Holy Cross Crusader Nation Magazine - Fall 2018

CRUSaDER

T H E M A G A Z I N E F O R F A N S A N D S U P P O R T E R S O F H O LY C R O S S A T H L E T I C S

Coach Parenteau Dives Into Retirement

NATION Fall 2018

Generations of Swimmers Gather to Pay Tribute to a Mentor

What is “The Program”?

Developing leaders, Building cohesion

Fall 2018 • Crusader Nation 1

AD’s Corner Fellow Crusaders, In this first edition of Crusader Nation this academic year, it is important to reflect on the continued success of our student-athletes in the classroom. During the 2017-18 academic year, our student-athletes posted a cumulative GPA of 3.23, and more than 350 Crusaders qualified for their respective academic honor rolls. Impressively, 185 also achieved a yearlong grade point average of 3.5 or higher.

This fall we have welcomed a talented class of freshmen to The Hill, and our teams have already achieved some impressive results. From a storybook comeback in the football team’s first win under new head coach Bob Chesney, to the men’s soccer team knocking off the No. 16 team in the country, to volleyball player Clare Honan ’21 setting a new Patriot League record, our student-athletes are finding success.

We are excited about the beginning of the Hockey East era for our women’s ice hockey program. Elevating the women’s program to compete at the Division I level was long overdue, and I am pleased that it has finally been achieved on my watch. The enthusiasm and passion surrounding our program has never been greater, and with this important affiliation, we will continue to elevate the Holy Cross brand at the regional and national levels.

We are also in the midst of our first full academic year spent inside the completed Hart Center at the Luth Athletic Complex. We are beginning to feel the true day-to-day benefits that this impressive facility will have on our student-athletes, coaches, and programs for many years to come. By taking full advantage of the design and technology within the Luth Athletic Complex, we are better able to focus on the development of the whole person and promote one of the best student-athlete experiences in the region.

The Luth Athletic Complex provides our more than 700 student-athletes with a place to train, lift, and practice to better hone their athletic skills, without sacrificing their academic goals and passions. The Luth Athletic Complex advantage is also being felt by our coaches, who have gained an important recruiting edge with prospective Crusaders across the country.

Lastly, I can’t stress enough how critical your continued support of the Crusader Athletics Fund is to the success of our programs. These margin-of-excellence investments will ultimately be what help us to better develop our student-athletes, coaches, and leaders to be successful in competition and beyond.

Please enjoy the stories of our community within these pages. This would not be possible without your support. Thank you!

Go Crusaders!

In This Issue 3 Coach’s Game Plan

Getting with The Program

6 Paying it Forward

Tony Froio ’86, P19,16

7 10 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT...

Marcia LaPlante ’20 Casey Sherman ’19

8 Coach Barry Parenteau

Retires after 43 years on the pool deck

12 Student Spotlight

Jehyve Floyd ’19, Men’s Basketball

13 Calendar 14 Catching Up With...

Rob McGovern ‘89 Ring of Honor Inductee

15 What I was Thinking

Derek Ng ’22, Football

16 Why I Give

Crusader Nation PHOTOGRAPHERS Tom Rettig, Mark Seliger, Gil Talbot, EB Taylor Photography DESIGNER Michael Grinley T E L L U S W H AT YO U T H I N K : Write Crusader Nation Office of Advancement One College Street Worcester, MA 01610-2395 Email CrusaderNation@holycross.edu Call 508-793-2415

Nathan Pine Director of Athletics

2 Crusader Nation • Fall 2018

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Coach’s Game Plan Getting with The Program Crusaders develop leadership skills and build cohesion in intensive training

By Chris Edmonds ’04

T

he men’s ice hockey sweatshirts arrived a lovely shade of purple. A couple days—and one pool session—later, that purple had rinsed out to something closer to pink.

Maybe not the school’s color, but that’s fine by the team and its coach.

“We thought about replacing them, but then we said, ‘Let’s keep them, wear them, and remember what we went through,’” said head coach David Berard.

What they went through was The Program, and if you look elsewhere, there are similar—though less obvious—reminders of the same experience. Take the volleyball team. Before each game, players do one synchronized jumping jack.

“We do it to get our minds right and to get us all on the same page,” said senior Allie Barry.

It may not sound like much; almost anyone who’s been through an elementary

The men’s hockey team tackles a Program exercise.

Fall 2018 • Crusader Nation 3

school physical education class can do a jumping jack.

But consider executing that relatively simple exercise in perfect coordination with more than 15 other people and “relatively simple” no longer applies.

through The Program, with volleyball and softball having done so twice.

