The award is presented annually by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) to the best overall collegiate athletics program in the country. The Sea Gulls were the highest ranking member of the Capital Athletic Conference as well as the highest ranking school in Maryland.

Salisbury State jumped from 45^th to 18^th in the standings during the 2000 spring season, when six Sea Gull teams advanced to NCAA Championship competition. The men’s lacrosse team finished as the national championship runnerup; the women’s lacrosse team finished third in the nation; and the baseball and softball teams were both regional finalists. Other teams that qualified for the NCAA Tournament during the 1999-2000 year included men’s soccer (national quarterfinalists); field hockey; women’s basketball, men’s tennis; and women’s track & field.

"This is another deserving tribute to the talents and achievements of our student-athletes and our coaching staff," said Dr. Michael Vienna, director of athletics. "Coupled with winning the Capital Athletic Conference’s all-sports trophy for the second straight year, this further validates the overall strength of our broad-based athletics program. It’s been another outstanding year for Sea Gull athletics."

Of the five years that the award has been presented, SSU has finished no lower than 51^st among the nearly 400 schools that comprise the NCAA’s Division III ranks. Previous Salisbury finishes were: 51^st (1996); 25^th (1997); 45^th (1998); and 34^th (1999).

Williams (MA) College is the overall NCAA Division III winner in 2000, claiming its fourth Sears Directors' Cup in the last five years by posting 849 points, 60 points ahead of runner-up UC San Diego. The College of New Jersey placed third, with St. Thomas (MN) College fourth and Middlebury (VT) College fifth.

Each year, the Sears Directors' Cup program, presented in partnership by Sears and NACDA, awards Waterford Crystal trophies to the top athletics programs in NCAA Division I, II, III and NAIA. The Sears Directors' Cup program is the only all-sports competition that recognizes the institution in each of the four categories with the best overall athletics program. Complete final rankings on all of the institutions are available on NACDA's home page at www.nacda.com.

Salisbury State returns to the NCAA Division III Tournament’s national championship game for the second straight season, the fourth time in the past seven years and the fifth time in school history. The Sea Gulls had a first-round bye and advanced to the championship with a 21-9 quarterfinal win over Washington College and a 10-9 semifinal victory over Washington & Lee. The Gulls, national champions in 1994, 1995 and 1999, are aiming for their fourth NCAA title.

Ticket Information
Tickets for Sunday’s game are priced at $10.00 and available by contacting the University of Maryland’s ticket office at 1-800-462-TERP. A limited number of tickets are on sale in advance on the Salisbury State campus through Friday, May 26. Those tickets may be purchased from the Information Desk in the Guerrieri University Center. Tickets will also be available at Byrd Stadium prior to the game on Sunday.

SSU--Middlebury Series History
Salisbury is 3-1 all-time against Middlebury, including a 13-6 win in the most recent meeting between the teams, the 1999 national champion-ship game. Last year’s title game showdown was the first postseason game between the teams.

Salisbury State in Championship Games
The Sea Gulls are making their fifth appearance in the NCAA Division III national championship game, with a 3-1 record in those games. SSU lost 12-11 to Hobart in the 1991 final. The Gulls defeated Hobart 15-9 in 1994, defeated Nazareth 22-13 in 1995, and defeated Middlebury 13-6 in 1999. Salisbury is 3-0 in championship games played at Byrd Stadium. 

Championship Weekend Appearance
The current championship format, with the Division III final played at a neutral site as part of the Division I Championship Weekend, began in 1992. Salisbury State is making its fourth appearance at the championship weekend, second only to Nazareth’s five appearances since the current format was initiated. Salisbury was the last team to host the Division III national championship game on its campus. Visiting Hobart defeated SSU 12-11 in the 1991 final. 

Postseason History
In addition to making its 12th straight NCAA Tournament appearance, Salisbury State is playing in the postseason championship for the 22nd time in 27 years of lacrosse. SSU is also playing in the Division III Tournament (initiated in 1980) for the 18th time, a record for the most appearances in the championship. Since 1980, the Gulls are 20-14 in tournament games, including 16-8 during Coach Jim Berkman’s 12-year tenure. 

Postseason Winning Streak
The Sea Gulls bring a five-game NCAA Tournament winning streak into Sunday’s championship game. SSU won three games last year and has added two more victories during the 2000 postseason. The current streak is the second longest in team history, exceeded only by its seven straight wins between 1994 and 1996.

