Holy Cross Crusader Nation Magazine - Spring 2014

Cross Examination » pg. 3

Hall of Fame » pg. 8

Q&A with hoopster Alex Smith ’14

A new class of athletes is inducted at Holy Cross

Spring 2014 » Vol. 8 No. 1

Nathan Pine ushers in a new era for Holy Cross Athletics.

WELCOME » to our readers

CROSS

THE START OF A NEW ERA

E X A M I N A T I O N

Dear Crusaders, In our ongoing efforts to engage the loyal fan base of Holy Cross Athletics, we partnered with Holy Cross Magazine to bring this special issue of Crusader Nation directly to your mailbox. I hope you enjoy the news and spotlights on our programs and our student-athletes — stories that I trust make you as thrilled as I am about the future of Holy Cross Athletics.

As you know, there is great excitement on campus surrounding the arrival of Nathan Pine, our new director of Athletics. If you follow him on Twitter (@Nate_ Pine), you will see that he is already actively immersed in life on the Hill, and is a regular presence at games both on the road and at Hart. Nathan brings substantial experience to Holy Cross from his work at Oregon State, Cal Berkeley, West Point and Maryland, and his energy, commitment and ideas will help shape a new era for Holy Cross Athletics.

CONGRATULATIONS to the Holy Cross women’s basketball team on advancing to the Patriot League Championship!

In the last issue of Crusader Nation, I conveyed my optimism about institutional and Board of Trustees commitment to elevate our Athletics programs and to achieve excellence. I am pleased to tell you that we are moving forward on plans for facilities and programs that will help us accomplish these goals. You will be hearing more about these plans in the coming months and I encourage you to step forward to help where you can. We have ambitious goals and Holy Cross deserves our support.

Over the next several months, a series of events will allow our alumni, parents, and friends the opportunity to meet Nathan and to hear more about the College’s plans for supporting our student-athletes, our varsity sports program and our facilities. Stay tuned for announcements about events near you!

Finally, for those of you who may not receive Crusader Nation on a regular basis, but would like to be added to the mailing list so that you can follow our progress, please register online at www.holycross.edu/CrusaderNation or return the enclosed card.

Thank you for your continued support of Holy Cross and our Athletics programs.

Bill Doran ’77 Chair, Athletics Committee, Board of Trustees

Nathan Pine was introduced as the new director of Athletics at Holy Cross during a Dec. 17 press conference in the Hogan Campus Center.

2 » Crusader Nation Spring 2014

does it feel to be listed among an elite group of student-athletes Q: How for the CLASS award?

A:

This was one of my proudest moments and I feel extremely blessed to be nominated for such a prestigious honor. The other candidates are all amazing student-athletes, so to be in their company feels amazing.

was your inspiration for becoming so involved in the Worcester Q: What community?

A:

CRUSADER NATION Co-editors: Heather Palmer, Associate Director of Annual Athletics Fundraising and Jennifer Whipple, Athletics Fundraising Coordinator Assistant Editors: Joyce O’Connor Davidson, Director of Campaign Marketing; Richard Phelps, Associate Director of Public Affairs/Publications Designer: Robin Drew Photographers: Rob Carlin, Peter Cooke, Christopher Navin, Gil Talbot, Holy Cross Media Relations Office

COVER

Senior guard Alex Smith (Delran, N.J.) has been named one of the 30 candidates for the Senior CLASS Award for Division I women’s basketball. The Senior CLASS Award recognizes NCAA student-athletes who have notable achievements in four areas of excellence — community, classroom, character and competition.

Smith has been one of the key factors to the success of the women’s basketball team over the past few seasons. Named first-team All-Patriot League the last three years, she has helped lead the Crusaders to the Patriot League Championship game three seasons in a row. Crusader Nation sat down with Smith to talk about her nomination.

Crusader Nation Office of Development and Alumni Relations One College Street Worcester, MA 01610-2395 Phone: (508) 793-2415 Email: crusaderathletics@holycross.edu Website: www.GoHolyCross.com

As a little kid, my grandmother, aunt, and uncle took my siblings and me to hand out Christmas baskets to people in need, and this instilled in me the desire to help out in the community. Throughout high school at Peddie School, I was active with our annual community service day.

Children from the local community would come to our campus and we would set up games, arts and crafts, and sports for the day. The theme of giving back continued at Holy Cross with my coach, Bill Gibbons. He does so much for the community and inspired me to work with the Mercy Centre, children of Worcester, food banks and other organizations. He always reminded us we were women for others and we should give back.

do you find time to juggle school work, basketball Q: How and volunteering?

A:

Balancing athletics, school and volunteering is extremely hard and time management is key. Coming from boarding school with an extremely heavy athletic and academic load, I had a lot of preparation in managing my schedule. Without the ability to go home to my parents during high school, I was forced to grow up and take responsibility for completing all my commitments.

Q: How did you decide to minor in American Sign Language?

A:

I have been interested in the Deaf community since elementary school, where I had a classmate with an interpreter, which fascinated me. This and the fact that my former teammate, Alexis Nicholas ’13, an American Sign Language minor, contributed to my passion for the language.

I have loved working with the Deaf community and learning a new language. It has been extremely gratifying.

