QBSN: The Magazine, Issue 7

March 18, 2015 | theqbsn.com

QUINNIPIAC BOBCATS SPORTS NETWORK

A balancing act: HOW ZAID HEARST SPLITS HIS TIME ON AND OFF THE COURT p.14 March 18, 2015

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QBSN: THE MAGAZINE

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(Left to right) Samantha Guastella, Gillian Abshire, Val Driscoll

The Quinnipiac Bobcats Sports Network is a student-run organization at Quinnipiac University.

Founded in 2010, QBSN offers students the unique opportunity to become active sports journalists. As the flagship station for most of the sports at Quinnipiac University, QBSN broadcasts almost all home sporting events, with all broadcasts streamed online through QBSN’s UStream channel. QBSN also offers game previews, recaps, feature articles and live podcasts available through the organization’s official website, theqbsn.com.

QBSN works closely with all other Quinnipiac Student Media organizations to further the coverage of all things at Quinnipiac University. Some of its outside endeavors include a Quinnipiac athletics-specific radio show on the official campus radio station WQAQ 98.1 FM. Additionally, QBSN works with the campus television station, Q30 Television, to produce its show “Bobcat Breakdown” which airs on Tuesdays at 9:30 p.m.

Without the support of its passionate members, the Quinnipiac Bobcats Sports Network would not be able to flourish in all areas of student media, including pioneering the next phase in its development as an organization. QBSN: The Magazine was brand new to the organization last year and is published four times throughout the academic year. Its goal is to take an indepth look at all things Quinnipiac athletics.

Thank you to all of those who have made this venture a reality. Happy reading.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: 4 6 8

Work hard, play hard The women’s golfers get creative with winter workouts as they prepare for the spring season.

Q&A: Bonnie Pisciotta QBSN’s Rebecca Castagna chats with track and field sprinter Bonnie Pisciotta about her interests on and off the track.

A matter of time

Men’s ice hockey forward Tim Clifton sees an increase in production in his second season.

10 11 18

Laden’s legacy

With an increase in confidence, women’s ice hockey goalie Chelsea Laden sets goaltending records.

Behind the masks

The six ice hockey goaltenders explain the meanings behind the designs on their masks.

Win or bust

The women’s basketball seniors have one last season to capture the national title.

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March 18, 2015

EDITORS AND PUBLISHERS: Rebecca Castagna, Tanner Harding ART, DESIGN, PHOTO DIRECTOR: Rebecca Castagna PRINTED BY: TYCO Printing Cover Photo: Rebecca Castagna Photo Assistants: Sommer Rusinski, Kara Yennaco ALL STATS UPDATED AS OF 3/3/15

qbsn Executive board Chairman: Marty Joseph Chief Editor: Rebecca Castagna Online Editor: Tom Cunningham Broadcast manager: Connor Fortier Social Media Manager: Rob Ciambra Business Manager: Arthur Lane

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KEEPING AT IT Sophomore Emily Ribbins practices her chipping at an indoor practice

WORK HARD, EARLY MORNINGS AND SNOW ON THE GROUND WON’T STOP THE GOLF TEAM FROM PREPARING FOR THE SPRING SEASON | BY MATT COLUCCI

The Quinnipiac women’s golf team shuffled into the gym at 8 a.m. for practice.

It was a typical New England, January morning. The air was bitter, and the ground was snowy, so they traded traded green fairways for the green Rec Center floor.

Though some of the golfers joked they would rather be sleeping, they were all there and ready to practice.

The golf team’s willingness to practice daily and work hard is a big part of what they pride themselves in. The coaches, trainers and athletes all say the same thing: they work as hard and often as possible, whether a golf course is available to them or not.

“My goal is to have them push,” strength and conditioning coach Jeff Moore said. “And you’re not going to feel good after you’re done with [my workout]. You shouldn’t feel good. You should feel sick, you should feel exhausted, you should

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nets and baskets in the gym, so they can work on their chipping, pitching and putting.

O’Connor also has his team do a lot of non-physical work. He brings in a sports psychologist to help teach his golfers how to step back, focus on each shot, and to stay calm no matter what the conditions are. He also brings in a rules official for up to 10 hours each winter to keep himself and his team up-to-date on rules.

“This being our championship season, really the only thing that matters is that we’re ready for our conference championship,” O’Connor said.

“Our big goal is to win a conference championship. Everything we do while we’re indoors and outdoors, is to get strong enough so that we can focus [in the spring].”

O’Connor and Moore have found a balanced ground where they can work individually, and together, to benefit the team in as many ways as possible. They understand each other’s roles within the team, and they know how to help each other.

“I do bounce ideas off him,” Moore said.

“I’ve played golf, but I’m not an experienced golf coach. So by taking ideas from him, I can see what the girls are weak on, and what they need to work on.”

Whatever O’Connor relays to Moore, he takes those words and turns them into an entire workout plan for the team. Moore says his job entails more than just preparing these athletes for the spring season. Part of his job is to heal any lasting injuries that they have from the fall season, such as back and wrist injuries.

not, such as stretching with elastic bands, and using rice buckets.

Rice buckets are exactly what the name says: big buckets filled to the brim with rice. The golfers just stick their arms in the buckets and move the rice around with their hands. It irons out the aches and pains in the wrists, as well as increasing both durability and flexibility.

Both Moore and O’Connor are stressing the importance of durability this winter, and a lot of that comes in the weight room. They devised a weightlifting program that mimics a golf swing. The goal of their winter weight training is to match the energy systems of a golf swing with weightlifting, which means that he wants his golfers to lift more weight with more force, as opposed to less weight and more repetitions.

These women know how to work hard, and they love what they do. But they also know how to have fun.

“We love our food on this team,” sophomore Emily Ribbins said. “Our coach knows this and he uses it to his advantage. So if he ever wants us to do something, he uses food as an incentive.”

