After an eventful offseason that included the hiring of a new coach and the addition of nine freshmen, the Geneseo volleyball team is in full swing for its 2017 season.
Read MoreSoftball fights hard for playoffs
The softball team is in an intense battle for a playoff spot after losing their last three games. The losses were not what the team or head coach Dave Sylvester were looking for.
“This team is working hard and looking to peak at the end of the year,” Sylvester said. “We have an uphill battle left to make the playoffs, but I believe if we can win five games in the next eight games, we will make it to the SUNYACs.”
Geneseo was only able to win three of the eight games, however, of which Sylvester spoke. Two of the wins came on the road at the Rochester Institute of Technology. The Knights then dropped two games to the Buffalo State College Bengals.
The team then sought two easy wins against low ranked SUNY Fredonia, but only managed to take the first of two games. Following the upsetting performance, the Knights then faced the Alfred University Saxons on the road; their struggles continued when the Knights lost both of those games.
This set of losses was certainly a frustrating one for the Knights, as their conference record dropped to 6-8. Despite currently having a losing record, Geneseo is still on the hunt for a playoff spot. The current setup of the SUNYACs demonstrates the possibility for the Knights to snap a six—or even a five—seed in the playoffs, but the Knights need two things: wins and luck.
The top six teams with the best conference record are granted a playoff spot in the SUNYACs. The Knights are currently sitting in seventh place, right ahead of SUNY Brockport, Fredonia and SUNY Potsdam in that order. Potsdam and Fredonia have both been eliminated from the playoffs, but are still a major threat—especially seeing as Fredonia served the Knights a loss on Sunday April 23. Buffalo holds the six seed, making the Knights’ two losses to the Bengals even more detrimental to their playoff hopes.
Looking ahead, the Knights do not have a particularly easy schedule. They host the SUNY Oswego Lakers on Friday April 28 at 3 p.m. and at 5 p.m. and then the SUNY Cortland Red Dragons on Saturday April 29.
All four games are must-wins, none of which will be easy. The Lakers are in a tie for fourth place with a 9-5 record and the Red Dragons are comfortably at the top of the conference standings, only raking up one conference loss in their past 15 games.
So what needs to happen? The Knights need to drive runners in. They are leaving too many players on base in crucial situations, which is causing them to win close ball games. The Knights have been shut out twice in conference play the entire season, showing that they are swinging the bats well, but ultimately failing to come up successful in clutch situations.
Seven of the 22 players on the team are batting above a .300 average. Geneseo’s pitching, too, has been top notch.
Not only is it important, however, that the Knights win—the other teams need to lose, too. The Bengals are the team the Knights are chasing; they will face SUNY Plattsburgh on Friday April 28 to wrap up their season. Realistically, the Bengals will rack up at least one win, making it that much more important for the Knights to secure victories.
Geneseo’s chances of going to the SUNYACs, which begin on Thursday May 4, are not completely farfetched, but they are nowhere near secure.
Softball faces tough competition on the road
The Geneseo women’s softball team will look ahead to brighter days after struggling during away games.
The Knights had high hopes this past weekend as they took on New Paltz on Friday April 14 and the SUNY Oneonta Red Dragons on Saturday April 15. Their goals were not quite reached, however, as they managed to only come out of the weekend with one win.
There were quite a few factors that may have played a role in the Knights’ 1-3 weekend. For starters, fatigue is a prime culprit for not producing the desired outcome. Geneseo traveled over four hours on a bus to New Paltz to start a weekend where they would be playing two double headers for a total of four games. That alone can take a toll on an individual.
If that wasn’t enough, the Knights then traveled two and a half hours to Oneonta, only to have to be up by 8 a.m. to gear up to face the Red Dragons.
“Whenever you travel that far, the bus can take a little out of you,” head coach David Sylvester said.
It would be inaccurate to place all the blame on fatigue, tho≠≠ugh. The women simply didn’t produce the way they have been accustomed to this entire season.
