Volume 134 No 17

The Springfield Student Est. 1910

March 5, 2020

[springfieldstudent@springfieldcollege.edu]

Volume 134 No. 17

Sent Packin’

By Collin Atwood catwood@springfield.edu

On Jan. 30, 2020, the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee of the World Health Organization deemed the coronavirus outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. The virus has now infected over 94,000 people across the world and the number continues to rise by the day.

There are students from Springfield College studying abroad all over the world right now.

The highest number of cases reported in a study abroad destination for Springfield College students is in Italy.

The 15 students that were supposed to be in Italy all semester are being sent home early due to concerns over the outbreak. “It’s truly a disappointment and (it) has been extremely stressful in the past week,” said Jackie Baldoni. Baldoni is a junior Physical Therapy major who had been planning to spend the duration of the semester in Italy.

Liv Howley, a junior

Amid increasing concerns over coronavirus, Springfield College students studying abroad in Italy are being sent home early.

Nichole Maisto is just one of 15 students who will see their semester-long stay in Italy cut short due to the risk presented by coronavirus. (Photo Courtesy of Nichole Maisto Instagram)

Psychology major, was disappointed in the decision. “It wasn’t fair. I felt safe. I don’t feel supported by the college now that I am home. To be told to stay away and not be checked on after having my dreams crushed isn’t fair,” she said.

“Of course they’re very sad about that...I too feel very sorry about that because I know how much it means to them,” Deb Alm, the Director of the International Center on campus said in regards to the students being sent home.

The sentiment of the students is easy to understand given the circumstances. “It’s all frustrating and extremely disappointing. I was fully expecting to be in Florence until May 15 and to have to spend the rest of the semester at home is going to take a while to adjust too,” Danny Getchell-Lacy, a junior Sports Management major said.

Students will still complete their course work, but it will be done remotely from home for See Coronavirus on Page 8

March 5, 2020

News

PAGE 2

Well stocked Springfield College’s food pantry, also known as the ‘Pride Pantry,’ is available to anyone on campus who may want to take advantage of it.

By Carley Crain @carley_crain12

A

t Springfield College, the Humanics philosophy is the way of life. Educating the students in spirit, mind, and body for leadership in service to others is essential to the primary mission at the college. The Pride Pantry, located at the Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement, is a way for students and faculty to embrace and apply the Humanics philosophy that is lived and practiced each day at Springfield College.

The Pride Pantry is Springfield College’s food pantry that serves graduate and undergraduate students year around, twice a week. Students are required to bring their Springfield identification card on their first visit, but will then be issued a small laminated card with a number on it for additional visits.

However, student names are kept anonymous and they are only asked to bring their student ID so the pantry has an idea of how many students they

are providing for, and how often they are seeking help.

The Pride Pantry was suggested in 2017 by a graduate student who noticed that many of her peers were struggling with having enough money for food every month and eating enough well-balanced meals.

According to a survey done by the Hope Center for College, Community and Justice, 41 percent of four-year See Pride Pantry on Page 6

SCStudentmedia

SCStudentmedia

SCStudentmedia

SCStudentmedia

SCStudentmedia

SCStudentmedia

SCStudentmedia

SCStudentmedia

SCStudentmedia

SCStudentmedia

SCStudentmedia

SCStudentmedia

SCStudentmedia

SCStudentmedia

SCStudentmedia

SCStudentmedia

SCStudentmedia

SCStudentmedia

SCStudentmedia

SCStudentmedia

SCStudentmedia

SCStudentmedia

SCStudentmedia

SCStudentmedia

SCStudentmedia

SCStudentmedia

SCStudentmedia

SCStudentmedia

SCStudentmedia

SCStudentmedia

March 5, 2020

News

PAGE 3

Winners of the Springfield College Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion award were (from left to right) student Kris Rhim, staff member Renette Robinson, and community members Awilda Sanchez and Sophia Jeffrey. (Photo Courtesy of Springfield College Marketing & Communications)

A real difference Tuesday night’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. lecture honors a student, faculty and community members who make a difference.

By Carley Crain @carley_crain12

Liberty and justice for all. Those freedoms are promised as part of America’s democracy, but for some, it is not as simple and clear-cut. Why vow to ideals that are not true?

In grade school, many read the Pledge of Allegiance every day as it has become a part of the daily routine for numerous schools across the nation. For Nika Elugardo, citing the Pledge meant standing up and reciting a collection of words that did not truly resonate with her.

“When I was a kid I did not like

to complete the Pledge of Allegiance. The flag was a little bit of a painful reference for me because as a young child in the first grade, we would say the Pledge of Allegiance and then we would sing this song, My Country tis of Thee,” she said.

“My country tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing, land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrims pride. Can you believe they made me sing that?”

