|
||
February 2001
SEA GULLS LOSE IN NCAA TOURNAMENT'S SECOND ROUND Salisbury, MD – Junior guard Candice Brown scored a game-high 23 points and three others added 10 points each to lead Marymount to a 64-59 win over Salisbury State in the second round of the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament. Marymount (23-6) advances to next week’s sectionals to face either King’s or Messiah in the “Sweet 16.” Salisbury, which set a school-record for victories, completes its season with a 24-4 record. Trailing 28-24 at halftime, the Saints opened the second half with a 15-9 spurt to take the lead for good on a pair of Brown free throws with 12:10 remaining. Marymount extended its lead to as much as seven points twice, the last at 54-47 with 4:47 left. A 6-0 run by Salisbury, capped by a Jaime Kohlenstein layup, pulled the Sea Gulls to within 56-55 at 2:40. Marymount converted six of 12 free throws in the final two minutes to maintain the lead and even the season series between the teams at 2-2. As members of the Capital Athletic Conference, Salisbury
and Marymount were meeting for the fourth time this season. The teams split a
pair of regular season encounters. Marymount’s victory avenged a 70-67 loss to
the Sea Gulls in the CAC Championship Game played last week. Rachel Taylor, Katie Jarvis and Jodie Knotts
finished with 10 points apiece for Marymount. Knotts and Brown also grabbed 11
rebounds each for the Saints, which finished with a significant 55-35 edge in
total rebounds. Senior Lisa Neylan, Salisbury’s all-time scoring leader, finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Sea Gulls. She capped her career with 1,540 points. Kohlenstein also finished with 16 points for the Gulls.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL EARNS NCAA TOURNAMENT FIRST ROUND BYE Salisbury to Host
Marymount – Staten Island First Round Winner on Saturday Gulls Making Fourth
NCAA Tournament Appearance Campion Powers Gulls
to Championship Neylan, Barfuss Could
Finish 1-2 in Scoring
SEA GULLS RETURN TO CAC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL FINAL The Sea Gulls (23-3 overall) advanced to the final by defeating Mary Washington 80-70 in Thursday's CAC Tournament semifinal round game. The Gulls placed four players in double-figures, led by a season-high 26 points from sophomore Amy Campion. She also added seven assists and eight steals. Jaime Kohlenstein had 14 points and seven steals. Senior Michele Deschu registered a season-high 13 points, with Robin Johnson adding 10 points off-the-bench. Elisabeth Barfuss leads the Gulls in season scoring with 14.2 ppg. With 64 points in her last three games, Campion has raised her season average to 14.1 ppg. Senior center Lisa Neylan adds 13.7 ppg and leads the team in rebounding with 7.7 rpg. Salisbury and Marymount split their two regular season meetings this year. The Gulls won the first match-up 71-64 on November 28, while the Saints returned the favor with a 69-54 win at home on January 31. Salisbury, the defending conference champion, is facing Marymount for the third time in the CAC Championship Game and fourth time in tournament history. The first two meetings resulted in final game losses for SSU, in 1995 and 1996. In 1998, Salisbury defeated Marymount in the quarterfinal round. The winner of Saturday’s game claims the conference’s automatic bid to next week's 50-team NCAA Tournament. Marymount (21-5) defeated York 71-69 in overtime in Thursday's other CAC Tournament semifinal game. Candice Brown led all scorers with 24 points and leads the Saints in season scoring (16.6 ppg) and rebounds (7.7). Katie Jarvis and Ashlee Courter added 11 points each in Thursday’s win.
SALISBURY BASEBALL SWINGING FOR ANOTHER TITLE RUN SALISBURY,
MD - Coming off its sixth straight season with 20 or more wins, the Salisbury
State University baseball team has high expectations entering the 2001
campaign. The Sea Gulls return 18
players who will combine with a host of talented newcomers to provide
first-year Head Coach Doug Fleetwood with a squad capable of equaling
or surpassing last year’s record-setting accomplishments. Last
season, the Gulls finished 30-11-1 overall while winning the Capital Athletic
Conference championship and earning their first NCAA Tournament bid since
1983. Salisbury finished as the NCAA South Regional runners-up, falling one
win short of earning the program’s first College World Series appearance. Infield “Our
infield defense is outstanding,” says Fleetwood. “It’s probably better than it’s ever been.
I expect our defense to be ranked among the top five in the nation.” Transfer
Kevin Davis could also see action in the infield.
Like the rest, Davis has excellent defensive skills, outstanding
speed, and a strong offensive presence. Outfield Ewing
was the team’s leading hitter among the everyday players, finishing with a
.415 average and a team-leading eight home runs. He also added 39 runs scored,
38 RBI’s, and a .523 on-base percentage while earning first team all-CAC and
all-South Region honors. Williams
hit .338 with 22 scored runs and a .427 on-base percentage.
Taylor hit .319 with 11 extra-base hits and finished the year with 40
runs scored, second most on the team. “All
three players are great defensively and have exceptional arms,” said
Fleetwood. “Ewing is probably one
of the best all-around players in the region. He is an excellent hitter and is
able to take his game to a higher level.” Pitchers A
promising newcomer to the rotation should be two-sport freshman Matt Mollet,
who started eight games at quarterback for the Sea Gulls in the fall. Two other
newcomers, juniors Brian Hammond and Matt Roath, could also claim
spots in the rotation. Other
returnees who will help in relief are senior Dan Warner (1-1), senior Andy
Brown, and sophomore Star Kriger (2-1, 2.97). Senior Derek Harman
(1-1, 2.12) led the conference with four saves last year and will serve as the
primary closer. He may also see action in the outfield. “Our
biggest challenge this year will be our pitching,” said Fleetwood.
