Women's Tennis Remains Unbeaten in Liberty League

By Skidmore Athletics

The 16th ranked Skidmore College women’s tennis team beat The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women’s tennis team, 8-1, in a Liberty League match at Sharp Courts.

Skidmore, which is sixth in the Northeast Region, improved to 10-8 and 7-0 in Liberty League play. RPI is now 7-8 overall, and 3-3.

Skidmore opened the day by winning each of the three doubles matches: 8-6 at No. 1, 8-3 at No. 2, and 8-2 at No. 3. The Thoroughbreds took a 6-0 lead by winning the top three flights of singles, each in straight sets.

Zoe Valella ’15 was a 6-1, 6-2 winner at number one singles over Casey Olsen. Valella and Yumi Karlshoej ’15 defeated Emily Laurilliard and Melanie Frank, 8-6, at number one doubles.

Skidmore will host Trinity College on Saturday, April 25, at 1 p.m.

Aaron Hernandez Guilty of Murder

By Mia Merrill, Sports Editor

Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez was found guilty of first-degree murder last week in Massachusetts. Hernandez was arrested in 2013 for the murder of Odin Lloyd, who was dating the sister of Hernandez’s fiancé, Shayanna Jenkins. Hernandez, who will be serving a lifetime sentence without the possibility of parole in a maximum-security prison in Massachusetts, is still engaged to Jenkins.

The prison, Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center, has 24 hour video surveillance and is currently struggling with an opiate smuggling operation.

The verdict for Hernandez comes at a time when the criminal profiles of professional athletes are more in the spotlight than ever. During the last National Football League (NFL) season, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson was indicted for child abuse, and former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice was indicted for domestic assault. The NFL promptly acknowledged the legitimacy of the Hernandez verdict on April 15, the same day the verdict was released. However, during the trial, Patriots owner Robert Kraft testified that Hernandez had claimed innocence when Kraft had questioned him.

Hernandez will also face trial at an undetermined date for two 2012 murders, and possibly for a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Ursala Ward, Odin Lloyd’s mother.

Highlights from MLB Opening Day 2015

By Mia Merrill, Sports Editor

This year, Major League Baseball celebrated its Opening Day(s) on April 5 and 6.

The New York Yankees opened their season without shortstop Derek Jeter for the first time in twenty seasons. The Yankee’s loss of 1-6 against the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday, April 6 may or may not be correlated to the loss of Jeter. The Yankees then won another game 4-3 against the Blue Jays on Wednesday, April 8, but the Blue Jays came back to win the series on April 9, winning the final game 6-3.

After trading many prominent members of their 2014 season team, the Boston Red Sox opened the 2015 season in Philadelphia against the Phillies on Monday, April 6. Finishing last place in the American League Eastern Division last season, the Red Sox completed mid-season trades of starting pitcher Jon Lester, left fielder Jonny Gomes, and starting pitcher John Lackey, among others. With a rebuilt team, the Red Sox defeated the Phillies 8-0 on Monday, shocking many baseball fans. While the Sox lost to the Phillies 2-4 on April 8, they turned around and won 6-2 the next day.

The Baltimore Orioles, a team notorious for their mistakes, won 6-2 against the Tampa Bay Rays on April 6, after a disappointing finish in last season’s playoffs. Baltimore went on to win 6-5 on April 7 and lose 0-2 on April 8, but the jury is still out is on this unpredictable team.

Major League Baseball continues its season through October 2015.

Head Golf Coach Leaves Skidmore under Unclear Circumstances

By Andrew Shi, Managing Editor

Head Golf Coach Fred Fruisen is no longer employed by Skidmore College, confirmed Bill Jones, the Sports Information Director.

Fruisen joined Skidmore in the summer of 2012 after spending 15 years as the Head Golf Coach at Savannah College of Art and Design.

Players on the golf team revealed that Fruisen had been suspended from the team and banned from campus some time before Spring Break. They said that there is an ongoing investigation on Fruisen, although did not share details on the reasons for the investigation.

The players spoke on the condition of anonymity, as they have been asked by Skidmore Athletics not to discuss the issue.

Athletics Director Gail Cummings-Danson and Human Resources Assistant Director for Equal Employment Opportunity and Workforce Diversity, Herbert Crossman, who is responsible for investigations, declined to comment and were unable to confirm or deny any ongoing investigation in regard to Fruisen. Crossman stated that general Skidmore policy proscribes commenting on ongoing investigations. However, an assistant for Crossman acknowledged that there is an investigation when asked about Fruisen and revealed that students had met with Human Resources the week before Spring Break.

For now, Assistant Golf Coach Tom Oppedisano has taken over managerial responsibilities. Oppedisano has not yet replied for comment.

This is an ongoing story and will be updated when additional details are learned.

