Volume 137 No. 15

Ahead of his time

In honor of Black History Month, we look at the life and legacy of William Beckett, the first Springfield College graduate to receive a diploma.

___ By Cait Kemp @caitlinkemp09

In the basement of Judd Gymnasia, the first building made on the new land that was bought for the YMCA Training School in Springfield, Mass., a different world can be found. Walk downstairs and find yourself in the depths of Springfield College history – the College’s own little museum.

The light and airy room transports you into something unlike any of the other buildings on campus. Despite Springfield College’s smaller size, both the campus and the student body, it is a well-known place and has been throughout time, giving it a rich history to be accounted for in this little basement museum.

As you wander through the museum, photographs accompanying descriptions of important people, places and events can be seen lining the walls.

Relics of the past can be found behind glass cases: Freshmen beanies from the earliest classes, a collection of unique steins, original documents telling

the origin stories of the College. A little piece of each memorable event was frozen in time and placed in this basement for the future generations to appreciate.

On one wall there is a visual timeline, taking visitors through the most notable events of the College. Next to 1890 is a photo of Amos Alonzo Stagg, the man who introduced football to Springfield College. The year 1891 marks the beginning of bas-

ketball, with a picture of James Naismith holding the original peach basket and ball. Further down the line, a headshot of John F. Kennedy is displayed next to 1956, when he gave a commencement speech during the time he was a U.S. Senator. The year 1964 shows Martin Luther King Jr., another famous figure who was a Springfield College commencement speaker. In between these legendary individuals who

all share Springfield College as a common thread, there is a photo of a less recognizable man.

The year etched next to this photo is 1906. The photo is of a man named William Beckett.

Unlike many of the other figures on the wall and around the museum, this mention is the only one he receives. There is an entire display case dedicated to Naismith and locations around campus are named for

other notable alumni like Stagg.

But for Beckett, this one-liner on the wall is all he has.

Beckett is present in the museum for being a part of the first graduating class to receive four-year degrees in 1906, back when the College was a YMCA Training School. His name is engraved in Springfield College history, as he is credited as the first graduate, a Black man, of Springfield College to receive a diploma. The funny thing is – he was the first by coincidence. His surname, “Beckett,” fell at the beginning of the list. Despite it being the luck of having an alphabetical advantage, Beckett proved himself worthy of the recognition as a Black man excelling at an institution during a time when people of color faced frequent discrimination.

America’s history is built on a basis of racism. From its earliest days, the nation depended on a hierarchy for the society to function the way people in power wanted it to. It

Beckett (right) receiving the Tarbell Medallion from Springfield College. (Photo Courtesy of Springfield College Archives)

started with the crusade of native land and unleashing violence upon the Native Americans who had occupied the land for thousands of years. Soon, other sources were needed by the new Americans to take on the labor force and the Atlantic Slave Trade began, bringing millions of African people to the new land to serve as slaves. The fight to free slaves was a long battle, and was more difficult in some states than others.

The debate over slavery was fought out on the biggest stage with the Civil War and eventually was outlawed throughout the nation. Yet Black people were still seen as lesser than by many of the white people who controlled the country. Moving forward throughout history, race relations improved in some way, but race has been and continues to be a major issue.

The 1896 landmark court case of Plessy v. Ferguson ruled that “separate but equal,”facilities were constitutional, setting the standard that segregation is OK as long as both parties have fair situations. This was easily avoided, as there were no regulations that were followed and quickly, the Black standard became much worse than the white. The disparities between segregated schools was one of the biggest issues and received attention

widely in the media. Schools, restaurants, public bathrooms and even water fountains were segregated, and often, if not always, it was clear which were designated for white people and which were given to Black people.

At the turn of the century in 1900, the nation still stood divided on the issue of race. The South remained hard-set on the segregation of Black people, while the North had a generally more progressive outlook. Brown v. Board of Education didn’t come until 1954, half a century later, outlawing segregation in schools across the country.

Many schools in the North were integrated much before the ruling of Brown v. Board, setting a very different scene than the one that could be experienced in the south. Massachusetts saw some of the first integrated schools, after the family of student Sarah Roberts sued Boston in 1849 for being required to attend a segregated Black school despite there being several other schools situated on her route each day.

The Massachusetts state legislature outlawed segregation of schools in 1855. For the course of racism, this was something that was practically unheard of in other areas in the country. However, getting to go to an institution alongside people of

different backgrounds was something that not many students did get to experience in the early 1900s.