That day, O’Connor turned on “The Wobble” and jokingly offered the team Chipotle if they danced to the whole song. “[Winning Chipotle] doesn’t happen often,” Ribbins said, laughing. “Us dancing does happen, but us getting Chipotle for it, that’s a first!”

Ribbins and junior captain Jenn Whaley both said their coach is what makes this team special. They said that they work so well together because he cares so much about them as a team

“Golf season isn’t much work; it isn’t hard work,” Moore said. “But you’re carrying a heavy bag for four hours on one side. Your back is going to be sore. So we have to make sure we’re strong on both sides of our body. We’re trying to fix those muscle imbalances, and the other thing is making sure our girls are durable so that they can last through the whole season.”

A lot of the players talked to Moore in the fall about their wrists and backs hurting. But since he only sees them one day a week in the fall and spring seasons, there was not much he could do.

Since then, Moore came up with a way to get around the dilemma of not being with the team in season. He created a couple exercises that his athletes can use whether they are with him or

and individuals.

“When I recruit, I look at their grades first,” O’Connor said. “I want good students. I like to think that there’s very little drama on this team.

It appears they all get along very well.”

Whaley has a strong understanding of what O’Connor is looking for, and vice versa. Because of this, they have competitions during practice, which is a happy medium for both. O’Connor makes sure his golfers are still practicing and focusing on their game, but he also makes it so that they can still have fun.

“We’re probably the most fun team on campus,” Whaley said. “Overall they’re basically my best friends.”

PLAY HARD feel tired; you should be gasping for air because it’s an all-out test.”

Before the golfers began their shuttle run testing, Moore pulled a trash can over to the starting line.

“This is in case they throw up,” he said.

That day, nobody did.

The golf team operates on a six-day week.

They spend Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays with Moore. On Mondays and Tuesdays they hit the weight room, and on Thursdays they are conditioning on the gym court. When they aren’t with Moore, they take a yoga class and spin class on Wednesday and Friday respectively, and on Saturday they are strictly with their fifth year head coach John O’Connor. He sets up mats,

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OF MANY TALENTS Bonnie Pisciotta’s interests extend far beyond track and field

Bonnie Pisciotta S

ophomore Bonnie Pisciotta sprints, jumps, and is a black belt, martial arts tricker. When she’s not at school or competing in track and field races and events, she works as a stunt double. Pisciotta recently stunt doubled in a Warner Brothers television show produced

by Alfonso Cuarón and J. J. Abrams.

Though she plans to go to graduate school, she knows tricking will be a part of her future.

BY REBECCA CASTAGNA

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Q. So what is it about sprinting that spoke to you more than long-distance running?

A. Running miles and going on long runs is fun and relaxing and calming, but when you’re sprinting there’s nothing like it. You just feel like you’re in control, but flying. You don’t even realize that you’re running. It just feels free.

Q. Do you have a favorite moment from running?

A. Probably when it was a conference meet last year ... I was stuck running eight seconds or higher in the 60-dash and I just shattered it and I ran like almost sub-7.8. I ran a 7.91, so I was just so excited. My coach didn’t believe it and I broke into the seeded race, into the finals, like the underdog position.

Q. That’s a great moment. Do you have any pre-run rituals that you follow?

A. Not really. I always have to wear the same sports bra. I wear the same Quinnipiac midcalves, basically clotheswise. And normally I do different drills for different events.

When you’re sprinting there’s nothing like it. You just feel like you’re in control, but flying. ... It just feels free.

- BONNIE PISCIOTTA

Q. Do you have a go-to song?

A. I don’t, actually. I can’t listen to music before I run. It’s weird. It stresses me out in a way.

I don’t want to hear someone rapping about their life. I want to hear my own thoughts to focus and get in the mood. ... We used to get on the line and everyone’s like, “Oh my God this song’s stuck in my head,” and I’m like, “Well that sucks for you!”

March 18, 2015

REBECCA CASTAGNA

Q&A

Q. How did you get into running?

A. I actually started as a distance runner in cross-country in seventh grade. I had no idea what cross-country was, but I knew it involved running so I figured, why not? And everyone kept telling me I had a distance body and I just wanted to sprint. So then finally I just started sprinting my senior year and then they let me sprint and I was jumping too. So I’m also a jumper, long and triple. And then I just fell in love with it and started breaking records and I realized I was good and then I started seeking colleges and getting recruited.

Q. Do you have any hobbies outside of running? What else do you like to do?

A. I’m actually a martial arts tricker. I have a first-degree black belt. Tricking is like extreme kicks, flips and twists. So it’s like gymnastics, breakdancing, martial arts, all like that combined.

Anything goes.

Q. That’s one of the coolest things I’ve ever heard. Have you ever done anything special with that?

A. I’m actually a stunt double. I just did a show.

I’m kind of on pause because of school and everything, but ... there’s a TV show called “Believe” that came out last year. I’m a stunt double for the villain.

Q. How does it feel to play a villain?

A. It actually was really cool. Obviously I’m not in character like that – I don’t get lines or anything. But it was cool. I got to shoot a gun on scene, so if I was not the villain I feel like I wouldn’t have had that opportunity.

Q. That’s awesome. Is this something you want to do after college?

A. [I’m] going to graduate school for exercise physiology ... but this is kind of my back-up.

As soon as I graduate, I’m going to California because my brother’s already out there and I’m going to pursue stunt doubling.

Q. So what does a stunt double do?

A. Mine specifically was a fight scene, so we had

I’m actually a martial arts tricker. I have a first-degree black belt. Tricking is like extreme kicks, flips and twists.

- BONNIE PISCIOTTA

hand combos and combat and then it was like my tricking. We didn’t have any flips. It was like twists and kicks and it was just a fight that I won.

He fell on the floor and it was like swap out and [the actress] came in.

Q. How did you get into stunt doubling?

A. I’ve been doing martial arts since I was nine, and they have a performance team, it’s like a demo team. We started doing back flips and front handsprings and small stuff. Then the head instructor opened up another school and I met this group of guys that were on that school’s performance team, and they slowly got into tricking. We found out what it was. Then I had someone actually request me. They talked to my manager. ... I went on three auditions and then they saw all my videos online so the stunt coordinator was like, “I want her.”

