Volume 136 No. 19

The Springfield Student Est. 1910

Macrh 10, 2022

scstudentmedia.com // @TheSpfldStudent

Volume 136 No. 19

Powerful Women

For the first time ever, Springfield College hosted a women’s march on Alden Street in celebration of Women’s History Month.

See page 3

inside Springfield College hosts vigil for Ukraine, Page 2 What went down in Alumni Hall, Page 4 The ninth annual Martin Luther King Jr. lecture, Page 7 And more...

(Photo courtesy of Springfield College)

Winners/Finalists for five Society of Professional Journalist (SPJ) awards in 2021

March 10, 2022

Campus News

PAGE 2

In solidarity with Ukraine

Springfield College held a vigil on March 7 for the community to come together after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Springfield College Student Nia Simone handing out ribbons in the Student Union in support of Ukraine (Photo Courtesy of Springfield College Flickr)

___ By Braeden Shea___ bshea@springfield.edu

From 6:00 to 6:15 p.m., the sun began to set over Springfield College, bringing along with it the darkness of night. Still, members of the campus community could be seen thanks to the dancing flames of candle light.

Springfield College Administration invited the community to a vigil at the campus Peace Pole, located just to the left of the Harold C. Smith Learning Commons, with the focus being on the current crisis in Ukraine.

“I think it is hard to be a person in the world, a global citizen, whether or not you have a specific connection to Ukraine or Russia,” Springfield College Director of Spiritual Life David McMahon said. “But when you are seeing folks being forced out of their homes and the violence that is happening in the cities, and also what you are seeing with the incredible spirit

being shown, of solidarity and defiance and citizens standing up for liberty I think it is really important to honor both aspects of that. We also must acknowledge the very important hope that is taking place.”

As people arrived and circled around the Peace Pole, each was given a candle to hold which they then lit and spread the light to their neighbor.

By the time it came all the way back around the circle, McMahon opened up with a prayer for the people of Ukraine.

Dr. Calvin Hill followed, giving a prayer in which he focused upon how this is not just an issue for Ukranians, but rather it is something that impacts all of us. He mentioned that this “needless war” has not only brought pain and suffering, but has had local effects. Gas prices have soared in the past week, most of which can

be attributed to this war.

As the prayers were being wrapped up, everyone involved in the vigil was asked to say just one word that they would like for this war. Many alluded to ideas such as hope, safety, justice and love, among others. Once everyone had gone, those who wanted to were invited to move indoors for a period of reflection in the Harold C. Smith Presentation Room in the Stitzer Welcome Center.

During this period, a few spoke about what they wanted to see, but also some personal connections to Ukraine. There was a consensus feeling of despair for the country of Ukraine.

“There is a sense of sadness,” said Hill. “Especially when you are a Diversity of Equity and Inclusion officer that focuses on social justice, my heart goes out to those that are suffering. Anytime that

you have people that are suffering, it impacts the lives of all of us as human beings. While I am trying to not think about the political aspects of this war, my thought process goes to the suffering of those women, those children, the refugee status that is being created, as well as those individuals that can’t flee.”

“The images have been particularly heartbreaking,” McMahon added.

“Not myself, but through my family - I have folks that are from that area, and so there is a personal connection. Also, I have learned from the wonders of social media, all of these people that have connections with Ukraine.

Some of them are staying, some of them are fleeing.

It may seem so far away, but the personal connections make it feel so close.

I am very heartbroken with the images of destruction, but I take some

hope in those moments where you see people rallying, and you see the world coming together in support of Ukraine.”

With this sense of despair, there was a major theme of privilege that we have, and that we must use the privilege we have to help who we can. And one of the biggest steps that must be taken is raising awareness, at least according to Hill.

“I think it is important at any time for our students to have raised awareness about the lived experience of others, and it is critical. Even though we had a small turnout, the reality is that a lot of students on campus knew we were here doing this.

Even though they may not be here in person, I understand that they are here in spirit.”

March 10, 2022

Campus News

PAGE 3

Fortifying female strength The Women of Power club led a march on campus to advocate for the equality of women in celebration of Women’s History Month. ___ By Carley Crain ___ @carley_crain12

“My uterus, my rules!”

“Women’s history is your history!”

“The future is female!”

“Gender bias has got to go!”

Holding their arms up high, chanting loudly with bras worn on the outside of their shirts, members of the Springfield College community held homemade posters that shared the same universal message: women deserve a seat at the table.

To kick off Women’s History Month at Springfield College, the Women of Power club hosted the first-ever women’s march on campus.

A mix of students, faculty and staff of all gender identities gathered in front of the Campus Union and marched around the Admin Green in support of women’s rights. Multiple organizations on campus came together to rally

Students holding signs durimg the Women of Power march on March 7, 2022. (Photo Courtesy of Springfield College Flickr)

awareness, such as the Student Government Association (SGA) and the women’s gymnastics team.

While the majority

of participants were students who identify as female, several gender identities were represented at the march.

They knew that their

presence at the march was just as significant.

“I think it is important to support all women so they know they can do it. I am no

greater than them. We all deserve to be on the same playing field,” said Anthony Mazzotta, a student who was carrying a “My body, my choice” sign.

Organizers of the march emphasized that it is crucial for men to use their privilege to be strong allies to all the women in their lives.

