Team/individual accomplishments
Swimming & Diving season preview
The Bearcats Men’s and Women’s swim teams open their 2017-2018 season on October 7th in Newark, NJ. The Men’s team’s first contest is against New Jersey Institute of Technology, and the Women’s team faces off against the University of Vermont. The Bearcats host their lone home meet of the fall on December 2, 2017.
Six wrestlers earn preseason rankings
The Binghamton wrestling team has six wrestlers on FloWrestling’s preseason EIWA rankings. The team also came in ranked at 8th out of 16 EIWA teams. The team rankings are based on theoretical tournament scoring for the top eight ranked guys.
At 125 pounds, junior Steve Bulzomi came in ranked fifth. Bulzomi finished last season with a 21-14 record with an 8-7 mark in dual matches. He contributed a total of 33 team points with two pins on the season. The native of Oakdale, New York placed 7th at last year’s EIWA Championship to help him earn this ranking.
Sophomore Parker Kropman came in ranked sixth at 149 pounds. After an outstanding freshman season recording a 19-12 overall record with a 12-4 dual mark, Kropman finished in seventh place at last year’s EIWA tournament. The native of Rochester, NY contributed a team high 45 points and was recognized by the EIWA for academic success following his season.
Two women’s basketball players named preseason all-conference
The America East has released its 2017 Women’s Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team and for the first time in program history, the Bearcats have a pair of selections. Senior guard Imani Watkins is a repeat pick while senior center Alyssa James makes her first appearance on the squad.
Watkins, who is just the third Binghamton player ever to be selected twice during her career, was named first-team all-conference and second-team All-ECAC last year. She was the Binghamton University Female Athlete of the Year and begins her senior year with 1,468 points. Her scoring total currently ranks fifth all time in program history and is in the top 40 all time in the America East.
James, meanwhile, is the two-time America East Defensive Player of the Year. After being named third-team all-conference in 2016, she moved up to the second team last season. James enters her final campaign with 160 blocks, which ranks third all-time in Binghamton program history and sixth all time in the America East record book. In addition, she holds the America East single game (11) and single season (92) block records.
Men’s basketball picked sixth in America East preseason poll
The America East released its 2017-18 Preseason Coaches’ Poll on Thursday and Binghamton is tied for sixth in the nine-team league. The Bearcats garnered 29 points along with UMass Lowell. Defending champion Vermont (64 pts.) was a unanimous choice to repeat, followed by Albany (57 pts.), UMBC (45), Stony Brook (38) and New Hampshire (37) in the top five. After the Bearcats and Lowell were Hartford (16) and Maine (7).
The America East also released its Preseason All-Conference Team, which extended to seven players due to ties in voting. Vermont (Trae Bell-Haynes, Anthony Lamb) and Albany (Joe Cremo, David Nichols) had two players apiece and the remaining members were Tanner Leissner (UNH), Jairus Lyles (UMBC) and Jahad Thomas (UMass Lowell).
Women’s basketball picked third in America East preseason poll
The America East has released its preseason women’s basketball poll and the Bearcats have been chosen to finish third out of nine teams this season. The third-place selection ties the program’s highest preseason ranking.
Finishing ahead of Binghamton were New Hampshire and Albany respectively. The Wildcats received all eight first-place votes while the Great Danes had the final vote. The voting was done by the nine conference head coaches, none of whom were allowed to choose their own team.
Rounding out places four through nine were Hartford, UMBC, Maine, Vermont, Stony Brook and UMass Lowell respectively.
Binghamton has made steady progress in the three seasons since Linda Cimino has been the head coach. After placing last in 2015, the Bearcats finished in a three-way tie for third place the following season and were fifth last year. In 2016, Binghamton advanced to the America East semifinals for the first time since 2012.
The Bearcats have been picked to finish third three previous times during their 16 previous seasons in the America East Conference. Those instances came in 2007, 2009 and 2010 preseason polls.
Binghamton opens up its 2017 campaign at Army on Nov. 10.
Wrestling welcomes No. 13 recruiting class in country to campus
As the countdown to the Binghamton wrestling season continues, head coach Matt Dernlan has officially announced the 2017-18 freshman. A group of seven wrestlers make up this powerhouse recruiting class, which was ranked at No. 13 in the country by The Open Mat earlier this summer.
