CALDWELL COLLEGE ATHLETICS - 2007-2008 YEAR IN REVIEW
Caldwell
College athletics enjoyed another successful year in 2007-2008, as two teams
advanced to the NCAA Division II Regional tournament. The baseball team won
the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament after tying for first
in the conference during the regular season. The team then won two games at
the Northeast Regional for the first time in three trips to the region
tourney. The softball team also won the CACC Tournament, which was held at
Caldwell College, and played in the Northeast Regional for the fourth time
in five years. Junior infielder Gina Capardi was named a first team
All-American by both the National Fastpitch Coaches Association and
Daktronics, and was selected CACC Player of the Year. Sophomore pitcher
Robert Casal was chosen the CACC Pitcher of the Year in baseball.
Several student-athletes received awards for their success in the classroom.
First and foremost was senior men’s soccer player Nicholas Harriott, right,
who was selected to the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America third team by
the College Sports Information Directors of America. He is the first
Caldwell College student-athlete to receive Academic All-America status. In
July, Harriott was chosen the CACC Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Additionally, eight senior student-athletes earned their third CACC
All-Academic Team honor of their careers by maintaining a cumulative
grade-point average of 3.50 or higher. They are men’s soccer players
Harriott, Matthew Broderick, Andrew Fraser and Jan Marco Jiras, women’s
basketball players Phylicia Holmes and Dana Leary, and softball players
Nicole Bodrog and Stephanie Brodo.
Here’s a recap of each team’s season.
FALL
CROSS COUNTRY
Head Coach: John Tosato (5th season)
The cross country team had a promising start, opening the 2007 fall season
by taking five of the top six spots to win a three-team meet held on campus.
But injuries took their toll throughout the season, resulting in an
incomplete score at the CACC Championships. Freshman Abigail Cabral was the
first Cougar across the finish line in six of seven meets this season,
including a 26th-place finish at the CACC meet.
MEN’S SOCCER
Head Coach: Jamie Nash (8th season)
Final Record: 10-6-4 overall, 6-1-2 CACC (3rd)
The Cougar men’s soccer team had another successful
season, winning at least 10 games for the fourth straight year and advancing
to the semifinals of the CACC Tournament for the fifth consecutive season.
The team suffered just one conference loss, but a pair of ties to Wilmington
and Felician resulted in a third-place finish. In the first round of the
CACC Tournament, juniors Chad Bennett and Kevoi Walters scored to lift
Caldwell past Bloomfield, 2-0 to advance to the semifinals against
Wilmington. The Cougars and Wildcats failed to score in regulation, sending
the game to overtime. Less than two minutes into the extra session,
Wilmington scored off a free kick to win the game and end Caldwell’s season.
Senior defender Andrew Fraser and junior forward Chad Bennett were named to
the NSCAA all-New England Region and Daktronics second teams. Bennett led
the Cougars in scoring with 10 goals and one assist for 21 points. Bennett
and Fraser were first team all-CACC selections, senior midfielder Jan Marco
Jiras made the second team, and junior goalkeeper John Plaugic received
honorable mention. Fraser, Jiras and Nicholas Harriott also earned ESPN the
Magazine Academic All-District 2 honors, with Harriott making the Academic
All-America third team. The senior class of Fraser, Jiras, Harriott and
Matthew Broderick won 47 games in the past four years to become the
winningest class in the program’s history.
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Head Coach: Nate Guagliardi (1st season)
Final Record: 5-14 overall, 5-6 CACC (t-7th)
Caldwell College’s women’s soccer team battled its way to
a seventh-place finish in the CACC despite having a small roster. The
Cougars went 5-6 in conference play to qualify for their third CACC
Tournament in four years. Although the team lost to second-seeded
Philadelphia University 3-0 in the quarterfinals, Caldwell achieved its goal
of making the tournament.
Junior midfielder Kristee Paknis led Caldwell in scoring for the second
straight year with eight goals and three assists for 19 points. Senior
midfielder Carla Bleiler joined Paknis on the all-CACC second team, while
junior defender Kim Fenton received all-CACC honorable mention.
WOMEN’S TENNIS
Head Coach: Michael Lukacs (1st season)
Final Record: 2-12 overall, 1-6 CACC (7th)
With six of its nine players making their collegiate tennis debut, the
women’s tennis team was inexperienced and won just one CACC dual. Senior
Emilie Skidmore had a solid season, going 6-7 at No. 1 singles and leading
the team in victories. Skidmore and fellow senior Patty Messick competed in
the CACC Doubles Tournament, with Skidmore also participating in the singles
draw.