“We have some experienced pitchers, however, pitching with control will
be one of the keys for our staff. Our
defense is excellent, so that should help our pitchers.
Mollet is a strong addition to our staff. He will have a good career here
at Salisbury.” Overview “We
hope to have one of the strongest defenses in the nation.
If we can hit the ball and keep our pitching under control, we should be
able to play against some of the best Division III teams in the nation. “I
think we have the potential to perform better than last year.
If so, we can win another NCAA Tournament bid, and with any luck, have
our first College World Series appearance.”
WOMEN FINISH SECOND AT CAC SWIM CHAMPIONSHIP; MEN PLACE FIFTH Senior Rebecca Mitchell
(Allen, MD/James M. Bennett HS) was named CAC Women's Swimmer of the Year
after winning the 200 and 500 freestyle events. Mitchell set a new SSU record in the 200 free with a time of
1:55.75, and also established a new team mark in the 200 individual medley with
a time of 2:14.94 while placing third. Mitchell also swam on SSU’s first place
200 medley relay team and second place 800 freestyle relay team. Both relay
teams set new Salisbury records. Senior Cineva Kline
(Salisbury/Sts. Peter & Paul HS) claimed two conference titles, winning
the 100 backstroke with a school-record time of 1:00.65 and the 200 backstroke
in 2:12.58. Like Mitchell, Kline
also swam on the first place 200 medley relay team. Senior Alison Calcaterra
added a third place finish in the 200 free and a fourth place showing in the 100
free. Junior Julie Wood
finished third in the 100 backstroke and fourth in the 200 backstroke.
Sophomore Caris Richmond registered a new school-record in the
1650 freestyle with a time of 18:54.23, while finishing fifth. Stephenson
was named CAC Women’s Coach of the Year for leading the Gulls to the second
place team finish. Mary Washington won the team title. On the men’s side, junior Brendan
Roddy was named the CAC Men's Swimmer of the Year after winning the 500 and
1650 freestyles. Roddy, the premier
distance swimmer in the conference, won the 1650 title for the third straight
year. He also added a fourth place finish in the 400 individual medley event. Other men’s highlights
included a pair of fourth place finishes by senior Scott DeJesus in the
100 backstroke and 200 backstroke; a fourth place showing for sophomore Bobby
Klaslo in the 1650 freestyle; and a fifth place finish by freshman Ben
Davis in the same event. The
Sea Gull men finished fifth overall while setting three new team records. Mary
Washington won the team title. “Unfortunately, fifth
place doesn’t reflect how well our men’s team performed,” said Stephenson.
“Almost everybody swam their best times of the year. In several events, we
just missed finishing in the scoring spots.” “Overall, I’d say that
this was our most successful championship meet ever. In addition to setting 11
school records, almost everybody on both teams registered season-best times in
their events.. We had very few poor swims.” Final
Women’s Totals: 1) Mary
Washington, 703 pts; 2) SSU, 331; 3)
Catholic, 293; 4) St. Mary’s,
218; 5) Goucher, 160; 6) Marymount, 153;
7) York, 115; 8) Gallaudet, 45 Final
Men’s Totals:
1) Mary Washington, 618; 2)
Catholic 385; 3) St. Mary’s, 302;
4) York, 241;
SALISBURY BASKETBALL TO HOST COACHES vs. CANCER GAME SALISBURY,
MD – The Salisbury State men’s and women’s basketball teams will be
playing an important late-season conference doubleheader at home Saturday, but
the action on the court will be secondary to a much more important cause. The
Sea Gulls are hosting their first-ever “Coaches vs. Cancer” game, with all
proceeds from Saturday’s games to be donated to the Salisbury chapter of the
American Cancer Society. “This really is a very worthy cause,” said SSU Men’s Head Coach Steve Holmes, serving in his first year at Salisbury after six seasons as the head coach at SUNY Geneseo. “Cancer has affected everybody’s life – either directly or indirectly – so it really hits home. I was involved with the Coaches program at Geneseo, and wanted to continue that affiliation here in Salisbury. We hope to have a good-sized crowd on Saturday and be able to make a nice donation to the local ACS chapter.” The
Coaches vs. Cancer program was established in 1993 and unites more than 500
men’s and women’s coaches nationwide who participate in the American Cancer
Society’s fundraising, advocacy, and cancer control initiatives.
The Coaches program is dedicated to reducing the risk of cancer by using
contributions to fund research, education, and the services of the ACS. In
addition to donating Saturday’s ticket proceeds, Salisbury State will also
sponsor a raffle at the game. Half
of the funds raised in the raffle will also be donated, while the raffle winner
will keep the other half. Various
door prizes will also be awarded. The
raffle drawing will take place at halftime of the men’s game. “This
event grew each year we did it at Geneseo,” said Holmes. “We’d certainly
like to make it a tradition here in Salisbury as well.” Saturday’s
action begins with the Capital Athletic Conference leading Salisbury women’s
team (18-3 overall, 10-1 in the CAC) hosting York at 2 p.m at the Maggs Center.
The SSU men (13-8, 7-4 CAC) host York in the second game at 4 p.m.