In those early years of the 20th century, the Young Men’s Christian Association training school was home to a fraternity of boys who were looking to become men. The school was the quintessential institution at the time, with a group of men who enjoyed partaking in football, baseball, music and friendly pranks with peers. It was what one would imagine a school in the 1900s would be, like something out of an old-time movie.

It wasn’t until 1906 that students at the YMCA training school, or “old T.S.” as the stu-

dents fondly referred to it, could graduate with an official diploma and degree in their field. The group of men who were a part of this original graduating class were from a variety of backgrounds and upbringings. The class represented four countries and over a dozen states, but the bond of the YMCA brought them together in the little speck of the world known as Springfield, Massachusetts.

After these men worked through their four years at “old T.S.,” it was time for them to graduate. By sheer coincidence of alphabetical order, the first name called and the first person to receive their diploma was Wil-

liam Beckett. Despite the racial culture of the country during this era, it did not stop Beckett from living up to his label as the first graduate of Springfield College. This was unimaginable to some that not only one but two Black men, the other being Walter Giles, were a part of a predominantly white institution’s inaugural graduating class of 24 men. But Beckett was not only a part of the class, he was highly involved during his four years and went on to make a difference in the Black community.

According to the Massasoit yearbooks from the years Beckett

The 1906 Massasoit yearbook. (Photo Courtesy of Springfield College Archives)

The California kid

After traveling across the country to attend Springfield College, alum Tarek Fattal has built a successful career in media at the Los Angeles Daily News.

As Tarek Fattal stepped onto the Springfield College campus for the first time almost 11 years ago, he had no idea of the journey ahead.

Fattal – who grew up in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles – was out of his comfort zone when he arrived in Western Massachusetts. After spending the previous two years at Moorpark College in Moorpark, Calif.

Fattal transferred to Springfield with one goal in mind:

To play basketball for the Pride.

Fattal had grown a passion for the sport, and hoped to finish out his final two years on the hardwood at Springfield College while also studying sports journalism. Along with playing basketball, he always knew he wanted to have a sports-related job.

“I wanted to be a pro athlete,” Fattal said. “And then reality struck. I knew even though I wouldn’t be a pro I could still be involved.”

After arriving on campus and practicing with the team up until the first game, Fattal’s dream was crushed.

Employees of the NCAA told Fattal that he had no eligibility remaining. This frustrated Fattal, who had traveled all the way across the country to play basketball at the Birthplace, and was abruptly told “no.”

But Fattal, through his faith, became content with the decision.

“One of my friends said, ‘Man, 3,000 miles is a long way to find out you can’t play,’” Fattal recalled. “But the Lord had a different path for me.”

After realizing that playing basketball was no longer an option, Fattal honed in on sports journalism and sports media – and he began forging a road to his future after college. Although he couldn’t play basketball, it opened up time for other avenues. He announced the basketball team’s home and away games on the

school’s broadcast, wrote for the student newspaper and joined the radio station, becoming president of the latter.

Fattal credits two of his professors, Kyle Belanger and Marty Dobrow, for pushing him and helping him in the classroom during his time at Springfield.

“(Belanger and Dobrow) looked at it

like, ‘Hey, we got a kid from California. They came to this major, they learn, they track the educational aspect,’” Fattal said. “And so then, they became real life partners… and it wouldn’t have happened unless I went to Springfield College.”

When Fattal met with Belanger for the first time, Belanger

Fattal graduated from Springfield College in 2014. (Photo Courtesy of Tarek Fattal)

__ By Luke Whitehouse @Lwhitehouse12

knew Fattal was something special.

“He was the most put-together person, one of the most confident people I’ve ever met,” Belanger said. “The way he presented himself was of somebody twice his age “He came to my office and laid out his whole future to me the first time I ever met him.”

Fattal had already done an internship at Fox Sports, and was set on doing radio. But, Belanger, knowing where Fattal’s heart was, wanted to give him a full media experience at Springfield.

Although Fattal agreed to venture off his path of radio/ broadcasting, he was a little hesitant at first.

But Belanger recognized the talent he had.

“I told him, ‘I want you to know that you will be a multimedia storyteller,’” Belanger said.

Over the course of the next two years, Fattal grinded in all aspects.

“Even though I had an emphasis on radio, I got to focus on all the tools in my toolbox getting sharpened,” Fattal said. “And that’s what makes Springfield

College so great.”

Looking back, Fattal recognizes what that did for him and how crucial it was to have those skills.

“(Today), you have to be a multimedia journalist… you gotta know how to write, edit, shoot (videos), talk…all of it,” Fattal said. “It’s absolutely essential.”

