Lady Bronc Birthday Calendar
R i d e r U n i ve r s i t y Wo m e n ’ s B a s k e t b a l l We would like to thank the following members of the Friends of Rider University Women’s Basketball club for their support last season. Your generosity directly supports our student athletes in many different forms. Volume 8
January 8 - Cquoya Haughton 13 - Taylor Wentzel 21 - Manon Pellet February 7 - Jessie Wallace March 8 - Steph Mason 9 - Coach Durkin 14 - Coach Milligan 24 - Kamila Hoskova May 16 - Julia Duggan June 24 - Kornelija Valiuskyte 24 - Coach Hampton July 13 - Marritta Gillcrease September 4 - Janine Loutzenhiser 19 - Gina Dain October 11 - Coach Hamilton 12 - Emily Fazzini November 4 - Robin Perkins December 4 - Lashay Banks
Mr & Mrs. Christopher Fazzini • Ms. Lillian Haas • Lorraine Hubrich • Dr. & Mrs. Walter Brower • Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Durkin • Dr. Jonathan Husch • Mr. Eugene Blicharz • Ms. Jodi Loutzenhiser • Steven Rudenstein • Mr. & Mrs. Peter Miller • Ms. Michele Powers • Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Stasolla • Mr. Joseph Isaren & Ms. Karen Lista • Mr. Charles Inverso • Mr. & Mrs. Phillip Lembach • Ms. Nancy Whalen & Ms. Arlene Dunn • