Hitting the Links: 9/18/2010

Hello again, old friends. I've missed you so since the last post.

Yes, it has been too long, but the Links is back this Saturday afternoon, refreshed and ready to go after a two-day end-of-the-week vacation (sort of).

Anyway, quite a bit has happened since Wednesday, so let's get to it.

One thing that has happened recently, last night actually, the Binghamton men's soccer team picked up it's first win of the season. After starting off the season 0-4, navigating through a non-conference schedule that can be described gently as "brutal," the Bearcats picked up a win against Lafayette in the Colgate Raider Invitational. Covered by the Binghamton Press Connects, the Bearcats topped the Leopards, a team just outside the Top 25, 1-0.

For more on all of Friday's America East soccer action, both men's and women's, click over to americaeast.com.

In another fall sport, field hockey, Boston University continues to move up the national rankings. After last weekend's win over Boston College, the Terriers moved to No. 13 in the national polls. For an in-depth look at the rise of the Terriers, check out Boston University's Daily Free Press.

In basketball, the Bangor Daily News published a story analyzing the tough non-conference schedules for both the Maine men and women. The Black Bear men will play games against such nationally-known programs as Maryland and Notre Dame. The women find such schools as Kansas, Florida and Penn State on their schedule.

Also in hoops, Vermont, according to the Burlington Free Press "On Campus," The Catamounts picked up a walk-on for the 2011-12 season, as Jon Angstadt, a guard from Reading, Pa., accepted a walk-on invitation from Vermont.

Well that will do it for this Saturday edition of the Links. Check in tomorrow for more links from AExtra.

Hartford Women's Basketball Hits the Links

Hartford Athletics and the women's basketball program hit the links this past weekend in Avon, Connecticut. Hartford Athletics was able to capture some great footage and interviews from this fun event.

Highlights from Albany's win over Manhattan

The Albany Great Danes women's soccer team has been one of the revelations of the 2010 season. Here are some highlights from the Great Danes victory over Manhattan that improved their record to 4-4-0.

Albany and Vermont set to be Involved with Community Service

Both the University at Albany and the University of Vermont are set to be involved with community service events in the coming weeks.

Athletes from the University at Albany will be participating in the second annual Race For Hope, which is hosted by Capital Region Special Service. Here is some more information on the tremendous event from the Albany Times Union:

"Capital Region Special Surgery (CRSS) will host its second annual Race for Hope 5K road race on Saturday, Sept. 18 at 10 a.m. in Slingerlands.

UAlbany athletic director Lee McElroy will serve as the official race starter. UAlbany’s athletic teams, led by baseball, women’s basketball, cheerleaders and the dance team, are recruiting runners and volunteers along with the Division of Student Success."

The Race for Hope is dedicated to supporting those in our community affected by brain, head and neck cancers. All proceeds (including all registration/entry fees) from this year’s event will be shared by two local organizations: patient services at the St. Peter’s Hospital Cancer Care Center and Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Capital Region, Inc."

As part of its homecoming celebration on October 2, the University of Vermont will feature The Kevin Roberson 5k Memorial Run/Walk. Roberson was a tremendous student-athlete at UVM, who was killed in a car crash by a drunk driver. Here is more information on the event from UVM Athletics:

"The Kevin Roberson 5K Memorial Run/Walk will take part on Saturday, October 2 as part of the University of Vermont homecoming celebration weekend. Now in its 17th year, the run is dedicated to the memory of former student-athlete Kevin Roberson.

Designed to be a casual, fun event for all ages, ability and running/walking prowess, all proceeds for the 5k run will go towards the Kevin Roberson Scholarship Fund, which assists eligible student-athletes in pursuit of their athletic and academic passions.

Roberson earned accolades as a standout all-conference student-athlete on the Vermont men's basketball team, later having his number retired and he was also inducted into the UVM Athletic Hall of Fame.""

AExtra would like to applaud everyone involved with these important events. Both of these events have a tremendous impact on those who participate and those who benefit from the money that is raised.

Two Ranked Opponents on the Men's Soccer Schedule this Weekend

While this weekend doesn't have as many high-profile men's and women's soccer games as we have seen over the opening month of the season, that doesn't mean that there is a lack of quality action. On the women's side, this is the final weekend of the non-conference schedule, with eight teams scheduled to kickoff conference play on September 26.