“I feel like it is as important (to have support) because it is not only a women’s issue, it is also a men’s issue,” senior Nathalie Beltran Vargas said. “Today was not only for women on campus, but it was also for men because if they use their platforms and positions to help women get to the places they want to be at they can become allies.”

Intersectionality was a common discussion point throughout the march. Paris Lizana, co-president of See March continued on Page 6

March 10, 2022

Campus News

PAGE 4

Flooded

After being told to evacuate the building due to a water pipe burst late at night, Alumni Hall residents were forced to find a different place to stay. ___ By Irene Rotondo___ @irenerrotondo

“Everybody’s gotta get out of the building!

Get out, get out!!”

With a toothbrush in hand, pajama-clad junior Chase Parrott was almost ready for bed when he heard shouts and thuds in the hallway on the fourth floor of Alumni Hall around 11:30 p.m. on Sunday night. His RA was going door to door, waking students and ordering them to leave immediately.

The RA was urgent, but Parrott didn’t know why they had to leave until he got a text from a friend. “There was a pipe leak,” the text read, “you have to get out of the building.”

Alumni Hall residents received an email from Graduate Community Director Laurel Mahler at 11:16 p.m. stating that, “...due to flooding in the basement, all residents need to evacuate the building immediately.”

Interim Chief of Police Joseph Tiraboschi and Facilities Director

Kevin Roy communicated at 12:15 a.m. Monday morning by email to the campus community that Public Safety had been notified of a “water main break at Alumni Hall” at approximately 10:30 p.m.

Public Safety immediately contacted Facilities, and the departments had been working together to “isolate the water to the exterior of the building.” They also stated Residence Life was working to relocate students, and all community members should avoid the “main campus road” and Alumni Hall until further notice.

“I walked out of the building and there was a whole group outside, a lot of the kids that lived in Alumni,” said Parrott.

“The police officer was like, ‘I know we just told you guys to get out, but we really don’t know how long this is going to take, so we advise you grab your stuff for the night,’ and nobody really knew what that meant, because

we didn’t know if that meant we were coming back in two hours or if we weren’t going to sleep there tonight.”

The students were then allowed back in the dorm for a quick collection of their possessions. Parrott grabbed the items he needed for school the next day and headed out -- luckily, he had a friend in the Living Center who was still awake, and they opened their suite to Parrott.

Not all students were as lucky, though -- or at least, not at first.

Sophomore Alumni Hall roommates Celia Fogarty and Jenna Lagana weren’t in their room when they got texts from their RA around 11:00 p.m. telling them to evacuate.

Fogarty was heading back to campus from work and frantically began calling friends for a place to stay, while Lagana watched the news unfold with her boyfriend and his friends in Abbey-Appleton Hall.

When she got back

A flooded basement in Alumni Hall (Photo Courtesy of Brenna Lachapelle)

to campus, Fogarty had arranged to stay with a friend -- except all she had were her work clothes on her back and wallet in hand. Fogarty headed back to Alumni, where she discovered her key card access had been shut off.

“Fortunately, one of the guys working on the pipes let me in, so I could grab some of my stuff for classes, but if I wasn’t able to do that, all I had were my work clothes, and nothing

else,” Fogarty recalled.

“I got the text from my RA and I was just confused,” said Lagana.

“I ended up DMing her separately and just being like, ‘What’s going on, can I come back to Alumni?’ and basically she said, ‘No,’ but didn’t tell me where I could go.

“I was already at Abbey, but if I didn’t have somewhere to go, See Alumni continued on Page 8

Campus News

March 10, 2022

PAGE 5

Curtain call

The Best of Broadway club put on its spring production of “Grease” this past weekend and celebrated its graduating seniors in what was their last show. __ By Cait Kemp __ @caitlinkemp09

As the final scene came to a close and the audience erupted into applause, the cast could finally take a breath. They did it, the show was over.

For the seniors, it was their last curtain call – a bittersweet moment that they knew was inevitable, but wished would never come.

The Best of Broadway club put on it’s spring production of “Grease” this past weekend, and seniors Jess Darby and Brendan McGann stepped onto the stage for their theater finale.

McGann starred as Kenickie, one of the lead characters, and Darby took on the role of Eugene, her first speaking part.

The pair had a different experience from the rest of the cast, knowing they would not be returning in the fall to begin another year of Best of Broadway.

“This was my main extracurricular involvement, I’ve always put so much time and effort into it,” said Darby. “My sophomore year I directed, I’ve choreographed the last three years, so it’s just leaving that is going to be really weird.”

Although Darby and

McGann are ending their Best of Broadway experiences together, their journeys to get there were very different.

Darby danced for much of her life as she competed with a studio and her high school team.

She also loved to sing and discovered that participating in musicals would allow her to do both of those activities at Springfield College. Darby joined Best of Broadway without any theater experience, and fell in love with it from the start.

“I wasn’t even going to audition, but on the last day of auditions freshman year somebody that I barely even knew dragged me into it,” said Darby.

“I made so many friends with the club I was like, ‘Oh, this is actually really fun.’”

McGann began acting classes in third grade and was in his first play the next year. He started participating in musicals as a middle schooler and was a part of the drama club all throughout high school. However, once he got to Springfield College, he didn’t join Best of Broadway until his sophomore year.

