COVID-19
DASHED DREA DRE DASH Student-athletes deal with sudden end of sports seasons
Greg Satriale ’20
F
or Binghamton University lacrosse team captain Dan Mottes ’20, one word describes the days before COVID-19 forced the cancellation of the spring sports seasons: ominous. “I think most people had a sense that the season would not be played out in its fullest, but that we would at least have one or two more games,” Mottes says. “There’s always something different about going into a game knowing it could be your last and the emotions associated with it. We thought that we would have the chance to play out our last game on our terms — unfortunately the circumstances didn’t allow for that.” Mottes was one of many Binghamton University student-athletes whose collegiate careers came to an end in March when the America East Conference stopped play in baseball, softball, tennis, golf, lacrosse, and track and field. The conference also postponed all fall sports; it has not been determined if and when they will take place. Baseball player Greg Satriale ’20 recalls being in “disbelief” at the spring-sports decision. “Reality didn’t kick in until everyone was packing up their rooms and guys started heading home,” says Satriale, who pitched and played
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BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE
the infield during his four seasons with the Bearcats. “That was when I realized: ‘Wow, I’m never going to play another baseball game again for Binghamton.’ To the same effect, I realized that I was not going to be able to spend time with my team any longer. That is really what hit the most.” Shortly after the season cancellations, the NCAA granted an extra year of eligibility to student-athletes in spring sports. Softball catcher Sara Herskowitz ’20 jumped at the opportunity, as she had already been accepted into the Master of Public Health program at Binghamton University’s Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences. Herskowitz is one of 10 student-athletes to return to Binghamton for an additional spring season. “It seemed like we had so much going for us one day, and the next day we were stripped of the life we were accustomed to living during the time period we were in,” she says. “It hit me that we wouldn’t get a final game on our home field or get a chance to host the America East tournament. … Luckily, I have gotten the opportunity to have one more year playing softball at Binghamton.” Satriale and Mottes, meanwhile, had accepted post-graduation jobs with Bank of America and PJT Partners, respectively.
JONATHAN COHEN
By Eric Coker
