SBU Basketball Players Teach Clinic for Special Olympians

April 23, 2012 By Kait Laubscher, '12 ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. - Members of St. Bonaventure University's men's and women's basketball teams gave back on Saturday, April 21, to the communities that cheered them through their 2012 NCAA runs. They joined with SIFE and the SBU School of Education in welcoming 10 New York Special Olympics basketball teams to St. Bonaventure for a day of play and learning. Following registration and opening remarks, the Special Olympians worked with members of the St. Bonaventure men's and women's basketball teams to sharpen their passing, shooting and dribbling skills. SIFE members volunteered to supervise and help the Special Olympics athletes while their coaches attended their own clinic. Led by Bonaventure basketball coaches, the coaching clinic discussed strengthening and conditioning techniques basketball players should employ, with a focus on implementing these exercises in a Special Olympics program. After a lunch break, the Bonaventure and Special Olympics athletes joined together on teams for a Unified Exhibition- two hours of round-robin scrimmages and friendly competition. Associate physical education professor Dr. Paula Scraba, who coordinated this clinic with the help of regional Special Olympics directors and directors of operations for St. Bonaventure basketball, said Bonaventure and Special Olympics athletes alike thoroughly enjoyed the day. Also joining the group for the day was Neal Johnson, CEO and president of Special Olympics New York, a member a SBU's class of 1973. The 136 Special Olympians and 35 coaches traveled to St. Bonaventure from across the Western New York and Genesee County regions.

Bonnies Sweep GW, Get Right Back Into A-10 Postseason Race

St. Bonaventure University Athletic News

April 21, 2012 ARLINGTON, Va. – The St. Bonaventure baseball team (16-15, 5-7 Atlantic 10 Conference) swept a doubleheader from George Washington (15-25, 3-9 A-10) Saturday afternoon by margins of 2-1 and 9-5 to complete a three-game series sweep of the Colonials and push itself right back into the thick of the A-10 postseason race. The Bonnies entered the weekend in second-to-last place in the A-10 standings (12th of 13), but moved up to 9th place after Saturday's results – just a couple games out of the sixth, and final, postseason spot – with still 12 conference games (four, three-game series) remaining. For the second day in a row, the Bonnies received tremendous starting pitching and clutch hitting from junior Austin Ingraham. In the second game, Ingraham – who delivered the game-winning hit in the 12th inning in Friday's opener – singled to center field to plate senior Nick Brennen in the top of the 9th with the game-winner. Following Ingraham's at bat which gave the Bonnies a 6-5 lead, junior Billy Urban laced a double down the right-field line to break the game open and give SBU an 8-5 advantage. The hit extended Urban's streak of reaching base safely to 26 straight games as he went 2-for-4 in the first game. Pitching proved to be the vital asset in the sweep for the Bonnies as the staff allowed just seven runs and had a 2.10 ERA over the three games, only one week removed from being swept at home by Rhode Island and allowing 37 runs and an 11.33 ERA. The Bona staff ERA lowered from a collective 5.41 entering the series to 5.05 following the set. In game one, starter Jordan Crane (3-1) was given an early 2-0 lead and made it stand up as the senior pitched brilliantly, allowing just one run and scattering five hits over his eight innings – marking the fewest hits allowed in his career when throwing at least eight innings. Crane turned the ball over to redshirt senior Cael Johnson in the 9th, and GW looked poised to at least tie the game with runners on the corners and just one out. However, the Frewsburg, N.Y. native induced a game-ending double play as the Bonnies earned their first A-10 series win of the campaign. The save was also the first of Johnson's career. After closing game one, Johnson started game two for Bonaventure, but allowed four runs through just 2.2 innings before leaving with the game tied, 4-4. His younger brother, Asa Johnson, entered in relief and kept SBU in contention for the sweep with 6.1 innings of near-flawless work. Johnson earned his third win of the season (3-2) by limiting the Colonials to just four hits and one run over his relief effort in which he struck out one. With his third victory of the season, Johnson joins Crane, redshirt junior Eddie Gray and junior Jason Radwan for the team lead in wins. In game two, the bottom half of the lineup got the job done for the Bonnies as the No. 5-7 and No. 9 hitters – senior Ryan Skellie, junior Michael Meredith, junior Eric Jutca and sophomore Justin Brozick, respectively – each had two hits, accounting for eight of Bona's 11 hits. With Bona trailing, 2-0, entering the 3rd inning, it put four runs on the board compliments of just two hits and a key Colonial error to take a 4-2 lead before GW responded with a pair to even the game at 4-4. The Bonnies reclaimed the lead with a run in the 6th inning as Jutca led off the frame with a double to left before eventually scoring on an error by the GW center fielder. However, the Colonials manufactured a run in the bottom of the frame on a safety squeeze to tie the game back up, 5-5. Following Urban's clutch double in the top of the 9th, Jutca added another run with a bunt single to plate Urban and create the final 9-5 score. In the opening contest, the Bonnies got on the board first as Brennen led off the contest with a double to left-center and eventually scored on a single to left by Urban. The Brown and White tacked on another run in the 3rd inning, and once again it was Urban coming through as he drove a first-pitch delivery to center field to plate Radwan, who had reached on a fielder's choice. GW's lone run of the contest came in the bottom of the 5th on a sacrifice fly to left following a one-out triple by Matthew Murakami. St. Bonaventure is scheduled to return to the field on Tuesday in a doubleheader at Bucknell, weather permitting. The Bonnies then host Saint Joseph's in another crucial A-10 three-game series beginning Friday, April 27, at 3 p.m.

Ingraham's Heroics Gives Bona Baseball Extra-Inning Win At GW

St. Bonaventure University Athletic News

ARLINGTON, Va. – An Austin Ingraham double in the top of the 12th propelled the St. Bonaventure baseball team (14-15, 3-7 Atlantic 10 Conference) to a 3-1 victory over host George Washington (15-23, 3-7 A-10) Friday afternoon in game one of a three-game A-10 series. With junior Michael Meredith on second base in the top of 12th, GW intentionally walked junior Billy Urban to get to Ingraham. The moved didn't work, however, as the first baseman laced a 1-0 offering to right field as the Bonnies snapped a five-game A-10 losing streak. Junior Billy Urban went 2-for-4 at the plate to extend his streak of reaching base safely to 24 games in a row. Urban rebounded from just a one-hit weekend against Rhode Island during a three-game series last weekend. Redshirt junior starter Eddie Gray kept the Bonnies in the game as he allowed just one run – from the first GW batter of the game – while scattering six hits, striking out seven and walking just one. Gray bounced back from a bad last outing with nine strong innings, stymieing the GW bats just one weekend removed from the Bonaventure staff allowing 43 hits over a three-game series against Rhode Island. Gray stranded Colonial runners on third base in the 6th, 7th and 8th innings to give the Bonnies a chance to win it with their bats before eventually giving way to Jason Radwan in the 10th. Radwan, who entered from second base, tossed three shutout innings in relief, allowing just one hit and striking out three to earn his team-high-tying third win of the campaign. After a leadoff double came around to score in the GW half of the 1st inning, Bona answered in the top of the 3rd. Urban delivered a two-out single to right to plate sophomore Brian Weightman, who had led off the frame with a walk. The score would remain tied, 1-1, until Ingraham's late-game heroics. GW starter Brian Derner went 7.1 innings in picking up a no-decision. The left hander allowed just three hits, but walked six – three alone to senior right fielder Ryan Skellie – while striking out three. The Bonnies and Colonials return to the field on Saturday for a doubleheader beginning at Noon. The two clubs were originally scheduled to play the third game of their series on Sunday, but due to forecasted rain, the game has been moved to Saturday and will begin approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first game.

Women's Lacrosse Stumbles at Colgate

HAMILTON, N.Y.Colgate (5-10) scored the game's first eight goals and never looked back in a 19-8 win over the St. Bonaventure women's lacrosse team (3-8) on Wednesday. Bona's Erin Thomas tallied two of her four goals in consecutive fashion to put SBU on the board, but the Raiders answered with nine goals to take command. Broken only by Thomas' unassisted goal with 2:48 to go in the half, Colgate sparked the final frame with five unanswered goals, seven of the next eight overall to build a 19-4 lead with 11:27 to play. Danielle Drabin and Thomas went to goal alone to bookend a free-position marker from Amanda Cizenski, before Jenna Schlagenhauf finished a pass from Taylor Ventre to close the scoring. The Bonnies return home this weekend to conclude the season, as Richmond and George Washington visit McGraw-Jennings Field on Friday and Sunday. St. Bonaventure will honor its senior following Sunday's contest against the Colonials.

Bonnies Drop Second Game Of Series To Rhode Island, 12-6

St. Bonaventure University Athletic News

April 14, 2012 ST. BONAVENTURE,  N.Y. - For a second straight game, the St. Bonaventure baseball team (13-14, 2-6 Atlantic 10 Conference) couldn't overcome an early deficit and fell to the University of Rhode Island (20-14, 8-3 A-10) by a 12-6 score Saturday afternoon at Fred Handler Park. The Bonnies walked nine total batters, surrendered 15 hits, allowed five stolen bases and threw three wild pitches. Bona hitters struggled to get runs in, leaving the bases loaded twice and leaving a total of 11 men on base - tied for the third-most in a game this year and most since SBU left 11 on base against Dayton on March 24. Bonaventure senior Jordan Crane (2-1) started and went five innings, giving up eight runs - five earned - on 10 hits. He walked six and struck out two. Crane threw 130 pitches a day after redshirt junior Eddie Gray threw 124. St. Bonaventure's starters have thrown a combined 254 pitches in 12.1 innings during the first two games of the three-game series. Just like in Friday's contest, the Rams - the A-10's leading team in hitting, pitching and fielding during conference play - struck first, scoring one run in the top of the 1st before adding another in a 3rd to jump out in front, 2-0. The Rams continued to hit Crane by adding four more in the top of the 4th to give them a 6-0 lead. The Brown and White finally got on the board in the bottom of the 4th when senior Michael Grieco scored on a fielder's choice by junior Nick Lohrer to make the score 6-1. They made the score 9-2 in the bottom of the 6th when senior Ryan Skellie scored on Lohrer's double down the left-field line. The Bonnies continued to chip away at the Rhody lead in the bottom of the 7th, scoring two runs on four hits thanks to junior Billy Urban's double and a Skellie single to make the score 9-4. A double play with the bases loaded ended the Bona threat. URI then added two in the top of the 8th to take an 11-4 lead before tacking on another in the 9th. The Bonnies added two runs in the bottom of the 9th to conclude the scoring. Rams starter Nick Narodowy (1-4) picked up his first victory on the season. He allowed two runs on four hits through six innings. He walked four and struck out three. The Bonnies hope to salvage the final game of the series Sunday afternoon at Fred Handler Park. First pitch set for Noon.