“Our biggest issue was the lack of offense. As a team, we hit the ball all weekend, but left a number of runners on base,” Sylvester said.
The team gathered many hits over the weekend, but weren’t able to capitalize on them. Leaving runners on base seemed to be the motif, as the Knights left a total of 26 runners on base over the course of the four games.
Going forward, the Knights will have to put up some wins in order to make the playoffs, as they currently sit at sixth place in the SUNYACs with a 5-5 in conference record. It will be vital for the women to have success starting on Friday April 21, as they are scheduled to play four conference games.
The Knights will head to Fredonia to take on the SUNY Fredonia Blue Devils for a double header starting at 3 p.m. on Friday April 21. Fredonia is having a season to forget, only tallying one win in conference play. The next day the Knights travel to Buffalo to take on the Buffalo State Tigers. That matchup will be a little more eventful, as the Tigers and Knights are neck and neck in the SUNYAC standings.
The Knights will need to drive in more runs and to keep the bats popping to come out successful. The team has recalibrated their offense since the losses to Oneonta, according to Sylvester.
“We will be concentrating this upcoming week on preparing to hit the ball harder and more consistently,” Sylvester said.
Although the Knights are in need of a few wins, Sylvester has remained optimistic and enthusiastic about his team.
“We are a young team who is learning how to play together as the season has gone on. The communication has been something we have worked on and are getting better at doing,” Sylvester said. “We have an uphill battle left to make the playoffs, but I believe if we can win five games in the next eight games we will make it to the SUNYACs.”
Softball takes advantage of nice weather
Sophomore catcher Anna Merante steps up to bat at a home game. The women have maintained an impressive 11-3 record, and they hope to add more victories this upcoming weekend against SUNY Potsdam and SUNY Plattsburgh. (Ash Dean/Photo Editor)
Spring is officially here. The sun was out, base path drawn and softballs flying at Vic Raschi Field in Geneseo on Sunday April 2, as the Knights hosted the SUNY Brockport Golden Eagles, coming out victorious.
In the doubleheader, the Knights were finally able to play their first home game after multiple events were postponed due to inclement weather. Since conditions aren’t favorable for softball until mid-April in this area, many teams including Geneseo are forced to play doubleheaders to make up for the lack of games.
Not being able to practice on an actual field certainly has its disadvantages, but senior infielder Abby Dennett said that the team has been able to cope with the situation.
“We practice six out of seven days in a week, with an off day on Sunday. We start our formal practices in mid-January each year and we are typically found practicing inside the gym on campus for the first month or two,” Dennett said in an email interview.
When it comes to softball, the qualities of strength, agility and accuracy are important for success—and all three of those things do not require a field.
Another disadvantage the Knights have seemed to overcome was the loss of several upperclassmen. As a matter of fact, there are only seven returning juniors and seniors, leaving Geneseo with a very young team.
The age difference can sometimes be an issue with teams, but the women have managed to find a special balance and chemistry.
“At this point in the season, our team chemistry feels really special,” Dennett said. “We all love coming to practice each day to work together and a lot of nights we hang out with each other outside of practice and games.”
With all those struggles averted, the Knights moved into conference play against the Golden Eagles and came out successful. In game one of two, sophomore pitcher Taylor Moore pitched a shutout, giving up only three hits to the Brockport offense. Sophomore outfielder Danni Napoli hit a solo homerun and senior outfielder Alyssa Presutti knocked in a RBI in Geneseo’s 2-0 victory over Brockport.
Game two of the doubleheader was a little more intense for Geneseo fans, however, as the Knights trailed by two going into the fifth. With only three innings left to make a move, the Knights tied the ballgame on Napoli’s sacrifice RBI and a sophomore catcher Anna Merante homerun in the fifth.
Geneseo was able to keep the game tied into the seventh. Freshman outfielder Abbey Whitney was called to pinch hit in the bottom of the seventh and became the hero of the night, singling in Napoli for a Knights walk-off win.
