Women’s lacrosse ranked 18 in polls

As spring inches nearer, so does the women’s lacrosse season. If the team performs anything like they did last season, then they are sure to impress. The Knights went 14-3, winning all five of their home games and averaging 26 shots and 11 goals per game—all while shooting at a spectacular 43 percent. The women made it all the way to the SUNYAC finals, losing to SUNY Fredonia 8-3.

In a Feb. 1 poll, Geneseo was ranked 18th in the nation for Division III. This is a huge accomplishment and although it is no guarantee, the ranking points toward a great season ahead.

Out of the 28-person lineup from last season, only four of the women were graduating seniors—a remarkably low number. This is a great thing for the Knights, as it allows them to keep up the momentum from their 2015 season.

The lineup for this year includes eight freshmen, meaning the roster has depth. This is something that any sports team—at any level—is always in desperate need of.

Returning to the team are key scorers senior attacker Tara Basile and senior midfielder Liz Felix. Both Basile and Felix were second and third on the team in points last season respectively, with Basile racking up 24 goals and 33 assists for 57 points and Felix contributing an impressive 39 goals and one assist for 40 points.

Sophomore midfielder Erin Cregan will also look to remain heavily involved in the offense, as she started every game of her freshman campaign. Cregan was fourth on the team in points last season with 26, putting up 20 goals and six assists. Cregan was also the only freshman to start and play in all 17 games last season, which she will look to repeat in hopes of bringing the Knights back to the NCAA Tournament in May.

Defensively, the Knights took a hit with the loss of defender Aileen Kurpis ‘15. The Knights will rely heavily on senior defenders Meagan Cook and Bridget Lincoln and junior defender Jenelle Lightfoote to pick up the slack. These three players will be essential for the Knights’ defensive presence—one of the best in the SUNYAC.

Senior goalie Claudia Coleates returns to the team this year and if Geneseo wants to have another successful season, they will need her to come alive in goal. Coleates had a spectacular season in 2015, starting in 12 out of the 17 games and allowing the Knights to win 86 percent of their games. As a result of her impressive work for the team, Coleates was named to the first team All-SUNYAC.

If Geneseo wants to make it to the SUNYAC final again this year, however, the women’s lacrosse team is going to need another big year from not just a few players, but everyone.

Women's lacrosse ranked 18 in polls

As spring inches nearer, so does the women’s lacrosse season. If the team performs anything like they did last season, then they are sure to impress. The Knights went 14-3, winning all five of their home games and averaging 26 shots and 11 goals per game—all while shooting at a spectacular 43 percent. The women made it all the way to the SUNYAC finals, losing to SUNY Fredonia 8-3.

In a Feb. 1 poll, Geneseo was ranked 18th in the nation for Division III. This is a huge accomplishment and although it is no guarantee, the ranking points toward a great season ahead.

Out of the 28-person lineup from last season, only four of the women were graduating seniors—a remarkably low number. This is a great thing for the Knights, as it allows them to keep up the momentum from their 2015 season.

The lineup for this year includes eight freshmen, meaning the roster has depth. This is something that any sports team—at any level—is always in desperate need of.

Returning to the team are key scorers senior attacker Tara Basile and senior midfielder Liz Felix. Both Basile and Felix were second and third on the team in points last season respectively, with Basile racking up 24 goals and 33 assists for 57 points and Felix contributing an impressive 39 goals and one assist for 40 points.

Sophomore midfielder Erin Cregan will also look to remain heavily involved in the offense, as she started every game of her freshman campaign. Cregan was fourth on the team in points last season with 26, putting up 20 goals and six assists. Cregan was also the only freshman to start and play in all 17 games last season, which she will look to repeat in hopes of bringing the Knights back to the NCAA Tournament in May.

Defensively, the Knights took a hit with the loss of defender Aileen Kurpis ‘15. The Knights will rely heavily on senior defenders Meagan Cook and Bridget Lincoln and junior defender Jenelle Lightfoote to pick up the slack. These three players will be essential for the Knights’ defensive presence—one of the best in the SUNYAC.

Senior goalie Claudia Coleates returns to the team this year and if Geneseo wants to have another successful season, they will need her to come alive in goal. Coleates had a spectacular season in 2015, starting in 12 out of the 17 games and allowing the Knights to win 86 percent of their games. As a result of her impressive work for the team, Coleates was named to the first team All-SUNYAC.

If Geneseo wants to make it to the SUNYAC final again this year, however, the women’s lacrosse team is going to need another big year from not just a few players, but everyone.

Bryant's impact on game makes him player of generation

From diehards to the most casual fans of basketball, everyone has heard of Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant. Even those who have never even watched a full game of basketball in their lives have most likely heard of him. Since joining the league right out of high school in 1996, Bryant has surpassed countless milestones in his path and has carved out a legacy as one of the best guards to ever play the game of basketball.

Seventeen National Basketball Association All-Star selections, five NBA titles, an NBA Most Valuable Player and a two time scoring champion—Bryant’s list of accolades goes on and on. He is one of the best guards that’s ever stepped on the court. Despite this, however, his retirement has not been met with public outcry. This can be attributed, quite simply, to time.

Bryant’s play the last three seasons has not been on par with his normal standard. Even though he was injured in 2013-2014, it is still apparent that age has caught up with Bryant. In my opinion, his retirement is a few years late—not because I want to see him gone, but because very few can continue to play all-star caliber basketball once they pass the age of 35. I’m glad that he decided to hang it up because I don’t want to see him do further harm to his body.

Bryant’s retirement also allows the Lakers’ next star to step into the spotlight. Who this will be can only be told by time, but most would put money on forward Julius Randle or point guard D’Angelo Russell.