“When I got here I didn’t know anybody

A group of Springfield College performers at the Best of Broadway show on March 2, 2022. (Photo Courtesy of Springfield College Flickr)

really so I didn’t join my freshman year. But my sophomore year I wanted to get into it because I missed it, and I auditioned and they took me under their wing so it was great,” said McGann.

From there, he never turned back as he developed into a key member of the club, and worked hard to put on a show that was worth showing to the community.

“At the end of the last show, at the end of when I’m singing, I just give everything – my all. Show everyone that you love doing what you do and just give them a show,” said McGann.

Neither Darby or McGann are pursuing careers in musical theater in the future, so Best of

Broadway has been their outlet to their creative and artistic sides. Darby is a psychology major with a criminal justice minor, while McGann is a math and computer tech major.

“It’s really nice to have that kind of outlet, even though I never did theater before coming to college. I always loved performing, I always loved singing, so having that opportunity to continue into college as well as getting new experiences, making new friends, to just keep doing what I love,” Darby said.

Best of Broadway has served as a community for them – a family.

The bonding experience is something that they cherish. After the

completion of the final show, a reflection on their time with Best of Broadway was centered around chances to spend time with fellow cast and crew members.

“We had a full cast bonding night in the theater right before the start of tech week… just a reminder that we still love and support each other and that we can have fun,” said Darby. “That was probably the most fun I ever had in the theater.”

Darby and McGann have wrapped up their careers in theater, and will forever be grateful for the Best of Broadway experience. While the curtain has closed on their time in theater, the memories will last forever.

March 10, 2022

Campus News

our activism on campus is teaching everyone about these unique exthe Women of Power periences and how our club, spoke about the different personalities intersection of her and qualities intersect race and gender as a with each other.” young Black woman, Another main theme and why her identity is from the march was important for a broader that being a “feminist” perspective on femiis not just about supnism. To her, feminism porting a select group isn’t just about being of women and that the a woman. Instead, she term values equality looks at how it is an for everyone. Orgaideology that connects nizers of the march different statuses by acknowledged that advocating for equal there are many stereorights amongst all gen- types surrounding the der identities. label “feminist,” and “As a woman of that in order to break color on campus, I feel down the barriers of like I have had a unique gender inequality soexperience at Springciety needs to be more field College, especially open-minded about in my program, sports how the term continmanagement,” Lizana ues to evolve. said. “I am one of the “Feminism is not only (women of color). about making womSo I feel like a part of

PAGE 6

March continued from Page 3

Paris Lizana addressing the crowd following the Women of Power march on March 7, 2022. (Photo by Hayden Choate/ The Student)

President Mary-Beth Cooper joins Springfield College students during the Women of Power march on March 7, 2022. (Photo by Hayden Choate/The Student)

en strong – women are already strong,” said Annie Warchol, Director of Student Activities. “It is about changing the way the world perceives that strength.”

After the walk through campus, multiple speakers came together and spoke about what feminism means to them. Cooper and Warchol were some of the staff members that gave short speeches.

Both talked about the importance of community and the power of representation.

“We need to lift everybody up and I say this a lot with students, praise each other, lift one another and support each other, whether that’s from the townhouse backyards

to the lunchroom or on the court or off the court,” Warchol said.

Cooper added, “I am pleased to be the first female president of Springfield College and in the future when the next woman president comes along she won’t be the first and that’s what all of you will be doing.”

Numerous students presented their thoughts to the crowd as well. Senior Brianna D’Haiti read a poem she wrote about dealing with stereotypes that are brought upon women in today’s society.

“Resilience should be defined as how you overcome, learn, and heal from your experiences,” D’Haiti said.

“No matter how long it

has taken or will take.

Because healing from a world of hurt can not be timed.”

Monday’s march was just the beginning of the Women of Power’s activities that are lined up for the month. The club is also hosting its second annual Sanitary Product Drive, with donations being brought to Christina’s House in downtown Springfield and to the Open Pantry Community Services.

Boxes have been placed in all dorm buildings and there are in-person donation opportunities in the Union on March 14 and 28, from 121:30 p.m.

Campus News

March 10, 2022

PAGE 7

Breaking down Critical Race Theory In the ninth annual Martin Luther King Jr. lecture featured Andrea M. Kane and Jonathan Friedman and focused on the connection of racial issues in education. __ By Amanda Coelho __ Contributor

Springfield College hosted its ninth annual Martin Luther King Jr. Lecture on March 1 over Zoom, a night of acknowledging racial issues in education and the broader world.

June 14, 1964 was an extraordinary day in the history of the College.

On that day, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered the commencement address on Alden Street during the peak of his fame.

The connections between racial issues and education are prevalent today. The main focus was Critical Race Theory: The close examination of race as a social construct, and the push from scholars and activists to defy common stereotypes and beliefs about race.

Andrea M. Kane, a Professor of Practice in Educational Leadership at the University of Pennsylvania’s graduate school of Education, was a panelist for the event and gave her perspective on racial issues

in educational settings and beyond.

“Discouraged efforts and motivations and dreams of marginzalized groups are terrorism for these groups of people,” Kane explained. “One of the biggest issues we seem to face – especially in the academic world – is minorities being discouraged from speaking their voice and fighting for equality.”

