Third title for women’s swimming and diving
The women’s swimming and diving team, which was picked to finish third in the preseason poll, proved many critics wrong when they won their third title in the last four years at the 2011 Patriot League Championships.
    The Raiders compiled a score of 862 points and led after each day in the three-day event. Navy, the preseason favorite, finished a distant second with 760 points, while Bucknell came in third with 581.5 points.

(photo by Marc Hagemeier, Bucknell Athletics)

    Some individuals took home hardware for their efforts. Fernando Canales, the Mark S. Randall Head Coach of men’s and women’s swimming, was named the Patriot League Women’s Coach of the Year, leading the Raiders to the title in his first season.
    Captain Erin McGraw ’11 was selected as the female swimmer of the meet. McGraw earned 60 points toward the team title, which tied her with Erica Derlath ’12 for the most points among all swimmers. Winning the 200-yard backstroke, McGraw set a new Patriot League record and Kinney Natatorium mark of 1:58.50. She also broke her own Patriot League record, which she had set in 2009. Her second individual title came in the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 54.36 seconds.
    Derlath also had a solid three-day performance, having won an event each day. She recorded her second career title in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 4:49.46. Jumping back in the pool the next day for the 400-yard individual medley, Derlath won her second championship at 4:17.94. She finished on the third day with a Colgate- and Patriot League–record swim in the 1,650-yard freestyle with a time of 16:24.83.
    Kim Pilka ’13 earned the Colgate sweep in meet honors as she was named the female diver of the meet after winning both diving events. She finished the 1-meter dive with a Patriot League–record score of 303.40, destroying the previous mark of 291.85, which was set in 2006. The score also set a new Colgate record, beating the 2005 record. Pilka’s 308.05 score in the 3-meter dive was her highest total of the season, helping her win her second title.

Powers breaks 35-year-old freestyle swimming record
At the Patriot League Championships, Casey Powers ’12 broke a 35-year-old Colgate record in the 1,650-yard freestyle with a time of 15:47.15. The previous record was held by Bob Collum ’75, which was set in 1976 with a time of 15:59.20.
    The men’s swimming and diving season came to an end at the championships with a fifth-place finish, scoring a total of 363 points. Navy once again claimed the title, while rival Army took home second.
    Tucker Gniewek ’11 finished third in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 44.92 seconds. He also set a new Colgate record by breaking his own in the event by .15 seconds. Gniewek earned the record last year with a time of 45.07 seconds.
    Devon Healy ’11 had a time of 2:05.50 in the 200-yard breaststroke to finish seventh, while Costas Hadjipateras ’12 ended up fifth in the 200-yard butterfly with a time of 1:49.83. He also broke his own Colgate record, which was set last year at 1:50.62.
    In the final event of the championships, the Raiders took third and earned 32 points in the 400-yard freestyle relay with a time of 3:02.48. The team of Dan Sweeney ’13, Pat White ’12, Samuel Ellis ’14, and Gniewek just missed the team’s record by under a second.

Murphy wins second Super Bowl
Mark Murphy ’77, who won a Super Bowl as a player with the Washington Redskins, snared another trophy as president and chief executive officer of the Green Bay Packers. The Packers defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers, 31-25, in a thrilling conclusion to this year’s NFL season.

(photo by Michael Biever/Green Bay Packers)

    “We have the best fans in the league and we couldn’t have done it without you. The Vince Lombardi Trophy is coming back to Green Bay!” Murphy yelled after hoisting the trophy in Dallas, site of Super Bowl XLV.
    Murphy became part of the Packers family in 2007. He earned a law degree after his eight NFL seasons and spent time as an attorney in the Justice Department before returning to Colgate as athletics director from 1992 through 2003. He became athletics director at Northwestern University before being named president and CEO of the Packers.
    Murphy had captained the Colgate football team before advancing to the pros with Washington, where he played in Super Bowl XVII and Super Bowl XVIII.
    He was a key player in the Redskins’ 27-17 Super Bowl XVII win over the Miami Dolphins. His interception of Miami quarterback David Woodley’s pass put an end to a second-half drive by the Dolphins.

