Athletics achievements, summer 2021
Baseball trio earns all-conference honors
Sophomore pitcher Thomas Babalis and senior second baseman Alex Baratta earned America East All-Conference honors in 2021, the conference announced on Wednesday. In addition, sophomore pitcher Jack Collins was named to the All-Academic Baseball Team.
Babalis was selected to the first team, Baratta earned second team honors and Collins earned academic laurels for the second straight season.
The left-handed Babalis was chosen as an all-star for the second time in as many seasons. He followed up his stellar 2019 collegiate debut with another strong season, this time as the team’s number one starter. Babalis made 10 starts, won four games and held down the third-best earned run average in the conference (2.86). He also ranked second in the league and 14th in the NCAA in complete games (4). Batters hit just .207 off him and his 9.85 strikeouts per game (62K in 56.2 IP) ranked fourth in the America East. During a four-game stretch in May, Babalis strung together 18 straight scoreless innings - the second-longest streak in program history. Previously, he was the 2019 America East Rookie of the Year, second team all-conference and All-Rookie selection.
Men’s basketball completes recruiting class
Binghamton men’s basketball has bolstered its roster with the addition of two recruits - sophomore guard John McGriff (Bowie, Md./Bishop McNamara/St. John’s University) and junior forward Taveion White (Prosper, Texas/Prosper/Clarendon College).
McGriff, a 6-foot, 185-pound guard, comes to Binghamton from BIG EAST member St. John’s, where he played in 18 games in 2020-21. The Red Storm went 16-11 and reached the BIG EAST quarterfinals as the No. 4 seed. McGriff played a season-high 14 minutes in the regular-season finale against Seton Hall, draining a 3-pointer and adding two steals in a 10-point Red Storm win. Earlier in the season, he chipped in five points in an 89-66 win over fellow America East member Stony Brook. He totaled 12 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists during the season - his first collegiate campaign after redshirting the 2019-20 season while recovering from an injury.
White is a 6-foot-8, 220-pound junior who played for Clarendon College (Texas) last season. The Prospect, Dallas native averaged 8.7 rebounds and shot 60 percent from the field in 23 games for the Bulldogs, who compete in the Western Junior College Athletic Conference. White spent his freshman season at Horizon League member Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). He played in 21 games and tallied 20 points and 34 rebounds in nearly eight minutes per game. White’s top outing was a seven-point showing on 3-for-3 shooting against Cleveland State. He also pulled down nine rebounds in 26 minutes against Milwaukee.
Golfer Lane records hole-in-one, places eighth at conference championship
Senior Justin Lane finished tied for eighth place overall, highlighting Binghamton’s performance during the final round of the Big Sky Championships on Tuesday at the Boulder City Golf Club. In the final team standings, the Bearcats finished in seventh place.
Lane fired a final round score of 71/1-under par during the final round. He overcame a double bogey on the third hole and birdied two of the final three holes of the round. For the three-day tournament, Lane finished with a 77-72-71 =220/4-over par.
“Overall it was another real solid round for Justin and a very solid tournament,” head coach Bernie Herceg said. “He perseveres and keeps grinding through tough holes.”
Men’s lacrosse goalie named Defensive Player of Year
Men’s lacrosse players Teddy Dolan, Thomas Greenblatt and Hunter Greco were honored by the America East conference on Tuesday. Dolan, a redshirt-sophomore, was named Defensive Player of the Year, First Team All-Conference and All-Academic after a breakthrough season between the pipes. Greenblatt, a sophomore midfielder, was named to the All-Rookie team while Greco, a senior midfielder, joins Dolan on the All-Academic team.
“Teddy, Hunter and Thomas are all very deserving of the honors given out by the America East Conference,” head coach Kevin McKeown said. “All three of them are outstanding student-athletes who are great leaders in our program.” Read more
Men’s swimming and diving wins conference championship
For the first time since 2003, Binghamton has won the America East Men’s Swimming & Diving Championship. In the final day of the three-day competition at NJIT on Sunday night, the Bearcats held off four-time defending champion UMBC 889-872. NJIT (614), VMI (377) and Maine (353) rounded out the team standings.
The 2021 America East Swimming & Diving Championships included the diving events that were held at Binghamton last week. The Bearcats swept the top three places in both the one- and three-meter events and senior David Walters was named the Most Outstanding Diver.
With a big lead heading into the swimming portion of the championships – the Bearcats were able to hang on for the team title.
Men’s track and field wins four titles at America East Championship
Senior Dan Schaffer, senior Matt Baker, and senior Emily Mackay all won individual titles, highlighting Binghamton’s performance in the second and final day of the America East Outdoor Track & Field Championships on Sunday at UMass Lowell. Both the men and women’s teams placed fifth out of 10 teams.
Binghamton was missing 11 people due to COVID-19 quarantine protocols, including several potential top-3 finishers. Still, the Bearcats finished the two-day meet with five titles overall.
“Both teams killed it this weekend,” head coach Mike Thompson said. “Distance, jumps, sprints, hurdles and throws - everybody who was here was on. I could not be happier with the way they performed.”
