Winning EDGE
Olivia Muscolino’s talent and leadership guides women’s lacrosse team
3
6
CONTENTS FEATURES HIGHLIGHTS
WINNING EDGE SPRING 2025
Jess Bump and Kevin McKeown: and men’s lacrosse coaches now guide the teams they once starred for as players
Oliva Muscolino: Senior women’s lacrosse studentathlete has set school scoring record and led her team to the top of the America East.
12
24
Streaming the Bearcats: A team mostly comprised of students brings highquality event productions to fans on ESPN+ and America East TV.
16
Coaching greats: A look at the impact of Hall of Fame coaches John Affleck, Curt Coutts, Steve Erber, Tim Schum and Gary Truce.
Hall of Fame: Nick Billings (basketball), Gary Boughter (soccer), Jessica Hennig (track) and the 1995 women’s volleyball team will be enshrined in September
22
Champions and accolades: Men’s swimming and diving team wins America East championship for second straight season. Volleyball team captures conference regular-season title.
COVER PHOTO BY JONATHAN COHEN
A GIFT
FROM THE ATHLETICS DIRECTOR
Welcome to the third edition of Winning Edge. We’ve got lots of news and features to share with you so I hope you enjoy reading through this issue!
I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Harvey Stenger as he prepares to depart as president of Binghamton University. President Stenger and his wife, Cathy Frankenbach, have been dedicated supporters in the development of the total student-athlete.
Under his leadership, our student-athletes have excelled in the classroom, on the fields, courts, track, and in the pool of athletic competition, as well as within the community — where they serve as proud ambassadors. His dedication has ensured that our studentathletes have everything they need to succeed.
binghamtonathletics
@Bing_Bearcats
BinghamtonAthletics
From new and renovated athletic facilities to updated equipment and essential resources, President Stenger’s commitment has been unwavering. His leadership has also fostered the opportunity for recruitment of outstanding coaches and support staff, providing student-athletes with the guidance necessary to achieve success academically, athletically, socially and in preparation for their futures. As President Stenger closes this wonderful and highly successful chapter at Binghamton University, I want to ensure he knows how deeply appreciative we as a division are of his leadership. We wish that President Stenger, Cathy and their family enjoy the next chapter in their lives. Go Bearcats!
Sincerely,
Eugene Marshall Jr. Director of Athletics
Home-field ADVANTAGE
Kevin McKeown and Jess Bump are in unique coaching roles at their alma mater
By John Hartrick
W
WHEN Kevin McKeown ’06 speaks to recruits and their families about Binghamton, there are no sales pitches … no smoke blowing. It’s like a TED Talk, because nobody knows more about how to carve out an impactful studentathlete experience at Binghamton than McKeown.
McKeown is one of just 13 NCAA Division I lacrosse head coaches now coaching at his alma mater — and one of just three who was an All-American goalie.
Growing up in Brewster, N.Y., near the Connecticut border, he played baseball before finding the lacrosse game a bit faster and more exciting. A natural athlete with excellent eye-hand coordination, McKeown also played quarterback, using many of the same skillsets as a goalie — relishing in a pressure-filled spotlight position with required leadership and vision of the playing field. In the summer between his junior and senior year, Binghamton entered his radar.
“I remember getting a letter from [head coach Ed Stephenson] in the mail and I will always remember looking at the Bearcat logo and thinking it was unique and intriguing,” McKeown says. “The program was starting from scratch and I wanted to have an opportunity to get on the field right away. The notion of being part of the first recruiting class, together with the cost and education, made the decision easy.”
As a sophomore, McKeown led the 2004 Bearcats to an improbable 10-win season that included the program’s first America East regular season crown and championship game berth — in just its third year of existence. He was named America East Player of the Year and an All-American after Binghamton’s defense allowed the fewest goals per game (6.95) of any team in the country.
McKeown ended his collegiate career as a three-time all-conference selection. He graduated with a degree in economics in 2006 and, after earning his master’s degree at Elmira College, returned to campus in 2008 as Stephenson’s lead assistant.
He served in that capacity for four seasons before leaving for roles at Siena (2013) and then Bellarmine (2014–16).
In the midst of his time at Bellarmine,
McKeown returned to Binghamton to be inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame.