SEA GULL SWIMMERS READY FOR CAC CHAMPIONSHIP MEET The Sea Gull women experienced their best regular season in history, finishing 7-2 overall and 6-1 in the CAC. The women won their last five dual meets and finished the regular season in second place in the conference standings. The SSU men finished 3-4 overall and 3-3 in the CAC, placing fourth. “This has been a record setting year for our women,” said six-year Head Coach Jill Stephenson. “Not only have they finished with a school-best seven wins, they have broken several records.” “This meet should be a challenge for us,” said Stephenson. “In the women’s division, Mary Washington is ranked first in the conference and is probably untouchable. We will be battling for second place with Catholic, who is ranked third. Even though they are extremely competitive, I expect our women to capture second.” The SSU women placed third in last year’s championship, their highest finish ever. Among the top contenders for the women’s squad are seniors Alison Calcaterra (freestyle), Cineva Kline (backstroke, IM) and Rebecca Mitchell (freestyle). All three established new individual school records this season. Kline is the defending CAC champion in the 100 backstroke, while Mitchell captured three second place finishes at last year’s championship. Other Sea Gull contenders are juniors Jessie Hobson (distance freestyle), Julie Wood (backstroke) and freshman Jessica Wiley (butterfly). Among the top contenders for the men are senior Scott DeJesus (freestyle) and junior Brendan Roddy, conference champion two years running in the 1650 freestyle. Other contenders include sophomore Bobby Klaslo (butterfly) and freshmen Ben Davis (freestyle). “The men’s squad performed well this season,” added Stephenson. “They also broke several school records, however, they just didn’t have the depth this year. Realistically, the men will most likely be battling for third place in the championship with St. Mary’s, behind Catholic and Mary Washington.” The SSU men have placed fourth in the championship in each of the past two seasons.
NEYLAN, BARFUSS NEAR TOP OF WOMEN'S BASKETBALL SCORING LIST SALISBURY, MD – Salisbury State women’s basketball seniors Lisa Neylan and Elisabeth Barfuss, the top two scorers on this year’s team, have both moved into the top six on the career scoring list. The four-year starters are in position to finish the year ranked first and second on SSU’s all-time scoring list. Neylan, a 6-0 center from Trenton, NJ/Steinert HS, has 1,450 career points through last Saturday’s game. She needs 54 more points to pass Dawn Webb as Salisbury’s all-time scoring leader. Webb concluded her career with 1,503 points. Barfuss, a 5-10 guard/forward from Dale City, VA/Hylton HS, has 1,383 points. The all-time scoring leaders in Salisbury women’s basketball history, through February 5, are:
1) Dawn Webb (1985-89)
1,503 points Neylan leads the Sea Gulls in scoring through 20 games this season, averaging 14.6 ppg. She has been the team’s top scorer eight times this year. Barfuss is second in scoring, averaging 14.4 ppg, and has also paced the Gulls in eight games. In addition to the scoring record, Neylan is also in position to become just the third SSU women to record 1,000 career rebounds. Neylan has 993 rebounds and trails only Kim Roth ’95, the all-time leader with 1,329 rebounds, and Webb (1,254) on SSU’s career list. Salisbury State is 17-3 overall, with wins in 11 of their
last 12 games, and leads the Capital Athletic Conference with a 9-1 record.
The Sea Gulls return to action at home on Wednesday, February 7 against
Catholic at 5:30 pm. SSU has four
regular season games remaining, as well as at least one game in the CAC
Tournament. All postseason games also count toward the players’ career totals.
MEN'S LACROSSE TABBED #2 IN PRESEASON POLLS SALISBURY, MD - Coming off
back-to-back appearances in the NCAA Division III national championship game,
the Salisbury State men's
lacrosse team has been tabbed as #2 in two preseason polls for the 2001 season. Face-Off
Lacrosse Yearbook and Lacrosse Magazine have both placed
the Sea Gulls in the number two spot, behind last year’s national champion
Middlebury. "I’d
say we’re probably a little overrated right now, but that’s probably based
on our tradition and the success we’ve had over the past 12 years,” said
Head Coach Jim Berkman, who begins his 13th season at
Salisbury with an astounding 168-21 record. "We
lost 19 of the 28 players who dressed for last year's national championship
game, including our entire starting attack and first midfield. I think our
players realize that this is a different year and that we have lots of work to
do.” Four Sea Gull players have
also received preseason recognition by one of the various lacrosse publications.
Senior defenseman Mark Breier is tabbed as a first team all-American by
both Face-Off Lacrosse Yearbook (FOLY) and Street & Smith's
College Lacrosse USA (CLUSA).
Senior long-pole midfielder Dave DiPaola is a first team selectee
by FOLY, and second team pick by CLUSA.
Junior midfielder Josh Bergey is a third team pick by CLUSA
and an honorable mention selectee in FOLY. Junior goalie Pat Tewes is also an honorable mention
pick in FOLY and among the Players to Watch in CLUSA. The Sea Gulls finished 17-2
last year, but must replace four all-Americans from last year’s team,
including national player of the year Chris Turner and the attackman of the
year, Joe High. Salisbury State, which defeated Middlebury 13-6 in the 1999 national championship game but lost 16-12 to the Panthers in the 2000 championship game, begins its 2001 campaign at home on February 24 against Capital Athletic Conference foe Catholic.
