Friday, July 30, 2004

MEN'S BASKETBALL: O'Hanlon signs 10-year extension; will remain at Lafayette until 2014
The Express-Times/ By Corky Blake
EASTON -- It has been a busy week for Lafayette College men's basketball coach Fran O'Hanlon. In addition to scouring playgrounds and summer leagues for future Leopards, O'Hanlon found time earlier in the week to talk with La Salle University administrators about their vacant basketball job. O'Hanlon said thanks, but no thanks, to continuing the talks. Then, on Thursday night, O'Hanlon returned to Easton and stopped by the College Hill residence of Lafayette athletic director Bruce McCutcheon to sign a 10-year extension, which is supposed to keep the 55-year-old coach on the Leopards sideline through June 30, 2014. O'Hanlon, when contacted at his College Hill home Thursday night, said there was some correlation between meeting with La Salle president Brother Michael McGinniss and athletic director Tom Brennan at an off-campus site and what transpired Thursday night. "One of the things that happened with all the stuff going on is it got us talking contracts," O'Hanlon said. "Lafayette's been great to me, and I don't think I'm in any danger (of losing his job). I figured this would just get everything in writing."

MEN'S BASKETBALL: O'Hanlon signs 10-year contract
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Fran O'Hanlon, one of the many rumored candidates for the vacant men's basketball coaching position at La Salle, has signed a 10-year contract to remain the coach at Lafayette. In nine seasons at Lafayette, O'Hanlon has a 141-117 record. He has won three regular-season Patriot League titles and appeared in two NCAA Tournaments.

Wednesday, July 14, 2004

FOOTBALL: Slender receiver can't hide hefty talent
The Gazette (Md.)/ By John Y. Wehmueller
At 6-foot, 160 pounds, Duaeno Dorsey is not built to stand out among the biggest football players in the state. With a 40-yard dash time in the 4.5- to 4.6-second range, he won't command attention in a field of the fastest football players in Maryland. Dorsey knows all this. He also knows that he very much belongs among the best football players in the state of Maryland. That's the select company he found himself in last week, including Friday night at the 2004 Maryland High School Football All-Star Game. As for Dorsey, he'll play next season at Lafayette (Pa.), a Division I-AA school and a member of the Patriot League. "It's a good school academically, and then when I went for my visit, the team was great," Dorsey said. "There was a sense of togetherness. It was a whole lot of fun going up there. That's why I chose them."

Friday, June 4, 2004

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Farrell finished basketball career in low-profile fashion
The Daytona Beach News-Journal/ By Ed Plaisted
DELAND -- It may have passed unnoticed, but DeLand's Mike Farrell finished his basketball career this past winter as the captain at Lafayette College. Well known in local prep basketball circles, the Father Lopez standout nearly spent his collegiate career in front of the same fans. But he decided against Stetson and opted for the Patriot League school in Easton, Pa. The 6-foot-8 power forward, who was an All-State performer at Father Lopez, said his decision to attend Lafayette was based on playing for head coach Fran O'Hanlon. A coaching change at Stetson also factored into his choice. "He was a great coach and he really cared about kids, "Farrell said in a telephone interview from Easton. Farrell said he was disappointed about his team's controversial 67-66 overtime loss to Colgate in the finals of the Patriot League Tournament in March.

Saturday, May 22, 2004

FOOTBALL: First and Goal Camp ready to kick off for good cause
The Express-Times/ By Corky Blake
In the final scene of the movie "Field of Dreams," an endless stream of cars drives toward a magical baseball field in an Iowa cornfield. John Loose hopes something similar occurs on the morning of June 5 on Forks Township's Sullivan Trail -- when the inaugural Lauren's First and Goal Football Camp is conducted at Lafayette's Metzgar Athletic Campus. Loose is Lafayette football's defensive coordinator. He's pulling together this one-day football clinic, with the help of college coaches of all levels from throughout the east, to benefit the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation of the U.S (PBTFUS). Loose and his wife, Marianne are the parents of two wonderful daughters. Grace, age 4, is perfectly healthy. Her older sister, 7-year-old Lauren, was diagnosed with multiple brain tumors at the age of 2 and ever since has been undergoing chemotherapy treatments and MRI exams every two months at Children's Hospital in Philadelphia.

Wednesday, May 19, 2004

TRACK & FIELD: Jamaicans shine at US college meets
The Ithaca Journal/ By LaMond Pope
Several Jamaicans recorded victories in American regional college track and field meets last weekend. At the IC4A/ECAC Championships in New Haven, Machel Morrison of Lafayette College won the 100 metres in 10.45secs, while Richard Phillips of George Mason took the 200 metres in 20.92secs.

Monday, May 10, 2004

BASEBALL: Kashner, Army conquer Lafayette for Patriot title
The Morning Call/ By Jeff Schuler
WEST POINT, N.Y. | The ball off the bat of Dave Dreschel appeared headed for Washington Road, beyond Doubleday Field's left-field fence. Finally, after 61/2 dreadful innings, the Lafayette fans and the Leopards themselves would have something to cheer. Instead, Army's Milan Dingo retreated to the 8-foot chain-link fence, leaped up and brought the ball back down with him, robbing the Leopard pinch-hitter of a home run. Not that Dinga's catch made any kind of difference. At the time the Black Knights already held a 15-0 lead en route to a convincing 16-2 victory that put a fitting crown -- the Patriot League championship trophy -- on an Army season that Lafayette coach Joe Kinney called the best in the league history. But to Kinney, who has been an assistant or a head coach in the league since its inception, Dinga's catch summarized the difference between the team that wins the championship and one that merely plays for one. ''There's 18 different things I can comment on, but one thing that stands out -- the game was out of reach and the kid robs the kid of a home run,'' Kinney said. ''They played with ... passion, and hopefully your team sees that and learns it. We demonstrated that at times today, but nowhere near the extent they did.''

Sunday, May 9, 2004

BASEBALL: Army lefty places Lafayette in hole
The Express-Times/ By Paul Sokoloski
WEST POINT, N.Y. -- A sudden offensive surge early Saturday afternoon sent Lafayette College's baseball team directly into the Patriot League Championship Series. Army left-hander Nick Hill sent the Leopards straight into a serious hole by making sure there was no repeat later in the day. Hill scattered eight hits as top-seeded Army staved off Lafayette 3-1 in the opener of a best-of-three league title series in the evening at Doubleday Field. That came just after second-seeded Lafayette used a five-run fourth inning and Eric Vacca's RBI single in the bottom of the eighth to sting archrival Lehigh, 7-6 in the tournament's elimination game.

BASEBALL: Leopards' seniors get one last shot at title
The Morning Call/ By Jeff Schuler
WEST POINT, N.Y. | Joe Kinney's first full recruiting class came to College Hill in the wake of eight straight losing seasons, and two years after the worst record (8-32) in the program's 139-year history. But on Saturday, Lafayette reached its first Patriot League championship series thanks in large part to contributions from some of those 11 seniors. Seniors Craig Alexander and Eric Vacca teamed to produce the eventual winning run in the bottom of the eighth, and classmates Don Smith and Paul Fischetti came out of the bullpen to cool Lehigh's bats in a 7-6 win in the league's elimination game at Army's Johnson Stadium at Doubleday Field. Later, the top-seeded Black Knights spoiled the effort of another Leopard senior, right hander Tom Soldan, scraping together enough offense for a 3-1 victory in the first game of the best-of-three round. Game two is scheduled for noon today, with the decisive third game to follow if needed.

Friday, April 30, 2004

FOOTBALL: IC, Watkins Glen grad plans benefit clinic
The Ithaca Journal/ By LaMond Pope
ITHACA -- Lafayette College assistant football coach John Loose has experienced first-hand the role the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation of the United States (PBTFUS) can play for a family. Loose's 7-year-old daughter, Lauren, was diagnosed with multiple brain tumors at the age of 2. During the past five years, the Loose family has received support from the PBTFUS, which provides the majority of funding for research into the treatment of and search for a cure of pediatric brain tumors. With that in mind, Loose, who graduated from Watkins Glen and was a high jumper at Ithaca College, is organizing a one-day football clinic. "Lauren's First and Goal Football Camp," will take place June 5 at Lafayette College's Metzgar Athletic Campus in Easton, Pa. All proceeds for the event will benefit the PBTFUS.

Lafayette College seems to have its priorities in order
The Morning Call/ By Paul Carpenter
More than a half-dozen colleges and universities in the Lehigh Valley area have built multimillion-dollar sports facilities to attract students, it was reported this week. Accompanying the story were two eye-catching front-page photos taken at Lafayette College's snazzy Kirby Sports Center. One showed a senior partway up a climbing wall; the other showed three freshmen on exercise machines. Lafayette, the story said, spent $26.5 million to build Kirby in 2000, and one student (from Illinois) was quoted as saying the gym helped persuade him to enroll there. The story also mentioned big, expensive sports facilities at Muhlenberg, Kutztown, East Stroudsburg, Moravian, Lehigh and Cedar Crest. If you have read any of the stuff I've written about educational priorities, you probably think you know what's coming next. I have delivered diatribes about schools that put too much emphasis on sports and ignore academic needs. That, however, is not where we're going today.

Sunday, April 25, 2004

BASEBALL: Lafayette in good position after sweep
The Express-Times/ By Corky Blake
BETHLEHEM -- Nothing beats good pitching, and that's why Lafayette can rest easy today knowing it has secured the No. 2 seed in the Patriot League baseball playoffs by sweeping rival Lehigh -- 3-2 and 8-1 Saturday afternoon at Goodman Field. Meanwhile, Lehigh must sweep today's doubleheader against the Leopards to have a chance at gaining the third and final playoff spot. While Lafayette (19-19 overall) is safe and sound at 11-7, Lehigh (22-19) is in a four-way tie with Bucknell, Navy and Holy Cross at 7-11. Army clinched the No. 1 seed last weekend and will host the tournament held May 8-9 at Doubleday Field.