Finding a sense of belonging in a country where she felt lost seemed impossible for the longest time. Designing laws, creating proposals, and See MLK on Page 7

March 5, 2020

Super Tuesday: Prep and results

The Office of Multicultural Affairs hosted an informational event prior to Super Tuesday voting.

By Kris Rhim @krisrhim1

P

rior to Super Tuesday, Springfield College hosted several Democratic Candidates on campus to answer questions regarding the campaign, talk about their own efforts to run, and help better educate students ahead of voting.

Representatives from all remaining Democratic candidates, minus Michael Bloomberg, were present on campus to provide information and answer questions.

The representatives crowded the second floor of the Campus Union at 1 p.m. on Sunday with tables filled with campaign posters and pamphlets. Of all the table decorations, Tulsi Gabbard’s lured the most students with

colorful leis, along with pins that read, “Peace Love Tulsi.”

The event was a part of the Office of Multicultural Affairs 20/20 vision series. In this year alone, the office has registered voters, educated the campus on the current election and voting rights, and provided information on the voting process in general.

Spearheaded by graduate students Charisse DelVecchio and Adam Jacobs, the event was put together because of their passion for politics and an absence of student interest on campus.

“The students don’t tend to be that interested in politics here,” Jacobs said. “I think having events like this are important because conventional politics still play a role in this time period, and therefore, being aware of the primary process and being inter-

News

PAGE 4

The Office of Multicultural Affairs is looking to spread awareness on campus regarding the upcoming elections. (Photo Courtesy of Kris Rhim)

ested and invested in the candidates matters.”

After three hours of giving out information and talking to students about their respective campaigns, representatives moved to the Judd Presentation room for a forum followed by a Q & A session.

Each campaign representative was given eight minutes at the beginning of the forum to talk more about their campaign. The audience then asked questions ranging from the candidate best poised to beat President Donald Trump, to the candidate that will best unify the country.

While the event was sparsely attended by students, there was one spirited debate between senior Justin Feinberg and a representative from the Bernie Sanders Campaign.

Feinberg stood up and emotionally questioned support of Sand-

ers’ radical ideas and specifically his idea of giving voting rights to those who are felons.

The senior was most frustrated with the fact that Sanders said during a Democratic debate in April that even the convicted Boston Marathon Bomber, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, should be allowed to vote.

Feinberg also pointed out that he appreciated having this political event on campus, but was certain that this wouldn’t happen if there was a Republican Primary.

“There’s no chance in hell they would have had the Republican candidates come here,” the senior said. “When Trump won the election, the school sent out an email asking if we needed help, support, or counseling, but if Hillary would have won we wouldn’t have gotten anything.”

While the turnout

for this event was less than desired, DelVecchio still believes that it was purposeful and will continue to try and make the campus more politically conscious.

“It’s disappointing and it’s hurtful (that more people didn’t come to the event),” DelVecchio said. “At the same time, I do fundamentally believe that every person in this room has the capacity to start a fire, so even if it were just me and you in this room, I’d believe it was still worth it because I know that we as individuals have the power to make real change.”

Voting took place in Massachusetts on Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Look at the next page to see full Super Tuesday results for all 14 states involved.

March 5, 2020

News

PAGE 5

Winners by State

Joe Biden was able to win 10 out of 14 states, while Bernie Sanders captured the crucial state of California.

Biden’s Super Tuesday success will help stake his future claim toward a presidential election come next November.

Graphics courtesy of: Danny Priest Photo Courtesy of: politico.com

March 5, 2020

News

The Pride Pantry is one of 640 pantries located in universities across the country. It is open to any graduate or undergraduate student who may need to utilize it. (Photo Courtesy of Charlene Elvers)

Pride Pantry continued from Page 2

PAGE 6

university students struggle with food insecurity.

Hunger on college campuses is a vast problem nationwide, but it is a problem that is rarely talked about. Many students are hesitant to ask for help, since it is an issue that is often tossed aside or not as valued as other problems on college campuses.

Additionally, according to the College and University Food Bank Alliance (CUFBA), there are 640 food pantries at Universities across the country that provide a stable food source for thousands of students in need.

Charlene Elvers, Director of the Center for Service and Leadership, works as a volunteer for the Food Pantry. She elaborated on the struggles that many students face when it comes to food insecurity.

“After paying rent, school bills, and other expenses, they just didn’t have enough money left to purchase enough food for an entire month and some of them had children they were feeding as well,” Elvers said.

After realizing that this was a problem impacting students at Springfield, as well as additional research on this issue at other colleges, the Pride Pantry opened in the fall of 2018 and has been a helpful resource for many students.

Students and faculty can get involved with the pantry by donating and spreading the word about what the Pride Pantry is. At this time, the pantry is looking for non-perishable and non-refrigable items, including oatmeal, canned fruit, pasta, soup, granola bars, and rice.