“We get very positive feedback from coaches and student-athletes for what this does for their culture and their connectedness— things that help us be successful,” said Pine.

And that gets to the heart of The Program, a leadership development and teambuilding organization that works with a number of the college’s teams each year.

Started in 2008 by a former Marine infantry and special operations officer, The Program focuses on the mental side of athletic performance, bringing teammates together through “shared adversity.”

More mental than physical It would be hard to blame Tori Messina if she never wanted to do another jumping jack again. Messina participated in The Program during the 2016-17 academic year. She and her teammates that year learned how hard it can be to do something so easy in unison and how much of a mental game it can be to stay focused when that easy something isn’t going well.

That doesn’t mean participants are off the hook for working hard. On dry land and, yes, in the Hart Center Pool, they’re pushed and they’re tested and they come out the better for it.

“You’re tired, you’re exhausted,” said Tori Messina, a senior on the women’s ice hockey team, “but it builds you. It makes you a warrior.”

The right fit After playing lacrosse at the Naval Academy, serving eight years in the Marines, completing an MBA at the University of Chicago and then spending “a very long year and a half” in the finance world, Eric Kapitulik was looking for what to do next. What he eventually hit on owes a lot to one of his former coaches and a bunch of Harvard guys who couldn’t lead exercises very well.

That coach, John Tillman, wanted Kapitulik to work out his Crimson team, and it quickly became apparent to Kapitulik that what the players really needed wasn’t someone to make them 4 Crusader Nation • Fall 2018

Through shared adversity, members of the volleyball team strengthened themselves and their team bond. crush through physically demanding workouts.

“I called out the team captains to help me lead the exercises, and they really struggled with it,” he said.

“Over those couple of days is when the idea came into my head—players don’t need additional strength and conditioning coaches at the college level, because they already have them—they need to be put in positions to develop as leaders.”

Fast forward 10 years, and The Program now works with approximately 150 collegiate and professional teams, along with corporate clients.

And it’s been training Holy Cross student-athletes since the 2015-16 academic year, thanks again in part to Tillman, who crossed paths with

current Holy Cross Director of Athletics Nathan Pine when the two were at the University of Maryland.

“The conversations I had at Maryland with John Tillman resonated with me, with his belief in what The Program did for the culture around his lacrosse program,” Pine said. “That solidified for me from an administrative perspective that there would be real value for our coaches and our athletes in engaging with these guys.”

That engagement involves an intensive on-campus, two-day session called Judgement Day with The Program trainers, followed by remote and in-person contact during the season.

Through this academic year, 13 teams will have been

“It got frustrating doing jumping jacks for two and a half hours,” she said.

“Jumping out first or up first—it may not seem like much, but it mattered when not doing it right meant not being able to move on.”

The same went for pushups, another straightforward exercise.

“You had to have your chest on the ground for two seconds and then be up for four seconds. If not, you had to do it again.”

And that’s The Program’s “shared adversity” in action: everyone on a team pushing toward the same goal, in the same way, and not moving forward until that goal is achieved perfectly.

Declan Cronin, a senior on the baseball team, saw much of the same during his experience with The Program in 2015-16.

“The Program isn’t hard physically, but mentally it’s hard,” he said. That’s especially true in a sport like baseball where “the tendency is to become a little bit individualistic.”

Going through The Program helped bring about a culture shift to a more team-focused approach. And that instilled a level of leadership that Cronin believes played a major role in the program winning its first Patriot League Championship in 2017.

“I felt the leadership that year was as strong as any team I’ve ever been on, and you could see that The Program had an impact on people, whether they realized it or not,” Cronin said. “In The Program, you’re put in uncomfortable positions, and it’s mentally taxing. But you realize that good leadership and teamwork elevate you to higher levels than just being individually focused.”

“We still talk about The Program. Like, ‘Hey guys, remember that time we all nearly drowned in the pool together but got through it?’” said Jackie Brewster, a senior on the softball team who went through The Program in 2016-17. The trading sweatshirts portion of the day lasted less than an hour, Brewster guessed, “but it felt like four days.”

Miranda Nixon, a senior on the basketball team, remembers teammates helping each other through the challenge of the pool.

“We had two or three girls who couldn’t swim well, and you had to bring them along with you, swim with them under your arm or have them hold onto two people’s sides.”

That experience has had lasting effects, for stronger and weaker swimmers alike.

“You can see it on the court,”

Nixon said. “People will try and not be embarrassed or scared because no one is going to judge you for doing something new or something that will benefit the team.”

