Bear Women Among Nation’s Most Improved Teams The SUNY Potsdam women’s basketball team was recently noted as being the 12th-most improved NCAA Division III program. After finishing 2-23 in 2005-06, Tara Ruckh’s Bears went 11-15 in 2006-07 and earned its first SUNYAC playoff berth since the ’97-’98 season. “It’s all on the players,” Ruckh said. “Because of them, we have a higher level of expectations. It was an expectation we had coming into the season.” Now that the Bears have cracked into the conference’s top eight, team goals are being set higher.
Berkman, Hondorf Earn Top SUNYAC Honors Senior goalie Brian Hondorf of Webster, NY, was named to the 2007 SUNYAC Men’s Lacrosse All-Conference First Team while SUNY Potsdam head coach Rick Berkman earned Coach of the Year honors following a 4-2 campaign within the SUNYAC. Three other Bears, senior Matt Vaverchak of Binghamton and sophomores Corey Reinhart of Albany and A.J. Lalonde of Rochester, were selected to the All-SUNYAC Second Team. Hondorf and Vaverchak were selected to the SUNYAC AllTournament Team.
“Isn’t it ironic that a nationwide search for a women’s hockey coach led us right into our own back yard and uncovered Jay Green. He clearly distinguished himself from a very strong pool of candidates with his enthusiasm for returning to the coaching world, his knowledge of the sport, and his own playing background. I have been amazed at the community’s show of support for the addition of women’s hockey to our sports offering and am confident that the program’s development is in capable hands with Jay as our coach,” said Athletic Director James Zalacca. Green was the assistant men’s hockey coach with former coach Ed Seney for three seasons. Prior to coaching the Potsdam men, Green was head coach at Norwood-Norfolk for six years. After college, Green played professional hockey in Europe for three years before serving as a head coach in the Bay Harbor California Minor Hockey Association. Green was also head men’s hockey coach at North Adams State College of Massachusetts in 1988-89. In 1989, he returned to Europe to head Sweden’s Sudrets Hockey Club for two years.
Aaron Saul Named Men’s Hockey Coach Aaron Saul, a former Potsdam assistant coach, has been named the new head coach of the men’s hockey team. Saul will replace Glenn Thomaris, who retired in the spring. “We’re tremendously excited that Aaron has agreed to coach our men’s hockey team. While the competition for the position was great, his passion for coaching, his ability to recruit high quality student athletes, and his work
Coach Saul comes to Potsdam from Elmira College where he has been the assistant hockey coach since first leaving Potsdam in 2001. He is also the head men’s golf coach at Elmira. In addition to his work with the Soaring Eagles, Saul has also been active in hockey schools and clinics having coached in the Paul Vincent Hockey School since 1998.
Schaad
Schaad was on the All-SUNYAC Second Team following her 2006 season, when she scored 34 goals and four assists. She was also the SUNYAC Rookie of the Year.
Jay Green, a member of the Bears’ staff, has been selected to lead the women’s hockey comeback at SUNY Potsdam. He transitions from serving as the director of athletic facilities to serving as head coach.
SUNY Potsdam Diver Places Eighth in NCAA 3-Meter Event Nathan LaRowe of Latham, a freshman diver at SUNY Potsdam, finished eighth in the 3-meter diving competition at the NCAA Division III Championships at the University of Houston. By finishing among the nation’s top eight divers, LaRowe was automatically named an All-American.
SAUL
As a sophomore, Alisha Schaad of Central Square, NY was named to the 2007 SUNYAC Women’s Lacrosse All-Conference Second Team. The Bears’ leading scorer in 2007, Schaad finished with 43 goals and 11 assists, setting school records for goals and points in one season.
ethic clearly separated him from the rest of the field. Our department is happy to be reunited with him and we look forward to many years of top flight hockey with Aaron Saul as our coach,” said Athletic Director James Zalacca.
LaRowe’s success in the 3-meter dive followed a 10th place finish in the 1-meter dive the previous day. Green
Alisha Schaad Repeats as All-SUNYAC
Jay Green to Head Women’s Hockey Program
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