The pantry is also seeking toiletry items, including razors, shampoo, soap, lotion, and tampons.

Donations can be brought to the Center of Service and Leadership in the Campus Union.

“People can get involved with the pantry by donating food and making sure to let their peers know about it and that it is open to all students who may not have enough money to buy adequate and nutritious food. We take non-perishable food anytime someone will donate,” said Elvers.

The Pride Pantry also is involved with some local food drives, including the annual “Fill the Bus” drive that is sponsored yearly by the Student Athlete Leadership Team (S.A.L.T.), the Department of Public Safety, and the Division of Inclusion and Community Engagement.

Numerous Springfield Athletic teams also take part in the food drive. Last time the event happened, they were able to collect a total of 2,900 pounds of food that benefited the Pride Pantry, as well as other local food pantries.

For the rest of the semester, the Pride Pantry is open on Thursday’s from 5-7 p.m. and Friday’s from 3-5 p.m.

March 5, 2020

News

PAGE 7

“ THE

number one thing that is true for everyone is to recognize that your power is inside of you.

Nobody gives it to you, you are born with it.

Everybody has it and you can exercise it anytime,” Nika Elugardo was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 2018 and she currently represents the 15th Suffolk and Norfolk districts. (Photo Courtesy of Springfield College Marketing & Communications) MLK continued from Page 3

fighting for change as a public servant has aided Elugardo in being proud to represent the United States of America and the state of Massachusetts.

On Monday evening at the Marsh Memorial Chapel, Elugardo, a Massachusetts State Representative, spoke to a variety of Springfield students, staff, and community members. Her discussion was a part of the seventh annual Martin Luther King Jr. lecture.

She reflected on Dr. King’s speech made to the Massachusetts House of Representatives on April 22, 1965. Elugardo spoke about the progress that has been made in regard to racial and economic justice and what else needs to be done.

Elugardo was elected in 2018 to the Massachusetts House of Representatives and represents the 15th Suffolk and Norfolk District. Her duties include managing the communities of Brookline, Jamaica Plain, Mission Hill, and Roslindale.

With more than twenty years of experience in community and economic develop-

ment, Elugardo has fought for equality her entire career, and won’t stop till liberty and justice is truly archived for everyone.

Growing up in poverty and transition, Elugardo learned from a young age to advocate for herself, soon becoming “a voice for the voiceless.” Elugardo spoke about amplifying the voices of the unheard and how important it is to continue working for what is right.

“Whether you are a physical trainer, or an educator, or planning on going to law school, or whatever it is you are going to do, whatever it is, you are going to amplify your own voice so that you can amplify the voices of others,” said Elugardo.

Elugardo continued by emphasizing how change is a process that is a long journey, but results will come. It can be a process that seems impossible at times, one where progress seems slim.

Involving each generation and acting on passion and drive will result in new reforms. The power is inside every individual, now it’s time to take the initiative and continue this fight for racial and economic equality, she said.

- Nika Elugardo “The number one thing that is true for everyone is to recognize that your power is inside of you, said Elugardo. “Nobody gives it to you, you are born with it. Everybody has it and you can exercise it anytime.”

After Elugardo’s keynote speech, four awardees were honored for their dedication to achieving racial and economic equality in the Springfield community as part of the second annual Springfield College Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Awards.

Among the award recipients were Springfield College student Kris Rhim, staff recipient Renetta Robinson, and community member recipients Awilda Sanchez and Sophia Jeffrey.

“I hope to inspire black and brown students to speak up when things are wrong, amplify the voices of the underrepresented, and run for positions like the student trustee position that can create real change,” said Rhim.

It was a special night at Springfield College reflecting on racial and economic progress, as well as honoring members of the Springfield community for their dedication to improving equality.

March 5, 2020

PAGE 8

Regardless of the outcome of my “situation, I’d recommend studying

Coronavirus continued from Page 1

the remainder of the semester.

“The providers are making arrangements for them to complete their courses online so they won’t fall behind and this college will do everything they can do to support them remotely,” Alm said.

The decision to send the students home was not easy for anyone involved. Still, the ultimate decision comes down to the health and well-being of students.

“Yeah, it’s tough, but Springfield was really helpful and at the end of the day you got to do what’s right for your health,” Daniel Sanfilippo, a junior Sports Management major said.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has three levels of travel concern.

Level three, which Italy was in, is considered the worst.

“When the CDC and the state department warnings go to a level three, they meet and decide what the best course of action for the safety of the students is,” Alm said. Italy, along with China, Iran and South Korea have all reached level three and had numerous coronavirus cases.

The news of coming home was especially difficult for the students in Italy to receive because

News

rumors had already been swirling.