The women added another two victories to their record after defeating Nazareth College in a doubleheader on Wednesday April 5.
Despite having a few obstacles during pre-season, the women have begun to come together and prove that Geneseo has a strong softball program, too. Dennett summed up their dynamic perfectly by stating, “Combining the younger player’s drive and eagerness with the older player’s experience and wisdom has made a really special dynamic on our team.”
Softball begins a hopeful 2017 season
The Geneseo softball team escaped the brutal New York weather and enjoyed some time in Florida, where they played multiple games against teams from around the country. The women saw success as they left with a record of 7-3. (Annalee Bainnson/Assoc. Photo Editor)
While New York State residents dealt with the blistering winds, frigid temperatures and enormous snow fall, the Geneseo softball team kicked off their season with warm weather in Florida.
The softball team strives to have another above 500 season. Geneseo finished with a 25-17 record and recorded a .309 team batting average in the spring of 2016. Additionally, the Knights went deep into the playoffs, eventually losing to the SUNY Cortland Red Dragons, who went on to win the entire tournament.
For the fifth consecutive season, head coach David Sylvester will be at the reigns, who also serves as the principal at York Central School District’s middle and high school. The team has shown improvement under Sylvester, where in 2015 he led the women to a 28-12 season—the most wins the organization had achieved since the 2004 season. Although last season was successful, yes, the women look to do even more this year.
Of the Knights returning this season, one key player to their team is sophomore infielder/outfielder Danni Napoli, who was the only Geneseo player to represent the school on the 2016 SUNYAC Softball All-Conference First Team. Napoli batted .436 with 22 runs batted for the 2015-16 season and is already off to a hot start, exiting the team’s games in Florida with a .348 batting average.
The Knights will also be welcoming back seniors outfielder Alyssa Presutti, senior infielder Abby Dennett, catcher Taylor Knowles and pitcher/infielder Alexis Kidder. Additionally, the Knights had a very strong recruitment class, as they picked up nine new players.
So how did Geneseo do in Florida? Considering their matchups, they performed pretty well. The team went 7-3, putting up some impressive numbers in a few games. Geneseo faced the United States Coast Guard Academy to kick off the season and only gave up one run—all the while tacking on seven. Sophomore outfielder Alyssa Persich and sophomore third baseman Anna Merante both went three for four, while pitcher Taylor Moore pitched to the tune of a one-run shutout.
Moore had an even more impressive start on March 12 against the Lancaster Bible College Chargers; Moore gave up only one hit to the Chargers, and the Knights went on to win the game 5-0.
Although the Knights had some great feats in Florida, they also had their share of poor performances. Geneseo struggled against the Susquehana University River Hawks twice, but kept the score close in their first game, as they only lost by a 5-3 score.
Their second matchup with Susquehana, however, was a complete blowout. The Knights desperately tried to switch up their lineup in an attempt to get at least one run on the board, but their efforts failed in the end. Only managing three hits, Geneseo fell 11-0 in their second meeting against the River Hawks.
With the Florida games behind them, the Knights look ahead to colder temperatures and conference play. Geneseo will host the 9-3 University of Rochester Yellowjackets in a doubleheader on Saturday March 25. Although the Knights are not in the same division as Rochester, the matchup is sure to be a good one.
Game one begins at 3 p.m. and game two will start at 5 p.m.
Women’s basketball loses victory streak
Senior guard Katie Durand makes a pass up the court during a game against SUNY New Paltz. The women’s perfect record came to an end in a game against SUNY Cortland, however, the Knights will still be competing in the SUNYAC championship game which will be held at Geneseo. (Elizabeth Jacobs/Staff Photographer)
Despite having a perfect regular season and ranking within the top 20 nationally, SUNY Geneseo fell to the SUNY New Paltz Hawks 58-57 on Saturday Feb. 25 in the SUNYAC Tournament Championship Final.