Rhode Island Outslugs St. Bonaventure, 12-8

St. Bonaventure University Athletic News

April 13, 2012 St. Bonaventure, N.Y. - The St. Bonaventure baseball team (13-13, 2-5 Atlantic 10) couldn't overcome an early deficit and fell to the University of Rhode Island (19-14, 7-3 A-10) Friday afternoon at Fred Handler Park. Juniors Austin Ingraham and Michael Meredith led the way for the Bona offense. Ingraham went 2-3 with two walks and three runs scored, while Meredith went 3-4 with two RBI, a walk and two runs scored. Bonaventure starter Eddie Gray (3-2) struggled early, but kept his team in the game. Through 7.1 innings, the redshirt junior gave up 10 earned runs on 10 hits, walking two and striking out six while throwing 128 pitches. The Rams jumped out to an early lead, scoring three in the top of the 1st. The Bonnies started to chip away at the lead in the bottom of the 2nd inning. Ingraham walked to lead off the inning. He later scored on a passed ball to cut the SBU deficit to 3-1. However, Rhode Island continued to add to its lead in the top of the 4th by scoring four runs on three hits. The Brown and White responded in the bottom of the inning thanks to two Rams errors to cut their deficit to 7-3. Ingraham doubled and later scored on a throwing error by the third baseman. Senior Michael Grieco singled and advanced to third before scoring on an error by the first baseman. The Rams continued to add on in the top of the 6th when Chris Famiglietti hit a two-run home run to left field to give them a 9-3 lead. The Bonnies responded in the bottom half of the inning scoring four runs on four hits, starting with Ingraham singling through the right side. He later scored on a single up the middle by Grieco. Meredith doubled down the left-field line to score both Grieco and senior Nick Brennen. Meredith then scored when senior Ryan Skellie walked with the bases loaded to bring the score to 9-7. However, with freshman Cameron Carney in on relief of Gray in the top of the 8th, Rhody delivered the final blow with a Jeff Roy three-run home run to right which was just out of the leaping try by Skellie. Rams starter Chris Pickering (4-5) gave up seven runs on 10 hits in 5.2 innings. He walked two and struck out three en route to picking up his fourth win of the campaign. The Bonnies return to the field Saturday afternoon to take on the Rams in game two of the three-game set. First pitch is set for Noon from Fred Handler Park.

Men's Tennis Season Ends In A-10 Championship First Round

St. Bonaventure University Athletic News

April 13, 2012 MASON, Ohio – The St. Bonaventure men's tennis team had its season come to a close on Friday in the opening round of the Atlantic 10 Men's Tennis Championship with a 4-0 setback to No. 6 seed Richmond. The 11th-seeded Bonnies could get nothing going against the Spiders, who advanced to the Quarterfinals to face Duquesne. Bonaventure got its lone win of the match at No. 1 doubles as juniors Oscar Yanez and Luis Guevara teamed up for an 8-3 win over the partnership of Sebastian Fauchet and Jesse Feder. However, Richmond claimed victories at No. 2 and No. 3 to claim the doubles point. In singles action, Richmond won matches at the No. 1, No. 3 and No. 5 positions – with the win at No. 1 sealing the victory for the Spiders, 4-0. Matches are typically played to a best-of-seven format; however, in tournament play once a winner has been determined (Richmond with four of the seven wins) play is stopped with the remaining matches going unfinished. First Round No. 6 Richmond vs. No. 11 St. Bonaventure April 13, 2012 | 11:00 a.m. RICHMOND 4, ST. BONAVENTURE 0 Singles Ethan Dunbar (UR) def. Oscar Yanez (SBU) 6-2, 6-3 Sebastien Fauchet (UR) vs. Luis Guevara (SBU) 6-3, 5-2 unfinished Jesse Feder (UR) def. Elliot Fanshel (SBU) 6-1, 6-1 Aaron Wicker (UR) vs. Miguel Suarez (SBU) 4-6, 1-3 unfinished Paul Nahon (UR) def. Javier Ortiz (SBU) 6-0, 6-0 Dylan Trent (UR) vs. Trevor Haskell (SBU) 6-1, 2-3 unfinished Doubles Yanez/Guevara (SBU) def. Fauchet/Feder (UR) 8-3 Wicker/Trent (UR) def. Fanshel/Ortiz (SBU) 9-8 (6) Dunbar/Nahon (UR) def. Haskell/Suarez (SBU) 8-4 Match Notes Order of finish: Doubles (3, 1, 2); Singles (5, 3, 1)

University publishing commemorative book on NCAA seasons of SBU basketball teams

To keep your memories of this remarkable year in St. Bonaventure basketball as fresh 20 years from now as they are today, the university is producing a 128-page book on the NCAA Tournament seasons of its men and women.

Published by the university’s Franciscan Institute Publications, “A Legacy Defined” costs $19.95 (plus $4.95 if shipping is necessary) and is now available for advance sale at www.sbu.edu/legacydefined. The book’s title is based on the teams’ joint preseason marketing slogan “Defining Our Legacy.”