“Finally, Friday night we were shocked to receive an email from the Rome embassy stating that Italy had gone up from a level two to three health advisory warning, and emails from our program quickly followed,” Baldoni said.

Other places that students are studying in right now include Spain, Australia, South Africa, Germany, Greece, Ireland and the United Kingdom. The only students that are being sent home to this point are those in Italy.

Most areas are only at a level one concern at the moment, besides Spain which has reached level two. “We keep an eye on those warnings.

We check them regularly and our providers have their risk management team working around the clock at this point,” Alm said.

This is an unfortunate and rare situation, but it is in the best interest for the students to be sent home early. “Nobody can predict these things,” Alm said. “One of our study abroad providers there has been in the business for 23 years and they have never had to suspend a program when the students were already there,” she added.

Most of the students have already made it

abroad to anyone and everyone, it has changed me and my life for the better,”

- Nichole Maisto -

(Photo Courtesy of Nichole Maisto Instagram)

home safe from Italy and the rest will be arriving during different points this week.

This is a rare occurrence in the case of study abroad programs, and the disappointment is felt equally by all parties involved.

“Studying abroad has been something I’ve wanted to do since I was a kid, specifically in Italy.

My parents and I had

never been able to travel outside of the U.S., so this was a big deal for all of us,” junior Communications/Sports Journalism major Nichole Maisto said.

“My heart is broken and I am devastated that my experience is being taken away from me, but I am so thankful for the opportunity and the people that I’ve met. Regardless of the

outcome of my situation, I’d recommend studying abroad to anyone and everyone, it has changed me and my life for the better,” she added.

Students have been asked to self-monitor themselves for any symptoms and remain away from campus for at least 14 days upon returning to the states.

March 5, 2020

Sports

PAGE 9

Guerard: Thank you, Posse Women’s basketball beat writer Gabby Guerard reflects on her experience covering the team. ____________ By Gabby Guerard ____________ @GabbyGuerard

Posse.

A word I had never said until the fall of 2016. Before all the games, before all the stories.

I stepped into Naomi Graves’ office terrified. In fact, I got lost just trying to find it. Palms sweaty, anxious energy radiating from my pores, I had a death grip on my notebook. There were eight questions prepped and ready – some of which Coach would be intrigued by, and one of which she squashed without hesitation (and rightfully so, it wasn’t very good).

I had never interviewed a coach before. And anyone who knows Coach Graves knows she can be tough – because of how deeply she cares. Sugarcoating? She’s never heard of it. And any of her athletes can attest

to that.

A tough coach and a young journalist who was pretty clueless: name a better recipe for disaster.

I didn’t know how to write beat stories, or season previews, or features, or game stories, or NEWMAC previews. I didn’t know how to live tweet during games. I didn’t even have a Twitter account yet. I didn’t know how to ask the hard questions after a loss. Honestly, I don’t think I even did an interview when I had to cover a loss for the first time, because I was so nervous.

What I didn’t realize at the time is this team, this program and this coach would fuel my passion as a sports journalist and teach me far more than anything I ever learned in a class-

Guerard standing with senior Alex Goslin after she scored her 1,000th career point. (Photo courtesy of Ronna Goslin)

room.

I learned the importance of the “little things” as Coach says, like memorizing how to spell everyone’s last names correctly – even the long ones like “Adamopoulos,” “Restituyo” and “Dzindolet.” Or taking the time to scout the other team and do some research ahead of time, so I can tuck in those quick facts to my story and still hit my deadline.

I learned to love the “dirty work” as Coach says, like digging through the archives to figure out if players will set new re-

cords. Or transcribing for hours upon hours to make sure I have the perfect quotes for features stories.

I “learned from my losses” as Coach says, like when I lost the most important 15 minutes of a 45-minute interview for what was the biggest story I had ever done as a first-year for the Pride Sports Journal. Happy to report I’ve never forgotten to put my phone on airplane mode while recording interviews ever since.

Though, it wasn’t just a newspaper beat that helped me grow my

journalistic skills. Coach wasn’t just a basketball coach. She cared about me as a person, and that only grew as the time on my Springfield College clock ticked down.

In my first quarter as a freshman, she checked on how spring season was going for my field hockey team and whether people were buying in. Then in my second quarter when I got a career-ending concussion so severe that I was unable to cover her team as a sophomore, See Posse continued on Page 14

March 5, 2020

Sports

PAGE 10

(Not) making a splash Connor Pennington highlighted the D-III Regional Diving Championships in what has been a historic year.

________ By Ian Carrano ________ @ic_sports1

Building off his strong start to the Division III Diving Regional Championships at Springfield College on Friday night, Connor Pennington put together an impressive performance on Saturday afternoon at the Art Linkletter Natatorium, finishing in first place behind a total score of 519.45.

Luca Brashear placed in sixth place overall with 442.7 points, while Sean Andrews finished 15th overall.

