Issue #53 - Spring 2013

RHODE ISLAND COLLEGE ANCHOR NOTES
The Official Newsletter of Rhode Island College Intercollegiate Athletics
Or visit us at: www.GoAnchormen.com
Vol. XIV No. 3
Providence, Rhode Island
Men’s Basketball Wins Little East Title
Anchormen Head to NCAAs for Seventh Straight Season
Led by Head Coach Bob Walsh, the Rhode Island College men’s basketball team
posted another highly successful season en route to their seventh consecutive NCAA
Tournament appearance, while earning a bevy of accomplishments along the way.
After registering another 20-win season in 2011-2012, RIC faced the possibility of
going through a rebuilding year, especially after losing seniors Mike Akinrola and Mason Choice, two All-LEC performers. Yet, led by the likes of senior guard Tahrike Carter (see page 2) and sophomore forward Chris Burton, the Anchormen countered with
one of the best seasons in program history, as the team notched its seventh consecutive
20-win campaign and tied the program record for single-season conference victories.
After opening the season with an exhibition contest at Division I Providence College on Nov. 3, in which the Anchormen held a 25-24 lead at halftime, RIC opened the
regular season with seven straight victories. The early-season run was highlighted by a
68-44 thrashing of then-No. 1 MIT at The Murray Center on Nov. 29.
Following a pair of losses in early December to Eastern Connecticut and WPI, the
resilient Anchormen quickly rebounded with nine straight victories through the end of
December and into January, including a thrilling 58-55 win at home against LEC rival
Keene State. After finally slipping against eventual National Champion Amherst in late
January, the Anchormen bounced back with six straight victories to close out the regular
season with a 22-3 record overall.
RIC entered the LEC Tournament as the No. 1 seed and quickly dispatched
eighth-seeded UMass Dartmouth, 62-58, in the First Round to earn homecourt advantage through the remainder of the tournament. The Anchormen followed with a 61-47
victory over fourth-seeded Southern Maine in the semifinals to advance to their seventh consecutive Little East Conference Tournament Championship game. In an actionpacked thriller between two bitter LEC rivals, RIC took down third-seeded Keene State,
60-53, in the title game on Feb. 23 to earn its first Little East Conference Tournament
Championship since 2011.
After clinching its sixth Little East Conference Regular Season Championship in
the last nine years and its fifth Little East Conference Tournament Championship in the
last nine years, Rhode Island College drew a date with Hobart in the First Round of
the 2013 NCAA Div. III Men’s Basketball Tournament. In what proved to be a thrilling
back and forth affair at The Murray Center, Rhode Island College narrowly escaped
with a 62-59 overtime victory to advance to the round of 32. However, RIC’s run came
to a halt in the Second Round as Morrisville State knocked off the Anchormen, 66-61,
in overtime.
Defense was the name of the game for the Anchormen this season. At the conclusion of its season, RIC ranked third nationally in both scoring defense (56.1 points
per game) and three-point field goal percentage defense (27.7%), while ranking eighth
in field goal percentage defense (37.8%). Furthermore, Rhode Island College held its
opponents 55 points or less 17 times and held its opponents to 50 points or less on 10
different occasions.
Winter Review/Spring Preview April 2013
BREAKING NEWS: RIC TO FACE FRIARS IN 2013
The 2013-14 Rhode Island College men’s basketball season will
kick off on Saturday, Nov. 2 when the Anchormen square off against
Div. I Providence College at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center for the second
consecutive season.
More details to follow in future issues of The Anchor Notes and on
GoAnchormen.com.
Rhode Island College basketball is no stranger to March
Madness, and as of late, March
Madness has been no stranger to
Rhode Island College.
In fact, Rhode Island College has hosted the NCAA Tournament quite often over the past
HOSTING
seven years due to the amazing
THE NCAA
success that the athletic program
has grown accustomed to.
TOURNAMENT
After hosting the First and
Second Round of the NCAA Div.
III Men’s Basketball Tournament
in 2007 and 2009, as well as the first two rounds of the NCAA Div. III Women’s
Basketball Tournament in 2012, the Big Dance returned to The Murray Center once
again in 2013. The Anchormen were picked to host the first two rounds of the 2013
Div. III NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament this season after RIC closed out the
regular season as one of the top teams in the nation.