FOOTBALL: Fisher leading the way for Leopards
The Express-Times/ By Corky Blake
EASTON -- With only four healthy receivers available for Lafayette's Maroon and White spring football game, junior-to-be wide receiver Archie Fisher knew he would get plenty of snaps Saturday afternoon at Fisher Field. That suited Fisher just fine. After two seasons as serving primarily as a red zone target, the 6-foot-4 Warren Hills Regional High School graduate and classmate Brandon Stanford will be the Leopards' frontline receivers this fall. Fisher responded with a team-high five catches for 99 yards, including an 8-yard touchdown pass from No. 1 quarterback Brad Maurer and a 30-yard scoring strike from No. 2 quarterback Pat Davis. The offense defeated the defense, 55-36, through a sophisticated scoring system that rewarded various achievements such as first downs, blocked kicks, stopped drives, and, of course, touchdowns.

BASEBALL: Lafayette takes two from Lehigh
The Morning Call/ By John Heilig
Lafayette guaranteed itself a place in the Patriot League playoffs Saturday with a doubleheader sweep of Lehigh, 3-2 and 8-1. The losses may have knocked Lehigh out of the playoff picture. Lafayette came into the weekend's pair of doubleheaders needing only two wins to guarantee a playoff slot. Lehigh (22-19, 7-11) needed to go 3-1 to guarantee a spot, and now must win both games today to even have a chance. The Leopards used a combination of their two best hitters, Jason Boyd and Adam Rosenberg, and complete-game pitching from a senior and a freshman, Marcus Ward and Brian Cope.

FOOTBALL: Maurer to Davis to Sampson, oh, my
The Morning Call/ By Jeff Schuler
If anyone among the couple hundred or so fans basking in the April sunshine Saturday afternoon at Lafayette's Fisher Field came to see who will be taking over for record-setting quarterback Marko Glavic, they left disappointed. After watching the three incumbent candidates in the annual Maroon and White scrimmage, Leopards coach Frank Tavani is no closer to finding that person than he was when spring practice began a month ago. ''I think we've got an idea, but there's still a lot of stuff that has to be done in preseason camp, and we'll see then,'' Tavani said after the offense outscored the defense 55-36 in a ''game'' that gave the offense points for first downs and the defense points for forcing punts. The trio -- sophomore Brad Maurer and juniors Pat Davis and Cole Sampson -- have one varsity pass among them, Davis' 6-yard completion a year ago. On Saturday they combined to complete 15 of 38 for 232 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.

Friday, April 23, 2004

FOOTBALL: Stubits crossing line for Lafayette football
The Express-Times/ By Corky Blake
EASTON -- For three years in the Lafayette College football program, John-Frank Stubits' mission was to seek and destroy. Now, the Nazareth Area High School graduate is being asked to do just the opposite. The unveiling of Stubits at tight end, after three seasons competing on the other side of the line of scrimmage, will be one of the highlights of Saturday's annual Maroon and White Game at Fisher Field. Festivities begin at 12:30 p.m.

FOOTBALL: Change of position fine with Stubits
The Morning Call/ By Paul Reinhard
When John-Frank Stubits talks about the past, he sometimes speaks in terms of size, not years. ''Wow, that was about 45 pounds ago,'' the soon-to-be Lafayette senior said the other day when reminded about his high school playing days at Nazareth. It was also a lot of positions ago. If football teams had utility players, Stubits would be the perfect candidate. He came out of Nazareth as a wide receiver/defensive back, but he even played a couple of games at quarterback. He earned a letter as a freshman free safety for the Leopards, but he didn't stay there. He was moved to linebacker as a sophomore and started all 12 games, making 73 tackles. When Lafayette upgraded that position, Stubits lost his starting role for his junior season. To say he was thrilled with the demotion would be incorrect -- ''Any time you move down on the depth chart ... it would bother anybody,'' he said -- but he didn't dwell on it. He became a huge emotional force off the bench; and, when Lafayette got thin at defensive end, Stubits switched positions in mid-season. He finished the year with 44 tackles (three for losses), a sack, an interception, three fumble recoveries, one forced fumble and four pass breakups.

Thursday, April 22, 2004

FOOTBALL: For Lafayette, no Glavic and no panic
The Morning Call/ By Paul Reinhard
Frank Tavani knew it was going to happen. He knew the exact date. Still, he couldn't worry about it. He had more pressing matters to occupy his time. Winning football games, for example. For that reason, Lafayette quarterbacks not named Marko Glavic were 6-for-7 passing for 69 yards and one touchdown last season. One of those other guys, Mike O'Connor, was, like Glavic, a senior. The only other quarterback to attempt a pass -- yes, a pass -- was sophomore Pat Davis, who actually made lots of passes, but of a different type. He was the Leopards' long-snapper. Glavic, who was 229-for-390 passing for 2,725 yards and 21 touchdowns and who also scored five touchdowns himself, has been busy lately showing his stuff to pro scouts and hoping for a shot at an NFL career. Meanwhile, Tavani, for the first time in four years, is auditioning quarterbacks during Lafayette's spring practice sessions on the college's Metzgar Fields complex.

Tuesday, April 20, 2004

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Lafayette's Farrell is Patriot Scholar-Athlete
The Morning Call
Lafayette College senior forward Mike Farrell never missed any basketball games in his career. He apparently didn't miss much class, if at all. Farrell, who played in all 114 games over his four years, was recently named the Patriot League's Scholar-Athlete of the Year. He has a 3.33 cumulative grade point average. Farrell is an American studies major, who was also recently selected to the College Sports Information Directors of America All-District 2 team. Athletes must at least be a sophomore and maintain a 3.2 GPA to be considered.

Monday, April 5, 2004

GOLF: Hutnik has Lafayette team on the upswing
The Express-Times/ By Karl Gilbert
EASTON -- Jim Hutnik is trying to build a winner on the links at Lafayette College. One of his building blocks for the Leopards is a tournament of their own. Hutnik, the veteran boys basketball coach at Bethlehem Catholic, is in his second year at the helm of the Lafayette men's golf program. In addition to aggressively recruiting talented players, the former two-sport athlete at Lafayette is trying to establish the fledgling Lafayette Invitational as a prestigious NCAA Division I event in the mid-Atlantic region. The third annual Lafayette Invitational will be played Friday and Saturday at the Center Valley Club in Upper Saucon Township. The 36-hole stroke-play event will feature 24 teams from several states and more than 120 golfers.

Saturday, April 3, 2004

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Being on the Sideline Is a Feat for Georgia Tech's Brogan
The Washington Post/ By John Feinstein
Pat Brogan sat in the midst of the chaos that was the Georgia Tech locker room Friday afternoon after the Yellow Jackets had practiced at the Alamodome wearing a smile that was part wonder, part knowing and part joy. "Another coach told me yesterday how lucky I was to have hooked on with these guys," he said. "Of course he's right. But I have a little different perspective on luck than I did a few years back." Brogan is a volunteer coach at Georgia Tech, an unusual role for someone who will be 37 next month and has been the number one assistant at a Division I school that twice reached the NCAA tournament during his tenure. A year ago, Brogan wasn't certain if he would ever be able to coach again. Saturday, he will sit on the bench of a Final Four team. He's truly a lucky man -- sort of.

Thursday, April 1, 2004

MEN'S BASKETBALL: This Leopard gets his spotlight
The Morning Call/ By Andre D. Williams
In 1997, Lafayette College's Winston Davis was the skinny 15-year-old high school sophomore with the crazy hops participating in the Kingdom of the Sun Slam Dunk Contest in Florida. But, that year the the older players, like one 18-year-old Jumaine Jones, had even crazier hops and Davis could only watch from the bench. ''There was a few guys in it who had just crazy hops and I was the youngest,'' Davis said. ''That was big time. Jumaine did the Kenny Smith -- bounced it from the free throw line between his legs, went and got it, and dunked it. I think that's what won it.'' For Davis, the experience of matching his own high-flying, creativity with guys on their way to college, was something that motivated him to become more of a forceful and graceful dunker the rest of his scholastic career at Tampa Prep in Tampa, Fla. ''In my senior year of high school I dunked like 50 times,'' said Davis, who closed out his collegiate career averaging 13.4 points per game and was honored as a member of the Patriot League first team. Davis' highlight reel of dunks at Lafayette has earned him an invitation to the 16th annual Mountain Dew College Basketball Slam Dunk Championship tonight in San Antonio. It's a precursor to the Final Four games that will be played Saturday night between Duke and Connecticut on one semifinal and Georgia Tech and Oklahoma State in the other semi.

FOOTBALL: Who is Lafayette's new quarterback?
The Express-Times/ By Corky Blake
With college basketball nearly out of the way, it's time to play Lafayette College football Jeopardy. The answer provided by coach Frank "Alex Trebek" Tavani is "the 2004 starting quarterback and successor to four-year stalwart Marko Glavic." And the responses being shouted from the home stands at Fisher Field and echoing off Tavani's office window in Kirby Sports Center: Who is sophomore Brad Maurer? Who is junior Pat Davis? Who is sophomore Cole Sampson? Sorry, Leopards fans, it's still too early in the spring practice sessions to determine a winner in the quarterback sweepstakes. What Tavani, entering his fifth season, did reveal is both Maurer and Davis are a step ahead of Sampson, who left the program, but not school, last fall.