Upon graduation, Fattal had been looking for jobs back home in Los Angeles.

About a year later, in the fall of 2015, Fattal joined the Los Angeles Daily News, one of the top publications in the country. Now, Fattal is covering the top high school sports from around the Los Angeles area, while simultaneously serving as the Daily News’s beat writer for the UCLA men’s basketball team. He also has been doing TV segments for the local CBS station for the past year.

But, to this day, Fattal remains his own biggest critic, which drives him to be better at everything he does.

“Over time, my writing has gotten better, of course, but I still feel like it’s my weakest skill,” Fattal said. “But every writer is like that, it’s

kind of the competitor inside me. There’s always something I can do better.”

Despite being busy with TV segments, writing columns, game stories and going to games every week among many other duties, Fattal enjoys his job immensely.

“I’ve always made it important to me. I get to wake up and think, ‘Man, I’m writing about sports,’” Fattal said. “I’m talking to athletes, I’m calling coaches, I’m writing good stories and I’m impacting a local community…I’m an anomaly in a sense that I get to do what I love and never feel that I’m actually working.”

Fattal has recently started hosting Twitter spaces for high school sports –an online open conversation involving people interested in, or a part of, the high school sports landscape.

His Twitter page also contains something unique and humorous: his weekly, and sometimes daily “Breakfast Burrito Reviews,” inspired by Barstool Sports Founder Dave Portnoy’s pizza reviews.

“It’s non-sports related, but it puts you on the radar of people that otherwise wouldn’t see you,” Fattal said. “And then that’s how they connect with you… again if there’s a way

to add your spin to something, do it.”

Because of this, Fattal has developed a sense of being different, something he advises others that are studying journalism to do.

“What worked for me is having your own flavor,” Fattal said. “Every time you have a chance to add your flair to your coverage, do it. If you’ve got an idea, do it. Because if no one else is doing it, it might be a space to tap into.”

Fattal with his co-host Jim Hill. (Photo Courtesy to Tarek Fattal’s Instagram)

Getting her due at long last

Nancy Edwards was prohibited from competing in collegiate tennis even after dominating on the Marietta men’s team. Now, 60 years later, Edwards is finally receiving the recognition she earned and deserves.

___ By Patrick Fergus @Fergus5Fergus

Good things are worth waiting for.

Nancy Edwards has waited 60 years to receive her varsity letter from her alma mater, Marietta College in Ohio. In the coming weeks, as a part of the yearlong celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Title IX, the former varsity tennis player will do just that.

Edwards, formerly known as Nancy Devlin, attended Marietta from the fall of 1962 to 1966 and was one of the first women to play on a men’s varsity team. The men’s tennis team captain noticed Devlin when she was playing a casual game with her friends and insisted to the coach that she be on the team.

The coach agreed on one condition. Edwards had to endure and pass a physical, which was

no easy task. She had to run up and down the stairs of the Ban Johnson Arena 50 times, which Edwards recalls as “almost killing her.”

When she finally got out onto the court, she was nothing if not impressive – winning each of her first three matches with the help of a strong serve and great forehand. According to Edwards, her team-

mates and coaches readily welcomed her to the team and never treated her as any different because of her gender.

The opponents’ coaches felt different, however, pointing to an obscure section in the charter of Marietta, which clearly stated that tennis was “for all bonafide male undergraduates.” In other words, they did not like their players being bested

by a woman. Marietta never had a problem with a woman playing on the men’s team. However, the NCAA and its other members did not want the genders to mix. As a result, Edwards’s time on the team came to an abrupt end.

“Some other colleges said I could play, but no matter the result it would count as a loss,” Edwards said. “I wasn’t

at all surprised. This wasn’t the first time this had happened.”

Certainly, the lack of shock and frustration could be attributed to her personal history, as she had a similar experience at Dartmouth (Mass.) High School. She also played against boys in high school, but opposing coaches were upset with her continued success, and barred her from competing.

Back at Marietta, Edwards was very surprised by the amount of attention that the story was receiving. The Associated Press had gotten wind of her departure from the team, and soon more and more newspapers were calling Edwards on the dormitory telephone, mixed in with the occasional fan letter.

“I was really too young, and didn’t

Edwards attended Marietta College from 1962-1966. (Photo Courtesy of Marietta College)

know how to han dle all of this fuss,” Edwards said.

The director of women’s athletics offered Edwards the opportunity to teach lessons and even start her own wom en’s club team. She liked teaching people how to play, but ran into a lot of prob lems when it came to putting together a squad.