Another issue that was addressed during the seminar was the talk by white people of needing to protect their rights. “It’s so disturbing,” Kane said. “There are many people who don’t need protection and there are many people who do need protection. Protection from the truth should not be the issue [regarding education in K-12 schools about sensitive racial topics in history]. Who was concerned when we talked about slavery with black students in the classroom? Who worried about the Black

The ninth Martin Luther King Jr. lecture was held over Zoom on March 1 and featured Andrea M. Kane and Jonathan Friedman. (Photo by Amanda Coelho)

students who were feeling uncomfortable or shamed in school?

“We need to talk about the truth with students in the classroom,” Kane continued.

“By having these conversations about the truth, whatever it may be, we learn the language to talk about our history.”

Florida’s recent passage of a “Don’t Say Gay” bill that prohibits classroom discussion of gender identity and sexual orientation shows that this issue is getting worse, said Kane, who stressed the importance of speaking the truth in all situations, education-

al or not.

“More than ever before we are growing more diverse in many places,” Kane said.

“There are less white people.”

Jonathan Friedman, the lecture’s other panelist, is the Director of Free Expression and Education at PEN America. Friedman uses powerful speech and learning to drive efforts toward a more inclusive and informative society. He spoke mainly about the power of public education and the conservative groups of people who attempt to overpower and reverse advancements in

diversity, inclusion and equity.

“It cannot be illegal to teach history to students that makes them uncomfortable. History is very uncomfortable; it’s meant to make you uncomfortable. It’s not to make us feel good, it’s to make us learn from our mistakes and prevent repetitions of historical parallels and mistakes we have made,” Friedman said. “For example, The 1619 Project is a banned book in Texas, but none of the books written by Adolf Hitler or white supremacy are banned across See MLK continued on Page 8

March 10, 2022

MLK continued from Page 7

the country.”

At Springfield College, where 21% of undergraduate students identify as a student of color, 3% of undergraduate students are international students, and 23 countries are represented in the student population, there is growing diversity on campus.

Clubs like GSA (Gender & Sexuality Alliance), Black Student Union, International Student Organization, Latinx Student Organization, and many more represent the efforts to make Springfield College a diverse, inclusive and equal place.

Springfield College also awards a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Alumni continued from Page 4

I probably would have been lost, just stood around outside,” Lagana added.

Lagana said that while the events were unfolding, she saw other fellow Alumni residents filing into Abbey to stay with friends -- even members of the football team, who had their required team lift at 6:00 a.m. that morning.

Alumni Hall residents were finally informed at 1:15 a.m. by an email from Residence

Campus News

award to members of the community who stand out as people who advocate for positive change and put efforts toward improving diversity and inclusion here at Springfield. The award is given to one student, a staff member, and a general member of the community.

At the end of the seminar, this year’s winners were announced: Paris Lizana, David McMahon, and Ronn Johnson.

Lizana is a current student and President of the Black Student Union. She also serves as the Vice President of the Women of Power club and participated in the SEAT at the Table events, where she presented and informed students on four separate occasions on differ-

ent social justice topics.

McMahon is a current staff member and serves as the Director of Spiritual Life. He prioritizes his presence on campus by attending as many events as he can and is an advisor of diversity, working with students to explore their identity.

Johnson, who died unexpectedly on Jan. 15, left his mark on the Springfield College community. He worked to fund a citywide violence prevention task force, funded efforts toward mobility and access for children with disabilities in Western Massachusetts, and in 1998, founded the Brianna Fund for children with physical disabilities -- named after his daughter.

Kane gave her fi-

Life that if they hadn’t already arranged for a place to stay with a friend, they could come to the base floor of the Union by 1:30 a.m. and would be given keys to an empty room in Lakeside Hall.

With the initial notification of evacuation coming at approximately 11:00 - 11:30 p.m., students had been left in limbo for two hours while Residence Life scrambled to relocate the over-300-person population. The Student reached out to the Administration, Public

Safety, and Facilities for comment but had not heard back by the time this article was published.

Robert Yanez, Director of Residence Life, stated that student safety was Public Safety, Residence Life, and Facilities’ primary concern. He said they were evacuated because there was no water access including sinks, toilets, showers, and laundry facilities.

At 6:50 a.m., students were told they could return to their rooms after the three groups

PAGE 8

Dr. Martin Luther King during his commencement speech on June 14, 1964. (Photo Courtesy of Springfield College Archives)

nal remarks, restating MLK’s role as an influencer on societal and racial issues – and his impact at Springfield College.

“Chaos or community are our options. King’s message was a message of hope,” Kane said. “A hope for a future of ra-

cial equality. Are we going to fight our way out of this? Or talk about it.

We don’t have to agree with it -- but we have to respect it. And that is how we learn to live in community, not chaos.”

worked overnight to make Alumni Hall safe again.

“Facilities staff, Residence Life staff and Public Safety staff all worked through the night to accommodate students, manage a potentially unsafe area and call for clean-up and water removal services,” Yanez stated.

“They should have told us where to go as soon as they evacuated the building, because we were kind of just kicked to the streets,” Fogarty laughed half-heartedly.

“How were we ex-

pected to go to classes the next day if we couldn’t get our stuff ?”

Lagana questioned.

Currently, students are mostly concerned about their laundry.

With the basement blocked off and no definite timeline to when those facilities would be open again, Alumni residents have key card access to the laundry rooms in Massasoit, Abbey-Appleton, Reed, and International Halls.

