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Charity to benefit Be The Match is combined with Team IMPACT

WILLIMANTIC, Conn. - The Eastern Connecticut State University men's soccer team and alumni will sponsor a Goal-a-Thon to benefit the Be The Match National Marrow Donor Program Saturday, April 20 at 9 a.m. at the Mansfield Outdoor Complex.

All proceeds from the Goal-a-Thon will benefit the Be The Match program in the name of Eastern soccer senior Jon DeCasanova, who was diagnosed with aplastic anemia this past fall and has spent most of the past eight months in the hospital.

The Goal-a-Thon involves Eastern players and alumni divided into teams of 4-6 and will play timed, small-sided games until a combined total of 100 goals are scored.The minimum sponsorship is 5 cents per goal.

Prior to the Goal-a-Thon,  15-year-old Tyler Belfleur of Canterbury will be outfitted in a team uniform and will join team members during official introductions as part of the Team IMPACT! Program.  In June of 2012, Tyler was involved in an ATV accident and sustained brain injury. Since then, he has advanced from a wheelchair to a walk and now needs only a crutch. Prior to the injury, Tyler was active in soccer and basketball, among other sports.

Team IMPACT is a non-profit organization chartered to improve the quality of life for children facing life-threatening illnesses. The goal of the organization is to harness the power of teamwork by matching those courageous kids with college athletic teams. Team IMPACT children are "drafted" onto local college athletic teams and to the greatest extent possible, become "official" members of the team for the duration of their treatment, and beyond.

Tyler will be "drafted" by the Eastern soccer team prior to the Goal-a-Thon.

To support the Goal-a-Thon through a financial contribution, contact Eastern head men's soccer coach Greg DeVito at  860-465-4334 or at devitog@easternct.edu.

 By Jonathan Mizger/Sports Information Staff

The National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) has designated the month of March as National Athletic Training Month.

The theme of the second annual NATA month is Every Body Needs an Athletic Trainer. From the NATA  toolkit, the goal  is "to continue to reach those individuals and organizations that can help make a difference for athletic trainers when it comes to legislation, employment and public health."

At right: Athletic trainer Julie Alexander works recently with baseball catcher Ben Richards, who is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. (Daniela Marchitto photo)

Promoting the awareness of athletic training to people who do not know what athletic trainers do is a key goal that the NATA looks to achieve. Educating people of the importance of athletic trainers and establishing relationships between student-athletes and athletic trainers are things to consider in promoting the awareness.

Eastern Connecticut State University has athletic trainers who work hard without needing any recognition or high praise. The athletic trainers at Eastern are people who are helpful to the student-athletes and make sure each are cleared to play based on the guidelines on handling a specific injury.

Below (from left): Eastern athletic trainers Julie Alexander, Stevie Clines, Tom Holton, Jarrett Sorge.

Athletic trainer Julie Alexander, who graduated from Eastern with a B.S. in Psychology and went on to earn a M.S. in Athletic Training at Old Dominion University, expressed her feelings on the importance of this month and beyond.

"I think that we will carry out our day-to-day functions the same way we always have," said Alexander. "Any athlete that comes in with an illness or an injury that's athletically-related, we care for the same way regardless of whether it's March, April, May, August or September.  I think this month of March is more to promote the field of athletic training to people who don't understand what it is that we do. A lot of people think athletic trainer, they think personal trainer, a strength coach, and while we do have some function in teaching strength and conditioning and techniques, we're also on the field emergency care, injury evaluation, treatment rehabilitation, returning to play concussion management, the list goes on and on."

Alexander, who was hired at her alma mater this past summer after many years at Division I Sacred Heart University, has been proud of helping out the people she has met in her field.

"After 20 plus years, I can tell you that anytime we have an injured athlete, the best day is the day that they return to their field of play," said Alexander.  "That is probably the most exciting thing about what we do, especially if it's an athlete that's been injured, had surgical interventions, has gone through post surgical rehabilitation in our room; returning to play is those days I look forward to. I enjoy every day but those are the days that are special."