Dorsey, who participated in The Program in the 2017-18 academic year, remembers pool day well. “I’m a terrible swimmer,” he said. “Like, really bad. I was terrified of that day.” But with the help of his teammates, he made it through.

Coaching assist And while that work is happening with the student-athletes, their coaches get the benefit of a rare perspective on their players: the coach simply as observer.

“I sit back and I watch, and I can really see who, when faced with stressors or adversity, keeps a clear mind and focuses on the goal,” said

Focusing on the team or focusing on the perfect execution of a push-up tie into The Program’s larger ideas about leadership.

A coach can get a sense of who might have leadership skills during the recruiting process, said Batie-Smoose, but The Program affords an outsider’s view, divorced from how skilled a person might be in their sport. The student-athletes are assessed as leaders, not as players who can lead or leaders who can play. And that assessment carries a lot of weight—the volleyball team added two more captains coming out of The Program.

“I like the fact that The Program comes into our group knowing nothing about our players, and by the end of it all, goes through every player and says what they see—who could be leaders, what players’ strengths are,” Batie-Smoose said. “Nine times out of 10, it’s exactly what we’re thinking, but once in a while, they identify someone else who could have an impact.”

Like Batie-Smoose, Coach Berard appreciates the boost The Program gives in building a culture of success where players both lead by doing and by holding each other accountable. It’s that second piece that can be so tricky to establish and maintain, but one that The Program helps foster.

“One of the big lessons they talk about,” said Martin Dorsey, a senior on the football team, “is how true leadership isn’t just leading by example, but by bringing others along with you and making sure they’re taken care of.”

Into the deep end And when it comes to leading by making sure other people are taken care of, it doesn’t get much more apparent than being in the water with your teammates, all of whom are treading water while wearing sweatshirts—except the times when they’re trading those sweatshirts among themselves, taking off the old and putting on the new, all while staying afloat.

head volleyball coach Melissa Batie-Smoose.

“Accountability is a hard thing,” said Berard, “but we’re trying to be a championship-level team and championship-level teams hold each other accountable.

Your teammates give their best, and they expect the best from you, too. You have to learn how to take that and push yourself to be better.”

Team-building exercises are at the core of The Program.

Chris Edmonds ‘04 is a freelance writer from Providence, R.I. Fall 2018 • Crusader Nation 5

Paying it Forward Tony Froio ’86, P19, 16 Mentors Inspire Him to Give Back

I

t was the spring of 1986, a few weeks before graduation, and Anthony “Tony” Froio ’86, was rushing through the Hogan Campus Center, preoccupied with final exams and the impending baseball playoffs.

Jim Maloney ‘69, P02, the secretary of the Holy Cross Varsity Club, happened to be passing through the same hallway at the same time, and stopped Froio.

In the conversation that ensued, Maloney told Froio about how the Varsity Club supports Holy Cross Athletics, and asked him to join the group’s board of directors.

“The rest is history,” says Froio, who joined the board after graduation and has been an active member ever since. He has served two-year terms as vice president, president-elect and president, and has been the treasurer of the club for more than 20 years, since 1997.

Maloney says that Froio’s involvement has gone above and beyond what he had in mind that afternoon they talked in Hogan.

“He’s been fantastic. I don’t know what we would do without him,” says Maloney, who still serves as the club’s secretary. “The annual Hall of Fame induction dinner would not be such a successful event without him, and he does it all in such a calm 6 Crusader Nation • Fall 2018

manner. He is unflappable.”

To Froio, the conversation that started it all was an invitation that encapsulated his Holy Cross experience.

“This is what Holy Cross is all about. If you ask anybody at Holy Cross to help, they’ll go above and beyond the call of duty. But the difference is that even if you don’t ask, folks go out of their way to introduce themselves to you, to make recommendations and challenge you to do great things,” says Froio, who serves as Regional Managing Partner of the Boston office of the national law firm Robins Kaplan LLP. There, he concentrates his practice in commercial, intellectual property, trademark infringement, employment and bankruptcy litigation.

Froio says the mentorship of people like Maloney and others—from coaches, trainers and professors to Crusader basketball Hall of Famers Togo Palazzi ’54, P83 and Ron Perry ’54, P84, 80, 78—is what he cherishes most about his Holy Cross experience.

“The opportunities I was given were absolutely incredible, and they have paid dividends to this very day,” says Froio, who received the Presidential Service Award as a senior from then-College President John Brooks, S.J. ‘49, in recognition of the ways he gave back to the community as a student. “I think about it every day, and I can’t give back

enough, because of what’s been given to me.”