MEN'S BASKETBALL EXTENDS THREE-POINT STREAK TO 390 GAMES With at least one three-pointer in each of this year’s 17 games to date, Salisbury has extended its current streak of consecutive games with a three-point field goal made to 390 games. The remarkable streak began on November 25, 1986 during an 84-63 win over Lincoln University in the third game of the season. The streak is now into its 15th season, and includes a school-record of 18 three-pointers made in a game against Wesley in 1994. The run has also continued through several games where the Sea Gulls converted just one trey. The NCAA does not currently list a Division III record for consecutive games scoring a three-point field goal. The Division I record is 441 games by UNLV, a current streak (through January 27) that began, coincidently, on November 26, 1986, one day after Salisbury State’s streak began. This season, the Sea Gulls converted a high of 11 three-pointers against Virginia Wesleyan on December 13, and a low of four treys in the season-opener against Allentown on November 17. The Gulls have at least eight trifeckas made in 12 of their 17 games. Salisbury, 11-6 overall, is currently in first place in the CAC with a 6-2 league mark. The Sea Gulls return to action on Wednesday at Marymount in Arlington, VA. Game time is 8 p.m. Sea
Gull Notes: Junior
forward Victor Jackson is third in the CAC in scoring at 18.2 ppg and
leads the conference in field goal accuracy at 56.5%…Senior guard Josh
Merkel leads the conference in individual three-point shooting with 54 treys
overall and 3.18 made per game… Merkel is also third in free throw percentage
at 81.6%…Junior guard Doug King is fourth in assists with 4.65 per game
and sixth in free throw percentage at 80.0…The Sea Gulls play five games in 11
days, with road games at Marymount and St. Mary’s this week followed by three
straight at home next week.
GULLS HOST BASKETBALL DOUBLEHEADER SATURDAY vs. MWC The
Salisbury men (10-6 overall) enter
Saturday’s game in a dead-heat with Mary Washington atop the league rankings.
Both teams are 5-2 in CAC play. The Sea Gulls had their four-game winning streak
snapped with a 75-63 loss at Goucher on Wednesday, while the Eagles defeated
Gallaudet 91-66. Mary Washington (8-7 overall) also handed Salisbury its first
CAC loss in December, downing the Gulls 77-76 at home. Forward
Victor Jackson continues to pace the Sea Gulls in
scoring with an 18.4 ppg average. The junior also needs two more points to
become the 23rd Sea Gull player to reach the 1,000-point career
milestone. Three other Sea Gulls
also bring double-figure averages into Saturday’s game: guard Josh
Merkel (14.1 ppg), guard Doug King (13.6 ppg),
and forward Jason Campion (10.0 ppg). Salisbury
leads the CAC in field goal accuracy at 45.1% and three-point field goal
percentage at 37.9%. The Sea Gulls also lead the conference in three-point field
goals with 7.5 made per game. SSU returns to the road with two straight conference
games at Marymount and St. Mary’s following Saturday’s game. The Salisbury women (15-2
overall) captured their ninth straight win with a 76-75
non-conference victory over Newport News Apprentice on Wednesday.
Senior guard Michele Deschu hit the
game-winning shot with 10 seconds remaining to complete a four-point,
final-minute comeback for the Sea Gulls. Junior Jaime
Kohlenstein led a balanced SSU scoring attack with 20 points, while
center Lisa Neylan added 19. Neylan,
a four-year starter, has climbed to fourth on SSU’s all-time scoring list with
1,412 career points. She is also in position to become just the third SSU woman
to register 1,000 career rebounds. The senior has 975 entering Saturday’s
game. Neylan and guard Elisabeth Barfuss share the
team scoring lead with 14.9 ppg averages. SSU,
ranked second in the Atlantic Region, brings a 7-0 CAC mark into Saturday’s
game. Their unblemished league
record includes a 64-51 win over the Eagles in the first meeting between the
teams on December 8. Mary
Washington is 10-5 overall and 3-4 in CAC games. Salisbury
visits second-place Marymount and St. Mary’s next week before returning home
to host Catholic on February 7.
SPORTS MEDICINE CLINIC SET FOR JANUARY 19-21
THREE SEA GULLS RECEIVE ECAC FOOTBALL HONORS CENTERVILLE, Mass. -- The Eastern College Athletic Conference named freshman quarterback Mac Mollet (Gaithersburg, MD/Damascus HS) from Salisbury State University as the 2000 ECAC Division III Southwest Rookie of the Year. Mollet started nine of 10 games for the Sea Gulls and finished the season by completing 45 of 101 passing attempts for 453 yards and three touchdowns. He also had 97 rushes for 183 yards while directing Salisbury’s option offense. The Sea Gulls finished 5-5 overall. Mollet’s selection by the ECAC is his second award of the 2000 campaign. He was also named Rookie of the Year in the Atlantic Central Football Conference (ACFC) last month. Two other Salisbury players - sophomore RB Tony Ellis (Vienna, VA/Madison HS) and junior LB Pat Brannan (Lutherville, MD/Loyola HS) - were also recognized on the ECAC first team. Ellis led the ACFC in rushing with 1,287 yards this season, including a 128.7 per game average. He registered the second highest single-season rushing total in team history. Brannan led the conference in tackles with 105, while also recording nine tackles for loss and three QB sacks. Ellis and Brannan were also recognized as first team selections on last month’s ACFC all-conference team. R.J. Bowers, a senior running back from Grove City College, was selected as the Division III ECAC Southwest Player of the Year. Bowers, college football's all-time leading rusher (7,353 yards), holds eight NCAA all-divisions records, as well as 11 Division III records. The ECAC all-stars are voted on by the coaches in the region. Considered a "conference of conferences," the ECAC has strong alliances with many other athletic associations in order to provide more services to its members. Many schools affiliated with various Division I, II, and III conferences also hold dual membership with the ECAC.