As there are upsides, there are downsides for being an athletic trainer. Athletic trainer Tom Holton, who earned a B.S. in Physical Education from Eastern and an M.S.S. in Sports Medicine from the U.S. Sports Academy, noted that he loves his job but dislikes when he lets the student-athlete know the bad news.

"I love doing my job it's just part of the job you hate saying 'you can't play'," said Holton. "I really wish I could come into work every day and not have to do that.. The reality of the fact is that  there's people we have to hold out and tell them 'you're season's over, you got to have surgery' and deal with the emotions of that athlete and how they're going to handle 'my career is over'."

Holton, a staff member since 1999, noted how being able to get the student-athlete to get back in his or her field of play and watching him or her succeed is one of his proudest moments as an athletic trainer.

Eastern director of athletics  Dr. Jeff Konin, another Eastern alum,  has been an athletic trainer and a physical therapist. Konin mentioned how the importance of athletic trainers is not just for the collegiate level, but for all levels of competition.

"The purpose is to bring awareness to the general public, to bring awareness to the public of the importance of athletic trainers and the injury prevention care of the numerous student-athletes that participate in sports in all levels," said Konin. "At the high school level, less than 50 percent of high schools have an athletic trainer, and when every high school has programs but less than half of them have proper ways to care for the kids, that's why an awareness month is there to inform people of what they should be doing to provide appropriate programs. You wouldn't put them out there if you didn't have the fields, you wouldn't put them out there if you didn't have the coaches and you really shouldn't put them out there if you don't have the appropriate medical care for them."

As the spring season is starting to get into full-swing, so are the athletic trainers at Eastern working hard to make sure every student-athlete is evaluated and cleared to play. The month of March will be busy at Eastern with lacrosse, baseball, softball, and track & field. The Eastern athletic trainers will be the unsung heroes in helping our student-athletes,  not only during national NATA month, but every month of the academic year.

"I have the best job in the world," said Alexander. "In this job, you don't sit behind a desk or do the same thing every day . Every day is different , and you get to work with amazing people who you want to see get better when they get injured.. What's better than that?"

Girls and Women in Sports Day and Title IX  to be recognized this week

By Jonathan Mizger/Sports Information Staff

WILLIMANTIC, Conn. -- Female athletics will take center stage this week with the celebration of two major milestones in the advancement of athletic opportunities for women.

Eastern Connecticut State University will be celebrating the 40th anniversary of Title IX as well as  the 27th annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day in a two-day celebration this week.

On Tuesday, Feb. 5, women's basketball will host Western Connecticut State University in a Little East Conference game at 5:30 p.m. at Francis E. Geissler Gymnasium. In recognition of National Girls' and Women in Sports Day, youth, elementary and middle school girls' basketball are invited  to attend the game wearing their team uniform and receive free admission.

The next day, Wednesday, Feb. 6,  the 40th anniversary of Title IX legislation is officially celebrated nationwide.  The legislation which became law on June 23, 1972 changed the landscape of collegiate athletics and reads: "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance."
At 11 a.m. at the Student Center Wednesday, Eastern will showcase the film Hero for Daisy, which is a documentary about two-time Olympian Chris Ernst and her 1976 rowing team at Yale University, which protested the lack of proper facilities for women.

At 3 p.m. in the Paul E. Johnson Room in the J. Eugene Smith Library Wednesday, Eastern is hosting a Title IX forum as part of the University Hour program.

To get more into Title IX, I was given the chance to read a study on how Title IX has made an impact in our nation. From The Status of Women in Intercollegiate Athletics as Title IX Turns 40 by Amy Wilson (Instructor, Education Department of Illinois College and PhD Candidate, Heath and Sports Studies at University of Iowa) stated: "Title IX consists of 37 words that mandated change in American education by making discrimination based on sex illegal thereby expanding access and opportunities for the underrepresented sex, which historically has been women."