It was Palazzi, then the director of the Hart Center and head women’s basketball coach, who gave Froio a work-study job at the Hart Center. There Froio did everything from setting up the arena for men’s and women’s basketball games to driving the Zamboni in the ice rink.

“My mom was a housekeeper at Memorial Hospital in Worcester and my dad cut hair for a living. To send one of their kids to Holy Cross was no easy feat for two immigrant parents with blue collar jobs,” says Froio, whose parents emigrated from Calabria, Italy, to Worcester.

“It was expected that I would work hard and contribute towards my education. Not only was the job an opportunity to earn money for educational expenses, but it was also an incredible networking opportunity—Mr. Palazzi and Mr. Perry went out of their way to introduce me to Hall of Fame athletes and other personalities at Holy Cross.”

And for the three decades that he has served the Holy Cross Varsity Club, Froio has gone out of his way to help student-athletes. He and his wife, Stephanie,

were privileged to name the new baseball office in the Luth Athletic Complex. Tony helped start the Holy Cross Baseball Diamond Club, an alumni mentoring program for the team. And every year, he spearheads the planning for the annual Varsity Club Hall of Fame induction ceremony and dinner and coordinates the club’s dues and fundraising.

These days, he is also a proud Holy Cross parent. His daughter, Emilia, graduated in 2016, and his son, Anthony, is in his senior year on The Hill.

During Emilia’s Baccalaureate Mass in May 2016, which took place on Fitton Field, the Froio family was seated near third base, where Froio spent his time as a four-year starter on coach Jack Whalen’s baseball teams from 1982-86.

“I was so fortunate to be the starting third baseman, and it was so ironic and surreal looking up from third base as I had my entire baseball career. I was teary-eyed almost the entire Mass,” Froio says.

“Having not one, but both of my kids attend the place that I love, trust and respect with all of my being—there isn’t anything I can think of that is better than that.”

By Maura Sullivan Hill, a freelance writer in Chicago.

10

thingstoknowabout..

Casey Sherman ’19 Women’s Swimming and Diving Since arriving on campus as a freshman, Sherman has been breaking program records. She came to Worcester with a wealth of experience after spending four years on the varsity swimming and diving team at Littleton High School and competing with Boston Area Diving. Now a senior, Sherman currently holds five program records and will be looking to cap off her impressive collegiate career with a splash.

1 2 3 4 5

herman holds multiple program records in the 1-meter dive S and another in the 3-meter dive.

She competed at the NCAA Zone A Diving Championship as a freshman, sophomore and junior.

Sherman has been named Patriot League Diver of the Week seven times in her collegiate career.

She was a USA East National Finalist and an AAU Finalist each year from 2007-2013.

Sherman has a sister, Kelly, who was on the swimming and diving team at Yale.

Marcia LaPlante ’20 Women’s Ice Hockey and Field Hockey When LaPlante arrived at Holy Cross, she was prepared to be the goaltender for the women’s ice hockey team. But when the Crusader field hockey team found itself without a goalie, LaPlante was recruited to fill in. She did, and she went on to post a .817 save percentage as a freshman, ranking first in the nation among Division I netminders.

6 7 8 9 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Both she and her sister were adopted from China.

When she was nine, Sherman traveled to China with her Boston Area Diving team for a training trip. A highlight of the trip was her visit to the Great Wall.

She loves to visit Cape Cod. Her favorite movie is A Walk to Remember and her favorite musical artist is Rihanna.

Sherman has a nine-year-old golden retriever named Bailey.

LaPlante was named Holy Cross Female Athlete of the Year as a freshman.

In field hockey, she was named Patriot League Rookie of the Year.

As a sophomore, LaPlante earned Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Week and Crusader of the Week honors.

In ice hockey, LaPlante recorded a 1.35 goals against average with 127 saves and three shutouts as a freshman. She followed that up with a sophomore season that saw her post a 0.65 goals against average, 139 saves and three shutouts.

Before coming to Holy Cross, the last time LaPlante played goalie in the sport of field hockey was as a sophomore on her high school junior varsity team.

LaPlante has an identical twin sister named Nathalie, who plays field hockey and ice hockey at the University of New Brunswick.

She grew up in Waasis, New Brunswick, Canada, with her sister and two older brothers.

LaPlante comes from a military family. Her father and grandfather are veterans and her brother is currently serving.

Her native language is French, and her dream is to play field hockey for Team Canada.

When she is home, LaPlante loves to hike in Fundy National Park with her sister.

