Sport-specific news, spring 2023
DePrez transitions to wrestling coaching staff
Binghamton wrestling announced that Lou DePrez will be added to the coaching staff effective immediately. DePrez will be an assistant coach for the Bearcats program for the rest of the 2022-23 season. He suffered a season ending injury in the finals at the Southern Scuffle on January 2. DePrez ends his sixth season with a 10-2 overall record and he is currently ranked No. 9 by InterMat at 197 pounds. DePrez is a two-time All-American and three-time EIWA champion.
“Lou knows this program and the team members better than anyone in the country,” said head coach Kyle Borshoff. “I’m looking forward to adding his expertise to the staff. After his injury at the Southern Scuffle, this is the best move we could make at this time, and I look forward to working with Lou in a new capacity.”
DePrez joins a coaching staff that also includes assistant coaches Fred Garcia and Phillip Barreiro.
Men’s lacrosse season preview
After wrapping up the 2022 season with a 5-9 (3-3 AE) record, Binghamton men’s lacrosse begins the 2023 campaign hungry. BU ended the season on a three game losing streak including falling to No. 3 seed UMBC in the America East Tournament 7-6. With a great senior class departing last season, there are shoes to be filled as some of the younger guys will look to step in and step up coming into the new season.
Softball newcomer competes in Pan-American Games
Being a freshman softball pitcher at Binghamton University, Brianna Roberts has already had a year full of adjustments and learning how to play at a higher level. She arrived on campus in August and took part in the Bearcats’ fall season – which does not count towards a softball program’s win-loss record. Like many of her teammates who had outstanding high school careers, Roberts had to raise her performance once she got to the collegiate level.
It wasn’t just at Binghamton where Roberts got to compete at a higher level this past fall. In November, she played for the Puerto Rican National Team at the Pan Am Games in Guatemala. Instead of playing with college players, she got to compete with some of the biggest names in Puerto Rican softball history – including several players who had distinguished college careers in the United States.
Swimming & Diving finishes strong at America East Championship
Sophomore Elijah Lanfear won the men’s 100 free title, highlighting Binghamton’s performance during the final day of the America East Swimming & Diving Championships on Saturday at the WPI Health & Wellness Center. In the final team standings, the Bearcat men’s team finished a close second place to UMBC in the four-day meet while the women ended up in fifth place.
Men’s tennis puts “serve” in community service
Under ninth-year head coach Nick Zieziula, Binghamton men’s tennis has built a culture that puts personal growth, service and human compassion at the forefront.
The team’s academic achievements have become the standard, even among a high-ranking athletic department whose student-athlete GPA outpaces the campus student body each semester. The men’s tennis program has captured the athletic department’s Academic Cup for highest team GPA six times, including this past fall when it produced a record 3.87 GPA. But this team doesn’t limit its efforts to just the court and classroom. With Zieziula providing the shining light, his team continues to use the sport of tennis to create bonds and opportunities that connect us all.
Baseball season preview
Having taken a young team all the way to another America East title in 2022, Binghamton baseball has the luxury of returning almost all of the key elements from their NCAA tournament team as the 2023 season kicks off. But despite the loaded roster and preseason nod by most coaches and national publications, 31-year head coach Tim Sinicki knows each season is distinct and this year’s squad will have to perform at a high level and peak at the right time to replicate last spring’s success.
Indoor Track & Field teams place third at America East Championship
Binghamton won six individual titles and placed third overall out of nine teams on both the men’s and women’s sides, highlighting its performance during the final day of the America East Indoor Championships on Sunday at the Track at New Balance. It marks the second straight top-three performance for both the men’s and women’s teams at the conference indoor meet.
The men’s team, which came into the meet hampered by several key injuries, won three titles on Sunday to finish the meet with five individual crowns. That represents the most individual victories by the Binghamton men’s squad at the conference indoor meet since it also won five times in 2008.
Softball season preview
With seven returning position starters, three returners on the mound, three all-conference players as well as seven promising newcomers, Binghamton heads into the 2023 softball season with both experience and depth. In 2022, the Bearcats had a thin roster but still managed to reel off 22 victories and finish fourth at the America East Tournament.
This year, the Bearcats not only have the numbers but also a strong team chemistry that has been developing since the start of their fall season.
Women’s lacrosse season preview
Binghamton women’s lacrosse returns a veteran squad mixed with six newcomers in 2023. The Bearcats will target a return to the America East playoffs for the second consecutive season. Last season, the Bearcats reached the America East semifinals as the No. 3 seed, and lost to eventual champions Vermont, 13-12. In 2023, Binghamton was selected to finish fifth in the America East preseason poll.
Three women’s basketball players earn conference honors
Senior Denai Bowman and redshirt freshmen guards Jadyn Weltz and Ella Wanzer have each earned all-conference honors for the 2022-23 women’s basketball season. The announcement was made by the conference office on Tuesday afternoon and the voting was done by the nine America East head coaches – none of whom were permitted to vote for their own team.
Men’s basketball trio earns America East accolades
After a regular season that ended with the program’s highest conference finish in 13 years, Binghamton men’s basketball had three players recognized with America East awards. Senior guard Jacob Falko was named Second Team All-Conference, junior forward Armon Harried was selected to the All-Defensive team and senior guard Dan Petcash earned a spot on the All-Academic Team.
Men’s basketball advances to America East semifinals
After a six-hour start delay due to a power outage, fifth-seeded Binghamton (13-17) provided the power down the stretch to outlast fourth-seeded UMBC (18-14) 67-65 in the America East quarterfinals Saturday night at Chesapeake Arena. With the win, BU advances to the semifinals for the second straight year and third time in the last five years. The Bearcats will face No. 1 Vermont on Tuesday night in Burlington.
Three wrestlers headed to NCAA Championship
The NCAA released wrestling seeds for the NCAA championships, as Binghamton continues to prepare for the trip to the BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla.
The Bearcats have three representatives competing in Brevin Cassella, Jacob Nolan, and Cory Day.
Five track and field athletes earn academic honors
Graduate students Aziza Chigatayeva and Stephanie Cassens, seniors Jake Restivo and Matthew Cavaliere as well as junior Jenna Chan have each been named to the 2023 America East Indoor Track & Field All-Academic Team. The announcement was made by the conference office on Thursday morning.
The three Binghamton women’s selections tied Vermont for the most among conference schools. In addition, the two Bearcat men’s picks tied UMBC and Bryant for the most in the America East.
Volleyball All-American Ilieva honored with special ceremony
Volleyball junior Tsvetelina Ilieva was honored at a department All-America Recognition Ceremony Monday afternoon at the Events Center. The traditional event was live streamed to reach Ilieva’s family and hometown friends back home in Bulgaria.
The event featured remarks by University President Harvey Stenger, Director of Athletics Eugene Marshall, Deputy AD Dennis Kalina and head coach Allie Yaeger before Ilieva had her turn at the microphone. She was presented with a framed AVCA All-America certificate in addition to citations from New York State Assemblewoman Donna Lupardo and New York State Senator Lea Webb.