Alumni features, fall 2020
Men’s soccer alum Pascal Trappe ‘16
By any measure, Pascal Trappe’s road to success at Binghamton was a long and bumpy one. He was named first-team all-conference in his final season (2015), leading the Bearcats to a runner up finish at the America East Tournament. Five years earlier, he came to the United States from Germany to play college soccer – at St. John’s. Two years later, he transferred to Binghamton only to endure a series of injuries that kept him off the field until that final 2015 campaign.
Five years since that special season, Trappe is back in his native Germany working in business but has kept tabs on how the current Bearcats are doing.
Women’s basketball alum Kate Townley ‘04
For a handful of NCAA Division I athletes, life after college means a transition between college sports and the professional ranks. Kate Townley is one of those people. For her, however, that meant going to work for the Minnesota Twins baseball organization.
It’s been 16 years since Townley concluded a prolific career with the Binghamton women’s basketball team. She was the starting point guard in her final three years and was named third-team all-conference in each of those seasons. Nearly two decades since she graduated, Townley is still one of the top assist leaders in program history.
Like the administration at Binghamton University, Townley and the Minnesota Twins have had to adjust to the COVID-19 epidemic. Along with Major League Baseball as a whole, the Twins returned to action in late July after weeks of intense preparation.
We caught up with Townley, who reflected on her time at Binghamton, talked about her role with the Minnesota Twins and conveyed how much her years as a Bearcat prepared her for her current role.
Women’s cross country/track alum Allison Davis ‘18
Allison Davis’ collegiate career at Binghamton prepared her well for life after college. In 2014, she arrived on campus from rural New York, not sure what to expect as a Division I runner on a large campus. By the team she graduated in 2018, Davis was an all-conference distance runner and a member of the National College Athlete Honor Society.
Following graduation, Davis made another major jump in her life, moving to Baltimore, Maryland as a nurse. This past year, she has been a part of the front lines during the COVID-19 pandemic. As was the case during her years at Binghamton, however, Davis managed to adjust to her new career and surroundings.
Golfer Zak Ottman ‘19
Zak Ottman grew up in the greater Rochester area and chose to play college golf at Binghamton University. During his four-year career, he was a mainstay in the starting lineup. In his senior year, he tied for medalist honors at the Bearcats’ home invitational.
Ottman stayed in the Binghamton area following graduation and is now working in the insurance industry.