Fall 2018 • Crusader Nation 7

Coach Barry Parenteau Retires After 43 Years The Long-Time Coach Encourages Crusaders to Find Joy in Every Day

By Lauren Leary ’12 8 Crusader Nation • Fall 2018

S

wimmers and divers at Holy Cross over the past four-plus decades might find this scene familiar. Coach Barry Parenteau, gathering his student-athletes on the pool deck before the start of a meet, forming a circle, hands touching in the center, for the start of a prayer.

Parenteau would inevitably follow the prayer with a light directive, meant to brighten the mood and focus his athletes on the task at hand.

Parenteau, an integral member of the Holy Cross community for the last 43 years, retired in June after leading the swimming and diving program for the better part of a half century.

From the beginning of his tenure on The Hill, Parenteau built a strong community around the team and its alumni. Many alums refer to him as a father figure, one who they continue to visit on campus, reminiscing over the black and white photos hung on his wall or the Crusader memorabilia tucked in each corner.

Parenteau was the first head coach of the women’s swimming and diving program, and he later took over the men’s team when his father, Paul, retired as head coach in 1996. Throughout his tenure, Parenteau earned 241 combined victories with the men’s and women’s programs, retiring eighth on the list of winningest coaches in Holy Cross history.

The program flourished as Parenteau drew from his own experience as a competitive swimmer. Parenteau swam at Bridgewater State College, breaking school records in the 50-, 100- and 200-yard freestyle events. His passion for the pool then led him to earn an American Swimming Coaches Association (ASCA) Level III certification, as well as certifications in lifeguard training, standard first aid, and adult CPR. He volunteered for the American Red Cross for 38 years.

Parenteau found his rhythm from the moment he first stepped foot on the pool deck at the Hart Center in 1975. Students, coaches, families and visitors were welcomed warmly and greeted with a smile, a firm handshake, and the offer of a tour. It was both his love of the pool and his love of his teams that kept Parenteau on The Hill for more than four decades.

“I had more fun than anyone should be allowed to have at a job, and enjoyed it as much as anyone could,” says Parenteau.

Coach Parenteau says goodbye after four decades of service at Holy Cross.

Spring 2017 • Crusader Nation 9

And while he enjoyed his job, Parenteau also took his responsibility as a teacher and mentor very seriously. His philosophy was to make every studentathlete feel welcome, and to treat each one as an individual.

“Every day, I made a point of acknowledging each person on the pool deck by their name, and asking them about their day,” says Parenteau.

“It was a privilege to see student-athletes progress and change during their four years.

They helped me change year after year, too.”

Coleen Lynch ’95, a former Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year and Varsity Club Intercollegiate Athletic Achievement Award recipient, remembers receiving tremendous support from Parenteau through her own academic, personal and athletic challenges.

“Before I even committed to attending Holy Cross, I went to the pool with my parents to meet Barry,” Scardapane says. “He spoke about the team, his experience, and the school in general, but really emphasized the fact that Holy Cross was a great choice because of the amazing education I would receive and the people I would meet

continues. “They often contribute to their town or city, their country, and the world. That’s the type of student that Holy Cross attracts, and it’s neat to follow the path of student-athletes into the successes of their adulthood and beyond.”

“Barry has been a fixture at the Hart Center Pool for decades,” says Lynch.

“He will be so missed, and without a doubt his legacy will live on for generations of Crusader swimmers and divers.”

As Parenteau retires, his former assistant, Jeff Barlok P19, has been named head coach.

“The beauty of this transition is that he leaves the program in great hands with Jeff Barlok, who has had the opportunity to witness firsthand what the Barry experience “With Barry, you knew was all about,” she you could be honest adds. “Jeff will carry with him about whatCoach with Past-President of the Varsity Club, record-holding swimmer, on many of the great ever you were dealing and former CAF Executive Committee co-chair Coleen Lynch ‘95. traditions and the perwith—whether that was sonal touch that Barry in your swimming life or another part if I chose to attend. He was focused has fostered for all these years.” of your life,” says Lynch. “He would on the fact that Holy Cross would be a listen and support you. Barry was one place where I could grow, not only to Parenteau plans to continue swimming of those personalities that added to my be a better swimmer, but to be a wellrecreationally at the Hart Center Pool overall experience at Holy Cross in a rounded, well-educated person.” for many years to come, and he will very positive and lasting way.” remain a steady mentor and supporter Fostering the education of the whole of Crusader alumni. As for what he “When you become one of Barry’s person, which follows the Jesuit educa- hopes student-athletes take with them swimmers, you become a part of his tional mission, was Parenteau’s ultimate from his coaching days, Parenteau has family,” says three-time team MVP goal. one parting wish.

