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Golf Golf Men Sports Uncategorized Women

Men’s & women’s golf successful on and off the course

Emily Evancho

Assistant Sports Editor

Both the men’s and women’s golf teams ended their 2012 seasons on somewhat disappointing notes, with both teams showing potential for the upcoming 2013-2014 season.

In April, the men’s team landed fourth place in the Patriot League Championships behind Lehigh, Navy, and Army. Schuyler Stitzer ’14 was named to First Team All-Patriot League Honors after his effort in the championship, placing T-4th. Stitzer’s performance helped to bring his team to its fourth place finish, ending with a final combined score of 929.

The women’s team also swung high in its Patriot League Championship but narrowly missed first place by three strokes, dropping the championship to Lehigh. Bridget Wilcox ’14 finished the championship with a 22-over 232, earning herself a spot on the All-Patriot League Team along with her teammates Lauren Bernard ’14 and Kasha Scott ’14. Bernard also placed T-3rd in the Patriot League Championship, followed by Scott who ended her round in fifth place.

“We’re definitely excited to bounce back from a tough end to last season and take that Patriot League title back from Lehigh,” Jen Lee ’16 said.

“The season will be predicated upon how our upperclassmen lead our freshmen. We have some very talented freshmen who need some leadership and experience. If we get that coupled with sophomore and junior performance, then we may be extremely successful this fall,” Nick Geissler ’16 said.

Despite their endings, the men’s and women’s golf teams scored high in academics. In June, it was announced that six members of the women’s team, Wilcox, Scott, Bernard, Lee, Lexi Klein ’15, and Katie Mancino ’13, qualified for the Patriot League Women’s Golf Academic Honor Roll, requiring a minimum 3.2 GPA to be accepted. Scott and Wilcox were accepted to the five-member Academic All-Patriot League Team in May as well. For the men’s golf team, Stitzer was also accepted into the Patriot League Men’s Golf All-Academic Team in May.

Eager to begin both their academic and golf seasons, the men’s and women’s golf teams will swing into their seasons today. The men’s team will compete in the Colgate Invitational in Hamilton, N.Y. today and tomorrow. The women’s team begins its season today when they compete in the Bucknell Invitational.

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Bison Athlete of the Week Sports

Bison Athlete of the Week: Mayowa Alli ’14

Lauren Boone

Sports Editor

Although the season has just begun, defender Mayowa Alli ’14 is starting off his senior year with a bang. Following his selection as one of three team captains, Alli was chosen to be on the Men’s Soccer 2013 Preseason All-Patriot League Team.

Alli had a stunning 2011 season. As a sophomore, he started every game as left back. Furthermore, he scored seven goals and 16 points, leading his squad and ranking second in the Patriot League for both categories that season. These statistics earned him a reputation as a tough, athletic defender who was key to finishing set plays. He was honored with a selection to First Team All-Patriot League and Second Team All-Mid-Atlantic Region.

Alli’s momentum continued into the 2012 season. He was named to the Men’s Soccer Preseason All-Patriot League Team in 2012, as well. In 15 games, Alli posted two goals and one assist as a defender before a shoulder injury ended his season early. As a result, Alli missed the last five games of the regular season.

“My selection to the Men’s Soccer Pre-Season All-Patriot League Team was a pleasant surprise considering the fact that I had been injured for a large portion of the season last fall. However, putting it into perspective, it doesn’t mean much if I don’t perform and help my team become successful,” Alli said.

Clearly, Alli has his team’s success as his first priority. The squad ranks sixth in the now 10-team league. Despite the challenging schedule, Alli and his team have high hopes and goals for the upcoming season.

“Looking into the season I truly believe we have a strong team and have the ability to surprise a lot of teams who are overlooking us on their schedule. We haven’t won the Patriot League title since my freshman year, and it’s evident that the team has high expectations for the year. Personally, my goal coming into the season is to stay healthy and lead my team through a strong season,” Alli said.

Bison Profile

Hometown: Lanham, Md.

High School: Bishop McNamara

Height/Weight: 6-0/190

Position: Defender

 

Stats

2011 Season

Games: 18

Goals: 7

 

2012 Season

Games: 15

Goals: 2

Categories
News

Uptown to host more Pub Nights and registers

by Rachel Healy

Uptown, the University’s uphill student venue, will adopt several new changes following President John Bravman’s announcement of an updated alcohol policy.

The new policy will increase the number of Pub Nights and make the space at Uptown available to student organizations, according to Director of Campus Activities and Programs Laura Yeckley.

Any BSG, University, or Department-recognized group in good standing, without prior conduct incidents, is eligible to apply via the IN Network to host one register per year before the Monday, Sept. 16 deadline. The University will select three groups through a random drawing.

“[The] new policy is to help meet the demands and [is made] in response to feedback from our student population,” Yeckley said.