Freshman Scores Game-Winner in Semifinal Win
While the 2000 Sea Gulls are a veteran group, including 15 seniors on the roster, a freshman proved to be the hero in last Sunday’s 10-9 semifianl win over Washington & Lee. Attackman Craig Rhodey netted the game-winning goal with 6:17 remaining in the fourth quarter. A number of others also played key roles in the victory, including seniors Joe High (3 goals), Rob Bates (2g-1a), Chris Turner (2g-1a), Tim Parks (1g-1a), Kevin Fox (2 assists), Chris Martin (10 faceoff wins), Hirbod Azmi (4 groundballs), and Jordan Austin (7 groundballs). Senior goalie John Dodson also recorded seven saves while playing the first half. 

By the Numbers
The Sea Gulls have scored 318 goals and surrendered just 110, outscoring opponents by an average of 17.6 - 6.1. SSU ranks fifth in the nation in scoring offense, third in scoring defense and second in scoring margin in the latest NCAA statistics. The Gulls have yielded 10-plus goals in only three games. SSU has had only three games decided by four goals or less, and is 3-0 in those games. The Gulls have scored at least 10 goals in every game this season.

High Among SSU’s All-Time Goal, Point Leaders
Senior attackman Joe High, a second team all-American last year and a candidate for first team honors this year, enters the national championship game ranked among the all-time Salisbury State leaders in both goals and points. High has 155 goals as a Sea Gull, placing him fourth on the all-time list. He also ranks sixth in points, with a chance to climb a couple more spots with a big game on Sunday.

Attack
12 Craig Rhodey 34g-15a-49p
23 Joe High          74g-21a-95p
  5 Kevin Fox        23g-21a-44p
  4 Rob Bates        23g-21a-44p 

Midfield #1
1 Tim Parks            32g-13a-45p
2 Chris Turner       42g-27a-69p
43 Jimmy Barnes   11g-8a-19p

Midfield #2
6 Josh Bergey          11g-20a-31p
15 Ryan McKenzie 13g-4a-17p
18 Rob Bookhamer    6g-3a-9p

Defense
13 Mark Breier            76 gbs, 37 takeaways
38 Jordan Austin       46 gbs, 37 takeaways
45 Hirbod Azmi          77 gbs, 66 takeaways
24 Bryan Shanahan   19 gbs, 14 takeaways 

Goalies
30 John Dodson           84 saves, 7.04 GAA
33 Pat Tewes               102 saves, 5.94 GAA 

Face Off Specialists
17 Chris Martin          222-83 (72%)
43 Jimmy Barnes          59-24 (71%) 

Short Sticks
16 John Salva                 2g-5a-7p
20 Paul Trentadue         1g-1a-2p
42 Ryan Fisher              6g-6a-12p 

Long Poles
47 Dave DiPaola            59 gbs, 81 takeaways
8 Phil Matkovic             57 gbs, 30 takeaways
25 John Karcher            16 gbs, 8 takeaways

Salisbury State, the defending national champion, will try to take another step towards a second straight title on Sunday when it hosts Washington & Lee in the semifinal final round of the NCAA Division III Tournament. The Sea Gulls, making their 12^th straight and 22^nd overall tournament appearance, are playing in the national semifinals for the sixth time in the past seven years and the 12th time in the program’s 27-year history.

Ticket Information
Tickets for Sunday’s game are priced at $3.00 for adults. Tickets for children 12 and under and SSU students with valid ID are $1.00. There will be no advance sales of tickets. Game day sales will begin at the Sea Gull Stadium ticket booth at 11:45 am.

What’s at Stake
The winner of Sunday’s game advances to the Division III Championship Game on Sunday, May 28 at Byrd Stadium in College Park, MD. The SSU-W&L winner will face the Nazareth- Middlebury semifinal winner for the championship. The Sea Gulls will be trying to secure their fifth berth in the title game.

SSU’s Postseason History
In addition to making its 12^th straight NCAA Tournament appearance, Salisbury State is playing in the postseason championship for the 22^nd time. SSU is also playing in the Division III Tournament (initiated in 1980) for the 18^th time, a record for the most appearances in the championship. Since 1980, the Gulls are 19-14 in tournament games, including 15-8 during Coach Jim Berkman’s tenure. The Sea Gulls have appeared four times in the national championship game, with three wins.

SSU--Washington & Lee Series History
The Sea Gulls and Generals are meeting for just the third time overall and the first time since 1979. Washington & Lee leads the series 2-0, with an 11-3 win in 1978 and a 16-11 victory in 1979. This is the first postseason meeting between the teams.