ALEX SMITH ’14

WELCOME » to our readers

CROSS

THE START OF A NEW ERA

E X A M I N A T I O N

Dear Crusaders, In our ongoing efforts to engage the loyal fan base of Holy Cross Athletics, we partnered with Holy Cross Magazine to bring this special issue of Crusader Nation directly to your mailbox. I hope you enjoy the news and spotlights on our programs and our student-athletes — stories that I trust make you as thrilled as I am about the future of Holy Cross Athletics.

As you know, there is great excitement on campus surrounding the arrival of Nathan Pine, our new director of Athletics. If you follow him on Twitter (@Nate_ Pine), you will see that he is already actively immersed in life on the Hill, and is a regular presence at games both on the road and at Hart. Nathan brings substantial experience to Holy Cross from his work at Oregon State, Cal Berkeley, West Point and Maryland, and his energy, commitment and ideas will help shape a new era for Holy Cross Athletics.

CONGRATULATIONS to the Holy Cross women’s basketball team on advancing to the Patriot League Championship!

In the last issue of Crusader Nation, I conveyed my optimism about institutional and Board of Trustees commitment to elevate our Athletics programs and to achieve excellence. I am pleased to tell you that we are moving forward on plans for facilities and programs that will help us accomplish these goals. You will be hearing more about these plans in the coming months and I encourage you to step forward to help where you can. We have ambitious goals and Holy Cross deserves our support.

Over the next several months, a series of events will allow our alumni, parents, and friends the opportunity to meet Nathan and to hear more about the College’s plans for supporting our student-athletes, our varsity sports program and our facilities. Stay tuned for announcements about events near you!

Finally, for those of you who may not receive Crusader Nation on a regular basis, but would like to be added to the mailing list so that you can follow our progress, please register online at www.holycross.edu/CrusaderNation or return the enclosed card.

Thank you for your continued support of Holy Cross and our Athletics programs.

Bill Doran ’77 Chair, Athletics Committee, Board of Trustees

Nathan Pine was introduced as the new director of Athletics at Holy Cross during a Dec. 17 press conference in the Hogan Campus Center.

2 » Crusader Nation Spring 2014

does it feel to be listed among an elite group of student-athletes Q: How for the CLASS award?

A:

This was one of my proudest moments and I feel extremely blessed to be nominated for such a prestigious honor. The other candidates are all amazing student-athletes, so to be in their company feels amazing.

was your inspiration for becoming so involved in the Worcester Q: What community?

A:

CRUSADER NATION Co-editors: Heather Palmer, Associate Director of Annual Athletics Fundraising and Jennifer Whipple, Athletics Fundraising Coordinator Assistant Editors: Joyce O’Connor Davidson, Director of Campaign Marketing; Richard Phelps, Associate Director of Public Affairs/Publications Designer: Robin Drew Photographers: Rob Carlin, Peter Cooke, Christopher Navin, Gil Talbot, Holy Cross Media Relations Office

COVER

Senior guard Alex Smith (Delran, N.J.) has been named one of the 30 candidates for the Senior CLASS Award for Division I women’s basketball. The Senior CLASS Award recognizes NCAA student-athletes who have notable achievements in four areas of excellence — community, classroom, character and competition.

Smith has been one of the key factors to the success of the women’s basketball team over the past few seasons. Named first-team All-Patriot League the last three years, she has helped lead the Crusaders to the Patriot League Championship game three seasons in a row. Crusader Nation sat down with Smith to talk about her nomination.

Crusader Nation Office of Development and Alumni Relations One College Street Worcester, MA 01610-2395 Phone: (508) 793-2415 Email: crusaderathletics@holycross.edu Website: www.GoHolyCross.com

As a little kid, my grandmother, aunt, and uncle took my siblings and me to hand out Christmas baskets to people in need, and this instilled in me the desire to help out in the community. Throughout high school at Peddie School, I was active with our annual community service day.

Children from the local community would come to our campus and we would set up games, arts and crafts, and sports for the day. The theme of giving back continued at Holy Cross with my coach, Bill Gibbons. He does so much for the community and inspired me to work with the Mercy Centre, children of Worcester, food banks and other organizations. He always reminded us we were women for others and we should give back.

do you find time to juggle school work, basketball Q: How and volunteering?

A:

Balancing athletics, school and volunteering is extremely hard and time management is key. Coming from boarding school with an extremely heavy athletic and academic load, I had a lot of preparation in managing my schedule. Without the ability to go home to my parents during high school, I was forced to grow up and take responsibility for completing all my commitments.

Q: How did you decide to minor in American Sign Language?

A:

I have been interested in the Deaf community since elementary school, where I had a classmate with an interpreter, which fascinated me. This and the fact that my former teammate, Alexis Nicholas ’13, an American Sign Language minor, contributed to my passion for the language.

I have loved working with the Deaf community and learning a new language. It has been extremely gratifying.

ALEX SMITH ’14

COVER

What excites you most about coming to Holy Cross?

What is your vision for the Athletics program?

The passion our head coaches and student-athletes have for the institution has been very contagious. Their excitement has helped solidify for me what a great opportunity this is.

I’d like to see us at the top of the Patriot League. I’d like to see across-the-board contenders in every sport. Hopefully in five to seven years, we will have done some significant fundraising, because we do need to make some facilities improvements, especially to the Hart Center. That’s a big piece of it and something I’m very comfortable with — my background at Oregon State and Cal and West Point and in Maryland has been in fundraising and in externals. There’s great opportunity here, and a willing alumni and parent base that we need to engage and cultivate.