Andrews kicked off Springfield College’s day earning a score of 33.6, placing him in fifth after the opening round.

Luca Brashear started off strong scoring 39.10 points on his first dive, which put him in second place after the opening round. To jump start his strong performance on the diving board, Pennington earned a 37.4 on his first dive.

Unable to crack the top-three in the first two rounds, Pennington pushed himself into second place after three rounds with a total score of 112.05. Placing second after the first two rounds,

Brashear fell to fourth place with a total score of 103.45 in round three.

Slowly working his way up the leaderboard, Pennington took control of the lead with an impressive score of 62.40, pushing his total to a leading 210.45 after landing a forward one-and-a-half somersault two-tuck freestyle.

On his next dive, Pennington failed to land a difficult forward threeand-a-half somersault tuck, which gave him a low 3.0 score – pushing him down the leaderboard to ninth overall. However, despite his lowest score coming in round six, Pennington still managed to overcome it and improved on each of his next five dives.

Seeing consistent improvement after failing his sixth dive, head coach Pete Avduolos credited Pennington’s ability to stay resilient after his lowest scoring dive of the day.

“It shows a lot about a competitor when you mess up bad and when you’re able to rebound and show what you’re made of. It’s about the grit and resil-

Pennington before setting the three-meter record at the 2020 NEWMAC Championships.

(Springfield College Athletics)

ience that we always talk about,” Avduolos said.

“He’s a special athlete and he was able to spot the field of dive and still come out ahead. He knew he had a challenge ahead of him after he messed up that dive, but he also knew that he had it in him to still come out on top.”

Feeling a sense of pressure to perform well the rest of the way to get back into the top of the leaderboard, Pennington made sure to pay attention to detail on his next five dives.

“It started out really strong and then I got to

my first optional dive, which is my more difficult dive and I absolutely bombed it,” he said. “I fell out of my tuck in the middle of it and scored three points. I knew I had a shot at coming back, but I just had to pretty much have a perfect meet and so I don’t know, I just had to do what I had to do to come back in it.”

Pennington bounced back quickly in the seventh round, earning a 66 on his next dive—moving him back into third place after completing a difficult backward two-and-a-half somersault tuck. Knowing

he had already qualified for Nationals; Pennington didn’t get too down on himself for faulting on one of his more difficult dives of the day.

“I think it was definitely I did this because I had already qualified for Nationals, so that really wasn’t on my mind,” Pennington said. “I wasn’t stressing about qualifying today, so I failed the dive and I didn’t get too upset about it. So I just used it as practice pretty much for Nationals and did what See Pennington continued on Page 15

March 5, 2020

Sports

PAGE 11

Tyler Hansen (middle) took first place in the 200-meter dash in last Saturday’s meet. (Springfield College Athletics)

Pride men’s track and field takes seventh at New England Championships __ By Robert Dickey __ @Robert_Dickey11

As senior Tyler Hansen lined up to run the 200-meter dash in the Springfield College Field House for the final time in his track career, there was no sign of nerves in his demeanor. Looking determined and ready for anything, Hansen got set against some of the top sprinters in New England.

22.05 seconds later, Hansen crossed the finish line before his competitors.

The senior and Shelton, Conn. native was having the best season of his track career entering Saturday’s NCAA Division III New England Championships. In what was his last home meet, Hansen took home first place in the 200-meter dash (22.05) and second

place in the 60-meter dash (6.93), a time that was just 0.03 behind the first place finisher.

Springfield finished the meet at seventh place overall.

On top of winning the event for Springfield, Hansen’s 200-meter dash time set a facility record for the Springfield College Field House, something that will stick with the senior.

“It was truly incredible to not only run a facility record, but also win a New England Championship the last time I ever competed at home,” Hansen said. “It was incredibly emotional and I wouldn’t change it for anything.”

“Tyler Hansen is a beast,” said sophomore sprinter and hurdler Xavier Washington. “His races are always exciting to watch because he never

gives up and runs through the line. He has heart.

Seeing him succeed pushes me to work harder in my own race.”

Washington turned in a time of 8.44 in the 60-meter hurdle – enough to earn him sixth place in the event.

“Overall I was happy about my performance and that I was able to score for my team,” he said.

Hansen and Washington were not the only ones to impress at the Championships on Saturday for Springfield. In the track events, junior Cormac Tolan placed fifth in the 800-meter dash with a time of 1:55.69.

Springfield’s 4x400-meter relay team comprised of junior Kris Rhim, senior Erik King, firstyear Jonathon Barber and first-year Luke Chastain

brought out their best performance for the Championships. The group posted a final time of 3:34.26, earning the second-best time in the event and catching the eye of Hansen. “(Rhim and King) have been dealing with nagging injuries all year and were able to run phenomenal splits in their biggest race of the year,” Hansen said. “(Barber and Chastain) are both first-year students who didn’t crack under pressure and decided that it was up to them to accomplish what they wanted. They finished second, which is incredibly difficult to do in that event.”