“I didn’t real ly receive a lot of support or funding, and it just didn’t seem like they were taking it seriously, which was definitely a source of frustra tion.” Edwards said.

Despite her play﹣ ing career being al most 10 years before the passing of Title IX, Edwards’s story is the epitome of why the law was cre ated –as an amend ment that prohibits discrimination based on sex in educational programs and activ ities funded by the federal government.

Edwards graduat ed a semester early from Marietta with a Bachelor in Science, and now lives in a small community called Nonquitt in Dartmouth, Mass.

“Looking back, I think I should’ve tried making a big ger deal for women’s

sports, and I didn’t want to cause any problems for the university by mak ing it an issue….but I really wish I was more responsive,” Edwards said.

Now, 60 years lat er, Edwards will fi﹣ nally return to cam pus for the first time since her graduation.

Along with about 10 other female athletes who never acquired their varsity letters, Edwards will at last collect her varsi ty letter ﹣ belated validation of her outstanding accom plishments on the court.

Larry Hiser, the Director of Athlet﹣ ics and Recreation at Marietta, who also received his masters degree in science for physical education and athletic adminis tration at Springfield College, is excited to welcome Edwards and other former female athletes back to the school.

“The Title IX Committee devised this great idea, to give letters to all those women who would’ve qualified for them, if the proper system had been in place,” Hiser said.

Hiser also had the pleasure of speaking to Edwards, after

she called to thank him for the invi﹣ tation and for the letter.

“She was the easi est acquaintance I’ve ever made,” Hiser said. “Her story is completely emblem atic of Title IX. I mean, you can’t have Hollywood make a better one.”

The event needs a spokesperson, and to Hiser, there was no better fit than Ed wards and her sto﹣ ry. Even with some hesitation about speaking in front of so many people,

Edwards happily agreed.

The celebration is very meaningful for the women that are returning to receive their honor. One of them told Hiser, “When I get that letter, I will put it up on my mantle. I will feel for the first time that I belong in Ban Johnson Arena.”

Back in Non quitt, Edwards, 78, still plays tennis . Thanks to a regu﹣ lar Saturday men’s group and mixed doubles, her com petitive spirit and

love for the game of tennis has never wavered.

“Yeah, I’m still playing, which I just love,” Edwards said.

Edwards (second from left) playing tennis with her friends. (Photo Courtesy of Nancy Edwards)

BHM

continued from Page 3

was at T.S., he seemed to be involved and friendly with the other students, despite the racial barrier. Beckett was mentioned many times to be a great musician. In a poem in which each student of the graduating class was given a stanza, Beckett’s read: “Could Beckett play the piano?/ Why, man, you know full well/ You couldn’t control your tingling toe/ He played so mighty well!”

Beckett had a long and impressive career following his years at T.S. He went on to work at the Y.M.C.A. in Washington, D.C., as first the physical director and then the executive secretary. In 1917, he served the United States Army in World War I, and was discharged a year later.

His next step was Sumner High School in St. Louis, Missouri. It was here that Beckett helped change the lives of many young people.

“He was a builder of men first and a coach second, as he trained the many boys how to take care of themselves in life,” stated an article about Beckett in the St. Louis Argus newspaper, written when he was being honored at the 75th anniversary of Sumner High School.

Beckett used his position as the football coach to bring the ideals of T.S. into other

communities, helping to support young Black men during a time when they didn’t receive much support from anyone else.

The final words of the article read: “In closing this brief story, I am hoping that I will see all of the members of the old school in the stands Saturday night when they honor ‘Pops’. That stadium should be full, so full that when he looks up, tears will roll down his cheeks in sheer happiness.”

Beckett also introduced basketball to Sumner High School and the St. Louis area, the sport that was famously created at Springfield College.

He was an advocate for athletics and helped to build up the skill on and off the field and court for the students he taught.

Later on in his life, Beckett became one of the founders of the oldest Black conference in the nation: the Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association. It has now become the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, which includes 12 institutions that compete in NCAA Division II athletics.

The CIAA gave Black universities the opportunity to compete at a higher level, something that was not an option prior. Throughout the 1950s and ’60s,

the CIAA continued to be segregated and received little attention from white popularized media, however member schools continued building up the conference to make a name for itself. Without Beckett, the CIAA wouldn’t have happened when it did, allowing the young Black men he was coaching at the high school level a chance to now go on and play competitively in college.