Joining the Bearcats are Lou DePrez (Hilton, N.Y./Hilton High School), Dane Heberlein (Darien Center, N.Y./Alexander High School), Aidan Monteverdi (Whippany, N.J./Seton Hall Prep School), Matt Swanson (Lynbrook, N.Y./Lynbrook High School), Dylan Wood (Trout Creek, N.Y./Walton Central School), Jake Peru (Jamestown, N.Y./ Falconer High School), and Joe Doyle (Richboro, PA/Council Rock South).
Women’s soccer hosts America East semifinal game
Riding the program’s best Division I win percentage (.722) into its first America East semifinal appearance since 2009, second-seeded Binghamton women’s soccer (11-3-4) hosts sixth-seeded Vermont (8-8-2) at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Bearcats Sports Complex. On the line is a berth in the confererence championship game, contested Nov. 5 at the highest seed. Top-seeded New Hampshire meets fifth-seeded Stony Brook in the other semifinal.
Last Sunday, Binghamton pulled out a riveting 3-2 overtime win over Hartford to clinch of share of the team’s first crown in 13 years. The team’s 11 regular season wins are the second-most in program history (D-I era). Four Bearcats earned all-conference honors and the coaching staff shared top honors as well.
Women’s soccer claims four all-conference selections
After riding a regular-season-ending five-game unbeaten streak to claim a share of the America East crown, Binghamton women’s soccer (11-3-4) was well represented on the all-conference teams. The conference released the teams and major award winners on Wednesday and the Bearcats garnered four all-conference, two all-rookie and two all-academic selections and had two of the six major award recipients.
Head coach Neel Bhattacharjee and his staff were recognized as co-Coaching Staff of the Year along with the New Hampshire group. Redshirt junior forward Kayla Saager was voted Striker of the Year after leading the conference in goals, assists and points. Saager was the team’s lone first team all-conference selection but BU was granted three second-team slots for sophomore midfielder Carly Barnett, freshman midfielder Dora Hayes and freshman defender Erin Theiller.
Seniors Katie Hatziyianis and Hannah Shankman were named to the All-Academic Team. Hayes and Theiller also made the All-Rookie Team.
Women’s soccer wins share of America East regular season title
Freshman back Erin Theiller volleyed home a corner kick rebound 3:56 into overtime to give Binghamton women’s soccer (11-3-4, 5-2-1 America East) a riveting 3-2 win over Hartford Sunday afternoon from the Bearcats Sports Complex. The win gave BU a share of the America East regular season title (with New Hampshire) - the program’s first since 2004 - and the No. 2 seed for the upcoming conference tournament.
In a wild game that featured five goals, a saved penalty kick and loads of drama, Theiller picked a great time to notch her first collegiate goal. Redshirt forward Kayla Saager took a long pass down the left side and deftly dribbled endline before touching the ball off a Hawks’ defender for the corner kick. Saager then curled her corner high into the box and just off the outstretched hands of Hartford keeper Maia Perez. The ball bounced to Theiller, who calmly sent her left-footed volley into the back of the net for the game-winner. Saager’s assist was her seventh of the season. She ranks 10th in the nation in points (29).
Schaffer named Most Outstanding Rookie at America East Cross Country Championship
Redshirt freshman Dan Schaffer was named the Most Outstanding Men’s Rookie, highlighting Binghamton’s performance at the America East Cross Country Championships on Saturday at Vermont. In the team standings, the Bearcat women were sixth out of nine teams while the men were seventh.
Schaffer clocked a time of 25:40 for the 8,000-meter course. He was the top rookie finisher in the event and is the first Binghamton runner to be named the Men’s Most Outstanding Rookie since the award was established in 2015.
Luescher named Men’s Soccer Rookie of Year
Freshman midfielder Noah Luescher has been named the America East Rookie of the Year. The announcement was made on Friday afternoon as the 2017 all-conference teams were revealed.
Joining Luescher on the conference’s All-Rookie Team is freshman forward Jack Muller. Junior back Kevin Flesch, meanwhile, was named to the America East All-Academic Team.