First year Jamie Cocca shined under the bright lights of the New England Championships.

The Sand Lake, N.Y.

native put up a personal best distance in the weight throw event with a distance of 51.07.75 and threw a 47-02.50 in the shot put finals. Finishing right behind Cocca in the shot put finals was senior Tom Callis, who threw a 46-10.75.

Springfield had two competitors finish in the top 10 in the triple jump competition. Junior Josh Silvester jumped a distance of 46-03.50, followed by senior Evan Tryon, who jumped a 46-02.75.

Senior Kyle Kublbeck also gave a strong showing on the biggest stage.

The Gardner, Mass. native jumped a 6-01.50 height in the high jump competition.

The Pride will compete at the ECAC D-III Championships March 6-7 at The Armory in New York.

March 5, 2020

Sports

Fountain of youth

___ By Chris Gionta ___ @Chris_Gionta

The day before their first game of the year, the Springfield College baseball team had to practice through rain. And for the 2020 season, it rained a fountain of youth for the squad. In fact, 22 out of the 45 roster spots are taken by first-year players.

A lot of them will not just be tasked with getting foul balls and putting gear away; they will be making an impact on the field.

“Half our team, about, is freshmen,” junior outfielder Jack Cooney said. “So they’re definitely going to get put in positions to succeed this year. A couple that can make immediate splashes are dudes like Mike Barrett at shortstop; Joe Traversa will be bouncing around in the middle infield and third base; and Alex Gonfrade, who’s a lefty pitcher.”

Coach Mark Simeone is looking to fill some key roles this year, possibly with some of the firstyears. The three most impactful subtractions from the 2019 roster were pitcher Brian Johnson and infielders Brandon Russo and Mark Joao. In 2019, Johnson had a 2.73 ERA and 61 strikeouts through 52.2 IP, and was a talent that was being looked at

Springfield baseball looks forward to a revamped roster and increasing roles for upperclassmen.

Jack Cooney at-bat in the Studbolts’ home opener. (Chris Gionta/The Student)

by MLB teams.

Russo was a force at the top of the lineup with a .418 on-base percentage and 27 stolen bases in 35 games played. Joao hit .380 and slugged .620 while leading the team in home runs and runs batted in. With the losses of Russo and Joao, it makes

sense why Cooney believes that some of the firstyears making the biggest impact will be infielders.

The team looks to improve upon a 2019 campaign in which they had a 20-17 record. Their offense produced an impressive 5.6 runs per game.

The Pride’s pitching had

a 4.97 ERA, and their defense made plays with a .964 fielding percentage.

Players to Watch With Brian Johnson graduated, Springfield’s rotation will be headed by junior Noah Bleakley. He was second on the team

PAGE 12

in innings pitched in 2019 with 39.0, and sported a 4.62 ERA. He had 38 strikeouts to eight walks for a 4.8 K/BB ratio. Not only that, but he is a key part of the lineup. His 20 runs batted in ranked third on the team in 2019.

In just two years playing for the Pride, outfielder Jack Cooney has already made himself an impressive resumé. Through 66 career games with the team, he has a .343 batting average alongside a .432 on-base percentage and 36 stolen bases. He led the team in hits in 2019, and tied for the team lead in RBI with Brandon Russo.

One particular infielder had a quieter 2019 than the two players above, but received high praise from Cooney, who believes that 2020 will be his breakout year.

“He definitely worked himself into a role last year as a starter, but he was kind of a mix-andmatch and was fighting for a role,” Cooney said.

“But this year I think Jack Simonetty is going to definitely play a key factor in our lineup. He’s going to kind of be like a cornerstone of our team in the infield. He’s going to have to play multiple positions, and he’s going to be right See Baseball continued on Page 15

March 5, 2020

Sports

PAGE 13

Birthplace Boys x Big Dance

(Joe Arruda/The Student)

Blake Arena to host first and second rounds of men’s basketball NCAA Tournament.

______ By Danny Priest ______ @dpriest3

Well, that wasn’t supposed to happen. This season has been a special one to date for the Springfield College men’s basketball team.

The Birthplace Boys finished the regular season at 22-3. The 22 wins matched their mark from the teams miraculous Final Four run two years ago and was their fifth time winning 20 or more games since the turn of the century.

Jake Ross became the program’s all-time leading scorer, single game scoring record holder and the program’s all-time leading rebounder all in the span of 25 games. Even better, his teammate Heath Post also joined Ross as the all-time leading rebounder in program history and the two are now jockeying to finish on top of one another.