The soft-cover book, similar in scope to the commemorative books produced after teams win the Super Bowl, is expected to be available in May at the SBU Bookstore and Olean-area retailers.

Proceeds from the limited edition book will benefit the Bonaventure Athletic Fund.

The book will include a few reprinted articles on each team’s run to glory, plus new material on how their seasons unfolded and the highs and lows along the way. The highlight will be more than a hundred photos of their seasons, including some behind-the-scenes glimpses during their tournament trips.

Primary photography in the book is by Olean’s Craig Melvin, team photographer for the Buffalo Bills.

Contributing writers include Mike Vaccaro, Adrian Wojnarowski, Tom Missel, Chuck Pollock, Dallas Miller, Jason MacBain, Dan McCarthy and Shannon Shepherd.

The St. Bonaventure men (20-12) qualified for the NCAA Tournament by winning three games in three days at the Atlantic 10 Tournament in Atlantic City, eventually losing to third-seeded Florida State, 66-63, in their NCAA opener in a game that went down to the final seconds.

The St. Bonaventure women (31-4) won 18 games in a row before losing to Dayton in the Atlantic 10 title game, but earned a No. 5 seed with an at-large bid and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament with wins over Florida Gulf Coast and Marist in Tallahassee before losing to national runner-up Notre Dame in the next round.

Bonnies seeded 11th for A-10 Championship

St. Bonaventure University Athletic News

April 11, 2012 Complete A-10 Championship PDF Bracket NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The bracket for the 34th annual Atlantic 10 Men's Tennis Championship was announced Tuesday with St. Bonaventure ranked 11th out of the 12-team field. Charlotte is the top seed for the tournament to be held April 13-15 at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio. Rounding out the 12-team field are Xavier (second), Duquesne (third), Temple (fourth), George Washington (fifth), Richmond (sixth), Saint Joseph's (seventh), Fordham (eighth), Saint Louis (ninth), Dayton (10th), St. Bonaventure (11th) and La Salle (12th). Competition begins on Friday, April 13 at 8:00 am with the final match of the day set to start at 5:00 pm. The Bonnies will take on sixth-seed Richmond in one of two matchups slated for 11 a.m. The winner moves on to face third-seed Duquesne in the quarterfinal round at 5 p.m. While suffering in the win-loss column, mustering just three wins on the season, the Bonnies saw some solid individual performances. The pair of sophomore Elliot Fanshel and junior Luis Guevara and sophomore Javier Ortiz and freshman Trevor Haskell both rebounded to .500 records (4-4) in doubles, finishing on three and two match winning streaks, respectively. In the win over La Salle April 5, all five singles victories came in straight sets, led by Guevara at No. 2, 6-1, 6-2, and Ortiz at No. 5, 6-1, 6-1. Both Guevara and Ortiz also secured doubles victories by combining with junior Oscar Yanez and Fanshel, respectively, for wins out of the No. 1 spot, 8-3, and No. 2 slot, 8-5, respectively. Freshmen Miguel Suarez and Haskell completed the doubles sweep with tiebreaking win, 8-7 (4). On Saturday, April 14, the first semifinal match is slated for 11:00 am, while the second semifinal contest is set for 2:00 pm. The championship match will be played on Sunday, April 15 at 11:00 am. The A-10 Men's Tennis Championship is a single-elimination event and the winner will receive the Conference's automatic bid to compete in the NCAA Tournament. For more information on the Championship, including match results, recaps and photos, please visit the league's online home – atlantic10.com. 2012 Atlantic 10 Conference Men's Tennis Championship Seed 1. Charlotte 2. Xavier 3. Duquesne 4. Temple 5. George Washington 6. Richmond 7. Saint Joseph's 8. Fordham 9. Saint Louis 10. Dayton 11. St. Bonaventure 12. La Salle