VOLLEYBALL
Head Coach: Megan Hrbek (2nd season)
Final Record: 4-24 overall, 4-13 CACC (6th in CACC North)
After 31 consecutive defeats, the volleyball team finally earned its first
victory since the College re-established the program in the fall of 2006,
beating Felician 3-1. But the Cougars failed to build any momentum, losing
their next eight matches. The team finished strong, however, winning three
of its last five matches to end up just two games out of fourth place and a
spot in the CACC Tournament. Freshman Cory Roesing led the Cougar offense
with 3.6 kills per game to rank sixth in the CACC, while freshman Kendra
Kane set almost nine assists per game to rank fifth among the conference
leaders.
WINTER
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Head Coach: Mark Corino (20th season)
Final Record: 12-17 overall, 9-7 CACC (2nd in CACC North)
The men’s basketball team never hit its stride and struggled through a 12-17
season despite having 10 players back from last year’s CACC Tournament
championship squad. The Cougars started the season 2-9, including 1-8 in
non-conference games, but made a push in conference play once the New Year
began. At one point, Caldwell won five of six conference games to spark the
team to a second-place finish in the CACC North Division. A 79-65 victory
over Dominican in the first round of the CACC Tournament allowed the Cougars
to advance to the conference semifinals for the third time in four years.
Against Holy Family, the No. 2 seed in the South, Caldwell overcame an
11-point, second-half deficit to take a 53-52 lead with 40 seconds to play.
But a lay-up and free throw by the Tigers put the Cougars down by two with
four seconds left. An open jumper at the buzzer didn’t fall, ending
Caldwell’s hopes of a repeat run at the CACC Tournament title.
Junior forward Manny Perez came back from a season-long hiatus due to injury
to lead the Cougars in scoring (14.4 ppg) and rebounding (6.4 rpg). Perez
was named to the all-CACC second team for the third time in his career while
also earning first team all-Met honors. Senior forward B.J. Suchy became the
14th men’s basketball player at Caldwell to score 1,000 points in his
career. Suchy, who made the all-Met second team and received all-CACC
honorable mention, finished with 1,245 points to rank seventh on the
school’s all-time scoring list, one spot behind Perez (1,370).
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Head Coach: Linda Cimino (2nd season)
Final Record: 18-12 overall, 10-7 CACC (3rd in CACC North)
The women’s basketball team had its most successful season in six years,
recording its first winning campaign since the 2002-03 team. It became
apparent early on that this would be a special season, as the Cougars jumped
out to an 8-1 record for the program’s best start in the last 20 years.
After cooling down with four straight losses, Caldwell won six of its next
eight games to improve to 14-7. The Cougars ended the regular season with a
record of 17-10 overall, including a 10-7 mark in the CACC, and finished
third in the CACC North Division. In its second CACC Tournament appearance
in four years, Caldwell faced rival Bloomfield, whom the Cougars defeated
twice during the regular season, and lost a hard-fought battle, 72-59. But
the season didn’t end there, as Caldwell was selected to play in the ECAC
Tournament, hosted by Philadelphia University. The Cougars defeated the host
Rams, 86-80, before falling to Wilmington in the final.
Junior forward Mackenzie Lynch led the team in scoring (12.8 ppg) and
rebounding (9.4 rpg) for the second year in a row, and earned all-CACC third
team and all-Met first team honors. Senior guard Dana Leary eclipsed the
1,000-point milestone for her career in the final home game of the season
and received all-CACC honorable mention. She also was named to the all-Met
second team. Leary and senior guard Phylicia Holmes were named to the ECAC
all-Tournament Team, as well as the CACC All-Academic Team.
SPRING
BASEBALL
Head Coach: Chris Reardon (8th season)
Final Record: 34-19 overall, 19-8 CACC (t-1st)
The
Cougar baseball team followed up a successful 2007 season with perhaps its
best year to date, winning a program-best 34 games while capturing the CACC
Tournament and advancing to a second-straight NCAA Northeast Region
Tournament. After a 5-8 start that included five losses to strong opponents
in Tennessee, the Cougars righted the ship and went 24-9 the rest of the
regular season. A three-game sweep of Bloomfield to end the schedule allowed
Caldwell to tie with Philadelphia for the CACC regular-season title with a
19-8 conference record. Seeded second due to a tie-breaker loss to
Philadelphia, the Cougars opened the CACC Tournament with a thrilling 6-5
victory over Dominican in 10 innings that ended with a walk-off home run by
sophomore outfielder Adric Saxon. Pitching took over in the final two games,
as sophomore Robert Casal and junior Eric Hines tossed back-to-back
three-hit shutouts over Philadelphia and Dominican, respectively. The
pitching gems lifted the Cougars to their second CACC Tournament title in
five years and clinched an automatic berth in the NCAA Regional. Saxon, who
also homered in the final against Dominican, received the tournament’s MVP
award.
At the regional, hosted by Franklin Pierce, Caldwell won its first two games
to advance farther than it had in two previous trips to the region tourney.
The Cougars opened with a 3-2 victory over 26th-ranked Southern Connecticut
State on a solo home run by freshman Gabriel Molina that broke a 2-2 tie.