MEN'S BASKETBALL LOOKS TO REBOUND FOLLOWING FIRST LOSS SALISBURY, MD – Coming off its first loss of the season, a heartbreaking 77-76 defeat at Mary Washington on Tuesday, the Salisbury State men’s basketball team will try to regroup when it travels to Murfreesboro, NC for the Chowan College Tournament on Friday. The Sea Gulls will play Chowan in Friday’s opening round at 6:30 p.m. Alvernia faces Shenandoah in the other first round game. The consolation game will be held on Saturday at 1 p.m., followed by the championship game at 3 p.m. Tuesday’s loss snapped a six-game season-opening win streak for the Sea Gulls, the best start in team history. Salisbury is 6-1 overall and 1-1 in the Capital Athletic Conference. “We came out a little sluggish,” said Head Coach Steve Holmes. “We didn’t score our first field goal until about six minutes into the game. Because of the slow start, we had to work on a 12-point deficit, which is probably what cost us the game. We did lead by one at the half, but from there on it was a close game. Mary Washington played well and made big shots when needed. “After coming off a close defeat, we can’t let it get us down. We will have to focus on the basics and get back on track in order to be competitive in this weekend’s tournament. Our team will be ready to play and hopefully be able to advance to the championship game and bring home the trophy.” Junior forward Victor Jackson led the Gulls against Mary Washington with a game-high 27 points and eight rebounds. Jackson was 11 for 16 from the field and three for five from three-point range. He leads the squad in both scoring (20.0 ppg) and rebounding (6.4) through seven games. Senior guard Josh Merkel is second on the team in scoring with 14.1 ppg and leads the team with 20 three-pointers for the season. Junior guard Doug King adds 13.6 ppg and leads the team with 13 steals and 28 assists. “I’m really pleased with how we have been performing so far,” said Holmes. “My new coaching methods have been welcomed by the team and our games have showed the effectiveness. Being my first year at Salisbury, all the players have exceeded my expectations and continue to show vast improvements each game.” The Sea Gulls conclude their pre-Christmas schedule with two more non-conference games next week. Salisbury travels to Newport News, VA, on Monday to play Christopher Newport, then returns to Virginia Beach to face Virginia Wesleyan on Wednesday before beginning a four-week exam and holiday break.
McFARLIN SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD CREATED FOR SSU TENNIS The award was created in McFarlin’s memory by her tennis playing friends in the communities of Easton, Salisbury, and Baltimore. A lifelong contributor to the game of tennis, McFarlin served as women’s head coach at Salisbury State from 1985-88. The award will be presented for the first time following the 2001 spring season by McFarlin’s husband, Dr. Robert McFarlin. “We’re pleased that this award will be presented annually in Helen’s memory,” said Dean Burroughs, past president of the Delmarva Tennis Association. “Helen was a fixture in the local tennis community as both a player and a coach, and she embodied the principles of sportsmanship on and off the court. It’s very appropriate to have this award created in her honor.” The names of the annual winners will be engraved on the trophy, which will be housed in the Maggs Center Trophy Case on the SSU campus.
SEA GULLS ANNOUNCE COACHING STAFF CHANGES SALISBURY, MD – Longtime Sea Gull coaches Jim Berkman and Dawn Chamberlin will have revised coaching duties at Salisbury State University following the completion of the 2000-01 academic year. Berkman will remain as head coach for men’s lacrosse while giving up his coaching duties in women’s soccer, while Chamberlin will remain as head coach for field hockey while relinquishing her duties with women’s lacrosse following the 2001 spring season. The reorganization was announced by Dr. Michael Vienna, SSU’s director of athletics. “These
moves are part of an ongoing departmental reorganization designed to alleviate
some of the burdens and demands we have placed on our two-sport coaches,” said
Vienna. “We certainly appreciate
all of the hard work by both Jim and Dawn. It’s safe to say that both the
women’s soccer and the women’s lacrosse programs are firmly established as
two of the most competitive in the country. Both teams have enjoyed unparalleled
success in recent years.” Berkman,
who began at Salisbury State as the head coach for men’s lacrosse only in
1989, returns to that singular role. He acquired women’s soccer duties in 1994
when the Sea Gulls added that varsity program and served in the dual roles for
the past seven years. Berkman piloted the women’s soccer team to a 102-28-5
overall record, with two conference championships. The Sea Gulls completed a
20-1-2 season in 2000 while advancing to the final eight of the NCAA
Championship Tournament. Berkman
has a 168-21 lacrosse record at SSU, with three national championships. Chamberlin
has had twin coaching responsibilities with field hockey and lacrosse since
1987, with 293 combined wins in the two sports during that period. She has a
105-68 career record in lacrosse entering her 14th season in 2001.
Chamberlin guided her team to a 15-3 record last year while advancing to the
NCAA Tournament’s “final four.” She
also led the field hockey team to its fifth final four appearance in the
recently completed 2000 fall season while posting a 17-4 record.
Chamberlin sports a 188-71-8 overall record in 14 seasons as the field
hockey coach. “Our
game plan is to find a suitable replacement to head both programs by the end of
the spring semester,” said Vienna. “Both Jim and Dawn will continue with
their responsibilities with both programs until the end of the academic year.” Salisbury
State has 19 varsity sports and recently completed its most successful fall
sports season ever with five Capital Athletic Conference championships and four
teams in the NCAA Tournament. The Sea Gulls rank eighth in the nation among 405
NCAA Division III schools in the Sears Directors Cup standings, released on
November 22.