Bona Baseball Splits Doubleheader With Little Three Rival Niagara

St. Bonaventure University Athletic News

NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. – After dropping the opening game of a doubleheader against Niagara (11-17) on Tuesday afternoon at Sal Maglie Stadium, 5-2, the St. Bonaventure baseball team (13-12) bounced back with an 8-2 win in the second contest to split the pair of 7-inning games with its Little Three rival. With the second game tied a 2-2 in the top of the 7th, junior Austin Ingraham delivered an RBI single up the middle to break the deadlock, and a second run scored on the play following a fielding error by the Niagara center fielder. A little later in the inning with the bases loaded, senior catcher Michael Grieco delivered a bases-clearing triple to right and scored himself after an errant throw home by the NU right fielder. Ingraham finished the double-dip with four hits and pair of RBI, while Grieco had two hits and three RBI. Junior Jason Radwan pounded out a quartet of hits as well, including a 3-for-4 effort in the second game, while also scoring three runs. After going hitless in the first game, senior Ryan Skellie went 2-for-4 in game two. Junior Austin Ingraham collected four hits and a pair of the RBI on the afternoon against the Purple Eagles. Niagara opened the scoring in the first game with a run in the opening inning before the Bonnies got that tally back in the 2nd with a sacrifice fly to center off the bat of sophomore Justin Brozick. Bonaventure then took the lead the next inning, once again compliments of an Ingraham RBI single up the middle. The Purple Eagles pulled even in the bottom of the 5th off SBU starter Asa Johnson. Johnson (2-2) went six innings, scattering seven hits and allowing just one earned run (two overall). Senior Nick Brennen pitched the 7th inning and escaped a bases-loaded jam with a game-ending double play. In the first game, the Bonnies struck first with a pair of runs in the top of the 3rd. After junior Michael Meredith had walked, Radwan sent his first triple of the season down the right-field line to score Meredith. A Billy Urban RBI double then followed to plate Radwan. Unfortunately for the Brown and White, that's all the scoring they would get the rest of the game. In the 4th inning, Niagara's eighth-place hitter, Thomas Rodrigues, sent Bona starter Cael Johnson's offering over the right-field wall for a three-run home run. The Purple Eagles then tacked on a run in each of the next two innings for the final 5-2 margin. Johnson (1-4) suffered the loss after throwing five innings and allowing four earned runs, seven hits and one walk. Senior Jordan Crane pitched the 6th inning and allowed Niagara's fifth run of the game – an unearned tally – while striking out a pair and surrendering two hits. St. Bonaventure returns home to Fred Handler Park for a crucial Atlantic 10 Conference weekend series against Rhode Island. The three-game set against the league's second-place team begins Friday afternoon at 3 with redshirt junior Eddie Gray on the hill for the Bonnies.

Crowley Signs Long-Term Extension With St. Bonaventure

St. Bonaventure University Athletic News

April 9, 2012 ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. – Coming off the most successful season in St. Bonaventure women's basketball history, Athletic Director Steve Watson announced on Monday that head coach Jim Crowley has signed a long-term extension to remain at St. Bonaventure. Specifics of the deal will not be disclosed, but the latest extension secures Crowley through the end of the 2018-19 season. Last June, Crowley signed an extension through the end of the 2016-17 campaign. Crowley guided the Bonnies to the program's first NCAA Tournament berth this past year, advancing to the Sweet Sixteen before losing to eventual national runner-up Notre Dame. "We are pleased to have Jim remain at St. Bonaventure," Watson said. "This extension represents our commitment to him and likewise him to us. Jim has built a program which represents our University well on the court, on campus, in the classroom and in the community. We anticipate continued success under his guidance and leadership." A Binghamton-area native, Crowley was named ESPN.com's National Coach of the Year and Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year in pacing Bona to a first-place A-10 finish after being predicted to close the year in sixth place in preseason voting. "I'm honored the University has made this commitment to our program, staff and to me," Crowley said. "We are all very excited about the future of our program, and this certainly adds to our enthusiasm. The campus and local communities are very special places and I'm thankful that I will be able to continue coaching here." The Bonnies closed this past season with a 31-4 record, winning the A-10 regular-season title with a perfect 14-0 mark. With an enrollment of just 2,000, Bonaventure became the second-smallest school to reach the Sweet Sixteen (Cheyney State, 1980s), and among active Division I members it is the smallest ever to reach that round. Over the last four years, Crowley has led SBU to a 98-37 record, including four postseason trips. Crowley and his staff lose four seniors off this year's team, but a quintet of high school seniors have already committed to join the program beginning in the 2012-13 season.

SBU Tennis Dominates La Salle In A-10 Matchups

St. Bonaventure University Athletic News

April 5, 2012 ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. – Playing on the outdoor tennis courts on campus, the St. Bonaventure men's and women's tennis teams swept Atlantic 10 member La Salle in Thursday afternoon matches. The women picked up their first A-10 win of the season in dominant fashion, 7-0, while the men also claimed their first league triumph and rebounded from a three-loss weekend with a 6-1 victory over the Explorers. The Bona women cruised to their win as every player won their match in straight sets, highlighted by shutouts from freshman Fatya Amiri and junior Amanda Pallikunnel. Both Amiri, playing at No. 2 singles, and Pallikunnel, playing at No. 4 singles, did not allow their competitor to win a set as they cruised to 6-0, 6-0 victories. Senior Manuela Marin-Salcedo earned the win at No. 1 singles with a 6-2, 6-2 decision, while also partnering with Amiri at No. 2 doubles for an 8-0 victory – meaning that Amiri did not allow a set win by the Explorers all afternoon. Pallikunnel and freshman Marissa Brossard teamed up at No. 1 doubles for an 8-4 victory, while Brossard then went on for a 6-2, 6-0 win at No. 3 singles. Junior Kathryn Kvas claimed a 6-0, 6-1 win out of the No. 5 slot, while her and sophomore Andrea Pavlovic also earned a doubles point via a La Salle forfeit out of the No. 3 doubles position. Additionally, Pavlovic also claimed a win at No. 6 singles after the Explorers failed to field a player. The men were nearly equally as dominant as the women en route to just their third win of the season. All five singles victories came in straight sets, led by junior Luis Guevara at No. 2, 6-1, 6-2, and sophomore Javier Ortiz at No. 5, 6-1, 6-1. Both Guevara and Ortiz also secured doubles victories by combining with junior Oscar Yanez and sophomore Elliot Fanshel, respectively, for wins out of the No. 1 spot, 8-3, and No. 2 slot, 8-5, respectively. Freshmen Miguel Suarez and Trevor Haskell completed the doubles sweep with tiebreaking win, 8-7 (4). Fanshel claimed a 6,2-,6-1 win by playing out of the No. 3 singles slot, while Suarez got the victory at the No. 4 position, 6-4, 6-2. Haskell completed the Bona singles dominance with a 6-3, 7-5 win. Both teams will be back in action again this weekend, with the women hitting the courts on Friday at Duquesne in a 2 p.m. start. The women and men will then both host A-10 rival Saint Joseph's on Sunday.

