Volume 136 No. 22

The Springfield Student Est. 1910

scstudentmedia.com // @TheSpfldStudent

Volume 136 No. 22

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

Get to know Doug Wydom The rising senior has been elected as the Student Government Association’s President for the 2022-2023 academic year.

See page 2

inside New Classroom Masking Policies, Page 3 Vagina Monologues recap, Page 4 Pride Cares program introduces new group, Page 6 And more...

(Photo courtesy of SGA2023 Instagram)

April 14, 2022

Campus News

April 14, 2022

PAGE 2

Your SGA President The Student sat down with newly elected SGA President, Doug Wydom. ___ By Cait Kemp ___ @caitlinkemp09

Junior Doug Wydom was just recently elected by his fellow classmates as the 2022-2023 Student Government Association (SGA) President. He previously has served as the Class of 2023 Treasurer since his freshman year and has become a leader on campus in many different roles. Get to know your new President and what his plans are for next fall!

(Photo courtesy of Doug Wydom)

Kemp: How did you get involved with SGA freshman year?

Wydom: I kind of got thrown into it. Bobby Bordieri, he was the class president a couple years ago, he was kind of just like, ‘You should do this.’ I had no idea what I was doing. Once we kind of started getting a hang of things, COVID happened so then navigating it with COVID was a little difficult but during that time our main focus was trying to do things for our class.

Kemp: What is your favorite event that you planned as part of the 2023 Class Officers?

Wydom: We did two giveaways this year. We did a cup giveaway, which was a big hit, and the bucket hats were a big hit. I think those were my favorite because it genuinely got people excited for something, and it was specific to our class so there was a lot of really good feedback from that.

Also to do it you had to fill out a survey to qualify to get one so that’s going to help me improve a lot, which I’m always looking to improve. Now I have 136 responses that I can use to make sure I do better, so it’s a mutual benefit which I love.

Kemp: How has being involved in SGA helped you personally?

Wydom: Prior to Springfield, I was never in a leadership position. [Class treasurer] was one of the first, and I think once I kind of got one position, it made me more confident to get others. Now I have facilitated leadership lock-ins, I’m a New Student Orientation leader, I just have gotten a greater understanding of what it means to be a leader and have been able to apply that to a lot of other things on campus.

Kemp: What made you want to run for SGA President?

Wydom: We had two weeks of events [freshman year] where it would get canceled because we would plan it for the week and then we got sent home, so it was difficult. So at that time we started trying to work on instead of doing things for our class, what we can do for the student body. So we started working with [administration] to try to improve a lot of the things during COVID. That’s when I started to become more interested in working with the [administration] side of things rather than the class event planning type of things. That is why I ran for this position, because it will give me the opportunity to continue working on behalf of the student body and more at the policy side.

Kemp: What are your goals for next year as President?

Wydom: I think that’s a difficult answer because a lot of our time here has been mostly COVID. I kind of want to push PLT, COVID’s not over, but let’s start focusing on the things beyond COVID as a school. There’s a lot of areas that need improvement… trying to help Res Life improve, working with facilities to make sure they’re getting everything done. A lot of people this year have been complaining about mold and stuff like that so right now I’m working with one of the VPs on SGA for what is the plan for summer to do basic maintenance and fix problems before they arise. So, getting back to the things that should matter, it kind of got side tracked because of COVID. Another one of my goals is to open up a few SGA meetings throughout the year to allow people to see what exactly SGA does, as well as give them an opportunity to bring up issues they may have difficulty getting resolved.

Campus News

April 14, 2022

PAGE 3

Mask-free in class New masking policy gives individual professors option to allow students to sit in class mask-free.

The wait is finally over. Springfield College is mask-free, for the most part, once again.

On April 4, the College sent out an email to inform students, faculty and staff that masks were no longer required in the classroom (per instructors request) and other academic buildings on campus for those with upto-date vaccines.

For the past two full academic years, aside from the final month of this semester, masks have been strongly enforced upon everyone in each building on campus.

Now, after waiting patiently and adhering to each COVID-19-related guideline Springfield has released, that is no longer the case – and each member of the campus community can get a glimpse of their classmates’ smiles.

With cases drastically decreasing over the course of this semester and weather continuing to linger towards spring-like temperatures, if there was ever a time for the College to ditch the masks it was now.