Wilson described how Title IX should be supported and considered for continued process. Wilson stated: "The law's 40th anniversary offers us an appropriate occasion to reflect on our own philosophies of intercollegiate sport. If we value sport for young people and champion its many benefits, then we will strive for comparable participation opportunities and treatment for all student-athletes. Title IX's promise is that it serves as a powerful tool and a potent reminder that it takes much effort and diligence to bring about a model of intercollegiate athletics that is equitable and fair to all."

The guest panelists at Eastern's Title IX Forum are: Christina Amato, Dr. Jennifer Bruening, Tom Farrey, Theresa Grentz, and Carolyn Vanacore.

Amato played basketball at Eastern from 2005-2009, where she served as a senior captain, was a recipient of the prestigious Holly Zimmerman Memorial Award, and graduated with a degree in Sport and Leisure Management. The Marlboro, MA native is currently the Director of Recreation and Chair of Physical Education at Colgate University.

At right: Christina Amato

Bruening is the Director of the Laboratory for Sport Management at the University of Connecticut and has been part of the University's Sport Management Program since January 2002. Bruening spent eight years as an athletic administrator and volleyball coach at Kenyon College, as well as two years as an athletic director.

Farrey is a reporter and journalist for television, print, and online media for ESPN and has won two sports journalism Emmy Awards for Outside the Lines. Farrey, a graduate of the University of Florida, has been with ESPN since 1996 when he was the deputy editor of ESPN.com. Farrey is the author of Game On: The All-American Race to Make Champions of Our Children, recognized among experts and universities like Oregon State and University of Florida as leading journalistic work on modern youth sports.

 Grentz was a former women's collegiate basketball player and coach and served as head coach for the United States at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. She was a member of the Immaculata College Mighty Macs and led the team to win three straight AIAW national championships from 1972 to 1974. Grentz coached for 32 years at Saint Joseph's University, Rutgers University, and the University of Illinois and is a member of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.

 Vanacore is a Professor Emeritus at Southern Connecticut State University, where she was an Assistant Professor of Women's Physical Education.

The event will be sponsored by the President's Office, the Office of Equality and Diversity, the Eastern Athletic Department, the Office of Institutional Advancement, the Health and Physical Education Department and the Women's Center, a Division of Student Affairs.

Spreading the growth of women's athletics is one of the key points that Eastern women's head basketball coach Denise Bierly stated. "Get the word out about women's athletics and where we've come from and where we are today in 2013 and where we still need to go," said Bierly. "The panel will do a good job of discussing where we've been, where we've come from, how far it's come and then where we still need to go."

Bierly had the good fortune playing and coaching with the help of Title IX, but there were obstacles that Bierly faced prior to the iplementation of Tite IX.

"I remember in fifth grade we didn't have any youth girls basketball where I grew up and if I wanted to play I had to play with the boys.  I remember even playing on a boys baseball team  because there was no girls softball," said Bierly. "For me, I kind of came when [Title IX] was getting started and I've been fortunate to have a lot of the rewards from it, especially in my coaching career.

"I've been at Eastern for 19 years and have been well-supported by our administration. I look at the people that came before me and all the fights they had just to get a uniform or just to get balls. It's a reminder to me of where the people that came before me that how much I try to think about how the battles they fought and to help all of us women and girls in sports have the opportunities to play."

Dr. Charlie Chatterton, Eastern's NCAA Faculty Athletic Representative and an Associate Professor in  the Department of Health and Physical Education, had insight on how Title IX affected his family.

"I think back to my own family and my experiences and I have five sisters," said Chatterton. "My older sister she was always playing sports and I use to often see how some of the opportunities I had and facilities that I had were often not on the same par with what she had. When she was going up and she was in high school in the late 70s early 80s and even in middle school, junior high and late elementary, I remember going to the different games and contests and didn't think twice about it. I was just going to watch her game. Thinking about it now in retrospect, we had the boys' gym and there was the smaller girls' gym and we typically played our games at night in high school and my sister's were usually in the afternoon.  What's neat [from Title IX] is now I see the many of the opportunities are available for my children and it's terrific. There's always room to improve but I see quite the contrast."
Both Bierly and Chatterton agree on educating the students at Eastern, the community around Eastern, and nationally about the importance and significance of Title IX.