In Friday's women's soccer action, Albany faces a crucial test against Manhattan, as the Great Danes look to get back to .500. Albany has had a very strong start to the 2010 season, including its first three-game winning since moving to Division I. For a complete preview of Friday's women's soccer action, be sure to check out the official website of the America East Conference.

Sunday's action is highlighted by Boston University welcoming Connecticut to Nickerson Field. The Terriers have played a grueling non-conference schedule, which has included five games against ranked opponents. The Huskies got off to a slow start this season, but they are currently on a four-game winning streak and are playing their best soccer of the year.

On the men's side, Friday offers two match ups against ranked opponents. Boston University will look to bounce back from its first loss of the season when it makes the short drive to Chestnut Hill, Mass., for a huge game against No. 13 Boston College. The Terriers have played outstanding soccer so far this season and this game is an excellent chance to get on the national radar.

Hartford has a Big East theme to its weekend action, as the Hawks face No. 20 St. John's on Friday night. The Hawks are coming off a big win over intrastate rival Central Connecticut St. and it appears that Dan Gaspar's team is starting to gel. Following the trip to Queens, N.Y., Hartford heads to Piscataway, N.J. to face Rutgers. For a preview of the rest of Friday's action, head over to americaeast.com. Stay tuned to AExtra throughout the weekend for the latest highlights and interviews.

UNH Volleyball Set to Host Holly Young Invitational

UNH is set to host the Holly Young Invitational this weekend in Durham, N.H. This annual tournament was created as a way to raise money for former UNH volleyball player Holly Young, who passed away on January 24, 2008, following a three-year battle with Ewing's Sarcoma. Funds raised at the event will go to a scholarship setup in Young's name at Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School, the Jimmy Fund and cancer research.

The four participants in the 2010 Holly Young Invitational are UNH, Dartmouth, Sacred Heart and Rutgers. The Wildcats open up tournament play on Friday night against Dartmouth. On Saturday, UNH will face Sacred Heart at 12:30 p.m. and Rutgers at 7 p.m.

Stanley Cup at UVM!

Saturday, former strength and conditioning coach, Paul Goodman, brought the Stanley Cup back to Burlington and the University of Vermont. Goodman, who left UVM in 2008, won the Stanley Cup this year as the Strength Coach for the Chicago Blackhawks

Tough loss for Binghamton Women's Soccer

The Binghamton University women’s soccer team was coming off of two lop-sided road games as it entered Wednesday night’s home match against Iona College. The Bearcats defeated Bucknell 3-0, but then lost convincingly at Syracuse 4-0. They were looking to rebound on their home turf, but despite outshooting their opponents 23-5, the Bearcats took a 1-0 loss to Iona.

Conditions were a bit tough with the 6 p.m. start, as the sun was setting over the Bearcats Sports Complex. The Gaels controlled much of the possession early on, but Binghamton had several scoring chances as the first half went on. With about six minutes left in the half, the Bearcats had a big offensive push, as freshman Kaitlyn Cook put in a through ball to sophomore Sarah Furminger, who was running up the right side, but an Iona defender blocked the shot with a last ditch effort.

With about three minutes left in the half, Iona had a free kick from about 30 yards away on the left side, but the shot went right to freshman goalkeeper Carrie Martin. By the end of the half, the Bearcats led Iona in shots 11-3.

In the 56^th minute Furminger fired a shot on net that forced Iona freshman goalkeeper Trista Rivera to dive to her right. She couldn’t get a full grasp on the ball and it went backwards towards the net, but Rivera got up and harnessed the ball before it crossed the line.

The Bearcats continued to dominate possession throughout the second half, amassing many more opportunities than Iona, but just one quality chance can make all the difference, and one fell into Iona’s lap.

In the 76^th minute, Gaels senior Ali Werner gained possession in the attacking half after three Binghamton defenders became cluttered, and put forth a chip shot just outside the box on the left side. Martin tried to punch the ball over the crossbar, but the ball was out of her reach, creeping in just under the bar, giving Iona the one goal advantage.

“We can play better,” said BU head coach Sarah McClellan following the loss. “We can be more focused with our technical plays on the ball, but that’s the game of soccer. Sometimes it’s that lucky one, and it was quite the lucky (shot)…luckiest shot I’ve ever seen. It happens. What are we going to do?”