“I think it was inevitable,” said Andrew Kozikowski, a professor of English. “We’ve been doing it for almost two years. It’ll give folks who are already probably burnt out with school and other things something that’s pretty normal. At least it takes (worrying about mask guidelines)

_ By Garrett Cote _ @garrett_cote

Accepted students enjoying open house on Sunday, April 3, 2022. (Photo Courtesy of Springfield College)

off the table. That may help reduce some of their stress and give them some more passion, which I can appreciate.”

For professor of communications, Kyle Belanger, he wasted no time letting his students know masks were optional for them. He was pleased with how Springfield handled the guidelines over the course of the past four semesters, and is excited about the next few weeks with a mask-free environment.

“I’m personally appreciative of the new direction that the institution has given professors,” said professor of communica-

tions Kyle Belanger. “I’m grateful that throughout the last two years, the institution has, in my opinion, done a great job of following guidance from public health guidance across the city – and blending that with the unique needs of a college campus. I’m happy with the flexibility it provides professors.”

Belanger isn’t worried about his teaching style changing now that classroom settings seem to be shifting towards a sense of normalcy. He’s simply thrilled to be able to connect with his students on a deeper level, and the masking update has re-

stored his level of comfort in the classroom.

“Now, more than ever,” Belanger began, “as the college has sort of sent the signal that it’s okay for professors to feel free to exhibit their own levels of comfort in the classroom again, it has sort of reinvigorated my feelings of comfort to respect everyone’s space – to walk more freely in the classroom. I just appreciate what this seems to be signaling on a more global level.”

As allergy season picks up steam and other common colds continue to make appearances in everyday life, Kozikowski hopes his students are able

to self-recognize when they should put a mask on based on how they’re feeling. That notion is vitally important when it comes to keeping the classroom sickness-free, COVID or not.

“I try to pay attention to who comes in the room and see if someone seems to be exhibiting symptoms of being sick,” Kozikowski said. “I just kindly ask them to go get checked out. But if they’re wearing a mask, that’s a different story, they can stay in the classroom.

Because people do get sick, even if it’s not the Coronavirus, I understand that.”

The most important thing for Belanger moving forward is for him to continue to consider those who choose to continue to wear a mask in the classroom. Creating a safe environment for them is priority number one.

“The best thing that I can do is encourage students who aren’t feeling well to wear masks,” Belanger said. “And those who are electing to wear masks when healthy are encouraged to do that as well, and they won’t be seen as different. I have two children with different comfort levels, one still wears a mask and the other doesn’t. The best thing is to create an environment in which that is supported and fostered.”

April 14, 2022

Campus News

PAGE 4

An onstage statement The annual Vagina Monologues took place in front of a packed Fuller Arts Center on April 7, 8 and 9. ___ By Carley Crain ___ @carley_crain12

Students performing at the Vagina Monologues at the Fuller Arts Center. (Photo by Mary Lee)

A sold-out crowd filled the Fuller Arts Center on Friday night.

Many wore this year’s signature black shirt stating “Peace, Love and Vaginas,” as everyone anxiously waited for what promised to be an empowering and uplifting show. Friends, family, and teammates filled the audience in support of the powerful women in their lives– cheering loudly in excitement.

Originally created in 1996 by women’s rights advocate Eve Ensler, The Vagina Monologues has served as a cultural movement for women, and has given them the chance to cel-

ebrate their sexualities, instead of shying away from it. The performance, which features numerous unique short skits or written pieces, has provided thousands of women the opportunity to express themselves authentically.

Ensler was deeply committed to providing a safe space for women who may be survivors of sexual assault or violence, and many Springfield College students have shared their stories candidly through her program.

This year’s theme was, “Use your voice.”

The all-female cast was inspired to speak up and

bring awareness to an array of women’s rights issues. Junior Erin Smith wrote a personal narrative about a traumatic sexual experience she had in high school.

She felt it was the right time to share her story, and since this is her second year being a part of Vagina Monologues, Smith finally felt comfortable being completely vulnerable.

While reading her story to the audience three nights in a row was difficult, it felt like she was breaking free from invisible restraints that have paralized her mentally and emotionally at times consistently over

the past few years.

“I read it in front of everyone and it was probably the most patrifying thing I have ever had to do in my life, but it was so rewarding and healing in a way,” explained Smith. “I would not have been able to do it without the courageous and authentic people who are involved with this production.”