Bonnies Picked 8th In Preseason A-10 Golf Poll

St. Bonaventure University Athletic News

April 2, 2012 NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The St. Bonaventure golf team was picked to finish eighth in the Atlantic 10 preseason poll conducted by the A-10 head coaches. Bonaventure tallied 34 points in the poll, with Charlotte (97), Xavier (86), Richmond (80), Dayton (72), George Washington (63), Rhode Island (48) and Temple (45) leading the poll. Charlotte has won the A-10 title six consecutive years – all six seasons the 49ers have been a member of the conference. Saint Joseph's (28), Fordham (27) and La Salle (14) all followed the Bonnies, respectively. The Bonnies ended their 2010-11 season with a regional Golf Stat ranking of 112 and a division ranking of 257. The club finished last year's A-10 Championship with an eight-place showing. The three-day, 54-hole A-10 Golf Championship will be played at Heron Bay Golf Club in Coral Springs, Fla. April 27-29. Predicted Order Of Finish (First-Place Votes) 1.       Charlotte (7) 2.       Xavier (1) 3.       Richmond 4.       Dayton 5.       George Washington (1) 6.       Rhode Island 7.       Temple 8.       St. Bonaventure 9.       Saint Joseph's 10.     Fordham 11.     La Salle

Jenkins’ Bona Career Ends In State Farm 3-Point Shootout Semifinals

March 29, 2012

Social Media Recap

NEW ORLEANS – St. Bonaventure senior Jessica Jenkins had her career in the Brown and White come to a close Thursday night in the semifinal round of the State Farm 3-Point Championship.

After tallying 15 points in the opening round, the Ohio native scored just 12 in the semifinals to finish three points shy of advancing to the final. USC's Ashley Corral won the women's competition, while Northwestern's John Shurna claimed the overall title with a 24 in the championship round against Corral.

Jenkins entered the event as the nation's active leader in career 3-pointers made with 338, but struggled to get going in the semifinal as she knocked down just one of the five bonus balls which were worth two points each.

The women's 3-point shootout began in 1992, and just one previous Bonaventure player had participated – Suzie Dailer in 1995 – and she won the championship. 

Andrew Nicholson Receives All-America Honors From AP

March 26, 2012 ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. - It's been a while, but the St. Bonaventure finally has another All-American in Andrew Nicholson. Fresh off of leading the Bonnies to their first NCAA berth in 12 seasons, the senior earned Honorable Mention from the Associated Press, joining Bona legends Bob Lanier (1968-70) and Tom Stith (1960-61) on the list of St. Bonaventure All-Americans. Nicholson stormed through the final month of the regular season to garner Atlantic 10 Player of the Year honors. He powered St. Bonaventure to its first A-10 Championship title - earning a nod for Most Outstanding Player along the way - after posting 26 points, 14 boards and eight blocks in a Championship-game win over Xavier that sent SBU to the NCAAs for the first time since 2000. Nicholson ended one of the all-time great careers in Bona basketball ranked second in program history in points (2,103), field goal percentage (57.5) and blocked shots (244), while sitting fourth in total rebounds (887) in 123 games and 75 straight starts to end his career. He ranks as the only player in the history of the Atlantic 10 Conference to earn four consecutive player of the week awards, averaging 25.3 points and 11.5 rebounds over the final eight conference games of the season. The Mississauga, Ontario native scored 18.5 points and snared 8.4 rebounds per contest overall, ranking as the only Atlantic 10 player to sit among the top five in scoring, rebounding, field goal percentage and blocks. The 6-foot-9, 240-pound power forward once scored 44 points in a four-overtime win over Ohio at the Reilly Center, and added a 23-rebound contest against Duquesne this season. He also owns the school record with nine blocks, a feat he accomplished in just his 12th game in a Bona uniform. The school's fifth 2,000-point scorer behind Stith, Lanier, Greg Sanders and Earl Belcher, Nicholson earned First Team All-Conference citations after each of his final two seasons. after Second Team and Rookie of the Year plaudits in his initial campaigns. He is the seventh player in the 35-year history of the league to earn both Rookie and Player of the Year honors and the first Bona hoopster to earn the top overall award since Belcher won two in a row in 1980 and 81. A first-round NBA draft prospect, Nicholson is on track to graduate with a degree in Physics from St. Bonaventure in May. NOTES: Austin Rivers (Duke), Dion Waiters (Syracuse), Harrison Barnes (UNC), John Henson (UNC), Robbie Hummel (Purdue), Jeremy Lamb (UConn), Mason Plumlee (Duke), Cody Zeller (Indiana) are among the notables who also recieved Honorable Mention ... Nicholson is the only Atlantic 10 player to receive AP honors.

Bonnies lose to Notre Dame 77-35

Following an incredible season and methodical run to the NCAA Sweet 16, the St. Bonaventure Bonnies women's basketball team suffered a rough loss to No. 1 seed Notre Dame, 77-35, in Raleigh.