How well do you know SHAMEAL SAMUELS? QBSN’s Rebecca Castagna puts the track and field team to the test to see how well they know their teammate, Shameal Samuels.

BECCA STABILE

NIA BAKER

BONNIE PISCIOTTA

shameal samuels

Beyoncé

2 Chainz

Beyoncé

Beyoncé

IF SHE DIDN’T RUN, SHE’D...?

Walk

Play basketball

Play soccer or nothing

Do nothing

WHAT IS HER FAVORITE FOOD?

Shrimp

Anything with shrimp

Oxtail and rice or something Jamaican

Oxtail with white rice

Who is her celebrity crush?

Barney

Lil Jon

Herself

Jason Derulo

What’s her favorite color?

Pink

Pink

Lavender

Purple

ALEX TERREAULT

who is her favorite ARTIST?

March 18, 2015

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A MATTER OF TIME Once players graduated and a new season arrived, the Quinnipiac men’s ice hockey coaches turned to sophomore Tim Clifton to fill a new role on the team. It didn’t take long before he finally hit his stride.

BY KENISHA MCFADDEN

I

t was November 8, 2014. The Quinnipiac men’s ice hockey team was hosting Cornell for an Eastern College Athletic Conference game. The Bobcats were undefeated in the ECAC, after winning the night before against Colgate University.

The first period: scoreless. The second period: scoreless.

Two minutes remained in the third period. Fans, players and coaches on both benches were

hoping for a goal to avoid overtime.

Then one player rose to the occasion. With less than two minutes left, sophomore forward Tim Clifton scored the only goal of the game. He was the unexpected hero.

Since Clifton began playing hockey at a young age, his father, Tim Clifton Sr., noticed he was gifted offensively.

“Growing up, Timmy was always a goal scorer,” he said.

Before Clifton’s time at Quinnip-

REBECCA CASTAGNA

STEPPING UP Clifton has refined his game and defined his role on the team

iac, he played on the Jersey Hitmen in the Eastern Junior Hockey League for three seasons, beginning in 2010. In those three seasons he tallied 49 goals and 86 assists. In his last season playing juniors, he led the league in scoring. His role was to score goals and to produce for his team.

In the 2013-14 season, his first season with Quinnipiac, Clifton scored just three times in 40 games. During that stretch, he was not the player the team looked to in big games.

“For the first time in his hockey career the coaching staff asked Timmy to fill a different role, to be a more physical player,” his father said.

During his freshman season, Clifton saw minimal ice time and spent most of his time observing the likes of Jordan Samuels-Thomas and Bryce Van Brabant.

Samuels-Thomas, now with the Rochester Americans, the Buffalo Sabres American Hockey League affiliate, and Van Brabant, now with the Adirondack Flames, the Calgary Flames affiliate, were the types of players who brought physicality and energy to the Quinnipiac roster.

Clifton noted their contributions to the team and how them moving on has left a void in the team.

“You lose guys like Bryce and JST… those are two big bodies that we miss, big [physical] presence in the corners in front of the net, and you know, someone had to kind of step up and do that,” he said.

And stepping up is exactly what he did.

“Coach threw me in front of the

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net on the power play the first couple of weeks in practice,” he said.

“So I figured he wanted me to be that guy. Just doing what I can do to kind of play more like them.”

Playing more like them means becoming bigger, faster, and stronger. A player must be a presence on the ice and be able to maintain puck possession. These are all of the aspects Clifton works to incorporate into his play. But these changes didn’t just happen overnight.

Clifton’s work ethic to improve his play has not gone unnoticed by senior captain, Matthew Peca.

“He hit the ground running,” Peca said. “He had a great summer.”

Clifton was eager to be a force, putting in work on and off the ice. He was also able to become bigger in stature, which helped him prepare for his expanded role on the team.

“He gained about 10 pounds of muscle,” his father said. “He came into camp ready to go this year.”

Clifton’s brother and teammate, Connor, reflected on his brother’s freshman year and the improvements he’s made.

STICKING TOGETHER Tim and Connor Clifton skate during a game to honor student veterans

his role on the team has shifted.

“I always thought it was just a matter of time,” Connor said.

“We’ve been waiting for it and now it’s finally here.”

Every athlete has goals and

to take one off the face … it’s got to be done because he’s got that trust in me, my teammates got that trust in me. It’s a good feeling.”

It’s hard for Clifton to pinpoint what he’s doing right – he’s modest,

“I have to block a shot if I have to, take one off the face ...

It’s got to be done because [Pecknold] has that trust in me, my teammates have that trust in me. It’s a good feeling.”

- TIM CLIFTON, SOPHOMORE FORWARD “Last year he didn’t put up too many points – he didn’t really get that much playing time,” Connor said. “But he’s really earned it over the summer. He had a big summer.

He got stronger, faster. This year he came in with a lot of confidence and he’s just producing.”

That confidence has propelled Clifton to being the Bobcat’s fourth highest goal scorer. Connor has been with his brother every step of the way, so it was no surprise to him that

March 18, 2015

adjustments he or she makes gameto-game and season-to-season. But how Clifton refined his game has defined his role on the squad – so much so that he has found ice time on both the power play and the penalty kill.

“In big spots like that, when coach puts you out on the penalty kill, that’s cool,” Clifton said.

“That’s like, hey, he trusts me to do this, I’ve got to go out there and do it. I have to block a shot, if I have

hesitant to talk about himself. But when pressed enough, he reluctantly admits he owes his success to the little things he has been working on: smarter decisions with the puck and better positioning on the ice.

Clifton’s physicality and presence on the ice for the Bobcats has given him more than a confidence boost. It has cemented his place on the team.

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LADEN’S LEGACY Growing up leads to a growing list of records for the Quinnipiac goalie| BY MARK SPILLANE

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RECORD BREAKER Laden holds both the Quinnipiac and ECAC single-season shutout records.

ever, but didn’t hesitate to express the difficulty of the current situation.

