. What some people saw as big losses with Jerome Dyson, Stanley Robinson and Gavin Edwards graduating, I saw as a burden being lifted. Dyson severely stagnated the offensive flow last year; Robinson might as well have put his picture on the back of a milk carton be-cause he was lost out there for long stretches of the game; and Edwards was just a big body who was capable of getting a few offensive boards each game. Dyson and Robinson, and even Edwards to some extent, were notorious for playing an uninspired and uncreative brand of basketball. Juxtapose those three guys with the energetic freshmen of this year’s team, and there really is no comparison: Niels Giffey, of Berlin, Germany, has shown that he has the potential to provide a tough match-up for defenders with his shooting ability and his 6-7 frame. He hasn’t shown the ability to take over games yet, but with more experience, he can be dangerous. Tyler Olander, who played high-school ball right near UConn in Storrs, Conn., has started at times and looks to be a capable rebounder/ screen setter. He needs to work on his offensive game because he is still raw, but he has the potential to become a solid player come tourney time. Roscoe Smith, UConn’s top recruit, has shown that he can take over the game on the offensive and defensive ends when he gets some time on the floor. His length and wingspan pose serious problems for players attacking the rim. I think UConn’s most impressive recruits have been diminutive Shabazz Napier and railthin shooting guard Jeremy Lamb. Napier, who stands at 6 foot, has been an absolute streak of lightning out there. He and Walker have solidified one of the best back-courts in the country, and he’s going to only get better. He is as streaky as ever shooting the ball, but when he is on, the Huskies are nearly impossible to beat.
Lamb has been a complete surprise for me. At 6 foot 4, he is taller than many guards, but his 3-point shot has been huge for UConn this year. Besides the freshmen, the team has also benefitted from the tough play of sophomore Alex Oriakhi and senior Charles Okwandu. Oriakhi has been a big plus this year, crashing the glass and providing double-digit rebounding efforts in big games so far. He has improved by leaps and bounds since last year, and he has been a true low-post presence for the Huskies; something they desperately need if they have plans to stick around for a while come March. A forgotten man, Okwandu, has played with fervor and skill around the rim and is finally playing as big as his 7-foot frame would suggest. The most notable difference from his performance last year is the passion and drive he exudes when he gets some playing time. The biggest improvement for the Huskies appears to have been their aforementioned outside shooting. In college basketball, the 3-point shot is of paramount importance, and in previous years, UConn had the size inside but lacked the longrange shooting that was needed to be a real
threat in the tournament. Walker’s 3-pointer has significantly improved, and many of the freshmen who get substantial playing time are very capable 3-point shooting threats. They have been able to stretch the floor for Oriakhi and Okwandu to operate more effectively in the paint. Despite the team losing some of its veteran players, Calhoun and his staff did an excellent job of recruiting this off-season, and they have assembled a really athletic and dangerous team. However, UConn can only hope that Walker doesn’t falter late in the season, and that the team’s younger players continue to outperform some of their more seasoned competition. If Walker and his crew can stay on target, then the Huskies are a legitimate team that will pose problems for the best teams in the country in the NCAA Tournament.
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Although she’s just a sophomore, Shante Evans has quickly made a name for herself on the basketball hardwood. The 6-foot center/forward from West Chester, Pa., has been a dominating presence in the paint for Hofstra University for the past two seasons. In 2009-10, Evans compiled a standout freshman campaign, winning an All-Rookie selection as well as a second-team All-Colonial Athletic Association selection. Evans also became the first Hofstra freshman to lead the team in points and rebounds since the 1992-93 season. Evans is enjoying an even better season this year as she is averaging 17.2 points per game and 11 rebounds per game, leading the team again in both categories. Even though she has already had tremendous success, Evans chooses not to rest on her laurels and continues to work hard.
“I’m not satisfied with what I’ve done yet,” Evans said. “Last year, people didn’t know what I could do, but now I have two and three people on me most of the time so it’s definitely more challenging and that constant adjustment has made me a better overall player this year. My teammates and my coaching staff are depending on me to keep this going. I look forward to the challenge and I want to have that responsibility.” Evans is quick to point out that the talent of her teammates allows for more opportunities in the low post. In particular, Kate Loper, a 5-foot-11 guard from Post Falls, Idaho, has been a consistent performer off the bench for the Pride this year. Loper, who is just a freshman, has averaged 11.2 points per game this season.