Women’s hockey creates Autism Awareness Project
The women’s hockey team launched a new fundraiser for autism awareness in late January. After an event-filled weekend, the team raised $12,000 toward autism research through donations and its Player Puzzle Fundraiser.
 

Wearing special jerseys for their Autism Awareness Project, the women’s hockey team shut out RPI 2-0 and raised $12,000 for autism research. (Photo by Bob Cornell)

   “The kick-off event for our Autism Awareness Project went fantastic,” said Head Coach Scott Wiley. “The whole weekend far exceeded any of our expectations. Our players did a great job helping to make this a huge success.”
    All proceeds went to Autism Speaks U, Family Resource Network, The Kelberman Center, and The Oz Project.
    The Light Up Starr Rink Blue kickoff game against RPI on Friday, January 28, attracted 1,038 fans of all ages — surpassing the goal of 1,000 spectators — all of whom wore light blue, the color of autism awareness. Fans included groups of autistic children and Delta Delta Delta sisters who won the Greek Challenge by having the most students from their house at the game. The next night, fans came out again to see Colgate beat Union 1-0.
    “The atmosphere was amazing,” Wiley said. “The support we received from the Colgate community was really special; our team really fed off the enthusiasm and support. Getting the two wins was also a great step forward for our team.”
    The team wore special puzzle-piece jerseys designed by OT Sports as part of their awareness campaign. The jerseys, along with commemorative pucks and items worn by the coaching staff, were auctioned off through an online silent auction that started after the game.

Men’s basketball hosts first Slam Dunk Alzheimer’s event
The men’s basketball team hosted their first Slam Dunk Alzheimer’s fundraiser on February 20 when the team took on Bucknell at Cotterell Court. Beta Theta Pi fraternity helped coordinate the event to raise money and awareness for Alzheimer’s disease. The day featured purple T-shirts, free ice cream from Gilligan’s in Sherburne, and sponsorships from Price Chopper and Wayne’s Market.
    During the game against the Bison, a signed Adonal Foyle jersey was raffled off as well as sneakers autographed by former Duke star and Magic guard J.J. Reddick. The stands were packed with purple shirts and enthusiasm, but despite a well-played first half, the Patriot League–leading Bison were too much for the Raiders.
    Overall, the event raised more than $1,000, and alumni and fans are still sending in money in support. It is hoped that the event will grow in future years and be part of the schedule each Colgate season.

Women’s track finishes 5th at Patriot League Indoor Championship
Elise DeRoo ’12 won the 1,000-meter run and was a member of the distance medley relay team that captured a title for the Raiders at the Patriot League Indoor Championships at the end of February. The Raiders finished fifth overall with 58 points at Navy’s Wesley A. Brown Field House.
    DeRoo won the 1,000-meter run title with a school- and Patriot League–record time of 2:52.37, earning all-Patriot League first-team honors. DeRoo’s time topped the previous records set in 2002. DeRoo also finished third in the mile with a time of 4:48.44.
    DeRoo, along with Kelly Cattano ’12, Amy Sleeper ’13, and Hilary Hooley ’11, posted a new school- and Patriot League–record time of 11:58.26 in the distance medley relay to bring home the title for the second-straight year. The relay team broke the previous record set by Colgate in 1998.
    In the sprinting events, Michele Miller ’11 finished third in the 400- meter dash with a time of 57.87 seconds, and sixth in the 200-meter dash with a time of 25.85 seconds. Jamie King-Prunty ’14 finished second in the 500-meter dash with a personal-record time of 1:16.55 and was followed by Alexandra Atkinson ’12, who finished third with a time of 1:17.04.

DeRoo adds more honors to résumé
Elise DeRoo ’12 was named to the USTFCCCA 2010 Division I All-Academic Cross Country team. She was the only Patriot League selection and the first Raider to ever achieve this individual honor.
    DeRoo, who won her second-straight Patriot League cross-country title in the fall, has a 3.90 GPA in molecular biology. The junior was also named the Patriot League Women’s Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year and the Patriot League Indoor Track and Field Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
    To qualify for the USTFCCCA All- Academic Cross Country Team, a student-athlete must have compiled a cumulative GPA of 3.25 and have either earned USTFCCCA All-America status or finished in the NCAA region’s top 15 (or top 10 percent) in 2010.
    Both the men’s and women’s teams were honored by the USTFCCCA as well. The two teams captured All-Academic Team honors for their performance in the classroom. For a team to be considered for the award, it must have competed and compiled a team score at an NCAA Regional Meet as well as have a minimum cumulative team GPA of 3.0.