Four track athletes compete at NCAA Regionals
Seniors Emily Mackay, Dan Schaffer and Matt Baker, as well as junior Aziza Chigatayeva have officially qualified for the NCAA East Region Track & Field Meet, which will be held May 26-29 at the University of North Florida. Mackay will compete in the women’s 5,000, Schaffer in the men’s 1,500, Chigatayeva in the women’s 3,000 Steeplechase (SC) and Baker in the men’s triple jump.
The top 48 performances in each event from programs located in the Eastern half of the United States advanced to the NCAA East Regional Meet. The top 48 performances in the Western half of the country, meanwhile, qualified for the NCAA West Regional Meet, which is being hosted by Texas A&M during the same four-day stretch. The top 12 finishers in each event at each of those meets move on to the NCAA Championships, which will be hosted by Oregon June 6-9.
Softball trio earns all-conference honors
Senior Makayla Alvarez and juniors Marissa Braito and Sophia Pappas have each been named second team America East All-Conference for the 2021 softball season. Braito was also chosen to the conference’s All-Academic Team. The announcement was made on Wednesday by the conference office.
“This recognition from the conference is well deserved,” head coach Michelle Johnston said. “Marissa, Makayla and Sophie will all be back next year and we are excited for the team to get a full year of competition in.”
Women’s basketball signs two recruits
The Binghamton women’s basketball program has announced the signing of Jadyn Weltz (Timmins, Ontario, Canada) and Camila Kirschenbaum (Montevideo, Uruguay) as part of the current National Letter of Intent (NLI) signing period. Both of them will arrive on campus as freshmen in August.
“Both Jadyn and Camila are high academic and high character people that have a great amount of international playing experience,” head coach Bethann Shapiro Ord said. “They both want to come in and be a part of making a difference here at Binghamton on and off the court.”
Women’s lacrosse trio named all-conference
Three members of the Binghamton women’s lacrosse team were honored by the America East, as released by the conference office Wednesday afternoon. Paige Volkmann led the way for BU, becoming the fifth women’s lacrosse athlete to land first-team All-Conference honors in program history. Madison Murphy followed suit with an All-Rookie team selection, and Sam Fama and Volkmann landed on the America East All-Academic team.
Volkmann is the first women’s lacrosse athlete since Jacqueline Kennedy (2018) to garner the first-team nod.
Women’s soccer wraps up large recruiting class
On the heels of the team’s run to the America East title game, Binghamton women’s soccer has firmed up its recruiting class with the addition of three high school standouts.
Head coach Neel Bhattacharjee announced Wednesday that Ashley Cirilla (Pattersonville, N.Y./Schalmont), Isabella Martillo (East Brunswick, N.J./East Brunswick) and Hannah Mimas (Baldwinsville, N.Y./Baker) will begin their Bearcat careers in the fall. The trio joins Bhattacharjee’s NLI class of eight that was announced in November.
Women’s soccer finishes superb season as America East runnerup
Playing in the conference championship game for the first time in 11 years, Binghamton women’s soccer (6-2) brought its trademark intensity and passion but an early Stony Brook goal was the difference in a 1-0 result that gave the Seawolves (6-3) their second straight America East crown Saturday night at Cushing Field.
Six women’s soccer players earn conference honors
Binghamton women’s soccer (5-1) now has a record-setting haul of awards to accompany its outstanding 2020-21 regular season. The America East released its all-star teams Wednesday and BU has six players honored, including five all-conference - most in program history.
Senior center back Erin Theiller and sophomore midfielder Olivia McKnight were named first team all-conference. It marks the first time in 16 years that BU has produced two top-team individuals. Joining the pair are second team all-conference choices Stefania Piantadosi, Nicole Scudero and Haylee Poltorak.
It’s the first time in the program’s 19-year America East history that BU has had five players make first or second team all-conference.
Adding to the group is freshman midfielder Victoria McKnight, who was voted to the All-Rookie Team.
Divers sweep titles
Seniors David Walters won the men’s one-meter diving event while fellow senior Sophia Howard captured the women’s three-meter competition, leading Binghamton’s strong showing in the first day of the America East Championships on Saturday at the Saunders Aquatic Center. The two-day diving meet concludes on Sunday and the total scores will be added to the swimming meet next week at NJIT.
Walters won his event with a score of 272.20, giving him his first conference title since he also won the one-meter event in 2018. He was followed in the team scoring by senior Erik Temple in second place (270.85) and sophomore Ryan Cohn in third place (262.35). This marks the first time the Bearcats have ever swept all three medalist honors in a single event at an America East Championship Meet.
Howard, meanwhile, won her first career title with a score of 265.10. She was joined on the medal podium by freshman Lindsey Weissman, who was third (262.35). In addition, fellow freshman Marisa Lee took sixth place (207.50).Divers sweep titles
Mackay caps stellar year as first-team track All-American
Senior Emily Mackay is now a two-time All-American.
Running in the women’s 5,000 at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Heyward Field on Saturday afternoon, Mackay placed seventh overall out of 24 finalists with a school-record time of 15:42.38. By finishing among the top eight runners in the race, she earned first-team All-America honors from the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches’ Association (USTFCCCA).