Third time back at Binghamton
The head coach position came open at Binghamton in 2016 and McKeown was back for his third tenure on campus. His 2017 squad won 11 games, ranked eighth in the nation in defense (8.19 GAA), and reached the America East
BEARCAT ALUMS COACHING IN NCAA
Name (sport), school (listed alphabetically by school)
Current Head Coaches
Jess Bump ’14 (softball), Binghamton
Kevin McKeown ’06 (men’s lacrosse), Binghamton
Mary Karen Wheat ’03 (softball), Brockport
Doanh Wang ’95 (women’s tennis), Bryn Mawr
Donnie Vinson ’12 (wrestling), Buffalo
John Moreau ’77 (men’s and women’s fencing), Incarnate Word
Xiomara Ortiz ’14 (volleyball), Morgan State
Margaret Yerdon ’01 (softball), Nazareth
Caytlin Friis ’15 (softball), Penn State Abington
Sarah Cartmill ’02 (women’s basketball), St. John Fisher
Current Assistant Coaches
Tommy Moon ’14 (men’s soccer), Binghamton
Lou DePrez ’22 (wrestling), Binghamton
Sophia Pappas ’23 (softball), Binghamton
Jesse Fuca ’12 (track and field), Binghamton
Dan Pergel ’23 (men’s tennis), Binghamton
Mats Roorda ’23 (men’s and women’s soccer), Concord
Rob Hardy ’16 (baseball), Gardner-Webb
Tanner Sinicki ’23 (baseball), George Washington
Yun Qu ’05 (swimming and diving), Georgia Tech
Anthony Sobotker ’23 (wrestling), Hofstra
Adam Whitehead ’13 (men’s soccer), Iona
Andrew Sweeney ’17 (cross country/track), Lamar
Marisa Destasio ’05 (softball), Lehigh
Mackenzie Hanna ’21 (women’s soccer), Marist
Tyler Perrelle ’13 (men’s lacrosse), Marist
Allison Mack ’17 (women’s soccer), Michigan State
Chretien Lukusa ’11 (men’s basketball), Morgan State (associate HC)
Rory Quiller ’08 (track & Field), Navy
Tiago Lourenco ’20 (men’s tennis), NJIT
Joe Licata ’19 (men’s lacrosse), Pace
Hayley Moore ’22 (women’s basketball), Vermont
championship game. McKeown was named conference Coach of the Year.
Now settled in as a veteran lacrosse coach, he has built a program that thrives on integrity, character and academic achievement. Developing leaders and helping young men realize their potential are as important to McKeown as the on-field success.
“At Binghamton, it’s the people, the culture and the relationships that you build,” he says. “If someone wants to be in a great environment in a place that will challenge them, and be surrounded by people who push and support them … then this is a good spot.”
Spoken from experience.
Bump is all-things Binghamton
Like McKeown, Jess Bump ’14 has a strong affinity for Binghamton University. While McKeown was starting his coaching career at Binghamton in 2009, Bump was 20 miles west in her junior year at Windsor High School. She had led her softball team to a state title the previous spring and also starred in basketball and swimming, where she held six school records.
A lifelong Binghamton native, Bump had a steady connection to the University and its athletics program
growing up. Her mom, Susan Bump, was a 1975 graduate of Harpur College. Her dad, Jeff Bump, was an avid fan, community partner and generous supporter of Bearcat athletics during its elevation to NCAA Division I. He was owner of The Links at Hiawatha Landing and the family golf ties with the University further expanded when Jess’s older brother JB transferred home from Notre Dame to star for the Bearcats in the early 2000s.
By the time Bump was a junior at Windsor, softball had become her sport of choice.
After an adjustment to the speed of the college game, Bump closed out her Binghamton career with a pair of first-team America East all-conference selections and lofty status as both Binghamton Female Athlete of the Year and America East Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2013. By the time she graduated in 2014, she had talked with head coach Michelle Johnston about a career in coaching.
“I wasn’t ready for my softball career to end … so I knew coaching was the one thing that was going to allow me to stay in the game,” she says. “Michelle made such an everlasting impact on me as a softball player and person, and I wanted to be that person for MY players.”
After assistant coaching stops at Kentucky and Lafayette, Bump returned to Binghamton in fall 2016, joining Johnston’s staff. Her contributions and confidence grew by the day, setting the table for her eventual elevation to head coach. That moment arrived five years later when recent mother of twins Johnston ended her Binghamton coaching career. Bump, who had served as interim coach for the first four games of the 2021 season, was the natural choice. That summer was a difficult one for Bump, however. Her dad suffered a second traumatic brain injury in July and was in the ICU. Meanwhile, the search process for Johnston’s replacement was midstream and Bump was awaiting word. Her two most prominent passions — family and softball — were converging in an emotional way. Bump, her mom and brother spent their final days with
At Binghamton,
it’s the people, the culture and the relationships that you build.”
Jeff Bump and after meeting with the palliative team, made the difficult decision to take him off life support. Shortly after that meeting, Jess got the call with the head coach offer.
Her last words to her dad were: “My dream has come true … I hope I made you proud.”
And proud he would be. Bump is the reigning America East Coach of the Year. Her 2024 team went 33–18 overall and 14-6 in conference play. In the last two seasons, the Bearcats have averaged 31 wins. This year’s squad will host the sixteam America East Championship from May 7-10.
Answering the recruiting questions
Few can answer the question “Why Binghamton?” better than Bump. Her ability to speak from experience about the softball program, campus climate, the rigors of academics and the setting in the greater Binghamton community
—Kevin McKeown
is seemingly unmatched. Knowing how important and formative her college years were, Bump embraces her role as a coach and mentor.
“I take pride in the responsibility of creating an environment where our student-athletes are truly excited about what we are doing daily,” she says. “We are building approachable relationships and I want to instill confidence and preparedness as they approach life after graduation.”
In today’s fluid NCAA world of frequent coach and player movement, stability is rare — but not at Binghamton. Answering concerns from recruits and their families about whether their college coach will stay to help them develop is an easy one for Bump.
“They ask how long do I see myself here and it’s a very easy answer,” she says. “Binghamton is my home. It’s my
Fearless focused AND
Olivia Muscolino’s on-field success has the Bearcats standing tall in lacrosse
By John Hartrick
ead coach Stephanie Allen points to the 2023 America East semifinal win over Vermont as the moment Olivia Muscolino and the Bearcats women’s lacrosse program arrived.