“Kate is one of the best pure shooters that I’ve ever played with,” Evans said. “Her shooting really puts the defense in a bind when I have the ball inside. I can always kick it out to Kate and she can make a defense pay big time for giving too much attention to me. She helps me get a lot of open looks that way.”
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“Lisa was my favorite player and I tried to take parts of her game and put them into mine,” Evans said. “Carmelo is also an incredible player who can beat you in so many ways, so I really enjoy watching how he attacks a defense. I’m hoping that he comes to the Knicks because then I would get to watch him on a regular basis.”
In addition to being a basketball star at Hofstra, Evans takes pride in the fact that she also has a background in track and field. While at Henderson high school in West Chester, Evans was a two-time state champion in the shot-put. Being a two-sport athlete has definitely prepared Evans for the rigors of being a college athlete. “I’m use to working hard at being the best athlete I can be, and track and field is very similar to basketball,” Evans said. “Working on the shot-put helps your footwork and it helps build lower body strength, so the two sports go hand in hand. It also teaches you how to prioritize your day.” Being a 6-foot-tall athlete herself, Evans grew up watching 6-foot-6-inch Lisa Leslie of the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks. Leslie, along with Carmelo Anthony of the NBA’s Denver Nuggets, were two of her biggest basketball influences as a child.
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As is the case with most great players, wins and losses are even more important than individual statistics and accolades. As of Feb. 11, Hofstra maintains a record of 14-9 and slid into sixth place following a 66-59 win over conference rival Drexel. Meanwhile, Delaware clings to fifth place with just a one-game lead over the Pride. While Hofstra is currently on pace to qualify for post-season play, Evans knows that the key to breaking loose from these other teams is consistent play on the road. The Pride have a strong 7-2 record at home this season, but their road record is just 6-6. “That’s a problem that we are going to have to fix in order to get better as a team,” Evans said. “I think a lot of teams struggle on the road because it’s a different environment and you’re really not use to it. All of us have to step up our level of play on the road. For whatever reason, it seems like we lose focus when we play on the road, and we tend to beat ourselves with mistakes. “I know we can get out of that funk, and once we do that, then we will be all right.”
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As NYU continues its 2011 schedule, there will be more tests to come, including a west coast trip during spring break to face Division I University of the Pacific and Division III power UC-Santa Cruz. As the NYU men’s volleyball team took the court in a home matchup against Division I Sacred Heart University, a steady stream of fans trickled into downtown Manhattan’s cavernous Jerome S. Coles Sports Center to see the Violets play.
By the end of the first set, rowdy students dominated the bleachers and seemed to hang on every point throughout the Division III Violets’ straight-set victory. After all, fans have been waiting for something to cheer about.
NYU has suffered through two straight losing seasons, including a dismal, injury-plagued 6-17 campaign last year. But in 2011, the Violets are off to a fast start and are picking up momentum. NYU was handed a couple of early losses, but as the Sacred Heart game proved, the Violets have shown the ability to win convincingly. The Violets’ statement victory came just days after the triumph over Sacred Heart, when NYU went on the road and toppled Stevens Institute of Technology 3-1 on Feb. 23 in Hoboken, N.J.
Stevens came into the game ranked third in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Division III men’s coaches Top 15 poll, but the Violets overpowered the Ducks, aided by a teamhigh 17 kills from junior outside hitter Pat Dodd. “Winning big games gives us confidence going into big games,” said sophomore outside hitter Taylor Fauntleroy, of Santa Barbara, Calif.
The schedule may be demanding, but head coach Jose Pina is confident that his team can compete with the nation’s best, even coming off such a disappointing season last year. “We have a more talented team across the board,” Pina said of this year’s squad. “But like every team, we still have flaws.”
Pina pointed out that to counter any weaknesses, one key difference between this year and last year is that this year’s group is more experienced. Having a group on the court that not only gets along but knows each other’s strengths and weaknesses has already been an asset. “Everyone out there is good friends,” Fauntleroy said. “We can come together and figure it out together on the court.”