Junior Chelsey Castle had a different, but just as valuable, experience as Smith this year being involved with Vagina Monologues. At the beginning of the school year, Castle wrote a note to herself stating some goals she wanted

to achieve. The biggest goal of them all was to find a group on campus where she felt like she belonged.

In an Instagram post, Castle wrote; “My goal this year is to find a group of people who support me no matter what and support what I want unconditionally.

That was the driving reason for joining Vagina Monologues in the first place.

“VM gave me more than just that support, it gave me connections that helped me make it through this year. I never in my life would imagine getting up on stage and doing some-

April 14, 2022 thing like that. This year I found my voice, learned passion, and I gained confidence.”

Talking about sex, relationships, and feminist issues openly wasn’t always easy for Castle, but after this year’s show, her confidence has reached an all-time high. Castle finally feels like she has found her people.

“Freshman year I saw it, but didn’t really

Campus News

know what I was going to. I saw the play, and was like wow that would be fun, but like I was terrified of it,” said Castle. “I didn’t think it was something I would ever have the confidence to do. I got involved a little bit last year by being a BOB for Robyn Arena, and that finally gave me the confidence to sign up for an audition.”

BOB’s are crucial

parts of the Vagina Monologues, as each upperclassman cast member chooses an inspirational person in their life to support them throughout the year. The term “BOB” originates from a man named Bob who’s mentioned in one of the traditional monologues.

In the set, he treats women and their bodies with respect.

During the weekend

of the show, Castle celebrated her 21st birthday.

Leading up to the big day, she felt nervous; usually, her birthday is a date she dreads because of the expectations of having a large friend group, with stresses of making plans and assumptions of perfection.

It’s a day for her where tears are typically shed, but this year, Castle was surrounded by her new friends from

PAGE 5 Vagina Monologues, and the only tears she cried were happy tears.

To her, Vagina Monologues was much more than a performance -- it was a key that unlocked who she was meant to be all along. Vagina Monologues was the push she needed to be herself.

April 14, 2022

Campus News

PAGE 6

Breaking the stigma Springfield College students participated in the Pride Cares program to become certified peer-to-peer supporters on campus. __ By Cait Kemp __ @caitlinkemp09

Mental health is a prominent issue among young adults, and especially on college campuses today. According to Lauren Gray, a counselor at the campus Counseling Center, 6070% of college students between the ages of 18-25 have experienced some type of anxiety.

It is a major health concern, yet one that is still so stigmatized in society.

Back in 2019, Springfield College hosted speaker Victoria Garrick, a former Division I volleyball player who now tours around the country speaking to college students about mental health and the impact it can have on even the most successful athletes and students.

Last year, Springfield College student-athletes created the Minds in Motion club to support peers in their own journey with mental health struggles.

Throughout the past several years with these different types of experiences, the College community has started to create more awareness about mental

Springfield College Pride Cares group after their final session on April 12, 2022. (Photo Courtesy of Springfield College)

health and the ways in which students can help one another to cope with these issues.

Another step in the process of normalizing the conversation about mental health has recently been initiated -- Pride Cares.

Pride Cares is modeled off the Green Bandana Project, a mental health awareness campaign that educates students on how to support people who may need a peer’s help.

Gray, who is also the Minds in Motion club

advisor, began the initiative along with Professor of Sport Management and Faculty Athletics Representative Bob Accorsi. The pair brought the idea to the Athletics Department to begin a program that would pilot this spring.

The pilot program was initially introduced to student-athletes and the Minds of Motion club leaders. From the initial email, Gray received 87 students who were interested in participating. She was able to cut the list down

Campus News

April 14, 2022 to 28 for the first spring session, and will continue in the fall with more students.

Through Pride Cares, students go through a training process of three sessions based on the “ACT” model. The training process curriculum was developed

by Gray, Accorsi and several students in the doctorate program of psychology.

“We loked into Green Bandana and they didn’t have a curriculum, they didn’t have anything,” Gray said.

“We felt like we wanted to get behind it and develop our own curriculum that is unique to Springfield College. We wanted to think about where our needs are and make our own program.”

Connor Croan, one of the students in the doctorate program of psychology and a part of the initiative, used his knowledge and experience from his coursework in order to help create the curriculum for the program.

