Spring 2014 - Southern Connecticut State University

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OWL
for the Team behind the Team
• SPRING UPDATE 2014
Changing of the Guard
A familiar face is taking over the
Southern football program.
Tom Godek, ’88, a former Owls’
captain and the team’s offensive
coordinator for the last 13 seasons,
was recently named as the sixth head
football coach in the history of the Owls’
program. Rich Cavanaugh announced
his retirement last fall after 29 years at
the helm and 32 years as a member of
the coaching staff.
“Tom has been an integral member
of our coaching staff for the past 13
years and we look forward to him
assuming the role as our next head
coach,” said Director of Athletics Patricia
Nicol. “Through his previous experiences
as a student-athlete and assistant
coach here at SCSU, Tom has played
a pivotal role in some of the most
successful campaigns and moments in
our decorated history. We look forward
to having Tom lead our program into a
new era of Owls’ football.
“Rich Cavanaugh has left an indelible
mark on both our football program
and our institution as a whole over
more than three decades of service to
Southern,” Nicol continued. “Over the
course of his tenure, he guided our
program to newfound heights on the
playing field, in the classroom and in
the community.
“The impact that
coach Cavanaugh has
had on thousands of
student-athletes goes
far beyond the wins
and losses. Through
his commitment and
dedication, our institution
has been impacted in
such a profound way. I
thank Rich for his service
to Southern and wish him
and his wife, Carol, all the
best in retirement.”
Cavanaugh concluded
his career as the
winningest (170 victories)
and longest tenured head coach in
program history. He recorded 19
winning seasons on the Owls’ sidelines,
highlighted by four consecutive NCAA
championship appearances from 200508.
“It has been a great honor to serve
as the head football coach at Southern
From the Director
of Athletics
Dear Owl Club
Members:
I offer my
greetings as
we begin the
homestretch for the
2013-14 academic
year. Our winter
teams collectively
enjoyed a successful season across
the board, and our baseball, softball,
women’s lacrosse, and men’s and
women’s outdoor track and field
programs will look to cap off another
stellar campaign.
As a department, we remain on pace
to finish among the top 20 percent of
all Division II programs in the Learfield
OWL CLUB
for the past 29 years,” Cavanaugh said.
“The success that we have enjoyed as
a program over that time has been the
by-product of support from an extensive
group of individuals.
“I want to thank everyone affiliated
with our administration during my
time here at SCSU, beginning with
Ray DeFrancesco and stretching up to
today with the great support from our
university President Dr. Mary Papazian
and Director of Athletics Pat Nicol.
“I also want to thank all of the
assistant coaches and student-athletes
who have been a part of our program
during my time here at SCSU. Each and
every one has had a profound impact
on my life. I am forever grateful for
their hard work and dedicated efforts to
making our program and our university
the best it could be.”
Southern claimed its first NCAA
playoff victory during the 2007 season
Coach continued on Page 9.
Courting Success
Page 3
Sports Directors Cup. This will mark the
eighth straight year that we’ve finished
with that distinction.
I offer my congratulations to Ray
Cswerko of the men’s swimming and
diving team for winning an NCAA
individual championship in the 200-yard
butterfly and Nick Lebron of the men’s
indoor track and field team for capturing
his second NCAA title in three years in
the heptathlon. I encourage you to read
more about these outstanding studentathletes inside this newsletter.
Academic success continues to
go hand-in-hand with our athletic
accomplishments. Our student-athletes
achieved record-setting success last
fall with a combined semester grade
point average of 3.04. A total of 11 of
our teams achieved a team grade point
Director continued on Page 7.
All-Americans
A total of 15 Southern student-athletes have been named
All-Americans in their respective sports as of early April.
The following are the Owl All-Americans:
Men’s Indoor Track
and Field (Left to right.)
• Nick Lebron, heptathlon, 4x400 relay
• Jimm Guerrier,
4x400 meter relay
• Logan Sharpe,
4x400 meter relay
• Twayne Forth,
4x400 meter relay
• Michael Lee, long jump
Men’s Swimming and Diving
• Raymond Cswerko, 400-yard
individual medley, 200-yard butterfly, 200-yard individual medley
Men’s Basketball
• Greg Langston
Women’s Indoor Track and Field
• Michelle Grecni, pole vault
• Jasmine Bien-Aime, 60 meters
Field Hockey
• Sarah Cebry
2
Women’s Soccer
• Suzane Pires
Women’s Swimming
and Diving
• Jessica Renzo, 3-meter diving
Football
• Brian Wilcox
Football
• John Moscatel
Football
• Carlif Taylor
Kings of the Eastern Court
The 2013-14 season will certainly
be one to remember for the men’s
basketball team.