ONE ONE ON

WITH NATHAN PINE

NATHAN PINE is Holy Cross’ new Athletics director. At 36, the Oregon native

brings extensive athletics leadership experience to the Hill. He served as the Deputy A.D. at Maryland, and before that in senior posts at Army and his alma maters, Cal and Oregon State. His vision for Holy Cross: elite status in the leagues the College competes in across the board in all sports. He spoke with Mark Sullivan of Crusader Nation about his vision for Crusader Athletics.

4 » Crusader Nation Spring 2014

At Maryland, you managed the apparel partnership with Under Armour, whose colorful uniforms had the Terrapins described as the “Oregon of the East.”

Any surprises in store for Holy Cross’ uniforms?

I thoroughly enjoyed working very closely with the team at Under Armour to rebrand Maryland Athletics and create national buzz about the University of Maryland. At Holy Cross we are under contract with Adidas, and I will look forward to working with them to help ensure our student-athletes have the best performance apparel in the Adidas portfolio and to enhance our athletics and institutional branding.

What is the value of a strong Athletics program?

All the way back to the Greeks, physical development has been an important part of education. A vibrant Athletics department in a Division I program enhances the institution.

It has a tremendous effect on marketing, it helps our brand recognition and that’s why it’s important that, if we’re going to compete at the highest level, we compete successfully.

Crusader Nation Spring 2014 » 5

COVER

What excites you most about coming to Holy Cross?

What is your vision for the Athletics program?

The passion our head coaches and student-athletes have for the institution has been very contagious. Their excitement has helped solidify for me what a great opportunity this is.

I’d like to see us at the top of the Patriot League. I’d like to see across-the-board contenders in every sport. Hopefully in five to seven years, we will have done some significant fundraising, because we do need to make some facilities improvements, especially to the Hart Center. That’s a big piece of it and something I’m very comfortable with — my background at Oregon State and Cal and West Point and in Maryland has been in fundraising and in externals. There’s great opportunity here, and a willing alumni and parent base that we need to engage and cultivate.

ONE ONE ON

WITH NATHAN PINE

NATHAN PINE is Holy Cross’ new Athletics director. At 36, the Oregon native

brings extensive athletics leadership experience to the Hill. He served as the Deputy A.D. at Maryland, and before that in senior posts at Army and his alma maters, Cal and Oregon State. His vision for Holy Cross: elite status in the leagues the College competes in across the board in all sports. He spoke with Mark Sullivan of Crusader Nation about his vision for Crusader Athletics.

4 » Crusader Nation Spring 2014

At Maryland, you managed the apparel partnership with Under Armour, whose colorful uniforms had the Terrapins described as the “Oregon of the East.”

Any surprises in store for Holy Cross’ uniforms?

I thoroughly enjoyed working very closely with the team at Under Armour to rebrand Maryland Athletics and create national buzz about the University of Maryland. At Holy Cross we are under contract with Adidas, and I will look forward to working with them to help ensure our student-athletes have the best performance apparel in the Adidas portfolio and to enhance our athletics and institutional branding.

What is the value of a strong Athletics program?

All the way back to the Greeks, physical development has been an important part of education. A vibrant Athletics department in a Division I program enhances the institution.

It has a tremendous effect on marketing, it helps our brand recognition and that’s why it’s important that, if we’re going to compete at the highest level, we compete successfully.

Crusader Nation Spring 2014 » 5

25%

98%

One quarter of the Holy Cross student body competes in 27 varsity sports.

With a 98 percent Graduation Success Rate for student-athletes, Holy Cross is among the most successful programs in NCAA Division I.

What are Holy Cross’ strengths when it comes to balancing excellence in scholarship and athletics?

We’re uniquely positioned because of the large number of varsity athletes among our student population. Where I came from, the University of Maryland, there are 500 studentathletes on a campus of 26,000, a very small percentage, whereas at Holy Cross, 25 percent of the student population are varsity athletes. You have a connectedness with peers and with other student-athletes that sometimes you miss on a larger campus. That’s a unique asset: We really do have a family atmosphere.

Football has restored scholarships. What are the benefits?

Scholarships level the playing field. Looking at [the NCAA’s football Championship Subdivision] our competition, not only in the Patriot League but across the country, is offering scholarships. We’ve always offered some form of aid — it has been financial aid and need-based — but now transferring it over into scholarships makes what we’re offering on the recruiting trail look very similar to what other institutions are offering. Then you’re weighing the institutions against each other, and I feel we have an advantage because of the Holy Cross reputation. It’s very important that we level the playing field and that, because the Patriot League and our peer institutions have gone to scholarships for student-athletes, we do the same. Offering scholarships lets prospective studentathletes choose the institution rather than just the offer.

“There’s great opportunity here, and a willing alumni and parent base that we need to engage and cultivate.”

Do you see any conflict between athletics scholarships and academic excellence?

A commitment to academic excellence is part of being a Holy Cross student-athlete. That’s the way we’re going to run our program. If you are competing as a varsity student-athlete at Holy Cross, you are going to be academically committed. We are going to make sure that, as an institution, we are helping student-athletes be successful.

What is Holy Cross’ place in the cosmos of college athletics? Where do you see Holy Cross finding its niche?