March 10, 2022

Sports

PAGE 9

Sam Hourihan

Sam Hourihan in Springfield’s NEWMAC Quarterfinal win against Coast Guard. (Joe Arruda/The Student)

The voters overwhelmingly went with the hero of the weekend in Sam Hourihan, as she received 67.9% of the vote. In two NCAA Tournament games last week, the junior forward combined for 45 points and 25 rebounds. That included a career-high 28 points on Saturday against Ithaca, where the last two were scored on a buzzer-beating game-winner to advance the women’s basketball team to the Sweet 16.

Behind her at 12.8% was MacKenzie MacLeod, who made history on Sunday. The senior gymnast set a Springfield College record on the beam with

a score of 9.875. She also impressed on the floor routine and the vault with scores of 9.600 in each event.

Angela Czermcha was close behind MacLeod with 10.3% of the vote. In the Posse’s two NCAA Tournament games, she combined for 28 points and 20 rebounds.

Haley Moody rounded out the vote, where she got 9% of the poll.

The sophomore goalkeeper for the women’s lacrosse team tallied nine saves, which included four in the game’s final three minutes with the team’s lead on the line.

Brendan Kirck In his first opportunity, Brendan Kirck earned Springfield Student Athlete of the Week honors with 52.2% of the vote. The senior pitcher threw four scoreless innings of one-hit ball on Saturday against Western New England, and also added seven strikeouts.

Following Kirck was junior men’s volleyball player Liam York with 29.9% of the vote. The outside hitter gathered 31 kills on a .418 hitting percentage in the team’s three games.

Sophomore outfielder Andrew McCarty and junior gymnast Jakarie Williams tied for third in this week’s

vote. McCarty made a great impression in the baseball team’s first weekend of play, as he went 4-for12 at the plate with two home runs, a triple, and three runs batted in.

Williams scored two career-highs in the men’s gymnastics team’s meet against William & Mary and Oklahoma. He scored a 13.900 in the floor routine and a 14.300 on the vault.

Be sure to follow The Student on Twitter (@TheSpfldStudent) to vote in the next poll!

Brendan Kirck looking at a runner at 1st base in a 2021 game against WPI. (Joe Arruda/The Student)

March 10, 2022

Sports

The snowboarders going to Nationals include Hunter Bernard, Josh Newell (pictured), Troy Travaglino, Stephen Pisano, Danté DiGiovanni and Connor Stanwick. (Photo courtesy of Ski and Snowboard Club)

Success on the slopes

The Springfield College Ski and Snowboard Club produced a successful regular season, and has six athletes going to Nationals. __ By Brady Cote__ @brady.cote

In the Springfield College Ski and Snowboard team’s very first season, six individuals punched their ticket to Nationals in Lake Placid, New York.

The Pride’s skiers, including Jack Reetz, Darby

Hartman, Jackson Urtz and Bridget Mooney, were able to display their skills on the slopes at regionals.

In similar fashion, the snowboarders put on a show as their cumulative scoring in points qualified

the team for nationals.

The group of six that are heading to nationals includes Hunter Bernard, Josh Newell, Troy Travaglino, Stephen Pisano, Danté DiGiovanni and Connor Stanwick.

Although this was the team’s first year competing, it did not stop the group from bringing the energy as they received the Bo Bigelow award.

“He [Bigelow] actually called our president and said the Mcbrine Division would not have been what it was this year without Springfield’s team,” Newell said.

With no expectations, the team was astonished by how the season turned out not only by how well they all performed – but also by how this club sport was organized. Putting this team together was a group effort on all cylinders as it is all run by the club members.

As its season is winding down toward the end, the ski and snowboard team plan on staying active to prepare themselves for next year.

“We’re working on getting lift times weekly in the varsity weight room, even if it’s just a time for us all to get together,” Newell said.

Additionally, the team intends on getting some new equipment that they can use to continue to train off of the mountains, such as trampoline boards or even balance boards to help strengthen balance.

“By using these boards and techniques it not only makes you better at snowboarding, but it also makes your coordination so much better,” Newell continued.

As the next season comes around the team looks forward to getting some practice on the mountain before meets begin to get loose and giving recruits a chance to see what it’s like on the slopes.

PAGE 10 In the upcoming weeks, the ski and snowboard team plans on setting up an event where anyone interested in joining the club can travel up to Mt. Snow in Vermont for a day trip.

“We plan for this event to be all-inclusive,” Newell said. “It will give those who are not a part of the team to get out there and see what we’re all about.”

To join, no prior skill is necessary as anyone of any level can get involved and learn more about the sport to practice and become better.

Looking toward the future of the program the team looks to continue its success from this season into the many years to come.

“We’ve really been working with the underclassmen to go through the responsibilities of e-board members and try our best to give them an idea on how to run things and pass it down,” Newell said.

A large part of the process, which coincides with the team’s plan, is recruiting more students to get involved. With their recent success, the team hopes that others will give it a shot and become more recognized.

“It’s a good start, and hopefully I can come back to Springfield College in 10 to 15 years and see the team become something unbelievable where it is respected as a sport,” Newell said.

Having faith in their teammates, the Springfield College Ski and Snowboard team looks to continue their success and grow larger in size for the years to come.