Monday, March 29, 2004

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Lafayette's smallest captain becomes biggest inspiration
The NCAA News/ By Beth Rosenberg
The Lafayette College women's basketball team may not have had a dream season, but it was good enough to fulfill the dreams of a young girl battling a life-threatening disease. Ten-year-old Kasey Keenan, a passionate fan of the Leopards, had the honor of serving as junior captain this season -- completing her duties even as she fought leukemia. "She's such an inspiration to us. We're struggling as a team, but we keep fighting and that's what Kasey is all about, she's a fighter," said head coach Tammy Smith. Kasey, a fourth grader from Belvidere, New Jersey, has been attending Lafayette women's basketball games in Easton, Pennsylvania, with her family since she was 6. Last summer, she and her younger sister even attended the Leopards' basketball camp. It was after camp last August that Kasey was diagnosed with leukemia.

BASEBALL: Soldan's no-hitter highlights Lafayette sweep of Holy Cross
The Morning Call
Lafayette senior Tom Soldan tossed his first career no-hitter as the Leopards edged Holy Cross 1-0 in the opening game of a Patriot League doubleheader Sunday at Worcester, Mass. Soldan (2-1) struck out four and walked only two in seven innings of work. The Leopards got their lone run in the top of the fourth inning when Adam Bucci walked and came around to score on an error. Lafayette (8-11, 3-1 Patriot League) also took the second game from the Crusaders, 3-0, behind a complete game two-hitter by senior Paul Fischetti.

Friday, March 26, 2004

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Davis aims to fly high on ESPN
The Express-Times/ By Corky Blake
EASTON -- A year ago, Winston Davis sat in his College Hill apartment and watched the Mountain Dew College Slam Dunk and 3-Point Shooting Championships on ESPN. "I'm thinking, next year that could be me," said Lafayette College's 6-foot-6 skywalking guard. "Now, it's kind of ironic and fitting that I'll be there." The Patriot League won't be represented at the Final Four next weekend in San Antonio, Texas, but Davis will be there Thursday as one of eight contestants in the Slam Dunk competition. ESPN will televise the Slam Dunk and 3-Point Shooting Championships at 9 p.m.

FOOTBALL: Glavic looking to avoid 'real world' for a while
The Morning Call/ By Paul Reinhard
A lot of Marko Glavic's classmates are putting on their white shirts, ties and suits these days and trotting off to job fairs or private interviews with major corporations. Glavic had his own personal job fair Thursday -- and he wore a sleeveless T-shirt, shorts and sneakers. More potential employers were expected, but only two showed up. Glavic was a bit disappointed by that, but he put his best foot -- perhaps more appropriately, his best arm -- forward anyway. Glavic, Lafayette's record-setting quarterback, figures he has plenty of time for the suit-and-tie routine -- or, as he called it, ''the real world.'' For now, he's focused on working on Sunday afternoons. That's why he was showing his stuff in Lafayette's Kirby Sports Center to representatives of the New York Jets and Indianapolis Colts, a couple of major corporations in their own right.

Sunday, March 7, 2004

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Colgate clips Lafayette in OT
The Morning Call/ By Andre D. Williams
UPPER MARLBORO, Md. | It was a physical Patriot League Tournament quarterfinal that featured bad shooting and players galore who tumbled hard to the hardwood floor Saturday at The Show Place Arena. Tempers of players and coaches flared. The rugged play never ceased. It was the last game of the day, and perhaps the last in the careers of Lafayette College seniors Justin DeBerry, Winston Davis, Rob Dill and Mike Farrell. Colgate seniors Mark Linebaugh and Howard Blue were in the same predicament, and it just figured that Lafayette was the opponent in a do-or-die game.

Saturday, March 6, 2004

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Slumping Leopards face one-and-done
The Express-Times/ By Corky Blake
UPPER MARLBORO, Md. -- Justin DeBerry, if he had his way, would be in The Show Place Arena at noon today for the Lehigh-Navy game, the first of four in the Patriot League Basketball Tournament. "I like watching the teams. For me, I like to see the nuances of the games," DeBerry said. DeBerry's teammate, Mike Farrell, prefers not to watch other tournament games and arrive just in time to prepare for his own. "I'm the complete opposite of Justin," the Leopards' 6-foot-8 senior captain said. "I can't stand being around, unless we're playing." Whether they're in the house early or late, DeBerry, Farrell and the rest of the Leopards better be ready to play at 7:30 tonight when they oppose Colgate in the finale of today's quadrupleheader. The winner gets the American-Army victor 7:30 p.m. Sunday in the semifinals.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: It's over for Leopards; Almind powers Bison
The Express-Times/ By Bruce Buratti
UPPER MARLBORO, Md. -- The worst season in Lafayette College -- and Patriot League -- women's basketball history, mercifully came to an end Friday afternoon. In a typical performance this winter that featured way too many turnovers and far too many offensive possessions that never produced shot attempts, the Leopards were bounced by top-seeded Colgate 73-57 in the opening round of the Patriot League Tournament at The Show Place Arena. Lafayette, which went 26 games before finally breaking through with its first victory last Saturday against American, put to bed a 1-27 season that will offer few moments for a highlight reel. The record surpassed the league's previous worst, turned in by Lehigh's 1-26 squad in 1992-93.

Friday, March 5, 2004

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Myers and hungry Leopards make late-season comeback
The Express-Times/ By Corky Blake
UPPER MARLBORO, Md. -- The only scenario worse than watching for Lindsay Myers was playing and losing. Myers' promising sophomore season with the women's basketball team at Lafayette College came to a halt in December 2002 after four games, thanks to a torn anterior cruciate knee ligament. The Leopards limped home to their second consecutive 3-25 season. When Lafayette tipped off the 2003-04 season, Myers still was not on the floor. Her recovery was taking longer than expected, and all coach Tammy Smith could do was shrug her shoulders when asked about the return of the multi-talented Myers from Dieruff High School. "I was waiting for my quadriceps (muscle) to get stronger," Myers said. "I needed to build it up more." Finally, nine games into the season -- all losses -- Myers was cleared to play Jan. 5 against Quinnipiac. Playing basketball, Myers was told, would strengthen the muscle just as much as riding a bike, swimming or performing some other mundane exercise.

Thursday, March 4, 2004

FOOTBALL: Glavic catching NFL eyes
The Express-Times/ By Bruce Buratti
EASTON -- Lafayette quarterback Marko Glavic, the Patriot League's career passing leader, has been busy the past several weeks attracting interest from NFL teams. And the interest is mutual. The 6-foot-6, 221-pound Glavic worked out for the Seattle Seahawks in a private session on Tuesday and also worked out Wednesday at Lafayette for several other NFL teams, according to Arthur Gamble, who is representing Glavic. "The Seahawks really like Marko," said Gamble, whose office is based in Los Angeles. "Lately, the Indianapolis Colts and New York Jets are showing interest, too."

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: No misprint: Lafayette's nightmare is over
The Morning Call/ By Paul Reinhard
Tammy Smith didn't get a call from her sister until the following day. That was unusual, because Kathy Tomcheck and her husband, Joe, called after every game -- even if Joe did say, ''I don't want to talk to you again until you win.'' Well, on Saturday afternoon, after suffering through 26 games without a victory, Smith's Lafayette women's basketball team not only won, but dashed American's hopes for the No. 1 seed in the Patriot League Tournament. When she finally spoke with her sister on Sunday, Smith was more than a little curious about why she had not gotten a call earlier. ''My brother-in-law said he wanted to be sure it wasn't a misprint,'' Smith said Tuesday.

Wednesday, March 3, 2004

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Can the sliding Leopards turn it back on?
The Express-Times/ By Paul Sokoloski
The Lafayette Leopards lost four straight games, lost the Patriot League regular-season title -- and lost their status as one of their conference's elite teams. Now they will find out if they lost themselves. The Leopards go into this weekend's Patriot League Tournament on a sudden slide, looking nothing like the guys who ruled the regular season for so long. The team that once found ways to win has discovered it suddenly can't stop losing. The steadiest scorer for the Leopards has been sporadic down the stretch. And a Lafayette team that seemed so together while churning out the program's best start in 32 years has suddenly come unglued at the end. So the Leopards, who once stood so tall while opening their season at 8-1 and then starting league play with seven straight wins, is being forced to regroup. They are no longer the team to beat, but simply a team looking to take back what it lost.

Tuesday, March 2, 2004

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Leopards ending on high note
The Express-Times/ By Paul Sokoloski
Seasons of endless torture, where a sense of inevitable despair begins to permeate the air, can shake the faith of even the strongest sports programs. Just imagine what a whole year of constant defeat has done to the Lafayette women's basketball team. Only Saturday's remarkable upset of Patriot League-leading American -- a 64-61 victory that proved a testament to resiliency -- kept Lafayette from enduring a winless regular season. At 1-26, it will still go down as the worst season in Lafayette's 32-year-old women's basketball history -- unless the Leopards can win the Patriot League Tournament. Yet, each day the Leopards kept telling themselves it was a new beginning for them, a new chance to turn around this cruel fate that had destined them to 29 consecutive losses over the last two seasons. And after each game, they would have to dig hard to muster enough strength to find reason to believe in themselves and their team.

Monday, March 1, 2004

MEN'S BASKETBALL: 1,000-point scorer Marty Zippel has maintained his passion for Lafayette basketball since the mid-1940s.
The Express-Times/ By Ed Laubach
The first basketball player to score 1,000 career points at Lafayette College displays remarkable staying power. Marty Zippel came here 59 years ago from South Philadelphia with a game that today's athletes would not recognize. A two-hand set shot was his calling card, and he attempted free throws underhand, with his two hands applying reverse spin. "I was best," he says, "at driving to the basket -- and I could rebound. Rebounding was my specialty, what I did best." While Zippel scored 1,067 points in a four-year career that ended in 1949, he wonders where he ranks among Lafayette's rebounders. Only scoring totals were kept in those days, between the end of World War II and start of the Korean War. Zippel liked Lafayette and Easton so much that he never left. Now 82 and still living on College Hill, he has watched 32 other players come along over the next six decades and join him in the program's exclusive club.

