Features
Women’s cross country standout Allison Davis
It was August 2014 and Allison Davis was beginning her freshman year at Binghamton University.
Davis had joined the women’s cross country team as a walk-on. Originally from Westtown, New York, she had a solid career at Minisink Valley High School. Davis qualified for the New York State meet as a senior and was named the team MVP three times.
Compared to the recruited Division I athletes, however, Davis’ credentials were not as strong. Nevertheless, she decided to continue her running career at the collegiate level.
Now, just one week into the team’s preseason, Davis was fearful that she had made the wrong decision. The Bearcats’ preseason time trial – a two-mile race – was one day away. Davis called her mom in tears and braced herself for the worst the following day.
“It was one of the most drama-queen moments of my life,” Davis recalled. “I was freaking out. I called my mom, crying shamefully and told her I did not deserve to be a Division I athlete. I thought I was too slow and could not handle the pressure.”
Four years later, at the 2018 America East Conference Indoor Track Championships in Boston, it was Davis’ mother who was in tears. These, however, were happy tears. She was in the stands, watching Allison have the meet of her life.
Saluting a supporter: Sodexo’s Doug Thomas
Wednesday afternoon was marked a new beginning for the Binghamton Athletic Department. It also marked a fond farewell to a man who will retire in two weeks.
The Binghamton softball team played its first game on the upgraded Bearcats Sports Complex against Albany. The man who was chosen to throw out the ceremonial first pitch, however, was Doug Thomas of Binghamton University Dining Services.
Thomas has worked on campus for five and a half years – the past five at the concession stand in the Events Center – aptly named The Hungry Bearcat. During that span Thomas has gotten to know hundreds of student-athletes on a first-name basis.
Earlier in the semester, Thomas announced that he was retiring after graduation weekend. The Binghamton student-athletes then began thinking of a way they could pay tribute to him. Eventually, they decided on Thomas throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at a softball home game.