“It was a little bit of what skills are most effective for somebody who is struggling with a mental health concern,” said Croan. “A lot of it was around what is the effective language we can use when someone is struggling.”

The first session, “A” (Assess/Acknowledge), focuses on validating students’ feelings and concerns and beginning a dialogue that will approach it in the most effective way.

The second session, “C” (Care), teaches stu-

dents in the class about the understanding of anxiety and continues to develop the correct language to use when initiating these types of conversations.

The final session of the course is “T”, or Tell/Treatment. In this session, students are informed about warning signs and escalating behaviors, and given resources that they can share with their peers who are in need.

“We really wanted to have both a content piece of [students] understanding external signs and internal symptoms of what’s going on for somebody who is struggling, but also applying it,” said Croan.

Training focuses on teaching students to be approachable, how to demonstrate active listening and being able to respond appropriately to the situation.

“Students are not peer counselors, they are really like peer-support. We are not trying to equip someone with something that is beyond what they feel capable of doing,” Gray said.

Once students graduate from the training program, they are given a green tag to put on their backpack that indicates their position as a peer support person on campus. They also are given resource cards to carry with them that they can hand out to students who may be struggling.

The first training process took place over the last several weeks

and the third session was completed Tuesday night. Gray, Accorsi and the psychology doctoral students involved finally got to see their vision of seven months come to fruition.

“We’re really grateful for the first group of students who came through, we had an outpouring of support of [students] who wanted to participate in this pilot program,” Croan said.

“There are still things we want to improve and grow with the program, but last night was a really special moment where this is the first group of peer supporters that are going to be on campus.”

After the completion of the first program, Gray is excited to continue the process into the fall and build upon the initiative moving forward.

“If we have one goal, it’s really to break the stigma of mental health and to normalize conversations around how we are doing, and to lean into conversations,” Gray said.

“Some of our stuff is quite simple and many of our students are already doing it, but it’s really kind of just helping them recognize they have support around the right language, and that they are bridging individuals to get the appropriate help that they may need.”

With such a high statistic of college students experiencing some type of mental health issues in their life, it only makes sense

PAGE 7 to acknowledge and discuss it openly with each other. This peerto-peer support through Pride Cares is a step

toward achieving that on campus.

The Pride Cares logo can be found on each member of the group’s backpack. (Photo Courtesy of Lauren Gray)

April 14, 2022

Campus News

OUT OF THE DARKNESS

INTO THE LIGHT GATHERING FOR SUICIDE AWARENESS & PREVENTION Date: Wednesday, April 20th Time: 6:30 pm Location: Blake Arena

For more information contact Gary Enright genright@springfieldcollege.edu

PAGE 8

April 14, 2022

Sports

PAGE 9

Chloe Dewhurst

Chloe Dewhurst at the 2022 NCAA Indoor Championships.

(Photo Courtesy of Springfield College Athletics)

Chloe Dewhurst lept into first place in this week’s Springfield Student Women’s Athlete of the Week with 46.8% of the vote. This was largely due to her also finishing in first place at the Springfield College Classic in the high jump. She is currently ranked 4th in the country.

Arielle Johnson followed Dewhurst in the poll with 31.9% of the vote.

The junior attacker for the women’s lacrosse team combined for nine points on five goals and four assists during the Pride’s two victories over the past week.

Behind Johnson was Emily Gell with 12.8% of the vote. The sophomore pitcher shut down Wellesley’s lineup for a complete game victory in which she allowed just three hits, one walk, and one run while striking out four.

Kate Bonnano was right behind Gell with 8.5% of the vote. The sophomore distance runner set a personal record in the 3,000-meter steeplechase race with a time of 12:13, and more importantly, qualified for D-III New England’s with that time.

Ryan Sorgi In a tight battle to win the Springfield Student Men’s Athlete of the Week, Ryan Sorgi ended up taking first place in the poll with 51.9% of the vote. The sophomore catcher went 6-for-13 with the bat with three doubles and four runs batted in throughout the Springfield baseball team’s three games this past week.

Finishing right behind Sorgi was Riley Burgmyer with 41.8% of the vote. The junior attacker for the men’s lacrosse team combined for seven goals and four assists during the Pride’s undefeated week.

Ryan Caldwell came in third with 3.8% of the vote. The junior distance runner finished in first place in the 3,000-meter steeplechase race at the Springfield College Classic with a time of 10:51.19.