Steve Weatherford’s Abs Don’t Give Him a Leg Up

By Katie Peverada, Skidmore Alum Class of 2014

My friends and I long ago discovered the physical specimen that is Steve Weatherford. Way back in January of 2012, as the Giants and Patriots were about to square off in the Super Bowl, we ogled over his abs. After we got over our initial fascination, our main rumination was: “Wow. For a kicker, he sure is jacked.” Had he been a receiver or running back, it wouldn’t have amazed us as much. One Monday night this past NFL season, during one of Rick Reilly’s weekly segments on ESPN’s pregame show, Weatherford was the subject of the interview, and he gave us an inside look at his workout routine and habits. Weatherford’s habits include lifting every day, which is fine. But they also include extremely eccentric practices such as regularly sleeping in a hyperbaric chamber, which is a bit much. It got me thinking, though. Sure, Weatherford has the title of most aesthetically pleasing punter in the NFL, but where does he rank in terms of performance? In other words, do his practices warrant acclaim on the field, or are his less-physically-refined fellow punters just as accomplished? In his eight full seasons in the NFL, Weatherford has cracked the top 10 in yards per punt only twice. In 2012, he was ninth, with an average of 47.5 yards per punt, and his 46.9 average in 2013 put him seventh. Weatherford has kicked one of the top 10 longest punts of the year only three times. A 66-yarder in 2007 put him seventh, a 68-yarder in 2012 put him ninth, and in 2013 he was 10th with another 68-yard punt. His career long punt of 71 yards came this year in week six against Philadelphia, which puts him in a four-way tie for seventh. A punter that is—somewhat—physically the opposite of Weatherford is Shane Lechler, who is 6’6”, 225lbs (Obviously as a professional football player he has some semblance of a workout routine, but as best I can tell he doesn’t go as far as sleeping in a hyperbaric chamber or taking over 30 vitamins a day). Lechler, who spent his first 13 seasons with Oakland before going to Houston in 2013, has better numbers than Weatherford. Lechler has a career average of 47.6 yards per punt, which is more than three yards further than Weatherford’s 44.4, and his career long punt of 80 yards is nine yards more than Weatherford’s. Lechler has punted the ball at least 70 yards in seven of his 15 seasons, while Weatherford has done that only once. ProFootballReference.com uses a metric called “Approximate Value” to try to assign the value of a player’s season (it’s obviously difficult to have a WAR statistic like in baseball, but this is somewhat similar). The highest AV that Weatherford has ever achieved in a season is three, which he did in 2012 and 2013. Lechler, on the other hand, achieved a six in 2009, and has earned a five on three occasions and a four in six seasons. And that top 10 in yards per punt that Weatherford has only reached twice? Lechler has led the league four times, is the career active leader, and only missed that list once, in 2012. And he still manages to look not ripped. Weatherford isn’t a bad punter by any means, but his obsession and pride of working out so much and taking such meticulous care of his body is not producing the results. His effort isn’t giving him a leg up on the competition.

Skidmore Softball Spends Spring Break With Their New Family

By Lizette Roman-Johnston '18

After a long week of finicky weather and midterms, the rest of Skidmore Softball and I found ourselves in sunny, ninety degree weather, playing the sport we love. In Winter Haven, Florida, we battled against some of the most highly ranked teams in the country, ultimately beating schools such as Kean University and McDaniel College. We finished with a 4-6 record, giving us a solid foundation for the remainder of our season. Considering we played ten games in five days in heat and humidity, the rest of our schedule should be doable in the perpetual tundra that is the northeast. Furthermore, without the restraint of gym walls, we could execute and further improve upon the skills we have been working on since the fall. My fellow infielders and I could field grounders on dirt rather than wood, our pitchers could throw against batters they had never seen before, and our coaches could talk (or yell if necessary) us through high-stress situations. Overall, things flowed naturally. The team that had never played together worked like a machine. It may have not been well-oiled at all times, but we did a pretty good job of tightening up loose screws when necessary. Though getting some wins under our belt contributed to our overall satisfaction with the trip, nothing compares to the inevitable team bonding that comes with spending a full week together on the field, on the road, and in the houses. Up until I boarded the bus Saturday morning, I was worried about being in such close quarters with a team I had spent only a few months getting to know. On our way to the sports center, one of my sophomore teammates had told me how essential the Florida trip was to fully enjoying her college softball experience. I believed her to an extent, though I was skeptical that she was just saying anything to make sure I got on that bus. However, after seeing my teammates surrender all their energy to the Florida heat; after listening to a new friend open up to me for the first time; after sharing a gluten free pizza with my coach, I learned that she was right. You can have the best record in the country, but if your team feels uncomfortable belting out karaoke in front of their coaches and family, then where is the fun in playing? In a Division Three program, nobody is forcing you to play—nobody is being held against his or her will by a signed contract. When we step onto the field with “Skidmore” across our chests, it’s because we are proud to represent the program we all make up. Some teams in Florida may have never even heard of us, but after executing our playing philosophies, letting our energy vibrate through the field, and having fun with people we can all call family, nobody can forget us.

Skidmore Women's Tennis Edges #12 Case Western, 5-4

By Skidmore Athletics The 20th-ranked Skidmore College women's tennis team wrapped its spring trip with a 5-4 win over 12th-ranked Case Western Reserve on Sunday, March 22, in the Blue/Grey Invitational at University of Mary Washington.

Skidmore (7-7) won two of three doubles matches to earn the 2-1 edge going into singles. Danielle Ginannetti ’18, Brianna Greene ’18, and Michelle Fuca ’18 won their singles matches to preserve the win.

Fuca came back to beat Surya Khadilkar 4-6, 7-6 (8-6), 6-3 at number five singles in the deciding match.