Much like their match against Delaware State, the Bearcats outshot their opponents by a wide margin, but didn’t have many goals to show for it. The main difference in this match was the result. Binghamton has now been shutout in three of its last four games and four times overall this season. The team is next scheduled to play at Seton Hall on Monday at 7 p.m.

Overtime Excitement in Baltimore

By Curtis Schickner, UMBC '12

The UMBC men’s soccer team won a thrilling overtime match against La Salle on Wednesday night. In front of nearly 1,000 fans on UMBC’s turf field, the Retrievers looked like they would never capitalize on any of their scoring chances. UMBC outshot La Salle 24-12. The crowd became restless, as the scoreless draw lingered and the first goal seemed elusive. When La Salle scored on a shot from 22 yards out, on which goaltender Phil Saunders was screened by the shot, every ounce of energy was sucked out of the crowd. A red card late in the match added a spark to the UMBC offense. With five minutes left in the match,  Saunders kicked the ball the length of the field, where it was redirected, headed, and eventually kicked into the net by Pete Caringi III for his third goal of the season. The crowd erupted into cheers as the entire UMBC bench ran to the corner and mobbed Caringi and his teammates in celebration.

Overtime ensued and the tempo was quicker than in regulation time. With La Salle down a player, UMBC produced an onslaught of offense, but still lacked the finesse and touch to snake one into the net. With 22 seconds left in the first overtime, Levi Houapeu received the ball from Nirav Kadam and sent a rocket into the bottom right corner of the net. Again, the UMBC bench stormed onto the field and piled onto Levi. Fans ran down the steps to celebrate with the team along the fence. Houapeu, the player of the game, waved to the crowd as the team left the field.

UMBC athletics has seen an increase in fan support this fall. The recent success of the soccer, basketball, and lacrosse teams in particular has given students a reason to come out and support their school. An official “Dawg Pound” card was instituted this year. Students who present their card upon entry to a sporting event receive a raffle ticket that is drawn at half time for special giveaways and coupons to local restaurants. UMBC’s next home event is not until September 30, when the women’s soccer team hosts Boston University for its first home America East Conference match.

Tonight's game was one of many games that are broadcasted live on umbcretrievers.tv.

Highlights from Albany Men's Soccer Victory

The Great Danes earned an impressive 1-0 victory over Siena at Varsity Field. Here are some highlights of the game from Albany Athletics:

UVM women's soccer falls to Siena

Hitting the Links: 9/15/2010

Hello, AExtra. You made it to the middle of the week!

And seeing as it is the middle of the week, I am sure you are in the midst of an extremely busy time. I mean, for just about everyone, yesterday's busy is today's lull. Who really has time to read stories on the Internet (my sincere hope is that you, the readers of the Links, have time to read stories online, daily)?

Luckily, we have been blessed by the graces of social media. Twitter anyone? Twitter is a great way to get the word on the go, and it's even available for those of you on the move via mobile apps and even text updates. If you haven't checked it out, you should.

And here are a few feeds to follow:

First and foremost, check in on the America East feed, @americaeast. This will give you updates on what the teams in the conference are doing as well as publicizing releases and anything else involving the conference office.

Also, you can check out tweets from our member schools. Go to @ualbanysports for all that is the Albany Great Danes, @buathletics for Boston University, @hartfordhawks keeps you in with Hartford, Maine keeps you informed @blackbearnation, @umbcathletics updates the Retrievers, @unhathletics shows the latest for New Hampshire, @sbathletics is the feed for news on the Seawolves and you can keep up with the Catamounts @uvmathletics.

Some America East universities, for example, Binghamton (@binghamtonu), have a Twitter feed for the entire university, which also will cover some of the athletic events.

So here is your task, direct from AExtra and the Links:
If you are not already on Twitter, give it a shot...and follow each of the feeds listed above. Trust me, it will be worth your while.

And for those of you already in the know with the Twitter craze, what are you following? What is there on Twitter that the Links and AExtra should know about? Feedback on your feeds.

So for now, all of you without a moment to spare, go now, and go quickly. There's no time to spare!

Follow Pilypaitis at World Championships!

As recently announced, former America East and University of Vermont standout Courtnay Pilypaitis was named to Team Canada for the upcoming FIBA World Championship for Women in the Czech Republic. What an accomplishment! She was one of just 12 players selected for the team.

