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The Amherst Student, November ,
Winter Season Previews
Men’s Basketball Returns Four Starters, Gunning for NESCAC Title Karan Bains ’14 Sports Section Editor
After advancing to the Elite Eight in last year’s NCAA Tournament, the Amherst men’s basketball team hit the practice courts with a vengeance over the summer and fall in order to further improve on the impressive accomplishments of the 2010-11 squad. Last year, the Jeffs came out of the gates playing solid basketball and only got better along the way en route to a 21-game winning !"#$%&'"('()$*'"+$'!$%!(*,'-.+$#!"'/*0!+$1'"+$' season at 25-4, with a pair of those losses coming against Middlebury. Many factors contributed to the early and consistent success that the Jeffs enjoyed, but co-captain and starting point guard Conor Meehan ’11 proved to be the engine that made the team go. Meehan’s enormous contributions will be hard to replace, as his 360 assists rank third on Amherst’s all-time list. In addition, he was named to First Team All-Conference and First Team All-American for his consistent scoring and playmaking. Meehan and his fellow co-captain Kurt Ben-
Photo courtesy of Kate Berry ’12
Willy Workman ’13 is one of four returning starters this season. nett ’11 combined to provide strong leadership for an Amherst squad that was looking to bounce back from a down season in 2009-10.
2+$' 0*345' (6' "%7$*"$1' /#!"89$%#!' 6#(.' 7%!"' year’s team, including NESCAC Rookie of the Year Aaron Toomey ’14, should continue to mature and help the Jeffs even more this year as sophomores. Toomey is primed to take the reins as the Jeffs’ point guard, looking to build on a fantastic rookie campaign in which he missed the !0*:7$'!$%!(*'-.+$#!"'/#!"89$%#'!;(#0*:'#$;(#1' by a single point. He combined with Meehan last season as the team’s biggest scoring threat, and will try to ;(*"0*4$'"+%"'"#$*1'"+0!'9$%#'<0"+'"+$'$6/;0$*;9' that made him a two-time NESCAC Player of the Week last year. Aside from Toomey, who was the spark off the bench last season, the Jeffs return all of their starters besides Meehan. Taylor Barrise =>?@' "+$' "$%.=!' !+%#)!+(("$#@' ;%*' ;%";+' /#$' at any time and make opposing defenses pay dearly for leaving him open. Wings Willy Workman ’13 and David Waller ’12 bring more scoring options to the table, and center Pete Kaasila ’13 will likely play an even greater role in the offense than he did last year. A%%!07%'$5+0B0"$1'+4:$'0.)#(C$.$*"!'0*'.%*9' facets of the game last season and cracked double digits in his points per game average,
and his development should only progress further this year. The main contributors off the bench last year, in addition to Toomey, were Allen Williamson ’13 and Jeff Holmes ’12. Holmes adds another presence in the post for Amherst, while D0770%.!(*=!' %"+7$"0;0!.' %*1' $5)7(!0C$*$!!' can turn any play into a highlight reel. D0"+' %77' "+0!' /#$)(<$#' ;(.0*:' B%;&' 6#(.' last year’s squad, the Jeffs are primed for another winning season and a deep run into the NCAA Tournament. Despite losing Meehan and Bennett, this 9$%#=!' "$%.' B(%!"!' /C$' !$*0(#!' "+%"' !+(471' B$' %B7$' "(' !"$)' 0*"(' "+$0#' 7$%1$#!+0)' #(7$!' %*1' /77' "+$' !+($!' (6' 7%!"' 9$%#=!' ;%)"%0*!,' -*' $5;0"0*:' :#(4)' (6' /#!"' 9$%#!' <077' %7!(' %11' "(' "+$' "%7$*"' pool, as rookies Ray Barry, Joseph Musacchia, -7$5'E$C0*$@'F%5'E0))$'%*1'G$*$'G%#%9'H(0*' the team. After losing to Middlebury in the NESCAC Championship and then falling to archrival Williams in the NCAA Tournament, this new and matured version of Amherst basketball will look to dominate all of their NESCAC opponents along with any other teams standing in the way of their ultimate goal, a national championship.
Track Teams Will Look Women’s Basketball Aims to Defend its Crown to Capitalize on Depth With talented returning players and a promising first-year class, the Jeffs are hoping for a repeat Emmett Knowlton ’15 Managing Sports Editor
After capturing its third NEIJ-J';#(<*'%*1'/#!"8$C$#'K%tional Championship last season, the women’s basketball team is entering the 2011-2012 season with one clear goal. Repeat. Riding a 19-game win streak and 49-game home win streak into the season, the Jeffs begin their title defense as the No. 1 ranked Div. III NCAA basketball team in the nation, opening play against Norwich University "+0!'I%"4#1%9'0*'E$L#%&'G9.*%sium. Leading the Jeffs this season will be preseason All-American and tri-captain Caroline Stedman ’12. Despite suffering an injury early last season, Stedman #$"4#*$1' "(' "+$' 3((#' <0"+' +4:$'
games against Tufts and Bates, averaging 22.5 points and going /C$86(#8/C$'6#(.'B$9(*1'"+$'%#;' against the Jumbos. As the Jeffs surged into the NCAA tournament, Stedman again proved to be the driving force, posting 18 points in the *%"0(*%7' !$.0/*%7!' %*1' >M' 0*' "+$'/*%7!,'N$!)0"$'+$#'0*H4#9'7%!"' season, Stedman still managed to average 10.8 points per game with 15 double-digit scoring performances, while shooting 41.6 )$#;$*"'6#(.'"+$'3((#, Stedman will need to live up to her pre-season honors in order to replace Jaci Daigneault ’11, who earned NCAA Div. III Player of the Year and scored the fourth-most points ever as a Jeff with 1299. Stedman leads an impressive senior class that has scored 3,488 points before entering
Photo courtesy of Sam Masinter ’04
Point guard Shannon Finucane ’12 averaged seven points per game last season and leads the program in career steals.