“Vigi’s first year, if we didn’t win one to nothing or two to one we weren’t winning a game because we weren’t scoring enough,” he said.

“But at the same time nobody’s going to blame a kid if she gives up a couple goals and we are outshot by a lot.”

“Chelsea on the other hand is on the short end of shot games, when we are outshooting teams 45-15, so it’s a lot easier to stay sharp when you’re getting 45 shots.”

Seeley also says he believes that team dominance can make things tougher on a goalie.

“Chelsea is under a lot more pressure now when there’s 15 to 20 shots she’s getting that could equally change a game because we’re still not scoring 4 or 5 a game,” he said.

And Vigilanti isn’t the only ECAC great that Laden’s statistics compare to. In fact, her single-season Quinnipiac record of 16 shutouts is also the best mark in ECAC single-season history. The previous record was held by Erica Howe, who had 14 last year for the national champion, the Clarkson Golden Knights.

If you had predicted that four years ago, you’d look like Nostradamus. But from the start of her career, Laden showed plenty of promise, posting a solid .916 save-percentage, and 2.32 goalsagainst average as a freshman. But like most athletes, she went through a fairly significant learning curve early on.

“Jumping from high school to college, D-I hockey was incredible, a huge jump for me,” she said “I thought I was a great hockey goalie, I got to practice and I couldn’t stop a beach ball it felt like.”

However, despite overcoming the initial

issues to post the strong first-year campaign, her save-percentage plummeted to .885 her sophomore year, while her goals-against average rose to almost 3.00.

But she didn’t get discouraged, and used the struggles to grow.

“If I had come in my freshmen year and blew it away, I would have lower expectations for myself, probably wouldn’t have pushed myself that hard,” Laden said. “I am thankful for those years.”

“Those games especially helped me junior year, and set the tone for the summer, I worked my butt off between sophomore and junior year and that helped me have a great junior year as well.”

With the records and all the successes, it would seem likely that Laden would be most proud of her hockey career. But if you ask her, it’s not the shutouts and the wins. Instead, Laden points to her ability to overcome the struggles of balancing being a Division I hockey player, and her academics.

“I have to admit there was a lot of thinking, ‘Can I even do this for four years?’” she said. “It was really intense. And knowing that I was able to battle through it and able to continue to face adversity.”

“It was tough, but I’m really proud of myself throughout four years to not only get through it but to succeed.”

Through all this, Laden and her defense have given the Bobcats one more shot at making the NCAA tournament – they’ve brought hope to the program and confidence in the team’s ability.

“If we play our game we can play with anyone, and if we play our game we can beat anyone,” Laden said, “If we all show up I think this team can do anything.”

March 18, 2015

REBECCA CASTAGNA

Three years ago in the broadcast booth at High Point Solutions Arena, there stood a young and uneasy freshman goaltender, fumbling with a broadcast headset and timidly answering interview questions following Quinnipiac’s 15th win of the season.

She awkwardly swayed back and forth for just a few minutes before the interviewed ended, then she retreated to the locker room.

Even though she had just helped the Bobcats top the Syracuse Orange 3-0 with her fourth career win and first career shutout, she seemed unsure of what to say and how to act.

Fast forward to today, and that once nervous freshman seems like a different person than the one between the pipes for the Bobcats these days.

Now, Chelsea Laden is a senior with 51 career victories, and 26 career shutouts. And perhaps more importantly, a different mindset too.

“I am definitely a much different person than I was freshman year,” Laden said. “I think one of the biggest things that stands out to me is my confidence.”

Laden noted that the confidence has helped her develop as a goalie, and the numbers back up her assessment.

Not only has the Lakeville, Minnesota native had a record-breaking season, but she has also amassed career numbers on par with some of the best in ECAC history, including Quinnipiac’s own Victoria Vigilanti.

Vigilanti manned the crease for the Bobcats from 2010-13, which included Laden’s first two years at Quinnipiac.

Laden’s impressive run as goaltender has earned her the crown for best goals-against average and win percentage in Bobcat history. She also owns the second highest win percentage in program history, just behind Vigilanti.

But she’s quick to dismiss the notion that she has surpassed her predecessor.

“When Vigi was here, she had a very different team in front of her,” Laden said. “She was facing two to three times as many times shots as me.

She didn’t have the defensive core that I have now, and she was part of building the program to where it is now.”

Laden even credits some of her surmounting success to Vigilanti.

“Her work ethic, her intensity helped propel me to become a better goalie,” she said. “She is somebody I looked up to. I had big shoes to fill, but I love setting the bar high.”

Quinnipiac head coach Rick Seeley agrees with Laden about the team being stronger than

CHELSEA LADEN

SYDNEY ROSSMAN

RACHEL MYETTE

Something unique about senior Chelsea Laden’s mask is that she’s had it for all four years. The design on the front of her mask serves as a bit of a tribute to the one she wore back in high school. While she once wore a mask with a cougar, the mascot of Lakeville South High School in Minnesota, she now wears a bobcat.

Laden doesn’t really consider herself to be too superstitious, but she decided to keep her helmet going into senior year after the success she saw in the previous season.

The front of Rossman’s mask has a design of her number, a common design utilized by goaltenders. On the back, Rossman included a squid, as this was her nickname growing up.

The squid’s tentacles are wrapped around an anchor, which represents the logo of her high school team, the Minnetonka Skippers.

Myette’s mask features an American flag because she’s from Massachusetts. Alongside that, she put a Boston Strong ribbon as she lives just 45 minutes south of the city. Following the Boston Marathon tragedy, Myette’s mother treated patients that were injured in the horrific event.

BEHIND THE MASKS

Goaltenders’ masks not only protect them from injury, but give them a chance to personalize and decorate a piece of equipment. The back of a mask is a canvas for significant aspects of a player’s life.