Sunday, February 29, 2004

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: 0-and-what? Leopards feel like champions
The Express-Times/ By Paul Sokoloski
Up in the media center at Kirby Sports Center, as it became more and more apparent that Lafayette's women were going to avoid a winless regular season in the final game on their schedule, John Leone made a prediction. "You watch at the end," said Leone -- whose 2-25 squad in 1995 ended his seven-year coaching stint at Lafayette -- "and tell me the difference between the team that celebrates winning the national championship and this. There is none." Leone, analyst for the RCN-4 telecast, was right -- as evidenced by the Leopards' reaction to a 64-61 victory over American, which began the day tied for first place in the Patriot League. Seniors Colleen Fitzpatrick and Elecia Kruise were buried under a pile of their delirious Lafayette teammates on the floor. Hard-luck head coach Tammy Smith was showered in a water celebration. And the Leopards, for the first time in 27 long games, finally had reason to rejoice Saturday afternoon.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Lafayette's run of futility is over
The Express-Times/ By Tom Hinkel
EASTON -- Maybe Lafayette College should honor its women's basketball seniors more often. For the second straight year, the Leopards pulled an electrifying upset in their final home game at Kirby Sports Center. Senior guard Elecia Kruise paced a balanced scoring attack with a career-high 16 points and the Leopards won their first game of the season after 26 consecutive losses -- 64-61 over Patriot League rival American University. The victory ends a 29-game losing streak for Lafayette (1-26, 1-13) dating to a 72-71 win over Lehigh on Feb. 23, 2003. That win also came in the season's final home game.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Lafayette shocks first-place AU, snaps 29-game skid
The Morning Call/ By Andre D. Williams
The Lafayette women's basketball team that was on the Kirby Sports Center floor when the final buzzer sounded Saturday afternoon, got tackled. Soon after, all the players got drenched with water. ''We did it,'' Lafayette senior forward Colleen Fitzpatrick said was her immediate thought as time expired in the Leopards' shocking 64-61 Patriot League victory over American, which snapped a 29-game losing streak dating back to last season. ''It was like we won a championship,'' said Lafayette coach Tammy Smith. It was Senior Day, marking the final game at Kirby for seniors Fitzpatrick and Elecia Kruise, and both performed admirably. Fitzpatrick had 13 points, 15 rebounds and two steals. Kruise had career highs in points (16) and steals (six). And sophomore Tricia Indoe added 11 points and 11 assists.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Leopards take 4-game slide into tournament
The Express-Times/ By Tom Hinkel
EASTON -- These are not the best of times for men's basketball at Lafayette College. The Leopards will carry a four-game losing streak into next weekend's Patriot League Tournament after dropping a 90-82 decision Saturday to American University before 3,340 fans at Kirby Sports Center. Freshman guard Andre Ingram paced the Eagles with a career-high 30 points. The loss comes on the heels of Thursday's shocking 75-71 home loss to last-place Navy, which had been winless in league games. The defeat also cost Lafayette (18-9 overall, 9-5 league) a possible No. 1 seed for the tournament, which begins Saturday at The Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, Md. A Lafayette victory, coupled with a Lehigh loss today at Holy Cross would have given the Leopards the top seed.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Lafayette outplayed in loss to American U.
The Morning Call/ By Andre D. Williams
Lafayette College guard Winston Davis left the Kirby Sports Center fans with perhaps a lasting memory of his athletic talent on Saturday. Desperate for a basket with Lafayette trailing by eight points, Davis froze his defender at the top of the key with a delayed dribble before going hard to his right and finishing with an emphatic one-handed dunk over American's Raimondas Petrauskas. That was with 1:10 left. ''It was nice,'' said Lafayette freshman Marcus Harley. But Davis did not rejoice because Lafayette couldn't stop American from scoring, especially Eagles freshman guard Andre Ingram, in a 90-82 Senior Day defeat in the Patriot League regular-season finale. Ingram's career-high 30 points and American's 15-for-18 free-throw shooting in the final 2 minutes helped send Lafayette (18-9, 9-5 Patriot) to its fourth straight loss. Davis had the loss on his mind more than the dunk, the 17 points he scored and the fact that he had Lafayette's only two steals of the game.

Saturday, February 28, 2004

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Skid has Leopards in precarious spot
The Morning Call/ By Andre D. Williams
Lafayette College is in a must-win situation entering its regular-season finale at 3:15 today against American at Kirby Sports Center. In the last three games, all losses, the Leopards' defensive and rebounding weaknesses have been exposed. ''I saw them every day in practice,'' Lafayette coach Fran O'Hanlon said Friday. ''Can we still have some success? Yes, but we still have a lot of weaknesses that I am not going to get into right now. But I knew.'' Meanwhile, Bucknell, Lehigh and American, the teams in contention -- along with Lafayette -- for the top three seeds entering the final weekend of league play, have all gotten better. The Leopards (18-8, 9-4) can regain some confidence by beating American (15-12, 9-4) in their Patriot League matchup.

Friday, February 27, 2004

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Navy stuns Lafayette
The Express-Times/ By Corky Blake
EASTON -- The Lafayette College men's basketball team woke up this morning, went to class and realized what happened Thursday night at Kirby Sports Center was not a dream. It was reality. Don DeVoe's Navy Midshipmen won their first league game of the season and dealt the Leopards their first home loss of the season, 75-71, before 2,563 stunned fans. It was not a fluke. Navy (4-22 overall, 1-12 league) beat Lafayette (18-8, 9-4) which had designs on winning the Patriot League's regular season championship with wins over Navy and then American on Saturday. Instead, the Leopards can only control securing third place by beating American or hope for complete collapses by Lehigh and Bucknell to further advance up the standings.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Lafayette sinks further in Patriot
The Morning Call/ By Andre D. Williams
All that is apparently wrong with Lafayette College needs to get corrected soon. Otherwise, Lafayette won't be playing too long into March. The Leopards' weak rebounding, defensive lapses while trying to press and 1-for-13 shooting from leading scorer Justin DeBerry, were too much to overcome in a 75-71 Patriot League loss to Navy Thursday night at Kirby Sports Center. ''We really couldn't get anything started and I think we lost our poise,'' said Lafayette coach Fran O'Hanlon. Senior guard Winston Davis (20 points, seven rebounds) and freshman Pat Betley (eight points) made valiant attempts in the final minute to try and keep the Leopards' 11-game home winning streak alive and keep the team in contention for first place in the league.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Navy wins with addition by subtraction
The Morning Call/ By Paul Reinhard
This could only happen in the Patriot League. And even then, you have to wonder if it would happen everywhere. Navy's leading scorer and rebounder didn't make the trip to Easton Thursday night. Injury? Nope. Suspension? Nope. Freshman Carlton Baldwin stayed back in Annapolis to study for two exams. In his place, coach Don DeVoe went with a kid who only two weeks ago was in the basketball equivalent of the brig. Not only did Laramie Mergerson not play in games against American and Bucknell; he didn't even dress.

Thursday, February 26, 2004

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Wins keep Lehigh at home
The Express-Times/ By Corky Blake
If it's the last weekend in February, then it must be time to dust off the Patriot League's basketball tie-breaker system. The ball is in the court of the Lehigh men's team, which took over first place from rival Lafayette with last Sunday's 78-73 conquest of the Leopards at Stabler Arena. Lehigh (17-8) is in first at 10-2. Lafayette (18-7) and Bucknell (13-12) are tied for second at 9-3. American (14-12) lurks in fourth at 8-4 and three-time defending champion Holy Cross (11-14) is fifth at 5-7. Dangerous Colgate (12-13) is sixth at 4-8, Army (6-18) is seventh at 3-9 and Navy (3-22) has clinched eighth at 0-12. The league's final weekend set commences tonight when Lafayette tries to halt a two-game losing streak at home against Navy. The Leopards then conclude their regular season Saturday at home against American. "All" Lehigh has to do is win at Colgate on Friday night and win at Holy Cross on Sunday afternoon. If Billy Taylor's club can pull off the difficult sweep it will claim its first regular-season title outright. More important, Lehigh would earn the all-important No. 1 seed for the post-season tournament. The first two rounds will be held at The Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, Md.

Sunday, February 22, 2004

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Lehigh takes over first place
The Express-Times/ By Michael Blouse
BETHLEHEM -- Lehigh and Lafayette didn't need 10 extra minutes on Sunday to decide Round 2, but the second meeting of Patriot League rivals was another game for ESPN's "Instant Classics." Senior Austen Rowland buried a 3-pointer with 2:48 remaining to increase a one-point lead to four and junior Dayne Mickelson tipped in a Rowland miss with 29 seconds left as coach Billy Taylor's Mountain Hawks scored a 78-73 victory over the Leopards. The Stabler Arena record crowd of 5,206 -- 5,600 is capacity -- witnessed a contest which nearly matched the intensity and excitement of Lafayette's 111-104 two-overtime victory last month at the Kirby Sports Center. It's safe to assume fans exited longing for Round 3 in next month's league tournament.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: No glass ceiling for this Lehigh group
The Express-Times/ By Corky Blake
BETHLEHEM -- Lehigh went at Lafayette Sunday afternoon like basketball's version of the Normandy Invasion. Fueled by the largest crowd (5,206) ever to witness a basketball game in Stabler Arena, the Mountain Hawks muscled their way into sole possession of first place in the Patriot League by beating the Leopards on the boards. The 41-36 final rebounding margin doesn't seem like much but those who watched Lehigh's 78-73 win in the 200th meeting with Lafayette know the Mountain Hawks were much more dominant than the five-board advantage would indicate. Lehigh won despite shooting just 43 percent overall and 22 percent from 3-point range because it took 18 more shots (74-56), many of which were second-chance opportunities. The Mountain Hawks won because 6-6 junior Earl Nurse showed he wasn't much of a 3-pointer shooter in the final five minutes -- a pair of airballs -- but couldn't be stopped on the glass when someone else shot.