“I have nothing but pride and admiration for this group,” said Skidmore coach Curt Speeschneider. “They were put through the ringer a bit this week, with six tough matches in nine days, but kept coming back with more and more toughness. They gritted out two big wins over two very good nationally ranked programs in the last three days. This team loves to compete, and it shows every time they step on the court.”

How Likely was it for Boston to Win Nine Championships in Thirteen Years?

By Derrick Yam '17

Coming off of the most recent Super Bowl victory for the New England Patriots, Boston fans took full advantage of the opportunity to boast about their incredibly successful sports teams. But is it really that impressive for Boston to win nine combined championships among the Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics, and Bruins over 13 years? In MA204 with the great Professor Dr. Michael Lopez, we used the computer software “R” to find out. In order to conduct this simulation, we had to make certain assumptions. It is essential that we inferred that each team, out of the 30 teams in the NBA, MLB, and NHL, as well as the 32 teams in the NFL, had an equally likely chance of winning. There are numerous variables that people want to attribute to winning percentage, such as payroll, and the previous year’s performance. Nevertheless, a scatterplot of payroll and winning percentage presents convoluted and indefinite results. To the right is an example of the correlation between money spent and wins in the MLB in 2009. Although the least squares regression line displays a positive correlation, the regression coefficient which proves the strength of the relationship is very weak—in fact, the value was less than .4 (For those of you who are not familiar with statistics, a regression coefficient value of 1 indicates a perfect relationship, and a value of 0 indicates no relationship at all). Similarly, accounting for the previous year’s performance offers just as inconclusive tendencies. For instance, following the Red Sox World Series Championship in 2013, the team pulled off a .438 win percentage in 2014 and did not make the playoffs. Following this analysis of variables and deciding on an equal chance of winning for all teams within each league, we ran the simulation. In “R,” we ran 100,000 trials of 13 years, with the probability of each Boston team winning a championship for each of those 13 years, to be 1 in 30 for the Red Sox, Bruins, and Celtics, and 1 in 32 for the Patriots. Our results proved that Boston is truly a professional sports powerhouse (no bias at all, as I am a resident of Massachusetts). Our simulation gave us an average number of championships within those 13 years to be only 1.70271, and the probability of winning 9 championships to be 4 out of 100,000—or .00004%. The simulation did not give any possibility for winning nine championships in 13 years. What this proves is that Boston truly did accomplish an incredibly challenging feat. Now, further studies can be made accounting for certain underlying variables, or considering that there are only twelve cities in the United States with four professional sports teams. However, this does not diminish the task that Boston has completed. Boston has the best sports team in the world, and I am 100% not partial to the tremendous state of Massachusetts.

Men's Basketball Set for NCAA First Round

By Skidmore Athletics

The Skidmore College men's basketball team will continue its run at a national championship when it takes on Wesleyan University in the NCAA Division III Tournament first round on Friday, March 6, at 5:30 p.m., at Johns Hopkins University. Skidmore captured its third Liberty League title in five years with a 68-64 win over Clarkson in Saturday's championship game. Junior guard Erik Sanders was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player, after scoring 25 points on 8 of 9 shooting against the Golden Knights. Senior forward Connor Merrill had 14 points, seven rebounds, and four blocks, and junior guard Aldin Medunjanin added 13 points and four boards. The Thoroughbreds shot 53.3 percent (24-45) from the field, marking the seventh time this season that they have shot over 50 percent. Medunjanin, who was named the Liberty League Player of the Year, holds a conference-best 2.2 assist-to-turnover ratio. He ranks second in the conference in assists per game (4.1), third in steals per game (1.7), sixth in scoring (14.8 ppg), and seventh in 3-pointers per game. He has averaged 15.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game over the last nine games. Merrill's shot-altering ability has played a vital part in Skidmore's defensive success this season. The four-time All-Liberty League selection has blocked four or more shots in eight games this season, averaging a league-best two blocked shots per game. He has also been a key contributor at the offensive end of the floor, leading the conference in field goal percentage (48.6 percent) and ranking ninth in scoring (14.1 ppg). Sanders, who was named to the All-Liberty League Second Team, has made a habit of getting to the basket, as indicated by his 133 free-throw attempts this season. He ranks second on the team in points per game (14.3), assists per game (2.2), steals (26) and 3-pointers per game (1.4). Freshman guard Royce Paris has been the team's unsung hero down the stretch, averaging 13.6 points and 5.2 rebounds per game in Skidmore's last 10 games. He tied a career-high, with 19 points in the Thoroughbreds 69-53 win over Clarkson in the final game of the regular season to help Skidmore clinch its first regular season conference title. He also contributed eight points, eight rebounds, and three assists in the championship game. He is averaging 9.0 points and 3.8 rebounds per game off the bench this season. Skidmore, which is currently riding an eight-game win streak, has established one of the nation's top defenses this season. The Thoroughbreds rank fifth out of 417 Division III teams in field-goal percentage defense (37.6 percent); 11th in blocked shots per game (4.8); 19th in defensive rebounds per game (28.3); and 39th in scoring defense (62.3 ppg). Skidmore has held its opponents to under 40 percent shooting in 16 of 27 games. The Thoroughbreds are 16-2 over their last 18 games.

Women's Basketball Wins First Ever Liberty League Title

By Skidmore Athletics The Skidmore College women's basketball team secured the program's first ever Liberty League Championship on Saturday afternoon in Canton, N.Y., with a hard fought 67-62 double overtime win over top-seeded St. Lawrence.