Then against Dowling, a three-run homer by senior Chris Chiarappa lifted the
Cougars to a 7-3 win. The host Ravens, ranked 14th nationally, handed
Caldwell a 16-4 loss in the winner’s bracket, setting up an elimination game
against Bryant. Caldwell led 4-3 in the bottom of the eighth, but the
Bulldogs scored twice and ended Caldwell’s season with a 5-4 loss.
Casal was named the CACC Pitcher of the Year while earning all-Region
honors. Saxon, Molina and senior Tommy Murphy also were named all-Region.
Casal, Saxon, Murphy and junior Stephen Pfeil made the all-CACC first team,
with Chiarappa and sophomores Ray Keelan and Buddy Riggs making the second
team. Sophomore Omar Velazquez received all-CACC honorable mention.
Additionally, junior Jorge Torres and sophomore Andrew Robertson earned CACC
All-Academic Team honors.
GOLF
Head Coach: Mike Andrusin (2nd season)
The Caldwell golf team had a breakthrough year, winning two tournaments and
finishing seventh at the CACC Tournament after taking last place at every
event in 2007. The Cougars won the Holy Family Invitational in the fall,
then captured the Caldwell Invitational, held at Essex Fells Country Club,
in the spring. Junior Chris Parker, who had been the Cougars’ low scorer in
every event during his first two years, had help this season. Three other
golfers besides Parker finished as the Cougars’ low man, including freshman
Brian Luyster, who took 29th at the CACC Tournament. Parker twice shot a 78
to record the lowest rounds of the season for Caldwell.
SOFTBALL
Head Coach: Dean Johnson (14th season)
Final Record: 35-22 overall, 19-5 CACC (2nd)
After
missing the NCAA Northeast Region Tournament for the first time in four
years, the Cougar softball team made it back to the regional in 2008 by
winning the CACC Tournament for the fourth time in five years. Despite a
19-5 record in conference play, Caldwell was unable to overtake Georgian
Court for their fifth straight regular-season crown. But the Cougars set
their sights on the CACC Tournament, and cruised to a 7-0 win over USP in
the first round. Freshman pitcher Brittany Pulido, who blanked the Devils
over six innings, tossed a three-hit shutout in the next round to defeat
Georgian Court, 2-0. The Cougars and Lions met again in the final and set
tournament records for hits and runs in a game, as Caldwell came out on top,
11-4. Junior Gina Capardi went 4-for-4 with four RBIs, while senior Nicole
Bodrog and sophomore Danielle Genovese each had three hits. Bodrog, who also
had eight assists from third base in the final, was named the tournament’s
MVP.
At the NCAA regional, hosted by top-seeded C.W. Post, the Cougars faced
Georgian Court yet again, and came away with their third straight win, 9-6.
After the host Pioneers silenced the Cougar bats in a 2-0 defeat, Caldwell
picked up its second win of the tourney with a 6-4 victory over third-seeded
Adelphi. The win marked the first time since the 2004 regional that the
Cougars have won at least two games. But the ride would end there, as
eighth-seeded New Haven blanked Caldwell 3-0 in an elimination game. The
Cougars were ranked 16th in the final NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll, marking
the fourth time in five years that they have been included in the
season-ending national rankings.
Capardi became the first Cougar to be named a first-team All-American,
earning the honor from both the NFCA and Daktronics. She also was named the
CACC Player of the Year. Bodrog, Genovese, sophomore Kyrie Timbrook and
freshman Annie Forte joined Capardi on the all-CACC first team, while Pulido
made the second team. Bodrog and Forte also received all-Northeast Region
second team honors, with Capardi being named to the all-Region first team.
Academically, Bodrog, Timbrook, seniors Carrie Flasphaler and Stephanie
Brodo, and junior Cecilia Goforth earned CACC All-Academic Team accolades.
Head coach Dean Johnson earned his 400th career victory with the Cougars’
win over USP in the CACC Tournament.
MEN’S TENNIS
Head Coach: Michael Lukacs (1st season)
Final Record: 5-9
The men’s tennis team had several new faces in an up-and-down 2008 season.
Junior Alex Ali made his collegiate tennis debut and compiled a 7-6 record
at No. 1 singles to pace the Cougars. Senior Jan Marco Jiras and junior
Michael Ober each won six singles matches, while Ober combined with freshman
Josh Getka to win a team-best four doubles matches. This is the last year
the men’s tennis team played an independent schedule, as the CACC plans to
add men’s tennis as a championship sport in 2009. That bodes well for the
Cougars, who went 4-2 against CACC schools this spring.
PHOTO GALLERY
 Lisa Dunphy |
 Andrew Fraser |
 Ashley Cusack |
 Carla Bleiler |
 Emilie Skidmore |
 Khaliqa Davis |
 Adam Sabree |
 Amir Zandieh |
 Alyssa Speno |
 Chris Parker |
 Chris Chiarappa |
