Friars putting emphasis on learning, on and off of the floor
Friday, November 04, 2011
Just because it’s now time to hit the floor, it doesn’t mean that attention to detail in the classroom ceases to be important.
In fact, it’s just the opposite at PC.
The 2011-12 edition of the Providence basketball team is a fragile one, at best, with only 10 scholarship players available in Ed Cooley’s first season as head coach. And yet, in the first exhibition played on October 25th, only eight of those 10 were available to actually suit up and play. Freshman guard Kiwi Gardner and sophomore forward Kadeem Batts both were present on the bench, but neither suited up to play…Gardner has issues with the NCAA Clearinghouse on eligibility, and Batts sat due to some internal disciplinary issues.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTCooley said Thursday night during his debut radio show on WEEI-FM that the school and athletic department are still working through the eligibility issues plaguing Gardner, which stems from one of his classes taken in the past year at Westwind Prep in Arizona. Until Gardner is cleared to play, he’ll work out – but not suit up with the team. Gardner also just had 16 stitches removed from his mouth and tongue as a result of an injury sustained in practice.
As for Batts, once games begin for real, his size (6-8) will be sorely needed on a team that will be challenged on the backboards during the season. Batts did not play in the opening exhibition against Assumption due to a coaches’ decision, and there is no definitive word on his availability – yet – for exhibition #2 against UMass-Lowell on Saturday night.
Next week will be a huge one for Cooley and the Friars, with Wednesday marking the beginning of the fall signing period. Expected National Letters of Intent should come from high profile recruits Ricky Ledo, Kris Dunn and Josh Fortune…and if they do, the Friars will immediately put themselves on the national radar for 2012-13. Cooley also said Thursday night that he and his coaching staff are not through recruiting for next year, with a big man and/or a mobile forward their top priority addition. As things presently stand, if Ledo, Dunn and Fortune sign as expected, PC’s basketball program could have a recruiting class ranked in the Top 5 nationally – one of the highest ranked classes to ever come into Providence.
Providence College:
The basketball team’s second and final exhibition against UMass-Lowell is Saturday night at the Dunkin Donuts Center, with the tip off at 7:00 pm. The River Hawks bring in a team rated as the pre-season favorite in Division II’s NE-10 Conference, and also ranked as high as 10th nationally in the pre-season D2 polls. They should provide a solid test for a young PC team, before the regular season opens on November 12th against Fairleigh Dickinson…after a two-game road trip to Maine, the men’s hockey team returns home to face Vermont for two games over the weekend, after dropping two at Maine 5-4 (in OT) and 3-1. Nine of the hockey teams’ first 11 games this year are at home at Schneider Arena…both men’s and women’s cross country teams competed in the Big East Championships last weekend in Louisville, KY…the women finished 2nd, just nine points behind 1st place Villanova, with Emily Sisson the top individual for PC, placing 4th overall. Three runners actually finished in the top nine overall. The men took 5th, and senior David McCarthy finished second individually. In the national rankings this week, the women are ranked 5th, the men 30th in the country…men’s soccer was defeated at Louisville 5-0 Thursday night in the opening round of the Big East Tournament, finishing their regular season at 10-7-1…women’s soccer also lost to Louisville 2-0 last Sunday in their Big East quarterfinal, ending the season at 8-9-4 overall…women’s ice hockey rolled over Yale 9-3 on Tuesday, and will face off with Maine at 1:00 pm Saturday at Schneider Arena…
Brown:
On the gridiron, with three games remaining in the Ivy schedule, Brown (6-1, 3-1 Ivy) is playing another must-win game, traveling to New Haven, CT on Saturday to face Yale at the Yale Bowl. Brown, Yale and Penn are in a three-way tie for second place in the Ivy standings with 3-1 league records, just one game behind first place Harvard. Kick-off is scheduled for 12:00 noon, and the game will be televised live on the YES Network. The Bears won their fifth straight game and handed Penn its first Ivy loss in three years, moving into a three-way tie for second place in the Ivy standings, with a 6-0 win over the Quakers at rain-soaked Brown Stadium last week…Brown women's hockey continues a four-game ECAC Hockey road swing this weekend when the squad travels to take on Princeton on Friday at 7:00 pm, before facing Quinnipiac on Saturday at 4:00 pm at Messa Rink. The Bears (1-1-1) will look to add to their conference point total after securing one point with a 1-1 tie against Colgate. The Princeton game will be head coach Amy Bourbeau's first return to the home of the Tigers, since taking over at the helm of the Bears. Bourbeau spent 14 years as an assistant at Princeton…men's hockey (1-1-0) won its first game of the season, 3-2 over Princeton (0-1-1), and evened its record at 1-1 in game three of the Ivy Shootout, hosted by Dartmouth. The result counts as a non-league contest for both teams though it does not count in ECAC Hockey or Ivy standings. The Bears host Colgate and Cornell Friday and Saturday at Meehan Auditorium beginning at 7:00 pm…
University of Rhode Island:
The URI basketball team opens its 2011-12 season Friday night at the Ryan Center with an exhibition against RIC at 7:00 pm, in a game televised live by Cox Sports. Similar to what Ed Cooley is experiencing at PC, head coach Jim Baron will be trying to find a way to mix returning regulars with several newcomers…two of which won’t be eligible until the first semester is completed. Billy Baron, a transfer from Virginia (and the coaches’ son) and Andre Malone, a transfer from Auburn, are waiting in the wings for December 23rd, when they become eligible to play. Five freshman players could figure prominently in the Rams’ lineup. Rhode Island was predicted by Atlantic 10 head coaches and media members to finish 10th of the 14 teams in the conference during the 2011 Atlantic 10 Men's Basketball Media Day…with a 6-2 record over their last eight home games at Meade Stadium, the Rams’ football team will hope for a little more of that mojo when they face 19th ranked William & Mary Saturday afternoon, as a part of Military Appreciation Day/Family Weekend. URI already owns one home win over a nationally-ranked team this season, knocking off Delaware 38-34. The Rams are 2-6 overall after dropping a 31-24 game on the road at 10th ranked New Hampshire last Saturday…senior Alexis Veith was named to the 2011 Atlantic 10 Women's Soccer All-Conference second team, announced Thursday by the league office…funeral arrangements for Joseph Ciancola, a redshirt freshman pitcher on the URI baseball team, have been announced. Services for Ciancola, who passed away last Thursday (Oct. 27), will be held on Friday from 4 - 8 pm at the Cody-White Funeral Home in Milford, Conn. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday at 11:00 am at Holy Infant Church in Orange, Conn. with interment to follow at Orange Center Cemetery…
Bryant:
Football comes off of a bye week, and travels to Albany, NY for a game against the University of Albany Saturday at 1:00 pm. The Bulldogs are 5-3 overall, 3-2 in the Northeast Conference after a win over Robert Morris, and face an Albany team that has won six games in a row. Junior running back Jordan Brown leads the nation’s FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) schools with 1308 yards rushing, and just this week was named to the prestigious Walter Payton Award Watch List. The Payton Award is given to the FCS’ outstanding offensive player…Bryant field hockey freshman Rosie Bird was named the Northeast Conference Rookie of the Year, the conference announced Thursday evening. Bird scored 14 goals to lead the team for the season, and she also is a member of the women’s tennis team…The Bryant men's basketball team was picked to finish seventh in the 2011-12 Northeast Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll, the program's highest preseason placing in its three seasons within the league, as announced during the annual media teleconference Wednesday morning. This year will be the fourth and final year of transition for the program from Division II to full-fledged Division I membership…
CCRI:
The NJCAA District L Division II Women’s Volleyball Tournament field and schedule has been confirmed. The tournament will be held Saturday and Sunday at the County College of Morris in Randolph, NJ. The District L Division II Women’s Volleyball Tournament will feature four Regional Champions: The Region III Champion Cougars of Genesee Community College from Batavia, NY, the Region XV Champion Mustangs of Monroe College from New Rochelle, NY, the Region XXI Champion Lady Knights of the Community College of Rhode Island and the host school will be the Region XIX Champion Titans of the County College of Morris from Randolph, NJ. The winner moves onto the national championship…women’s soccer also takes part in regional championship play this weekend, facing Monroe CC Friday afternoon in New Jersey, and the winner facing Burlington County College on Sunday for the right to move onto the national championship…
Rhode Island College:
The Little East Conference office recently announced the honorees for the Fall All-Academic teams for the 2011 season and nine Rhode Island College student-athletes were selected. Student-athletes earned recognition on the all-academic teams based on the following criteria: at least a sophomore in academic and athletic standing and a minimum cumulative grade point average of a 3.3. In cross-country, sophomore Tom DeCristofaro (Smithfield, RI), junior Conor McCloskey (Wakefield, RI), sophomore Cameron Richer (Woonsocket, RI), and senior Brittany Richer (Woonsocket, RI)…in soccer, senior Troy Silvia (Bristol, RI), junior Sarah Fagan (West Kingston, RI), sophomore Lauren Maisano (Bristol, RI), sophomore Amanda Nanni (Harrisville, RI), and sophomore Sam Nolte (Cranston, RI)…men’s soccer lost to Keene State 3-2 Wednesday in the Little East Conference semifinals, finishing the season at 11-8…volleyball ended its season 16-13, following a 3-1 defeat to Keene State in the Little East quarterfinals…
Roger Williams University:
The top-seeded volleyball team swept past 4th seeded Western New England 3-0 Thursday to advance to the Commonwealth Coast Conference championship. The Hawks improved to 27-3 on the season, and extend their winning streak to a program-best 18 straight matches. They have also won 21 straight at home, and will face Endicott at home Saturday afternoon at 1:00 pm for the title…men’s soccer closes out its season at 11-4-5 after dropping a 2-1 decision to top seeded Western New England Thursday in the CCC semifinals…second seeded women’s soccer knocked off #3 Salve Regina 4-3 Wednesday to advance to the CCC Championship Saturday afternoon at 1:00 pm against Endicott…
Salve Regina University:
On the football field, freshman quarterback Bradley Skeffington threw a pair of touchdown passes as Salve Regina scored 21 unanswered points last Saturday afternoon, breaking open a tie game and cruising to a 28-7 win over Plymouth State. The Seahawks are now 6-3 overall, 4-2 in the New England Football Conference, and they’ll wrap up their season Saturday at Nichols…women's volleyball head coach Lindsay Marshall was announced as the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Coach of the Year. The team finished its season losing in the conference semifinals to Endicott…men’s ice hockey opens Saturday at the Portsmouth Abbey rink in Portsmouth against Hobart at 7:00 pm, while the women’s team hosts Holy Cross Friday at St. George’s rink in Middletown at 6:00 pm…
Johnson & Wales:
The men’s hockey team opened the 2011-12 campaign with a 3-2 victory against Stonehill in a non-conference contest at the Foxboro Sports Center on Wednesday. The Wildcats will return to action on Saturday when they travel to Franklin Pierce for a non-conference contest at 7:00 pm…women's volleyball was eliminated from the 2011 Great Northeast Athletic Conference playoffs with a 3-0 (15-25, 18-25, 13-25) loss to Emerson in the quarterfinals…men's cross country captured the Great Northeast Athletic Conference championship at Franklin Park last Saturday afternoon. It was the fourth straight conference crown and seventh in the history of the program. The first four finishers were all Wildcats - junior Jeff Hartmann won GNAC Runner of the Year on the 8K course in a time of 26:31, which was good first place. Sophomore Brian Dinan was right behind him in second place with a time of 27:03 while junior Greg Redfield clocked a time of 27:06 which was good for third. Senior Nathan Smith rounded out the top-five finishers with a time of 27:10 and in fourth place…