The Owls soared to unprecedented
heights on the hardwood this winter.
Under the direction of fourth-year
head coach Michael Donnelly -- the
2014 National Association
of Basketball Coaches
(NABC) Regional Coach
of the Year -- Southern
posted a school-record
30 victories (against
three losses) and reached
the Elite Eight for the
second time in school
history. Donnelly was
also named NE-10 Coach
of the Year.
Along the way, the
team crossed several
more firsts off of its
bucket list – the first NE10 league title in program
history, followed by its
first NE-10 Tournament
title in school history.
That victory was a
thrilling 73-71 triumph
over rival New Haven in
which senior All-American Greg
Langston hit the game-winning
three-pointer with just over six
seconds to play. The crowd inside
Moore Fieldhouse that afternoon
was the largest in 30 years.
Southern assembled a
school-record 19-game winning
streak to fuel its run to the Elite
Eight, where the Owls lost to
the eventual national champion,
Central Missouri. SCSU ascended
to its highest national ranking
in school history – No. 2 in the
Bennett Rankings – and also
matched its No. 4 position in the
NABC poll.
The team showed its mettle
in March during the NCAA East
Regional, which was also hosted
by SCSU. The Owls trailed in the
second half of each of its three
regional contests, but battled
back to claim victory on each
occasion.
“We’ve accomplished a great
deal in a short period of time at
Southern,” said Donnelly after
the Central Missouri game.
“We hadn’t been in the NCAA
Tournament in over a decade.
We won our regular-season
‘I know that
Southern is very,
very proud of these
guys and so am I.’
~ Coach Donnelly
championship in our conference.
We won our league tournament,
and then to win our region was
a fantastic accomplishment. We
won 30 games. We had a 19-game
winning streak going into the Elite
Eight game. These guys have a lot to
be proud of. I know that Southern is
very, very proud of these guys and so
am I.”
The future looks bright for the
Owls as four starters and 12 studentathletes are expected to return next
year. Langston, the second-leading
scorer in program history, has
exhausted his eligibility. But All-Region
and All-Conference performer Tylon
Smith, captain Luke Houston, 2014
NE-10 Freshman of the Year Michael
Mallory and sharpshooter Deshawn
Murphy figure to play a pivotal role
next year. •••
3
Cswerko Flies to National Championship
Raymond Cswerko had a feeling that
he might win an individual title among
his four swims at the NCAA Division
II Championship in Geneva, Ohio,
last month. The Owls’ junior collected
All-America honors in the 400-yard
individual medley at last year’s event
and was one of the favorites to win this
year’s title.
Cswerko got his national
championship, but had to settle for a
national runner-up mark in the 400
IM. Instead, he touched the wall first
in the 200-yard butterfly to claim the
19th individual title in the history of
Southern’s men’s swimming and diving
program and the first since 2003.
A day after finishing second in the
400 IM, Cswerko led the field by nearly
a full second (1:46.25) to capture his
first NCAA individual title. In total,
he finished this year’s competition
as a three-time All-American for his
performances in the 400 IM, 200
butterfly and a fifth-place finish in the
200-yard individual medley.
A Torrington native, Cswerko was
one of just two Americans to claim
individual titles at this year’s NCAA
Championships. The competition
continues to feature a global mix on an
annual basis. In fact, Marko Blazevski,
who edged Cswerko for the 400 IM
title, is a native of Macedonia and was a
member of its 2012 Olympic team.
“He’s swimming against an
international, world-class field,” said
Owls’ coach Tim Quill, who has now
coached SCSU swimmers to 19 NCAA
titles during his tenure. “I think that
4
makes his performances stick out a little
more.”
Touching the wall first, in that
particular event and on that particular
stage, was an experience that Cswerko
had to absorb quickly.
“Initially, I just had the biggest
rush of adrenaline,” he said. “It’s just a
feeling that I really can’t explain.”
Cswerko joined the Owls for the
2012-13 academic year after competing
for the University of Maryland during his
freshman season. After the Terrapins
dropped their program, he returned to
his native Connecticut to swim for the
Owls.
He made an immediate impact in
his first season with the club, earning
All-America honors and being selected
as Northeast-10 Conference Swimmer of
the Year. The transformation from last
year to this year, though, had been a
point of emphasis for both the studentathlete and his coach.
“I don’t think that the training is
different,” Quill said. “What’s changed
is that Ray is understanding more about
what it takes to be a great athlete.
There’s no question that the work
that he did from the (Northeast-10)
conference meet (in February) to the
national championships was far better
than it was last year.”