Maggie Scardapane ’10. “He connects so well with his student-athletes “Swimming ends,” says Parenteau.

“I think it is so easy to get wrapped because he truly cares about each and “Every athlete’s career ends at some up in the misery or the mayhem, but I every one of them. Barry poured his point in time, but you take your educasay it every day—appreciate each and heart and soul into the team and the tion with you. That was something my every day, make sure you find some joy pool for over 40 years, taking pride in dad and I talked about from day one. today, look at the sky, look at a flower, the appearance of the facilities, as well Student-athletes come to Holy Cross look at anything. Find some joy, each as the achievements of his swimmers.” because they’re highly motivated and and every day.” very intelligent, and when they get a Parenteau always emphasized the great job after graduation, they see the Lauren Leary ‘12 was a four-year member importance of the academic programs value in the education and the experiof the Holy Cross women’s swimming offered at Holy Cross to his recruits and ence they received from the school. and diving team. She is currently the helped student-athletes to prioritize Manager of Digital & Social Media Marand build fundamental values around “I always love to see former athletes keting for Enrollment and Undergradutheir education. go out into the work world,” he ate Admissions at Boston University.

10 Crusader Nation • Fall 2018

Spring 2017 • Crusader Nation 11

Student spotlight Jehyve FloyD ’19 Men’s Basketball

Jehyve Floyd (Sayerville, N.J.), a senior forward on the men’s basketball team, enters this season as the reigning Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year. He was also selected to the AllPatriot League third team, the Patriot League All-Defensive team and the Patriot League All-Tournament team and was named Holy Cross Male Athlete of the Year in 2017-18. Floyd broke the school’s single-season record for field goal percentage as a junior while placing second on the single-season list for blocked shots.

He led the Patriot League in both statistics, and his .668 field goal percentage ranked fourth nationally. In addition, Floyd’s hometown of Sayerville, N.J., named a day in his honor.

Q Do you have a favorite memory

as a member of the basketball team?

A

Definitely my freshman year winning the championship. That was a great moment, especially because it was so improbable to win a championship when we hadn’t won that many games during the regular season. And no one thought we could. We were the last seed. Then we made the run through the tournament.

Q Are there any lessons you took away from that experience?

A

In the years after, every time we get to that point, I think ‘anything can happen.’ As long as we have the same goal and the same mindset, anything can happen. The door is wide open.

We always have a chance. Once the tournament starts, it’s up for grabs.

One game at a time.

Q Do you have a favorite in-

volvement at Holy Cross outside of basketball?

Definitely our MOCA (Men of ColA or Athletes) panel, which came together in the wake of police brutality against black men. Staff created safe space for us to talk. We didn’t think it was going to get this big. Being able to show what we go through on a predominantly white campus—that was a great start for people to see us in a different light.

They only see us on the court or field, but when they see us as educated black men and see that we’re vulnerable, now they see what we see every day and it opened up a lot of people’s eyes. Some people didn’t know how hard it was being a minority on campus, plus being an athlete, and holding up your school work at the same time. They applauded us for how hard we have to work.

Q What are your career aspirations?

A My dream is to go to the NBA. I’m going to see where that takes me.

It only takes one team to love you.

I’m ready for that process. That would definitely be a dream come true. I want

12 Crusader Nation • Fall 2018

to be able to provide for myself and make a living doing something I love.

My junior year showed me that I can be a pro. But I still have more time to enhance my game. I can go far if I continue to push myself, and we’re going to see what we can do this year.

Q What is Jehyve Floyd Day and how did it get started?

A

This was just the third year. I got called to City Hall on August 8 a few years ago. They told me I was receiving a proclamation. At the end of the reading they said, “I declare today Jehyve Floyd Day.” I moved to Sayerville, N.J., during my freshman year of high school and they welcomed me with open arms.

I was the first Division I player out of Sayerville since 1997, and the first ever to go to the NCAAs. They’ve seen me grow as a person even through what was going on at home. I still pushed through and became a good basketball player. I was just a success story from Sayerville. It means a lot to me. It shows all the hard work I put in. Without Sayerville, I know I wouldn’t be where I am today.

By Andrew Veneziano, assistant director of the Crusader Athletics Fund

Calendar Event Information

2018-2019 Winter Home Events November

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27

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Women’s Basketball vs. Rhode Island 3:05 p.m.

Women’s Ice Hockey vs. Boston College 1:05 p.m.