The Murray Center was jam-packed on back-to-back Saturday nights in earlyMarch, as fans were treated to a pair of thrilling overtime contests between Rhode
Island College and Hobart on March 2, and then against Morrisville State on March
9.
Of course, no one can forget the tremendous run the RIC softball program
was on from 2007-11 as the Anchorwomen qualified for the NCAA Tournament
five times and hosted the event five times as well.
With the way RIC continues to shine on the national stage, the NCAA Tournament will surely be making its way back to Providence in the near future.
WALSH NAMED A FINALIST FOR
NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR AWARD
Following another banner season at the helm
of the Rhode Island College men’s basketball program,
Head Coach Bob Walsh was named a finalist for the
2013 Glenn Robinson National Coach of the Year.
The award named after the longtime Franklin &
Marshall coach Glenn Robinson and is presented annually to the top Div. III men’s basketball coach.
“Wow, it’s a great honor to even be mentioned for
an award like that,” Walsh said. “To be in the same company with some of the best college basketball coaches
in the country is quite a thrill. I go back to the trust and
commitment of our players, and the way they challenged
me to be great every day this year. I’m very fortunate to
coach the kids I get to coach every day.”
So far this year, Walsh has received the Jim Baron
Div. III Coach of the Year by the Rhode Island Basketball Media and was named the Little East Conference
Coach of the Year for the third time in his career.
RIC Athletic Sponsors
RIC Athletic News
2013 ALL-AMERICAN GUARD TAHRIKE CARTER
The 2012-2013 campaign proved to be a historic season for senior point guard Tahrike
Carter. Four years removed from joining Bob Walsh’s program as a bright-eyed freshman from
Brooklyn who had to fight for playing time on a stacked roster, Carter rewrote the record books
at Rhode Island College during his final season with the team en route to becoming one of the
most decorated men’s basketball players in Anchormen history.
Carter was the engine of the 2012-2013 Anchormen, a team that ranked among the best in
country defensively and established its dominance in the Little East Conference as the league’s
top program. The senior captain was RIC’s anchor on and off the floor. Without his leadership
and determination, Rhode Island College may have missed out on its seventh straight NCAA
Tournament appearance, and could very well have been without its fifth Little East Conference
Tournament Championship in the last five years.
Carter’s impact on the program clearly stood out, both regionally and nationally, as the 6’2”
floor general from New York City earned a plethora of awards for his performance on the season.
For starters, Carter was one of four Rhode Island College men’s basketball players to earn AllLittle East honors earlier this season and was named the 2013 Little East Conference Player of
the Year, the Defensive Player of the Year, First Team All-Little East and named to the league’s
All-Defensive Team.
He became the first player in league history to earn Player of the Year, Defensive Player of
the Year and Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors in the same season, and joins former
RIC standout Bobby Bailey as the only other player to win Little East Conference Player of the
Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors in the same season.
Not only did Carter establish himself as one of the greats in Little East Conference men’s
basketball history, but his work was recognized on a national level as well. The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) named Carter a 2013 Second Team All-American, making him one of only four All-Americans in Rhode Island College men’s basketball history and the first to earn the honor since Alex Butler in 1997. D3Hoops.com rewarded Carter with Third Team All-American
honors as well, after he averaged 10.7 points, a team-high 6.6 rebounds, a team-leading 3.7 assists, and 1.7 steals per game for the Anchormen this season.
He was named First Team All-Northeast District by the NABC and First Team All-Northeast Region by D3Hoops.com as well. In addition, Carter
was chosen to participate in the 2013 NABC Reese’s Division III College All-Star game and also received the Steve McDonald Div. III Player of the
Year Award at the annual Cox Sports Rhode Island Basketball Media Awards Luncheon.
It’s safe to say it was a banner year for Carter, who was the only member of the Anchormen to start in all 30 games this season and is currently
the all-time leader in games played at Rhode Island College with 118 contests under his belt. Although he has established himself as one of the most
decorated players in program history, it is his toughness and work ethic that embody what Rhode Island College basketball is all about.
JAIMEE DORSEY EARNS ALL-AMERICAN HONORS IN THE 400M
Anchorwomen Relay Team Qualifies for NCAA Championships
Freshman Jaimee Dorsey, along with classmate
Autumn Wosencroft, sophomore Daria Braboy and junior Natasha Miller, qualified for the 2013 NCAA Div.