BY ARIANA STOVER

JACOB MEYERS

SEAN LAWRENCE

MICHAEL GARTEIG

Meyers considers himself to be a detail-oriented person so he included a couple of meaningful pieces in his mask design. The back features a burnt scroll with “Invictus” written on it, a poem by William Ernest Henley. Essentially the poem means that no matter what kind of obstacles one faces in their life, you can overcome them and only you are in control of your fate.

Meyers’ helmet also includes the names of his brothers, mother and father.

A depiction of the state of California is featured on the back of Sean Lawrence’s mask to represent where he’s from. Lawrence is one of three players on the men’s hockey team born in California. An interesting aspect of his design is the decision to include the infamous Arnold Bernhard library clock tower. Lawrence claims that “Garts stole that idea” from him.

It’s uncertain who really came up with the idea first, but emblazoned on the side of Garteig’s mask is a similar representation of the library clock tower.

Garteig’s mask features a representation of where he comes from, the vast mountains of Northern British Columbia. The initials on the back are his stepmother’s, who passed away four years ago. Ever since her passing, Garteig has included her initials in his mask design.

While most of the significant pieces are placed on the back of the mask, Garteig described the front of his as “a throwback” with a Bobcat biting down on the cage of the mask.

March 18, 2015

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BRYCE VAN BRABANT ‘14 Adirondack Flames (AHL) Position: Left Wing Goals: 8 Assists: 7

JEREMY LANGLOIS ‘13 Worcester Sharks (AHL) Position: Right Wing Goals: 16 Assists: 10

JORDAN SAMUELS-THOMAS ‘14 Rochester Americans (AHL) Position: Forward Goals: 3 Assists: 4

ZACH TOLKINEN ‘14 Elmira Jackals (ECHL) Position: Defenseman Goals: 3 Assists: 13

DAVID MARSHALL ‘09 Reading Royals (ECHL) Position: Forward Goals: 16 Assists: 20

ZACH DAVIES ‘13

Reading Royals (ECHL) Position: Defensemen Goals: 4 Assists: 21

ERIC HARTZELL ‘13

Wheeling Nailers (ECHL) Position: Goalie Personal Record: 12-10 2.74 GAA .909 SV%

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? HERE’S WHERE FORMER QUINNIPIAC ICE HOCKEY PLAYERS ARE TODAY CONTENT BY: ARTHUR LANE | DESIGN BY: REBECCA CASTAGNA, JOHN SMALL & CAROLYN FALES

BRANDON WONG ‘10

Recently traded to South Carolina Stingrays (ECHL) Position: Forward Goals: 18 Assists: 25 (Stats from Evansville Icemen)

MIDWEST & WEST

ZACH CURRIE ‘13

MIKE DALHUISEN ‘13

Evansville Icemen (ECHL) Position: Defenseman Goals: 4 Assists: 6

Idaho Steelheads (ECHL) Position: Defenseman Goals: 1 Assists: 3

CONNOR JONES ‘14

Oklahoma City Barons (AHL) Position: Forward Goals: 3 Assists: 4

KELLEN JONES ‘14

Oklahoma City Barons (AHL) Position: Forward Goals: 4 Assists: 7

INTERNATIONAL LOREN BARRON ‘13

Edinburgh Capitals (Scotland) Position: Defenseman Goals: 1 Assists: 21

ERIC LAMPE ‘10

Crimmitschau (Germany) Position: Forward Goals: 12 Assists: 23

VICTORIA VIGILANTI ‘13 Vienna Sabres (Austria) Position: Goalie

*STATS UPDATED AS OF 3/1/15

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A DAY IN THE LIFE:

ZAID HEARST

BY NICOLAS COLON PHOTOS BY REBECCA CASTAGNA

I

t’s a popular misconception: student-athletes live a life of royalty, paved by essay-writing tutors and coddling professors – that all they need to focus on are sports; the rest is simply optional. Yet most athletes are diligent students, bombarded with daily responsibilities that appear unconquerable. Enter 6-foot-4 senior guard, Zaid Hearst, captain of the Quinnipiac men’s basketball team.

7:45 a.m.

Hearst gets up out of his undersized bed and wipes the cold out of his eyes. He puts his socks on, one at a time, and brushes his teeth. He sets the tone of his morning by greeting his fellow roommates, who double as his teammates.

That’s when he has to make possibly the most important decision of his day: deciding what to fuel his body with. The stove-top could be put to good use, but who thinks about using those at such a dreadful hour?

Cereal or fruit will be the question, but the potassium of the latter will most likely keep him holding the ball rather than his hamstring.

Grabbing his Q-card and cell phone, Hearst makes his way out the door.

Tom Moore, head coach of the team, waits for his captain to walk through the door to watch tape of what seems like Hearst’s every move since they were last together. Detailed examination of his most recent performances, compiled by review of the upcoming opponents’ habits and tendencies, are crammed into his head for pure preparation purposes.

“It’s definitely important from a confidence standpoint when you go against your opponent and you know he hasn’t put in as much work,” Hearst says. “I matchup with somebody on the court and I know I already have my opponent beat.”

After going over the X’s and O’s, Hearst heads to

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the caregivers stationed in the athletic training room. Here they mend any aches and bruises he may have tacked on during his MAAC Offensive Player of the Year campaign – because in his mind, “If it’s not broken, you can still play.”

12:30 p.m.

Hearst escapes to a place where he can forget all his troubles.

His team assembles on Lender Court at the TD Bank Sports Center to complete a day’s practice. Filled with calisthenics, drills and tactics, Moore and his team engage in all the lively competitions one would expect from a top tier Division I program. This is where the cliché blood, sweat and tears are exhausted from both the starters and role players in preparation for the team’s next game.

3 p.m.

Hearst jumps in his mother’s white Nissan Altima, which he’s named Casper, and makes his way down York Hill to the Mount Carmel campus to grab a bite to eat.

“I have a 30 minute window to get food and make it to class,” Hearst says.

And those 30 minutes are binding.

Hearst makes sure he arrives to class on time. It’s a mistake he made once – and only once – before.