We participate in the Patriot League, and so my focus is ensuring that we are an elite institution within the Patriot League. Where that positions us for future expansion or change, we’ll see as it comes because this is an ever-changing landscape. First and foremost, we need to be an elite team in our league. The win over Boston College in men’s ice hockey [Nov. 29] showed we can compete and knock off the big boys. We can compete at that level — I have no doubt about it. To your question about national prominence: As we win the Patriot League in women’s soccer, in women’s basketball, we’re competing in the NCAA tournament in these sports, and once you’re in one or two games, you can get on a run, and at that time of the year, a hot team [can] triumph. We’ve got some opportunities to do some damage, win the Patriot League and make a run in the NCAA tournament.

Can you tell us about upgrades planned for the Hart Center and other athletics facilities at Holy Cross?

I cannot speak to the exact plans but I promise you this is one of my top priorities — to understand exactly where we are in the planning, make sure that it’s right-sized for exactly what we need. I have a lot of experience in building athletics facilities at different institutions, so I want to make sure we’re on point.

What does the reinstatement of the Holy Cross/ Boston College football rivalry mean for the College, our student-athletes, alumni and fans?

The renewal of the Holy Cross/Boston College rivalry is very good for the College on many fronts. As a regional game, it will be easy for many of our students, alumni and fans to attend and cheer on our guys. The exposure that comes with playing a BCS opponent of that caliber is also a plus for us in recruiting top tier student-athletes into our football program.

The exposure is also an important benefit for the College and for our Athletics department in terms of branding and marketing. Across the board I think these games make a lot of sense for both schools and I commend Dick Regan for working to put this together for Holy Cross.

Crusader Nation Spring 2014 » 7

25%

98%

One quarter of the Holy Cross student body competes in 27 varsity sports.

With a 98 percent Graduation Success Rate for student-athletes, Holy Cross is among the most successful programs in NCAA Division I.

What are Holy Cross’ strengths when it comes to balancing excellence in scholarship and athletics?

We’re uniquely positioned because of the large number of varsity athletes among our student population. Where I came from, the University of Maryland, there are 500 studentathletes on a campus of 26,000, a very small percentage, whereas at Holy Cross, 25 percent of the student population are varsity athletes. You have a connectedness with peers and with other student-athletes that sometimes you miss on a larger campus. That’s a unique asset: We really do have a family atmosphere.

Football has restored scholarships. What are the benefits?

Scholarships level the playing field. Looking at [the NCAA’s football Championship Subdivision] our competition, not only in the Patriot League but across the country, is offering scholarships. We’ve always offered some form of aid — it has been financial aid and need-based — but now transferring it over into scholarships makes what we’re offering on the recruiting trail look very similar to what other institutions are offering. Then you’re weighing the institutions against each other, and I feel we have an advantage because of the Holy Cross reputation. It’s very important that we level the playing field and that, because the Patriot League and our peer institutions have gone to scholarships for student-athletes, we do the same. Offering scholarships lets prospective studentathletes choose the institution rather than just the offer.

“There’s great opportunity here, and a willing alumni and parent base that we need to engage and cultivate.”

Do you see any conflict between athletics scholarships and academic excellence?

A commitment to academic excellence is part of being a Holy Cross student-athlete. That’s the way we’re going to run our program. If you are competing as a varsity student-athlete at Holy Cross, you are going to be academically committed. We are going to make sure that, as an institution, we are helping student-athletes be successful.

What is Holy Cross’ place in the cosmos of college athletics? Where do you see Holy Cross finding its niche?

We participate in the Patriot League, and so my focus is ensuring that we are an elite institution within the Patriot League. Where that positions us for future expansion or change, we’ll see as it comes because this is an ever-changing landscape. First and foremost, we need to be an elite team in our league. The win over Boston College in men’s ice hockey [Nov. 29] showed we can compete and knock off the big boys. We can compete at that level — I have no doubt about it. To your question about national prominence: As we win the Patriot League in women’s soccer, in women’s basketball, we’re competing in the NCAA tournament in these sports, and once you’re in one or two games, you can get on a run, and at that time of the year, a hot team [can] triumph. We’ve got some opportunities to do some damage, win the Patriot League and make a run in the NCAA tournament.

Can you tell us about upgrades planned for the Hart Center and other athletics facilities at Holy Cross?

I cannot speak to the exact plans but I promise you this is one of my top priorities — to understand exactly where we are in the planning, make sure that it’s right-sized for exactly what we need. I have a lot of experience in building athletics facilities at different institutions, so I want to make sure we’re on point.

What does the reinstatement of the Holy Cross/ Boston College football rivalry mean for the College, our student-athletes, alumni and fans?

The renewal of the Holy Cross/Boston College rivalry is very good for the College on many fronts. As a regional game, it will be easy for many of our students, alumni and fans to attend and cheer on our guys. The exposure that comes with playing a BCS opponent of that caliber is also a plus for us in recruiting top tier student-athletes into our football program.

The exposure is also an important benefit for the College and for our Athletics department in terms of branding and marketing. Across the board I think these games make a lot of sense for both schools and I commend Dick Regan for working to put this together for Holy Cross.

Crusader Nation Spring 2014 » 7

SIX RECORD SETTERS JOIN

HALL FAME Inductees for 2014 combined to win national titles, conference championships, earned AllAmerica honors and player-of-the-year awards

Each year, the Holy Cross Varsity Club inducts former Crusader standouts into the Holy Cross Athletics Hall of Fame. The next group of deserving alumni will be inducted on Saturday, May 3 during the Varsity Club’s annual dinner to be held in the Hogan Campus Center.