The Knights went into the championship having won against the SUNY Cortland Red Dragons in the semifinals the day before. In addition to having a better record, the Knights also had home field advantage.
The game was eventful, though, as the two teams volleyed the lead back and forth; six times, to be exact. The Knights were down at the half 33-29 and managed to stay neck and neck with the Hawks for the next two quarters, but it wasn’t enough.
A few questionable calls, a pinch of bad luck and the Knights were served their first loss. Like spike strips, the girls were abruptly stopped by the Hawks and denied the crown.
“We were obviously pretty bummed because we thought we deserved to win,” sophomore forward McKenna Brooks said.
The 6’1” Oswego native has emerged as a star over the past few weeks, putting up impressive numbers for the Knights. Brooks played for 22 minutes in the championship and managed to pick up 15 points on nine rebounds.
One would expect a team to be down and unmotivated by a one-point loss in the championship game, especially after coming off a perfect regular season; but the team can push on through the loss, according to Brooks.
“It didn’t really feel like we lost,” Brooks said. “We still feel like the same team.”
Although the Knights may have fallen short in the SUNYAC Tournament, their season is not over. Since Geneseo had such an impressive regular season, they have qualified for the NCAA Tournament.
Their first matchup will take place Friday March 3 at 7 p.m. at Geneseo. The Knights will host the Muhlenberg College Mules, a team the Knights have not faced this season.
The Mules are a member of the Centennial Conference, which is slightly more competitive than the SUNYACs. Muhlenberg went 20-7 and managed to win the Centennial Conference Championship against the Gettysburg College Bullets 74-61.
Though the Knights have not played Muhlenberg, they will not allow that to be a disadvantage for them. The coaching staff and the team will be analyzing tapes in preparation for the game.
If the Knights can defeat the Mules, they will either face the University of Rochester or Keene State College, which would also be played at home. With all of the home field advantages, the Knights hope to have an edge in the NCAA Tournament.
The Knights will tip off at 7 p.m. on Friday March 3 in the Kuhl Gym.
Women’s basketball to host conference championship
Sophomore guard Kelsey Poplawski looks for an open teammate to pass to during a game against SUNY Plattsburgh. The Knights remain undefeated and hope to maintain this victory streak. (Keith Walters/Campus Photographer)
Geneseo women’s basketball has once again clinched the best record in the SUNYACs. Currently at 23-0, the Knights have locked down the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament, which will begin on Feb. 24.
The women are coming off a victorious weekend tour of the Catskills. Geneseo faced the SUNY Oneonta Red Dragons on Friday Feb. 10. The result was a 22nd consecutive win for the Knights as they defeated Oneonta 55-38.
The biggest story of this game, however, was the emergence of sophomore forward McKenna Brooks. Oswego native Brooks put up 15 points the entire game and managed to get 10 rebounds, both of which led the team.
On top of those stats, it must also be noted that Brooks played a total of 15 minutes, meaning she scored on average one point every minute. This game prompted Brooks to be given the title of SUNYAC Player of the Week.
Following the win in Oneonta, the Knights traveled farther east to face the SUNY New Paltz Hawks. The Knights hosted New Paltz earlier in the season and beat them 66-47. This game yielded a similar result, as the Knights picked up yet another win by a score of 56-39 on Saturday Feb. 11.
Brooks once again took control against Oneonta, putting up a total of 16 points and 11 rebounds.
“We’ve been in the championship game the last six of seven years; it’s something that has become a bit of an expectation,” head coach Scott Hemer said.
So the women’s basketball team clinched the No. 1 seed in the SUNYAC Tournament—what’s the big deal? Well, there are many.
First, this means that Geneseo will be the host of the 2016-17 Conference Championship game no matter what two teams are competing for the championship. In other words, even if Geneseo does not make it to the championship, the game will still be hosted in Geneseo.