Sea Gulls Against the Best
Salisbury’s win over sixth-ranked Washington College in last week’s quarterfinal round was its fifth win in six games over a top-10 team this season and its 12^th in 14 games over the past two seasons. The Sea Gulls also have a 4-1 record against teams in this year’s NCAA Tournament field. Washington & Lee brings a 13-game winning streak into Sunday’s semifinal game.

Sea Gull Notes
The Gulls have yielded 10-plus goals in only three games, while also scoring 19 or better seven times...Senior Joe High, who had six goals and two assists in last week’s game, became the seventh SSU player to record 200 points or better in a career...Sophomore goalie Pat Tewes registered a career-best 16 saves in last week’s quarterfinal win...The Gulls are averaging 18.1 gpg...Salisbury converted five of 12 extra-man opportunities last week, including three of three in the pivotal third quarter...Seniors Chris Martin and Jimmy Barnes combined for 16 face-off wins last week...SSU won 17 of 33 face-offs in the game.

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3 p.m    #2 Salisbury State (28-9-1) vs. #3 NC Wesleyan (25-15-1)
7 p.m.   #1 Virginia Wesleyan (32-8) vs. #4 Emory (30-14)

The South Regional is one of eight double-elimination regional tournaments being contested this week. The eight regional champions advance to next week’s Division III World Series, being hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in Appleton, WI.

SSU in Postseason Play
The Sea Gulls are making their sixth overall appearance in the NCAA Division III Tournament. SSU has an 8-10 overall record in five previous trips. Salisbury made previous trips to the tournament in 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981 and 1983, but never advanced past the regional. This is Salisbury’s first tournament appearance under third-year Head Coach Robb Disbennett.

Gulls Against the Regional Field
Salisbury had a 4-1 cumulative record against the other South Regional qualifiers during the 2000 regular season. SSU beat Emory 6-2 in the Reebok Tournament in Atlanta on February 20; SSU swept single games against Virginia Wesleyan on March 30 (16-9) and April 10 (12-10); and split a home doubleheader with North Carolina Wesleyan on April 30 (losing 3-1 and winning 3-2).

Salisbury Wins 2000 CAC Championship
Salisbury received an at-large invitation to the NCAA Tournament despite winning the Capital Athletic Conference championship this season. With only six baseball teams, the CAC does not qualify for an automatic berth in the 42-team NCAA field. Salisbury claimed the conference title, its first since 1995 and second overall, by winning three games in the CAC Tournament. The Sea Gulls opened with a win over Gallaudet in the quarterfinal round, then beat St. Mary’s 16-4 in the semifinal and Mary Washington 3-1 in the championship game.

Gulls Ranked 16^th in Latest ABCA Poll
Salisbury State has climbed to 16^th in the newest American Baseball Coaches Association/ Collegiate Baseball poll, released on Monday, May 15. The Sea Gulls jumped five spots from their previous position in the May 1 poll. The number 16 ranking is SSU’s highest of the season.

Most Wins Since 1978
Salisbury’s 28 wins this season are the most since 1978, and the third highest single-season total in team history. The Sea Gulls posted a 29-11 overall record in 1978. The team record for victories was set in 1977 with a 33-11 overall record. Salisbury advanced to the NCAA Tournament in each of those seasons also. SSU has enjoyed two long winning streaks this season, winning eight straight early in the year and nine straight in mid-April.

 Salisbury Places Seven on All-Conference Team
Capital Athletic Conference champion Salisbury State placed a league-high seven players on the all-conference baseball teams, including six players on the 11-man first team. Sea Gulls on the first team were junior 1B Brian Loy, senior 3B Tim Hilyard, sophomore SS BJ Jarrett, sophomore OF Jason Ewing, senior DH Dane Schriver and senior LHP Kevin Coulbourn. Junior RHP Chad Swiderski was named to the second team. SSU’s Robb Disbennett was chosen by his peers as the CAC’s Coach of the Year. 

Statistically Speaking
Salisbury brings a .355 team batting average into the tournament and averages 10.4 runs per game. The Sea Gulls have scored 10 runs or more 18 times this season. The team’s leading hitter, sophomore OF Jason Ewing (.451) has been sidelined since the CAC Tournament due to a shoulder injury. Ewing also leads the team with eight HRs and is second with 35 RBI. The Sea Gulls hope to have him available in the postseason. Junior 1B Brian Loy is next on the team with a .438 average, with seven extra-base hits and 30 RBI. Senior 3B Tim Hilyard is the third 400-plus hitter among thr regulars at .407 with eight doubles and 34 RBI. Senior OF/DH Dane Schriver, the team leader with 42 RBI, is injured and not expected to play in the postseason. 