“The amazing journey continues for us,” said Skidmore College head coach Darren Bennett. "I'm so happy for our entire team and program. We were the absolute picture of resilience today. Coming back from a double-digit second-half deficit and pushing through two overtimes was awesome.”

Senior guard Molly McLaughlin was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, after tallying a game-high 21 points. The Saints were led by Allison Cady's 18 points and 10 rebounds.

“Molly McLaughlin was something else on both ends of the floor,” Bennett added. “Fifty minutes, not a minute of rest, and she was able to make great decisions for our team and hit huge free throws down the stretch.”

Skidmore heads to the NCAA Tournament after earning the automatic bid with a 17-10 overall record. Kelly Donnelly ’18 (14 points, 13 rebounds) and Angela Botiba ’15 (13 points, 16 rebounds) added double-doubles to land All-Tournament Team honors. Meanwhile, St. Lawrence finished the year at 20-7 Saturday's loss continues a league nine-year streak in which the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament has failed to win the automatic bid.

Skidmore finished the game with a 61-54 rebounding advantage, and shot 17 more free throws than St. Lawrence, which settled for perimeter jumpers throughout the game. The Thoroughbreds managed to earn the win despite a 1-for-19 mark from behind the arc, as the Saints weren’t much better at 6-of-34.

The Saints put together a 10-point run to snag the early lead, as the team had eight different players chip in on the offensive end in the half. Kara McDuffee and Cady led the way with a combined 14 points, and Samantha Godfrey hit a key three and Olivia Mathieu scored on a contested layup to keep the home team on top. Despite Skidmore struggling to score with an 8-of-34 mark from the floor, the Saints missed a few opportunities to stretch the lead, taking a 29-19 lead into the break.

Kaelyn Kohlasch hit a three early in the second half, giving St. Lawrence a 13-point lead, but Skidmore refused to cave, with McLaughlin hitting several jumpers from the elbow while continuing to involve Botiba in the post. The Saints held the lead throughout the entire second half, until back-to-back jumpers by Donnelly and Amber Holgate ’16 tied it at 46-46, with 1:51 to play. Skidmore had the best chance to win the game in regulation, but McLaughlin's last-second three hit iron and sent the game to overtime.

The Thoroughbreds never trailed in the first overtime, but never lead by more than two. McDuffee's layup with 41 seconds left tied it at 52-52, answering a bucket by Botiba. After Holgate missed for Skidmore, Kohlasch had two open looks from three to win it, including one at the buzzer, but failed to convert.

Skidmore finally built some separation in the second overtime, using a 7-0 run capped by a McLaughlin layup to take a 59-54 lead with 2:03 left. Cady answered right away with an and-one, keeping the lead at 59-57, but that would be the last field goal by the Saints. McLaughlin converted free throws down the stretch, leading the Thoroughbreds to the program's first Liberty League title.

“Amber Holgate came off the bench with a huge and-one to give us the overtime lead [and] was incredible,” Bennett added. "Botiba inside, Donnelly with her ability to get to the rim and hit the mid-range shot, everything just clicked for us today. It was a lot of fun to be a part of it all.”

Cady and McDuffee both posted double-doubles, earning All-Tournament honors. Cady finished with 18 points and 10 boards, while McDuffee compiled 10 points and 14 rebounds.

“Our goal was to minimize their 3-point shooting, keep them off the free throw line, and, lastly, keep them off the offensive rebounds,” Bennett said. "We did those things, and were able to hold off an incredibly talented and well coached team. I've got so much respect for Dan and his team. His two seniors, Kara McDuffee and Allison Cady, are great leaders and class acts. We are enjoying this experience and look forward to continuing our journey into our first ever NCAA tournament.”

Skidmore, which knocked off St. Lawrence for the third time this season, will play St. John Fisher College at Tufts University on Friday, March 6.

Student Athlete Profile: Tyler Phillips '17

 

By Mia Merrill, Sports Editor

Q: Where are you from?

A: Marblehead, Massachusetts

Q: What is your major? What do you plan to do after Skidmore?

A: I'm a studio art major and a business minor. I want to get into advertising after I graduate.

Q: What position do you play? When did you start playing?

A: I play midfield (attacking and defense) and center (taking draws). I first picked up a stick in 6th grade, but didn't start getting serious about the sport until high school.

Q: Why do you love lacrosse?

A: I love lacrosse because it's such a high-paced game. I also love being a part of a team and being able to share the season with such a great group of girls.

Q: How are you preparing for your upcoming season? Do you feel good about the prospects?

A: This year, in our preseason and in-season, we've been working with our new strength and conditioning coach, Matt Chatham. Because of this, the team has become so much stronger and faster. We also practice every day of the week, aside from Sundays. Our team is extremely dedicated, and can also be found working out or playing wall-ball outside of practice. We have all grown together as a team, and since we only lost one senior last year, our team dynamic has only become stronger. I think we're going to have a very successful season.

Q: How does your team bond with their new members?

A: We bonded right away with our new team members by simply including them in anything we do. For me, it was important to bond with them and make them feel like they had a group of friends right off the bat. Having good chemistry outside of lacrosse translates to the field and makes for a great playing environment. We also love playing cards against humanity...