Currently, the team is in France for some tune-ups, then is off to Greece for final preparations. To follow the team on its path through Europe, Team Canada has set up a sweet blog at http://canadaball.blogspot.com/. Definitely a can't-miss stop for any fans of the former America East Player of the Year.

Not familiar with Pilypaitis, or need a refresher? Check out Vermont's highlight package of all things Courtnay. Enjoy!

In the Polls - Wednesday, September 15

Good morning! Fall seasons are in full swing and the conference has some teams making impacts on a regional and national level in the polls, and we're going to tell you about it. You got it, America East's "In The Polls" have arrived at AExtra!

The team making the most noise so far is Boston University field hockey, who entered the season receiving votes in the preseason poll, entered the rankings last week at #15 with a 4-0 start, and has now moved up to #13 in the Kookaburra/NFHCA Division I poll after upsetting #7 Boston College last week. Albany field hockey also entered the polls last week for the first time this season, and is ranked #19 this week. Both Maine and New Hampshire are receiving generous votes.

Soccer teams are moving up the regional rankings. The Boston U. (3-1-1 overall record) men sit 5th in the Northeast, only behind UConn, Harvard, Penn and St. John's. Vermont (4-1) is also receiving attention, ranking 6th in a tie with Dartmouth. The Catamounts already have four times the number of wins they did a year ago!

After week 1 of cross country, teams sitting pretty in the regional USTFCCCA polls. Stony Brook women have 7 votes in the national poll, and are also 3rd in the Northeast region. Joining them in the Northeast rankings are New Hampshire first first among America East teams at last weekend's Boston College Invitational, in 11th, Maine in 14th and Vermont in 15th. Binghamton leads the men's team in the rankings, ranked 7th in the Northeast. Albany and Maine rank 13th and 14th in the region.

That's all until next week. We'll fill you in next week when the polls come out again!

Stony Brook Basketball Looking to Make Big Strides

The 2008-09 men’s basketball season at Stony Brook ushered in a new era. The arrival of a core of new players - most notably Tommy Brenton, Bryan Dougher, and Muhammad El-Amin - signaled the emergence of a team that was a yearly doormat in the America East. An 8-8 America East record and a fifth place finish exceeded all expectations.

Last season, the Seawolves rolled to a 12-2 conference record, and won the program's first ever America East regular season championship. They were defeated by an unconscious Corey Lowe and Boston University in the semi-finals of the America East tournament, but showed a campus that was devoid of school spirit in the past that Stony Brook could be a winner.

The graduation of El-Amin leaves a void to be filled, but Brenton and Dougher, along with senior guard Chris Martin, junior big man Dallis Joyner, and new comers Dave Coley and Anthony Mayo look to lead the Seawolves to its first ever NCAA tournament appearance.

The program got great recognition in hosting Illinois in an NIT game on campus last year. The exposure that came along with playing in front of a packed house on ESPNU was invaluable to the program.

The announcement that the Seawolves will once again be featured on ESPNU, this time against conference rival Maine, is another notch in the belt of a program that was 7-23 just three seasons ago.

The new attitude fostered by head coach Steve Pikiell and personified by the tough yet talented players he puts on the floor has really galvanized the student body.

A nationally televised game on ESPNU gives the Seawolves a chance to show the rest of the country what’s building on Long Island.

Hitting the Links: 9/14/2010

Good Afternoon, AExtra.

Yesterday provided America East fans with a bit of a breather, if you will. The total number of games played by America East teams Monday totaled a whopping zero. Not a single fall team in the conference was in action. And while today is similarly quiet, only one matchup across the board, do not be fooled into thinking that there is nothing to be reported. Let me show you...

In college sports, too much youth is often seen as a hindrance. However, the Maine Black Bears women's soccer team is doing its best to disprove that belief. Despite having started nine different freshman and sophomores already this season, the Black Bears currently sit at 3-3-0 in a tie with Albany for first place in the America East standings. The "Youth Movement," as BoxScoreNews.com is calling it, in Orono is proving that will too much youth may not be good, finding the right amount in a definite plus.

On the men's pitch, Boston U. has enjoyed a solid start to 2010, holding a record of 3-1-1. In getting to this point, the Terriers have proven to be a second-half club. This idea is explored, along with a few other Terrier soccer notes, in today's Boston University Daily Free Press.