Sami Kozlowski ’11 led the Raiders in scoring with nine points as the team fell to American University on February 12. (Photo by Andrew Daddio)

Dekanich plays in AHL All-Star game
Former Raiders hockey standout and goaltender Mark Dekanich ’08 was one of three goaltenders to play in the 2011 American Hockey League All-Star Classic in Hershey, Pa. He played the entire second period, giving up three goals and making seven saves.
    Dekanich is enjoying his best season with the Milwaukee Admirals, which is an affiliate of the NHL’s Nashville Predators. As of mid-February, he had been called up to the Predators three times this season. In his NHL debut on December 18 against the Los Angeles Kings, he made 22 saves on 25 shots in 50 minutes of action.
    Also at press time, he was one of the best goalies in the AHL, with a 20-9-5 record and 2.04 goals against average. Dekanich’s .929 save percentage was tied for third in the league, and his 20 wins were tied for fourth.

Roach named to NCAA football championship committees
Athletics director David Roach was recently named to the NCAA Division I Football Championship Committee and the Football Issues Committee. He will serve a four-year term beginning September 1.
    “I look forward to representing the Patriot League and Colgate on this NCAA committee,” Roach said. “It will be an honor and privilege to be part of the NCAA Division I playoffs and to work with such a great group of athletics administrators.”
    The two committees will be charged with evaluating programs, participating in numerous regional and national conference calls, assisting other committee members with the selection of teams to the playoffs, and the creation of the annual NCAA FCS Playoff bracket.
    Roach currently also serves as president of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics and on the board of directors of Black Coaches & Administrators.

Longtime usher honored
On February 19, when the men’s hockey team hosted Harvard on Senior Night, the three graduating seniors asked a special member of the hockey family to drop the ceremonial puck on their final night at Starr Rink.
    Stan Krohn, a World War II veteran, has been a fixture at Starr Rink for the last 20 years as an usher for the Raiders. He has not missed a men’s hockey game since joining the event staff and has seen Colgate in a record 364-straight home games. His efforts go beyond the rink: he has worked numerous basketball and football games as well. The 94-year-old was a member of the 8th Air Force and flew 23 missions on a B17 — “The Flying Fortress” — as a flight engineer and ball turret gunner.

Men’s hockey seniors honored 20-year Raiders usher Stan Krohn, who dropped the ceremonial puck in their final home game. (Photo by Bob Cornell)

    “Stan has captured the hearts of our entire staff and many of our student-athletes,” said athletics director David Roach. “He is an inspiration to all of us for what he did for our country and for the way he approaches life every day. It is a privilege and honor for all of us to call Stan our friend.”
    When Krohn walked onto the ice, he was surprised to see fans all around Starr Rink donning “Stan the Man” T-shirts and rising to their feet as the veteran joined assistant captain Francois Brisebois ’11 at center ice. A very moved and emotional Krohn dropped the puck in front of Brisebois and Harvard’s Michael Del Mauro, and the teams were set to play.
    Following a big 2-1 win over the Crimson, many fans went up to Krohn and asked him to sign their shirts. With a great smile and a wink, he signed their T-shirts as Stan the Man.

