High hopes

D-III Northeast Regional Championships on Feb. 24.

__ By Braedan Shea __ @braedan_shea

Coming off of an impressive regular season with top-eight finishes in all of its six tournament invitational appearances – three of which were top two overall – and a 14-6 record in duel matches, the Springfield College wrestling team is preparing for the most important tournament of the year.

On Friday, Feb. 24, 16 members of the Pride program will be making the near three-and-ahalf hour bus ride to Gorham, Maine for the 2023 NCAA Division III Northeast Regional Championships - a tournament that Springfield believes they can win.

“If they wrestle up to, or exceed their expectations, or the expectations of others, and not our expectations; then they can certainly do something special,” head coach Jason Holder said. “It’s exciting to think about. It’s going to be a wild one. A wild weekend.”

Holder isn’t alone in his hopes for the region- al championships. Jacob Deguire, a 157-pound sophomore, also finds that this is a team that not only can bring home a regional championship to Alden Street, but can send multiple, if not all, competing athletes to the NCAA Division III Championships held in Roanoke, Va.

“We all have to perform to the best of our ability, which we can,” Deguire said. “ And it would be great. Just seeing everyone else compete is awesome, and if we can go out and be us, we could send everyone to D-IIIs. That’d be awesome.”

In order to qualify for the Division III Championship, a wrestler must place in the top three of their respective weight class at Regionals. Senior Joey Manginelli is the only person on the roster who has qualified for the national tournament in previous years.

As a two-time national qualifier, last season marked the first time that Manginelli was able to wrestle at the NCAA Championships, as he had qualified for the national event as a freshman in 2020 before the pandemic canceled the championship.

The team has put a lot of emphasis on preparation for regionals, but the best preparation comes from experience.

“At this point, I think our guys are well prepared,” Holder said. “The nice thing is, that aside from a couple of them, most of the guys who are going in wrestling this weekend have competed in this tournament before. They should know what to expect. And they’ve had a good season so far, but at the same time, they know that you just don’t show up to this tourna- ment.”

As one of the members of the team who has been to the tournament before, placing fifth at 157 last season, Deguire looks to stay in the moment to perform well.

“I’m just trying to stay focused, get my weight down and get me prepared so I don’t force everything at the last minute,” he said. “I’m also trying to get my weight down lower than normal so I don’t have to work out extra when I get there.”

Although the team is bringing 16 wrestlers along, only 10 can compete. The additional six will not only be working out with the team, but also in getting to see how their teammates get ready and carry themselves during a big tournament.

“Modeling is awesome,” Holder said. “Our guys are really responsible. They work hard. They’re disciplined. They’re dedicated to doing the right things. Right now, especially leading up to the regional tournament, they’re locked in already focused. And that’s good for our guys to see. And we’re even bringing some of the younger guys to work out too so they can see what’s going on and how things are. It’s good for those guys to get a model of how things are done.”

With great preparation, and an even better roster, Springfield will look to continue its strong season into the biggest tournament of the year thus far.

Springfield men’s volleyball right-side hitter Jarrett Anderson already has a National Player of the Year honor under his belt, and is now embracing the challenge of leading as the only senior on the team.

2022, another demonstration of the one-ofa-kind player he is.

“It is very gratifying to receive the type of recognition that I have received,” Anderson said. “I think it is a testament to my work ethic and drive, but I am also very thankful for the coaches and teammates I have had during my time here at Springfield that has pushed me towards my potential.”

Along with his list of accolades, Anderson has also acclimated to becoming a leader very well – as the 2023 season took a slight unexpected turn.

Sullivan said. “He has been forced into the fast lane, and has been much more vocal than he has in the past.”

Taking a trip down memory lane, Sullivan knew the potential Anderson had as a mere freshman on the team, even during the recruiting process back in high school.

“In high school, we noticed how well we mixed with our group, not to mention just how hard he could hit the ball,” Sullivan said.

Out of 107 Division III volleyball teams, Springfield College is ranked No. 5 overall. One member of the Pride, senior Jarrett Anderson, has played a pivotal role in the team’s success in re- cent seasons.

The 6-foot-5 powerhouse has been nothing short of spectacular for the Pride. Springfield College has had 17 Academic All-Americans since 1971. Anderson has already been named first team Academic All-American twice – and is on track for a third recognition this year.

Along with his 3.9 GPA, Anderson also was named National Player of the Year in

The Pride are starting five underclassmen with no collegiate experience. Anderson is the lone senior on the team: one other senior suffered a season-ending injury, while another could not play due to ineligibility.

“Anderson has been phenomenal this year,” head coach Charlie

Anderson, who grew up in Largo, Fla., made the trip to Springfield after a few meetings with coaches. He could not be happier with his decision.

“I can ultimately say that Springfield College was a great choice for me, giving me the opportunity to compete in a high-level athletics environment and further my education within their wellknown Applied Exercise Science program,”

Anderson said.

Additionally, Anderson was surrounded by people who helped him adjust to a new environment and team.

“As a freshman, I had the benefit of being surrounded by many upperclassmen who did a great job representing our program, leading by example, and guiding our team towards the culture we look to epitomize,” Anderson said.

Now older, Anderson strives to carry out the pillars of strength provided to him by taking a lead role on the team. The team is composed of many younger players, so Anderson has done his best to step up to the plate.

“I have found myself in a significant leadership role. I have had the opportunity to set an example of what we strive for within our program, doing my best to teach, encourage, and guide our group towards the level we are looking to reach and achieve,” Anderson said.

Sullivan also noted how Anderson has carried the torch as he has grown older, keeping the team culture alive.

“We have very few egos, and Anderson has been a great leader for that,” Sullivan said. “We keep pushing the envelope to keep getting better.”

This year, the Pride are sitting with a .857 win percentage and a 12-2 record through Feb. 21. The abundance of success is largely due to their team culture being centered around trust and support.

“What contributes most to our success is our ability to trust each other and establish positive relationships that only better how we work together and perform on the court,” Anderson said. “Doing so allows us to be a cohesive unit and produce a very high level of play.”

Sullivan also highlighted how his team is able to stay on top of the proverbial ladder, frequently recognized as a top Division III school.

“We use a Will Farrell reference from the movie Old School,” Sullivan said. “To be our most effective servers, and it has served us great.”

As the season progresses, the Pride are rounding closer postseason play – looking for a 12th national championship.

“We are a highly competitive and hard- working group that looks to enhance our team cohesion through sharing the same goals and desires,” Anderson said.

Although he has a shelf full of trophies, Anderson knows there is always room for improvement. His work ethic ripples throughout the team and has catapulted them to more success.

“There are always more ways that I can better myself to reach my full potential, so I utilize rewards for motivation rather than stress to remind myself that there is always room for improvement,” Anderson concluded.