"It's a very important piece of legislation and it's something that I think all of us, myself included, need to continue to learn about it, be more educated about it, and understand all that's part of it," said Chatterton. 

We look forward to hearing from pioneers of the Title IX movement as the panel will talk about the past, present, and future of Title IX.

Senior becomes program's first first-team All-NE pick in 14 years

WILLIMANTIC, Conn. - Eastern Connecticut State University  senior women's volleyball player Katie Wilson (Pittsburg, CA) has become the first member of the program to earn All-New England honors from the ECAC when she was selected to the first team today.

A 6-foot-2 inch middle hitter, Wilson becomes the program's first first-team All-New England pick by either the ECAC or New England Women's Volleyball Assocation (NEWVA) since E-Club Hall-of-Fame setter Michelle Cunningham repeated as a first-team NEWVA selection in 1998 in her fourth season on the team.

A total of 13 players were named to the ECAC team - seven to the first team and six to the second - with an Offensive Player-of-the-Year and Rookie-of-the-Year also chosen. The team was selected by a vote of the volleyball coaches or their designee from the ECAC Division III New England membership.

Wilson was the only middle hitter chosen to either the first or second team and was among four honorees from the Little East Conference.

Last month, Wilson was chosen to the NEWVA Senior Classic and was also a first-team all-star to the Little East Conference all-conference team.

A three-year letterwinner at Eastern after transferring from the Division II level, Wilson ranked third in NCAA Division III with an average of 5.40 points per set and 11th with an average of 4.21 kills per set. She led the conference in points (626.5) and points per set, kills (488) and kills per set, was second in attack percentage (.302), and tied for fifth in service aces per set (0.53).

Wilson concluded her Eastern career as one of eight players all-time with at least 1,000 kills (8th/1,007) and ranked fifth all-time in attack percentage (.286). She became only the second player in program history with as many as 1,000 kills and 100 block solos (107).

Wilson totaled at least 20 kills in five of the last six matches of her career, attacking at .346 in that final stretch, averaging 52 attempts per match, and posting a career-high 30 kills Oct. 20 against Salve Regina University.

 Behind  Wilson, Eastern won 19 and lost 14 and qualified for its first post-season tournament since 2007 with a berth in the ECAC New England Division III Tournament.

Wilson, Fletcher, Furman, and Munsell  will compete in all-star games

WILLIMANTIC, Conn. - Eastern Connecticut State University  volleyball player Katie Wilson (Pittsburg, CA)  and men's soccer players Bradley Fletcher (Middletown), Matt Furman (Montville) and Jordan Munsell (Waterford) have been selected to participate in their respective upcoming New England Division III senior all-star games.

Wilson, a 6-foot-2 inch middle hitter,  is one of 35 selections to the New England Women's Volleyball Association (NEWVA) Senior Classic, while Fletcher, Furman and Munsell are among 43selections to the New England Intercollegiate Soccer League (NEISL) All-Star Game.

At left: Bradley Fletcher

The soccer showcase is scheduled for  Sunday, Nov. 25 at 11 a.m. at Harvard University. The volleyball all-star game is scheduled for Sunday, Dec. 2 at noon at Babson College.  A skills and drills competition (10 a.m.) and lunch (11:30 a.m.) will precede the game.

A total of 23 different institutions are represented in both the volleyball and soccer all-star games. The Little East Conference will be represented with four selections from four institutions at  the volleyball game and six conference players representing three institutions will compete in the soccer match.

Wilson becomes the 23rd Eastern selection to the volleyball all-star game since 1987 - second in as many years under head coach Peter Maneggia. The selections of Fletcher, a defender, Furman, a forward, and Munsell, a keeper,  bring to 18 - eight in six years under head coach Greg DeVito-- the number of Eastern players tabbed to the soccer all-star game.