Cswerko, also the Most Outstanding
Performer of the Northeast-10
Championship for the second year in a
row, played an integral role in helping
the Owls win their 10th league title in
the last 11 years.
He was the only male swimmer
among all Northeast-10 schools
to qualify for this year’s NCAA
championship. He hopes that will change
next year.
“The personal accomplishments
are good and all, but we’ve really been
building as a team that last few years,”
Cswerko says. “We’re looking to work
together to get better as a team. Next
year, we’d like to send a relay team, and
maybe get a top-10 team score.”
As there was a progression forward
from last year to this year, plans are
already in motion to take the next step
on the national stage in 2014-15.
“It starts now in the offseason,”
Cswerko said. “Everything that you do
now affects what you do during the
season. I’ve got to stay in shape and try
to get even better. I want to try to win
two events next year. Nothing is out of
the realm of possibility.”
Added Quill: “Next year will be a
different year in terms of what the
minimum expectation level is. He did
a better job this year. He worked more
toward goal-oriented type splits because
we thought that he needed to split the
race well. That needs to continue.
“If he puts a solid summer in the pool
and in the weight room, he could be a
player in three or four races next year
and bid for a couple of titles.” •••
Lebron Takes Division II Heptathlon Title
The spot atop the podium was not
new to Nick Lebron. Two years ago,
in Mankato, Minn., he claimed the 2012
NCAA Division II championship in the
heptathlon.
But this year was different. Fueled by
a third-place finish in the competition at
last year’s NCAA championship, Lebron
made sure the results would be even
better. He knew it was the end of a fouryear journey, the last time that he would
compete for the Owls as a member of
the indoor track and field squad.
Bolstered by a year’s worth of
training – both physically and mentally
– Lebron crushed the field with a
Division II record score of 5,765 points
in the seven events to claim the 2014
NCAA title. Along the way, he also set
a new high mark among New England
programs in all three divisions.
Lebron is also an All-American in the
decathlon, which is made of 10 separate
events. Both competitions are grueling
and follow a multiple-day format.
“There’s a lot of preparation that
goes into it,” Lebron said. “It doesn’t
happen overnight. This is a 5-year
deal. You have to be the first one into
the gym and the last one out because
there’s so much to do.
“It has to be a passion of yours. It
can’t just be something that you do
on the side. There are either seven or
10 events that you have to be good in.
That’s something that I take pride in.”
Owls’ coach John Wallin, himself
a former All-American decathlete at
SCSU, lauded Lebron for his competitive
drive in the wake of last year’s thirdplace finish at NCAA’s.
“Winning the national title and
setting the record was a year of
planning,” Wallin said. “Last year, he
scored extremely well and finished
third at the NCAA championships. That
moment when he ended up third and
competed really well, we realized that
we had some flaws to fix the next year.
“This was a year’s worth of training
and planning. It really came together
when it needed to. That’s a testament
to Nick. He’s very good at focusing on
what he needs to do. He’s absolutely a
student of the sport. That’s
not something that’s very
common to be honest with
you. He was able to break
the record because of his
dedication and his focus.”
The climax of Lebron’s
record-setting performance
came in the final event, the
1,000 meters. He had already
wrapped up the national
title, but was also still within
striking distance of setting a
new NCAA record. Always the
aggressor, Lebron went full
bore for the NCAA record and
was able to break the New
England mark.
“I had the competition
pretty much wrapped up
after the hurdles,” Lebron
said. “I just needed to clear
a height in the (pole) vault.
It’s easy to just settle, but I
wanted to score as high as
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possible.
Lebron’s efforts were recognized in
multiple facets, according to Wallin.
“I can’t stress enough how
impressive it (his performance) was,”
Wallin said. “People really took notice
of the way that he competed and how
much better he was this year, how his
approach was so much more aggressive
and calculated at the same time.”
Said Lebron: “It was a rewarding
experience and a euphoric experience.”
•••
o45
The SCSU athletic department continues to
provide extensive information through its social
media platforms, in addition to its official athletics
website, SouthernCTowls.com. Owls’ fans can
follow their teams as games progress with Twitter
updates. Most recently, the Owls created an
Instagram account for their fans before the start
of the 2013-14 academic year. The department’s
YouTube page provides an array of student-athlete
features, as well as game highlights and postgame interviews. In addition, regular updates are
available through the Southern athletics Facebook
page. Fans can check out more on these efforts
at SouthernCTowls.com
5
Sharpe, Elliott Join Conference’s Scholar-Athletes
Two student-athletes were recently
lauded by the Northeast-10 Conference
for their sustained efforts both
athletically and athletically as recipients
of the league’s Scholar-Athlete Sport
Excellence Awards.