St. Bonaventure finished the year at 31-4 (14-0 Atlantic 10), but just couldn't get going in this one.


Before the game, head coach Jim Crowley told his team: "Today you will be at your best. I know you will play your tails off." The Bonnies couldn't get their offense started, as they fell behind 16-2, and eventually trailed 35-13 at the half. Notre Dame's press gave St. Bonaventure fits, and the shots weren't falling on offense, as Bonnies star Jessica Jenkins - who finished her Atlantic 10 career as the conference's best all-time three-point shooter - was held scoreless.


"They're so much better in person than they are on film," Crowley said. "They don't get enough credit for their defense.


Of St. Bonaventure's 13 first half points, seven were scored by forward Doris Ortega. Ortega finished with 11 points, and Cece Dixon added 13. Notre Dame outscored St. Bona 42-22 in the second half.


Before this game, St. Bonaventure's biggest loss this year was a 61-49 defeat at the hands of then-No. 8 in the nation Delaware. The Fightin' Blue Hens (31-2) dropped out of the tournament with an upset loss to Kansas.


This game marked the first time all year the Bonnies allowed an opponent to eclipse 70 points, and St. Bonaventure's 35 points set a record for fewest points ever in a regional game in the NCAA Women's Tournament.


"We have 2,000 students, no women's basketball history at all, and we're in the Sweet 16. That's pretty remarkable," Crowley said.


The Bonnies defeated Florida Gulf Coast and Marist to get to the round of 16.


ND moves on to play No. 2 seed Maryland in the Elite Eight. Last year's national champion, No. 3 seed Texas A&M, fell to Maryland in the Sweet 16.

Bona Suffers Second Loss at Canisius

March 21, 2012 BUFFALO, N.Y. - The St. Bonaventure women's lacrosse team (2-2) suffered its second loss in as many games, falling to host Canisius 20-8 on Wednesday at the Demske Sports Complex. Bona's Marybeth Madia, Mackenzie Jordan and Daisy Timlin netted two goals each in the loss, as the Golden Griffins (3-5) broke a 2-2 tie seven minutes in with a string of eight consecutive scores. Canisius led 10-2 just a second shy of 10 minutes later and stayed in control for good to help snap its five-game skid. Carly Quinn scored four times and distributed four assists, totaling eight points for the Griffs, while Emily Kane booked two assists for the Bonnies. SBU returns to action March 30 at Temple in its Atlantic 10 Conference opener.

How Sweet It Is: Bonnies Dance Into Sweet 16, Face Notre Dame

St. Bonaventure University Athletic News

March 21, 2012 ESPN Highlights/Recap NCAA.com Highlights Social Media Recap TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Keep pinching yourself if you must, but all you'll get out of it is a nasty bruise. This isn't a dream. St. Bonaventure (31-3) is in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament. The Bonnies survived a last-gasp 3-pointer and defeated 13th-seeded Marist, 66-63, Tuesday night in the Second Round of the tournament. They will face top-seeded Notre Dame (32-3) Sunday in Raleigh, N.C at 2:30 p.m. Senior Jessica Jenkins drilled six 3-pointers and scored 22 points, and sophomore Doris Ortega (13 points) grabbed 10 rebounds to lead a dominant performance on the boards by the fifth-seeded Bonnies, who outrebounded Marist, 40-26. "Coach told me before the game I'd be able to crash the boards because they ball watch sometimes, and I knew how important those (extra) possessions could be," said Ortega, who had five of SBU's 15 offensive rebounds. Coach Jim Crowley glanced at the box score and conceded the game was basically even -- except for the boards. "If I had to pinpoint something that was key, that was it," said Crowley, who was relieved his technical foul with 4:57 left and the Bonnies up by seven didn't matter in the end. "I think that's the first technical I've gotten in about six years, but I stepped out of the coach's box (to tell them about a shot clock issue) and I had been warned earlier, so I got a T," Crowley said. Behind 16 points from Jenkins, the Bonnies took a 38-31 lead at half, but the Red Foxes rallied to take a 49-47 lead with 10:44 to play. Chelsea Bowker, though, hit a short jumper and buried a three, and Armelia Horton scored to cap a 7-0 run to give SBU a lead it wouldn't relinquish. The Bonnies didn't hit a field goal the last five minutes of the game, but CeCe Dixon hit all four of her free throw attempts down the stretch to provide the winning margin. The game appeared all but over when Marist, down three, threw the ball away with 10 seconds left and Jenkins was fouled on the ensuing inbounds pass. She had made 45 straight free throws, not missing one since Jan. 3 vs. Sacred Heart. Jenkins was 65 for 67 on the season from the line. But the front end of her one-and-one rimmed out, and the Bonnies had to play 10 seconds of great defense to force an off-balance three-point attempt by Leanne Ockenden. It wasn't close, Horton grabbed the rebound, and the celebration was on. "We kind of got tight offensively at the end, missing some shots we'd normally make, but I thought we did a great job defensively when we needed to," Crowley said. "And we didn't turn the ball over the last 11 minutes of the game." Crowley raved about Ortega's game. "Doris, what can you say, the bigger the game the better she is," he said. Jenkins was able to crack a smile about her missed free throw, and why not? After three straight trips to the WNIT, she and her teammates are one of 16 teams left standing. "When we saw the draw we thought we matched up pretty well, even though we knew they would be dog fights," she said. "This is just so much fun and we don't want it to end. Now, we having nothing to lose, which will be different from these games." A program wallowing in the depths of the Atlantic 10 just seven years ago has attained heights even its coach never imagined. "We're the new kids to the party," Crowley said. "I couldn't be more proud of this group and the way they've earned it. We've been told we couldn't do it consistently with the way we play, but our kids are about action, not words." The Bonnies' goal of simply reaching the NCAA Tournament has been trumped in resounding fashion. "I remember them saying at the beginning of the season that getting here was our goal, and that was great, because even if they didn't make it, they were committed to it, and that might serve them well later in life," Crowley said. "But once they got here, it wasn't enough. With the character of kids we have, and their willingness to believe in each other, nothing they do surprises me." GAME NOTES: SBU's largest lead was 10 at 5:59 in the first … Jenkins ends the game three 3-pointers shy from cracking the top-10 all-time with 338 career makes … Bowker was held to six points after scoring 19 in December … Jenkins had her consecutive free-throw streak snapped at 45 with 10.1 seconds left … the Bonnies tied a season low for steals with two … it is Ortega's second career double-double.