Synchronized skating ranks 5th at sectionals
Having just recently joined forces to create a synchronized skating team, Colgate and Hamilton College ranked fifth out of 11 East Coast colleges at the 2011 Eastern Synchronized Team Skating Sectional Championships. Skating to Lady Gaga’s “Dance in the Dark,” the Colgate-Hamilton team beat more experienced teams from Vassar College, Syracuse University, and Princeton University while competing in the February 4 championships in Lake Placid, N.Y.
    The team was founded last fall, when Colgate Figure Skating Club President Elise Aronson ’11 reached out to Hamilton College in the hopes of expanding their respective skating programs. Coach Anne-Marie Lemal Brown and Melissa Lehman ’11, a former member of the national champion synchronized team, helped guide the team to success, through their work with coaching and choreography, respectively. Colgate team members also include the Figure Skating Club’s co-vice presidents Emily Miller ’13 and Courtney Mills ’13, as well as Maggie Dunne ’13, Regan Esposito ’14, and Hallie Kohler ’13.
    The Colgate Figure Skating Team competed again on February 19 at the University of Delaware against Cornell University, Dartmouth College, and six other schools. Aronson was the leading point scorer, placing 4th in the junior ladies short program and 5th in the junior ladies free skate. Mills also earned points with a 4th-place finish in preliminary ice-dance.

Curling bonspiel
In February, Colgate’s Curling Club co-hosted a bonspiel (tournament) with Hamilton College’s club at the Utica Curling Club. Friends and family gathered to watch curlers from Colgate, Hamilton, Bowling Green State University, MIT, RIT, SUNY Binghamton, and University of Pennsylvania play for the top spots in six events.
    In a nail-biting semi-final game of the A event, the Colgate’s club president, Alex Boyce ’11, lost a close match in an extra end to Penn. RIT took home top honors, winning the A event.
    Colgate’s best finish was in the D event, finishing the equivalent of third place.
    Later in the season, Andy Giandomenico ’11 and Zach Wienandt ’13 traveled to Chicago with Hamilton College curlers for the National College Curling Championships.

Raider Nation Fan spotlights with Vicky Chun ’91, senior associate athletic director Gus Coldebella ’91, Alumni Council president From: Washington, D.C. Occupation: After serving as the deputy general counsel and acting general counsel of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, he has returned to his former law firm, Goodwin Procter LLP, as a partner. Game: Men’s Ice Hockey vs. #9 Union, 1/14/11   Why did you come to this game? I try to see as much Colgate ice hockey as possible. As you know, I led the 1990 NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey team to the ECAC championship … as the hockey organist.   What is your most memorable athletics moment? In that role, the team was threatened with a penalty because I played “Three Blind Mice” after a terrible call by the refs. I said I’d play it again if I could actually serve the penalty myself.   Any advice for Colgate students? Seniors: I’ve found a lot of you think your first job has to be perfect; but it doesn’t. It just has to be a job. Hopefully, you’ll love it, but even if you don’t, you will have learned something very important about what not to seek out in your next job. Most important is to try to excel in every job you have, love it or not. Karl B. Stewart ’91, Alumni Council member From: Queens, N.Y. Occupation: Human resources coordinator for CNN Game: Men’s Basketball vs. American, 1/15/11   What do you think of our mascot? Raider helps us target school spirit; however, sometimes I feel like he is smiling maniacally at me, and I wonder … what does that mean?   What do you think about your upcoming 20th Reunion? Isn’t it all about seeing who’s still hot? Or, if someone who wasn’t hot is now really hot? Honestly, I’m excited to hear what everyone has done in the last 20 years, and it’ll be fun to see everyone’s kids live after watching them grow up on Facebook.   What’s the biggest change you’ve seen at the athletics events? We can’t sing the ‘hairy moose’ chants circa 1991 [Karl sang out the chant, but it’s not fitting to publish]. It seems more students are spending more time in the library … what’s up with that?! [Although anyone who knows him can tell you Karl was in the library a fair amount in his time — work hard, play hard.] Brittany Venezio From: New Hartford, N.Y. Occupation: Event planner at Events Forum, Inc. Game: Women’s Basketball vs. Bucknell, 1/22/11   What brought you here? My family and I like to support the cheer team and the athletics teams at Colgate. [Her sister, Jennifer Venezio, is the head cheer team coach.]   Do you have a large family? Oh, yes! There are a lot of us in New Hartford and we’re a very loud family! We’ve bought out the bookstore and love wearing Colgate gear.   Do you have a favorite Colgate event that you usually go to? We love going to all the sporting events during homecoming weekend. My dad, who has been to the finest restaurants around the world, always looks forward to the tailgates and the chili from the concession stands.