Home field advantage is a major perk, too. Assuming the women keep performing at the level they have thus far, there is a strong chance they will be hosting a tournament championship in front of their home crowd.
Another major benefit of clinching the No. 1 seed is the fact that the Knights will receive a first round bye, which means that Geneseo will face either the No. 4, 5 or 6 seed in the tournament semifinals. This, too, will be held at the women’s home court.
Another exciting event the basketball team is in contention for is the NCAA Division III Women’s Basketball Tournament. The Knights are currently ranked No. 18 in the nation for women’s basketball.
Although the Knights have a perfect season, they are in a very weak division for basketball, causing the NCAA to rank them lower than teams that have up to three losses. Despite the low ranking, however, the Knights could still see success on the national level.
Geneseo will finish out the regular season play against the SUNY Oswego Lakers at 7:30 p.m. on Friday Feb. 17 and will host the SUNY Cortland Red Dragons on Saturday Feb. 18 at 4 p.m.
Women’s basketball unstoppable at 21-0
Senior guard Katie Durand dribbles up the court in search of an open teammate. The women have maintained a 21-0 record, and they look to continue this success all the way through SUNYACs. (Keith Walters/Campus Photographer)
The Geneseo women’s basketball team has clinched a playoff spot in the SUNYACs once again.
This feat is no surprise, as the team is still holding on to a perfect record at 21-0. Not only are the women four wins away from completing a perfect regular season, but they are potentially one game away from clinching a No. 1 or 2 seed, guaranteeing them a first round bye.
This advantage can easily be captured with a win over the 13-8 SUNY Oneonta Red Dragons on Friday Feb. 10.
Geneseo squared off with the Red Dragons back in December at Geneseo. The game was anything but a cakewalk, as the Knights slipped away with a 48-40 victory. The Red Dragons led by five points at the half, and had it not been for Geneseo’s outstanding defense in the third quarter—which held Oneonta to three points—the Knights would have most likely been served their first loss of the season.
With Oneonta going 8-2 in their last 10 games, the upcoming matchup will certainly be an intense one—especially since Geneseo’s perfect record is at stake.
“I think these players have made it a priority that come February, they’re in a position to compete for a conference championship game,” head coach Scott Hemer said. “I don’t think being 20-0 or 16-4 changes that. They have the same goals and objectives, and although it’s a little more stressful on them mentally, I think it doesn’t change the way they approach each game.”
The Knights last game was just another example of their incredible team dynamic. The women faced the SUNY Brockport Golden Eagles away on Friday Feb. 3. The team cooperation was evident, as the Knights won 64-51.
Key players in this game included sophomore guard Kelsey Poplawski—who scored eight points of the Knights 22 points in the third quarter—and senior guard Kara Houppert, who had a stellar night, putting up a team-high of 15 points alongside eight rebounds. Senior guard Katie Durand also continued her strong season, scoring seven points, currently leading the team in points per game with 11 percent.
Assuming the Knights continue the winning trends that they’ve basked in this season, they will find themselves in favorable contention for not only a No. 1 seed in the SUNYAC Tournament, but also in the NCAA Tournament.
The NCAA Tournament will begin shortly after the SUNYAC Championship game, which is scheduled for Feb. 25. The Knights acceptance into the NCAA Tournament will be indicative of how they finish the season and of their performance in the SUNYAC Tournament.
Geneseo has made it deep into the NCAA Tournament a few times over the past couple decades. Given their current dynamic and statistics, the 2016-17 women’s team looks like a strong contender for a high seeding slot.
Super Bowl Predictions: Patriots vs. Falcons
Wide receiver Mohamed Sanu of the Atlanta Falcons answers questions in Houston during a press conference about the National Football League Super Bowl 51 on Monday Jan. 30. (David Phillip/AP Photo)
The Atlanta Falcons are looking for a Super Bowl win—something they have yet to do in their 20 years of existence. Quarterback Tom Brady and the New England Patriots will face off against quarterback Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons in Houston on Sunday Feb. 5 for a fierce game of football.