Men’s Ice Hockey vs. Bentley 7:05 p.m.

Consider supporting HC student-athletes on Giving Tuesday.

Women’s Ice Hockey vs. Northeastern 7:05 p.m.

December

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2 5

8

19

20

22

Men’s Basketball vs. Fairleigh Dickinson 1:05 p.m.

Men’s Ice Hockey vs. American International 7:05 p.m.

Women’s Basketball vs. UMass Lowell 1:05 p.m.

Women’s Basketball vs. Hofstra 6:05 p.m.

Men’s Basketball vs. Rhode Island

(at DCU Center) 1:05 p.m.

Women’s Basketball vs. Manhattan 11:05 a.m.

Men’s Basketball vs. Canisius 2:05 p.m.

Men’s Basketball vs. Siena 12:05 p.m.

January

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5

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Women’s Basketball vs. Colgate Women’s Ice Hockey vs. UConn Men’s Basketball vs. Lehigh Men’s Ice Hockey vs. Niagara Women’s Basketball vs. Loyola (Md.) Women’s Ice Hockey vs. Maine Men’s Basketball vs. Lafayette Men’s Ice Hockey vs. Niagara Women’s Ice Hockey vs. Maine Women’s Ice Hockey vs.

Boston University

Home Venues

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2:05 p.m.

7:05 p.m.

7:05 p.m.

12:05 p.m.

1:05 p.m.

3:05 p.m.

7:05 p.m.

1:05 p.m.

7:05 p.m.

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Men’s Basketball vs. Loyola (Md.) Women’s Basketball vs. Boston University Men’s Ice Hockey vs.

American International Women’s Basketball vs.

Army West Point Winter Homecoming & Giving Day Men’s Swimming & Diving vs.

Springfield College Women’s Swimming & Diving vs.

Springfield College Men’s Basketball vs. Navy Women’s Ice Hockey vs.

New Hampshire

12:05 p.m.

3:05 p.m.

7:05 p.m.

6:05 p.m.

1:00 p.m.

1:00 p.m.

3:05 p.m.

1:05 p.m.

February

1

2

2

3

6

8

9

13

13

15

16

16 18 22

23

23 27

Men’s Ice Hockey vs. Army West Point 7:05 p.m.

Women’s Basketball vs. Lafayette 1:05 p.m.

Men’s Ice Hockey vs. Army West Point 7:05 p.m.

Women’s Ice Hockey vs. Vermont 1:05 p.m.

Men’s Basketball vs. Army West Point 7:05 p.m.

Men’s Ice Hockey vs. RIT 7:05 p.m.

Men’s Ice Hockey vs. RIT 7:05 p.m.

Women’s Basketball vs. Navy 5:05 p.m.

Men’s Basketball vs. Colgate 7:35 p.m.

Men’s Ice Hockey vs. Robert Morris 7:05 p.m.

Men’s Basketball vs. Bucknell 12:05 p.m.

Men’s Ice Hockey vs. Robert Morris 5:05 p.m.

Men’s Basketball vs. Boston University 7:05 p.m.

Women’s Ice Hockey vs. Providence 7:05 p.m.

Women’s Basketball vs. Bucknell 1:05 p.m.

Men’s Ice Hockey vs. Bentley 7:05 p.m.

Women’s Basketball vs. American 6:05 p.m.

Basketball: Hart Center Arena at the Luth Athletic Complex Ice Hockey: Hart Center Rink at the Luth Athletic Complex Swimming & Diving: Hart Center Pool at the Luth Athletic Complex Fall 2018 • Crusader Nation 13

CATCHING UP WITH...

Rob McGovern ’89

The McGovern Brothers Join Crusader Football Legends Ring of Honor

T

he Crusader Football Legends Ring of Honor is an elite group of Holy Cross football alumni. Only former players who have been elected to the Varsity Club Hall of Fame are eligible for selection, and on Saturday, Sept. 15, two more greats joined the ranks. At the Crusaders’ home opener, brothers Bill ’85 and Rob McGovern ’89 were inducted, joining just 25 others who have been honored with this permanent recognition at Fitton Field.

Bill (pictured above, #9) was a four-year starter at free safety, helping the Crusaders to a 31-13-1 record over his career. He helped lead Holy Cross to its first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs in 1983. As a senior captain in 1984, he was named a first team All-American and led the nation with a record-setting 11 interceptions, posting 24 interceptions during his four years. Currently, Bill is the linebackers coach for the New York Giants of the National Football League.