March 10, 2022

Sports

PAGE 11

How sweet it is The Springfield women’s basketball team won each of its two battles in the NCAA Tournament, and is now travelling to Kentucky to play in the Sweet 16. ___ By Hayden Choate___ @ChoateHayden

There were just 1.1 seconds left in the overtime period of the NCAA Round of 32, with the score deadlocked at 71.

The Springfield College women’s basketball team stood ready to inbound the ball from the baseline and look for one last shot while Ithaca College looked to send the game to double-overtime in their home gym.

Graduate student Sidney Wentland tossed the ball to junior Sam Hourihan after she created separation from her defender.

Fading away, Hourihan launched a mid-range shot as time expired and watched the ball fall into the net as she fell backwards, sending the Springfield bench behind her into pandemonium.

The shot not only won Springfield the game, but advanced them to the NCAA championship tournament Sweet 16 for the first time since 2005.

The Posse will play Trine University, out of

Angola, Indiana on the campus of Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky on Friday afternoon.

“We’re excited. We’re really excited to be traveling to somewhere like Kentucky, that adds a little spin to it,” Springfield head coach Naomi Graves said. “Looking forward to seeing the facility getting on the court. We’ve been talking a lot about this team.”

Springfield matched up with Messiah College in the first round last Friday.

After a strong defensive game, the Pride advanced to the second round with a 73-68 win.

The Posse matched up with Ithaca the next day, which was not only hosting the first two rounds, but was on a 20-game winning streak heading into the game.

With the gym crowded with students and parents for the NCAA Tournament game, something that had not

The Posse celebrating their buzzer-beater victory over Ithaca. (Photo courtesy of Springfield College Athletics)

happened since before the COVID-19 pandemic began, Springfield played a strong game but Ithaca clawed their way back in the last minutes of the fourth quarter.

The score in Springfield’s favor, 64-61 Ithaca had possession of the ball with 9.9 seconds left in regulation. The Bombers were able to get a buzzer-beating three to tie the game, sending it to overtime and setting up Hourihan’s matching buzzer-beater – only this time was for the win.

The team is 15-0 when playing teams outside of the NEWMAC conference this season. Graves believes playing teams out of the conference helped her unit relax a bit and just play basketball.

Graves said, “I know about Messiah because we’ve played them before and I know Ithaca a little bit but the beauty of the NCAA tournament is hopefully you get to play teams that you don’t normally play so for us there is a beauty to the unknown.”

Trine University is 26-3 this season and beat Immaculata and John Caroll

to advance to the third round for the third time in their program history and first time since 2020 when the tournament was stopped.

“They’re very good but we’re very good,” Graves said. “They’re bigger and deeper than we are in terms of size and depth but I think the way we’re playing right now any team should be afraid of us because we seem to come up with things that people don’t expect so I’m excited.”

Heading into the weekend as the team will fly to Lexington two days before the game, Graves is grateful that her team has been able to experience the NCAA tournament.

“Every coach always wants to get to the NCAAs and it’s harder and harder I think nowadays to do that for a lot of reasons, conferences are much tougher, players are a lot more competitive,” Graves said. “It’s harder to reach that goal. Whenever you get that opportunity to get to the NCAAs it’s just a gift and so we’re trying really hard to enjoy the ride and take in the experience and just these

memories that we’re making I know they’re going to be there forever for our team and for our coaches and for me.”

Graves said that when her team practiced on Monday it was Hourihan who reminded the team that of the 423 Division III women’s basketball programs, only 16 are practicing in preparation for a game this week and Springfield is one of them.

Enjoying the experience but also bringing confidence is what the Pride will bring into Kentucky for the third round of the NCAA tournament.

“I’m just really, really grateful that Springfield got to be back at the national level,” Graves said.

“As I said we were ranked nationally up at No. 9 so there’s no stopping us, I know Trine has a ranking fourth or fifth nationally but it’s okay because we were nine we’re right there so it just is what it is and on any given night any team can get beat.”

In the final D3hoops.com rankings of the season, Trine was No. 5 in the nation while Messiah was ranked No. 17 and Ithaca was No. 19.

March 10, 2022

Sports

PAGE 12

Head first into Nationals Springfield’s Luca Brashear has become one of the best divers in Division III, and is going to the NCAA Championships for the second time in his collegiate career.

__ By Garrett Cote __ @garrett_cote

Luca Brashear fell in love with diving the second he watched the sport unfold in front of his very eyes. Growing up as a kid, being in awe as an older athlete performs their craft is inevitable. Brashear fell victim to this as well.

One day while a young Brashear was at Amherst College partaking in swim lessons, he saw a member of the Amherst diving team complete a difficult dive to perfection.

Like a kid in a candy store, his eyes lit up with glee. He was hooked.

Brashear knew right away: Diving needed to be a part of his future.

And not only has it been a part of his future, he has excelled and become a master of his craft. He will compete at the NCAA Championships for the second time in his career at IUPUI in Indianapolis, Indiana from March 16-19, representing Spring-

Luca Brashear won NEWMAC Men’s Diver of the Year. (Photo courtesy of Springfield College Athletics).

field College as the NEWMAC Men’s Diver of the Year.

“I’m hyped up for Nationals, it’s going to be really cool,” Brashear said. “I’m just

really honored to go for a second time. It’s going to be a blast and I hope I can perform at my best when the time comes.” ***

His family made the move to North Carolina shortly after that moment at Amherst when Brashear was in middle school, and he soon hit his stride

while a member of the Duke University diving club despite starting significantly later than the majority of other kids.