Despite missing the final three regular-season games with an injury, Luescher still finished his rookie year with three goals and five assists. His 11 totals points led all conference rookies this year and his five assists ranked third overall.
Women’s basketball season preview
For the first three years under head coach Linda Cimino, the Binghamton women’s basketball program featured a young team gaining experience on the court and improving in the America East standings. The potential was evident, as four players earned America East All-Rookie honors – the highest total of any conference team during that stretch.
Heading into the 2017-18 campaign, however, the setting is quite different. Binghamton is now a talented veteran team, anchored by a pair of returning all-conference players in senior guard Imani Watkins and senior center Alyssa James. They are two of the Bearcats’ four returning starters from last year.
Binghamton’s arrival as a top team in the America East was firmly acknowledged in the America East preseason voting. The Bearcats were the only team with two all-conference selections (Watkins and James) and received its highest ranking (third out of nine teams) since 2010.
Men’s basketball season preview
Binghamton men’s basketball heads into the 2017-18 season with as many weapons and as much optimism as they’ve had during head coach Tommy Dempsey’s six-year tenure. With all five starters back and nine of the team’s top 10 scorers from a year ago, the Bearcats are eager to turn the corner in conference play and battle for a home playoff game (top-four seed).
Paramount to the team’s fortunes will be the tandem health of leaders Willie Rodriguez and J.C. Show. The pair were set to form a dangerous inside-outside combination last year before each suffered an injury that allowed them to start just one game together on the floor.
“To go through 32 games and have J.C. and Willie play one game together was frustrating,” Dempsey said. “That had a lot to do with us not being as successful as we wanted last season.”
Rodriguez was slowed by a leg injury in the early season but did enough to climb over the 1,000-point plateau (1,105 pts.). He sharpened up by late February and tallied 46 points in his final two outings, including a 20-point, 14-rebound showing against Stony Brook in the America East quarterfinals.
Wrestling season preview
The Binghamton wrestling team enters the 2017-18 season with something different than they’ve had in past seasons. In addition to having quality talent at the helm with their potential starters, they also have quality depth at the ten weight classes. An effort that has taken head coach Matt Dernlan his five-year tenure, the fruits of the Bearcats wrestling program are finally coming to fruition.
“It’s a really good problem to have,” Dernlan said. “We finally have the depth where we have to sit back as a coaching staff and make some really tough decisions regarding who we’re going to be putting out on the mat. There will be a handful of weights where we’re going to need to utilize the first month or two of competition to see who galvanizes themselves and steps up to the role they need to play.”
In 2016-17, the Bearcats made a huge mark on the program as they had their most successful season to date. They had eight place finishers at the EIWA Championships, with 66 total team points, taking eighth place out of 16 teams. A record setting performance in all three categories. But competing in a prestigious conference with a lot of parity, the sights for this season are set much higher.
Baseball releases spring schedule
Coming off back-to-back America East regular season championships, Binghamton baseball has released its 2018 schedule. The Bearcats, who have won a combined 10 regular season and tournament crowns in the last 11 years, start their spring with a three-game set at Northwestern State University in Louisiana on Feb. 16-18.
“Every year the goal is to put together a schedule filled with early-season and mid-week challenges in hopes that those games help prepare us as a program for the rigorous demands of the America East Conference,” 26-year head coach Tim Sinicki said. “I most certainly believe we’ve accomplished that with the 2018 schedule and are excited to get to Natchitoches, Louisiana, for the season opener.”
Before Binghamton begins conference play in mid-March, the team will play four series’, the last three of which will be in the state of Virginia. The team plays its first 22 games on the road before its home opener April 3 vs. Bucknell. Over the last two seasons, BU has gone 30-5 at home - a win percentage (.857) topped only by Louisville (.909) across the nation. Last season the Bearcats went 30-13 (.698), the 15th-highest win percentage in the country.
Wrestling hosts No. 1 Penn State
The Binghamton wrestling team is back in action this Friday night, November 17th, as they get ready to host No. 1 Penn State. The showcase match, presented by NBT Bank and HH&K will take place at 7 p.m. in the Events Center and will be broadcast on ESPN3. This is the first time in Binghamton athletics history that the school has hosted a defending national champion in any sport.