Having left their marks in the Holy Cross record books, the 2014 inductees into the Hall of Fame include: Fran Dyson ’53 (baseball, men’s basketball), Tom Noering ’63 (track and field), Mary Fitzgerald Riley ’83 (field hockey, women’s basketball, softball), Jim Sweeney ’01 (baseball). Matt Ney ‘03 (men’s soccer) and Tony Quesada ’06 (men’s ice hockey).

“As always, I am extremely pleased with this year’s class of inductees and cannot wait until they return to campus in the spring for their induction into the Hall of Fame,” said Patrick Maloney ’02, president of the Varsity Club. “It really leaves me in awe when you look at the outstanding achievements of these six individuals on a college, regional and national level.

As a member of the Club’s Hall of Fame Election Committee, I am always struck by the hard work and dedication of the dozens of nominated student-athletes over so many decades.

This year, we are very proud to honor the accomplishments of Fran, Tom, Mary, Jim, Matt and Tony.”

Fran Dyson ’53 was the first baseman on the Crusaders’ storied 1952 team which won the NCAA championship.

Of his teammate in both baseball and basketball, Ron Perry ’54 said, “Without question Fran was one of the hardest working student-athletes at Holy Cross in the early 1950’s. In baseball, Fran did everything you would want a first baseman to do. He was a great bunter and a consistent .300 plus hitter.

There were very few players who could handle all aspects of playing first base like he did.” In addition to his success on the diamond, Dyson was considered one of the basketball team’s best backcourt defenders, helping lead the Crusaders to appearances in the 1952 NIT and 1953 NCAA Tournaments.

Fran returned to Holy Cross from 1993-1997 as the head coach of the softball team, earning Patriot League Coach of the Year honors in 1995.

Tom Noering ’63 was a versatile member of the track team in the early 1960s, running distances from 440 yards to 1,000 yards as well as serving as a key member of several recordsetting relay teams. His senior year, Tom ran the anchor leg on two relay teams that set school records in the one-mile relay both indoor (3:18.0) and outdoor (3:12.6). He also ran the anchor leg on the indoor two-mile relay team that broke the school record in 1963 (7:32.6). Noering played a large role in the success of the Holy Cross team that captured the New England outdoor championship his senior year.

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!

Matt Ney ’03 was a standout forward, scoring 38 goals and 16 assists for 92 points over his four years, which still ranks as Holy Cross’ all-time leader in career goals and career points scored. Ney led the men’s soccer team to three regular season Patriot League titles, capturing the conference tournament championship in 2002 and advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history. Ney calls it “a great honor to be recognized by the Holy Cross Varsity Club for my time as a student-athlete. As a student-athlete, I spent countless hours training side-by-side with my teammates.

Lucky for me I was a member of the most successful group in Holy Cross and Patriot League soccer history. This is a chance for us to collectively celebrate our success from ‘99-’03, and a personal opportunity to recall my individual accomplishments.”

Mary Fitzgerald Riley ’83 played three varsity sports for the Crusaders, earning a school-record total of 12 letters. She was a four-year starter on the field hockey team, and ranked among the team’s leading scorers during her final two seasons.

Fitzgerald also started all four years on the softball team, where she was one of the squad’s best hitters. In addition, she was a two-year starter at point guard for the women’s basketball squad, while helping the team to an overall record of 71-26 during her career. Fitzgerald served as a team captain in all three sports during her senior year, and received the 1983 John A. Meegan Athletic Achievement Award.

Tony Quesada ’06 led the Crusaders to two Atlantic Hockey Association championships and the first two NCAA Tournament appearances in school history, including earning the win in the 4-3 overtime victory over Minnesota in the 2006 West NCAA Regional. The goalie still ranks as Holy Cross’ all-time career leader in career victories, save percentage and goals against average. With those accolades, it is no surprise that Head Coach Paul Pearl ’89 called him “one of the best players I have coached at Holy Cross. Tony always played his best in the biggest games. His teammates loved playing in front of him because they knew what a great competitor he was. Everyone in the program is very proud to have Tony inducted.” Tony received the John A. Meegan Athletic Achievement Award in 2006 following the conclusion of his career.

As a sophomore in 1999, Jim Sweeney ’01 led the Patriot League and ranked fourth in the nation with a .448 batting average. Jim also went 5-4 on the mound with a 3.80 earned run average and 78 strikeouts. He was chosen as the 1999 Patriot League Player of the Year. During the 2000 season, Sweeney hit .319 with 27 runs batted in. Says Sweeney

The purpose of the Holy Cross Varsity Club is to preserve the traditions, foster the ideals, advance the interests and improve the quality and prestige of Holy Cross athletics and its role in the educational community of the College of the Holy Cross. For more information about the HC Varsity Club, visit GoHolyCross.com/VarsityClub.

’53 ’63 ’83 ’01 8 » Crusader Nation Spring 2014

of the award, “I am both proud and extremely grateful for being inducted into the Varsity Club Hall of Fame. It means so much to be a member of such a prestigious group of student-athletes. I was very lucky to have great coaches and teammates with whom I share this honor.” The first team allconference award winner was drafted in the 14th round by the Chicago White Sox following the 2000 season.

’03 ’06

Members of the Holy Cross Community responded with enthusiasm to the Purple Pride Challenge. For the second year in a row, a group of alumni issued a Challenge whereby all gifts made to the Crusader Athletics Fund during the Winter Homecoming weekend (Feb. 14-16) would be matched, up to $300 per gift, and up to a total of $100,000.