Following Caldwell in the vote was another distance runner in Ricky Peruzzi. The first-year won the 10,000-meter race at the Springfield College Classic with a time of 34:03.26.

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

Ryan Sorgi at bat against Western New England. (Photo Courtesy of Springfield College Athletics)

April 14, 2022

Sports

PAGE 10

A meaningful assist Springfield women’s lacrosse player Arielle Johnson makes fleece-tied blankets to donate to children at the UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, Mass. __ By Braedan Shea__ Staff Writer

Coming into its game against Smith College on March 26, the Springfield College women’s lacrosse team knew it was a big one.

Not only were they coming off of a tough loss to No. 18 Trinity and looking to right the ship, but it was also senior day.

Through the downpouring rain, the Pride powered through and got the victory in a crushing blowout, 207. On top of the win, some of the celebrated seniors and graduate students were able to find the back of the net on this special day - including graduate attacker Taylor Pichel, graduate midfielder Jade O’Connor and senior attacker Anjelia Altebrando.

Amongst those upperclassmen that scored, there was one uncanny commonality between

Women’s lacrosse team with the blankets they made. (Photo courtesy of Arielle Johnson)

them – each of those players were able to get open looks thanks to beautiful, threading the needle feeds from junior attacker Arielle Johnson, who, by

games end, tallied six assists – five of which were to those three.

Knowing how important this day was for her upperclassmen, Johnson did everything that

she could to deliver.

Off the field, Johnson can also be seen delivering. Along with gifting her teammates perfect passes, she gives fleece-tied blan-

kets to kids in need at the endocrinology department of UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, Mass.

It all dates back to when she was just a freshman in highschool. After months of being sick, and not having any idea of what it could be, doctors at the UMass Memorial Medical Center were finally able to pinpoint what was wrong with Johnson. They found that she suffers from an extremely rare condition known as Addison’s disease, where the adrenal glands produce too little cortisol.

Even after being diagnosed, it still took nearly a year for doctors to find the correct dosage to get rid of Johnson’s symptoms of fatigue, lack of energy and nausea. Once they succeeded, she wanted to give back to those that helped her so

April 14, 2022

Sports

Arielle Johnson behind the net against Babson. (Joe Arruda/The Student)

much. So, with the help of a family tradition, that is exactly what she did.

“Growing up, my grandma always made me fleece-tied blankets, then she passed that down to my mom, and so I also grew up knowing how to make

them,” said Johnson.

“We thought that would be a good easy way to contribute by donating the blankets. I think a year after I was diagnosed, my sophomore year of high school, I started making them and donating them.”

The first time that she had donated blankets, it was around 10 in total. Now, nearly eight years later, that number has blossomed to 50 for each of the two trips she makes a year.

The influx in blankets donated comes from

PAGE 11

more people generously helping Johnson in making them. The list includes not only her family, but also friends, roommates, and even the entire women’s lacrosse team. This past fall, on the campus tennis courts, the team came together to join her in making as many blankets as they could.

“In the span of about an hour and a half, our team made about 20 [blankets],” said Johnson. “That was awesome, because it was the most I’ve ever made in that short amount of time, and was almost the most we ever donated for Christmas. I think we had almost 60.”

Although they do take a little bit of time, the blankets aren’t that hard to make, according to Johnson, and she wants to make sure that there is one for everyone.

“There’s no sewing, you don’t have to be crafty or anything. You just tie them together,” she said. “Also, we try to cater towards everyone’s interests.

You can have anything from sports to flowers - we even make Disney ones. I try to make sure that there are not two that are the same, like there’s 50 of them but they’re all different patterns or stuff.”

Johnson is able to do-

nate all of these blankets to the place she was diagnosed because of a child life specialist that works in the endocrinology unit, the very one that Johnson is a part of as a patient.

“Her name is Nicole.

I’ve been working with her for the past eight years, and I just coordinate with her when I’m going, then she takes them away in these big carts,” Johnson said.

“They’re also used in the oncology department too. So, for kids with cancer who come in for infusions, they also use the blankets for that.”

It was people like this that gave Johnson the inspiration to give back.

“Although it was a pretty scary time for me [at the hospital], I met some pretty awesome people,” she said.

“I love my doctors and nurses; and I think they kind of inspired me to kind of give back to the other kids who might be going through similar things to me.”