Although most fans of the game are looking for a Falcons win, the chance that their wishes will be granted are not looking too hot. For starters, the Patriots have gone to six Super Bowl games—winning four of them—since the Falcons last went to the Super Bowl, losing to the Denver Broncos in 1999. The American Football Conference has been known for producing franchise teams that dominate the game for decades at a time, whereas the National Football Conference tends to produce teams that are good for only one season. Exhibit A: the Carolina Panthers.
If the Atlanta Falcons are going to take their team to the promise land, there are many things they must do and execute flawlessly. First, Atlanta must score on every single drive. For those who don’t know, the Falcons defense is not particularly the best. In the regular season alone the Falcons ranked 25 in the league in terms of yards given up per game. In comparison, the Patriots defense checked in at No. 8.
The postseason defensive stats also indicate an incredibly stronger New England defense, further supporting the fact that Atlanta cannot afford to make any empty drives. If there is anything that the Falcons lead the Patriots in, it’s offense. With Ryan and receivers like Julio Jones, Atlanta’s offense has been explosive not only in the regular season, but also in the postseason. This combination proved dominant when the Falcons annihilated the Green Bay Packers 44-21 in the NFC Championship game.
The great thing about postseason football is that anything is possible. Yes, the Patriots are favored and Brady is difficult to beat—but that is where football’s X factor is so important. If they knew who would win, they wouldn’t play the game, and Ryan is just the man to pull off the upset against one of football’s greatest rivalries.
Based on their firing offenses and the ever so important “X” factor, I see a 37-33 Falcons victory.
Assistant sports editor Chris Coyne contributed reporting to this article.
Women’s basketball fights to remain undefeated
Senior guard Kayleigh Cavanaugh takes the ball up the court during the Knights game against SUNY Plattsburgh on Saturday Jan. 21. The women finished the home game with a 66-46 victory, contributing to their perfect 18-0 record for the season.
The Geneseo women’s basketball team is once again putting up an impressive and record-worthy season. With Tuesday Jan. 24’s 61-47 win over the Buffalo State Bengals, the Knights have carried on their perfect season and now stand at 18-0.
The women’s basketball team is no stranger to being ranked at the top of the SUNYAC conference. With an 18-0 record and second place SUNY Oneonta and SUNY Cortland trailing by more than three games, the potential of snagging a high playoff seed seems expected.
The perfect record, however, does not account for the one major loss that both the basketball team and the Knights community experienced at the beginning of winter break, when freshman guard Savannah Williams was killed in a car accident in December. This drew a major emotional setback in what had otherwise been a very progressive season.
The Knights were scheduled to play a game just under two weeks after Williams’ death against Medaille College on Jan. 2., and although there was speculation regarding the possible rescheduling of this game, the Knights went on to defeat Medaille College 59-40.
“It wasn’t easy to get back on the floor without somebody that the team was close to—but they pulled together and learned to lean on each other during the adversity they’ve been through in the last year,” head coach Scott Hemer said. “We had some choices to make on how we were going to approach it, and I admire the way my players stepped up to the challenge.”
Despite the tragic loss of a teammate, the Knights have had an explosive January thus far. Not only have they outscored their opponents on average by more than 15 points per game, but they also have had some intense games as well.
Students returning to the Geneseo campus for the spring semester were in for a treat when the Knights took the Rochester Institute of Technology Tigers into overtime. Geneseo won the game 62-60 in a nail biting finish.
The match was also well attended, as many students and faculty alike showed to demonstrate their support for a team shaken by tragedy. The crowd helped to motivate and shape the outcome of that game, as RIT was one of the toughest teams Geneseo has faced this season, according to Hemer.
The Knights are at the pinnacle of the SUNYAC conference right now. Although there is a nice cushion between them and their opponents, there is also an increased amount of pressure. Time and time again, teams at both the collegiate and professional level have been known to choke during games that matter most out of sheer comfort of being on top.