The Challenge encouraged alumni, family and friends to come together to show pride in Holy Cross a thletics by supporting the teams that mean the most to them. The Challenge yielded $220,660 from 887 donors over the three-day weekend.

“The 2014 Purple Pride Challenge was a tremendous success. It will put muchneeded resources into our programs that will have a positive impact on our competitive success and our student-athletes’ experiences. I would like to thank our matching gift donors along with all of our alumni, friends, student-athletes, coaches and staff that participated,” said Nathan Pine, director of Athletics.

Sara Hennessey, a senior tri-captain on the women’s lacrosse team, said: “Members of our team and many other student-athletes made gifts to support CAF during the Purple Pride Challenge because we are committed to our programs, the Athletics department, and the College. This is a good way for us to show our commitment to Holy Cross Athletics, as well as our gratitude for all those who support us through their generosity.”

Crusader Nation Spring 2014 » 9

SIX RECORD SETTERS JOIN

HALL FAME Inductees for 2014 combined to win national titles, conference championships, earned AllAmerica honors and player-of-the-year awards

Each year, the Holy Cross Varsity Club inducts former Crusader standouts into the Holy Cross Athletics Hall of Fame. The next group of deserving alumni will be inducted on Saturday, May 3 during the Varsity Club’s annual dinner to be held in the Hogan Campus Center.

Having left their marks in the Holy Cross record books, the 2014 inductees into the Hall of Fame include: Fran Dyson ’53 (baseball, men’s basketball), Tom Noering ’63 (track and field), Mary Fitzgerald Riley ’83 (field hockey, women’s basketball, softball), Jim Sweeney ’01 (baseball). Matt Ney ‘03 (men’s soccer) and Tony Quesada ’06 (men’s ice hockey).

“As always, I am extremely pleased with this year’s class of inductees and cannot wait until they return to campus in the spring for their induction into the Hall of Fame,” said Patrick Maloney ’02, president of the Varsity Club. “It really leaves me in awe when you look at the outstanding achievements of these six individuals on a college, regional and national level.

As a member of the Club’s Hall of Fame Election Committee, I am always struck by the hard work and dedication of the dozens of nominated student-athletes over so many decades.

This year, we are very proud to honor the accomplishments of Fran, Tom, Mary, Jim, Matt and Tony.”

Fran Dyson ’53 was the first baseman on the Crusaders’ storied 1952 team which won the NCAA championship.

Of his teammate in both baseball and basketball, Ron Perry ’54 said, “Without question Fran was one of the hardest working student-athletes at Holy Cross in the early 1950’s. In baseball, Fran did everything you would want a first baseman to do. He was a great bunter and a consistent .300 plus hitter.

There were very few players who could handle all aspects of playing first base like he did.” In addition to his success on the diamond, Dyson was considered one of the basketball team’s best backcourt defenders, helping lead the Crusaders to appearances in the 1952 NIT and 1953 NCAA Tournaments.

Fran returned to Holy Cross from 1993-1997 as the head coach of the softball team, earning Patriot League Coach of the Year honors in 1995.

Tom Noering ’63 was a versatile member of the track team in the early 1960s, running distances from 440 yards to 1,000 yards as well as serving as a key member of several recordsetting relay teams. His senior year, Tom ran the anchor leg on two relay teams that set school records in the one-mile relay both indoor (3:18.0) and outdoor (3:12.6). He also ran the anchor leg on the indoor two-mile relay team that broke the school record in 1963 (7:32.6). Noering played a large role in the success of the Holy Cross team that captured the New England outdoor championship his senior year.

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!

Matt Ney ’03 was a standout forward, scoring 38 goals and 16 assists for 92 points over his four years, which still ranks as Holy Cross’ all-time leader in career goals and career points scored. Ney led the men’s soccer team to three regular season Patriot League titles, capturing the conference tournament championship in 2002 and advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history. Ney calls it “a great honor to be recognized by the Holy Cross Varsity Club for my time as a student-athlete. As a student-athlete, I spent countless hours training side-by-side with my teammates.

Lucky for me I was a member of the most successful group in Holy Cross and Patriot League soccer history. This is a chance for us to collectively celebrate our success from ‘99-’03, and a personal opportunity to recall my individual accomplishments.”

Mary Fitzgerald Riley ’83 played three varsity sports for the Crusaders, earning a school-record total of 12 letters. She was a four-year starter on the field hockey team, and ranked among the team’s leading scorers during her final two seasons.

Fitzgerald also started all four years on the softball team, where she was one of the squad’s best hitters. In addition, she was a two-year starter at point guard for the women’s basketball squad, while helping the team to an overall record of 71-26 during her career. Fitzgerald served as a team captain in all three sports during her senior year, and received the 1983 John A. Meegan Athletic Achievement Award.

Tony Quesada ’06 led the Crusaders to two Atlantic Hockey Association championships and the first two NCAA Tournament appearances in school history, including earning the win in the 4-3 overtime victory over Minnesota in the 2006 West NCAA Regional. The goalie still ranks as Holy Cross’ all-time career leader in career victories, save percentage and goals against average. With those accolades, it is no surprise that Head Coach Paul Pearl ’89 called him “one of the best players I have coached at Holy Cross. Tony always played his best in the biggest games. His teammates loved playing in front of him because they knew what a great competitor he was. Everyone in the program is very proud to have Tony inducted.” Tony received the John A. Meegan Athletic Achievement Award in 2006 following the conclusion of his career.