Logan Sharpe, who recently
completed his senior season as a
member of the men’s indoor track and
field team, was this
year’s NE-10 Conference
Men’s Indoor Track and
Field recipient.
Previously named to
the NE-10 Conference
All-Academic Team,
Sharpe capped his
collegiate career
with All-America
honors at the NCAA
Championships. In
total, he finishes as an
eight-time All-American.
Sharpe also collected
All-Region and All-New
England laurels for the Owls this year
and was the USTFCCCA Regional Track
Athlete of the Year.
Sharpe is an exercise science major
with a 3.5 grade point average.
Dan Elliot, who recently completed
his junior season as a member of the
men’s swimming and diving team,
was selected as the NE-10 Conference
Logan Sharpe
Men’s Swimming and Diving
recipient.
Elliot was this year’s
NE-10 champ in five events (400-yard
freestyle, 200-yard medley relay, 400yard medley relay, 100-yard butterfly,
200-yard freestyle). He also finished
third in the 200-yard individual medley
and sixth in the 100-yard freestyle.
Elliot recorded five top five finishes at
the Metro Championships, where he was
fourth in the 400-yard medley relay and
Dan Elliot
6
200-yard freestyle, fifth in the 100-yard
butterfly and 200-yard medley relay,
and sixth in the 200-yard butterfly.
Elliot is an exercise science major
with a 3.68 grade point average.
The awards are chosen by a vote of a
committee of athletic administrators and
Faculty Athletic Representatives (FAR).
The NE-10 will honor one student-athlete
per conference-sponsored sport each
year. There will be a total of 23 ScholarAthlete Sport Excellence Award winners
during the course of the academic
year. The conference will announce the
spring sport winners in June.To be
eligible, the student-athlete must
have completed at
least two consecutive
semesters of fulltime enrollment
at their current
institution and at
least two years of
athletic eligibility at
any institution. In
addition, the studentathlete must have a
minimum cumulative
grade point average
of a 3.3. •••
Sport Shorts
Southern Coaches, Athletes Teach Today’s Youth
Nearly 150 youngsters participated
in this year’s “Girls and Women
in Sport” Day – an annual event
coordinated by Southern’s Athletic
Department. The program started
with a series of clinics by Owls’
coaches and more than 100 studentathletes. The participants also
enjoyed a complimentary lunch and
a meet-and-greet and autograph
session with SCSU student-athletes.
This year’s event was sponsored by
the Connecticut Army National Guard.
Director continued from Page 1.
Owls Remain Wise in the Classroom
Post Combined GPA of 3.04
Success in the classroom remained a staple for Southern athletic
programs last fall.
A total of 182 student-athletes were named to the Fall 2013 Northeast-10
Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll. To be eligible for selection, a
student-athlete must have met or exceeded a minimum 3.0 semester grade
point average (on a 4.0 scale) during the semester.
The individual achievement comes in conjunction with a record-setting
semester. Collectively, the Owls’ 395 student-athletes produced a 3.04
semester grade point average, an all-time Southern high.
A total of 11 of the Owls’ 19 athletic programs achieved a team grade
point average of 3.0 or higher. The women’s cross country team posted a
3.6 team GPA to lead all programs, while the men’s swimming and diving
team’s 3.03 GPA was tops among men’s squads.
Fore!
The 25th annual Owl Golf Classic will take place on May 20 at the Lake
of Isles North Course at Foxwoods Resort and Casino. This event provides
an opportunity for alumni, fans and friends to support and encourage the
academic and athletic growth of Southern’s student-athletes. All proceeds
from the tournament will be used for student scholarships and program
enhancements for the Athletic Department.
For more information, or to register, contact
Gregg Crerar at 203-392-5518.
average of 3.0 or higher during the fall
semester. The women’s cross country
team posted a 3.60 team GPA to lead
all programs, while the men’s swimming
and diving team’s 3.03 GPA was tops
among men’s squads that semester.
In addition, our field hockey, women’s
cross country, women’s soccer and
women’s swimming and diving were
recognized for their collective academic
efforts by their respective national
coaching organizations.
Lastly, our student-athletes remain
outstanding ambassadors for Southern
Connecticut State University through
extensive community outreach and
engagement. As a group, they have
volunteered more than 4,000 hours of
their time to ventures both on and offcampus this academic year.
Our annual Girls and Women in Sport
Day event in February was attended
by nearly 150 youngsters who received
instruction from more than 100 studentathletes. I always look forward to seeing
the joy and excitement on the faces
of both the children and the studentathletes every year.