“They start either diving when they’re four or five or they come from gymnastics and then dive when they’re eight or nine,” Brashear said. “I didn’t have any of that background, so I had to start from scratch.

Nunzio (Esposto, head coach at Duke) and Katie Hazelton (club coach) pumped me with the knowledge. They basically told me I’m not yet good enough, so I was just inspired to take it up a notch.”

Only four months passed and Brashear was able to qualify for Nationals through his club team. Because he has the experience of that, along with competing in Nationals during his first year at Springfield, he is no stranger to the big stage, and is fully prepared to step into the spotlight once again in

March 10, 2022

2022.

NCAA Division III Nationals were not held during Brashear’s sophomore campaign, and instead of competing his junior season, he took the entire year off to work for his grandfather’s oil company, Jenkin-Guerin, Inc., to make money and help provide for his family. So in the only two seasons he had the opportunity to qualify for Nationals, he did.

“I didn’t dive at all (junior year), and it was honestly a force trying to get back to it,” Brashear said. “I do think I did a good job just coming back to it, because I learned the basics at a pretty young age so I went back to those. It was pretty tough at some points, but at the end of the day I’m competitive and I can’t stop pushing because that’s my mindset. If I’m going to do it, I’m going to do it.”

Every summer Brashear hits the road and goes to a dive camp at Indiana University. Mandy Hixon, the head coach at UMass Amherst, directed him to that camp where he had the pleasure of meeting her son, Michael Hixon, a two-time silver medalist at the Olympic Games.

“I went there most summers for a week or two,” Brashear said.

“I met Michael Hixon a number of times there, and he definitely was inspirational and taught me a lot. He’s an amazing diver.”

Brashear’s inspirations can’t be mentioned without bringing up Pride head coach Pete Avdoulos, who won NEWMAC Coach of the Year for the 16th time. Brashear has been with Avdoulos since he was a member of the Springfield Area Diving club, one which Avdoulos coached.

“The man, the myth, the legend: Pete Avdoulos,” Brashear said. “I trust him with everything I do and he is just a really good coach. He has been very helpful to me over the years, so shout out to Pete for sure.”

Brashear has been trying to bulk up a bit by the time he hits the board for Nationals.

Since the board has a lot of spring in it, the more weight he can put on, the more height he will be able to generate on his dives. The solution to that is his strawberry flavored GNC Pro Performance Bulk 1340 protein powder that he slurps down every day.

“The board is very bendy so if you’re

Sports

PAGE 13

Brashear was celebrated in a sendoff for Springfield’s national competitors in swimming, diving, wrestling, and track. (Joe Arruda/The Student)

heavier, you can get higher, essentially,” Brashear said. “I do this dive called reverse two-and-a-half (305C), and it can be scary because you’re facing forwards but flipping backwards. It’s a blind entry and you don’t really have time (in the air), especially on the one-meter board.

So I need a lot more height to be fast when

I’m spinning and to do that I need to put on weight.”

Just as he did at the pool at Amherst College when he first fell in love with diving, Brashear is excited to learn and improve by watching others compete at Nationals, as well as build his network by meeting some of the most accomplished competi-

tors and coaches in the country.

“I’m excited to see a lot of really good divers,” he said. “That’s when I improve the most, when I see other divers that are talented and blow my mind.

And that’s why I got into diving in the first place, so I can see other people dive and make cool connections.”

March 10, 2022

Sports

PAGE 14

Birthplace Boss

Springfield men’s basketball head coach Charlie Brock announced his retirement on March 1. He reflects positively about his time not only coaching the Pride, but being a member of the faculty and several committees.

Brock compiled 356 victories with Springfield and 586 total in the NCAA. (Joe Arruda/The Student) __ By Chris Gionta __ @Chris_Gionta

For 24 years, Blake Arena came to grow familiar with the 6-foot5, intimidating presence that occupied the James Naismith Court sideline. His stare could muddle even the most experienced of referees, and his bellowing voice could stop any one of his players in their place. Now, the Springfield faithful are forced to give a farewell to Charlie Brock.

The longtime head coach of the Springfield men’s basketball team coached in six different

decades, and therefore built an abundance of relationships along the way. When he announced his retirement on March 1, people from around the country congratulated him on his storied career.

“I spent time in four parts of the country.

I was here, then I left here for New Jersey, then I went to Minnesota, then Texas and back, so I’ve crossed paths with a lot of people in a lot of different places. Some people have literally come out of the

woodwork,” Brock said.

“Coaching associates and guys that have worked for me and that I’ve worked with over 45 years — I’ve heard from a lot of them.”

His coaching career began almost immediately after his playing career on Alden Street.

He graduated from Springfield College in 1976 and started coaching beside Ed Bilik, who led the Pride men’s basketball team for 21 years. The condition of the school was much different in Brock’s first

years at Springfield than they were in his final years.

“When I first started playing, we had to take the old fieldhouse — it was called Memorial Fieldhouse — it was literally an airplane hangar,” Brock said.

“And the floor that we used had to be laid out every year for the season. It was put away and stacked away and stored in the offseason in a room, and every year we had to put the floor up.”