As a sophomore in 1999, Jim Sweeney ’01 led the Patriot League and ranked fourth in the nation with a .448 batting average. Jim also went 5-4 on the mound with a 3.80 earned run average and 78 strikeouts. He was chosen as the 1999 Patriot League Player of the Year. During the 2000 season, Sweeney hit .319 with 27 runs batted in. Says Sweeney

The purpose of the Holy Cross Varsity Club is to preserve the traditions, foster the ideals, advance the interests and improve the quality and prestige of Holy Cross athletics and its role in the educational community of the College of the Holy Cross. For more information about the HC Varsity Club, visit GoHolyCross.com/VarsityClub.

’53 ’63 ’83 ’01 8 » Crusader Nation Spring 2014

of the award, “I am both proud and extremely grateful for being inducted into the Varsity Club Hall of Fame. It means so much to be a member of such a prestigious group of student-athletes. I was very lucky to have great coaches and teammates with whom I share this honor.” The first team allconference award winner was drafted in the 14th round by the Chicago White Sox following the 2000 season.

’03 ’06

Members of the Holy Cross Community responded with enthusiasm to the Purple Pride Challenge. For the second year in a row, a group of alumni issued a Challenge whereby all gifts made to the Crusader Athletics Fund during the Winter Homecoming weekend (Feb. 14-16) would be matched, up to $300 per gift, and up to a total of $100,000.

The Challenge encouraged alumni, family and friends to come together to show pride in Holy Cross a thletics by supporting the teams that mean the most to them. The Challenge yielded $220,660 from 887 donors over the three-day weekend.

“The 2014 Purple Pride Challenge was a tremendous success. It will put muchneeded resources into our programs that will have a positive impact on our competitive success and our student-athletes’ experiences. I would like to thank our matching gift donors along with all of our alumni, friends, student-athletes, coaches and staff that participated,” said Nathan Pine, director of Athletics.

Sara Hennessey, a senior tri-captain on the women’s lacrosse team, said: “Members of our team and many other student-athletes made gifts to support CAF during the Purple Pride Challenge because we are committed to our programs, the Athletics department, and the College. This is a good way for us to show our commitment to Holy Cross Athletics, as well as our gratitude for all those who support us through their generosity.”

Crusader Nation Spring 2014 » 9

QUESTION OF THE ISSUE:

WHAT DID YOU DO OVER SPRING BREAK?

Evan Ocello » Junior » Baseball “During spring break we travelled as a team to Charleston and Savannah and played four-game sets.

This trip was important for our team as it helped to prepare us for our Patriot League season. It was also nice to get outside to play while the snow was still on the ground in Worcester. The team is able to make these southern trips in large part due to generous donors to the Crusader Athletics Fund.”

Carly McCabe » Junior » Soccer “I travelled to Martinsville, Va., with fellow Holy Cross students to do community service projects. We stayed at the church and completed different projects around Martinsville. These projects included painting the church and helping to clean parks within the community while working alongside people from the area. We were there for a week and had a great time!”

THE CRUSADER ATHLETICS FUND thletics play an important role in the lives of students, alumni, and the life of the College.

It is important to provide our student-athletes with the tools they need to be successful and competitive in the Patriot and Atlantic Hockey Leagues and the ECAC: equipment upgrades, talented coaches, and money for team competition travel. The Crusader Athletics Fund (CAF) was established in 2006 to raise current-use budget enhancing dollars for Holy Cross’ 27 varsity programs. Over the past seven years, alumni, family and friends have donated $5 million to support our sports. We have made strides, but endeavor to enhance our resources for athletics, improve the experience of our student-athletes, and restore pride in the Purple.

or providing networking or social events before a game, CAF engages Crusaders in a variety of ways. Be on the lookout for events you’d be interested in throughout the year!

The Crusader Athletics Fund plans events throughout the year to bring former and current student-athletes together.

Whether it’s an invitation back to campus for an alumni game

equity concerns, gifts Due to Title IX legislation and gender eq cannot be designated to a specific men’s or women’s team.

Whether you are a former varsity athlete, parent of a current student-athlete or fan of Holy Cross athletics, your support makes a difference. To make a gift to the Crusader GoHolyCross.com/CAF. All Athletics Fund, visit GoHolyCross.co donations receive full College fundraising credit and qualify toward your President’s Council gift. donors may make a gift Within the Crusader Athletics Fund, dono to the All-Sports Fund, a designation that provides support where it’s needed most, or to any of the restricted athletics designations.

The Holy Cross men’s ice hockey team lined up the for the national anthem at historic Fenway Park for its Frozen Fenway game against Bentley on Dec.28.

Bridget Schirripa » Senior » Rowing “For spring break this year the team went on our annual trip to Cocoa Beach, Fla. We trained a lot, having two to three practices a day to prepare for our spring season. We were all looking forward to being out on the water after a long winter spent practicing on the ergs.

A special thanks to the Crusader Athletics Fund for helping to make this trip possible!”

Dave Dudzinkski » Senior » Basketball “It was great to spend spring break on campus with no other obligations, so we could focus only on basketball.

We worked to win each individual day leading up to the Patriot League Tournament games. There was increased energy and excitement because were were realizing the goal we set for ourselves at the start of the season.”