Sunday, February 22, 2004

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Lafayette vs. Lehigh No. 200 rivals any in the long history
The Express-Times/ By Corky Blake
BETHLEHEM -- It's deja vu all over again today as Lafayette and Lehigh meet for the second time this season with first place at stake in Patriot League basketball. A sellout crowd of 3,500 watched Jan. 23 in Easton as Lafayette outlasted Lehigh 111-104 in overtime. Since then, the Leopards have either held sole possession or a share of first place. This afternoon, the Leopards and Mountain Hawks go at it again, and Stabler Arena's attendance record for a basketball game -- 5,123 against Fordham on Feb. 9, 1991 -- will be challenged. Tipoff for the 200th game in a series that began in 1902 is 3:15 p.m. with a live telecast by Service Electric-2 and broadcasts by WEST (1400 AM) and WKAP (1470 AM).

Saturday, February 21, 2004

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Leopards stampeded by Bison in second half
The Express-Times/ By Paul Sokoloski
LEWISBURG, Pa. -- The Lafayette Leopards knew they were in for a challenge against the hottest team in the Patriot League. They just didn't know how insurmountable it would be. Kevin Bettencourt drilled five 3-point field goals, Chris McNaughton owned the inside with 20 points and hard-charging Bucknell ran the Leopards right out of Sojka Pavilion during a 79-61 Patriot League victory. "I think we were ready to go," Leopards guard Justin DeBerry said after the uncharacteristically flat Lafayette performance. "Before the game we were all fired up. We just played poorly." The Leopards picked the wrong night for a lull. The loss dropped them to 9-2 and into a tie with Lehigh for first place in the Patriot League -- with a huge showdown between the teams looming 3:15 p.m., Sunday in Bethlehem.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Lafayette stumbles at Bucknell
The Morning Call/ By Andre D. Williams
LEWISBURG | Lafayette College can now focus on its rematch with Lehigh. But the Leopards won't carry any momentum into the showdown for first place in the Patriot League after being manhandled 79-61 by Bucknell Friday night. A crowd of 3,308, the second-largest at the 13-month-old Sojka Pavilion, was in the game from the opening whistle, and Lafayette's porous defensive effort and sloppy ballhandling in the second half did nothing to quiet them. When the final buzzer sounded, Bucknell students stormed the floor.The Bison (12-12, 8-3) earned a season split with the Leopards (18-6, 9-2) and dropped them into a first-place tie with Lehigh (16-8, 9-2) heading into Sunday's 200th meeting at Stabler Arena (3:15 p.m.).

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Bucknell thumps Patriot kingpin
The Patriot-News (Harrisburg, Pa.)/ By David Jones
LEWISBURG - It's pretty funny to hear the o-ver-ra-ted chant at a Patriot League game. Where no one's ever rated. But forgive the Bucknell student sec tion. They had a rout to celebrate. Not just a rout. But a blowout over the Patriot League leader. You could trot out the old changing- of-the-guard, future-meets- the-present stuff and not be far off here. Pat Flannery's Bison, playing almost entirely sophomores and freshmen, including three new athletic grant recipients, tore through Lafayette 79-61 last night before a near-sellout at raucous Sojka Pavillion.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Bucknell men hammer Lafayette in front of raucous crowd
The Daily Item (Sunbury, Pa.)/ By Corky Blake
LEWISBURG -- The Bucknell basketball community finally acknowledged its men's team. And, coach Pat Flannery's club responded with a performance that should keep the fan interest. Chris McNaughton, hampered by foul trouble in the first half, scored 18 of his game-high 20 points in just 17 minutes, and teammate Kevin Bettencourt ignited a first-half spurt with three consecutive 3-pointers as the Bison rolled to a 79-61 win in front of 3,308 fans at Sojka Pavilion.

Friday, February 20, 2004

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Showdown weekend for Lafayette, Lehigh
The Express-Times/ By Corky Blake
How do you boost interest in Patriot League basketball? A. Trade Alex Rodriguez from the Rangers to the Yankees. B. Coax John Feinstein to write "The Newest Pros," a sequel to "The Last Amateurs." C. Revamp the post-season tournament and realign the weekend buddy team. D. Conduct a weekend mini-tournament among the top three teams in the standings. If you answered A or B, then you listen to too much sports talk radio, are brain dead or a huge Feinstein fan. If you said C, you're on the right track but still whistling "Dixie." But if you checked D, then you're paying attention to the league standings and realize what a special weekend this will be for Bucknell, Lafayette and Lehigh.

FOOTBALL: Tavani excited over recruiting class
The Express-Times/ By Corky Blake
EASTON -- Four offensive linemen, four defensive backs and four wide receivers anchor Lafayette College's incoming freshman football class of 25 players. Lafayette is coming off a 5-6 season and graduated all-time leading passer Marko Glavic, career receiving leader John Weyrauch and two other key receivers, four-year starting nose tackle Pat Brown and veteran cornerback Matt Van Doren. "We were able to be much more selective with this class," said fifth-year head coach Frank Tavani. "The 25 kids filled the right spots and these 25 all signed on the signing date (Feb. 4). We're still dealing with a few others." The wide receivers bring impressive credentials to College Hill and could be the group that makes the earliest impact.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: German flavor in middle of the Patriot League
The Morning Call/ By Paul Reinhard
A couple of German natives, former teammates on a junior national basketball team in their homeland, are the starting centers on opposing Division I college teams in the United States. The Atlantic Coast Conference? The Big East? The Pac-10? Uh, uh. The Patriot League. Chris McNaughton of Bucknell and Rob Dill of Lafayette ran into one another in the training room when the Bison and the Leopards met in Easton on Jan. 25. They didn't have time for more than a quick hello. But once they got on the court, they had plenty of opportunity to get reacquainted; and before the Bison left for Lewisburg, two two exchanged telephone numbers.

FOOTBALL: Lafayette announces 2004 recruiting class
The Morning Call
Twenty-five high school seniors have declared their intention to suit up for the Lafayette College football program for the fall. On Thursday, fourth-year head coach Frank Tavani and his staff announced the list of incoming recruits, which is top-heavy with offensive linemen, defensive backs and wide receivers. Among the recruits are Allen High quarterback Michael Bernhard and East Stroudsburg East High kicker Kevin Reese. ''I'm extremely pleased with this recruiting class,'' Tavani said. ''We accomplished all the goals we had as far as fulfilling our needs and adding depth at different positions. We have good balance throughout the class and this group is certainly going to increase the competition level in practice this fall.''

Sunday, February 15, 2004

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Leopard seniors play like champs with late heroics
The Express-Times/ By Corky Blake
EASTON -- For someone aimlessly wandering around Kirby Sports Center on Saturday afternoon, Lafayette College's club wrestling tournament was being held on the second floor of Kirby Sports Center; the Patriot League men's basketball game between the Leopards and Holy Cross was going on downstairs. First-place Lafayette literally got off the mat, caromed off the turnbuckle and pinned a 78-72 loss on the three-time defending champion Crusaders before a near-capacity crowd of 3,418. The Leopards (18-5) take a 9-1 league record into this weekend's doubleheader at Bucknell (Friday) and Lehigh (Sunday). Bucknell is in third place at 7-3 and Lehigh in second at 8-2.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Sokoloski: Lafayette's Davis proves to be a true warrior
The Express-Times/ By Paul Sokoloski
He says he feels fine when everyone can see he's suffering. He insists he can still make a bang, even after a game in which he was quiet. He sees himself as a role player on the Patriot League's top team, when in fact, he may have the biggest role. Winston Davis played 36 minutes Saturday afternoon during Lafayette's dogfight of a 78-72 victory over three-time defending Patriot League champion Holy Cross, spending more time on the floor than anyone else in the game. He did this despite a bad back that's been nagging him for who knows how long, despite a Holy Cross defense that paid extra attention to him and despite passing up chances to make himself the focal point of the action. Davis still found a way to make an impact.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Lafayette completes sweep of Holy Cross with a 78-72 win
The Morning Call/ By Andre D. Williams
It was an elbow-throwing, body-flying, back-and-forth Patriot League game between Lafayette and Holy Cross Saturday at Kirby Sports Center. It was just like their first meeting on Jan. 17 in Worcester, Mass., which Lafayette won by two points in overtime. This time, Lafayette overcame a nine-point second-half deficit to beat the Crusaders, 78-72, and maintain sole possession of first place with a 9-1 league record.

Friday, February 13, 2004

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Blake: Modest O'Hanlon making his mark
The Express-Times/ By Corky Blake
Fran O'Hanlon was unaware he became Lafayette's second winningest men's basketball coach after the Leopards outgunned pesky Army 78-70 Wednesday night at Christl Arena. When informed about passing Bill Anderson with his 140th victory, O'Hanlon seemed as unimpressed as Simon Cowell toward a mediocre American Idol audition. He was more satisfied his team was able to escape the sleepy town above the Hudson River with a win to conclude a 3-1 road trip. The first-place Leopards are home Saturday afternoon against Holy Cross.