Trailing the defending champions 10–7 with less than 12 minutes remaining, Binghamton scored five unanswered goals to pull out a 12–10 win and advance to the America East finals for the first time in the program’s 22-year history. Muscolino scored two of those goals — the first on a free position shot to tie the game at 10-10 with four minutes left — and the second sealed the dramatic win with 43 seconds left.
Though the Bearcats lost a 14–13 heartbreaker to top-seeded host UAlbany two days later, the seeds were sewn. The heavily favored Great Danes were appearing in their 12th straight championship game and the fact that Binghamton stood toeto-toe until the final horn was telling.
“The bar was raised for our program that day and Liv was instrumental in that belief of what we could accomplish,” Allen says. “We talk about how ‘big players have big moments,’ and Liv has had a lot of those moments in really important games throughout her career.”
Muscolino says the championship game loss was her motivator.
“The disappointment of being up two at half, but losing motivated us more than ever,” she says. “We knew going into 2024 we had all the right tools to make back to the championship and show we could win it this time.”
Fast forward 354 days and on that same John Fallon Field at UAlbany, the Bearcats exacted their revenge with a 14-13 championship game win over the Great Danes. Muscolino scored twice and added an assist and Binghamton rallied from 7-2 down to claim the program’s first America East crown.
great opportunity to help create a winning culture ...”
and first team allconference accolades capped Muscolino’s threeyear ascent as a collegiate student-athlete. Her journey to Binghamton from C.W. Baker High in Syracuse wasn’t as simple as the short trek down I-81 would seem. Even though her mom Stacey is a 1992 Binghamton graduate, Olivia explored all her college options, both from an academic and
“We went after Liv hard in the recruiting process, but she wasn’t swayed to rush her decision just because her peers and teammates were making decisions,” Allen recalls. “She came for her visit the Sunday before Christmas of her junior year and despite the emptiness around campus, I did my best to paint a picture of the experience she’d have here and the
Muscolino soon phoned Allen and officially joined the
“I felt it was a great opportunity to help create a winning culture and the academic rigor would challenge me and set
me up for success down the road,” she says. “Binghamton also was one of the only schools that supported my decision to become a STEM major while playing a Division I sport. I was confident I could balance a difficult major with playing lacrosse, especially with the resources Binghamton has available.”
Balance is an understatement.
Two-time all-conference selection. Two-year team captain. All-time scoring leader. A 3.5 GPA in integrated neuroscience. Scholar-athlete honors.
THE LACROSSE CHOICE owes its roots to Olivia’s dad, Joe, who played college lacrosse at Washington College in Maryland and steered her into the sport at age 6. They played catch in the backyard and would also go to the school to shoot on the net and practice tricks.
“I am fortunate to have a dad who continued to show so much enthusiasm and love toward the game,” she says. “But he never put pressure on me to perform a certain way or even play in college. He constantly reminded me that it’s just a game and it’s all for fun. His support, passion and motivation has helped me become the player I am.”
While Olivia’s dad influenced her on the sports side, her mom provided the perfect career model.
“My mom is a nurse practitioner and she set the stage for what hard work and success looks like,” Olivia says. “I love when people say ‘so you’re planning on going into healthcare just like your mom’ … because I take pride in following in her footsteps.”
Olivia Muscolino is Binghamton University’s all-time scoring leader in women’s lacrosse. The integrated neuroscience major led the Bearcats to the 2024 America East championship and the NCAA Tournament.
WHEN MUSCOLINO ARRIVED on campus in fall 2021, the Bearcats were coming off a COVID-shortened 3–5 season. She was among a recruiting class of six — players who remain close in their final collegiate seasons in 2025.
“Right from the start we bonded and built a chemistry that translated onto the field,” she says.
It was the family atmosphere that Muscolino felt from the upperclassmen that made a strong impression and fueled her to reciprocate for incoming classes during her career.
That “all-in” mindset led to a steady improvement in each of Muscolino’s three years. And with each passing year, as Muscolino’s role and offensive num-
bers hiked, so did the team’s success.
The Bearcats won seven games in 2022, tied for fourth in the standings and played in the conference semifinals. A starting attacker from day one, she was an all-rookie selection after contributing 26 goals and eight assists. In 2023 the Bearcats made a big jump, going 11–6 overall, including 5–1 in conference play after being picked to finish fifth. Muscolino exploded for 38 goals and 53 points, both among the top-six season totals in program history. She was named second-team all-conference.
But the 2024 campaign was one for the record books, for the team and Muscolino. The Bearcats set records with 12 overall wins, eight consecutive wins, another 5–1 conference campaign
and the historic title-game win over UAlbany that snapped a 25-game losing streak to the Great Danes. Muscolino was nearly unstoppable with program records of 52 goals and 72 points. She had 12 hat-tricks, produced four games with four or more goals and was named first-team all-conference.
The championship and NCAA berth have now put the Bearcats and Muscolino in the spotlight. For the first time in program history, Binghamton was picked No. 1 by conference coaches this spring and Muscolino was among four Bearcats selected to the preseason all-conference team. She became the school’s career points leader with 161 during an early-season game against Colgate on Feb. 12.