Students who are 21 and older will be given the same wristbands at the registers that are used on Pub Nights. The three tabs on the wristbands will be redeemable for an alcoholic beverage of beer or wine, which is funded by the dean of students. Dining Services or Training for Intervention Procedures (TIPS) trained Uptown staff will serve the beverages to students.

The number of Pub Nights will also increase from six to 12.

“We decided to double the amount in response to the popularity of the event and for the needs of our students over 21 who are looking for a casual, safe environment to drink,” Yeckley said.

The number of Pub Nights and registers will be equally balanced with an increase in dry events such as karaoke nights, concerts, and comedians.

“With this policy change, Uptown has more opportunities to put on events that students really want, and will hopefully attract more students from all ends of campus,” Greta Savickaite ’15, Uptown’s assistant manager, said.

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News

Theater Department gets new costume shop

by Brianna Marshall

A new costume studio is set to open in Coleman Hall by mid-September, just in time for the fall theatre season. The larger, well-lit room, a stark contrast to its cramped predecessor, will provide much needed space for design and fittings.

Paula Davis, associate professor and department chair of theatre and dance, hopes that the studio’s move from the backstage of Harvey Powers Theatre to an accessible academic building will contribute to student involvement and understanding of the many hours of work spent on costumes, lighting, and scenery.

Davis stresses that student participants are “not just theatre majors” and that this new space “demonstrates a commitment to the arts” on the part of the University, and she is hopeful that the costume studio will bring to the forefront the dedicated work and hidden aspects of production.

In celebration of the opening of the new costume studio in Coleman 255, an open house will take place during Homecoming Weekend on Saturday, Oct. 24 at 4 p.m. It will feature a guest appearance and book signing by Eric Hart ’01, MFA and professional prop maker.

Pam Miller, costume shop manager, is excited to being working in the new shop.

“It’s a dream come true,” Miller said.

Categories
News

7th Street Cafe no longer open 24/7

By Hannah Paton

Following a joint decision by The University, Bucknell Student Government (BSG) and Bucknell Dining Services, the 7th Street Café will no longer be opened 24 hours a day.

The café’s new hours are 7 a.m. to 2 a.m., seven days a week.

After many semesters of discussion, the decision was made based on much student input and data indicating that few students utilize the 7th Street Café after 2 a.m. and before 7 a.m.

The University concluded that it made little financial sense to staff the café during these hours, and determined that cutting back the hours would allow them to re-distribute the funds in ways that would be able to meet the needs of more students.

One option fueled by the shift of funds was the extension of operational hours in the Bison. According to Associate Dean of Students Kari Conrad and General Manager of Bucknell Dining John Cummins, the change was made in response to student input requesting more late night dining options and 24/7 gathering space.

The administration is very excited about the new dining options and welcomes student feedback.

“Late Night in the Bison and 24/7 hearth space is a direct response to student feedback and we are excited to give it a try. We will certainly look at how the semester progresses and make changes as needed,” Conrad and Cummins said on behalf of everyone involved.

Categories
Beyond the Bison Sports

Beyond the Bison: A New Day?

Julian Dory

Senior Writer

 

For Cam Newton, this could already be make-or-break. The NFL’s 2011 number one overall pick burst onto the scene two seasons ago for the Carolina Panthers, yet failed to show much of the initial flash and fire last season, as both he and the Panthers took a giant step backward.

Perhaps more alarming than the regression in play was the obvious immaturity Newton seemed to show off the field. After the Panthers suffered a loss to the Falcons to fall to 1-3, Newton was both despondent and impolite toward the media after the game. His reaction and comments brought into question his true qualities as a leader. A 7-9 season that included four straight seemingly meaningless wins to close it out certainly hurt Newton’s cause.

Now, after obviously losing the “new kid on the block” limelight to last year’s incredible rookies Andrew Luck, Russell Wilson, and Robert Griffin III, Newton enters his third campaign with less spotlight but even higher standards and expectations than ever before.

The positives are simple: Newton is a physical specimen. At 6-foot-5 and 245 pounds, anyone that can run a 4.58 40-yard dash has a chance to be special. And Newton’s arm strength? It’s second to none. While he has struggled with his accuracy, he does seem to have all the physical tools to become one of the great quarterbacks in the NFL—but his mental fortitude is absolutely a question mark.

Can Newton bring out the leadership that helped him take college football by storm when he led the undefeated Auburn Tigers to a National Championship in his only season as a starter? Can he positively translate the confidence that led him to proclaim his wish to not just be a star but a “brand” to NFL scouts at a pre-draft visit (a controversial comment that raised question marks to some at the time)?

Time will have to tell, but Newton’s play will be the overriding factor of it all. He must play well in the 2013 season. He has to prove that he is a mature franchise cornerstone by showing mental toughness and the highest standards of leadership in the low times that inevitably arise in almost every NFL season.