Pitchers Bring 3.53 ERA Into Tournament
The Sea Gull pitching staff sports a team ERA of 3.53 entering the tournament. Junior RHP Bobby Hamel leads the club with an 8-1 record and has the lowest ERA among the starters at 3.08. Junior RHP Chad Swiderski (5-1, 3.72) leads the club in innings worked with 65 1/3. Senior LHP Kevin Coulbourn (6-2, 3.12) and junior LHP Mike Bostian (4-2, 4.12) round out the starters. Junior Derek Harman (0-1, 2.52) leads the team with four saves. 

Head Coach Robb Disbennett is in his third year as the head coach of the Salisbury baseball program and serving in his seventh year overall with the Sea Gulls. Disbennett was the team’s assistant head coach for four seasons before assuming the top position. Disbennett has piloted the Sea Gulls to 72 victories through his first three seasons, including a 23-13 mark in 1999 and this year’s 28-9-1 record. The Sea Gulls have recorded six straight 20-win seasons during Disbennett’s association with the program. He became SSU’s second head coach since 1964 when he was selected to replace Deane Deshon following the 1997 season. Disbennett, a 1986 Salisbury State graduate, had served as Deshon’s top assistant since 1994.

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Salisbury, which won its fourth straight game, finished with 12 different players in the scoring column and set a new team single-game record with 18 assists.

Lea Disston led Denison with two goals. The Big Red finished the season with a 9-5 overall record.

Salisbury, which entered the game as the nation’s top-scoring team with a 19.2 scoring avg, eclipsed the 20-goal mark for the 10th time this season while recording its second highest goal total of the season.

Goals
DEN--Disston, Fox, Hemmelgarn
SSU --Ice (6), Mezzadra (5), Moculski (3), Haynie (2), Almon (2), Bozick (2), Eberling, Sappington, Murray, McDuell, Zielinski, Dugan

Assists
DEN--Peace, Pratzner,
SSU --Haynie (8), Moculski (3), Almon (2), Mezzadra, Eberling, Ice, Danver, Dugan

Saves
DEN--Haney 16
SSU --LeBeau 7

Shots-- Denison 17; Salisbury 54
Draws--Denison 9 (Disston 9); Salisbury 23 (Sappington 20)
Att--160 

Salisbury is the fifth seed in the six-team South Regional. The Sea Gulls need two victories to advance to the national team championship, May 19-21 in Kalamazoo, MI. Two teams from each of the NCAA’s four regions will advance to the finals.

The Sea Gulls are making their third NCAA Tournament appearance in five years. SSU lost to Trinity in the first round of the 1996 tournament. Salisbury advanced to the second round of the 1997 tournament.

First year Head Coach Randy Halfpap is one of the links between those two tournament teams and this year. Halfpap, a player on the ‘96 and ‘97 squads, returned to his alma mater this year and guided the Sea Gulls to a 10-6 regular season record. Key wins during the 2000 campaign included victories over the College of New Jersey and the University of the South.

"I think the strength of our schedule helped us to get into the tournament," said Halfpap. "It’s very gratifying for our team to get back to the NCAAs, especially since we just missed getting in last season. This is also special because we have four seniors who have meant a lot to the program through the years."

SSU is led by senior Ben Madarang (Largo, MD/Largo HS), who won the Capital Athletic Conference championship in both the #1 singles and #1 doubles flights. Senior Jamie Hancock (Seaford, DE/Seaford HS) also won a CAC title by claiming the #3 singles championship. Senior Ben Coldren (North East, MD/North East HS) fills the #2 singles flight and teams with Madarang on the #1 doubles tandem.

The rest of the lineup includes sophomore David Finlayson (Bel Air, MD/Bel Air HS) at #4 singles, junior Greg Forster (McLean, VA/Langley HS) at #5 singles, senior Matt Kuk (Salisbury/Wicomico HS) at #6 singles, and junior Matt Mullen (Rising Sun, MD/North East HS) at #2 doubles.

"We’re a goal-oriented team and since the first day of practice, our number one priority has been to return to the postseason," said Halfpap. "The fact that we’re playing our conference rival in the first round may help us because Mary Washington is familiar territory. We’ll be ready to play."

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SSU, 30-8-1 overall and champion of the Capital Athletic Conference for the fourth consecutive year, plays second-seeded Rensselaer (25-5) in its first game, Friday at noon. This is the first-ever meeting between Salisbury and RPI.

The schedule for the five-team regional, with seedings and records noted --
Friday, May 12 
Game 1,  10 a.m.  #4 Univ.New England (25-8) vs. #5 St.Joseph’s (NY) (29-8)
Game 2,  Noon    #2 Rensselaer (25-5) vs. #3 Salisbury State (30-8-1)
Game 3,  2 p.m.   #1 Ithaca (29-9-1) vs. Winner of Game 1
Game 4,  4 p.m.   Loser of game 1 vs. Loser of game 2

Saturday, May 13 
Game 5,  1 p.m.  Winner of game 2 vs. Winner of game 3
Game 6,  3 p.m.  Winner of game 4 vs. Loser of game 3
Game 7,  5 p.m.   Loser of game 5 vs. Winner of game 6

Sunday, May 14 
Game 8,  1 p.m.  Winner of game 5 vs. Winner of game 7
Game 9,  3 p.m.  If necessary, based on outcome of game 8

SSU’s NCAA Tournament History
Salisbury is making its sixth overall and fourth straight NCAA Tournament appearance. The Gulls received bids in 1984 and 1987 and were eliminated by Trenton State, now The College of New Jersey, in the first round both times. The Sea Gulls have returned to the tournament in 1997, 1998 and 1999. SSU was the regional champion in 1998 and advanced to the College World Series as the Atlantic Region’s representative. In 1997, SSU won its first two games in the regional before losing twice to Montclair. Last year, the Gulls beat Roanoke 5-3 in the opening game, but were eliminated with loses to Rowan and Montclair. SSU is 5-10 all-time in NCAA Tournament play.

The Pitchers
Terri Amalfitano,  16-6, 1.06 ERA, 86 K, 52 BB
Stacy Slater,          12-2, 1.09 ERA, 39 K, 29 BB

Harned Headlines All-Conference Team
Salisbury State, which won both the regular season and tournament title in the Capital Athletic Conference for the fourth straight season, also dominated the 2000 all-conference team. The Sea Gulls placed six players on the all-CAC team, and swept the conference’s postseason awards. Junior OF/C April Harned was named CAC Player of the Year, marking the fourth straight season that a Sea Gull has won the award. Joining Harned on the all-CAC squad were C/OF Vicki Hardisty, 3B Lisa Gentilella, 1B Meghan Henning, OF Erin Gross and P Terri Amalfitano. Gentilella was also named Rookie of the Year, and SSU’s Margie Knight was tabbed Coach of the Year for the third time.

Gulls Riding Nine-Game Win Streak
Salisbury brings a nine-game winning streak, its longest of the season, into the NCAA Tournament. The streak began with a victory in the second game of a double-header at Rowan on April 13, and continued through the CAC Tournament and three non-conference twinbills. The Gulls have also won 13 of their last 14 games. The current winning streak is the team’s longest since a school-record 14-game winning streak to start the 1999 season. SSU also had a 12-game winning streak during the 1998 season. 

New Faces Around the Infield
While SSU’s three outfield starters - April Harned, Erin Gross and Heather Sexton - are not new to the NCAA Tournament, the Gulls do feature a relatively new cast of characters around the infield in 2000. Freshmen control the left side, with 3B Lisa Gentilella and SS Kate Garland. Sophomore Jacki Warrington, who saw limited action in 29 games last year, has been the starter at second base throughout this season. Junior Meghan Henning, a transfer from the Univ. of Hartford, has started all 39 games at first base. 

Harned Climbing Career Charts
Junior all-America OF/C April Harned (Denton, MD/North Caroline HS) continues to move closer to the top of several SSU career lists. Harned has moved to third in career RBI (123), third in doubles (37), third in home runs (18) and fifth in hits (160). Senior Vicki Hardisty (Beltsville, MD/High Point HS) also ranks among the all-time leaders in four categories. Hardisty ranks first in career walks (73), sixth in doubles (32), seventh in runs (107) and eighth in hits (149).

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Seven Earn All-CAC Honors
For the second straight year, Salisbury placed seven players on the all-Capital Athletic Conference teams. Named to the first team were junior Jen Mezzadra on attack, midfielders Jen Ice, Amanda Moculski and Annie Sappington, and goalie Lisa LeBeau. Attack Christine Sliger and midfielder Carolyn Murray were named to the second team. In addition, SSU’s Sappington was tabbed as the CAC’s Player of the Year. Salisbury finished 5-0 during the CAC regular season and defeated St. Mary’s and Mary Washington in the conference tournament to claim its first title.

Head Coach Dawn Chamberlin
Now in her 13th season with the Sea Gulls, Chamberlin brings an 103-67 career record into the 2000 NCAA Tournament. She has piloted the Gulls to winning records in nine seasons, including a 44-15 mark over the past four years.

About the NCAA Tournament
The Division III Championship field is comprised of 16 teams, an increase of four over last year. In 1999, the Sea Gulls defeated Cortland State 14-7 in their first-ever tournament game. Salisbury was eliminated in the second round, falling 16-2 against eventual national champion Middlebury. This year’s national semifinals and championship game will be hosted by The College of New Jersey in Ewing, NJ, May 20-21.

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The women’s lacrosse team held its position at #7 in the IWLCA poll for the fourth straight week. SSU completed its regular season with a 13-2 record and also returns to action in next week’s NCAA Tournament. Pairings for the 16-team women’s field will also be announced on Sunday, with first round games scheduled for campus sites on Wednesday, May 10.

Pairings for the NCAA Softball Tournament will also be announced this Sunday. Salisbury State completed its regular season with a 30-8-1 record and is currently ranked 18^th in the nation and third in the Atlantic Region. Teams selected for the NCAA Tournament will begin regional play on Friday, May 12 at sites to be announced. Salisbury is seeking its fourth straight NCAA Tournament invitation.

The SSU baseball team climbed eight spots to number 21 in the latest ABCA/Collegiate Baseball poll, released on Monday. The Sea Gulls, winners of nine of their last 10, are 25-8-1 overall and have posted their most victories in one season since winning 26 games in 1985. Salisbury concludes its regular season with a doubleheader against Villa Julie at home Friday, and single games with New Jersey and Rowan at home on Monday and Tuesday. Pairings for the 42-team NCAA Tournament will be announced on Sunday, May 14, with regional play scheduled to begin on Wednesday, May 17.

The men’s tennis team is also expected to be one of six teams chosen for the NCAA South Regional when pairings for that championship are announced on Monday, May 8. The Sea Gulls finished with a 10-6 overall record under first-year Head Coach Randy Halfpap.

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Holmes becomes the fourth coach in the history of the SSU men’s program. He replaces Ward Lambert, who retired following this past season, his 30^th with the Sea Gulls.

"We conducted an exhaustive national search for this position and had an extremely strong applicant pool," said Vienna. "We feel that Steve is an excellent fit for Salisbury. His basketball credentials are very impressive, with 17 years of collegiate experience and an association with some very successful programs. He also has a solid understanding of Division III athletics and the Division III student-athlete. Coming from a highly selective public institution with a strong academic reputation like Geneseo, he also knows what Salisbury is all about."

Holmes, 38, is a 1983 graduate of Plattsburgh (NY) State University, where he was letterman on the basketball team. He began his coaching career as an assistant at Champlain College, where he spent three seasons before moving to Potsdam State as assistant varsity coach and junior varsity head coach in 1987. Potsdam enjoyed a 60-game winning streak during Holmes tenure with the program, and was the winningest program in all divisions of the NCAA during the decade of the 1980s. Holmes also earned his masters degree from Potsdam in 1988. He joined SUNY Geneseo as an assistant coach in 1990, serving four seasons before assuming the head coaching position in 1994.

Under his leadership, SUNY Geneseo earned NCAA Tournament berths in 1995, 1996, 1998 and 1999. The Knights advanced to the Sweet 16 in 1995 while making second round appearances in 1996 and 1999. Under Holmes’ leadership, Geneseo also captured its first-ever conference championships in school history, winning the highly-competitive SUNYAC title in 1998 and 1999. In total, the Knights have made seven NCAA Tournament appearances in Holmes’ 10-year association with the program as an assistant and head coach. More impressively, SUNY Geneseo’s basketball program also boasts a 100% graduation rate during Holmes’ tenure.

"I’m very honored and excited to be the new head coach at Salisbury State University," said Holmes. "I’m looking forward to the challenges at hand in replacing a legend like Coach Lambert. I’m ready to get started."

Holmes inherits a Sea Gull team that finished 17-9 last season, including a 10-4 record and second place regular season finish in the Capital Athletic Conference. Salisbury expects to return nine letterwinners next year, including two all-conference selectees in forward Victor Jackson and guard Doug King.

Holmes, a native of Plattsburgh, NY, is a member of the National Association of Basketball Coaches, and a past president of the SUNYAC Coaches Association. He is also active as a fund-raiser in the Coaches vs. Cancer campaign.