Beckett proved his work to be important and was seen by the greater community when in 1947 he received the Tarbell Medallion Award from Springfield College.

The Tarbell Medallion began in 1934 and still exists today, honoring alumni who “demonstrated varied outstanding service over a period of time to his or her alma mater… have also demonstrated dedication to the Humanics philosophy.” This prestigious award honored Beckett for the work he did in the Midwest while supporting Springfield College and spreading its ideals around the country.

Beckett died in 1954, the same year of the Brown v. Board of Education ruling during the rise of the Civil Rights Movement. Throughout his lifetime, he experienced a world where some thought he was unworthy simply for the color of his skin.

During a time when society rejected Black people and pushed them to the outside, Beckett broke through. He made a difference in the lives of Black youth and did so through the Humanics qualities he learned at the “old T.S.” The Training School would go on to become Springfield College; with a philosophy preaching service to others, Beckett characterized what the school stood for before it became tradition. The history of what Beckett did for the school is so much more than his one line credit in the College’s timeline.

Beckett with his graduating class of 1906. (Photo courtesy of Springfield College archives)

Unintended consequences

___ By Carley Crain @carley_crain12

June 23, 1972 is often the date associated with Title IX. But the law’s roots originate earlier that year – Feb. 28, when senator Birch Bayh introduced Title IX to the Senate. The historic law is only 37 words: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” It does not mention race.

Because of this, the focus of Title IX has solely been on sex. February has been officially recognized as Black History Month since 1976, but the law introduced 51 years ago this month has unintentionally neglected racial equality.

Title IX from the start had good intentions, as the law aimed to increase women’s participation in sports and higher education. And from the day it passed to now, Title IX has drastically increased the landscape for women in America. In the first decade of Title IX, there was immediate growth in female sports, including a 178% increase in girls participating in high school sports during the first year Title IX was passed, according to fivethirtyeight.com.

However, despite that initial rapid improvement, women’s sports representation and support are still much less compared to men’s. An unintended consequence of Title IX that directly reflects this is the fact that the percentage of women coaches at

the college level has dropped from 90% in 1972 to 43% today, according to the Tucker Center for Research on Girls and Women in Sport. For the women who are coaches, a large majority of them are white.

Not only is there a lack of diversity in coaching, but for NCAA athletes as a whole too. In fact, according to the New York Times, only 12% of NCAA female athletes are Black.

Even before they enter high school or college – athletes of color are at a disadvantage compared to their white counterparts, especially females. “Country club sports,” like tennis or golf, have been historically inaccessible to Black, Indigenous, People of color (BIPOC) because of racial clustering and limited

resources, according to The New York Times.

Jaélen Daubon is a junior on the women’s basketball team at Springfield College, and one of the few women of color on her team. Title IX has given her the opportunity to play hoops at a higher level, unlike her grandmother, who didn’t have the same opportunity.

“I’m one of few girls in my generation of my family to pursue higher-level sports,” Daubon said. “Throughout my years of playing basketball I was able to have an experience within athletics my grandmother was never able to. Without Title IX, I would not be able to play basketball at the level I am now.”

Adaeze Alaeze-Dinma, Springfield College’s Assistant Athletic Director for Recruiting,

Retention, and Student-Athlete Leadership Development, wouldn’t have been able to play collegiate basketball at the level she did without Title IX. The law provided her college team the same rights and playing conditions as the men’s team.

“We had a donor who wanted to give some money to the men’s basketball program but because of Title IX the money had to be split to create a basketball facility for both the men and women,” Alaeze-Dinma said. “It definitely played a really big part in my collegiate career and ensured that the women got just as much as the men.”

Title IX has opened the door in terms of opportunity, but racial equality remains the law’s biggest uphill battle.

Title IX has drastically improved the landscape for women athletes, but neglected racial equality.

“I’m

one of few girls in my generation of my family to pursue higher-level sports,” said Jaelen Daubon, a women’s basketball player. (Photo courtesy of Springfield College Athletics)

Jumping for joy

Springfield senior jumper Matlyn Gross has developed into a star for the track and field team and is now sixth in the country in the triple jump.

Gross’s outstanding performance caught the attention of Springfield College. As a result, she got the opportunity to do an overnight, and immediately felt that Springfield College would soon become home.

“It was the team for me,” Gross said. “It was better than any other place and school I had been to. I loved the kids on the team.”

Upon her arrival, Gross found her role, and her feelings toward the team have remained the same.

whopping 40 centimeters longer than her previous best.

Additionally, Gross is ranked sixth in the country, with the top 20 going to nationals.