Q: What is one thing you want the student body to know about the lacrosse team?

A: Our record last year doesn't show our team’s true ability. We held our own against top 10 teams, and lost many games by only one goal. We are also a much stronger team this year. Also, we love fans!

Q: What is a favorite memory you have from being on the team? What has been your greatest accomplishment?

A: My favorite memory of being on the team so far was our spring break trip to Florida last year. It was so much fun to be in a beautiful place with friends, and to be able to bond and just enjoy ourselves. My greatest accomplishment was personally winning Liberty League rookie of the year and All-Region second team. But in regards to the team, our greatest accomplishment was losing to RPI, the best team in our conference, by only one goal last season, then beating them by more than 6 goals in our play-day this fall.

Q: Do you have any advice for students who are thinking about joining a team but are worried about balancing schoolwork and athletics?

A: Personally, playing a sport helps me manage my time better. With a set schedule, it is easier to plan out your class and homework schedule. Also, taking the two hours out of the day to practice is actually a great stress reliever. I would encourage everyone who is thinking of playing a sport to at least give it a try!

Student Athlete Profile: Sukie Emerson '16

By Mia Merrill, Sports Editor

Q: Where are you from? A: Norwich, Vermont

Q: What is your major? What do you plan to do after Skidmore? A: I’m a business and management major and a Chinese minor. I plan to attempt to find a job after college and earn some money before hopefully going to graduate school.

Q: When did you start rowing? A: I started rowing freshman year of high school.

Q: Why do you love crew? A: There are many aspects I love about this sport, from the intensity, to [my] teammates, to the fluidity of every stroke. I love that, for me, [crew] really is the definition of a team sport, because when we cross the finish line everybody is in it together. In other sports, people can stand out, and people can still stand out in crew. However, when it comes to race day we are all put in a boat together and with every stroke, we are moving as one to make the boat go as fast as possible.

Q: How are you preparing for your upcoming season? Do you feel good about the prospects? A: I am preparing for the upcoming season by trying to get on a regular and healthy sleep and work schedule, since crew practice is, for the most part, in the mornings. As I was abroad last semester studying in China, I had difficulty staying on a good workout routine. However, [after] coming back in December, I tried as hard as I could to make up for lost ground. I feel good about the prospects because every season brings the good prospects of winning and working hard and, inevitably, the not so good ones.

Q: How does your team bond with their new members? A: Since I was not here when new members initially came onto the team [this year], I am somewhat out of the loop. However, as I have been the new member since coming back (with those who joined while I was abroad), I would say team bonding has been slow but steady, and has picked up since official practice started.

Q: What is one thing you want the student body to know about your team? A: I want the student body to know that my team is accepting of everyone, and once you're accepted to the team, you're part of the family. There is something truly special about having the support of teammates.

Q: What’s a favorite memory you have from being on the team? What’s been your greatest accomplishment? A: My favorite memory of being on a team has been spring breaks, when we go to Tennessee for a week of spring training. To say the least, it is far from a break because we are training heavily each day. But we use the time off well, by telling stories and cooking and relaxing and bonding. I think my greatest accomplishment was a couple years ago, at New York State Championships, when my boat was competing in one of the final heats. We somehow managed to pull into second in the end, through the tears, the pain, and the passion.

Q: Do you have any advice for students who are thinking about joining a team but are worried about balancing schoolwork and athletics? A: I would just say, try it. You won't know if you don't try, and yes, there will be hard times, but the good ones often outweigh the bad. So just give it a try – if it's not for you, then it's not for you, but balancing schoolwork should not be a huge factor impeding a new passion that you may truly come to love.

Student Athlete Profile: Samantha Skott '15

By Mia Merrill, Sports Editor

Q: Where are you from?

A: I'm from Hoosick Falls, NY, a little town about an hour away from here.

Q: What’s your major? What do you plan to do after Skidmore (the dreaded question!)?

A: I'm a biology major with an education minor, and I've been accepted to Union Graduate College to pursue my master's in education for biology next year. I'm also applying for a teaching fellowship opportunity, so ideally I'll be very busy next year!

Q: What position do you play? When did you start playing softball?

A: I'm an outfielder, and I actually didn't start playing softball until I was 11 — my little brother joined little league and I got jealous that he was having all the fun, so I had to sign up, too.

Q: Why do you love softball?

A: The thing I love most about softball is simply that anything can happen on any given day. Nothing is ever certain. You may end up scoring a bunch of runs in the seventh inning to overcome a huge deficit and win the game!

Q: How are you preparing for your upcoming season? Do you feel good about the prospects?

A: Well, we’ve already been practicing for about a month, and while it’s hard to get a realistic practice in a gym, we’re certainly doing everything we can to be ready for our season opener next month. I think we have a lot of talent on this year’s roster, and we’ve started a solid foundation for the program. I’m really excited to see what happens this season.

Q: How does the softball team bond with their new members?

A: As with just about any team you’ll find, we have certain traditions that we like to maintain. Just the other day, we made locker room signs for the season. But for us, our spring break trip to Florida is probably when the most bonding happens. It’s hard to not learn a few things about each other when you’re living together for a week!

Q: What’s one thing you want the student body to know about your team?