Holmes and his wife, Heather, have a two-year old son, Lucas.

1983-86..... Assistant Coach..... Champlain College, Burlington, VT
1986-90..... Assistant Varsity/Head JV Coach..... SUNY Potsdam, Potsdam, NY
1990-94..... Assistant Varsity/Head JV Coach .....SUNY Geneseo, Geneseo, NY
1994-2000.. Head Coach........... SUNY Geneseo
2000-           Head Coach........... Salisbury State University

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Junior OF/C April Harned (Denton, MD/North Caroline HS) was named Softball Player of the Year. She led the conference in home runs (6) and RBI (41) while hitting .400 on the season. Freshman 3B Lisa Gentilella (Hamilton, NJ/Steinert HS) earned softball Rookie of the Year honors after leading the CAC in hitting with a .453 batting average, and SSU’s Margie Knight was softball Coach of the Year.

Other softball players recognized on the 15-player all conference team were:
Junior 1B Meghan Henning (Wilmington, DE/Mt. Pleasant HS)... 
      .307 average, 12 doubles, 23 RBI.
Junior OF Erin Gross (Williamsport, MD/Williamsport HS).... 
      .306 avg, 7 doubles, 20 RBI.
Junior RHP Terri Amalfitano (Denton, MD/North Caroline HS).....
      16-6, 1.06 ERA, eight shutouts.
Senior C/OF Vicki Hardisty (Belstsville, MD/High Point HS)..... 
      .260 avg, 8 doubles, 24 walks.

The Sea Gulls captured their fourth straight CAC championship in 2000 and extended their conference winning streak to 40 straight. SSU completed its regular season with a 30-8-1 record and now awaits word on its NCAA Tournament status. The tournament field will be announced on May 7.

Women’s Lacrosse
Senior midfielder Annie Sappington (Bel Air, MD/C. Milton Wright HS) was named Lacrosse Player of the Year, one of seven Sea Gulls named to the first and second teams. Sappington, one of SSU’s tri-captains, had 38 goals and 16 assists for 54 points this season. She also ranks among Salisbury’s all-time leaders in career assists (53) and points (138).

Other players receiving women’s lacrosse honors were:
Junior attack Jen Mezzadra (Baltimore/Parkville HS)... First team...70g-12a-82p
Senior midfielder Jen Ice (Catonsville, MD/Catonsville HS)...First team...35g-13a-48p
Senior midfielder Amanda Moculski (Bel Air, MD/C. Milton Wright HS)...
        First team...34g-33a-67p
Senior goalie Lisa LeBeau (Baltimore/Towson HS)...First team...7.6 saves/gm.. .538 saves pct.
Soph attack Christine Sliger (Whiteford, MD/North Harford HS)...Second team... 25g-25a-50p
Senior midfielder Carolyn Murray (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa HS)...Second team... 14g-2a-16p

The Sea Gulls, ranked #7 in the nation, captured their first conference championship in 2000. SSU finished the regular season with a 13-2 overall mark, setting a new team record for wins in a season. Salisbury is idle until the NCAA Tournament pairings are announced on May 7.

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Records and Rankings
Salisbury State is 15-0 overall and ranked first in the latest STX/USILA Division III national poll. Washington is 9-3 and ranked seventh. 

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"We were very proud and excited to win the All-Sports Trophy for the first time last year," said Dr. Michael Vienna, SSU’s director of athletics. "It’s a real credit to our coaching staff and to our student-athletes that we were able to defend the title. This is a great accomplishment and we’re very gratified to be recognized for the continued success of our program."

Final 2000 All-Sports Trophy Standings and Point Totals

1--Salisbury State.........215.5
2--Mary Washington....195.9
3--Catholic...................145.4
4--York........................114.4
5--St. Mary’s................101.2
6--Marymount................70.2
7--Goucher.....................70.1
8--Gallaudet...................56.8

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Other winners for the women included senior Sherry Esposito in the 800-meters with a personal-best time of 2:19.8; junior Christy Prestileo in the 100-hurdles (17.2 secs); and sophomore Keri Edwards in the high jump with a leap of 5'2". Jacobs, Prestileo, Edwards and Esposito also combined on the first place 4 x 100 relay team.

"Amy is very close to qualifying for nationals in the pole vault," said SSU Head Coach Jim Jones. "Esposito also had an outstanding run in the 800-meters and she’s only four seconds away from qualifying for nationals in that event."