III Women’s Indoor Track & Field Championships in the
4x400m relay.
The quartet finished 10th in the nation with a time
of 3:54.86. Dorsey and Braboy also qualified as individual competitors in the 400m, with Dorsey taking fourth
to earn All-American honors in that event.
The accolades for the East Greenwich, R.I. native didn’t stop there as she was tabbed the Little East
Women’s Indoor Track & Field Rookie of the Year for her
dominant performance throughout the 2012-13 season.
Along the way, Dorsey was the N.E. Champion in
the 400m after finishing in first place with a time of 57.87
and earned All-New England honors in the 200m with a
third place finish and a time of 25.88 at the 2013 N.E. Div.
III Championships on Feb. 16.
Dorsey earned N.E. Alliance honors in three events, as she was the Alliance Champion in
the 400m (57.06) and also captured the LEC title by finishing second overall in both the 55m with
a season-high time of 7.34 and the 200m (25.96) at the N.E. Alliance Championships on Feb. 10.
She broke the program records in the 60m, 200m, 400m as well as the 4x200m, 4x400m and
4x440yd relays.
A RIC COACHING PINNACLE
Bob
Walsh
just wrapped up his
eighth season as
Rhode Island College’s head men’s basketball Coach.
With the Anchormen’s 26-4 effort in ’12-13, Walsh’s
career record now
stands at 184-54
and he is second alltime in wins, having
passed legendary RIC Athletic Hall of Famer Bill
Baird (168-97) earlier this winter.
Walsh, who’s winning percentage is the best
in school history (77 percent), is 63 wins behind
RIC Athletic Hall of Famer James Adams (247287) for the top spot all-time at RIC.
To put it in perspective, it took Adams 21
years and Baird 16 seasons to accumulate their
win totals. Baird’s teams averaged 11 wins and
Adams’ squads averaged 11.8 victories per season.
Walsh’s teams have reached the postseason
in all eight of his campaigns and RIC has won five
Little East Regular Season and five Tournament
Championships.
RIC Athletic News
NEW FACES AROUND THE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT
Meet the Coaches Events
There are a number of new staff and coaches in the Rhode Island College athletic department
who you might have noticed around The Murray Center this winter and here’s a chance to get to know
some them a little better.
Greg O’Connor came on board in January as the department’s Assistant Athletic Director for Development.
O’Connor will provide oversight for all marketing,
sponsorships and development programs. O’Connor will also
work in unison with Anchor Club Executive Director Tony
Rainone in increasing membership opportunities to one of
the department’s most important initiatives.
“I’m very excited to join the athletic department at
Rhode Island College,” the Cumberland, R.I. native said.
“This institution has a great reputation throughout the region
because of its academics, athletic programs and quality staff.
I’m looking forward to enhancing the student athlete’s experience here.”
The 2004 UMass Amherst graduate was most recently the sports director for the Hockomock
Area YMCA in Foxboro, Mass. from 2008 to 2012. O’Connor directed all aspects of the sports department’s day-to-day activities, including fund raising and special events, as well as the organization of all
youth and adult programming such as leagues, tournaments and camps.
Justin Sjovall is the new Assistant Athletic Director
for Sports Medicine and Club Sports. Sjovall will oversee all
aspects of sports medicine at Rhode Island College and will
provide day to day oversight for the department’s new and exciting initiative with the advent of club sports. The department
currently has five club sports, involving almost 100 students
and will be adding additional club sports in the near future.
“I am excited to join the RIC athletics staff,” said Sjovall.
“It’s an ideal position for me and I’m eager to provide a fresh
perspective and enthusiasm to enhance our programs.”
Sjovall, a Sioux City, Iowa native, earned a master’s degree in sports administration from the University of Minnesota in 2003. Sjovall spent 10 years as the Head Athletic Trainer at North Park University in Chicago,
where he was responsible for the oversight of all athletic training services.
Former All-American pitcher Nicole Riley has taken over as the Head Softball Coach for the
legendary Maria Morin who stepped down in the fall after 18 seasons guiding the Anchorwomen.