“This is a premiere event for our program but it’s also a premiere flagship event for the entire athletic department,” head coach Matt Dernlan said. “I think somebody compared them to UCLA basketball coming to the Events Center. It should be a point of pride for everyone in the athletic department that we’re actually able to attract and bring the number one team and most dominant team in their sport to our home facilities.”
This is just the second time a Binghamton team has faced the reigning national champion and the first time hosting a number one ranked team in the country. It will also be the second time Binghamton wrestling has faced the nation’s top ranked team. The Bearcats wrestled then No. 1 Iowa State back in 2007.
“There’s no better opportunity for the guys to wrestle in a big time environment than in our own Events Center,” Dernlan said.
Volleyball reaches America East championship match
The Binghamton volleyball team (12-14, 9-4 AE) swept New Hampshire (13-14, 8-5 AE) 3-0 in the America East semifinal at University Gym on Friday afternoon. Binghamton advances to the conference championship for the first time since 2012 and for the fourth time in program history. The Bearcats will face Stony Brook in the championship. Stony Brook upset Albany, 3-0, in the semifinal round.
Binghamton won the first set 25-20, the second 25-19 and the third 25-23.
Both teams went point-for-point in the first set until the Bearcats were able to secure a 21-16 lead over the Wildcats. Binghamton scored on a kill from Gaby Alicea to take a 22-16 lead, but New Hampshire did not back down. The Wildcats scored the next two points to cut the Bearcats lead to four, but Binghamton was able to secure their final three points on two New Hampshire errors and a kill from Lexi LaGoy ended the set.
Softball signs four recruits
The Binghamton softball program has received a National Letter of Intent (NLI) from four high school seniors as part of the recent early signing period. All of them will join the Bearcats’ program as freshmen next fall.
Morgan Bienkowski (Nanticoke, Pa.) is a pitcher from Holy Redeemer High School. She was named first team All-State 2015-2017 and has led her team to back-to-back state championships. During her high school career, she has an ERA of 0.62 with 345 strikeouts. Bienkowski plays travel ball for the TC Tremors, coached by Lou Bishop. She plans to major in chemistry while at Binghamton.
Marissa Braito (Albertson, N.Y.) is a middle infielder from Sacred Heart Academy. She was named the 2017 NSCHSAA Player of the Year. In addition, she was named fourth-team all-state as a sophomore and second-team all-state as a junior. During her junior season, Braito hit .661 with 41 hits, 34 runs scored and 26 stolen bases. She plays travel ball for Team Long Island coached by Rob Williams and Angel Mangual. Braito plans to major in biology with a pre-med track.
Chloe Morgan (Marysville, Wash.) is an outfielder from Marysville Pilchuck High School. She was named first-team All-Wesco from 2015-2017, as well as first- and second-team All-Area and team MVP during the same years. Morgan plays travel ball for the Washington Ladyhawks Gold team coached by Wayne Miller. She plans to major in Biology with a Pre-Med track.
Sophia Pappas (Binghamton, N.Y.) is a pitcher from nearby Susquehanna Valley High School. She is a three-time, first-team Class B, All-State selection. Pappas has pitched a total of 418 innings and has recorded 678 strikeouts since her freshman year. She has also batted .530 during that same three-year span. Pappas plays travel ball for the local STPS Ponies coached by Chris Sinicki. She plans to major in mathematical sciences while at Binghamton.
Track signs three recruits
The Binghamton track & field program has received a National Letter of Intent (NLI) from three high school seniors as part of the Early Signing Period. All of them will join the Bearcat program as freshman next fall.
Dominique Jackson (Bronx, N.Y.) is a sprinter from Pelham Prep High School. At the 2017 New York State Outdoor Championships, she was seventh in the 100 and eighth in the 200. In addition, she captured the 2017 PSAL Outdoor City championship. Jackson’s top times are 7.20 in the 55, 12.06 in the 100, 24.77 in the 200 and 40.07 in the 300.
Stephanie Cassens (Rhineback, N.Y.) is a sprinter from Rhineback High School. She placed seventh in the 400 at the New York State Outdoor Championships last spring. Cassens’ top time in that event is 57.78.
