SPORTS
The Pace Chronicle
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014 PAGE 11
Rondeau Gives Football A Chance To Reset CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE
PHOTO FROM PACESETTERSATHLETICS.COM Master Plan simulators display what the future sports stadium will look like on campus
Athletic Updates: From Construction To Search For New Field Hockey Coach NATALIA ALVAREZ PAGAN SPORTS EDITOR
Construction on campus continues according to the master plan to consolidate the Pleasantville and Briarcliff campuses into one, while the remodeling of buildings and new facilities for the sports teams progresses. “Right now we are zeroing in on one company to design and build the new facilities,” Mark Brown, Director of Athletics at Pace said. “Nothing is final yet, we still need to better define the scope of our budget, but once we do it’s going to happen fast. We plan on initiating construction over the summer.” Aside from the new facilities, the consolidation of two campuses into one is something that will
surely benefit Pace Athletics. “It’s a huge project, but once everyone is together I think it will be easier for everyone to really be on the same page,” Brown said. “It’s hard to ask someone on the Briarcliff campus to wait outside in the bitter cold at night to take the bus to come over here for a game, and then have to wait again to take the bus back to their dorm. But if they are just on the other side of the street, it’s a lot easier for them to come.” While the athletic department has announced the hiring of the new women’s lacrosse coach, as well as the new head football coach, there is still one position waiting to be filled. “We are very close to announcing who the new women’s field hockey coach will be,” Brown said. “We are in final
negotiations currently. We had very good interest in the position, not as much as for the football position, but still some very good interest.” That interest has shown to be a challenge in picking the best candidate, but with a decision waiting to be announced in the near future, it seems that that challenge has been overcome. “We’ve had some very exciting candidates, but one in particular has really distanced themselves from the rest,” Brown said. “We hope to make an announcement hopefully by the end of the month.” With the field hockey team expected to compete in the fall of 2015, the new coach will have about a year to recruit new players, starting in July.
coach at the College of the Holy Cross. “This is my first time as a head coach, but I believe my previous experience in a variety of areas of coaching has allowed me to prepare myself for this position. “ Now Rondeau comes to Pace looking to “bring a fresh start” to the football program, knowing that it will not be an easy task. “The way I see it, there are three buckets,” Rondeau said. “We can look at the first bucket as a big bloody mess, and that is the one that needs to be attacked first. One man isn’t going to be able to do this alone; it’s going to have to be a collective effort.” “I know that there is a lot of history here, but I am not looking at the past, I am looking ahead to the future. There is a lot to learn, and we have to keep moving forward and look at what we have,” Rondeau said. Having known Rondeau from their time together in Old Dominion University, Brown believes that Rondeau brings a “much needed new perspective” to the program, stating that Rondeau “is in line with the school’s athletic vision” and knows “what it needs in order to succeed.” “Rondeau is a man of integrity and character, who brings a lot of energy and a positive attitude which is what our program needs,” Brown said. “He turned out to be the best fit for our institution.” Junior quarterback Brian Beeker was a part of the interviewing process and believes that “Coach Rondeau was the right pick,” stating that “he brings a lot of energy and a good feeling for
SETTERS SPORTS IN REVIEW
SETTERS WINTER BREAK UPDATE DEC. 14: The women’s basketball team beat St. Thomas Aquinas by a score of 67-45, giving the women’s team their first win of the season, as well as giving Head Coach Carrie Seymour her 400th career win. DEC. 23: Senior guard Denzel Primus-Devonish is named the Northeast-10 Conference Player of the week, after leading the Setters with 25 points and a career high six steals in a 93-88 overtime win over Felician College. JAN. 2: Freshman guard Shanice Allen leads the Setters with a career high 20 points in a 79-64 loss to Adelphi University. JAN. 6: The Pace Athletic Department announces the four inductees for the Pace Hall of Fame 2014 Class- Tom Grega (Football 1974), Joe Vuotto (Men’s Lacrosse 2000), Kory Langley (Volleyball 1999) and Henry Manning (Baseball 1991). JAN. 7: Primus-Devonish and senior Kaitlyn Lynch of the women’s swimming and diving team are named SAAC Athletes of the Month for December.