BASKETBALL TEAMS HOST OPTIMIST CLASSIC THIS WEEKEND The Sea Gull men, off to a 4-0 start under first-year Head Coach Steve Holmes following Tuesday’s 69-56 win over Marymount, face St. Joseph’s (NY) in their 8 p.m. Friday evening opener. Methodist and Lincoln meet in the other men’s first round game (Friday 3 pm), with the winners playing in Saturday’s 8 p.m. championship game and the Friday losers meeting in the third-place game in the afternoon. The SSU women, off to a 4-1 start and winners of four straight with Tuesday’s 71-64 win over Marymount, host cross-state rival Frostburg in their tournament opener on Friday at 6 p.m. Cabrini and North Carolina Wesleyan round out the women’s field. The women’s championship game precedes the men at 6 p.m. on Saturday, with the third-place game slated for 1 p.m. on Saturday. This year’s Optimist Classic is the 25th annual on the men’s side, with 13 different champions crowned through the first 24 editions. Host Salisbury State has won the title 12 times, including four of the past six years. Savannah Art & Design claimed last year’s championship. Lincoln won the 1996 tournament. The women’s tournament is being held for the 22nd time. The Sea Gulls have won the event in five of the past six years, including each of the past two years. The complete 2000 Salisbury Optimist Classic schedule: Friday
1 p.m.
Cabrini vs. NC Wesleyan (Women) Saturday
1 p.m.
Women's
Consolation Game
DOUG FLEETWOOD NAMED AS NEW HEAD BASEBALL COACH Fleetwood
has served as an assistant coach with the baseball team during the past two
seasons, with primary duties as team’s hitting coach. The Sea Gulls finished
with a team batting average of .345 last year while finishing seventh in the
nation in scoring with 9.81 runs per game. Prior
to joining the Sea Gulls, Fleetwood piloted the Cambridge/South Dorchester HS
baseball team for 12 seasons, winning the state title in 1978 and advancing to
the state regionals 11 times. His teams made five appearances in the state
semifinals, and produced numerous players who went on to collegiate careers or
who were drafted professionally. As a respected baseball teacher and evaluator
of talent, he has also worked as an assistant coach with Team Maryland and
continues to be an associate scout with the Baltimore Orioles. “We
certainly appreciate all the hard work and energy that Robb has put into the
baseball program,” said Vienna. “Due
in large part to his efforts, the program is coming off one of its most
successful seasons ever, with a conference championship and an NCAA Tournament
bid. “When
Robb was hired at Salisbury State, it was as a football coach only. However, we
had a departmental reorganization seven years ago, and we asked him to step in
with the baseball program at that time to help ease the transition during Deane
Deshon’s retirement. That request was made with the understanding that it
would not be forever. That was the agreement. "We're
fortunate to have somebody of Doug's caliber and expertise available to complete
this transition. Doug is a very well respected baseball coach with an impressive
resume of success. He has been a valuable assistant with the program for the
past two years and we have every confidence that he will continue the success
that the program has experienced under Robb's leadership." The
Sea Gulls finished 30-11-1 overall in 2000 while winning the Capital Athletic
Conference championship and earning their first NCAA Tournament bid since 1983.
Salisbury was ranked 15th in the nation in the final ABCA poll of the
year. Fleetwood
will also continue his association with the Salisbury football team. He joined
the Sea Gulls as offensive coordinator in 2000 and helped to craft an offense
that averaged 237 yards rushing per game and had four players recognized on the
all-conference team.
RALPH MURRAY NAMED AS VARSITY CLUB DIRECTOR Murray
has been an active Sea Gull athletics booster in a number of different roles
through the years, including several stints as an officer in the Sea Gull Club,
a member of the SSU Hall of Fame Committee, and a charter member of the Varsity
Club’s Board of Directors. “As
a Salisbury State graduate with a long and loyal history of support for the
University as well as for all of our varsity athletics programs, Ralph was the
natural choice to fill this position,” said Dr. Michael
Vienna, SSU’s director of athletics. “We view this as a vitally
important position to help us maintain the high level of athletics success that
we constantly strive for.” One
of Murray’s primary goals as Varsity Club Director is to oversee the
organization’s membership recruitment and fund raising efforts.