Thursday, February 12, 2004

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Leopards absorb Knights' best shot, then answer back
The Express-Times/ By Corky Blake
WEST POINT, N.Y. -- Was this the Army men's basketball team playing first-place Lafayette in a Patriot League game Wednesday night at Christl Arena? Or were these imposters in the Black Knights' uniforms? Certainly, this couldn't be the same cast of shooting misfits that managed just 10 first-half points last Saturday in a 36-point loss to Holy Cross; stammered to 23 total points in a 33-point loss to Bucknell; or limped home with a mere 15 second-half points in a 36-point defeat to the Leopards when the teams met the first time Jan. 14 in Easton. Army drilled its first three 3-point attempts, continued shooting 54 percent for the rest of the opening half to score a dazzling 39 points and made the Leopards (17-5) work all 40 minutes for a 78-70 victory to remain in sole possession of first place at 8-1. Army stays in seventh place at 2-7, 5-16 overall. The victory was the 140th at Lafayette for ninth-year head coach Fran O'Hanlon, who slipped past Bill Anderson into second place on the school's all-time list. George Davidson tops the chart at 170 wins.

Monday, February 9, 2004

MEN'S BASKETBALL: One loss for Lafayette does not a season ruin
The Morning Call/ By Andre D. Williams
Lafayette College's bid for a 14-0 regular-season record in the Patriot League ended with the Leopards' 85-77 loss to Colgate on Friday in Hamilton, N.Y. But the the Leopards' hope to win the league's regular-season and tournament titles remains alive. Even if Lafayette coach Fran O'Hanlon only wants to talk about one game at a time. O'Hanlon respects all of his opponents too much and believes that there are at least six teams with legitimate shots at winning the league tournament in March. Lafayette (16-5) and Lehigh (14-7) are tied for first place in the Patriot League with 7-1 records. The archrivals played a thriller on Jan. 23 in Easton with Lafayette winning 111-104 in overtime. They meet again on Feb. 22 at Stabler Arena.

Sunday, February 8, 2004

MEN'S BASKETBALL: A Northeast Philly guy finds a home in Easton
The Morning Call/ By Andre D. Williams
Sean Knitter's mother calls often from Philadelphia to needle her son about the scholarship offer he did not accept from Saint Joseph's four years ago. ''How about Saint Joe's?'' Donna Knitter asks. ''Yeah, I know,'' Knitter says. Knitter, a junior center for Lafayette, would be a senior for unbeaten and third-ranked Saint Joe's had he accepted coach Phil Martelli's offer. And his parents wouldn't have too far to travel to seem him play. But Knitter, who transferred to Lafayette last year from the University of Delaware two years ago, is happy to be on a team that's 16-5 overall and in first place in the Patriot League.

Saturday, February 7, 2004

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Reed, Colgate balance hand Leopards first league defeat
The Express-Times
HAMILTON, N.Y. -- Colgate University's Cotterell Court continues to be a house of horrors for the Lafayette Leopards. Colgate put five players in double figures and defeated Lafayette for the fourth consecutive time on their home court, 75-66, in Friday night's Patriot League men's basketball matchup. Coach Fran O'Hanlon's Leopards were dealt their first league defeat, but remain a half-game ahead of Lehigh for first place. Lafayette is 16-5 overall and 7-1 in the league. Colgate took control from the start, opening leads of 6-0, 16-7 and 37-28 before Justin DeBerry tied the game at 39 with a scoop shot a split-second before the halftime buzzer.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Raiders manage to out-leap Leopards
The Syracuse Post-Standard/ By Matt Michael
Hamilton - It has become one of the most overused cliches in sports, and players from winning and losing teams say it often: "We wanted it more." Or, "They wanted it more." But every now and then, it's true. Like Friday night, when a fired-up Colgate University men's basketball team shocked Lafayette College 75-66 before about 700 fans at Cotterell Court. Lafayette entered the game in first place in the Patriot League with a 7-0 record, and the Leopards were one of just 14 Division I teams in the country who were still undefeated in conference play.

Friday, February 6, 2004

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Teams begin jockeying for playoff positions
The Express-Times/ By Corky Blake
The Patriot League tips off the second half of its basketball season tonight with Lafayette and Lehigh sitting in the front-row pole positions. The Leopards (16-4) can go to 8-0 in league games if they can win at Colgate for the first time since their last championship season -- 1999-2000. Tonight's Patriot League TV Game of the Week in Hamilton, N.Y., starts at 8 and will be televised live locally by WFMZ-69 and nationally on DIRECTV 615.

Monday, February 2, 2004

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Lafayette's Ramsey earns academic honor
The Baltimore Sun/ By Kent Baker
Navy had a five-point halftime lead against the Patriot League's best team yesterday, hung in against Lafayette for 10 more minutes and recovered nicely from a disheartening loss Friday to archrival Army. But, down the stretch, the taller, more talented Leopards asserted themselves to pull away for their seventh straight victory, 65-50, before 1,473 at Alumni Hall. Navy (3-17, 0-7) had no answers for Lafayette's size after playing a disciplined slowdown strategy for 30 minutes.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Leopards preserve perfect Patriot record After sluggish first half, Lafayette rights itself in 65-50 win over Navy.
The Morning Call
Sean Knitter scored 15 points and Lafayette remained unbeaten in the Patriot League with a 65-50 victory over Navy in Annapolis, Md., on Sunday. The Leopards (16-4, 7-0 Patriot) trailed for most of the first half and led 41-40 with 10:10 to play. But they outscored the Midshipmen, 24-10, the rest of the way. The win was the sixth in a row for Lafayette and continued the best Patriot League start in school history.

Saturday, January 31, 2004

WOMEN'S SOCCER: Lafayette's Ramsey earns academic honor
The Morning Call
Lafayette senior Meghan Ramsey has been selected the 2003 Patriot League women's soccer scholar-athlete of the year by the league's sports information department. A starter in all 73 matches of her four-year career, Ramsey has maintained a 3.92 GPA in neuroscience. While serving as a tri-captain in 2003, Ramsey led the Leopards in points (17) and assists (seven) and tied for the team lead in goals (five). She set school records for matches started and played, and is tied for second in single-season assists, third in career assists (12) and sixth in career points (60).

MEN'S BASKETBALL: At End, Eagles Let One Get Away
The Washington Post/ By Steve Argeris
American led Lafayette for nearly the entire game last night, including a four-point lead with the ball and just 12 seconds remaining in regulation. But missed free throws -- and a litany of smaller errors in the preceding minutes -- doomed the Eagles to an 86-83 overtime loss. "It should have never come to the free throws," American Coach Jeff Jones said. "Our guys are going to have to deal with that, to deal with the mental errors that occurred from the five-minute mark until that point." American (10-10, 4-2 Patriot League) held a 13-point lead in the first half, a 40-33 lead at halftime and trailed only briefly in the second half. But the Eagles kept leaving the door open for Lafayette (15-4, 6-0) to come back. American's lead hovered between two and four points for the final five minutes, but forward Jason Thomas missed a breakaway dunk with 2 minutes 26 seconds left that would have put the Eagles ahead by six. That mistake was just the most visible of the Eagles' late miscues.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Lafayette keeps Patriot lead
The Morning Call
At Washington, Winston Davis reeled off a 3-pointer, an off balance jumper, and another 3-pointer in overtime to lead Lafayette in a come-from-behind 86-83 victory over American on Friday. American had a 26-13 lead early and looked completely in control of the game. But Lafayette gradually got back in the game, drawing to within 7 at the half, and then taking the lead 6 minutes into the second half only to let it slip as American scored 8 unanswered points. But Lafayette fought back again, tying the game 66-66 on a Rob Dill jumper with 7 minutes to play.

Tuesday, January 27, 2004

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Scholarships changing pace of Patriot League
The Morning Call/ By Paul Reinhard
Patriot League men's basketball is being played in a higher gear these days. The league may not yet be ready to take on the ACC, Big East or Big Ten, but you couldn't find a better bang for your buck than the most recent games played in Lafayette's Kirby Sports Center. The Leopards survived twice -- 111-104 in overtime against Lehigh, then 81-72 over Bucknell. Both games were closer than the final numbers indicate. When coach Fran O'Hanlon was asked if he preferred games in the 100s or the 80s, he said: ''I just like to win games. We're giving up some easy baskets. It's good for the fans, but it's not good for the coach.''