The Daily Free Press also featured the Terrier men's cross country team in today's issue. As is reported in the article, the team is looking forward to a strong showing in 2010, due in large part to a fresh, and healthy, start to this season. According to some of the runners, it is already evident that this year is going to be different, even just in team workouts.



Also in cross country, the regional polls, put out weekly by the U. S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (or USTFCCA for short, relatively), are out for this week and the Northeast region is well represented on both the men's and women's sides by America East teams. For the men, Binghamton notched the No. 7 spot in the region, followed by Albany (13th) and Maine (14th). As for the women, Stony Brook ranks No. 3 in the northeast, and also received seven votes in the national poll. New Hampshire (11th), Maine (14th) and Vermont (15th) are also ranked regionally. For on America East cross country, including Performers of the Week, check out americaeast.com.

Let's finish now where we started: the one game on the schedule. The Providence College Friars will host Manhattan in volleyball this evening. Now, before you get the conference-realignment rumors started, no, Providence is not moving to America East full time. It is a sport-specific affiliation, only for volleyball. This is the first year Providence College is playing volleyball as a member of the America East (note the designation in the schedule).

Similarly, the Fairfield Stags play in the conference for field hockey only, and currently, they are playing extremely well. The Stags are in the midst of a four-game win streak.

There you have it. Even when the games are not being played, there is still plenty of Link-worthy news from America East.

Vermont Men's Soccer Player Earns National Recognition

Vermont junior forward Nick O'Neill has had an excellent start to his first season with the program, scoring two game-winning goals and helping the Catamounts jump out to a 4-1 start. O'Neill, who transferred to Vermont from Creighton, ranks sixth in the country in total points (10) and seventh in goals (4). Due to his tremendous performance in the Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Nike Fall Classic last week, O'Neill was named to the CollegeSoccerNews.com National Team of the Week. AExtra and the entire America East Conference would like to congratulate O'Neill on this great accomplishment and much-deserved recognition.

Here is the complete press release from UVM Athletics:

BURLINGTON, Vt. - Vermont junior forward Nick O'Neill (Peoria, Ill.) has been named to the CollegeSoccerNews.com National Team of the Week for the week ending September 12.

O'Neill, last week's America East Player of the Week, scored two goals and added an assist as the Catamounts went 2-0 on the week and won their own Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Nike Fall Classic.

O'Neill, who ranks sixth in the country in points (10) and seventh in goals (4), scored twice in UVM's 4-0 rout of Presbyterian College. He added an assist in Vermont's 2-1 victory over Cornell to help lift the Catamounts to the tournament title.

O'Neill, a transfer from Creighton, has tallied 10 points on four goals and two assists in his first five games at Vermont. He has also scored three of UVM's game-winning goals this season.

Vermont, which is off to its best start since 2005, stands at 4-1 overall and is ranked sixth in the latest NSCAA Northeast Region Poll released on September 13.

The Catamounts return to action Friday (Sept. 17) and Sunday (Sept. 19) at the Colgate Raider Adidas Classic in Hamilton, N.Y. Vermont takes on Colgate on Friday at 7:30 p.m. and then faces Lafayette at 12 p.m. on Sunday.

Hitting the Links: 9/13/2010

Hello all. I hope the new week finds you all in good spirits and eager to absorb some America East information. Ok, so you may have a case of the Mondays and the light at the end of the week may seem far off. But there is always the blogosphere and the shining light that is AExtra. But you already knew that. Now, who’s ready to hit the Links?!

College For Every Student, or CFES for short, is according to its website, collegefes.org, “a nonprofit organization committed to raising the academic aspirations and performance of underserved youth so that they can prepare for, gain access to, and succeed in college.” America East has partnered with CFES this year and held a workshop for CFES and America East member institutions this weekend in Hartford, Conn. For more on America East and CFES, check out americaeast.com.



On the field this weekend, Vermont did some house cleaning in order to have some guests over. Vermont athletics ambitiously hosted two tournaments over the weekend in men’s soccer and women’s field hockey. And boy did the Catamounts clean house!

In men’s soccer, the Catamounts hosted the Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Nike Fall Classic, which featured, along with the Catamounts, Cornell, Presbyterian and America East foe New Hampshire. On Friday, the Catamounts blasted Presbyterian, 4-0, and followed that with a 2-1 win over Cornell Sunday to win the tournament. The Wildcats came in second, drawing with Cornell Friday and stealing a, literally, last-minute win against Presbyterian (2-1, 2 OT) Sunday.