The team dazzled Blake Arena on multiple occasions. From a stirring 20 point comeback against Keene State in the second game of the season, to a double overtime thriller against Coast Guard when Ross broke the single game scoring record, all the way up until the final night of the regular season when they held off Babson in overtime.

This group has a flair for the dramatic and they just don’t quit. So, on Friday when they were the No. 1 seed for the NEWMAC Tournament and hosted No. 5 Coast Guard in the semifinal matchup, destiny never foresaw the team losing.

It was never supposed to be the upset, or Ross’s 44 points not being enough, but it happened. Not only did Coast Guard knock off the Pride, they traveled

to Worcester, Mass. and defeated WPI to win the NEWMAC Championship and book their ticket to the big dance.

Lucky for Springfield, their resume speaks for itself. They’re going dancing too.

On Monday’s NCAA DIII selection show, the Pride were given the opportunity to host SUNY Canton (16-11) in Round One and the two teams will be squaring off on Friday.

If this season has taught us one thing about this group, it’s that they will never roll over in defeat.

No one in that locker room wants the lasting memory of their season to be Coast Guard celebrating on their home court.

Not Ross, not Post, not anyone from the seniors down to the first-years.

Certainly not Coach Charlie Brock. When adversity strikes, the Pride fight back.

It’s what they’ve always done. Two years ago, the journey was different.

They were the final team selected for the Tournament field and they went on a Cinderella run.

This time around, it’s about getting over their blip in the road and finishing their season the way it’s meant to be.

Ross got his history and Post did too. Regardless of what happens, those two will go down together as two of the best to ever play at the Birthplace.

But they wouldn’t be here without the help of their teammates too. From guys like Trey Witter stepping into a sixth-man role with ease, to starting a walk-on in Harper Niven on opening night, to getting key contributions from a number of underclassmen.

The Pride are deep, they’re tough, they fight, battle, and every guy on their roster, top to bottom,

has bought in.

When this season started, the team was an underdog group. They weren’t ranked, it wasn’t totally clear what to expect out of them, and they went out and took care of business every night, turning heads along the way.

Now, months later, it’s time to do it again. Sleep on them if you’d like after the loss to Coast Guard, but this team is capable of great things.

It’s March now and it’s time to buckle up. The Ross-Post-Brock trio has unfinished business and there’s only one goal left in mind now.

If nothing else, this group is never going to quit. Last time it was a Cinderella run, this time, it’s redemption.

The road to Atlanta starts on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. in Blake. Be there. This is a group I can assure you don’t want to miss play.

March 5, 2020

Sports

PAGE 14

Posse continued from Page 9

she listened with an open heart. But I came out of halftime stronger than ever. In the third quarter she helped empower me as a female sports journalist, since junior year, I was one of the only women to cover our teams on campus.

This year was the fourth quarter, and she never stopped pushing me. For instance, I’ll never forget the last time I interviewed her inside her office.

This time around, I could’ve navigated there in my sleep. I wasn’t anxious and my heart wasn’t racing. I did, however, have some questions prepared like my first interview. But I didn’t look down at them a single time, because our conversation was so organic.

I was there to get quotes for a beat story, but she wound up interviewing me.

“What’s your game plan for after graduation?” she asked.

When I hesitantly told her I was hoping to land a job somewhere, she quickly pressed, “How?” While I muddled through the fact I was still figuring it out, I explained how I’ll reach out to all the individuals I’ve met along the way at my internships, and how one even told me I’d be on his short list if there were an opening.

“But you can’t just be on his short list. You need to be at the top of his short list,” she said in the same stern, passionate voice I

Top left: Guerard (left) sits at the scorers table along side PA announcer, Nick Perenick. (Jack Margaros/The Student) Bottom left: Guerard shooting a photo at the 2020 Hoophall Classic. Bottom right: Guerard live-tweeing during the 2020 Hoophall Classic. (Shawn McFarland)

had heard hundreds of times before from the sidelines.

“I know, Coach! I’m working on it!” I said, as we both began smiling from ear to ear.

How lucky am I to have a coach not only respect me as a young journalist, but also invest her energy into pushing me to become the best I can be?

It wasn’t just Coach, though. It was the entire team – all 28 players who have been a part of this program over the last four years.

Sitting in Blake Arena for senior day was hard. I’ve covered so many senior days before, but this one

was different.

I remember when Alex Goslin got her first collegiate start when we were first-years. I was so excited, and even a bit relieved, to talk to someone who was my age. It was so inspiring to see one of my peers have such an impact on the court.

Flash forward to this season when I watched her hit her 1,000th point.

I’ve seen this group of seniors grow all the way from start to finish at Springfield – a privilege few journalists have. But selfishly, I knew in a way it would be my senior day too. It was the last Springfield College women’s

basketball game I’d ever cover.