SO HOW DOES A 5-FOOT-2 PLAYER forge such a prominent role on the lacrosse field?
“Olivia is dynamic and creative,” Allen says. “Her first step and ability to create for herself and others makes her a multi-faceted threat. Surprisingly, her size helps her because it’s hard to defend her and maintain clean contact on her. She is mighty powerful for someone of her stature … very deceiving for opponents who don’t know her full résumé.”
“Her lacrosse skills are amazing,” teammate and fellow senior Marisa Tancredi adds. “She has such a quick first step that makes her a lethal dodger … and her tremendous amount of hard work in the weight room shows in her deadly shooting ability.”
For Muscolino, her skill level and impact are the result of hard work and determination — and perhaps a steadfast drive to show that her small frame, confirmed by her low jersey number, isn’t a drawback.
“I wore jersey No. 1 in high school in part because the lower numbers are always the smaller-sized uniforms,” she
says. “But I feel that I was looked down upon because of my height, especially when it came to recruiting. My club coaches told me that despite my skill, my size was the reason schools didn’t look at me.”
Muscolino has proven them wrong with a work ethic that has allowed her to raise the level of her game every season.
“Olivia drew a lot of attention her freshman year and immediately was added to opponents’ scouting reports,” Allen says. “She was brought in as a dodger but had to learn how to elevate and evolve her game quickly. She developed better vision and creativity and had to read the play quicker and find her teammates faster. Seeing her assists totals improve each season shows she is a dual threat. It’s been fun to watch.”
WHILE MUSCOLINO’S ON-FIELD production has climbed steadily, so too has her leadership.
“She is incredibly personable and brings a warmth and level of comfort to every interaction,” Allen says of her twoyear captain, voted by her teammates.
“Olivia makes everyone feel seen. Every single one of her teammates would agree she is a natural leader.”
“Liv is unique because she cares so much for the game and her performance but she cares even more for the 30-plus other players alongside her,” senior teammate Tancredi says. “She brings positive energy to practices and games and goes 100% every day. Liv is kind to everyone she sees. She is an amazing role model.”
It’s no surprise that Muscolino’s drive to achieve also carries over into the classroom, where her coursework and acumen have set her up for a career as a physician assistant. She has handled classes in chemistry, cell and molecular biology, genetics, anatomy and physiology, forensic health and biochemistry, pointing to anatomy and its lab work with cats and sheep brains as most memorable.
“I believe I am very academically driven and goal-oriented,” says the quintessential time-management expert. “I knew I wanted to be a PA so I was willing to do whatever it took.”
On the horizon likely is a gap year to focus on logging more clinical hours, shadowing and volunteering before applying to graduate school. Having enjoyed a mission trip taken to Greece last summer, another might be in the works. But for now, it’s one final season: one final semester with her teammates, playing in front of her family and inspiring teammates with her fearless pursuit of success.
Muscolino’s jersey now fits her perfectly in more ways than one. She has steered the Bearcats to No. 1 in the America East. And she will leave No. 1 in the record books. Never before has a 5-foot-2 footprint loomed so large.
‘The gold standard’ ‘The gold standard’
BROADCAST-PRODUCTION CREW — FEATURING MANY STUDENTS — INCREASES BEARCATS VISIBILITY ACROSS THE COUNTRY
By Eric Coker
JEREMY DONOVAN understands the importance and value of livestreaming nearly 140 Binghamton University athletics events in 12 sports each year.
“This is about getting our name, brand and logo out there,” says Donovan, athletics video production/multimedia coordinator. “We’re showing off what Binghamton is and has. The academic reputation of a university is vital, but athletics is the front porch of the university. It’s the first impression.”
Donovan leads a team of mostly student workers that is responsible for showcasing Bearcats sports on the ESPN+ and America East TV streaming services to fans and viewers across the country. The production team’s work has drawn praise for its professional quality.
Matt Bourque, America East senior associate commissioner of broadcast media and partnership, calls Binghamton University “the gold standard in the conference for ESPN+ productions.”
“Our goal is to have the viewer experience be no different whether watching an America East game on ESPN+ or a game from a Power 4 conference on ESPN in terms of the number and quality of camera angles, graphics, analysis and information,” he says. “Thanks to Jeremy and his team, fans are able to experience more than 100 Binghamton athletics events annually across multiple sports, which is more than any other America East school. Producing at a level that meets ESPN standards allows the production to be streamed on ESPN platforms, which opens the audience to thousands of viewers per game and increases the reach of not just Bearcats sports teams, but also the University as a whole.”
Jeremy Donovan, athletics video production/ multimedia coordinator, stands in the control room at the Baseball Complex.
Jeremy Donovan, seen here in the Events Center control room, directs most of Binghamton University’s athletics broadcasts.
Athletics productions are generally based out of an equipment control room in either the Events Center or the Baseball Complex, where a director guides students on cameras, graphics, audio boards and replay machines. Donovan, who arrived at Binghamton in January 2018 after serving as sports director at WICZ Fox 40 in Binghamton, directs 90% of the productions.
Besides Donovan, the only other non-students on the team are engineer Eric Adler, production assistant Josh Williams and the on-air personalities for the televised events (which include Commencement ceremonies on YouTube). The remainder are a rotating crew of 70 or so paid students who are interested in the work, even though classes in TV broadcasting and production are not offered at Binghamton University.