In field hockey, Vermont hosted Pacific, Harvard and America East opponent Maine in the Sheraton Catamount Classic. Again, a Catamount team went undefeated for the weekend, pulling of two double overtime victories: 2-1 over Pacific and 1-0 over Harvard. Maine, however, stole the show, also going undefeated, but taking the title in a tie-breaker based on goal differential. The Black Bears beat Harvard, 2-1, and Pacific, 7-2.
Another team finding success this weekend was the Stony Brook men’s soccer team. The Seawolves broke a four-game skid last night with a 1-0 win over Dartmouth. Forward Berian Gobeil (pictured) scored the lone goal, and gamewinner, for Stony Brook. The win, though, was a defensive gem for the Seawolves, as they shut out the Big Green, including four saves from keeper Stephen Manz. In its two games prior to facing Stony Brook, Dartmouth had scored six goals. They were not able to score, however, against the stingy Seawolves’ defense.

Binghamton had a less satisfying experience on the pitch Sunday, as its men fell to No. 11 Penn State, 4-3. The loss was not without its silver lining though. Bearcat freshman Luke Halberg scored two goals, the first two goals of his career, to help Binghamton come back from a 3-1 second-half deficit. Still, the loss was tough to stomach, as Penn State scored a late goal to break a 3-3 tie.

Finally, Boston University men’s soccer player Colin Henry was profiled in Sunday’s Boston Globe. The junior forward was an America East second-team all-conference performer last season and has started every game he has played since arriving at Boston U.

That will do it for today’s Links. Be sure to check back Tuesday for another round around America East.

Basketball Coverage from Hartford

With the basketball season quickly approaching, the University of Hartford athletics website has started to produce some great basketball coverage. The Hawks men's basketball team recently held their first workout, with Hartford athletics on hand to catch up with head coach John Gallagher.



Any fan of women's basketball should also make sure to check out the Hartford Women's Basketball Weekly series. Last week, junior forward Keyokah Mars-Garrick was profiled.

Highlights from Vermont's 2-1 win over Cornell

Over the weekend, the Vermont men's soccer team won the Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Nike Fall Soccer Classic, which it hosted in Burlington, Vt. The Catamounts kicked the weekend off with an impressive 4-0 win over Presbyterian and followed that up with a 2-1 win over Cornell. Here are some highlights from the 2-1 victory against Cornell courtesy of UVM athletics.

UMBC Walks Away with More than Just Two Wins at Madison Bingaman Memorial Tournament

By Curtis Schickner, UMBC ‘12




For the UMBC volleyball team, this weekend was their toughest test and its best showing so far this season. After a disappointing loss earlier in the week against George Washington University, the Retrievers had a lot to prove this weekend. For Coach Ian Blanchard, these early season tournaments are the perfect opportunity for his young Retriever team to gain experience and confidence before conference play. UMBC went 2-2 over the weekend but it seemed like they won all four games. After beating Howard University handily Friday morning, the Retrievers stepped up and held their own against Ohio State at night. It seemed like that game was a turning point for the girls and the volleyball program this year. Despite losing three straight sets, confidence replaced nerves and freshman played like seasoned veterans.

Saturday morning pitted the Retrievers against Brown University. One can usually expect a downfall of energy and enthusiasm after such an emotional match the night before; however, the Retrievers showed up ready to play like they were continuing the match with Ohio State. After dropping the first set in extra points the Retrievers went on to win the next three sets (25-21, 25-22, 25-23). It appears the girls are learning how to battle and win the most important points towards the end of sets. UMBC took on Sacred Heart later in the day and faced the same situation. Just two points decided all four sets. UMBC won the first set 25-23 but lost the following three (27- 25, 30–28, 26-24). Certainly, these matches taught the girls how to battle and bear down on key points, something not easily taught in practice.

Senior outside hitter Sabrina Hoeks was named to the All-Tournament team for the Retrievers. Sabrina recorded a double-double in her final match against Sacred Heart with 12 kills and 18 digs.

Madison Bingaman Memorial Tournament All-Tournament Team:
Nicole Brown – Howard
Katie Dull - Ohio State - Most Valuable Player
Susan Gansor - Towson
Sabrina Hoeks – UMBC
Johanna Ovsenek – Sacred Heart
Katrina Post – Brown
Allie Schwarzwalder - Ohio State
Ashlyn Trimble – Sacred Heart

The Retrievers continue tournament play next weekend when they travel up to Seton Hall University and take on Seton Hall, Western Michigan, and Northeastern. UMBC volleyball doesn’t return home until Friday, October 1st when they open up conference play against Albany at 7:00pm.