A:I think one thing that everyone should know about Skidmore’s teams in general is just how hard everyone works, and how much effort is put into a team’s success. It’s a big time commitment, and I think Skidmore’s athletes really embody what it is to be [a] collegiate athlete.

Q: What’s a favorite memory you have from being on the team? What’s been your greatest accomplishment?

A: It’s almost impossible to pick just one memory. But I know at the end of the year when it’s all said and done, what I’m going to remember most is all the teammates that I’ve had over the past four years that have really made this experience worthwhile. That being said, our greatest accomplishment was probably reaching the Liberty League playoffs last year for only the second time in [program’s] history.

Q: Do you have any advice for students who are thinking about joining a team but are worried about balancing schoolwork and athletics?

A: Honestly, I think being on a team really makes me value the free time that I have. I know when I need to get my work done, so it really forces me to manage my time well.

Skidmore Hockey Gears Up for First Round of ECAC East Tournament

By Quint Turner

The Skidmore Men’s Hockey team will play in the quarterfinals of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) East Hockey League this Saturday, Feb. 21 at 7:00 pm against the sixth ranked UMass Beacons at UMass. The winner of the three-round tournament will move on to the NCAA tournament, alongside ten other teams for the Division III Hockey National Championship.

Skidmore finished the season with a record of 4-18-3, but is currently on a six-game losing streak. The Thoroughbreds have played UMass twice this year, losing 6-1 at UMass and then losing 3-1 at home.

“We have shown improvement in every game and we expect the same thing to happen on Saturday against UMass,” said Coach Neil Sinclair. UMass finished the year in second in the ECAC East division with a record of 21-3-1, and are riding a seven-game winning streak.

Sochi: Where Are They Now?

By Mia Merrill, Sports Editor, A year ago, many of us were huddling around televisions and trying to determine the meaning of “Hot. Cool. Yours.”

The Russian Federation hosted the 2014 Winter Olympics in its only city that was not freezing cold in February. Eighty-eight nations sent representatives to the Games, and the host nation ended up garnering the most medals with thirty-three. The United States came in fourth in the medal count, with twenty-eight medals. Many of the US athletes have returned to training, possibly gunning for another Olympic run. Ted Ligety, a three-time Olympic alpine skier, went on to compete in Slovenia and Switzerland after the Olympics. He won the giant slalom discipline in the last competition of the 2014 season. Slalom skiing requires athletes to maneuver between poles as they progress down the slope. Mikaela Shiffrin, an alpine skier, fulfilled the Olympic trope of making the audience feel inadequate. Only eighteen years old in Sochi, Shiffrin became the youngest person to win the gold for the slalom. Shiffrin has gone on to compete and win at competitions in Croatia and Austria, and is in the midst of a successful 2015 season. Ice dancing champions Meryl Davis and Charlie White have not competed since the Olympics, despite being the all-American sweethearts of the games. Davis did, however, win Dancing with the Stars later in 2014. Sage Kotsenburg, who became the first person to win the new slopestyle snowboarding event at Sochi, has continued his training since the Games. I could tediously name more athletes who have continued or ceased their training since the Olympics, but it may be more important to talk about why athletes are so inclined to resign after the Games. Olympic athletes train their whole lives for their shining moment at the Games—a moment that could end in defeat or even injury. The press exploits the winners once they return home, athletes make endless public appearances and scarcely find time to return to training. The Olympic cycle is a vicious one that robs athletes of their personal lives. It is easy for audiences to criticize athletes who choose not to return to their sport after an Olympics—and for us to wonder why they are throwing their work away. But in the modern sports system, athletes are drained after such high-profile competitive seasons. They must determine whether or not the media attention is worth the grueling training. Of course, many Olympic athletes will not return for the next winter games in Pyeongchang, South Korea in 2018. Intense athletes are not always known for their longevity. But it should be interesting to see who decides to keep training, and to take the Olympic risk yet again.

Thoroughbreds Win Overtime Battle of Liberty Leaders

By Skidmore Athletics Kelly Donnelly ’18, Angela Botiba ’15, and Amber Holgate ’16 scored fifteen points each, leading the Skidmore College women's basketball team to a 67-65 Liberty League overtime win against St. Lawrence University on Tuesday night at the Williamson Sports Center.

It was the first game of the season between the league's top two teams. The Thoroughbreds are 10-2 in league play, and 14-7 overall. The Saints are 12-2 and 17-5. The rematch is scheduled for Feb. 20 in Canton, New York.

Donnelly scored all fifteen of her points in the second half, to earn her fourth double-double of the season with fifteen rebounds, two assists, and two blocks. Botiba had seven rebounds, and Holgate was a perfect 8-8 from the line.

Kara McDuffee led St. Lawrence with twenty-five points, sixteen rebounds, and two assists. Cara Waterson added fourteen points off the bench.

Skidmore outscored St. Lawrence 9-2 over the first four minutes and forty-eight seconds of overtime to open a 67-60 lead. Ella Scheuerell ’16 had a key three-pointer. Botiba scored four points on a basket and a pair of free throws, and Donnelly had a field goal in the run.

With twelve seconds left, the Saints scored the next five points, including a three-pointer by McDuffee with :00.1 left on the clock for the 67-65 final. The Thoroughbreds were 3-4 (75%) from the floor, while the Saints shot went 3-14 (21.4%) in the extra stanza.