On a final note, as you may know
by now, I will be leaving SCSU after 15
years, the last 10 as director of athletics,
to assume the same post at Emerson
College in Boston later this spring. I
want to thank you for your support over
the course of my time here at SCSU. I
will always have fond memories of my
time as an Owl.
Patricia D. Nicol
Director of Athletics
7
Swim, Track Teams Continue NE-10 Supremacy
A pair of stellar championship
runs continued for both the men’s
swimming and diving team and the
men’s indoor track and field team
during the winter season.
The swimming squad claimed
its 10th Northeast-10 Conference
title in the past 11 years at
Hutchinson Natatorium. Junior
Raymond Cswerko was selected as
the Most Outstanding Swimmer for
the second year in a row.
The track and field team
extended its NE-10 dominance by
capturing its 22nd championship
in the last 23 years. It ran away
from the field at the Reggie Lewis
Center in Boston.
During the following weekend,
Southern cruised past the
competition to capture its
first all-division New England
Championship. •••
8
Point Guard Earns Accolades
Junior guard
Tylon Smith
had a winter to
remember for the
men’s basketball
team.
On the court,
the Owls’ starting
point guard was a
catalyst in a run that culminated
with a final mark of 30-3 and the
second Elite Eight appearance in
program history. He was the only
player in Division II to average at
least 18.5 points, 5 rebounds and
4.5 assists per game this year.
Smith was selected as an All-
Coach continued from Page 1.
under Cavanaugh’s guidance. The
Owls also earned a share of three
Northeast-10 (NE-10) Conference
championships (2006, 2009, 2010).
Cavanaugh coached 148 AllConference selections, 66 All-New
England honorees, 53 All-ECAC
performers, 21 All-Americans, 14
All-Northeast Region picks, six NE-10
Offensive Players of the Year, three
NE-10 Most Valuable Players, three
NE-10 Rookies of the Year, three NE10 Defensive Players of the Year, two
NE-10 Defensive Linemen of the Year,
two Division II-III Gold Helmet Award
winners (Jim Lukowiak in 2005 and
Steve Armstrong in 2007) and two NE10 Offensive Linemen of the Year.
The 2008 NE-10 Coach of the Year,
Cavanaugh finished his career with an
overall mark of 170-131-1 in 29 seasons.
He ranks No. 29 in NCAA Division II
history in coaching victories.
Several Owls moved on to the
National Football League after playing
for Cavanaugh at SCSU, including Joe
Andruzzi (10-year career with the New
England Patriots, Green Bay Packers
and Cleveland Browns; three-time Super
Bowl Champion), Jacques Cesaire (eight
seasons with the San
Coach Cavanaugh
Diego Chargers), Scott
Mersereau (eight
seasons with the New
York Jets) and Travis
Tucker (three seasons
with the Cleveland
Browns).
Godek brings 20
years of coaching
experience to the
position following a
decorated playing
career that culminated
in a free agent signing
with the Jets.
The 2010 Division
II/III Assistant Coach
of the Year by the Gridiron Club of
Greater Boston, Godek took the Owls’
offensive attack to new heights during
his tenure as offensive coordinator. A
total of 68 players on the offensive side
of the ball have been recognized with
All-NE-10 honors since Godek joined the
staff in 2001.
In addition, the Owls have
shattered many offensive marks along
the way. Since his arrival, the club
accumulated new season highs for total
yards, rushing yards, passing yards,
Region and All-Conference performer
for his cumulative athletic efforts,
while also earning Most Outstanding
Player honors during both the NCAA
East Regional and the Northeast-10
Conference Tournament.
He was also selected as a member
of the 2013-14 Capital One Academic
All-America® Division II basketball
team as selected by the College
Sports Information Directors of
America.
The recreation and leisure studies
major carries a 3.68 grade point
average and was named Third-Team
Academic All-America and First-Team
Academic All-District. •••
touchdowns scored
and points scored,
along with a new
program record for
total offense in one
game.
As a studentathlete, Godek played
for the Owls from
1984-87 and was a
two-time All-New
England selection. As
a senior, he served
as team captain and
also took home AllECAC honors.
Before joining
the staff at his
alma mater, Godek coached for seven
seasons (1994-2000) at American
International College as offensive line
coach and assistant to the head coach.
While with the Yellow Jackets, Godek
helped the club win four division titles
en route to four consecutive NE-10
Conference Championship appearances.
AIC claimed the league title on two
occasions. Godek also coached two NE10 Offensive Linemen of the Year, along
with 1999 Harlon Hill Trophy runner-up
Kavin Gaillaird. •••
9