At right: Jordan Munsell

This past season, Wilson ranked third in NCAA Division III with an average of 5.40 points per set and 11th with an average of 4.21 kills per set. She led the conference in points (626.5) and points per set, kills (488) and kills per set, was second in attack percentage (.302), and tied for fifth in service aces per set (0.53). The first-team All-LEC selection concluded her three-year Eastern career as one of eight players all-time with at least 1,000 kills (8th/1,007) and ranked fifth all-time in attack percentage (.286). She became only the second player in program history with as many as 1,000 kills and 100 block solos (107).

Wilson totaled at least 20 kills in five of the last six matches of her career, attacking at .346 in that final stretch, averaging 52 attempts per match, and posting a career-high 30 kills Oct. 20 against Salve Regina University.

Behind  Wilson, Eastern won 19 and lost 14 and qualified for its first post-season tournament since 2007 with a berth in the ECAC New England Division III Tournament.

At right: Katie Wilson

The three NEISL selections mark the most in a season for Eastern in program history (its first selections came in 1986 when all players were eligible to compete, not just seniors). Behind these players,  Eastern won a program-record 17 matches against two losses and a tie, claimed its third LEC post-season and third LEC regular-season title in four years and was ranked fourth in New England and 24th nationally in the final regular-season ratings.

This past year's Little East Conference Defensive Player-of-the-Year and a first-team All-LEC pick, Fletcher averaged a team-leading 91.6 minutes per match, and with Munsell, was the anchor of a defense which gave up only 15 goals (more than one in a match only three times)  and led the LEC in least goals allowed per game (0.75), goals-against average (0.73) and shutouts (9).

At left: Matt Furman

In his first season as a starter, Munsell started 19 of 20 matches and figured in all 20 decisions. He topped the LEC in goals-against average (0.69) and shutouts (8) and was second in save percentage (.829). In mid-October, he started four straight matches which ended up as shutouts and stopped a career-high nine shots in the NCAA tournament loss to St. Lawrence University in his collegiate finale.

Furman was the team leader in goals (13) and points (31) for the third time in his four-year career, serving as the conference leader in both of those departments en route to conference Offensive Player-of-the-Year and first-team all-LEC honors. Four goals were game-winners for Furman, who had points in ten of 12 matches at one point after going scoreless in the first four matches of the year. He left the program with 38 goals, 22 assists and 98 points, fifth all-time in the latter category.

Fletcher and Furman both achieved All-LEC status for the third time in their respective careers.

A total of 23 Eastern Connecticut State University intercollegiate athletes were named to the Little East Conference's 2012 All-Academic Team for the fall season. That total gives Eastern 401 such honorees in the history of the award, which began in the fall of 2007. Since the fall of 2009, student-athletes must have reached sophomore academic and athletic status and have accumulated an overall grade-point average of 3.30 to earn a spot on the team. Listed below are this year's recipients. In parentheses is the total number of times they have achieved All-Academic status, including this fall.

All-Time List.doc

Danielle Bourne (5), Sr., Women's Volleyball (Branford)

Lee Cattanach (1), So., Men's Cross Country (New London)

Jordan Clark (2), Jr., Men's Soccer (Manchester)

Christine DeFilippo (2), Women's Soccer (Ronkonkoma, NY)

Nicholas Demo (1), Men's Soccer (Brookfield)

Katie France (4), Women's Cross Country (Portland)

Nicki Gasch (1), Jr., Women's Volleyball (New Fairfield)

Kelly Gawron (2), Jr., Field Hockey (Ramsey, NJ)

Kaitlyn Kennedy (2), Jr., Women's Soccer (Burlington)

Kelly Labanara (1), So., Women's Cross Country (Chaplin)

Mackenzie MacLeod (3), Sr., Women's Soccer (Northfield)

Daniella Marchitto (5), Sr., Women's Soccer (Orange)

Erynn Miller (2), Jr., Women's Volleyball (Stratford)

Brittany Miskell (2), Sr., Women's Cross Country (Woodstock)

Jordan Munsell (5), Sr., Men's Soccer (Waterford)