“It’s like a mountain climb; the higher you climb, the thinner the air,” Hemer said. “I think the team is starting to see that everybody is trying to be that team that will knock them off—but I don’t think it changes who we are and what our goals are for the year.”
U.S. women’s soccer team fights for equal pay
The United States women’s national soccer team has been quite successful in recent years. In total, they have taken home four Olympic gold medals and won three Women’s World Cup titles. The numbers they’ve put up in recent years have been impressive, including their compensation. In 2015, a year in which they won the World Cup, the team generated $2 million. So why did five women on the team file a lawsuit with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission earlier this year? Perhaps it has to do with the fact that the men raked in $9 million in 2014—a year in which they failed to make it past the second stage of the World Cup.
When examining this situation, it is important to look at the overall argument before applying it to the athletic world. We live in a society where many argue that oppression remains prevalent, and many cite pay inequality as evidence of this.
People claim that wage gaps are common in the workplace, while studies point to an earnings gap between women and their male counterparts. These two terms, although used interchangeably, are very different. A wage gap suggests that one party is simply being paid less for the same amount of experience, hours worked, work ethic and experience as their counterpart. An earnings gap, on the other hand, takes into account more information, such as employment history and differences in occupation.
The athletic world is no exception to this. There have been many cases involving payment discrepancies amongst professional athletes in the past. The women’s national team is one of the most recent cases that’s receiving a lot of national attention.
One of the reasons this story is so widely publicized is because of the people that have filed the lawsuit. Forward Alex Morgan, midfielder Carli Lloyd, midfielder Megan Rapinoe, defender Becky Sauerbrunn and goalkeeper Hope Solo—who is no longer with the team—are the prominent players that took the initiative.
Inequality of payment in athletics differs slightly from traditional office job’s payment inequality claims. Frequently, salaries depend soley on the revenue that the teams and their leagues bring in, with no prejudice against a certain gender.
The U.S. Soccer Federation issued a statement earlier this year acknowledging that the national women’s soccer team was indeed composed of some of the most talented and successful players in the sport.
Of course, there are many factors, though, that could play into these potential wage gaps amongst the two genders. Men’s soccer brings in twice as much revenue in the form of ticket sales than the women, according to the federation. If this is indeed the case, then the U.S. Soccer Federation would be losing revenue by paying the women more.
This trend can be seen in a number of different sports. The Women’s National Basketball Association receives not nearly as much attention as the National Basketball Association does, and there are no well-known or publicized women’s football teams.
In addition to pointing out the differences in revenue, the Federation also noted that 25 of the 40 highest earning U.S. soccer players between 2012-15 were indeed women. It is important to note, however, that payment methods for these teams are different. The women tend to get higher base salaries and decent bonuses when they win a game. The men, on the other hand, get large bonuses for every game they play and massive bonuses when they win, though this may be due to the significantly higher income that the team brings in.
While there remains plenty of gray area in this argument, one can logically see that there is not necessarily a gender issue here. The women may have a more popular and successful team among professional U.S. soccer, but the women’s overall league is significantly less popular internationally than that that of the men’s.
Since this is how the paychecks are determined, there should not be as much of an issue amongst the teams.
Women’s basketball remains undefeated
While most students traveled back home to celebrate Thanksgiving, the Geneseo women’s basketball team celebrated two victories on Nov. 22 and Sunday Nov. 27. The Knights are off to an energizing start this season, putting up impressive numbers thus far. Geneseo ended November with a perfect 4-0 record, putting them at the top of the SUNYAC division standings.
The women’s winning streak began on Nov. 18 when they steamrolled past Penn State-Harrisburg 69-34 in the Lebanon Valley Tournament in Annville, Pennsylvania. Following the win, Geneseo faced the Lebanon Valley College Dutchmen in the tournament championship, which they went on to win 52-40. Senior guard Bridgit Ryan put up 17 points against the Dutchmen while hitting four of five three-pointers.