“These accomplishments are definitely a motivator,” Gross said. “I am grateful for where I am now, and going to nationals would be a dream come true.”

Her display of a genuine persona adds to her already impressive repertoire.

__ By Sean Savage __ @SeanSav13

A small girl in the small town of Altamont, N.Y., had a big dream: qualify for the Olympics. Not for her current sport of track and field, but rather gymnastics.

“I wanted to go to the Olympics so bad,” Matlyn Gross said.

Gross, a senior on the women’s track and field team, had what she called “a happy mistake.” From the moment she could walk until she was 12 years old, Gross was a gymnast.

However, her best friend dragged her into cross country – a sport she hated. From there, she

transitioned into track and field.

Her dad, John Gross, remembers the move like it was yesterday.

“I recall her first mentor, Coach Usher, was shorter than her, and watching the two of them discussing jumping strategy by the side of the pit was almost comical,” he said.

Outside of athletics, Gross is a very authentic person.

“Matlyn likes to travel. Beaches are always fun, and hanging out with a couple of simple games and puzzles,” John said.

If she were not doing those things, she would often be found reading, as that was another passion through her adolescence.

“Matlyn is extremely honest and has more integrity than most of the professionals I deal with on a daily basis,” John said.

Perhaps her charisma blossomed her into the successful student-athlete she is today.

However, that would only come after thriving at Guilderland High School (NY). Throughout her career there, she went to nationals three times: twice for running and once for jumping.

“I love the jumpers; they will have a special place in my heart. Also, we have my wonderful graduate assistant as a coach, she is everything I needed,” she said.

The Pride train six times a week with both lifts and practices. The mix of team chemistry, hard work and consistency has propelled Gross to her best season this year.

Her work ethic is the main reason why, according to her father.

“Clearly, athletics has contributed to this organized and trained focus and has developed her ‘can do’ attitude,” John said. “Nothing is out of reach for her.”

Gross is six inches away from the school record in the triple jump. Coupled with this, her recent personal record was a

“She possesses a high degree of self-discipline and intensity to exceed her own expectations,” her father said. “She leads by example and exhibits a strong understanding and caring for others, especially underserved people in need of guidance and support.”

Gross attributed her success to the most important meal of the day, breakfast.

Her advice to younger athletes doesn’t get any simpler. “Remember to eat your breakfast.”

John knows his daughter’s potential, and is ready to see it unfold through her genuineness.

“She will readily accept responsibility for falling short, which generally never happens. She epitomizes team play and is an MVP in my eyes,” he said.

Gross with her score at the Massasoit Classic. (Photo courtesy of Matlyn Gross)

‘Remember your why’

__ By Braedan Shea __ @braedan_shea

When the first half of the Springfield College wrestling season came to a close, the team was nothing short of unstoppable. After a strong team performance from the Pride in the 2022 Messiah Petrofes Invitational, capped off by three athletes taking first in their respective weight classes

– Joey Manginelli (125 pounds), Chase Parrott (149 pounds), and Jacob Deguire (157 pounds) –Springfield cruised into the month-long break from competition.

The Pride had yet to finish outside the top 10 in any of their six invitational appearances - three of which Springfield finished in second place. In head-to-head matches, the team bolstered a perfect 3-0 record, which included a 50-0 shutout victory against Springfield Technical Community College in the City of Springfield Championship.

With such an impressive stretch of competitions until the winter hiatus, Springfield had amassed quite the momentum to power the Pride through the second half. But with a

28-day break between matches, it would be no easy task for most teams to keep that same fire and energy.

But this is not most teams.

Although Springfield has opened its first month back to action by going 6-4 in headto-head matches, three of those losses came against high-ranked opponents. And in each of those losses, the Pride gave up good bouts. Against No. 18 Ohio Northern University, Springfield only lost by 16 after jumping out to a 16-9 lead. Versus No. 24 Castleton University, the Pride also held a lead before falling 25-6, and in a battle against the nation’s second-ranked team in Johnson & Wales University, Springfield fought hard in a 30-13 loss.

While the record may not be quite as good as it was earlier in the year, the team still believes that it is at its strongest point – because of the collective high energy, and head coach Jason Holder’s coaching style.

“We’ve been kicking some butt since we’ve been back,” senior Gianni Manginelli said. “And that’s due to our guys’ energy level – we

feel fresh out there. Coach has also been a huge part. He has this plan for every athlete to make sure you peak at the right time. You can tell when we’re going against teams where we have more energy, or more conditioning, and we’re having more fun out there.”