Whether she is setting up teammates with perfect passes on their big day or donating fleece tied blankets to those just like her, it is apparent that Johnson has mastered the art of delivery.

April 14, 2022

Sports

PAGE 12

Flow no mo’

The Springfield College men’s lacrosse team shaved their heads to raise $37,000 for Hope Street Foundation’s Lacrosse for Life event. __ By Hayden Choate __ @Choate_Hayden

In the Springfield College men’s lacrosse locker room, multiple items that speak to the life of a lax player litter the benches, floor and decorate every corner. Regular clothes, athletic shoes, lacrosse sticks, water bottles and rubber balls are among the most popular details.

But during the first week of April, hair clippers made their entrance.

One by one, players on the men’s lacrosse team began to step out on campus with bald heads. A classic team tradition, the men shaved each other’s heads either before or after their daily practices in their locker room, drawing attention from all to their cause: cancer research.

Through the Hope Street Foundation’s Lacrosse for Life event, each shaved head on the team represents a $1,000 donation.

In addition to the players, the coaching staff and managers also shaved their heads -- a testament to the team’s commitment to charity and personal bonding.

Thirty-seven members of the men’s lacrosse program participated, raising $37,000 in matched donations for cancer research.

This was the second

The Springfield College men’s lacrosse team after shaving their heads. (Photo Courtesy of Springfield Athletics)

time the Hope Street Foundation has organized the event, with multiple lacrosse programs all over the country taking part.

Hope Street Foundation partnered with the Dana-Farber Institute. The Dana-Farber JimmyFund site has a specific “Giving” page designated for the program, and has received over $1 million in pledged donations just from the players and coaches nationwide.

The foundation reached out to men’s head coach Keith Bugbee about participating in the event -- but before he even said anything to his team, they had already started cutting their hair.

“It was really a team thing; it wasn’t even me,” Bugbee said.

Though this is the second year for the Lacrosse for Life event, the Pride usually cuts their hair as a team.

“Yeah we’ve done it before; they usually initiate it, which is great,” Bugbee said.

A good way to help out a good cause, even though his team is busy on the field, Bugbee makes sure there is still time to give back.

A couple weeks back, the team wore yellow shoelaces against MIT, supporting an organization called “Go for the Goal.” The organization raises money

for families of children with cancer.

The team put together a fundraising page to show their support and raise money for the cause.

Taking part in Lacrosse for Life is not the last thing that Bugbee has planned, either. With the team having a bit of a ‘bye’ week between games, Bugbee and some players are going to an elementary school to show kids how to play lacrosse.

Just like being able to play a full season and feeling a sense of normalcy again, giving back is an important part to the program.

“It’s part of our culture,” Bugbee said.

Last year, the team only played three games throughout the season.

Not getting his players the game experience was hard for Bugbee and his team, but missing out on their culture was even harder.

“When you take away our culture, it totally affects us,” Bugbee said.

Missing out on hanging out with each other in Cheney or in the locker room, the team was not able to establish their culture. They couldn’t even practice as a full team.

A year later, knowing how important their culture is, the team can do things together again.

Including shaving each other’s heads in the locker room.

“It’s fun, they did all the haircuts,” Bugbee said.

“They had the clippers in the locker room, it’s funny they did a whole bunch of hair and there’s hair everywhere still.”

Keeping up the tradition of shaving their heads as a team the Pride have only three games left in the regular season.

NEWMAC matchups with Coast Guard and Clark and a non-conference game with Wesleyan.

The team hopes to finish strong heading into the NEWMAC tournament.

April 14, 2022

Sports

PAGE 13

Back where they belong The 2022 NCAA Men’s Volleyball Tournament will return to Blake Arena for the first time since 2019 when the top-seeded Pride take on Penn State-Behrend. __ By Joe Arruda __ @joearruda9

The Springfield College men’s volleyball team filed into Blake Arena on Monday morning and were greeted by a television in front of a pulled out section of the bleachers. The team, with a light-hearted persona, awaited their postseason fate – something that seems foreign after a two year drought.

In 2020, the team was poised to make a long tournament run before the tournament became an early casualty of COVID. In 2021, the Pride’s COVID-shortened schedule wasn’t enough to earn a bid.

But in 2022, selection day was a matter of who they would play and where.