Rochelle Normandin (3), Sr., Field Hockey (South Windsor)

Alexa Palasky (4), Jr., Women's Cross Country (Griswold)

Mike Radlbeck (2), Jr., Men's Soccer (Westbrook)

Sam Rossetti (1), So., Field Hockey (Shelton)

Rachael Skinner (1), So., Women's Soccer (Uncasville)

Cory Tobler (3), Sr., Men's Soccer (Portland)

Kelly Wallace (2), Sr., Women's Soccer (South Windsor)

Katie Wilson (2), Sr., Women's Volleyball (Pittsburg, CA)

Eastern  can't complete comeback in first-round ECAC loss to Salve

NEWPORT, R.I. -- The Eastern Connecticut State University and Salve Regina University women's volleyball  teams staged epic battles in their two regular-season contests this season.

At left: Katie Wilson

For those expecting a similar struggle in the third meeting between the programs in the first round of the ECAC New England Division III Tournament, they weren't disappointed.

 In its first post-season tournament in five years, however, fourth-seeded Eastern attacked at only -0.38 in the decisive fifth set in losing for the first time in 12 matches against fifth-seeded Salve Regina  Thursday night at the Rodgers Athletic Center.  Salve won by 27-25, 25-21, 16-25, 19-25, 15-8.

After attacking well under .100 in the first two set losses by a combined six points, Eastern (19-14) attacked at .216 in the nine-point third-set victory and at .389 in taking the fourth set by six points. The Warriors stumbled to -0.38 in their final set of the season.

In the decisive fifth set, the Seahawks responded by jumping out to an 8-3 lead, led by two blocks and a kill from junior Jill Diffendaffer.  After the two teams switched sides, the Warriors closed the gap to 8-5 by taking two straight points. The Seahawks were still clinging to a three-point advantage at 10-7 when they cemented the match by taking five of the next six points, including a game-clinching kill by Jennifer Duggan.

Eastern senior Katie Wilson (Pittsburg, CA)  led all players in the match with 23 kills but attacked at only .188 on a career-high 69 attempts. She also had four block solos and four block assists and 13 digs. Junior Erynn Miller (Stratford) recorded a career-high 30 digs, with freshman  Allie Luppi (Tewksbury, MA) adding 18 digs. Senior Danielle Bourne (Branford) totaled 12 kills, sophomores Allie Henry (Middletown) and Jess Patrizi (Beacon Falls) combining for 41 assists.

Salve (18-14), which set a program season record for wins this year, got 19 kills and 17 digs from  Duggan and 28 digs from Megan Clancy. 

Wilson concluded a three-year career at Eastern after transferring from the Division II level as the eighth player in program history to record as many as 1,000 career kills, only the third such player to reach that milestone in less than four years. In program history, only Wilson and former All-America and E-Club Hall of Famer Kathy Kimball registered both 1,000 kills and 100 block solos. Wilson also departs ranked fifth all-time in career attack percentage (.286), fifth in block solos (107) and tenth in attack attempts (995).

Wilson led the Warriors this year in numerous individual categories, including points per set (5.40), kills (488), attack percentage (.302), service aces (62), block solos (52), assists (49) and total blocks (101) and was second in reception percentage (.946), reception attempts (500) and digs (342). Bourne reached 100 kills in a season for the first time (146). Miller recorded a team-high 440 digs and led the Warriors in receptioin percentage (.949) and reception attempts (573).

Eastern ended its season on a two-match losing streak after ending the regular season on a seven-match winning streak. The Warriors had beaten Salve twice in the regular season, once in five sets and once in four sets.

