By Tucker Paquette
@tpaquette17
We are in the midst of one of the busiest times of the year in the world of Springfield College Athletics, with a number of teams entering pivotal points in their seasons. Here is the latest from Alden Street:
Springfield’s men’s basketball program currently sits at 8-14 on the season as a whole, including a 5-8 mark since the New Year. The Pride have had some strong offensive performances, including a 93-point outburst vs. Coast Guard on Jan. 31 and an 89-point total posted against Emerson on Jan. 22. Josiah Evely and Josh Hartley have headed the team’s scoring attack this season, each currently averaging 10.3 points per contest. Meanwhile, Zachary Campbell has also begun emerging as a reliable scoring option for the Pride, as evidenced by his 22-point scoring performance on Feb. 7 against Babson. Springfield has three more regular season games before the men’s NEWMAC Tournament begins on Feb. 24.
Meanwhile, Springfield’s women’s basketball team is having a characteristically strong season, holding a 13-8 record, boosted by an 8-4 home record and a current two-game winning streak. The Pride have been led this year by Natalie Lucas, Amanda Leary and Carrie Hess, all of whom are averaging double-digit point totals per game. That trio is also carrying the load playing-time wise for Springfield, as the only three players on the team playing at least 30 minutes per contest. Elsewhere, guards Claire Finney and Madison Lopez have been keys to the Pride’s success, as both ball-handlers have tallied 53 assists this year. Notably, Leary has posted 50 assists so far this season in her own right. Springfield has four games remaining in its regular season, with the women’s NEWMAC Tournament slated to start on Feb. 25.
Elsewhere, the Pride’s gymnastics programs are getting into the busiest stretches of their respective seasons. The men’s group is coming off of a narrow 310.550-303.100 victory over William & Mary in a meet on Feb. 1, with the squad set to travel to Ann Arbor, MI. for a meet against the University of Michigan this upcoming Saturday, Feb. 14. The Pride will have a handful of smaller-scale meets after that before the USAG Championships begin on March 20, and ultimately the start of the NCAA Championships on Apr. 17.
Springfield’s women’s gymnastics team has partaken in a series of tri-meets and quad-meets this season, with their first dual matchup set for Feb. 14 in Providence, R.I. against Rhode Island College. Much like the men’s program, much of their season is centered around the build-up to its end of season tournaments. The National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (NCGA) East Regional Championships kick off on March 7, while the NCGA National Championships are set to begin on March 21.
Moving along, both of Springfield’s swimming and diving teams are approaching the end of their respective campaigns. The women’s program holds an overall record of 1-11, with NEWMAC Championships scheduled for Feb. 19-22. After that, the NCAA Diving Regionals begin on Feb. 27, and the NCAA Division III Championships are scheduled for March 18-21. On the men’s side, the team has a 3-7 record for the season, and just completed its last regular season meet this past Saturday, Feb. 7 against Babson, which it dropped by a final tally of 181.5-116.5. They will follow the same schedule as the women’s team for their postseason tournaments.
Switching gears, the Pride’s track and field team’s seasons are just beginning, but it will pick up in earnest over the next several weeks. The women’s side placed second in the Wheaton Invitational this past weekend, and are set to take part in the Harvard Crimson Open this upcoming Friday and Saturday, Feb. 13-14. The team will be in action every weekend leading up to the NCAA Division III Indoor National Championships on March 13-14. Meanwhile, the men’s side is set to follow a similar pattern schedule-wise. It’ll be at the aforementioned Harvard Crimson Open this weekend, then will continue to ramp up in postseason tournaments, with the NCAA Division III Indoor National Championships marking the end of its season, as well.
Springfield’s men’s volleyball program is known as one of the strongest on campus, and this year’s team has only added to that perception. The Pride are 6-1, and riding a six-match winning streak that is headlined by notable victories over ranked opponents. Springfield defeated No. 3 Stevens on Feb. 6, No. 11 Vassar on Jan. 31, No. 19 Lasell on Jan. 27 and No. 20 Hobart on Feb. 7. All but one of these wins came by way of a three-set sweep, further highlighting the Pride’s dominance so far this season. Springfield has several additional ranked opponents on the docket this year, so they will continue to be tested as they gear up to go on yet another national championship run under head coach Charlie Sullivan.
Lastly, Springfield’s wrestling team is enjoying a highly successful season of their own, currently boasting a 14-1 record that is backed by a six-match winning streak. The senior trio of Jacob Deguire, Myles Leonard and Ryan Kozdra have served as a core of leadership and performance for the Pride, routinely winning individual matchups and keying the Pride to victories. Springfield has two matches this weekend, one on Saturday at 1 p.m. on the road against WPI and another Sunday at the NEWA Futures at 11 a.m., before the postseason begins with the NCAA Division III Northeast Regional Championships on Feb. 28-March 1. Springfield will end its season at the NCAA Division III Championships, scheduled for March 13-14.
(Photo courtesy of Springfield College Athletics)