Those funds are critical to help meet the financial needs of Salisbury
State’s 19-sport athletics program, which must function as a self-supporting
unit without receiving state dollars to offset its operating budget. “I’m
very excited about this new challenge and eager to get underway with some of the
projects we’ve already discussed,” said Murray. “My goal is to bring more
visibility to the Varsity Club, and to help increase the number of individual
and corporate members. We want people in the community to know who we are and
what our goals are.” The
Varsity Club, initiated in 1998, is a group of alumni, parents, corporations,
and friends of Salisbury State University athletics. The purpose of the Varsity
Club is to support the University's intercollegiate athletic program. The
primary focus of that support is fund raising through membership and special
events for the enhancement of the athletic program. While providing this
support, all NCAA, conference, and University regulations are followed. The
Varsity Club offers a number of membership benefits, as well as numerous
donation options. These include restricted and unrestricted gifts, as well as
matching gifts, gifts-in-kind, and planned gifts. For
further information about the Varsity Club and its various programs, visit the
organization’s web site at www.varsityclub.salisbury.edu,
or contact Murray at 410-677-5069.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL FEATURES TALENT AND EXPERIENCE “We have a solid team this year with a lot of talent,” said Head Coach Bridget Benshetler, now in her 11th season at SSU. “I think we have a good chance at winning the conference for a second year in a row and hopefully going further in the NCAA Tournament. Our returning players have a lot of experience and talent, and we have some promising newcomers. We should be competitive against everyone we play.” Among the top returning players is 6-0 senior center Lisa Neylan, last year’s CAC Player of the Year and a regional All-American. Neylan led the team in both scoring (18.2 ppg) and rebounding (10.2 rpg) last year while registering 17 double-double games. With 1,158 career points entering her senior season, she also has a chance to finish as SSU’s all-time scoring leader. “I am really excited about this year’s team,” said Benshetler. “Our team is extremely athletic and we have a very strong bench. Neylan is an all around player and has the speed of a guard. I expect her to dominate this year.” Senior guard Elisabeth Barfuss earned second team
all-CAC honors last season while finishing fourth in the league in scoring (17.1
ppg), first in assists (4.6 per game) and third in free throw percentage
(72.3%). Barfuss led the Sea Gulls
in scoring 11 times last year, including a career-high 31 point effort against
Rowan in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Junior guard/forward Jaime Kohlenstein scored in double-figures in 11 games while finishing fourth on the team in both scoring (8.7 ppg) and rebounding (5.0 rpg). Senior Michele Deschu is the team’s top defensive specialist and contributed 4.2 ppg and 2.6 rebounds in addition to 41 steals last year. “Barfuss is probably the best defensive player I have seen in my eleven years at Salisbury,” said Benshetler. “She has an exceptional attitude and great work ethic. Deschu is also a top defensive player. She is a hard worker and a great rebounder for her size.” Other returnees include 6-0 sophomore center Kristin Samm, 5-7 sophomore guard Lexa Turner and 5-9 junior forward Jessica Baker. All were valuable contributors last season and should provide experienced depth again this year. Among the top newcomers is 6-foot freshman Heather Romich, who begins the season as Neylan’s primary back-up at the center position. Another 6-foot freshman, Rachel Lanning, and junior guard Robin Johnson, should also contribute immediately. “Johnson is a transfer for us this year,” said Benshetler. “She is recovering from an injury, but when able to play she will help us out a great deal” “I am blessed to be coaching such a talented team,” said Benshetler. “The team gets along great together and they show it on the floor. Our motto this year is ‘to make it happen,’ and if we do, we will have a great season.” The Sea Gulls start their season on Friday, November 17 in
Arlington, VA, in the Marymount Tournament.
SSU will face Elizabethtown at 1:30 p.m. in the first round of play.
MEN'S BASKETBALL TIPS-OFF UNDER NEW LEADERSHIP Holmes becomes the fourth coach in the history of the SSU men’s program, replacing Ward Lambert, who retired following his 30th year with the Sea Gulls. “Being my first year, my biggest concern is Salisbury's traditional way of playing,” said Holmes. "I want to switch from the traditional run-and-gun offense and full-court pressure defense, to a slower and more controlled style of play. The players are used to moving quickly up-and-down the court. I want to slow them down on offense. I also want to focus on defense and make our opponents work harder for their shots. So far the team is adjusting well and after a couple of games the players will be more comfortable with this new style of play." Two of the top returnees this year are junior forward Victor Jackson and junior guard Doug King. Both were all-conference selectees last season. The 6-foot-3 Jackson led the team with 14.2 points per game and a .549 field-goal percentage last year. He also added 4.1 rebounds per game. King averaged 10.6 ppg and 5.8 assists, second best in the conference. Both players will keep their starting positions. Other returning assets are 6-1 senior guard Josh Merkel and 6-2 senior forward Tony Chiavelli. Both players exhibit leadership and are team captains. Merkel is the team's top outside shooting threat and averaged 9.2 ppg last year. He also led the team with 52 three-pointers. Chiavelli averaged 6.4 ppg and was one of the team’s top rebounder’s with 5.0 per game. Holmes expects both players to increase their production and improve upon their stats this year. Senior 6-6 forward Bernie Dennison returns this season after not playing last year. He led the team in rebounding with 7.8 per game during the 1998-99 season. Junior 6-5 forward Jason Campion started all 26 games last year while leading the team in rebounds (5.2) and finishing second in scoring (11.6 ppg). Junior 6-5 forward Lou Clark also returns and is expected to be a valuable contributor off the bench. Junior guard Matt Briggs also played in all 26 games and provides further depth. Among the top newcomers are 6-3 sophomore shooting guard Greg Cooper and 5-11 junior guard Mike Sullivan. Both bring added quickness and defensive skill to the squad. “Both of these newcomers should make strong contributions to the team,” said Holmes. “Cooper is a great defensive player and has a nice shot. Sullivan brings in past experience and is also a great defensive player. He is smart and quick and will be a strong back-up point guard.” “I expect the team to be strong this year,” said
Holmes. “We have a lot of
talent and experience. We
are flexible and many of the players will make contributions, so we won’t have
to rely on a couple of players to give us points.”
GULLS LOSE IN NCAA MEN'S SOCCER REGIONAL Midfielder
Aerik Williams put JHU ahead when
he scored on a corner kick at 85:25. Kitzen
scored the third goal after a direct kick by Williams.