In Newton’s defense, the Panthers’ roster has not done him many favors. He sits behind a middle-of-the-pack offensive line, at best, with an over-the-hill running back DeAngelo Williams. Then, except for the old (but still very good) Steve Smith on the flanks, Newton has no one else. His “weapons” certainly are not up to the standards of last year’s star rookies.

The public knows this: he has some leeway. They may not be a playoff team. But the kid simply has to play consistently over a 16-game season, limit turnovers, and make solid play-by-play decisions.

If he does that, there’s no telling how far he can go once he gets a couple solid players around him. But if it is more of the same 2012 Cam Newton in 2013, get ready for the downpour of criticism that will most certainly follow.

It is early, but with Cam’s history of getting flustered by the media, 2013 could be the most important season of his life.

Categories
Cross Country Men Sports

McGowan paces men’s XC in first meet of the new season

Thomas Walter

Senior Writer

The Bison Open started and ended before any real competition could emerge for the Orange and Blue as Michael McGowan ’15 and John Dugan ’15 led the team to an easy win in the first meet of the year on home turf. The Bison finished the three-mile race with runners in the top nine positions.

McGowan finished in 14:42 and Dugan followed, finishing in 14:49.

“Last year I was injured so I didn’t live up to any of my expectations,” McGowan said.  “My individual expectations are First Team All-Patriot League and then to compete for a spot at NCAA regional. The win this past weekend was an important way to start the season.”

McGowan knows that he will have to run against teammate Dugan before the season ends.  Dugan, who finished second last weekend, competed for a spot at Nationals last season. He will be a good teammate for McGowan to compete with and measure himself against throughout the season.

As happy as McGowan was with his individual performance, he and the team realize it was an easy start to the season. The race was a mere 5k compared to the typical 8k or 10k runs that determine the success of season.

“When it comes to 8k and 10k you have to be used to running tired, but I think we need to learn how to run in packs better,” McGowan said. “Some of the guys who run shorter distances need to become more comfortable running the longer races in order for us to succeed.”

The Bison will travel to Penn State to run in the Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational on Sept. 13.

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Uncategorized

“World’s End” proves to be a must-see

Andrew Marvin

Contributing Writer

“The World’s End” is in many ways the most mature movie to come out in the last few years. It isn’t a depressing, melancholic drag; it’s a highly entertaining romp that just happens to have something important to say. It views modern society through a skewed lens and picks it apart with a deft, humorous hand. “The World’s End” is not perfect, of course, but in a world where soulless drivel tends to dominate theaters, a movie that makes us think and feel something is rare.

This movie caps off the Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy, the brainchild of director Edgar Wright and stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. All three movies, including “Shaun of the Dead” and “Hot Fuzz,” function on a basic level as parodies of a familiar genre. “The World’s End” might best be classified as a science-fiction spoof, though that would be selling it short. It is a satire that discusses the pleasures and pains of individuality, the dangers of conformism, and the difficulty of moving on from past failures. It borrows liberally from just about every significant science-fiction movie, such as “Invasion of the Body Snatchers,” “Blade Runner,” and even “The Thing,” but it becomes something all its own. Where so many other social satires view their subjects with detachment, “The World’s End” looks at everything with sentimentality and thoughtfulness. There are no cheap shots here; every gag and reference says something about the characters or the world around them.

Like “Shaun of the Dead” and “Hot Fuzz,” “The World’s End” is surprisingly touching. Viewers come to feel something for the core figures in the story, though they function more as actual characters than caricatures, unlike in the previous two movies in the trilogy. Everybody plays an archetype, but they play their archetypes well enough to make them feel like real, fleshed-out people. Central to the story are Frost and Pegg, playing a straight man and a comedic foil, respectively, in a reversal of the formula that the last two movies used to such great effect. It still works. Frost plays a fine corporate type who has started to lose his soul to the constraints of modern society, while Pegg gets to showcase his dramatic ability in addition to his comedic timing. Both characters develop in subtle, sensible ways.

That’s not to say that “The World’s End” is focused entirely on these men and their personal trials. There are plenty of chases and fight scenes, which are overproduced but flashy enough to keep your interest during the movie’s slower sections. The choreographers who worked with the film’s cast had past experience with Jackie Chan, and it shows. Even though everything revolves around the five main characters getting drunker and drunker, they remain strangely coordinated and capable of taking on small armies of robotic doppelgangers. Does it make sense? Not really, but it’s fun to watch.

Unfortunately, the movie’s pacing starts to peter off in the third act. It becomes grim, and though it is still fun, it seems more focused on hammering down its themes than bringing things to a natural, unforced conclusion. The comedy is still there, but it is subdued. “Shaun of the Dead” and “Hot Fuzz” also suffered from third act tonal changes and plot twists. Though hints are dropped throughout the first 80 minutes as to the true nature of the invasion, the bulk of the mystery is solved in the last 30, and all of the characters’ problems are either wrapped up in haste or left unsolved.