“My ideal [applicant] expresses an interest in the world of broadcasting and says they love sports,” says Donovan, who hires 10–15 students each year from a variety of majors. “But we’ve taken people who are interested in broadcasting and know nothing about sports. I’ve had people who love sports and know nothing about broadcasting. We’ve had some who didn’t know either and then we mold them.”
Students work when they are able and almost always start by learning how to use a TV camera.
“We need good camera people,” Donovan says. “If you don’t have good camera people, you don’t have anything good to broadcast.”
Some students opt to stay behind the camera, while others branch out and learn how to make graphics, run audio mixers and replay machines, and even direct broadcasts.
Lizzy Taddeo is a student who has worked her way up the ranks. The senior English major from Penfield, N.Y., expressed interest during her first-year orientation and has been a mainstay on the production team ever since.
“I worked my first game in August before my first semester,” she recalls. “I later decided I wanted to learn everything — and I’m glad I did.”
Taddeo, along with graduate student Emma Colling, are production assistants who direct when there are overlapping games. The director communicates not only with team members in the control room, deciding what camera angle or graphic to use, but also talks to the on-air commentators about aspects of the game.
“If I have a student directing, my goal is that a fan at home wouldn’t know the difference between a game I’m directing
A team of students works on audio boards, graphics and replay during a BinghamtonVermont men’s basketball game at the Events Center in late January.
Camera operators Sara Roger-Gordon and Chris Carrara are among the students who make athletics broadcasts possible.
vs. a game that [a student] is directing,” Donovan says.
Taddeo, who directed the ESPN+ telecast of the Feb. 1 women’s basketball home game against UAlbany, says she appreciates Donovan’s trust in allowing students to develop skills and eventually direct.
“He goes out of his way to make sure we know how to lead,” she says. “It’s a unique experience for a paid position. Learning about leadership and teamwork, such as relying on other people in high-stress situations, are things that are going to be helpful anywhere in life.”
Past members of athletics production teams are making an impact in the field. Izabel Pasquale ’19 worked as an ESPN digital video content associate before becoming a social media manager for the United States Golf Association, while Forrest Denker ’24 is a TV news director in West Palm Beach, Fla., who also directs Florida Atlantic University sports events for ESPN+.
Lorin Miller ’22, is a broadcast associate for CBS Sports who researches and produces in-game graphics for events such
12 STREAMED BEARCATS SPORTS
as college basketball, college football and the 2024 National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) playoffs and championship.
“I didn’t join the Binghamton-ESPN crew until my senior year, but it turns out that was one of the best career decisions I made while in college,” Miller says. “I went in knowing next to nothing about TV production — other than I thought it was cool — and came out knowing how to set up and operate cameras, tech-direct a show and do video-shading. Jeremy was always patient with our student crew and encouraged us to fail so we could improve. I’m grateful to have had that space to learn and grow at Binghamton.”
When Donovan started at Binghamton, basketball was the University’s live-stream focus. While basketball remains the most-watched sport (and a priority of the growing ESPN+), the volume of Bearcats games and sports televised has expanded.
“We’re now doing 12 sports — 10 of which are regularly on ESPN+ — with full crews of six to 12,” Donovan says. “[Former Athletics Director] Pat Elliott knew streaming was the future and that we needed to get the brand out. [AD] Gene Marshall is always advocating for us, making sure the equipment is there and we have what we need. He understands how important this is for the University, our student-athletes, their families and prospective student-athletes.”
But just because Bearcats productions are being hailed by the America East and fans doesn’t mean that Donovan isn’t looking to improve the live-streaming.
Donovan meets twice a month via Zoom with production leaders from fellow America East schools to discuss telecasts.
A fourth camera was added to the America East volleyball tournament on campus, earning positive feedback. He believes the Baseball Complex, with its new control-room equipment and top-notch facilities, will be a game-changer for live-streams of the sport. And he’s hoping to improve swimming and diving productions, while potentially adding sports such as track and field and cross country to the production mix.
“Our broadcasts can grow and get better,” Donovan says. “But compared to other schools, we’re blessed with great equipment, facilities and resources.”
Production assistant Samantha Buckles works on a broadcast from the Events Center control room.
Brian Jester, left, and Jason Weinstein call a game at the Baseball Complex.
Students Audrea Crowley and Nicholas Saunders film commentators Tim Heiman, left, and Doug Walsh during a game.
Five decades, five coaching
A giants giants
Reflections on a group that transformed Binghamton athletics
By John Hartrick
ffleck, Coutts, Erber, Schum, Truce.
If you were a student-athlete between 1960 and 2003, chances are your coach was one of these five Binghamton legends. In fact, if you were a student who took a physical education class during that span, you likely were taught by one of these men.
Five Hall of Fame coaches and educators whose collective imprint on Binghamton University was as significant as any five people you could assemble across campus. Each had a unique style and skillset, but all five possessed a fierce passion to be the best and to bring out the best.
And put this 33-year athletics staffer at the top of the list of those who were inspired and supported ... in my case by every single one of them. I met John, Curt, Steve, Tim and Gary in the fall of 1991 when I was hired as sports information director. A 25-year-old fresh out of graduate school, I was long on enthusiasm but short on experience. Turns out, there was no better environment to learn and grow than one that featured this larger-than-life quintet.