And they didn’t have to wait long.

Minutes into the selection show, NCAA.com’s Will Haskett announced: “Our first host and first team to unveil – no surprise – it belongs to

Springfield.”

“No surprise” is right.

Springfield’s men’s volleyball program has the most NCAA Championships in the nation.

The Pride finished with the best record in Division III (26-1) while playing one of the most competitive schedules in the nation.

Behind its five AVCA All-Region selections announced Wednesday, including setter Matt Lilley, the Pride hit at a nation-leading .380 clip.

Jarrett Anderson and Brennen Brandow finished at No. 12 and No. 22 in the country in hitting percentage, respectively. Anderson’s nation-leading .986 aces per set helped him to earn AVCA Northeast Player of the Year honors.

Johjan Mussa Robles and Nate Reynolds rounded out the five all-region honorees.

Mussa Robles, in his sixth year playing for

Matt Lilley setting up a spike. (Joe Arruda/The Student)

the Pride, is in the midst of his best season yet.

A libero, Mussa Robles averages 2.90 digs per set, good for ninth-best in the nation. Reynolds sits at No. 8 in the nation with 1.09 blocks per set, is hitting at an impressive .487 clip and is second among all active college volleyball players with 396 career blocks.

Coach Charlie Sullivan earned AVCA Northeast Coach of the Year recognition for the second time since 2020 – when the award was in its inaugural year. Springfield is ranked fourth in aces per set (2.66) and sixth in both blocks per set (2.27) and opponent hitting percentage (.118).

But, as far as the postseason goes, Springfield will have to continue its success in Blake Arena – where the Pride are 14-0 this season – in order to add to its nation-best 11 National Championships.

The first opponent will be Penn State – Behrend at 4 p.m. on Friday in the tournament’s opening

round. Behrend earned an automatic NCAA birth after winning the Allegheny Mountain Conference earlier this month. The Lions finished the regular season with a 22-7 record and have won 12 of their last 14 matches en route to the program’s first-ever NCAA bid. Springfield has won 13 in a row and lost just one set during that run.

The pod hosted at Springfield College features a second much-anticipated first round match as rival SUNY New Paltz (20-6) hosts Marymount (23-8) at 6 p.m. on Friday. Springfield’s rivalry with New Paltz is one with roots, but was reinvigorated when the Hawks knocked the Pride out of the 2019 NCAA Tournament in the Final Four.

That same year was the last time Springfield matched up with Marymount – a straight-set victory to open the 2019 Morgan Classic. Marymount earned an at-large

bid after being swept by Rutgers-Newark in the Continental Volleyball Conference Championship on April 8.

Should Springfield and New Paltz both win, it would be the second time the two teams matched up this season – Springfield swept the Hawks at home on March 30. The second round is set to take place in Blake Arena on Saturday, April 16, at 6 p.m.

“Well, that was nice to get out of the way,” Sullivan said, addressing the team once the selection show finished.

Sure, there probably wasn’t a doubt that Springfield would earn a bid, but hearing the team’s name announced as the top overall seed justifiably excited the Pride. Still, with Sullivan’s guidance and veteran leadership from the team’s 10 upperclassmen, Springfield will take on the tournament one match at a time as they’ve been doing all season.

April 14, 2022

Sports

PAGE 14

Finding her place After not making a decision on the college where she wanted to play softball, Mackenzie Doyle chose Springfield College and has developed into their best hitter. __ By Collin Atwood __ @collinatwood17

Hesitation and the difficulty of committing to a college kept Mackenzie Doyle from being at Springfield College for the entirety of her collegiate career. She knew where she wanted to be, but couldn’t take such a big step right after high school. Though there were bumps along the way, her journey ultimately – and thankfully – led her to Alden Street.

Doyle is a junior at Springfield who is majoring in sport management and is a member of the Pride softball team.

Her first experience on the diamond came at five-years old when

she played baseball for her local team. Doyle is from Glocester, R.I., a small town with a population of around 10,000 people. Due to the town’s size, there weren’t any softball teams available until she turned double digits.

At that time in her life, she worried about more than just her commitment to softball. She experimented with activities that were very different from one another.

“I wanted to do everything,” Doyle said.

She took part in karate, cheerleading, dance, basketball, soccer and, of course, softball.