“I am more than excited and proud to rejoin my family at Rhode Island College and to be a part
of an amazing program,” Riley said. “I have a lot of work ahead of me, but luckily I have had the
honor and privilege of playing for Coach Morin, so it’s helpful to refer back to a solid foundation of
tradition, team unity and championships.”
Riley wrapped up her spectacular career as
an Anchorwoman in 2007. In total, she appeared
in 122 career games, starting 98 of them. Riley
posted a 77-20 record to go along with five saves,
a 1.54 ERA, 600 strikeouts, 59 complete games
and 23 shutouts. She is Rhode Island College’s alltime leader in career appearances, games started,
wins and shutouts. Riley ranks second in innings
pitched, strikeouts, and relief appearances, while
ranking fourth in complete games and career ERA.
As a senior, Riley was named a Second Team
All-American by the National Fastpitch Coaches
Association (NFCA). She was also named the Cox
Sports Television Rhode Island Female Athlete of
the Year, First Team All-New England, the Little
East Conference’s Co-Pitcher of the Year and garnered First Team All-Little East honors. At the
time, Riley established the longest consecutive winning streak in NCAA Div. III softball history (43
games), which began on Mar. 17, 2006 and ended
on Apr. 22, 2007. Furthermore, as a junior in 2006,
Riley was the Little East Conference Pitcher of the
Year, a First Team All-LEC selection and a First
Team All-NEISCA All-Star.
The summer weather is just around the corner and
the athletic department will be sponsoring several “Meet the
Coaches” nights at various locations in the coming months.
Get a chance to socialize with the RIC coaches, while
enjoying the scenery and the camaraderie of fellow alumni,
Anchor Club members and fans.
The events dates and locations are:
Tara’s Tipperary Tavern: Friday, June 7 (5:30 - 7:30 p.m.)
907 Matunuck Beach Road, Matunuck, R.I.
Blount Clam Shack: Monday, July 22 (5:30 - 7:30 p.m.)
335 Water Street, Warren, R.I.
Whiskey Republic: Tuesday, August 20 (5:30 - 7:30 p.m.)
515 South Water Street, Providence, R.I.
Please contact Tony Rainone at [email protected] or
(401) 456-8260 for more information.
at Valley
Country
Club
Athletic Department Chatter
Sophomore Abbie Leazes from the women’s swimming team is the
daughter of political science professor Dr. Francis Leazes...Abbie helped
break eight program records this winter and earned All-Little East honors in
the 400-yard IM...freshman Sarah Goodwin was a starter on the women’s
tennis team this past fall at No. 3 and 4 singles and finished second on the
team in doubles wins...Sarah, who is playing women’s lacrosse this spring, is
the daughter of Francis “Buddy” Goodwin ’76 who is a former men’s basketball and baseball player...Tom DeCiantis from the men’s basketball team is
the son of former Stonehill Head Coach David DeCiantis...former Assistant
Athletic Director Frank Anzeveno’s ’81 son, Joey, is a junior infielder on the
Lynn University baseball team...All-American guard Tahrike Carter will be
graduating this summer and is looking to pursue professional opportunities
in Europe.