Even if “The World’s End” disappoints in the last act, everything before it is so well-made that it doesn’t even matter. It might be hard to choose what to see when theaters are packed with such critical darlings as “Planes,” “Kick-Ass 2,” and “The Mortal Instruments,” but I’d recommend seeing “The World’s End” over anything else that has come out in the last three months. It feels as though it was made with some purpose besides raking in money, and it’s too entertaining to pass up.

Categories
Men Sports Tennis Tennis Women

Men’s and women’s tennis look forward to upcoming season

Jen Lee

Contributing Writer

Both coming off of successful seasons, the men’s and women’s tennis teams have been preparing all summer to capture the Patriot League title this fall.

After only a few days of practice, the Bison are already looking ahead to their future matches and are preparing appropriately. Last year’s Patriot League Rookie of the Year Nick Bybel ’16, capped off his successful summer season with a singles and doubles victory at the UNCG ITA Summer Circuit Event in Greensboro, N.C. After finishing last year’s season on a strong note with a 6-0 victory over Bloomsburg, the Orange and Blue have their hopes set on winning the Patriot League Championship.

“We had one of our most successful seasons last year and we came up a little short,” Bybel said. “This year the guys have come back even hungrier for the Patriot League title, and I feel that our team is ready to claim it.” 

With the championship in its sight, the team is practicing hard under the guidance of its new co-captains, Aidan Lynch ’14 and Kyle Rosen ’14, and is ready to start its season off strong.

The women’s tennis team also has its sights set on a Patriot League Championship victory after a disappointing end to last season, falling 4-0 to Navy in the Patriot League semifinals. This year’s team is excited for the season, hoping the returning players, along with the new first-years, can carry them to victory.

“I think it will be a great tennis season since we have both returning players and a few new players,” Stephanie Pino ’16 said. “We look forward to a successful and fun tournament season.” 

The two-time co-captains Elena Vidrascu ’14 and Elizabeth Morgan ’14 look to build off the successes of last year and to earn themselves a spot in Patriot League history.

Categories
Men Soccer Sports

Men’s soccer defeated at season opener

Ajan Caneda

Copy Editor

All-Patriot League player Chris Thorsheim ’16 posted two first-half goals for the men’s soccer team in its season opener on Aug. 30, but Canisius pulled off a stunning comeback and came away with a 3-2 overtime victory at Emmitt Field.

Thorsheim scored his first goal in the 24th minute, as Austin Lenart ’17 won the ball in the middle of the field and delivered his first collegiate assist to Thorsheim, resulting in a highlight reel 30-yard goal that landed in the upper left corner of the net. The Orange and Blue pulled ahead further after Thorsheim stole the ball away and scored off the breakaway. Canisius shifted the momentum in its favor with a 30-yard goal of its own in the 40th minute.

“I thought how the goals were scored were far different from how the game was played, but that is soccer. Canisius controlled the early parts of the game and then we scored two quick goals from Chris Thorsheim. After the goals we started to play better and control things more. However, just before the half, Canisius took control of a team defensive lapse and scored to make it 2-1 at half instead of 2-0,” head coach Brendan Nash said.

In the second half, the Bison had a 13-5 shot advantage but were unable to convert on their attempts. Another goal by the Golden Griffins in the 63rd minute brought the game to a 2-2 standstill. The Orange and Blue had several chances at the go-ahead goal, including attempts from Justin Galiani ’17 and Jesse Klug ’16, but the Canisius defense protected the tie heading into overtime.

“The problem in the beginning of the second half was our lack of energy. We came out unorganized and it came back to bite us. After they scored their second goal we woke up and created quite a few quality chances. Unfortunately we were not able to capitalize on them,” Thorsheim said.

Canisius completed the comeback in the sixth minute of overtime, nailing a difficult goal in the far post to steal the win.

Goalie Mike Lansing ’16 finished the game with three saves. The Orange and Blue held a 22-15 shot advantage, but it was Canisius’ lone shot in overtime that clinched the match.

“I think that our ability to create chances was one of the major positives we can take from this game. I think our outside backs were great offensively and defensively during this game as well. Our ability to get wide and start the attack with them looks promising,” Thorsheim said.

The Bison continue their homestand this weekend, as they face Buffalo tonight at 7 p.m.  followed by a match against La Salle on Sept. 8 at 2 p.m.

“The biggest positive was the size and energy of our home crowd. Holmes Stadium can be a great place for our students and community to show their school spirit. Friday night it was a great atmosphere. We hope that trend will continue for our next three home games next week,” Nash said.