John Affleck came to campus in 1963 and during a 39-year career, coached basketball (11 years) and baseball (nine years) before earning national distinction in 15 years as golf coach.
Curt Coutts also arrived in 1963 and during his 35-year career, coached women’s
tennis, leading the program to 11 conference championships while carrying the mantle for the growing physical-education curriculum.
Steve Erber began his Binghamton career in 1967. Twenty-nine years later, his legacy as a nationally renowned wrestling coach and administrator was cemented.
Tim Schum came in 1963 and rose to the top of the national soccer ranks as a coach, editor and author during a 44-year affiliation with the University that also included stints as golf (10 years) and baseball (six years) coach and administrator.
Gary Truce arrived in 1968 and logged 53 years of service to the University. Truce’s roles included a long run as track and field and cross country coach (25 years) and then, after stepping away from coaching in 1993, Truce spent another 28 years as a professor in health and wellness studies.
The five men gave 200 combined years to the physical education, recreation and athletics department at Harpur College, SUNY Binghamton and finally Binghamton University. And if that number isn’t staggering enough, these coaching numbers should be:
Sixty-seven All-Americans. Twenty-four conference titles. Fourteen NCAA top-10 finishes. And more than 1,500 student-athletes mentored.
But the numbers don’t tell the full story. These five impacted their student-athletes and colleagues in so many ways. My own personal connection with each is vivid to this day.
Aside from sharing a first name, John Affleck and I shared a Western New York connection. He was from Niagara Falls and I grew up just miles away on Grand Island. Buffalo pride is strong and we enjoyed that bond. We also enjoyed battling on the racquetball courts. He was a walking juxtaposition ... a good-natured, God-fearing, jovial guy with an intensely competitive, trash-talking, supremely confident side. Whether it was on the course, courts, or in the
JOHN Affleck
West Gym hallways, that big smile never left his face. And an engaging story was never far behind either.
In the 1990s, Affleck found his niche as a golf coach, where his family-first culture, recruiting acumen, competitive fire and positive reinforcement resulted in elite teams that were built both for NCAA
success and strong alumni bonds.
“Coach was relentlessly positive, determined and caring for the team,” former captain and AllAmerican John Binkley ’96 says.
Under Affleck’s leadership, the golf program recorded four top-10 national finishes, highlighted by a fourth-place performance at the 1992 NCAA Division III Championship. By the time Affleck retired in 2003, he had ushered the program into the Division I ranks and earned the rare distinction of winning “Coach of the Year” accolades at all three NCAA divisional levels.
“Coach is one of my most favorite people I’ve ever known and the closest to a father-figure,” former captain and All-American Jason Bowie ’98 says. “His mantra to us consisted of four traits: Passion, integrity, enthusiasm and work ethic. I carry and share these words still today.”
My connection with Curt Coutts dated back to the late 1950s ... in Ohio. Coutts went to Oberlin College, where he met both my mom and dad, fellow undergraduates. He and my father Fred were the first physical education majors at Oberlin, which was better known as a music school. With a strong moral compass and steadfast devotion to the value of physical education, Coutts was a well-respected educator.
CURT COUTTS
On the tennis courts, Coutts was a calm, technique-driven coach who vaulted Binghamton teams to the top of the SUNYAC and New York state year after year.
“Curt wanted us to succeed, but he kept us grounded and academics were paramount,” Hall of Fame member Bonnie Loedel ’87 says. “He was very disciplined in his approach to coaching and as a leader ... and he really valued a well-rounded athlete.”
Imet Steve Erber during my campus interview and we shared an immediate connection, again thanks to my father, who was a longtime soccer coach and administrator at fellow SUNYAC member Buffalo State. The two worked together on conference committees and their mutual respect won me a supportive start at Binghamton.
Erber founded the varsity wrestling program in 1969 and his national success in the 1970s and 1980s resulted in four NCAA champions, 34 All-Americans
and six NCAA top-10 finishes. His accomplishments were punctuated with a third-place national finish in 1984 — still the best NCAA performance by any Binghamton team in school history — and one that was celebrated in West Gym as Erber led Binghamton’s ambitious task of hosting the NCAA Championship in 1977 and again in 1984.
Erber is a member of four halls of fame, including the NCAA Division III Wrestling Hall of Fame and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. After closing his coaching career in 1988, he continued to lead as a detail-oriented administrator, first at Binghamton and then at Muhlenberg College (as athletics director) and Cornell University (associate AD) to close out a 46-year professional career.
Steve Erber
Perhaps best suited to add to any Erber discussion is NCAA wrestling champion and inaugural Hall of Fame member Mark Gumble ’88, MA ’93, Erber’s coaching successor at Binghamton.
“Two traits that immediately come to mind about Coach Erber were his effectiveness as a communicator and his ability to build trust/relations with others,” Gumble says. “Coach treated everyone with respect and his word most typically aligned with his actions. He was honest and was easy to understand and trust.”
My personal connection with Tim Schum revolves around the sport of soccer. Having played at fellow SUNYAC soccer power Cortland in the mid-
TIM SCHUM
1980s, my teams battled Schum’s Binghamton teams for four years, and he previously coached against my father for several decades as Buffalo State and Binghamton also squared off for conference and region supremacy.