Monday, January 26, 2004

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Leopards find another way to win
The Express-Times/ By Corky Blake
EASTON -- Lafayette and Bucknell came into Sunday afternoon's Patriot League men's basketball meeting off totally opposite games Friday night. Lafayette endured an incredible overtime victory over Lehigh before a packed house of 3,500-plus while Bucknell held Army to 23 points -- two shy of the NCAA-record during the shot clock era (since 1986) -- before a polite golf crowd of about 1,000 in West Point, N.Y. Would the Leopards (14-4) be able to muster the energy to stay atop the Patriot League at 5-0? Or would the young Bison (6-12, 2-3), with three freshmen and two sophomores in the starting lineup, be able to pull off a shocker? Seniority and experience prevailed. Lafayette embarks on a four-game road trip with a 81-72 conquest of the Bison played before another near-sellout of 3,427 at Kirby Sports Center. The Leopards hold a one-game lead over Lehigh and American, where they play Friday night.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Bucknell men take a look into future in loss to Lafayette
The Daily Item (Sunbury, Pa.)/ By Tom Housenick
EASTON -- Bucknell, young and exciting and full of energy, got a look into its future Sunday against Patriot League leader Lafayette. The Bison, with four freshmen and two sophomores anchoring this year's team, have shown steady progress with virtually every game this season. Part of what they are aiming for was right in front of them against the host Leopards. Coach Fran O'Hanlon's club, consisting of a rock solid nucleus of four seniors and a group of solid role-playing underclassmen, showed the youthful Bison the difference between 5-0 and 2-3. Lafayette put together strong runs at the end of each half and held off every Bucknell run to stay unbeaten in the Patriot League with an 81-72 victory at the Kirby Sports Center. Lafayette's four seniors combined for 44 points and 20 rebounds just 42 hours after an exhausting overtime thriller over rival Lehigh.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Almind does it all for Bucknell
The Express-Times/ By Corky Blake
EASTON -- On a day when Desire Almind set Bucknell's single-season blocked shot record, teammate Lindsay Geosits said she learned a thing or two about the art of passing from the former North Warren Regional High School star. "When you get into Patriot League play teams know what you're going to do," said Geosits, Bucknell's sophomore guard from Emmaus High School. "It's great to watch her when we pass down to her and she finds the open player because she's always going to draw the double team." Almind made her final "hometown" appearance a memorable one with team-highs in points (15), rebounds (12), assists (four), steals (five) and blocked shots (three) in leading the Bison to a 67-48 Patriot League women's basketball win over cold-shooting Lafayette on Sunday afternoon at Kirby Sports Center.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Dill the real deal as Leopards turn away Bison
The Morning Call/ By Andre D. Williams
With 56 seconds remaining in Sunday's game at Kirby Sports Center, Lafayette senior Rob Dill emphatically blocked a Bucknell shot. Winston Davis, his teammate, recovered the ball just before it went out of bounds. But Bucknell, whose physical, defensive-oriented team had held Army to a measly 23 points in its previous outing, didn't bounce back from Dill's rejection. The 6-11 Dill blocked four shots and changed many others as Lafayette stayed undefeated in the Patriot League with an 81-72 victory before a near-sellout crowd of 3,427.

Saturday, January 24, 2004

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Sokoloski: Leopards take Lehigh's best -- and win
The Express-Times/ By Paul Sokoloski
They came from the other side of the Lehigh Valley, college basketball fans carrying faith, hope and a confident challenge along with them. "In Taylor We Trust," boasted one sign in Lehigh's student cheering section. "The Times Have Changed," insisted another. Maybe. But not even Lehigh's head coach, Billy Taylor, and the sense of excitement he has restored to Lehigh's once-proud program were enough to keep the Mountain Hawks running at the top of the Patriot League. Not Friday night. Not in Lafayette's house.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Lafayette takes Lehigh in OT
The Express-Times/ By Corky Blake
EASTON --- The rematch -- the 200th meeting between two old rivals -- is Sunday, Feb. 22 in Bethlehem. Don't miss it. Lafayette pulled one out for the ages -- a thrilling 111-104 overtime victory over Lehigh in a battle of Patriot League unbeatens Friday night before a sellout crowd of 3,500 at Kirby Sports Center. The teams combined for the most points ever in Kirby, eclipsing the old mark of 208 by Lafayette and Albright (115-93) on Dec. 3, 1976. Whew! "What can I say? It was a defensive battle," quipped Lafayette coach Fran O'Hanlon, who knows a thing or two about run-and-gun basketball having once-played for the Miami Floridians in the old ABA.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Lafayette uses OT to beat Lehigh
The Morning Call/ By Andre D. Williams
Lafayette College's Kirby Sports Center rocked like the Palestra in Philadelphia and all the other famous basketball venues in the country Friday night. Lehigh and Lafayette, both battling to remain undefeated in the Patriot League, went through 19 lead changes, a dramatic close to regulation and then five more suspenseful minutes of overtime before a crowd of 3,500. Then Lafayette senior guard Justin DeBerry helped the Leopards steal a 111-104 victory by, well, stealing the ball. DeBerry's two steals early in OT led to three points. He also had seven of his season-high 26 points in the extra session in helping Lafayette (13-4, 4-0) turn a 90-all deadlock at the end of regulation into a 105-94 advantage with 1:07 left.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Lehigh tightens grip on Patriot League lead
The Express-Times/ By John Bruns
EASTON -- If Lehigh is the best women's basketball team in the Patriot League and winless Lafayette is the worst -- and that's what the standings indicate -- the gap may not be as wide as it seems. Lehigh (7-10 overall, 4-0 league) kept Lafayette (0-17, 0-4) winless with a 64-53 victory Friday night at Kirby Sports Center, but the Leopards, while never leading, stayed in the game until the closing minutes. With 4:02 remaining, the Leopards trailed 56-47 but could get no closer.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: LC-LU rivalry is building on, off the court
The Morning Call/ By Paul Reinhard
Lehigh-Lafayette football? Big deal! In 139 games, the two teams might not have done for the rivalry what the basketball teams did in 45 minutes Friday night. The atmosphere had the electricity of a Cameron Indoor Arena contest, with one exception. The visiting team had a following. Did it ever!

Friday, January 23, 2004

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Lehigh, Lafayette out to give each other first loss
The Morning Call/ By Andre D. Williams
Tickets are still available for tonight's Lafayette-Lehigh men's basketball game at Kirby Sports Center in Easton. But not many. ''The game is almost sold out,'' said Phil LaBella, Lafayette's sports information director. That's because two hot teams will be battling for first place in the Patriot League. It will mark the first time that Lafayette (12-4, 3-0) and Lehigh (10-6, 3-0) have met as unbeatens in league play. The excitement over their first of two regular-season meetings increased last Saturday when both prevailed in overtime road games, Lafayette 60-58 over Holy Cross and Lehigh 63-58 over American.

Wednesday, January 21, 2004

MEN'S BASKETBALL/MEN'S SOCCER: Still fiery after all these years, Gary Williams kicked off career as soccer coach at Lafayette
The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.)/ By Robbi Pickeral
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- He paced, pigeon-toed and sweating, up and down the sideline -- chasing officials, screaming to players, spinning to his bench to fire off four-letter frustrations. Maryland coach Gary Williams hasn't changed much since his first college head coaching job -- with the men's soccer team of Lafayette College. Even then, according to his former players, Williams' fiery antics got him tossed out of games from time to time. "In soccer, especially back then, generally there was a tradition: You really did your coaching at practice,'' said Jamie McLaughlin, a former Connecticut state senator who played four years for Williams at the college in Easton, Pa. "He was all over the place: walking all the way up and down the field, turning to the bench [players] -- who would all nod at whatever he said -- firing off vulgarities.

Sunday, January 18, 2004

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Cold Crusaders barely miss upset in OT
Worcester Telegram & Gazette/ By Chris Forsberg
WORCESTER - Frustration. It was evident on the face of every Holy Cross player as the team filed out of its postgame conference with coach Ralph Willard. Each player knew the team suffered through one of its most anemic offensive performances of the season, yet still missed a golden opportunity to upend visiting Patriot League front-runner Lafayette. Justin DeBerry scored all seven of his team's points in overtime and Josh Kramer's jumper in the final seconds came up short as Lafayette defeated Holy Cross, 60-58, in overtime last night at a packed Hart Center.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Fontana helps HC rally
Worcester Telegram & Gazette/ By Chris Forsberg
WORCESTER - Before the start of yesterday's matinee against Patriot League rival Lafayette, Holy Cross women's basketball coach Bill Gibbons presented Maggie Fontana the game ball for Dec. 29 when she scored her 1,000th career point. The junior forward promptly gave up the ball and took her place for introductions, setting the theme for the night.

Thursday, January 15, 2004

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Leopards hammer overmatched Army
The Express-Times/ By Tom Hinkel
EASTON -- Imagine being outscored 16-0, and still winning by 36 points. The Lafayette College Leopards fell asleep for about four minutes on Wednesday night, then woke up in time to hand Army a 76-40 Patriot League pasting at Kirby Sports Center. Ultimately, the game served as a tuneup for Saturday afternoon's showdown against three-time league champion Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass. "Those guys (Holy Cross) have dominated the league for the last three years," said senior guard Winston Davis, who led Lafayette with 17 points. "We just have to play as hard and as smart as we can." The 1,834 hardcore fans who braved the blizzard-like conditions witnessed some of the best -- and worst -- the Leopards have offered in 2003-04.

Monday, January 12, 2004

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Lafayette's Farrell is tough, dedicated
The Morning Call/ By Andre D. Williams
He takes at least two insulin shots a day to help control his diabetes. Sometimes he's woozy and so fatigued that he could just skip a practice or a game without anybody complaining. But the fire within Lafayette College senior forward Mike Farrell burns too much. He scores, rebounds and plays defense with unyielding intensity and solid execution. Lafayette coach Fran O'Hanlon has called him the heart and soul of the team the last two seasons. Senior guard Justin DeBerry agreed on Saturday after Farrell played in his 100th consecutive game in a Patriot League home game against Colgate.

Sunday, January 11, 2004

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Leopards top Colgate in Patriot opener
The Morning Call/ By Andre D. Williams
Games against teams from the PAC-10, Big East, Atlantic-10 and Ivy League are over for Lafayette College. The next 13 will all be against Patriot League opponents. That means the Leopards will likely play with more intensity, because the road back to the NCAA Tournament will have to be paved through league competition. So the 22- and 23-point drubbings the Leopards suffered in California to USC and Cal State Northridge to end 2003, and the 20-point loss to Penn Wednesday night in Philadelphia, cannot hurt the Leopards now. But league losses can. The Leopards may not feel much pain if they continue to shoot as efficiently and play as pesky defense as they did in a 97-86 victory over Colgate in their Patriot League opener Saturday at Kirby Sports Center.