Springfield has definitely been hitting its peak as of late. In its last four matches, the Pride have won each by at least 21 or more points. In the most recent John Reese Duals on Jan. 29, where the team beat SUNY Oneonta 47-3, Muhlenberg College 32-10 and Wilkes University 37-16, Manginelli felt that this was the team’s highlight of the year.

“We just came back from a dual tournament in [Pennsylvania], and we just actually crushed good teams,” he said. “It wasn’t even close. We sent only 12 guys, while other teams sent like 40. It was such a power-move, and we totally destroyed it. It was fun.”

Some of the team success can also be attributed to having the ability to step away from the sport for some time.

“I think the break is necessary to just get the

kids’ minds off of competition for a little bit,” Manginelli said. “I do believe that they should be like training and stuff and working out and still being involved in wrestling; but being home and being with family is key just reset your mind for a little bit.”

With the team refreshed, and having the talent to get to nationals, Springfield seems poised to get there. Even more so with everyone being bought in, and most importantly, having fun.

“When you forget your reason why you started this sport, like

some people think they just do it just because they’re told to or because Coach told them this, but you compete in college because you think it’s fun,” Manginelli said. “You like to compete, you like to practice everyday, you like to be with the guys every day. It’s really important to ‘remember your why’, we say. It’s not just to get through the year and survive the year – because what’s the point of that? You compete to get better, you train to get better and gain experience, and just have fun with the process.”

The Springfield College wrestling team looks to finish out the second half strong by peaking at the right time, and having a fun experience on the mat.

Gianni Manginelli (top) holds a 17-1 record on the season. (Photo courtesy of Springfield College Athletics)

Promoting passion

__ By Tucker PaqueTTe __ @tpaquette17

The Springfield College women’s club hockey team undoubtedly enjoys on-ice success. After all, who doesn’t?

But at the same time, members of the team place a strong emphasis on the ability to have a good time – something that rivals flashy goal scoring or strong goaltending.

“It’s a very inclusive team, and we want to have anyone who loves to play the game,” soph-

omore Alice Mead said.

What’s more, the club welcomes new players of any skill level. Mead made note of how the team has a range of differently skilled players, ranging from those who just recently learned to skate to others who could compete at a Division I level.

“Everybody is so accepting,” sophomore Kat Gilbert said. “We have a wide variety of

skill levels and an amazing coaching staff.”

While the team bonds on the ice, there are ample enjoyable experiences that take place in non-game or practice settings. One such aspect is getting to know new people.

“My favorite part [about the team] is definitely my teammates,” Mead said. “They are my rock, [and] everything that

happens, whether good or bad, they’re always there to support you.”

Mead mentioned how the team came back early from winter break, allowing players to bond and strengthen their relationships with each other.

The team practices two times per week and plays games once or twice on weekends.

“Anybody is welcome to come to practice and [see if they like it],”

Gilbert said.

On a related note, an overarching goal of this team is to develop an affection for the game of hockey amongst its players.

“We want to see everyone learn to love the game, because girls hockey isn’t [overly] popular,” Mead said. “We want to see it continue to grow.”

Springfield women’s club hockey provides an inviting environment for players of all experience levels, and brings a positive spirit to all games it plays.

Springfield club women’s hockey team huddling. (Photo courtesy of shphoto.net)

Familiar faces

Nicolas Keene and Kelly Gallo, new assistant coaches for the football and women’s lacrosse teams, respectively, each have ties to Alden Street.

Keene was announced as an assistant football coach for the Pride on Dec. 23. After graduating from Plymouth State in 2012, he earned his Masters from Springfield in 2018. While a graduate

assistant coach, he helped the Pride go undefeated in conference in the NEWMAC’s inaugural football season.

“He has an extensive knowledge of the game and is a strong recruiter, but more importantly, he is committed to develop-

ing young men,” Springfield head coach Mike Cerasuolo told Springfield Athletics. Kelly Gallo

On Jan. 6, Springfield announced Gallo as a full-time assistant coach

for the women’s lacrosse team. She had an outstanding athletic career in field hockey and lacrosse for the Pride. Gallo was a four-time all-conference and all-region standout with the field hockey team and earned a NEWMAC 25-Year All-Field Hock-

ey Team selection. In lacrosse, she was also an all-conference player multiple times. She graduated in 2014 with a Bachelors in Movement and Sport Studies before getting her Masters in Athletic Administration in 2016.

Keene (left) and Gallo (right). (Photo courtesy of Springfield College).