The game started out slow, with neither team getting any traction in the first half. The Saints shot 9-33 (27.3%) from the floor, while the Thoroughbreds went 6-23 for 26.1%. There were three lead changes and two ties, with St. Lawrence up 24-20 at the break.

St. Lawrence had its biggest lead of the game, with 27-20, at the eighteen minute and fifty second mark. Skidmore found its range, going on a 19-4 run to go up 39-31. St. Lawrence fought back to retake the lead 56-54 on a Waterson layup, with only two minutes and forty-five seconds to play in regulation. Donnelly cut it to one, 56-55, with a free throw at two minutes and fifteen seconds. McDuffee put the Saints in front by three points, 58-55, with one minute and fifty seconds to play, but Holgate responded with a three to tie it 58-58, with one minute and thirty-eight seconds to play.

Both teams had chances over the final ninety seconds, but defense prevailed and the game went into overtime.

Skidmore's defense held St. Lawrence to just 18.9% from three-point range on 7-37 attempts for the game. St. Lawrence only hit one of ten threes in overtime.

The Thoroughbreds will host Rensselaer on Feb. 13 at 6 p.m.

A statement from Skidmore coach Darren Bennett:

"Tonight's win was a big [one] for us in so many ways. It kept us on pace with the top of the pack in the conference for seeding, and it was a team that our players have not beaten during their time here.

"We've lost some games in conference play versus good teams with records not as good as their personnel, and that can wear on you mentally, especially down the stretch. It's good to be back in the confines of home, your fans, your dining hall for meals and your own surroundings to balance yourself for the game.

"St. Lawrence is an athletic team with scorers at every position. They don't play with a true post, but [they] defend well inside, so defending them is difficult and their athleticism makes it tough on the defensive end as well.

"We came out strong in so many ways, but really did not take care of the ball or win 50-50 balls and that almost came back to get us in the end. Statistically this was not our game, but in the end we were able to pull it off.

"We had a big second half from Kelly Donnelly scoring all of her points in that stanza and, our inside was able to get some things done with Angela, Ella. and Migle [Vilunaite]. Our perimeter shooting was not our best asset, but we were able to hit enough key shots and get to the line to get the points we needed to be successful.

"I'm really proud of our captains for keeping us together after the tough weekend road loss, and putting us back in a place we need to be to reach our season goals."

Super Bowl at Skidmore: A Long Winter's Night

By Mia Merrill, Sports Editor On Sunday night, the New England Patriots beat the Seattle Seahawks in the 49th annual NFL Super Bowl. The game was played for about four hours, with the victory up for grabs during much of the game. The Super Bowl went on as scheduled amid controversy surrounding the Patriots, who allegedly deflated footballs in the American Football Conference title game against the Indianapolis Colts. At Skidmore, students crowded into the dining hall to watch the game. The dining hall provided various flavors of chicken wings, a football game staple. The blue side was packed for the entire duration of the program, from kickoff to Katy Perry’s eccentric halftime show and ultimately to the Patriots’ victory. Staying in d-hall for four hours has its side effects, particularly for the employees. Students loaded up on nacho cheese that stuck to plates and silverware. With so many people settled into their seats at different tables, closing time clean up was arduous. Of course, dining hall employees were prepared for the night’s events. Those on a shift scrubbing tables knew they could hardly clean the blue side because of the crowd, and those in the dish room quickly learned how to rid the plates of the thick nacho cheese. But is it really fair to disregard our manners and our respect for dining services, even if just for a night? Although the shift may have been more tedious, there was an undeniable sense of community in d-hall on Sunday night. Cheers would rise up from the blue side and rock the whole building. Applause erupted after the “Like A Girl” advertisement, which asked young boys and girls to demonstrate what they thought it meant to run, throw, and play sports like a girl. People from the red side wandered over to hear Idina Menzel’s rendition of the national anthem, or to experience the now phenomenon of Katy Perry’s left shark. Despite any team rivalries present in the crowd, the Skidmore community came together for a night of tradition and fun. Next year will bring more camaraderie – and perhaps a cleaner dining hall.