“Oh no, oh no, I will never skip,” he says, shaking his head. “I came late to class my freshman year and my academic advisor told coach Moore. Coach Moore said, ‘If you’re late again, then your whole team will run for it.’ So we will never miss class.”

4:45 p.m.

Hearst leaves class and heads to any quiet place on campus to knock out unfinished work his professors have assigned. Being a student-athlete is not only significantly time-consuming, but also draining. When a regular student is able to drop their bags and contemplate a nap after a long day of classes, a student-athlete, like Hearst, is likely getting ready to endure a

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second round of classes.

Not only are student-athletes required to attend classes, but there is also a minimum 2.0 GPA requirement for student-athletes at Quinnipiac – higher than that of the NCAA’s ruling.

“I’m definitely a student-athlete,” Hearst says.

“I take care of my studies first and make sure everything gets done before I start worrying about everything I have to do with basketball.”

7 p.m.

After his studies are taken care of, Hearst and his teammates seek to fulfill the 10,000 hours of their own “shooting club.” He and a couple of veteran teammates take advantage of their open gym and put the work in on their own time. His hard work pays off – Hearst ranks amongst the top four in the MAAC in points per game.

His training never ends. His undeniable work ethic even drove the 22-year-old to get some extra reps in during the remaining hours of his birthday.

This work ethic, he says, was directly passed on from his mother, Tanya.

“She works so much and so hard,” he says.

“Just seeing her gut it out even when she’s sick or hurt, she’ll still gut it out for me to keep doing

what I do. I just want her to stop working so she can wake up and do what she wants to do. That’s why I keep playing. I’m just hungry.”

That competitive spirit resonates into more than one aspect of his life.

9 p.m.

Hearst and his roommates lounge on their futon, start up the Xbox 1, and turn on EA Sport’s NBA 2K15. What follows is an intense competition – typical to any group of friends – each one hoping to carry out a win, just to be let down in heartbreaking fashion in front of the type of people who will make sure they never forget it.

They tally wins and losses on a large sheet of paper that hangs next to the television, just to remind everyone who really is No. 1.

Some take it harder than others.

“Use T’ziah [Wood-Smith], for example,” he says. “If you beat T’ziah he won’t talk to you for 20 minutes. He’ll walk to his room, slam the door and that’s last you hear from him for an hour. He’ll come back and say he’s got next, and if he loses again, he’ll go to sleep. It’s funny, but it’s serious.”

For the rest of the night, social media serves as their entertainment. They pull up apps like

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Twitter and Vine until they retire one-by-one to their disproportionate rooms and repeat the process the next day.

GAME DAY That’s just another Tuesday. Imagine what it’s like on game day.

Sometimes during his season, Hearst plays up to three games a week. It’s a recipe for some serious cramming and a potential mental breakdown. Fortunately for Hearst and a couple of his fellow seniors, a little planning with the team’s academic advisor can really make the difference. Hearst, a communications major, has been through the ins and outs of a complex season before. Throughout his spring semester, he has left windows open on both Wednesdays and Fridays to accommodate games that are played throughout the week. Seven out of the 11 weekday games the Bobcats have played this spring semester have fallen on days that he does not have class.

On game day, every moment up until tip-off is filled with excitement over that fact each member of the team will be able to represent his school and family against the best competition in the country. During MAAC play, the tempo

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and intensity are dually magnified, especially if a team’s non-conference record fell short of expectations.

Hearst, like many other star athletes, attempt to express themselves in more aspects than one.

One look at NBA pre-game coverage shows “celebrity-athletes” who shatter the norms of outerwear – some styles more shocking than others. Hearst, however, puts some limitations on himself.

“I like fashion. I like dressing. I like trying new things,” he says. “I’m not over-the-top like some people, like Russell Westbrook in the NBA. A couple of my teammates were like, ‘Oh you wear cheetah shoes?’ [But] they’re not really up there yet or old enough to understand and try new things.”

He’s the only Bobcat out on the court sporting neon yellow sneakers.

But like Mike said, “It’s not about the shoes, it’s about what you do in them.”

Slowly but surely tip-off approaches and the players make their way to the locker room to go through their routine: pick out their

jerseys, shorts, socks and shoes, then make their way to get the athletic training room for gauze and tape.

They come back and shake the hand of every one of their teammates all while listening to their favorite artists through their team colored Beats™ headphones. Hearst usually turns to Jay-Z and Jadakiss. He throws his socks on, left, then right, followed by his shoes in the same order and then proceeds to say a quick prayer. A lecture from their coach is the last bit of exchange they hear right before heading out to be greeted by the lights and screaming fans. They enter to “Made You Look” by Nas, and the rest is solely dependent on them. All the hard work and extra hours are applied to the best of both the team’s and the individual’s abilities, all to achieve a greater goal that was predetermined in adolescence.

“I have dreams and aspirations of the league,” Hearst says, of playing in the NBA. “I know if I get a chance I can make it happen. I know I’ll be there some day. I just I know I’ll be there.”

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WIN OR BUST

The women’s basketball team makes history on the court as its seniors prepare for their last shot at a national title

BY TOM ALBANESE AND TOM CUNNINGHAM

T

he 2014-15 season for the Quinnipiac University women’s basketball team is winding down and it is starting to look like March Madness is in the team’s future.

It started with the toughest out-of-conference schedule that head coach Tricia Fabbri created in her 20 years at Quinnipiac.

“We knew that we were really challenging ourselves,” Fabbri said. “We weren’t going to get too high or too low if we were around .500 with

the non-conference schedule.”

The team finished with an impressive 8-3 non-conference record, with the team’s last loss coming over two months ago to Florida Gulf Coast University.

Since then, Quinnipiac has gone undefeated through conference play. The seniors on the team are pleased with the strong results.

“It’s definitely an accomplishment and we are happy about where we are, but we are in no way

satisfied because our one goal is to win a championship and go to the NCAA Tournament,” senior Gillian (Boo) Abshire said.