Casey Gribben (Clifton Park, N.Y.) is a pole vaulter from Shenendehowa High School. During the 2017 outdoor season, he won the Suburban Council championship and was 10th at the New York State Outdoor Meet.
Men’s lacrosse announces 2018 schedule
The Binghamton men’s lacrosse team has released its 2018 schedule, which begins with on February 10 with a short trip to Syracuse to face the Orange. The 15-game slate includes six homes games as well as four opponents who were either ranked or receiving votes in the USILA Top 20 poll last season.
“It is with great excitement that we announce our 2018 spring schedule, said Head Coach Kevin McKeown. “As we wrap up our fall semester, we can now begin to peak forward at what lies ahead. It is a challenging slate of nine non-conference games to get us prepared for America East play.”
The Bearcats have moved their contest against Syracuse to the beginning of the season and have also added a game against perennial power Cornell midway through the season.
Women’s lacrosse announces 2018 schedule
The Binghamton women’s lacrosse team has released its 2018 schedule, which begins on February 11 with a trip to La Salle to take on Fresno State. The 16 game slate includes seven home games as well as four games against opponents who were ranked or received votes in the USILA poll last season. The Bearcats will also face Boston College, which will mark the first time as a program facing a National runner-up.
“We are very excited for some fresh opponents this year and new challenges within our schedule,” head coach Stephanie Allen said. “It is important for us to keep conference champions and nationally ranked opponents on our schedule. The addition of Boston College helps better prepare us for our tough conference slate. We are already looking forward to coming back in January and getting our 2018 spring campaign underway.”
Two distance runners sign with Bearcats
The Binghamton distance program has received a pair of National Letters of Intent (NLI) as part of the early signing period.
Liam Higgins (Goshen, N.Y.) is currently a senior at Goshen High School. He was sixth at the recent New York State (NYS) Class B Cross Country Championship and seventh at the ensuing NYS Federation Meet. Earlier in the season, Higgins won the Manhattan Invitational title.
Higgins’ top times are 4:24 in the 1,600, 9:37 in the indoor 3,200 and 9:36.46 in the 3,000 steeplechase.
On the women’s side, Samantha Sturgess (East Setauket, N.Y.) is a current senior at Ward Melville High School. She was third at last spring’s New Balance National Meet in the 4x800.
Sturgess’ top times are 2:22.18 in the 800 and 3:09.09 in the indoor 1,000. Her Fully Automatic Timing (FAT) time for the 800 is 2:15.
Two wrestlers earn national rankings
With the newest round of rankings released by TrackWrestling, redshirt sophomore Tristan Rifanburg makes his debut on the list at the national level. Rifanburg earned the No. 16 ranking at 157 pounds after placing eighth at the premiere Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational this past weekend. Also on the list is senior Steve Schneider, who moved up to a No. 12 spot at 184 pounds after a sixth place finish at the Cliff Keen Invitational.
Men’s lacrosse wins sportsmanship award
The Binghamton men’s lacrosse team has been named has been named one of 11 recipients of the James “Ace” Adams Sportsmanship Award for the 2017 season by the National Intercollegiate Lacrosse Officials Association. The coaching staff accepted the award this weekend at the Intercollegiate Mens Lacrosse Coaches Association Convention in Baltimore.
Established in 2006, the James “Ace” Adams Sportsmanship Award is presented annually to the college or university in each of the 11 officiating districts whose coaches, players and fans exhibit the best sportsmanship throughout the season. Additionally, consideration is given to facilities available for the officials and treatment of the officials prior to during and after the game. Recipients are selected by collegiate lacrosse game officials.
“It is quite an honor to receive the James “Ace” Adams Award,” said Coach Kevin McKeown. “I was fortunate enough to be part of a team at Binghamton as a player when we also won this award. It is a testament to our players and how they carried themselves on and off the field, especially last year’s senior class.”
The award is named after legendary Army and Virginia head coach and national Lacrosse Hall of Fame member James “Ace” Adams. Well known and respected for his positive sideline demeanor as well as the exception character which his teams displayed. He amassed 284 collegiate victories during a coaching career that spanned five decades. At the time of his retirement in 1992, Adams had the most wins of any active NCAA Division I coach.
The Bearcats open the 2018 season on February 10 when they take on the Syracuse Orange at the Carrier Dome.