Other highlights for the SSU women included a second place showing by sophomore Jen Jeffas in the 400-meters (1:03.2); a second place finish for freshman Kristin Camp in the 1,500-meters with a personal-best time of 5:07.6; and a second in the 3,000-meters by freshman Scottie Morris with another PR of 10:57.9.

In the men’s competition, sophomore Tom Ballard won the 400-meter run with a season-best time of 51.6 seconds. Freshman Darren Jackson added a first place finish in the 100-meters in 10.8 seconds and a second place effort in the 200-meters in 22.5 seconds. The Gulls also claimed first and second in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, with junior Larry O’Hara winning in 10:26 and junior Dave Frei second with a PR of 10:30.1.

Thrower Beau Ridgway continued his impressive freshman campaign with a second place finish in the shot put (46' 0"), and a third place effort in the discus (119' 7"). Freshman Sergio Silva collected two third place finishes in the 100-meters (11.2 secs) and 200-meters (22.9 secs).

Both Sea Gull squads return to action this Saturday, April 29 in the Millersville (PA) Invitational.

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Junior 1B/DH Brian Loy is the leading hitter among the regulars with a .434 batting average. Loy contributed a home run and six RBI against Gallaudet after entering the game in the fourth inning. Sophomore OF Jason Ewing leads the Sea Gulls in extra-base hits with 15, including seven doubles and six home runs, and has a .762 slugging percentage. He is also second on the club with 25 RBI. Senior OF Dane Schriver (.333) leads the team in RBI with 30 and is tied with Ewing for tops on the team in runs with 31. Salisbury is averaging 10.4 runs per game (8.2 runs/game when not including its three games against Gallaudet).

The SSU pitching staff brings a 4.06 team ERA into Saturday’s games. Bobby Hamel (4-1), Kevin Coulbourn (4-1) and Chad Swiderski (3-1) are a combined 11-3 for the Sea Gulls. Hamel has registered two of the staff’s three complete games this season.

Salisbury’s 19 victories this season include two wins over #4 Virginia Wesleyan, as well as single victories at #9 Ferrum and #17 Emory. The Sea Gulls continue their regular season schedule with nine more games following the CAC Tournament, beginning with a home game against Rowan on Tuesday, April 18.

CAC Tournament Summary....The Sea Gulls won their second CAC Championship and first since 1995 with a pair of wins. Sophomore OF Jason Ewing keyed SSU's 16-4 semifinal victory with a 4-5 offensive performance that included four runs scored and a school-record 10 RBI. Ewing hit two home runs, including a grand slam, and added a two-run and three-run double to finish with 14 total bases. RHP Kevin Coulbourn (5-1) earned the win with a seven-inning complete game. SSU then downed Mary Washington 3-1 in the title game, with junior RHP Chad Swiderski (4-1) tossing another complete game for the Gulls.  SSU scored all three runs in the fifth inning on RBI singles by Kevin Lindsay, Tim Hilyard and Brian Loy. The Sea Gulls improved to 21-7-1 overall and cracked into the national ABCA Top 30 poll at #29 following the CAC Championship. 

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The Sea Gulls (21-7-1 overall) are ranked #17 in the latest NFCA national poll, and visit Rowan on Thursday in a final pre-tournament tuneup. Salisbury has won four straight and six of seven entering Thursday’s doubleheader at Rowan.

The Sea Gulls are prominently featured throughout this week’s conference statistics. The Gulls lead the CAC in scoring with 5.86 runs/game and have a .308 team batting average. Individually, freshman Lisa Gentilella leads the team and the conference with a .457 batting average. Junior all-America April Harned is hitting .370 and leads the CAC in home runs (5), doubles (9) and RBI (31). Junior first baseman Meghan Henning ranks second in doubles (8) and adds 16 RBI.

Junior pitcher Terri Amalfitano leads the conference in wins (12) and earned run average (1.30). Junior Stacy Slater is 7-2 with a 1.42 ERA and freshman Katie Mullinix is 2-0 with a 1.73 ERA. Mullinix is also third on the team with a .321 batting average.

The Sea Gulls, who are also trying to earn their fourth straight NCAA Tournament berth, continue their regular season with eight more games following Saturday’s CAC Tournament. That stretch begins with a home doubleheader against Washington College on Thursday, April 20.

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MORRIS, JACOBS, EDWARDS LEAD SSU TRACK TEAM
April 10, 2000

All Three Claim First Place Finishes at Osprey Open

POMONA-, NJ - Three first place individual finishes along with a number of strong seconds and thirds provided plenty of highlights for the Salisbury State men’s and women’s track teams at the Osprey Open hosted by Richard Stockton University.