St. Bonaventure WINS!!!! NCAA Women's Championship-1st round

The St. Bonaventure Ladies Bonnies(#5) defeated Florida Gulf Coast University (#12) 72-65     Bonaventure now faces 13-ranked Marist Red Foxes.

Bona Opens First NCAA Tournament Sunday Against FGCU

St. Bonaventure University Athletic News

March 17, 2012 No. 5 St. Bonaventure vs. No. 12 Florida Gulf Coast Sunday, March 18 | 2:30 PM | Tallahassee, Fla. ESPN2 | ESPN3.com Tournament Central – For all your women's basketball tournament needs, Tournament Central provides more game info, audio/video links, postseason guides, videos, photos and more all on one page. The No. 21/25 ranked and 5th-seeded St. Bonaventure women's basketball team will make its first NCAA Tournament appearance on Sunday afternoon when it takes to the court against fellow first-time participant and 12th-seeded Florida Gulf Coast. Tourney Breakdown: The meeting is the first between the two schools … Bonaventure went 5-2 versus teams which made the tournament field, defeating St. John's, West Virginia, Marist, Sacred Heart and Dayton; the Bonnies also lost to the Flyers in the Atlantic 10 Championship title game and dropped a 12-point decision to Delaware in the regular season while missing starting point guard Armelia Horton to injury … Albany is the lone other team making its initial appearance in the Big Dance. St. Bonaventure will be looking to bounce back from a three-point loss to Dayton in the aforementioned A-10 title game. After getting down by 22 points – their largest deficit of the season – the Bonnies bounced back and took a lead with two minutes to play before a last-second, contested 3-pointer from Jessica Jenkins went off the back rim. The Eagles – in their first year of eligibility for the Division I tournament – claimed the Atlantic Sun Championship and have won 21 games in a row. The only common opponent both teams share is Richmond. FGCU defeated the Spiders, 81-67, while Bona also handled its A-10 foe, 75-59. FGCU leads the nation in 3-pointers made per game, hitting an average of 10.8. The most 3's the Bonnies have allowed in a game this year is 10 in a win against Sacred Heart. Florida Gulf Coast ranks in the top-10 in the nation in seven different statistical categories, and in the top-25 in 13 categories. Both SBU and FGCU are in the top-10 nationally in 3-point field goal percentage as the Eagles are sixth at 37.3 and the Bonnies are eighth at 37.1. Both clubs are also in the top-10 in fewest turnovers per game as Bona leads the nation at 11.9, while Gulf Coast is 10th at 13.5. The game also features the nation's two best 3-point shooters. Bona senior Jessica Jenkins currently leads all active players in Division I with 331 career 3's, including a program single-season record 103 this year. FGCU senior Kelsey Jacobson ranks second among active players with 329 career 3-pointers, including 80 this season. Both sharpshooters have nearly the same exact percentage from long range as well, with Jenkins (39.8) having a slight edge over Jacobson (39.1). Florida Gulf Coast averages 74.7 points per game to rank 14th nationally in that category. St. Bonaventure, which checks in with the nation's 20th-best defense (53.1 points per game) has not allowed an opponent to score 70 points in a game all year. In their only two losses (69-64 versus N.C. State and 57-51 at Seton Hall), the Eagles failed to score 70 points. Over the last 98 games – since the start of the 2009-10 season – the Bonnies have allowed 70 points in a game just seven times. With a win, the Bonnies will advance to play the winner of No. 4 Georgia and No. 13 Marist on Tuesday in the Second Round. Bonaventure and Marist met earlier this year, with SBU claiming a 67-56 win. The all-time series between the two New York schools is tied at 3-3. The Brown and White and Georgia have never met. However, the Bulldogs have been to the NCAA Tournament 29 times – the second most all-time behind only Tennessee's 31 appearances. UGA has made 18 straight trips to the tournament, while Marist has been seven straight seasons. While the Bona women will be playing on Florida State's home court, the Bona men played the Florida State men in Nashville in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday in a 3-14 matchup after SBU won the A-10 Championship last Sunday.