Salve Regina 3, Eastern Conn. 2

Eastern Conn. (19-14)   25   21   25   25     8
Salve Regina (18-14)    27   25   16    19   15

EASTERN CONNECTICUT STATE UNIVERSITY
FALL, 2012
LITTLE EAST CONFERENCE SELECTIONS

FIELD HOCKEY
Team Record: 6-12 (2-9 in LEC/11th of 12 teams); Did not make LEC playoffs

Chicorka (below left), DeLuca

All-Conference
Laura Chicorka  Fr. F Third Team  Enfield (Enrico Fermi)
Eastern's first freshman All-LEC since 2001; 4th on team in points (8); Started every match.
Lauren DeLuca  Sr. B Third Team  South Windsor
Third team in 2011; Led team with nine defensive saves; Started every match

WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
Team Record: 19-13* (4-3 in LEC/4th of 8); Lost in first round of LEC tournament

All-Conference
Katie Wilson  Sr. MH First Team  Pittsburg, CA (Norwich Free Academy, CT)
Eastern's first All-LEC since 2009; Leads LEC in kills and points per set and is second in attack pct.; third nationally in points per set and 11th in kills per set; needs 16 kills for 1,000 in 3 years.
*-Has qualified for ECAC tournament

WOMEN'S SOCCER
Team Record: 9-6-3 (6-1-0 LEC/t-1st of 8 teams); Lost in semifinals of LEC playoffs

Below: Karahalios, Marchitto, Wallace, Downer

Rookie-of theYear 

Gia Karahalios  Fr. B    South Windsor
Centerback who started every match and led all players in mpg (83.0); Fourth ROY in program history; opponents averaged only 1.1 goals per match.
All-Conference
Chelsea Downer  Sr. MF First Team  Colchester (Bacon Academy)
3-year player; 10th in LEC and third on team in points (9-3-21), exceeding the combined total of her first two seasons; had 5 game-winners, two serving as "Golden Goals" in LEC play.
                                Gia Karahalios  Fr. B First Team  South Windsor
Sixth first-team freshman pick in program history.
Daniela Marchitto Sr. F First Team  Orange (Amity Regional)
1st team in 2009 and '11, 2nd team in 2010; 2009 ROY, 2011 Offensive POY
3rd four-time All-LEC in program history, 1st since 2004; Led team in goals and points (10-4-24) for 2nd straight year; 3rd all-time in career goals (43) and points (103).
Kelly Wallace  Sr. MF Second Team South Windsor
1st team in 2010 and 2011; Led LEC in assists for the second time and team in assists for 3rd time;broke program season assist record of 14

MEN'S SOCCER
Team Record: 17-1-1* (6-0-1 LEC/1st of 8 teams); Won LEC playoffs
*-Has qualified for NCAA tournament

 Defensive Player-of-the-Year
Bradley Fletcher  Sr. B    Middletown (Xavier)
2nd Eastern player to win the award in as many years and fourth player in 7-year history of award; LEC ROY in 209.
Offensive Player-of-the-Year
Matt Furman  Sr. F    Montville
3rd Eastern player to win award in last five years; led LEC in goals (13) and points (31)
All-Conference
Bradley Fletcher  Sr. B First Team  Middletown (Xavier)
Started every match, averaging 91.1 mpg, sitting out only 30 minutes all season; team allowed an oaverage of just over half-a-goal a game.
Matt Furman  Sr. F First Team  Montville
Led team in goals and points for third time, totaling 4 game-winners.
Jordan Munsell  Sr. K First Team  Waterford
1st-year starter posted 17-1-1 record with LEC-leading 8.0 shutouts and LEC-leading 0.63 GAA; 2nd in LEC with .831 save pct. Started 4 consecutive shutouts during season.
Mitch Power  Jr. MF First Team  Douglas, MA
3rd on team in points and tied for second in goals (7-3-17), exceeding the total of his first 2 seasons combined; 4 game-winners; MVP of LEC playoffs after scoring first goal of championship match;
Cory Tobler  Sr. F First Team  Portland
2nd-team All-LEC as a junior; 2nd on team in points and assists and tied for 2nd in goals (7-6-20); 4 game-winners; set personal season-highs in goals and points and tied previous season high for assists.
Christopher Giustina Jr. B Second Team Enfield (Enrico Fermi)
2nd-year player is tied for second in the LEC in assists; started all 18 matches in which he appeared, averaging 88.2 mpg.; helped team to 9 shutouts and never more than 1 goal in a match over the last 9 matches.
Carl Stensland  Jr. MF Second Team Storrs (E.O. Smith)
2nd-year player dominated the midfield for Eastern; recovered from an injury-plagued start to appear in 18 matches with 16 starts and average just under 80.0 mpg; contributed 2 goals and three assists.