Schum’s soccer accolades are aplenty, with 259 wins and eight NCAA tournament berths, including NCAA quarterfinal appearances in 1975 and 1980. He recruited and coached seven All-Americans and
also was a leader in the soccer governing bodies, where his writing expertise shone through. Schum wrote and edited the popular national Soccer America publication for 20 years and since has shared his breadth of soccer knowledge by authoring several books. His largest written project, however, was the 343-page From Colonials to Bearcats, a comprehensive history of athletics at Binghamton, published in 2007. He capped his Binghamton tenure
by steering the expansion of the campus recreation program.
Former All-American and Hall of Fame member Mary Friedman ’75 recalls Schum’s drive for personal knowledge and team success.
“Tim was always looking to better himself as a coach and pass on what he learned to his players,” Friedman says. “He also cared personally about his players.”
My first office in the West Gym was right next to Gary Truce’s and no other office drew as many visitors as his. He was one of the most kind and positive “neighbors” anyone could ask for and his willingness to listen and offer guidance to countless college students, coaches and staff members kept him one of the most soughtafter conversationalists in the department.
Immensely accomplished as both coach and professor of sports psychology, Truce was nonetheless modest and took great pride in the achievements of others. And his skills knew no bounds. Need a new way to motivate a struggling team? Talk to Gary. Need to kick that smoking habit with hypnosis? Personal fitness strategy? Want to learn folk dance? Unlock the joy of running? He was a role model for mind and body.
“How lucky we are that Coach Truce decided to make the move to Binghamton,” former All-American and Hall of Fame member Alice
gary truce
Willis ’85 shares.
“He has positively touched
not only the lives of his athletes, but thousands of students over the years who took his Running to Awareness class. I have recently been with Coach when he received an email from a past student in his late 60s who thanked Coach for what he learned about himself in one of Coach’s classes and how it helped him face major challenges in his life. Coach continues to teach us and foster togetherness and I cherish the time and memories we continue to make.”
As with his four Hall of Fame counterparts, Truce is a noted storyteller. My favorite was the time he (as a coach and professor at University of Cincinnati) was running his track team through a
practice in the gym and somebody was shooting baskets at the other end of the gym — not necessarily interfering with practice, but encroaching on the space and focus of his team. Truce kindly asked that he leave the gym and he did. Later he was told that the guy he ran out of the gym was none other than former Cincinnati superstar and NBA legend Oscar Robertson.
The fact that Truce began his career as a Bearcat (Cincinnati’s nickname) and ended it as a Binghamton Bearcat is poetic symmetry.
With Truce’s 2021 retirement, the book closes on a nearly 60year stretch of influence from these five coaches, educators and administrators who did the heavy lifting for Binghamton athletics during a critical era — one that paved the way for today’s NCAA Division I program.
FALL/WINTER SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS
Volleyball
Head coach Allie Yaeger and All-American Tsvetelina Ilieva led the team to its second America East regular-season crown in three years, 19 wins — most in 19 years — and a national tournament invite (NIVC) for the second time since 2022. Ilieva closed her record-setting career as a three-time AVCA All-American, three-time America East Player of the Year and Academic All-American. The Bearcats also celebrated conference Setter of the Year Lottie Scully plus four all-conference selections. The team moved full-time into the Events Center and hosted the America East Championship, drawing nearly 2,500 fans for its semifinal match.
Men’s Swimming and Diving
For the second consecutive year, the third time in five years and fourth time in program history (2003, 2021, 2024), the men’s swimming and diving team won the America East Championship. The Bearcats pulled away from runner-up UMBC on the final day of the meet at the VMI Aquatic Center. The team’s margin was 52.5 points, 775–722.5. Head coach Jerry Cummiskey, diving coaches Heather Colby-Cummiskey and Jesus Santos, assistant coach Maddy Beekler and volunteer assistant coach David Randesi were named the America East Coaching Staff of the Year for the third time in five years.
Marshall earns national honor
Binghamton Director of Athletics Eugene Marshall Jr. was selected as a 2024-25 NACDA Athletics Director of the Year, the association announced in March. Marshall will join other honorees across all divisions in the NCAA and NAIA at the 60th Annual NACDA & Affiliates Convention in Orlando, Fla., in June. Marshall was one of four Division I-AAA athletics directors in the country to receive the honor.
Women’s Soccer
Head coach Neel
Bhattacharjee’s team produced a seven-game unbeaten streak and advanced to the America East semifinals for the third straight season, thanks to a dramatic home shootout win over Vermont in the quarterfinals.
Sophomore goalkeeper Rebecca Kessler stopped four of six penalties, and senior all-region forward Hannah Mimas netted the clinching kick.
Men’s Soccer
Head coach Paul Marco’s squad earned its highest win total in nine years and made its third straight postseason appearance. The Bearcats also held their own in a rugged America East Conference that produced 2024 NCAA champion Vermont and also features 2023 NCAA Round of 16 participant New Hampshire. Binghamton beat UNH and also tied Vermont — both on the road — and came within two minutes of beating the eventual national champions. Two-year standout keeper Dylan McDermott then signed a professional contract with the New York City Football Club (NYCFC) 2 of the Major League Soccer (MLS) Next Pro league.