the hiring of Rondeau it really allows us to hit the reset button,” Brown said. JAN. 18: Senior forward Jonathan Merceus scores his 1,000-career point in the Setters 76-63 loss to Saint Anselm. “Getting my 1000 point was a great achievement for me this year,” said Merceus, who scored a total of 19 points in the game. “It feels good to leave a little legacy behind you.” JAN. 21: The Northeast-10 Conference names sophomore diver Jenny Palladino Women’s CoDiving Athlete of the Week. JAN. 22: The Men’s Basketball team loses a close contest to Franklin Pierce, with a defeat in overtime of 77-76. “After the new coaching staff was put in place they put a new fire in us, we are playing harder then ever before,” said Merceus, who had a gamehigh 24 points in the game. “We just haven’t been able to close out many close games we’ve had this year.” JAN. 24: Coach Rondeau makes his first hire, naming Corey Hetherman as the new defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the Setters.
JAN. 10: Director of Athletics Mark Brown announces the hiring of Andrew Rondeau as the new head All information was provided by the pacesettersathcoach for the Pace Football program. “We haven’t letics.com website. had much success in the past few years, so with
the next season,” while also saying that he is “very excited for this spring and what the changes for next season will bring.” Pace has not had a winning season since 1999, when the Setters had a record of 6-4. Since then, things haven’t gotten much better has Pace continued to spiral downward. For 11 years, the team was led by Greg Lusardi, and under him the Setters had five seasons in which they posted a record of .500 or better, with the notable seasons being 1995 and 1999, in which both teams finished with a record of 6-4. The 1999 team broke “school records for the most yards gained, most points scored and most touchdowns scored in a season” (northeast10.org). After Lusardi’s resignation in Feb. of 2005, Pace hired Mike Iezzi as the new Head Coach. The Setters had a losing record under his four-year rule, starting with a 3-7 record in 2006 and ending with a 1-9 record in 2009. Under Dapolito, the Setters had three winless seasons, while they finished with a 1-9 record in 2011. Knowing the struggles that the football program has had, Rondeau knows it’s not going to be easy to change the minds of the students on campus. “It is always brutal to try and change someone’s opinion,” Rondeau said. “Change is good until it affects the individual, then it’s hard. It’s a lot of work, and it is certainly not glamorous, but it will be good. I am looking to make an impact on my players’ lives, and help them work to get better, while also engaging the students on campus and helping them become a part of this program.”
Women’s Basketball
DATE
GAME
12/21 1/2 1/8 1/11 1/14 1/18 1/22
Felician v. Pace Pace v. Adelphi Pace v. Merrimack Stonehill v. Pace Southern NH v. Pace Pace v. St. Anselm Pace v. Franklin Pierce
DATE
GAME
12/21 1/2 1/4 1/8 1/11 1/14 1/18 1/22 1/25
Pace v. Felician Lincoln v. Pace Philadelphia U. v. Pace Pace v. Merrimack Stonehill v. Pace Southern NH v. Pace Pace v. St. Anselm Pace v. Franklin Pierce St. Michael’s v. Pace
SCORE L, 60-50 L, 79-64 W, 59-50 L, 76-68 W, 59-43 L, 61-52 L, 64-57
Men’s Basketball
SCORE W, 93-88 L, 64-57 L, 79-65 L, 70-63 L, 79-68 L, 73-60 L, 76-63 L, 77-76 L, 95-71
Swimming and Diving SCORE
DATE
GAME
1/15 1/18
Adelphi v. Pace Pace v. Bridgeport
(W) W, 54-49 (M) W, 61-34 (W) L, 148-132 (M) L, 137-118