Anchor Club Members
2012-13
Golden Anchor
Anonymous
Frank Anzeveno ’81
Jo-Ann Avedisian ’80
Paul ’69 & Denise Bourget
Dave Chirico
Scott & Rae Ann Chrane
Vin Cullen ’55
Buddy Goodwin
Jeanne Haser-Lefond
Bob Mantia ’67
Lloyd & Terri Matsumoto
Steve Luther & Dolores Passarelli ’74
Dr. John Nazarian ’54
Dr. Gary Penfield
Elizabeth Penkala ’79
Art Pontarelli ’71
Tony Rainone ’73
Dr. Philip J. Reilly
All-American
James & Joan Billington
John & Diane Carey
Darrin & Kristine Cummiskey
Dr. Richard & Jean Dickson
Catherine Farias
Darlene & John Florio
Jon Sciambi
Don Tencher
Chris Tribelli ’79
James Wade ’69
James White Jr. ’74
Charlie ’64 & Carolyn Wilkes
All-Conference
Bob ’58 & Ann Berlam
Rusty & Carole Carlsten
Larry Gibson ’75
John Harrington ’71
Richard Jendzejec
Bob Fuoroli ’68
Michael Kennedy ’70
Bill ’67 & Judy McCaughey
Andrew & Joan McKeon
Anthony Ventetuolo ’71
Kelly & George Laiho
Natalie Major ’56
Richard Rouleau ’68
Ralph Wilkes
Coach
Art Bentley ’75
Andreas Brackett
Paul Brooks
Paul Carcieri
Brian Carn ’95
John J. Collins
Anthony & Karen Costa
Crist Costa
Barbara Creedon ’70
Anthony Crudale
Dr. Robert Cvornyek
Fran D’Agata
Jeanne & Dave D’Agostino
Jo-Ann D’Alessandro ’88
George D’Amico ’59
Claudia DeFaria ’96
Tim Duffy ’78
Pete Emond ’69
Peter Evangelista
Ron ’61 & Helen Felber
Tim Geary ’75
Dave Hanson
Tom Jacobson ’73
David Lapatin
Lou Loughery ’66
Steve Lynch ’82
John & Laurie Madore
Richard Magarian ’62
Jeanne Maggiacomo
Richard Maggiacomo
Carl McCurdy ’97
Joe Menard ’60
Wanda Miglus
Dave Moore ’59
Matt O’Brien
Thomas Payne
Captain
Joe Aguiar ’60
Jack Amaral ’68
Richard Angell
Bill Baird
Jane Barrette ’70
Jack Boudreau ’71
Paul Carcieri
Patricia Carlson
David Charest ’71
Sarah Chrane ’12
Cesare Cima
Jonathan Conklin
Joe Conley
John & Jeanne Connolly
Dom & Paula Coro ’85
Andrew ’96 & Danielle Coughlin
Gail H. Davis
Al DeAndrade ’59
Roland Deneault ’59
Lt. Col. Barbara Doncaster ’88
Mike Enos ’89
Chip Fantozzi ’68
William Fields ’01
Kim Foley
Matt Giarrusso ‘80
Ron Gillooly ’82
Dave Gollaher
Donna Haab
Ray Huelbig ’72
Ed Jones ’72
Kathy Kelley-Luther ’82
Jeffrey & Lisa Kelly
Brad Maker
Anthony Mancini ’62
Bobby Marchand ‘68
Russell Masse
Bob McCorry
Jim McGetrick ’69
Kay McGowan
David McKenna
Wanda Miglus
Walter Mourninghan ’86
Mr. & Mrs. Al Nixon
C. Jensen Ortega
Maureen Pinksaw ’80
Brian Rawnsley
Ron Razza ’67
Nick Rivello
Butch Roche ’67
Richard & Debbie Siravo
Kathleen Sullivan ’75
Ron Sutherland
Ralph Tomasso
E.J. Wholey
Ken & Leslie Pokora
Christine Royal ’72
Jim Sala ’71
Rev. John Soares ’83
Roger Vierra ’56
Manuel Vinhateiro ’69
Varsity
Newton Allen ’62
Darlene Andrews
Mayor Scott Avedisian
Scott Baum, Sr.
Ray Beattie Jr.
Matt Bergeron ’05
Sam Besachio ’70
Richard Brassard ’56
Paul Choquette
Frank Cotoia
Elizabeth & Joseph Covino
Gigi Culbertson ’99
Jack DeGiovianni ’83
Paul Donovan ’51
Barbara Doorley ’92
Linda Dorgan
Jacqueline Duvall ’85
Cynthia Falcone
Richard Gazebien
Allen ‘66 & Rosemary Heustis ’67
Ed Hynes
Robert & Kathleen Kells
Dave Kemmy ’85
James Kinder ’62
Robert Larkin
Anthony Leonelli
George & Diane Linnane
Karen Mailloux
Dennis McGovern
Pamela Martin-Mitchell
John Mello
John Moniz
Lizbeth O’Brien
Mary O’Connell
John & Lisa Paolino
Ron Payette ’72
Carl Pecchia
Lawrence Reynolds
Ellen Rieman
Mike Romano
John Ryan ’54
Fred Santaniello ’67
Arthur Sepe ’79
John Smaldone, Jr.
Bob Smith
Michael Smith
Elysce Tackmann
Michael Valois
Arthur & Pauline Viens
Scott Virgulak ’03
Bob Walsh
George Webster ’77
Membership year runs from July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013.