Fabbri made the decision to bring back the five in-five out “Gold Rush” strategy. This comes after the team barely used it last season in their first season in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.

“The five in-five out, the system, it works,” senior Jasmine Martin said. “So why fix something

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REBECCA CASTAGNA

BOXING OUT Brianah Ramos fights past a defender

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(Top Left) Samantha Guastella, (Bottom Left) Gillian Abshire, (Right) Nikoline Ostergaard

that’s not already broken?”

The team’s quality record has proven that the team’s jump-start in every game begins with the starting five: Abshire and Martin, fellow seniors Nikoline Ostergaard and Samantha Guastella, as well as grad student Val Driscoll.

“I think that’s why we are so good this year, because we just have so many leaders on the floor,” Ostergaard said.

While having leaders on the court is important, everyone on this team has learned over time that leadership is built through practices.

“In practice, we play together against the other five that come in and they work so hard everyday against us to make us want to work even harder,” Abshire said. “Having that in practice everyday makes us better.”

The roller coaster for these seniors began in the 2011-12 season. The team finished the regular season 22-10, losing in the Northeast Conference semifinals.

After an average first season, these players wanted to make Quinnipiac’s last year in the NEC special. Quinnipiac reached 30 wins and defeated Saint Francis University in the NEC Championship to advance to the NCAA tournament for the first time in program history.

Junior year arrived for these women and brought a new challenge for the Bobcats. A new conference with new powerful foes created a huge goal for Quinnipiac to win the conference once again. Marist came into the new season winning eight straight titles and it didn’t get any harder than that for Quinnipiac.

“We walked into Marist and we saw they had a trophy room and we were like, ‘Well maybe we can be the startup of a tradition of a trophy room here,’” Martin said.

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Quinnipiac finished last season 21-13, losing both regular season games against both Iona and Marist. But come tournament time, Fabbri’s squad was poised for another run.

The team advanced to the MAAC Championship after earning its first win over Iona, setting up a date with the defending champion Marist for the title. Marist showed how tough they are, winning their ninth straight title.

“Last year was the worst feeling ever and I

“

You’re good when you have players that aren’t afraid of what the consequences are going to be. ... When you have that confidence there is nothing that can stop you.

”

- Tricia Fabbri, head coach

think that was easy for me, Jas and Boo to look at each other and say, ‘That’s not happening again this year,’” Guastella said.

This year has also featured some history on the court. Martin became the newest member of the 1,500 points club and a few games later; Guastella officially etched her name on the banner at Lender Court for becoming the next 1,000-point scorer for the program.

“They have just been awesome,” Abshire said.

“They have worked so hard and have really come into their own as individuals and teammates. I just love being their point guard.”

Fabbri takes comfort knowing that both Martin and Guastella have the confidence to take the big shot. These milestones show how hard the two have worked over their careers.

“That’s why you’re good when you have good players that aren’t afraid of what the consequences are going to be,” Fabbri said. “When you have the confidence they have to have the ball in their hands to make a play. When you have that confidence there is nothing that can stop you.”

Only a trip back to the NCAA tournament will ease the pain that this team still feels from last year’s loss to Marist, and for these seniors it would be the perfect way to go out.

“We talk about it a lot as seniors, that we want to come back one day and be like, ‘Hey that’s our banner up there, we did this,’” Ostergaard said.

Abshire shares a similar sentiment, acknowledging that it’s either now or never for her and the other seniors.

“It’s win or bust and that’s definitely the goal,” Abshire said. “I thought about our years and how it’s like a pattern, so hopefully we can finish that pattern.”

Having weapons across the roster, taking one game at a time, and maintaining a positive attitude is a few of the biggest keys that Quinnipiac looks to keep moving forward.

“Every single one of our girls has talent and can go out there and do big things,” Abshire said. “I just think that it’s very hard to stop us.”

Fabbri added: “This team has made no bones about it, it’s championship or bust, and not just getting back to the NCAA but winning the first round NCAA game.”

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THE FINAL SEASON Martin and her fellow seniors head into the MAAC Championships THEMAGAZINE theqbsn.com QBSN: THE 20Marist with in MAGAZINE mind theqbsn.com

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THE MAKINGS OF A RIVALRY

BY ANDREW BADILLO

QUINNIPIAC ATHLETICS

For Marist women’s basketball head coach Brian Giorscore, [from last year’s championship game] we know gis and his Red Foxes, nine straight Metro Atlantic Athletic who we’re after and we have to finish business.”

Conference Championships and nine straight NCAA Whether it’s a boiling rivalry or just an exclamation tournament berths are numbers that speak volumes. point on the schedule, Marist is the team of emphaOne of the many mid-major head coaches to recogsis for Quinnipiac, no matter what. Fabbri certainly nize Marist’s dominance over the years is Quinnipiac noticed a different atmosphere in Lender Court during women’s basketball head coach Tricia Fabbri. their matchup.

“It’s unbelievable what he’s done with that program “It felt really good, it was great to have them here,” and their level of consistency over this period of time,” Fabbri said. “I thought Marist coming down with two Fabbri said. busloads of fans created a really good mid-major game.”

For Fabbri and her Bobcats, one Northeast ConferFabbri believes that the matchup deserves a lot of ence Championship and one NCAA tournament berth, hype, for a few reasons. pale in comparison. The Red Foxes have the prestige and “One, because we are that geographical distance of pedigree; the Bobcats are still trying to establish themless than two hours,” she said. “The other one is that selves in the MAAC. Yet there is one word that comes to Marist has been so dominant in the MAAC, their [fans] mind when thinking of the two teams: rival. But not to are tired of that same old song, so with us coming into Giorgis, however. the league obviously coming off An emphatic “no” was his our championship year created We have a picture every that natural noise of being excited response, when asked if there was such thing as a Quinnipiac/ to see someone new.” day when you walk out Marist rivalry after the Bobcats ran Fabbri believes the rivalry will Marist out of Lender Court 73-55 of the locker room of the do wonders for not only mid-main January. Since it was announced jor basketball, but for the MAAC halftime score and the that Quinnipiac would be joining as well. final score ... we know the Metro Atlantic Athletic Con“It creates a level of interference starting in the 2013-14 est, not only in our game at the who we’re after and we season, the two teams have been mid-major level,” she said. “It testy towards each other. creates that interest across the have to finish business.