For a lot of people, however, they are happy to see Bryant go because of his egotistical personality and the criminal accusations he has faced. Not only is Bryant one of the most arrogant athletes to ever play the game, but he was accused of rape in 2003. Bryant claimed the sex was consensual and the charges were eventually dropped. The issue still remains controversial, however. Bryant was—and still is—married to Vanessa Bryant, who miscarried during the rape trial. Bryant took full responsibility for this.

So why is it that even after such controversy, people still respect and admire Bryant? It is because of what he brought to the game of basketball. He was such an explosive player and was a huge part of the legacy of the Lakers. The respect people had for him on the court seemed to compensate for the lack of respect that most had for him off the court. That being said, we will never forget what Bryant brought to the court each and every game.

NCAA season sees top ranked teams falls short in opening weeks

A lot of people who talk about men’s Division I college basketball usually say they don’t follow it until “the tournament.” While most people know about March Madness and the NCAA Tournament that crowns a champion, it’s really not a sufficient amount of time for people to really know how good teams are and how capable they are of making it to the Sweet 16, Elite Eight or Final Four. Sure, there are ranking systems, but as we often see—particularly early in this year’s season—a lot of upsets occur as the rankings shift around.

  In no big surprise to anyone, University of Kentucky men’s basketball head coach John Calipari and his Kentucky Wildcats are off to a blazing start again this season. They are 7-0 and, most notably, grabbed a win against last year’s champs: Duke University.

Despite losing seven players to the National Basketball Association Draft, the Wildcats are definitely a team to watch out for. Whether or not they can be as good as last year’s squad remains to be seen, but with the reputation Kentucky has had surrounding their team, it wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest.

Duke is another obvious team to watch. As the 2014-2015 champion, Duke showed the world that they were the best team come March. Even with the loss to Kentucky, they are still ranked seventh. Their season has not involved many games that really showcase how good they are as a team, however, with the exception of the Kentucky loss and a close win over unranked Georgetown. With the loss of star center Jahlil Okafor to the NBA, the Blue Devils could have a tough time trying to rise to the same level of play they were at last year. Despite this, however, I think it’s clear to see that they will at least be close.

Syracuse University is the team that is surprisingly 6-0 and ranked 14th. Syracuse was not as good as they have been in recent years last season—they were unable to make it to the tournament last year due to disciplinary action by the NCAA. After losing big man Rakeem Christmas to the NBA, the team has looked to find scoring and defense in other players.

Despite still having seniors—guard Trevor Cooney and forward Michael Gbinije—SU was perceived by many as not being able to have the same level of play that head coach Jim Boeheim and the Orange are typically associated with. They have gotten off to a 6-0 start, however, with notable wins against Texas A&M University and the University of Connecticut. This is due to two freshmen stepping up to the plate: guard Malachi Richardson and forward Tyler Lydon have been huge for Syracuse.

If they can continue to play the way they have, Syracuse could be very successful this season. The only thing that is stopping me from endorsing them as a serious contender is the lack of a serious test for the Orange so far.

Overall, this season of NCAA basketball has been both as expected and a little strange. As one might expect, Duke and Kentucky are great. Syracuse, however, is also great—which most didn’t expect. These are only three teams, but this pattern continues through the nation. Only time will tell which team really is the best.

Off the field issues hinder on field success

Most people will never know what it’s like to play a professional. Many dream of it, but very few are able to achieve it—and even when it is achieved, the athlete’s work isn’t over. Professional sports are a business and in order to compete, you need to be on top. For some athletes, this is just not possible. Even the slightest mistake—on the field or off—can determine one’s career.

Many people who watch the National Football League know who Wes Welker is. The five-time Pro Bowler had a very successful career at wide receiver with the New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins and Denver Broncos. What many people don’t know is that Welker signed as a free agent with the San Diego Chargers and was subsequently cut from the team for being too short.

“Of all the players I've been involved in releasing, the decision to release [Welker] was the biggest mistake ever made,” former Chargers head coach Marty Schottenheimer said. It’s hard to know for sure, but it’s likely that this fueled Welker to work hard to be “the best in the business.” Perhaps getting cut from a team was what he needed to put in the work and be at the top of his game.

Another thing to consider when talking about professional sports and its inclination toward being a business is politics and personal issues. The best example of this is the formation of the 1992 United States men’s Olympic basketball team—better known as “The Dream Team.” Many people thought that Detroit Pistons point guard Isiah Thomas was a lock in for a spot. Michael Jordan and Thomas had some issues, however, and Jordan spoke out to head coach Chuck Daly about not including him on the team. In the end, Thomas was cut. It is still one of the most controversial and widely debated decisions in sports to this day—and with good reason. Personal politics have no place in professional sports. They are there, however, and they are very prevalent.

The last issues that find their way into the realm of professional sports are off the field. Many players’ actions off the field get them into trouble on the field. The biggest instance of this in recent memory is former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice. After being recorded getting into a heated argument with his fiancé—now wife—Rice struck her and knocked her unconscious. The Ravens decided to cut Rice from the team.

This is a decision that was widely debated: should off the field issues allow a team to cut a player? Should we even be paying attention to these issues? Coming back to the business analogy of professional sports, what Rice did was a bad move for the Ravens’ reputation. They did not want a stain on their organization, so they cut him. This seems logical enough, but why are players like the Vikings running back Adrian Peterson and Dallas Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy—who both have committed similar offenses—not cut from their respective teams?

Getting cut from a professional sports team can be from lack of talent, but it can also come from a variety of other reasons. The question of the validity of these reasons is widely discussed in the sports world—and most likely will be for years to come.