__ By Chris Gionta @Chris_Gionta

Nicolas Keene

Return to Alden Street

___ By Nick PaNtages @nick_pantages22

After a transition season this fall without a full time head coach of both the men’s and women’s tennis programs, newly-hired Tanner DeVarennes hopes to steady the ship at the top of both programs.

DeVarennes graduated from Springfield College in 2017, playing on the team during his undergrad years. He was the 2014 NEWMAC Rookie of the Year, and a twotime all-conference player in his final two seasons.

Playing on Alden Street was definitely a deciding factor in coming back for DeVarennes.

“The Springfield College athletics experience is top notch. They do everything first class,” he said. “It was just an unbelievable experience playing here.”

DeVarennes went

on to receive his masters degree in physical education in the spring of 2019, serving as the graduate assistant for the men’s tennis team

during that time.

After finishing grad school, DeVarennes took the women’s head coaching job at American International

College, and after that, an assistant coaching position for the men’s and women’s teams at Fairfield University for one season.

All of this experience at different destinations has allowed DeVarennes to learn from not only the natural progressions of being a young coach, but also the teachings of others.

“It really just broadens your horizons, not only within the game, but the network of coaches so you can really learn and draw from a lot of different first hand experiences.” he said.

One of the goals DeVarennes hopes to achieve as the head coach of the Pride is to help stabilize a program that has been in constant flux. As the third coach in two seasons for the tennis teams, DeVarennes looks to bring some much needed leadership to both programs.

“I plan to bring consistency, and I plan to stabilize the program, not only in the short term but also the longterm future,” DeVarennes said.

The players also

After a polished four-year playing career for the Pride, Tanner DeVarennes was hired as Springfield men’s and women’s tennis head coach.

DeVarennes was hired on Dec. 13. (Photo courtesy of Springfield College Athletics)

recognize the importance of stability with the program. David Kilburn, a senior on the men’s team, noted how in just three years on the team, DeVarennes will be his third coach. However, Kilburn is optimistic for what DeVarennes can accomplish during his time here.

“I’m really excited to have him as a coach, because I think he knows how to stabilize this unit because he’s been through the motions as a player here,” Kilburn said.

Not only is the short-term stability important to Kilburn, but the long-term stability he can provide is equally important. With seven first-years rostered out of 14 total players currently, DeVarennes has a young roster to make an impact on that he can lead in their first couple years of college tennis experience.

Despite this being Kilburn’s last year playing here, he is very optimistic for the future of the program – but more for what DeVarennes can teach the players while he is here.

“[The first-years] are wicked talented, a lot of them were starting in the fall. Coach just needs to push them in the right di-

rection on and off the court, and the future looks bright,” he said.

Stability and overall consistency is DeVarennes main goal, however it is not his only top priority. His second priority comes from his core values as the “Three C’s: Competition, Cooperation, and Community.”

For DeVarennes, competition is the one thing that makes a team the hungriest.

“We want to compete every day, on the court against another team, during practice, in the weight room,” he said. “We want to compete to not only bring out the best in ourselves, but also challenge our teammates to do the same.”

Kilburn has also noticed the emphasis DeVarennes has put on competition despite only being on Alden Street as a coach for a couple of weeks.

“We’ve had some preliminary meetings as a team and me individually, and he loves talking about the competition,” Kilburn said.

Cooperation will come with time, as many of the players on the team are a tight knit group; especially the women’s squad, as they graduated just one player last year.

The final and most

important value to DeVarennes is community. Springfield is a very athletics-oriented campus, and establishing the tennis programs as a popular sport on campus is a goal of his. DeVarennes said, “I really want to grow the image of the program, so that when students see our gear, they want to be a part of it and they understand the significance of being in

the Springfield College tennis program.”

Kilburn has noticed similar things from the goals of DeVarennes, emphasizing the importance of establishing the tennis program as an esteemed sports team on campus.

“We really want to prove to the Springfield College community that Springfield tennis is here, and that we are for real.”

With all these goals in mind, DeVarennes is still a young head coach, while also being seasoned and well traveled through multiple different levels. The stability and consistency he looks to provide in the short term, but also the long term will help him look to navigate the Pride as a force in the NEWMAC tennis landscape for the present and future.

Springfield senior tennis player David Kilburn is excited to have DeVarennes on board. (Photo courtesy of Springfield College Athletics)

Sports

Senior jumper Matlyn Gross is ranked sixth in the country in the triple jump.

[See page 10]

The Springfield Student

(Photo by of Springfield College Athletics)