the season, the most by a single class in program history. Other notable returners include senior guards and tri-captains Kim Fiorentino and Shannon Finucane and center Lem Atanga McCormick ’12, who enters the season third on Amherst’s all-time blocks list with 132. In total, the Jeffs return nine players from last year’s championship squad, while adding three !&98+0:+' /#!"89$%#' 6(#<%#1!@' Savannah Holness (5’11), Uju Momah (6’0) and Megan Robertson (6’2). The Jeffs hope to start their season with a similar dominance as last year, in which they won "+$0#' /#!"' >O' :%.$!@' %77' B9' %"' least 20 points. After an overtime loss to Kean University in early January, the Jeffs quickly bounced back with a 9-0 run in NESCAC play, including a 35-point victory over Bowdoin in the NEIJ-J' /*%7!' "(' ;%)"4#$' "+$0#' third title. Amherst then cruised through the NCAA tournament, defeating Washington Univer!0"9'I",'E(40!'0*'"+$'/*%7!@'PQ8RR, Amherst hosts the Amherst Tip-Off Tournament this weekend and will travel to Las Vegas, Nev., to participate in the D3hoops.com Classic over winter break. The Jeffs look to avenge their OT loss to Kean University this year at home on Jan. 17, and face No. 14-ranked Bowdoin on January 20. After a dominating 20102011 season Amherst enters the year as the team to beat, and as the top-ranked team in the nation they will play with a target on their back. With a repeat or bust mentality, the Jeffs will certainly B$'$5;0"0*:'"('6(77(<'%*1'!4))(#"' this winter.
Carlyn Robertson ’14 Managing Sports Editor
Men This season marks head coach Erik Nedeau’s 15th year at the helm of the pro:#%.@'%*1'"+0!'9$%#'<077'B$'"+$'/#!"'"0.$'+$'0!' $5;74!0C$79'"+$'+$%1'(6'"+$'.$*=!'"$%.,' 2+$' S$66!' )7%;$1' !05"+' %"' "+$' KJ--' championships last year with 18 points, which are both program bests. The men also had a strong showing at the ECAC championships, placing fourth of 53 teams. Ben Sheetz ’12 is likely to have another fantastic season. He was named last year’s NCAA Div. III Men’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Year. Scheetz is only the second male Amherst athlete to claim a national title. He won the 800-meter event with a time of >TR>,?P@'$1:0*:'(4"'"+$'#4**$#84)'B9'H4!"'!058 100ths of a second. “Scheetz is looking to have a big senior year and capitalize on last year’s success. He’ll continue to be one of the more dominating runners in the country,” Nedeau said. UV$' !+(471' $5;$7' %"' %*9"+0*:' 6#(.' "+$' QWW' through the mile and will play a huge role in the relays.” Andrew Reed ’12 and Matt Melton ’14 should also continue to be successful in the relays as well as in the 400-meter event. The middle and long-distance squads <077'B$'!"#(*:'"+0!'9$%#,'X%"'G#0.$!'=>O@'-1ron Pitmon ’13, Eli Howe ’13 and Romey Sklar ’15 will all be racing middle-distance events. Nedeau said, “Andrew Erskine will lead a strong group of guys in the distance $C$*"!@' 0*;7410*:' /#!"89$%#!' G#$:' 24#0!!0*0' %*1'AJ'L4!!$77@'N077(*'Y4;&7$9'=>O'%*1'G4!' G#$$*!"$0*'=>Q,Z While many of the distance runners have been training for cross country, the rest of the team has kept busy. According to Nedeau, “Denzel Duncan has been showing some great improvements in the throwing events, while the sprinters have been working hard this fall.” Women The Jeffs welcome coach John Adamson as head of the women’s team this year. Adamson has been working with the women’s cross country team during the fall season, as well. He looks forward to having a balanced team that covers all the events. Melissa Sullivan ’12 represented the
Photo courtesy of Steve Dao
Melissa Sullivan ’12 was the only woman to qualify for last year’s NCAA finals. women on last year’s All-American team after placing eighth in the mile run at the NCAA championship. Ali Simeone ’13 was another standout, placing second in the 3,000-meter run at the New England Championships. Simeone will be a big contender in the distance events along with Angie Epifano ’14 and Elodie Reed ’13. 2+$'<(.$*'/*0!+$1'!$C$*"+'(6'RO'"$%.!' at the ECAC championships. Simeone took third in the 5,000 and Keri Lambert ’13 placed fourth in the 1,000. Adamson thinks that “Sullivan, Lambert, Lauren Almeida ’13 and Liza Schalch ’12 will lead a strong and talented middle-dis"%*;$':#(4)'"+%"'<077'7((&'"('.%&$'%'!0:*0/cant impact both regionally and nationally as individuals or as members of a relay team.” V$' 0!' %7!(' ;(*/1$*"' 0*' +0!' !)#0*"$#!T' UK%(.0' Y%"$!' =>Q' 0!' :(0*:' "(' !;(#$' !0:*0/cant points for us in the sprints, hurdles, and jumps. She will be joined in the jumps by Jessica Mueller ’13 and supported in the sprints by Jade McKnight ’13, Shyloe Jones ’14 and Beth Hall ’14.” 2+$' "$%.' <$7;(.$!' >>' /#!"89$%#!' <+(' will add new energy and depth to the program.