His younger brother, Rob (pictured above, #58), had an equally striking ca-

reer at Holy Cross, playing linebacker and totaling 443 tackles in his career, including a record-setting 182 in his senior year. He helped lead the Crusaders to a 34-9-1 record over his career, including an undefeated 1987 season in which Holy Cross was ranked No. 1 nationally. Rob garnered many accolades his senior year, being named a first team All-American, the Colonial League Defensive Player of the Year, the George H. “Bulger” Lowe Award winner, and the New England Football Writers Gold Helmet recipient. Before hanging up his cleats, Rob played in the NFL as a linebacker for the Chiefs, Steelers, Patriots and Browns. He’s now a trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice.

Rob was back on The Hill on Sept. 15 to receive the honor alongside his wife, Kelly, and their four kids, Regan, Laura, Matthew and Therese.

“Holy Cross football made me who I am today,” says Rob. “My friends from Holy Cross football are my friends because of what we went through together.”

Adding the Ring of Honor to his many football accolades, Rob is constantly aware that nothing happens from a single effort, but rather is the result of hard work by dozens of teammates and coaches.

“I always say if I went out on a football field by myself, I’d get killed every time,” says Rob. “You go out there with 10 other guys, and you succeed because of everybody around you. We had some great teams, with great players and coaches, and I’m grateful for the honor. But I need to point out that I could never have done anything without the support of all those people.”

Rob is committed to raising his children with Jesuit values as men and women for others. Being the nephew of Holy Cross legend Rev. Earle Markey, S.J., ‘53, Rob grew up admiring what the Jesuits embodied.

“The Jesuit life is a life of service, and when you give your life to service or give your life to others and your community, you get a great benefit out of it,” says Rob. After joining the Army Reserves, helping in New York City in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks, enlisting for active duty, and successfully prosecuting one of the most high-profile U.S. Military Court cases, Rob has realized that the satisfaction of serving the world is more rewarding than anything else.

“The feeling you get when you do something for others, serve somebody else, sacrifice something for somebody else, is just this incredible feeling. That’s what keeps me going and it gives me more energy than any paycheck I get.”

Rob McGovern ‘89 (center) stands with family, including his uncle, Rev. Earle Markey, S.J. ‘53, and members of Bill’s family, on the day they were inducted into the Ring of Honor.

14 Crusader Nation • Fall 2018

Jackie Hart ’19 is an English major from Beverly, Mass. She is an intern in the media relations office.

What I Was Thinking

“As the game played out and our defense was able to stop Yale on their first possession in overtime, I knew that this would be a big moment for me.

When it came time to go out on the field, I just focused on stepping up and doing my job so I could help the team earn a victory.”

No. 35 Derek Ng ’22

Placekicker from Las Vegas, Nev. September 15, 2018 Fall 2018 • Crusader Nation 15

Office of Advancement

College of the Holy Cross One College Street Worcester, Massachusetts 01610

NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. Postage

PAID

Worcester, MA Permit No. 760

Why I Give Anthony DiMichele ’11 (Worcester, Mass.) Assistant Coach, Football “Simply put, Holy Cross is the best thing ever to happen to me. I graduated from the College in 2011 as the best possible individual I could be — academically, athletically, socially and spiritually. My experiences as a member of the football team aided in setting the foundation for the person that I am today. I donate to CAF because I see the positive effect that it has on all of our student-athletes and on our ability to recruit. I want all of the Crusaders to have everything they need, while they are having these great formative experiences. CAF ensures that!”

Jen Lapicki (Worcester, Mass.) Head Coach, Softball “I support the Crusader Athletics Fund because I am committed to helping the future of our studentathletes. Through my many experiences as a head coach, I have never before witnessed such dedication as I do every day from our student-athletes. Their endless pursuit of excellence on the playing field is matched by their pursuit of excellence in the classroom and in the community. The Holy Cross community inspires me each and every day. I am honored to give so that I can enhance their experience and add to their development.”

Miranda Nixon ’19 (Harrisburg, Pa.) Women’s Basketball

“As a student-athlete and member of the senior class gift committee, I understand the importance of giving back to both the Crusader Athletics Fund and the College as a whole. Financial support for women’s basketball provides our team with the ability to train in the best facilities with the best equipment and staff, which leads to our success on and off the court. Going to Holy Cross and being a student-athlete has been a life-changing experience. I give to the College to benefit future students so they have as great of an experience as I have had on The Hill.”

Find Us

Phone: 508-793-2415 Email: CrusaderNation@holycross.edu GoHolyCross.com Stay in touch with Crusader Athletics via social media