Just Keep Swimming: Training Trip 2015

By Katherine Kuklewicz ’15

Each year during winter break, the Skidmore Swimming and Diving Team travels to Ponce, Puerto Rico for a week of high-intensity training. We train in Puerto Rico because of the island’s many available fifty-meter long course swimming pools. The long pool helps lengthen our strokes and greatly increase our endurance. Though we spent approximately four hours in the pool each day, we also took advantage of Puerto Rico’s beautiful weather and warm beaches. Whether that entailed laying by the resort’s pool, playing water volleyball, catching the local iguanas, or walking along the beach, each of us enjoyed spending our free time with our teammates. In addition, we had the opportunity to swim and race against Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. During two of the days, we only swam in the morning so that we could travel around Puerto Rico. This year we organized two afternoon trips. On the first afternoon, a number of us took a bus to the northern city of Old San Juan. Old San Juan has numerous shops, restaurants, museums, and even an old fortification to explore. The second trip was to a bay where the team snorkeled around many tropical reefs and mangrove islands. The native guides would dive for underwater treasures, like sea cucumbers and lobsters, which we got to hold. Once the sun had set, we traveled to a bioluminescent bay, where we jumped in and triggered the water’s luminescence. With each movement the water sparkled neon blue, like shooting stars all around you. It was a magnificent experience, which we will all remember. It seems to have become a Skidmore Swimming and Diving tradition that on our last day in Puerto Rico, our team has the opportunity to jump off five, seven and even 10-meter diving boards. Now, I can tell you from experience that the 10-meter board is not for the faint of heart. Though it may look harmless from the ground, once atop the large platform you can see much of Ponce City and the island’s northern mountain range. To put it in perspective, 10-meters is roughly the equivalent of jumping off a three-story building. To this day, I remember leaping off the monstrous board as a first year swimmer, hoping that I would land in the “small-looking” diving well below. However terrifying it may have been, the view from the top is unforgettable, and it was truly a worthwhile experience. Each training trip, the new swimmers are eager to be the first to conquer the 10-meter, while all of us upperclassmen cheer them on from the pool deck. The 10-meter board is a wonderful way to end our training trip and to say farewell to the tropical island. Now that we are back at Skidmore, our training remains challenging and fun. Coach Jill Greenleaf and Assistant Coach Ryan Bremser continue to write difficult swimming sets to maintain our technique, while Coach Dave Longbrake encourages the divers to perform more complex dives. You may be wondering what all of this strenuous training is leading up to. At the end of the season, Feb. 18-21, we will travel to Rochester, New York, where we will compete in the four-day Upper New York State Collegiate Swimming Association (UNYSCSA) Championship Swimming and Diving meet. Though each race is physically exhausting, our hard work and enhanced stamina from the season will pay off. It is at this meet where all of us, more often than not, achieve best times in many of our events. Words cannot begin to describe the euphoria you feel at the end of a race when you look up at the timing board and see the fastest time you have ever swum. In addition to personal accomplishments, the team frequently breaks school records, both in relay events and individual swims. As always, when we are not swimming, it is a pleasure to applaud and support our teammates in the water. I am sure I speak for many swimmers when I say that swimming is a difficult sport, but it has become our passion, which ultimately unites us as a family.

Click here to see a video by Skidmore Athletics about the 2015 training trip

Anthony Bird and Jack McDonald Tabbed by ECAC East

By Skidmore Athletics Skidmore College men's hockey forward Anthony Bird '17 and goalie Jack McDonald '17 were both named to the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Men's East honor roll on Jan. 26.

Bird scored twice to lead the Thoroughbreds to a 3-1 win over New England College on Saturday, Jan. 24. He also added an assist in the team's 4-4 tie at Saint Anselm on Jan. 23. He currently ranks seventh in the conference for assists, with 13, and ninth for points, with 19.

McDonald racked up 72 saves in Skidmore's 1-0-1 week, posting a .935 save percentage. He turned away a season-high 42 saves against the New England College Pilgrims and stopped 30 shots against the Saint Anslem Hawks. McDonald has a .907 save percentage against conference opponents this season.

The Thoroughbreds will host University of Massachusetts Boston at 7 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 30.

Why We Still Watch Football – Sometimes

By Mia Merrill, Sports Editor Aaron Hernandez

is a twenty-five year old who has been indicted for three murders. Ben Roethlisberger has been accused of sexual assault in two different states. Michael Vick owned a dogfighting ring, and murdered several dogs. Ray Rice physically assaulted his fiancé. Three of these men are still employed by the National Football League (NFL).

So why do we, as citizens of the modern world, still watch football? Why do we gather together once a week and worship at the altar of hyper-masculinity and glorified violence? Can hometown pride really excuse all of the assaults and arrests? Can tradition override human rights?

All right, I know, that’s too many questions. And the American public is probably not going to stop watching football unless God comes down and tells them to – and even then, people would be more inclined to just stop going to church. So we’ve got two unchangeable parts of a system: players who won’t stop misbehaving, and fans who won’t stop rewarding the players. It’s worthless to tell people to stop watching football, to stop buying the jerseys of players who’ve committed crimes or otherwise screwed up in the public eye. If those of us who have grown disenchanted with the game could try to understand why it has remained appealing, we may become less judgmental.

When I returned home for a weekend this semester, I saw my mom go through her usual football routine: donning the jersey of her favorite player, watching the pre-game shows, scrolling through her fantasy lineup online, and then finally settling in to watch the big game. But this time, I wasn’t rolling my eyes and shutting myself up in my room to avoid hearing her victory cheers. I noticed that my mom was more relaxed while watching the game than she had been all weekend. Even though I disliked the game – and was still angry over the Ray Rice controversy, despite my home team of the Ravens relinquishing him from his duties on the field – I appreciated how happy my mom was because of it.

Just as working out releases endorphins and can make us happy, reading a book can make us forget about our worries and taking some time to ourselves can rejuvenate us, watching a team sport like football can be therapeutic. Football provides its fans with a sense of community. The fans are united for a common purpose, and may even feel like they are the ones playing the game and fighting for the cause. It can be a distraction from stress, or just something to look forward to. It can make people feel like they are not alone.

So even though my anger at some football players and at the NFL has not subsided, and even though many people share this anger, I understand the importance of watching football. You never know what some people may need to do to relax and to find peace in their day-to-day lives. For some people, that may be watching a game with some pretty corrupt players sponsored by a pretty corrupt organization. But if it makes people happy and able to live their lives, football may be worth it.