“Everyone has an opinboard in our conference.”

- Jasmine Martin ion,” said Quinnipiac women’s The Bobcats are truly making basketball guard Jasmine Martin, history this season as they are the referring to Giorgis. “Whether he wants to say it is or first team to sweep the regular season series against the not, I believe it’s a rivalry.”

Red Foxes in 11 years after traveling to Poughkeepsie, Martin still has memories of last year’s MAAC Cham- New York and defeating Marist 80-62 in February. pionship loss to Marist in the back of her head, as does Both teams have differing perspectives, as Marist and her teammate and starting point guard Boo Abshire.

Giorgis play down the idea that a team with no MAAC “It’s definitely fueled us. I’ve never been a part of experience could somehow start a rivalry, while Quinnipsuch a painful game as that one,” Abshire said. “That iac has cultivated a rivalry from Marist’s previous success one was really tough, but it’s definitely always in the in the MAAC and against them. back of my mind and fueling us to get what we want, “We want people to say, ‘Wow, Quinnipiac stopped and that’s a championship.”

Marist’s streak,’” Martin said. “We’ve taken it upon ourThe pain of defeat has only intensified the Bobcats’ selves to make it a rivalry.” rivalry with the Red Foxes and their desire to beat them The Marist/Quinnipiac matchup has been discussed until they achieve their goal. Martin recalled the team’s ad nauseam, but in a positive way for both teams. For drubbing of the Red Foxes earlier in the season, a satisfyMarist, it has made Giorgis and his players sweat during ing win versus any other opponent, but not against Marist. the regular season for the first time in 11 years. And for “We should beat them by 30 [points]. Last year was Quinnipiac, the team has established itself as the team to tough and we have that in the back of our minds,” Marbeat in the MAAC Championships. tin said. “We have a picture everyday when you walk out Looking at it in retrospect, both teams make each of the locker room of the halftime score and the final other better – after all, it is what rivals are for.

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OPINION recognizing laden

JACK AND THE TEAM SPROUT

By Matt Heller @livingheller17

By Gabbi Riggi @g_riggi It’s next to impossible to put on a hockey game and not hear Jack Eichel’s name. Be it a college game or an NHL matchup, there are analysts debating where players will go come draft time – although McDavid/Eichel is certainly no Hall/ Seguin of a few years ago.

If you’re like me, you’re probably tired of hearing of Jack Eichel. But hey, there’s always a silver lining, right? Three of the top 10 North American skaters in the NHL draft rankings are among the best of the NCAA: Boston University’s Jack Eichel is at second, his teammate Noah Hanifin third, and Zachary Werenski of Michigan takes the sixth spot. Two of them, Hanifin and Werenski, are both defensemen – players who are harder to gauge at 17 or 18 years old. That may not seem particularly momentous, except for the fact that these young men are being ranked up against those of the Canadian Hockey League, a league that has produced many of the NHL’s best players over the past 25 years.

The popularity of these college players has carried over from scouts and upper management to the fans in rinks and in homes. Teams now have television contracts with stations across the nation, and on a Friday night a fan can tune in and see three college games a night, even if two of them are usually Notre Dame and Minnesota. Even in Canada, where the amateur status

is thrown out the window in favor of semi-pros that leave home at 14, the NCAA has begun to make its mark. Television station TSN, a goto for any hockey aficionado, has picked up close to 50 NCAA games this year, from Robert Morris at RIT, to the Beanpot, to Quinnipiac and Yale. Not only is the market for the league getting wider, but the proliferation and market success has gone up.

The spike in demand has gone up too, now with another “odd” market team in Arizona State gaining a Division I status, the country has a total of 60 Division I programs.

With these programs dotted across the country – from Alaska to Nebraska and Indiana, more players are given exposure and opportunity to jump into the market.

And you know what? That’s good for everybody.

At the end of February, USA Hockey hosted “Hockey Weekend Across America” and more than 9,000 children played hockey for the first time. Quinnipiac already benefits from non-traditional markets, with players on the roster coming from California and Maryland. So while Jack Eichel Bingo may be my next game to play while watching an NHL game, the proliferation of college hockey across North America can only help to grow the game.

NOT ONLY IS THE MARKET FOR THE [NCAA] GETTING WIDER, BUT THE PROLIFERATION AND MARKET SUCCESS HAS GONE UP.

This season has been one for the ages for the Quinnipiac Bobcats women’s ice hockey team. Lead up front by its captains Erica Uden Johansson and Morgan Fritz-Ward, the strength of the forward corps may only be matched by the defensive work of senior starting goaltender, Chelsea Laden.

Laden has had an outstanding season so far with an NCAA leading 16 shutouts, a .934 save percentage, and a 1.09 goals against average. After this season, Laden is now the all time leader in consecutive shutout minutes, for both men’s and women’s team, and now holds the ECAC record for most shutouts in a regular season, with 16 and is one shutout shy of tying Noora Raty’s NCAA record for most shutouts in a season.

Laden was considered for the Patty Kazmaier award, given to the

top NCAA Division I women’s ice hockey player. She did not make the the cut for the top 10 finalists, but she should have. The last goaltender to win the award was Jessie Vetter in 2009, who played for the University of Wisconsin. Before Vetter, Brown University’s goaltender Ali Brewer took home the award in 2000.

Laden’s play gave her a very good shot at the national nod, because this has been an outstanding year for her. Her success also helps to show the development of the school and its hockey program.

Laden will be relied on a lot by her teammates in the upcoming weeks, as the Bobcats will battle through the playoffs and, with any luck, a trip to the Frozen Four in her home state of Minnesota.

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