That’s a hard reality I’m only just now beginning to feel, because I love this team – and anyone who knows me (or follows me on Twitter) knows it, too.

People poke fun of me for always posting updates about “Posse this” and “Posse that.”

So, why am I so invested in a program that I’m not even a part of ?

Because, Posse, you’ve shaped me into the sports journalist I am today. No matter how many other teams I’ll fight tooth and nail for the chance to cover in my future, you’ll always be the first team that be-

lieved in me and gave me a shot. And for that, I’ll always be thankful.

Coming to you live from Blake Arena where I’ve got you covered on all things Posse for one final time. My last update is simple: To Alex, Emily Jacques, Taylor Hall, and Lauren “Rudy” Rudolph: It’s been an honor to tell your stories for four years.

To Coach Graves: I’ll always be thankful that you pushed me to become better.

To Posse: You’ll always be MY team.

March 5, 2020

Sports

PAGE 15

Baseball continued from Page 12

smack dab in the middle of our lineup. I think he’s going to have a big year for sure.”

Comeback There was plenty of offensive talent on the Pride in 2019, yet they were still missing a key player in their lineup for most of the year. His name is Chad Shade, and he is looking to be what he was in 2017 and 2018 – a star.

In his first year with the team, the outfielder made an immediate impact on the team by hitting .311 with an .818 on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) and stealing 10 bases. Despite the impressive season, he took a step up the next year by hitting .331 with a .907 OPS while stealing 32 bases. He led the team in runs scored (49), hits (53), home runs (four), and stolen bases in 2018.

Due to leg complica-

Pennington continued from Page 10

I had to do on my other dives.”

Regaining the lead in the eighth round with an inward two-and-a-half somersault tuck, Pennington pushed his total score to 389.6 points after tallying his second-best score of the day with a 66.65.

He never looked back afterwards, taking control of the meet in the final two rounds with scores of

tions, he only played seven games in 2019, but is now fully healthy. Although, health does not help knocking any rust off.

“Yeah, there’s definitely a little bit of rust,” Shade said. “For a couple weeks, I was still trying to feel a couple things out, and I wasn’t swinging it too well.”

In times of frustration, however, Shade knows that he needs to keep composure when things are not going his way.

“But the biggest thing that we’ve kind of talked about as a team and also with our mental strength coach, is goal-setting stuff,” Shade said. “And one of my things I wanted to focus on this year was not being too high or too low. I think that’s the biggest thing with baseball in general, is just when things aren’t going well, to not get too frustrated and start pressing.”

Shade understands the patience necessary for success in baseball. He has been putting the work in to get back to form, with fellow outfielder Cooney helping him out.

“I had a lot of offseason work – obviously me and

Jack are from the same hometown so we got to work out a lot together over break. We got a lot of good work in there, and that’s basically what I’ve been doing just to prepare for the season,” Shade said.

With Shade returning and other players looking to fill key roles, the Pride should be a very interesting team this spring.

52.7 and 68.15.

Acknowledging the great resilience and competitiveness Pennington put on display on Saturday afternoon that separated himself from the rest of the pack, Avduolos had high praise for one of his most accomplished divers.

“He’s probably the most physically talented diver we’ve ever had here.

When something kind of goes wrong, it really makes you focus and I think that’s why you saw a

little bit that he got better because he knew he had to and it was like I’ve got to bear down here and do what I’m capable of so I can still come ahead,” Avduolos said. “He’s got the arsenal. He’s got the dives and the difficult dives, it’s just a matter of hitting them.”

A lot of what’s made Pennington so successful through the years has been his work ethic and talent level. Seeing a lot of improvement in his

dives over the course of his three years at Springfield College, Avduolos has noticed his determination in practice that’s contributed to his ability to complete difficult dives at a consistent level.

“He’s matured a great deal over the past couple of years and he just practices hard every day,” Avduolos said. “He never pushes back on practice, he’s just an absolute pleasure.”

Looking back at the

meet, Pennington doesn’t have any regrets about his approach or performance on the diving board.

“I wouldn’t do anything differently. It’s definitely a learning experience for me,” he said. “I had a great time with all the guys out here, it was a lot of fun.”

Pennington will look to carry his recent success on the diving board to the D-III Diving National Championships on March 18-21, which will take place in Greensboro, N.C.

Chad Shade. (Chris Gionta/The Student)

SPORTS The Springfield Student

VOL. 134 NO. 17

STUDBOLT SEASON Springfield baseball won its home opener 17-3 against Colby Sawyer on Wednesday.

[See inside]

Connor Pennington is in the midst of a historic season and will continue diving at nationals.

The men's basketball team will host the first round of the NCAA Tournament Friday.

Women's basketball beat writer, Gabby Guerard, says farewell to the Posse.

(Chris Gionta/The Student)

MARCH 5, 2020