Following these successes, the Knights went into Thanksgiving break with a lot of momentum. Back in New York, they traveled to SUNY Morrisville to face the non-conference Mustangs. Great offense led the Knights to their third straight win, defeating the Mustangs by a 30-point margin of 79-49.
To end November, the Knights picked up their fourth straight win against the Misericordia University Cougars on Sunday Nov. 27, winning 69-59. Senior guard Katie Durand was a key player in this game, putting up 16 points. Scoring and stats aside, the team has seemed to find the great dynamic that it’s been accustomed to for the past few seasons.
“It’s become an expectation for our players to compete for championships every year,” head coach Scott Hemer said.
Hemer praises his team on their ability to defend and get rebounds, two things the Knights have done well thus far this season.
The Geneseo women’s basketball team has a history of putting up impressive numbers, records and championship runs. The team consistently wins SUNYAC titles and clinches NCAA Division III Tournament spots, something that is uncommon for teams in a smaller and lesser-known division like the SUNYACs.
With a 4-0 record—and the fact that all four games of their season have been played on the road and were blowouts—it appears as if the women are well on their way to yet another successful season. All expectations will be challenged later in the season, though, when the Knights face prominent conference opponents. This includes SUNY Fredonia, who is ranked second in the SUNYACs and has a 4-1 record.
The Knights’ next game will mark the beginning of conference play this season, as they face the SUNY New Paltz Hawks on Friday Dec. 2 at Geneseo, who are 3-2 this season. The conference opener will coincidentally be the Knights’ first home game of the season, too.
Following Geneseo’s 7:30 p.m. matchup against the Hawks, the Knights will face the SUNY Oneonta Red Dragons on Saturday Dec. 3 at 4 p.m. in Geneseo.
Women’s basketball 2016-17 season preview
The Geneseo women’s basketball team will begin their quest to 20 plus wins this season starting on Friday Nov. 18. The Knights hope to continue their legacy as a premier Division III basketball program in the SUNYAC conference. The Knights have been preparing for this season in a number of different ways. From workouts to offensive and defensive strategizing, the Knights are looking to come out of the gates strong and to take an early lead in the division. The team will be coming off a strong 2015-16 season where they went 21-8 and made it to the NCAA DIII Tournament.
With the start of the season just days away, the goals of the program have not changed as Geneseo embarks on its fifth consecutive winning season. This is certainly no small feat for any college basketball team.
“I think it’s become an expectation for our players to compete for championships every year,” head coach Scott Hemer said. “We have things that we pride ourselves on, such as defense and rebounding, which we will continue to do.”
Positive outlook aside, it’s no secret that the Knights will be down key contributors this year. To name a few, the Knights will have to fend without guard Dana Cohen ‘16 and forward Allison McKenna ‘16, who both helped lead the Knights last year.
Geneseo has had a strong recruiting system, however, especially in women’s basketball. Hemer worked hard to find the best of the best and to create a lasting dynasty at Geneseo.
Hemer made sure to recruit talented freshman that will be groomed to win championships by the time they become upperclassmen. With the addition of two new guards, the Knights are looking sharp heading into this season. Although there are changes, Hemer remains optimistic.
“We aren’t going to change who we are, but we are going to change the style in which we play in those systems,” he said.
The women are counting down the days before they head to Annville, Pennsylvania, to compete in the Lebanon Valley Tournament. There, the team will face their first opponent of the season, Penn State-Harrisburg.
“I think they are very excited to get the season underway,” Hemer said.
Geneseo will face the 0-1 Penn State-Harrisburg Nittany Lions on Friday Nov. 18 at 6 p.m. Harrisburg suffered their first loss in a sloppy game against Misericordia College, where they lost 56-26.
With high expectations for the season, the Knights hope to get off to a strong start in order to carry the momentum all the way through February.