As a sophomore, Fauntleroy has quickly become a key part of this NYU team. He leads the Violets in kills and points, and has already been named EIVA Hay Division Player of the Week this season. Fauntleroy and Dodd are two players who return much improved from last year. “Those are two guys that have made a big impact,” said senior captain and middle blocker Fran Hodgson, of Surf City, N.J.
Fauntleroy played in just three games in a 2010 season where he was crippled by injuries, while Dodd, of Hinsdale, Ill., has worked to improve his ball control, which has become vital to the Violets’ success. “If we can keep our ball control, the rest should follow,” Hodgson said.
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To help, Pina is quick to point out that the freshmen and sophomores have bought in to the program’s style of play, and the veterans, particularly Fauntleroy, have matured since last season.
“He’s performing at that level he could have been last year,” Pina said. With effective ball control leading to a strong passing game, and a close group of student-athletes, fans have been able to see just how good NYU can be. The Violets, meanwhile, are enjoying their success without becoming complacent.
During warm ups, teammates smile and joke around on the court while still taking the game seriously. When they score a point, their cheers and high-fives are always a little more enthusiastic than they need to be. And this is exactly how Pina wants it.
The 18-year head coach brings just as much levity as anyone, though he makes sure to balance that with an equal amount of intensity. In practice, he is quick to reward a player with a congratulatory pat on the back and he often laughs and cracks jokes at his team’s expense. But when the game starts, his mind is on picking up a win. With his voice demanding and his arms waving, Pina will do anything he can to get his point across. “He’s on us about every little thing,” Fauntleroy said. “It can be hard at times as a player, but it really helps us out.”
The times when Pina’s style helps the most, Fauntleroy said, is when the Violets have built a lead and are starting to relax and give the opposition the chance to come back. That’s when Pina will bear down and not let his team give in. “The kids want to compete,” Pina said. “They want to test themselves.” As the season wears on, the Violets will need to keep that balance of focus, intensity and fun in order to secure an EIVA Championship and to earn an automatic bid in the NCAA Tournament.
An NCAA tournament birth and a chance to win a national title, Hodgson said, is the team’s goal.
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Story By: Diana Rodriguez Photos Courtesy of: Hofstra University
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When Christine Farina was a cheerleader at Hofstra, her only job was to pump up the crowd at football and basketball games. Now as she looks back at her alma mater nearly 12 years later, there isn’t a football team anymore, but there is a cheerleading squad whose presence is bigger than ever. Farina is in her eighth year as the head coach for Hofstra’s cheerleading squad. Since her return, Farina has helped transform her former team into six-time national titlists, including its third consecutive national title in Small Co-ed Division I competition this January. “I just have a passion for Hofstra,” said Farina, who grew up not too far away in Queens, N.Y. “I graduated here in ‘99 and now I’m the coach. (I’ve) been here for eight years and it’s just fantastic to be back at the school you
graduated from. “Cheering has come so far in the last few years and the level here at Hofstra, the talent that has been coming in year after year, has just been tremendous and we’re really proud of that.” Prior to winning a sixth championship title, the Hofstra cheerleading team took first place in both the Cheer and Chant competitions at a summer camp hosted by the Universal Cheerleaders Association. The UCA also awarded the elite team with the Most Collegiate Award. While the Hofstra cheerleaders seem to make winning look easy, their success is largely in part to their dedication to training and to preparing for competitions. It’s almost like a seven-day thing; 365 days a year kind of thing because we do have three to four practices a week, tumbling once a week, and
we always work on our off-days,” said Alek Kociski, a five-year member on the squad from Lake Hiawatha, N.J. “Every off-day, we try to get into the gym, we stunt with one of the girls at a cheerleading gym, and then me, myself, I know I work out four, five times a week so it’s like I almost never take a day off. But that’s what champions are made of and that’s how we look at it.” Kociski came from a football and wrestling background and originally needed some coercing from the cheerleaders to join the squad as a freshman. But now with five years of cheerleading experience under his belt, he said competing on the national stage still is just as pressure-filled as it was when he was first introduced to the sport. “It’s very competitive. It’s a little bit more stressful than any other sport because we only compete once,” Kociski said. “So (when) we go out
there, it’s basically one of those things that if you hit it, you have a good chance of winning. If you drop, then you’re kind of taking yourself out of the running. It kind of stinks at the same time because you work so hard for all year just to have that one opportunity.” Teammate Ryan Brown, who’s also a fiveyear member on the squad, agreed with Kociski about the cut-throat nature of cheerleading, but he added that it’s those kinds of pressure-filled situations that help build team chemistry and drive the team to be more successful. “You have to break each other down to build them up and that’s pretty much our motto,” said Brown, of Cherry Hill, N.J. “You come in here, and you have to be brought down. You have to be brought down to the lowest, and then the team has to bring you back up and bring you to the next level. It’s the only way you’re going to get better.” Even with a short break coming up in the spring after basketball season ends, coach Farina doesn’t expect the cheerleaders to take much time off. Neither does senior Angelica Alestra, of Nesconset, N.Y., who said that being a part of the cheerleading team has been her life for the past four years and basically her entire college experience. Yet, as her collegiate years wind down, Alestra already is excited for what’s to come in the Hofstra cheerleading squad’s future. “The competition gets better and better every single year, and we just have to make sure that we stay above everybody else,” Alestra said. “It’s fun because we’re doing harder things every year and they’re so much more elite than what other teams are doing and just that much harder. It makes it that much more interesting to see what we’re going to do next.”