Hitting the Links: 9/12/2010

Hello AExtra! Welcome to this Sunday edition of the Links. Yesterday, the Links brought you the weekend's front nine. Now it is time to hit the back nine...Nine stories, nine universities, nine athletics websites.

I know that normally, the Links brings you to the official athletics website of each America East university on its first mention in the day's post. Sometimes, the corresponding story comes from the site itself. Today, in the back nine, we bring you all nine stories directly from the athletics websites. Let's go!

The University at Albany volleyball team earned a big win at the Middle Tennessee Invitational tournament this weekend. As reported by UAlbanysports.com, the Great Danes took down the Arkansas Razorbacks, 3-0. The win in the match over Arkansas is the first for Albany volleyball over an opponent from the SEC.

At Binghamton University, bubearcats.com has a weekly feature, "Making an Impact," which highlights a student-athlete at Binghamton impacting the Bearcat community both on and odd the field. This week, the column features Craig Coon, a member of the, a member of the Bearcat cross country team, which he captained to an America East championship, as well as a member National College Athlete Honor Society.

Over in Boston, the Boston University Terriers field hockey team is off to a 5-0 start, the best start in its history. The Terriers play today against a hot Northeastern team that has won its last two games. The game, which started at 1 p.m. this afternoon, was previewed at goterriers.com. The article also briefly recapped the No. 15 Terriers Friday victory over No. 7 Boston College.

In Hartford, hartfordhawks.com brings you some fall tennis. The men's tennis team went 3-0 in the Fairfield Doubles Invitational. The three men's doubles teams went undefeated at the tournament Saturday. The Hawks hope this fall success will carry over into the spring season.

Yesterday, the Maine men's and women's cross country teams found success at the Boston College invitational. Headlining on go blackbears.com, Riley Masters finished first in the men's race while Corey Conners came in second in the women's race. Four other America East teams also ran in the invitational. To see how each team fared, check the men's and women's complete results.

In Baltimore, the Retrievers volleyball team is hosting and competing in an emotional volleyball tournament. In the Madison Bingaman Memorial, as covered at umbcretrievers.com, the Retrievers, while losing a close match to Sacred Heart, defeated Brown, 3-1, at the RAC.

Over in New Hampshire, the field hockey team, which currently resides just outside of the top 20 nationally, dropped its game to No. 2 Maryland, 7-0. In the loss however, as reported by unhwildcats.com, Wildcats keeper Katherine Nagengast made nine stops in the loss.

The Stony Brook Seawolves volleyball team found success at the Rose Hill Classic Saturday. Covered on goseawolves.org, the Seawolves took both of their matches Saturday, 3-2 over Fordham and 3-1 over Harvard. The wins were good to earn Stony Brook a second-place finish in the four-team tournament.

Finally, Vermont field hockey came up with a thrilling double-overtime victory over Pacific. Hosting the Sheraton Catamount Classic, the Catamounts were led by sophomore Taylor Silvestro, who scored both goals in the 2-1 victory. The win was covered, in both words and video, at uvmathletics.com.

There you have it...the Links back nine tour of America East university athletic sites. Enjoy the rest of the weekend and all that today has to offer in America East athletics!

Vermont Blanks Presbyterian

UVM got going early in the opening game of the Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Nike Fall Classic at Centennial Field. In only the second minute junior Nick O'Neill continued his outstanding play with a beautiful shot from about 20 yards out. From that point on you could see the confidence in the play of Vermont. After O'Neill's goal, the Catamounts were in full attack mode, and rained shot-after-shot down on Presbyterian.

After missing a few opportunities throughout the first half, in the 38th minute Juan Peralta weaved his way past a Presbyterian defender and managed to cross the ball through defenders to the foot of Connor O'Brien. UVM never looked back and added on two more goals, one by Zach Paul, and another by Nick O'Neill.
This victory moves UVM to 3-1, a phenomenal start after last year's troubles. The crowd for each game has been growing and growing with the success the team has had and hopefully that trend will continue on Sunday against a tough Cornell squad. Check out the highlights and interviews above!