Cross Country
The men’s and women’s teams each finished third at the America East Championships under head coach Annette Acuff. Junior Sydney Leitner and senior Josh Stone placed fifth in their respective races. The women’s team also continued its high achievement in the classroom by winning the program’s third straight and eighth overall Academic Cup with a 3.84 team GPA.
Indoor Track
The women’s team placed third at the America East Championship and both the men’s and women’s programs celebrated elite individual performances for head coach Mike
Thompson. Sophomore thrower Brian Luciano was named the Most Outstanding Men’s Field Athlete after repeating as the weight throw champion and graduate runner Josh Stone was chosen as the Men’s Most Outstanding Track Athlete after scoring a teambest 18 points. Fellow graduate student Penelope Paldino, pentathlon runner-up, received the America East Elite 18 Award for her academic and athletic accomplishments.
Men’s Basketball
Sophomore forward Gavin Walsh asserted himself as one of the Top 5 rebounders in the nation and he and graduate guard Tymu Chenery gave the Bearcats two all-conference selections for the first time in 16 years. Head coach Levell Sanders’ team won 15 games for the second straight season with a notable victory coming against longtime America East power Vermont.
Women’s Basketball
The Bearcats won 15 games for firstyear coach Mary Grimes. Redshirt junior guard Jadyn Weltz and sophomore guard Bella Pucci each were named all-conference. Pucci added All-Defensive Team honors, while Weltz made an appearance on the All-Academic Team.
Women’s Swimming and Diving
Fayanne Smith-Salzberg earned all-conference honors at the America East Swimming & Diving Championships with a third-place finish in the 100 breaststroke. Lizzy Tirado, meanwhile, placed among the Top-5 finishers in both diving events.
Wrestling
Senior 174-pound Brevin Cassella reached the top of the podium at the EIWA Championship en route to his fourth trip to NCAAs. Cassella received the EIWA Coaches’ Trophy as the outstanding wrestler — the first Bearcat to earn the honor. Cassella’s win over the top seed from Navy in the championship match was his 100th career victory, putting him in elite company. After a 25-4 regular season, he earned the No. 6 seed at nationals and won two matches at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. Senior heavyweight Cory Day ranked fourth in the nation with 13 pins, and made his third straight NCAA appearance. Coach Kyle Borshoff’s squad won 10 duals, including victories over Big Ten member Maryland and longtime SUNY rival Buffalo.
Olympian Mackay back on campus
Olympian and five-time Bearcat All-American Emily Mackay ’21 returned to campus in February as the featured speaker at the 20th Annual Celebrating Women’s Athletics Luncheon. Mackay has become one of the top women’s middle-distance runners in the nation and qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics in the women’s 1,500, advancing to the semifinal round. Earlier in the year, Mackay was the bronze medalist in the 1,500 at the World Indoor Championships. “Join me on this path to become the best version of yourself,” Mackay urged the audience of nearly 1,000. “Put your all into everything you do and don’t be afraid of failure. I used to think that making the Olympics was just the pinnacle. Now I know it’s just the beginning.”
Hall of Fame Class of 2025
n elite basketball shot blocker, standout soccer midfielder, track sprint champion and record-setting volleyball team will be inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame this fall.
Selected to be enshrined are Nick Billings ’05 (basketball), Gary Boughter ’77 (soccer), Jessica Hennig ’13 (track) and the 1995 women’s volleyball team
Billings, a native of Kodiak, Alaska, was one of the nation’s top shot blockers at seven-foot, and graduated among the NCAA top-10 in career blocks. A two-time America East all-conference selection and 2003 Defender of the Year, Billings still owns every Binghamton shot-blocking record and also ranks among the program’s top10 in rebounds and points.
Billings, Boughter, Hennig and 1995 women’s volleyball team will be enshrined Homecoming Weekend
Boughter started every game during his fouryear career and led his soccer teams to three consecutive NCAA tournaments (1973–75) and an ECAC championship in 1976. A team captain and MVP, he was a two-time all-conference and two-time allstate selection. He was selected as the department’s Jake Pitler Award winner in 1977.
Hennig was a four-time America East 400-meter champion and an eight-time all-conference runner. She was the University’s Athlete of the Year in 2011–12 and advanced to the NCAA Regionals as a senior. Hennig graduated holding three individual records plus two more relays.
The 1995 volleyball team went 40–9, captured the program’s first-ever SUNYAC and New York state titles and became the first to reach the NCAA Division III tournament. The team upset heavily favored region powers Cortland and Rochester to win the two titles. Led by SUNYAC and NYS Coach of the Year Sheryl Sousa, the Colonials won 18 consecutive matches and also set a school record for season win percentage (82%).
The Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be held Saturday, Sept. 27, in the Events Center. The event is open to the public and tickets can be purchased through the Events Center Box Office at binghamtonbearcats.com/tickets.
JESSICA HENNIG ’13
Binghamton University Athletics
PO Box 6000, Binghamton, NY 13902-6000
TThe new-look Bearcats Sports Complex Softball Facility will play host to the America East tournament May 7–10. Recent enhancements to the facility include a new video scoreboard; expanded seating that wraps around both dugouts; new lights; a larger press box; rooftop and center field broadcast camera platforms; and padded outfield fences.