Story By: Joe Pietaro
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Donnie Walsh was taking a calculated risk. The Knicks president had stripped the roster down to the bare bones in order to make a splash in the free agent-heavy summer of 2010. With his eyes on LeBron James, the biggest prize on the open market, Walsh first signed Amar’e Stoudemire with the hope that the All-Star power forward would make New York a more attractive destination. “I do know that New York isn’t for [everyone] because it’s a big stage,” Knicks head coach Mike D’Antoni said at the Stoudemire press conference last July. “You have to show guts and [grit] and you have to come every day to work. And Amar’e will do that. I’m sure we’ll have other guys following him and we’ll see who else steps up to the challenge.” King James didn’t and signed with the Miami Heat, joining franchise player Dwayne Wade and fellow free agent signee Chris Bosh. James needed to break the news in an hour-long dog and pony show punctuated by ESPN called “The Decision.” Not missing a beat without arguably the NBA’s top player, the Knicks went about their business of putting together a team. And Stoudemire had no problem being ‘the
man,’ unlike James. “It’s a goal of mine to ultimately win a championship and that’s what we need to do here in New York,” said Stoudemire. “It’s the start of a new era. We’re starting a new era with the Knicks to try to get back to the top. It will take one step at a time and a lot of hard work. “It takes dedication,” the power forward/center continued. “It takes focus. It takes self-discipline. If you want stuff to happen, you better be willing to accept the challenges. I’m definitely ready and willing to accept these challenges.” Although we have yet to even reach the All-Star break, it is apparent that this Knicks team is much different from ones of recent past. They are trailing only the Boston Celtics in the Atlantic Division and are well ahead as far as playoff position goes. The Eastern Conference is a much weaker one than its counterpart out west and that will bode well for the Knicks. There are some quality teams, such as the aforementioned Heat and Celtics, as well as the Chicago Bulls, Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks. But after that, it is wide open. The Knicks – who were seven games over .500 at the time of this writing – should be able to hold off competition such as the Philadelphia 76ers, Indiana Pacers
and Charlotte Bobcats. All of those clubs are below the even mark and have less talent on their rosters. The biggest difference between them? It all starts with Stoudemire. After 37 games, he was leading the Eastern Conference in scoring with 26.2 points per game and trailed only Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder (28.2 points per game) for the league lead. He was also third with 2.35 blocks per game, ninth with 17 double-doubles and 13th in rebounds at 9.0 per game. With the turnaround that he has led in the Big Apple, there has even been some talk that Stoudemire is the early on pick for the NBA MVP Award. While that may be a little premature, he certainly has earned the right to be on the ballot if things continue the way they are. But he cannot do it himself. D’Antoni knows that the team can be even better if a few more pieces are added to the roster, either it being now or down the road. “We’ve taken a big step with Amar’e,” he said. “We’ll take another big step, whether that’s today, whether that’s tomorrow or whether that’s six months from now. Everything now is going to be about winning. Before, it was about clearing (salary cap) space.” It’s not as if some other members of the team haven’t been pulling their