One-by-one, all of the

Doyle is leading the team in hits and stolen bases this season. (Photo Courtesy of Springfield Athletics)

other sports became less important to her, while her path to a future with softball was paving itself.

“I really liked softball, and everything always just fell into place opportunity wise with softball,” Doyle said.

By the time she reached high school, softball became a bigger priority and commitment in her life.

She started taking the sport more seriously by playing for travel teams, and even added extra batting practices and workouts to her routine.

Softball is tradition-

ally a spring and fall sport, but when once Doyle realized that she could possibly play at a higher level, every season became softball season.

“Softball never stopped,” she said.

Her talents stood out at Ponaganset High School, and before she knew it, colleges had her on their radar. The recruitment process can be an exciting time for young athletes who are ready to take their game to the next level. For Doyle, it caused a whirlwind of emotions. She had a hard time enjoy-

ing her softball season because she constantly worried about how scouts would see her or what she would say to the college coaches that came to watch her.

People kept telling her which colleges to consider and the pressure from others made her second-guess herself.

“At that age I was so impressionable that I just could not commit to anything,” she said.

That decision of choosing a college became even harder for Doyle because she didn’t know what she

April 14, 2022

Sports

Doyle to a successful first-year at CCRI. In 2018, she received a First-Team All-Division recognition. The following year was tainted by the coronavirus, but the outcome was still positive for Doyle.

Living through COVID-19 gave her room to realize that it was time to finally commit to a four-year university. The harsh realities that the virus made her face was just what she needed to take that leap of faith.

“I was not thinking about the future at all, and COVID really smacked me in the face and woke me up,” Doyle said. “I had nothing else to do but think about potentially going to a college and transferring.”

That spring, Doyle started looking for Doyle looking to slap the ball during the 2021 season. (Photo Courtesy of Springfield Athletcolleges to transfer ics) to. After applying to wanted to study. When a decision for myself ward in her softball multiple schools, she collegiate coaches were and make a decision as journey. remembered how much trying to recruit her and big as going to college,” “(CCRI) really helped she loved Springfield brag about their proDoyle said. “I really did me fall in love with soft- College when she was in grams, it didn’t phase not want to make a deci- ball again,” she said. high school. her. sion and regret it. I felt For the first time “I really wanted to “To me, it really like I needed to make since middle school, come to Springfield meant nothing because I the perfect decision.”

Doyle did not have to when I was in high didn’t really know what After dealing with worry about recruitschool,” Doyle said. “It I wanted,” she said. the recruitment process, ment or if she was was my number one Doyle, confused and Doyle thought it would talented enough to make choice.” blurred, could not make be safe to attend a local it to college. She played By the start of the a choice when her decischool – Community for the love of the game. 2020 fall semester, sion day came around.

College of Rhode Island “There was no reDoyle was officially a That night she sobbed (CCRI). cruiting,” Doyle said. “I member of the Pride. to her parents about her Although CCRI was just playing softball She loved the energy indecisiveness. wasn’t Doyle’s first because I enjoyed playshe felt from the campus “I don’t think I trust- choice, her experience ing softball.” and she connected well ed my ability to make there pushed her forThat enjoyment led with her new teammates

PAGE 15 and coaches. Over the two years she has been here, Doyle has grown close with her team and developed lifelong friendships.

“We do everything together,” Doyle said.

“They’re my family and my best friends.”

Her impact on the field has helped the Pride tremendously.

In just her first year at Springfield, Doyle earned a spot on the NEWMAC All-Conference Team. She led the team in batting average (.424), hits (14), on-base percentage (.457) and only struck out once the whole season.

Her performance contributed to Springfield reaching the NEWMAC Championship Series for the first time since 2017.

She has continued to put up impressive numbers in the 23 games she has played this year.

She is hitting .494 and has the most hits (40) and stolen bases (15) on the team. The Pride are currently an impressive 20-4 on the season with Doyle leading the way.

Springfield missed out on having Doyle for her entire college experience, but she is now loving her life as a student-athlete on Alden Street.

“I really love Springfield and that was 100% the right decision for me,” Doyle said.

Sports The Springfield Student

APRIL 14, 2022

(Joe Arruda/The Student)

VOL. 136 NO. 22

Never a Doubt The Springfield College men’s volleyball team earned the top overall seed in the 2022 NCAA Tournament which begins Friday in Blake Arena.

[See Page 12]