10 » Crusader Nation Spring 2014

Crusader Nation N Spring 2014 » 11

QUESTION OF THE ISSUE:

WHAT DID YOU DO OVER SPRING BREAK?

Evan Ocello » Junior » Baseball “During spring break we travelled as a team to Charleston and Savannah and played four-game sets.

This trip was important for our team as it helped to prepare us for our Patriot League season. It was also nice to get outside to play while the snow was still on the ground in Worcester. The team is able to make these southern trips in large part due to generous donors to the Crusader Athletics Fund.”

Carly McCabe » Junior » Soccer “I travelled to Martinsville, Va., with fellow Holy Cross students to do community service projects. We stayed at the church and completed different projects around Martinsville. These projects included painting the church and helping to clean parks within the community while working alongside people from the area. We were there for a week and had a great time!”

THE CRUSADER ATHLETICS FUND thletics play an important role in the lives of students, alumni, and the life of the College.

It is important to provide our student-athletes with the tools they need to be successful and competitive in the Patriot and Atlantic Hockey Leagues and the ECAC: equipment upgrades, talented coaches, and money for team competition travel. The Crusader Athletics Fund (CAF) was established in 2006 to raise current-use budget enhancing dollars for Holy Cross’ 27 varsity programs. Over the past seven years, alumni, family and friends have donated $5 million to support our sports. We have made strides, but endeavor to enhance our resources for athletics, improve the experience of our student-athletes, and restore pride in the Purple.

or providing networking or social events before a game, CAF engages Crusaders in a variety of ways. Be on the lookout for events you’d be interested in throughout the year!

The Crusader Athletics Fund plans events throughout the year to bring former and current student-athletes together.

Whether it’s an invitation back to campus for an alumni game

equity concerns, gifts Due to Title IX legislation and gender eq cannot be designated to a specific men’s or women’s team.

Whether you are a former varsity athlete, parent of a current student-athlete or fan of Holy Cross athletics, your support makes a difference. To make a gift to the Crusader GoHolyCross.com/CAF. All Athletics Fund, visit GoHolyCross.co donations receive full College fundraising credit and qualify toward your President’s Council gift. donors may make a gift Within the Crusader Athletics Fund, dono to the All-Sports Fund, a designation that provides support where it’s needed most, or to any of the restricted athletics designations.

The Holy Cross men’s ice hockey team lined up the for the national anthem at historic Fenway Park for its Frozen Fenway game against Bentley on Dec.28.

Bridget Schirripa » Senior » Rowing “For spring break this year the team went on our annual trip to Cocoa Beach, Fla. We trained a lot, having two to three practices a day to prepare for our spring season. We were all looking forward to being out on the water after a long winter spent practicing on the ergs.

A special thanks to the Crusader Athletics Fund for helping to make this trip possible!”

Dave Dudzinkski » Senior » Basketball “It was great to spend spring break on campus with no other obligations, so we could focus only on basketball.

We worked to win each individual day leading up to the Patriot League Tournament games. There was increased energy and excitement because were were realizing the goal we set for ourselves at the start of the season.”

10 » Crusader Nation Spring 2014

Crusader Nation N Spring 2014 » 11

NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. Postage PAID Worcester, MA Permit No. 760

Office of Development and Alumni Relations College of the Holy Cross One College Street Worcester, Massachusetts 01610-2395

WHY I GIVE

“ Having worked professionally in Division I athletics for seven years and in the Holy Cross athletics department as a student, I know that athletics can positively impact the College’s image on a national scale. When our teams gain recognition on the regional and national level, the entire campus benefits from the exposure. I also recognize that donations are a valuable supplement to our team’s budgets, allowing coaches to recruit nationally and teams to travel to face the best competition. Our hard-working student-athletes are among the best ambassadors for Holy Cross throughout the country and they deserve our support.”

—Dara Ely ’04

“ I was fortunate enough to receive a full athletic scholarship to Holy Cross. I am so grateful for that scholarship because my parents would not have been able to afford to send me to Holy Cross. After 15 years of teaching Spanish in Long Island, I am able to give back financially. Therefore, I always try to give to the women’s soccer program and financial aid. I would like to think that I will someday play a part in helping someone who may be in a similar situation, to have the opportunity to attend Holy Cross.”

—Alicia Hendrickson Furman ’92

“ As parents, we greatly value the lessons our children learn from competing in athletics.

Discipline, team work, winning and losing with grace, are all skills that will help them in their personal and professional lives. We are happy to support the Crusader Athletics Fund because it enhances the athletic experiences students learn from, and helps to provide the tools student-athletes need in order to be competitive in today’s Division I environment.”

—Maureen and Michael Ortlieb P17, P16

Parents of Jack ‘17 and Michael ‘16, members of the men’s lacrosse team

women’s soccer Member of the Holy Cross Athletics Hall of Fame

club rugby Class of 2004 Reunion Gift Co-chair

Find Us Phone: 508.793.2415 Email: crusaderathletics@holycross.edu GoHolyCross.com Stay in touch with Crusader Athletics via social media

“ I went to Holy Cross to get a great education and play great basketball. Being a student-athlete at Holy Cross allowed me to grow as a person, prepare myself to not only play professional basketball, but for the next steps in my professional life, and afforded me the opportunity to be a part of an amazing family. I know many alumni before me stepped up to provide a tremendous experience for me and I want to promote that same environment for our current and future student-athletes.”

—Torey Thomas ’07

men’s basketball