Williams' kick was stopped initially by SSU goalkeeper Mike Svehla, but
the ball went behind him and Kitzen knocked it into the open net. Salisbury
State took 10 shots while Johns Hopkins had 11.
Svehla stopped five shots and Glaser had seven saves.
The
Sea Gulls finish the season with a 17-3 record. Johns Hopkins has a 15-2-2 mark.
SSU advanced to the national tournament by winning the Capital Athletic
Conference (CAC) Tournament for an automatic bid. This was the second appearance for SSU in the NCAA
tournament, following a final eight appearance in 1999. The Blue Jays received
an automatic bid and were undefeated in the Centennial Conference with a 9-0
mark. During the season, Salisbury
State had a 4-2 win over Johns Hopkins at home (Oct. 7).
1 ... 2
... F Scoring
Summary goalies
SALISBURY FEATURES FOUR TEAMS IN NCAA TOURNAMENTS THIS WEEK The
men’s CROSS COUNTRY team also secured a
conference championship on Saturday by winning the CAC title. The women’s team
finished second, but had the individual champion in junior Suzy McCulloch, who
won the title for the second straight season. Both Sea Gull teams compete in the
NCAA Mideast Regional in Carlisle, PA this Saturday.
SALISBURY SWEEPS CAC POSTSEASON FIELD HOCKEY AWARDS Salisbury State, the 2000 Capital Athletic Conference
regular season and tournament champion, placed six players on the all-conference
first and second teams and also swept all three of the CAC=s
individual postseason awards. Junior midfielder Tara Webster
was named the CAC=s
Player of the Year, freshman Megan Bailey
was selected as Rookie of the Year and Sea Gull Head Coach Dawn
Chamberlin was tabbed by her peers as Coach of the Year for the sixth
straight season. Webster’s
selection also marks the fifth straight season that a Sea Gull has won the
Player of the Year award. A closer
look at the Sea Gulls player honored -- Tara
Webster (Deal Island, MD/Washington HS) -- Webster, a junior midfielder,
earns first team honors and the CAC’s Player of the Year award this season
after receiving second team status in 1999.
Webster is fourth on the Sea Gulls in scoring with nine goals and 24
points heading into this weekend’s NCAA Tournament. She registered three goals in last Saturday’s 6-1 CAC
Championship Game victory over York Katie Richardson (Hebron, MD/Mardela
HS) – A junior back, Richardson has been the anchor of the Sea Gull
defense throughout the season. She
moves to the first team in 2000 after earning second team honors in 1999.
Richardson was part of a unit that allowed just 19 goals through 18 games
this year. She also had two assists this season. Joanna Fenske (Ewing, NJ/Ewing
HS) C
A junior goalie, Fenske also moves the all-conference first team in 2000 after
earning second team honors in 1999. Fenske led the CAC with a 1.05 goals against
average this season while also recording eight shutouts. She has an .843 save
percentage heading into this weekend’s action. Two
other Sea Gulls earned second team honors: junior forward Marie
Brewington (Salisbury, MD/James M. Bennett HS)
who is third on the team in scoring with nine goals and 25 points; and
freshman midfielder Megan Bailey (Stafford, VA/North
Stafford HS), who had one goal during the year and was also named the CAC
Rookie of the Year. Salisbury State, 15-3 overall, won the CAC
championship for the sixth straight year while extending its conference winning
streak to 43 straight games. The
Sea Gulls begin play in the NCAA Championship Tournament on Saturday against
William Paterson in Annville, PA.
SEA GULLS HOST CAC CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIP SATURDAY “We should do well,” said SSU Head Coach Jim
Jones. “Our only real
competition will be Mary Washington. The
men beat them twice this year, while the women lost twice.
Both teams competed very closely.” The Sea Gulls have not competed since October 21st,
when both squads ran in the Mason Dixon Championship in Fredericksburg, VA.
The SSU men’s team made history by placing first of six in the
championship for the first time in 59 years, finishing with a score of 42
points. Among the top men’s runners in the event was senior Larry
O’Hara, who placed fourth with a time of 27:24. Placing fifth was sophomore Jeremy
Beall with a time of 27:37. Finishing
close behind were freshman Kyle Reagan in eighth
place (28:08) and senior Max Snavlin in 10th
(28:12). These four earned
all-Mason Dixon honors by virtue of their top-15 finishes. The women’s team placed 3rd of seven at the
Mason Dixon Championship. Junior Suzy McCulloch won
the meet for the third year in a row with a time of 18:43, a personal best time
of the season. Placing sixth was sophomore Scottie Morris
with a time of 19:50. Both women
earned all-Mason Dixon honors. McCulloch is also the defending CAC champion and Jones
expects her to successfully defend her title this weekend. “Our runners did excellent at the Mason Dixon
Championship,” said Jones. “If
they continue to run well this weekend, I expect both team’s to win the
championship. For the women’s
team we have had some runners that have really stepped-up and have been
performing very well. Kristin
Camp, Stacie Wentz, and Katey
Cecil have made huge improvements. With
the addition of Rebecca Lyons this year, our team
is now rounded out.”
SEA GULLS VISIT FERRUM FOR ACFC SHOWDOWN Salisbury (4-4, 2-2 ACFC) at Ferrum (6-2, 3-1
ACFC) Coming off a 33-29 loss to Wesley last week, Salisbury State travels to Ferrum, VA to face the preseason conference favorite in an Atlantic Central Football Conference game this Saturday. Last
Week Mollet
Receives ACFC Honors | ||
|
|
||