Friday, January 9, 2004

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Lafayette, Lehigh men's teams ready for Patriot League action
The Express-Times/ By Corky Blake
The Lafayette and Lehigh men's basketball teams carom into Patriot League play Saturday off road losses. The Leopards, whose defense recently has abandoned them, lost for the 27th time in Philadelphia to the University of Pennsylvania by 20 points on Wednesday night. On Tuesday, Lehigh exited Ithaca, N.Y., on the short end of an 89-76 count to Cornell. However, both clubs open league play at home -- Lafayette against Colgate in the afternoon and Lehigh against Navy at night. So, if you're in the mood to watch college basketball, only 15 minutes and a pair of tickets separate you from a Division I twinbill. And the folks at Lehigh are even offering up a night with SpongeBob SquarePants. Highlights for Lafayette thus far? The Leopards' 8-1 start was the program's best in more than 30 years and included wins over La Salle, Drexel and St. Peter's, which features the country's leading scorer in Keydren Clark.

Thursday, January 8, 2004

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Penn tops Lafayette once again at Palestra
The Express-Times/ By Corky Blake
PHILADELPHIA -- There's plenty of history in the City of Brotherly Love. The history, however, is all bad for the Lafayette College men's basketball program when it journeys here to play the University of Pennsylvania. The Quakers continued its mastery over the Leopards on Wednesday night before 3,414 at The Palestra with a methodical 88-68 win.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Quakers coast over Ivy-killer Lafayette
Philadelphia Daily News/ By Tom Mahon
If there's one thing Fran Dunphy, in his 15th season at Penn, has learned, it's to keep things in perspective. So he took last night's 88-68 win over visiting Lafayette for what is was - a nice win. Sure, he knew that the Leopards' nine wins this season included three against Ivy League oppenents - Cornell, Princeton, and Columbia. What did that mean to Dunphy? "We're excited that we beat Lafayette," he said. "I don't know that I would take that a step further and say that because they beat three Ivy League teams, we somehow have an advantage [in the league].

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Penn coach gets best of his former assistant
The Philadelphia Inquirer/ By Kevin Tatum
Former Penn assistant coach Fran O'Hanlon brought his Lafayette basketball team to the Palestra last night to try to beat his old boss for the first time in seven years. Maybe next season. The Leopards started with conviction but were unable to keep up with their hosts. Penn used a strong second half to run away to an 88-68 victory before a crowd of 3,414. Penn, which won its fourth consecutive game to improve to 6-4, is 35-3 against Lafayette. O'Hanlon, who is in his ninth season at the school, sat next to head coach Fran Dunphy on the Penn bench for six years.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Penn's win means pain for Dunphy
The Morning Call/ By Paul Reinhard
PHILADELPHIA | Fran Dunphy never even smiled Wednesday night. His University of Pennsylvania basketball team had just scored a 20-point victory over a quality opponent to run its winning streak to four games as it closes in on the start of its Ivy League title defense. The Quakers did a lot of things right. Seventeen offensive rebounds, 12-for-24 shooting from behind the 3-point arc, 50.8 percent shooting overall, for example. They were more poised. They were better on both ends of the court than an experienced Lafayette team that won nine of its first 12 games. They didn't trail once after Tim Begley's 3-pointer with about 51/2 minutes gone broke a 9-9 tie. Whenever Lafayette threatened to make it a game, they had an answer. But some of the first words out of Dunphy's mouth after the game were, ''We're still turning the ball over way too many times.'' And, seconds later, ''We gave up too many offensive rebounds.'' It was obvious Dunphy was doing his utmost not to sound too satisfied. After all, if he were to be too proud of the effort, he might have in some way been demeaning the play of the Leopards. He probably wouldn't be able to live with himself if he did that, even unintentionally.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Palestra continues to be a Leopards trap
The Morning Call/ By Don Bostrom
PHILADELPHIA | The Palestra is one of those fabled venues that transcend sport. Like center court at Wimbledon, Churchill Downs, Madison Square Garden and Yankee Stadium, if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere. But the Palestra remains the Middle of Nowhere for Lafayette. Defending Ivy League champion Penn ran an offensive clinic en route to a season-high point total in an 88-68 win over the Leopards Wednesday night.

Sunday, January 4, 2004

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Lafayette's last 8-1 beginning goes back to Tripucka, Davis
The Express-Times/ By Ed Laubach
Lafayette's record-tying 8-1 start to the basketball season -- before back-to-back losses last week on the West Coast to Southern Cal and Cal State-Northridge -- could be a sign of good things to come. The only other team in Lafayette's 94-year basketball history to start 8-1 was the 1971-72 squad -- coach Tom Davis' first on College Hill -- which sprung a handful of upsets, including a one-point victory over Virginia in the first round of the NIT at Madison Square Garden. Fran O'Hanlon likewise could have something special in the works in his ninth season. The Leopards were at Columbia on Saturday night and travel Wednesday to Penn before launching their Patriot League schedule this Saturday with Colgate at Kirby Sports Center.

Wednesday, December 31, 2003

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: MacLelland gaining valuable experience despite Lafayette College Leopards' struggles
The Phoenix (Phoenixville, Pa.)/ By Barry Sankey
Ashley MacLelland has been accustomed to winning games and individual success during her long career in girls basketball. But the former Phoenixville Area High School star has stepped up to the Division I level at Lafayette College in Easton. And while she is putting up some familiar numbers in terms of points and rebounds, MacLelland and the rest of the Leopards have struggled as a team. They are winless after seven games of the 2003-04 campaign following Tuesday night's loss to Loyola of Maryland. Still, MacLelland, who is a 5-foot-11 junior, is enjoying the collegiate experience that combines quality competition on the floor and in the classroom as well as travel. "It is kind of hard to say," MacLelland said in a telephone interview Tuesday about the transition to Division I athletics. "It has been frustrating with our team. But overall, it is an amazing experience."

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Loyola cruises past Lafayette
The Morning Call/ By Ted Meixell
Despite consecutive morale-sapping 3-25 seasons in Tammy Smith's first two years as head coach, Lafayette's women's basketball team approached the 2003-2004 campaign brimming with determination and optimism. No way, the Leopards insisted, was the losing going to continue. No way would they finish fourth and last in their own inaugural holiday tournament. Unfortunately, eight games into a 27-game schedule, that optimism has yet to bear fruit.

Monday, December 29, 2003

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: 'Junior captain' inspires 'Pards
The Express-Times/ By Corky Blake
No one's antsier for the inaugural Lafayette College Holiday Women's Basketball Tournament to start tonight than 9-year-old Kasey Keenan of Belvidere. Keenan serves as the Leopards' "junior captain" and sits on the bench for all home games. Tammy Smith's women's team hasn't been played in Kirby Sports Center since the season-opener Nov. 23 against Georgetown. Lafayette (0-6) plays Cornell in the 7:30 p.m. nightcap. Loyola (Md.) and Liberty meet in the 5:30 opener. Keenan believes she has the perfect remedy to cure Lafayette's winless start. "My mother says it's good luck to rub a bald man's head, so we figure it must also be good luck to rub a bald girl's head," Keenan said. The Oxford Street Elementary School fourth grader maintains a sense of humor despite being diagnosed with leukemia last summer. The leukemia was discovered after she complained of back pain while attending Lafayette's basketball camp.

Tuesday, December 23, 2003

MEN'S TENNIS: H'Cone Thompson '03 will represent The Bahamas in the first Davis Cup Tie of 2004
The Nassau Guardian/ By Shavaughn Moss
The team that will represent The Bahamas in the first Davis Cup Tie of 2004 has technically been selected. The only thing left to do is for team captain John Farrington to determine who will play which position. Luigi D'Agord, Hi'Cone Thompson, Chris Eldon, Bjorn "B.J." Munroe and Marvin Rolle are the five players that rose to the top after the conclusion of the three-day trials at the National Tennis Centre on Sunday. After the round-robin play on Saturday, 19-year-old University of Alabama freshman Luigi D'Agord and 22-year-old Lafayette College graduate Hi'Cone Thompson were undefeated at 3-0 and at the top of their respective pools.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: 8-1 Leopards get rare win at Princeton
The Express-Times/ By Corky Blake
PRINCETON, N.J. -- Lafayette beat Princeton, 47-44, for just the fifth time in 37 visits to New Jersey's only Ivy League campus, and yes, the 35-second shot clock was used Monday night in Jadwin Gym. Lafayette improved to 8-1 for the first time since the 1971-72 season by shaking off a 16-point first half, drilling three consecutive 3-pointers after falling behind 29-16 and then closing out the Tigers 13-4 over the final five minutes. Winston Davis, whose rebound and subsequent two free throws with six seconds left sealed the victory, shook his head and laughed when asked about the 16-point first half.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: 'Pards shake off shooting woes to beat Princeton
The Morning Call/ By Andre D. Williams
PRINCETON, N. J. | Lafayette College's offense seemed like it had been stolen by the Grinch on Monday night. That's because of the Leopards' woeful shooting, often careless passing and dribbling in a non-league game against Princeton at Jadwin Gymnasium. The Leopards were even worse trying to close out the game, going the final 2:16 without a field goal and just two points on a pair of free throws by senior guard Winston Davis that helped secure a 47-44 win.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Princeton loses to Lafayette comeback
The Newark Star-Ledger/ By Rich Fisher
Princeton was back in the familiar surroundings of Jadwin Gym last night for its first game there in nearly a month, but judging from the way the Tigers shot the ball, those baskets must have looked totally foreign to them. Princeton shot a season-low 29.8 percent and was 5-for-25 from 3-point range in dropping a 47-44 decision to streaking Lafayette. The Leopards battled back from a 13-point deficit early in the second half. They got two foul shots from Winston Davis with 6.1 seconds left to take a three-point lead, then forced Scott Greenman into a wild 3-point miss with time running out.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Lafayette overtakes cold-shooting Tigers
The Trenton Times/ By Craig Haley
PRINCETON TOWNSHIP- Ed Persia has been through just about everything during his Princeton basketball career. NCAA Tournament. NIT. Being left on the sideline in March. A common thread during each of the guard's four seasons