After Brock finished graduate school in 1980, he was hired as head coach of the Drew University men’s basketball team in New Jersey.

He coached there for six years, then at Gustavus Adolphus College for three years, before taking the reins at Trinity University for nine years.

In 1998, his alma mater had an opening in the head coaching role. There was appeal to remain at Trinity for Brock as the Tigers were coming off their best season during his tenure, and the sultry San Antonio sun is more

comforting during the basketball season than the brisk conditions of the northeast.

However, factors not involving on-the-court elements or general climate convinced Brock to return to Springfield.

“I actually literally came to Springfield because of teaching,” Brock said. “It was clearly a basketball job, but to me, I came from a place where we taught a couple of classes, and they were elective physical education classes. They were fine, they were fun, and they actually had high enrollment. But, I wanted to be in what I thought was a more serious academic endeavor.”

He has embraced the classroom setting as much as the hardwood, and has brought a passion for physical education to a multitude of students.

“Most of my time has been spent in what was called Heritage & Values of Physical Education in Sport, which is history and philosophy and foundations,” Brock said.

He has arguably been

March 10, 2022 just as much a part of the educational development at Springfield as the athletic development.

“I enjoyed being a member of the faculty, and I’ve been on a bunch of different things as far as committees here at Springfield,” Brock said.

“We’re a little bit of a different entity here.

When we’re coaching, we’re teaching and [coaches] have a vital role in the academic side of things.”

A lot of success came after he took on the head coaching role at the Birthplace. He turned in an respectable 356-268 record with the Pride – good for a .571 winning percentage. Along with that, he led seven teams to the NCAA Tournament including six to 20-win seasons.

Yet, what largely surfaces Brock’s mind when reflecting on his coaching career at Springfield comes away from the court.

“People ask me, and have always asked, ‘what do you do for team building?’ We don’t do any team building.

What we do is we go out and we dig gardens and we clear beds and we paint porches, and we cut weeds down at the gray house,” Brock said. “We do stuff together that’s in service to somebody that can’t get it done otherwise, and that’s how we build what we do.”

Community service has been a staple of the Springfield men’s basketball team, and it does not stop with helping around houses.

“During January and intercession, we’ve got a reading program, which we haven’t been able to do for the last couple of years because we couldn’t go in the schools,” Brock said.

“But, typically, I’ve got these books, and we go into a school and promote reading. We buy a bazillion T-shirts and give them out to the kids if they read books.

And I think it’s been a very rewarding thing.

It’s a win-win with my guys and the students of the schools that we go into.”

Brock also reflects heavily on the basketball committees he served on. He was one of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Board of Directors. Additionally, he served five years on the NCAA Men’s Basketball Rules Committee, and he filled prestigious roles such as president of the NABC for the 2018-19 academic year, and chairman of NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Committee in 2010.

“I’ve been so lucky,” Brock said. “I was on the NCAA Rules Committee (...) and that’s an amazing committee because that’s all divisions, all together, all in a room and you’re

Sports

PAGE 15

Brock talking with former UConn men’s basketball head coach Jim Calhoun during the 2020 NCAA Tournament. (Joe Arruda/The Student)

making decisions based on the betterment of basketball.”

When thoughts about ending his long and accomplished career appeared in his mind, he did not approach the decision process lightly.

Ultimately, there were a variety of reasons he chose this time as his to retire.

“It was completely my decision, and it was in no way, shape or form a knee-jerk reaction to anything — COVID, winning/losing — none of the above,” Brock stated. “It was a matter of what I say is time and timing. And I felt as last year progressed, and this year progressed, it was getting time for me. I was having trouble standing for two hours at practice.

I’m old — I got a lot of miles and they’re not good miles.”

Along with his phys-

ical state being a reason to retire, he identified the state of the young Pride roster as a reason to hand the reins to someone who will develop the team over time.

“In the case of the team, the way it’s constituted now, there are so many first-year guys that are going to get a new coach and have three years to work together to be really great,” Brock said.

He will be enjoying retirement the same way many do by spending time on the links and with their family.

“I’m sure golf is in the future — excessive golf is in the future,” Brock said. “And I’ve got my kids here, and I’ve got my life partner here for a while.”

After 45 years of coaching basketball, he has had a lot of experiences with an abundance of players. De-

spite his stern demeanor that he regularly sports, especially in the heat of competition, many of those players will remember Brock for the intrapersonal connections behind the scenes.

“He’s caring of you,” said senior guard for the men’s basketball team Daryl Costa. “No matter what he may say, or what he may do, he’s always there for you and always caring for you.”

Blake Arena will not be the same without the menacing presence of the veteran head coach.

Yet, Brock has made the difficult decision of subbing himself out in order to hand the privilege of coaching Springfield men’s basketball to another person ready to imprint their legacy on Alden Street in the same manner he did.

SPORTS The Springfield Student

VOL. 136 NO. 19

Leaving as an Icon

Men’s basketball head coach Charlie Brock is retiring after 24 years at Springfield College, where he compiled 356 wins and seven NCAA Tournament appearances.

[See Page 14]

Luca Brashear’s path to being one of the best divers in NCAA Division III.

Springfield women’s basketball is traveling to Kentucky for the Sweet 16.

The Springfield Ski and Snowboard club team is sending six competitors to Nationals.

(Joe Arruda/The Student)

MARCH 10, 2022