Photos:

Top row (from left): Fletcher, Furman, Munsell.

Second row (from left): Power, Giustina, Tobler.

Third row: Stensland.

Seeded fourth in ECAC tournament, Warriors visit Salve Wednesday

WILLIMANTIC, Conn. - A loss in the opening round of the Little East Conference women's volleyball tournament six days ago left Eastern Connecticut State University a win shy of the 27th 20-win season in program history.

Wednesday, Eastern will have an opportunity to claim that 20th victory after being named to the ECAC New England Division III Tournament for the seventh time - first in ten years.

Fourth-seeded Eastern (19-13) visits fifth-seeded Salve Regina University (17-14) at 7 p.m. at Rodgers Recreation Center as the clubs meet for the third time this season. The Seahawks have already set a program record for victories and are coming off a second-place finish in the Commonwealth Coast Conference championships last week.

The post-season tournament berth for Eastern  is the 26th in program history and  first since 2007, when the Warriors qualified for the third of three straight NCAA tournaments.  The ECAC bid is the seventh for Eastern, first since dropping a three-set decision in its 2002 opener. The Warriors are 7-4 in ECAC tournament action, having won championships in 1985 and 1988.

The Warriors had won seven straight and 11 of their final 12 regular-season matches heading into last week's conference tournament, where fourth-seeded Eastern dropped a three-set decision. With a victory Wednesday, the Warriors would reach the 20-win plateau for the second time in as many seasons under head coach Peter Maneggia (39-23).

First-team All-Little East Conference senior middle hitter Katie Wilson (Pittsburg, CA) leads Eastern in  points  (5.36/third nationally), kills (4.19/11th nationally) and blocks (0.84) per set, hitting  (.309), and reception percentage (.938), reception attempts (438) and service aces (59) and is second in digs per set (2.96). Junior outside hitter Nicki Gasch (New Fairfield) averages 2.35 kills per set and junior libero Erynn Miller (Stratford) tops the club with 3.57 digs per set and with 534 reception attempts. Sophomore setter  Allie Henry (Middletown) averages 7.07 assists and sophomore Jess Patrizi (Beacon Falls) 4.53 assists in limited action. Freshman defensive specialist Allie Luppi (Tewksbury, MA) is second on the team with 57 service aces.

In two regular-season victories over Salve, Wilson averaged 6.39 points and 5.67 kills per set, with a .361 attack percentage and seven blocks, Miller 4.44 digs per set, Gasch 2.67 kills per set and Henry 11.11 assists.

Salve, returning to the ECAC tournament for the second straight season, features 11 freshmen and sophomores on its roster. After losing in four sets to Eastern at the Crabtree Classic Oct. 20, the Seahawks had won four straight before being eliminated in their conference title match in straight sets by Roger Williams University. In two matches against Eastern this year, Clare Adams had 30 kills and 47 digs, Jennifer Duggan 23 kills, Megan Clancy 46 digs, Leah LoConte 38 assists and  and Taylor Violet 35 assists.

In other first-round matches Wednesday, top-seeded Brandeis University (19-13) hosts No. 8 Albertus Magnus College (12-12) at 7:30 p.m.; No. 2 Western New England University (22-7) hosts No. 7 Husson University (16-9) at 7 p.m.; and No. 3 Keene State College (19-16) hosts No. 6 Daniel Webster College (16-11) at 7 p.m. The tournament semifinals are scheduled for Saturday and the final for Sunday. The Eastern-Salve winner faces the Brandeis-Albertus victor in one Saturday semifinal.

Live video and in-game statistics against Salve Regina will be available at http://livestats.prestosports.com/salveregina/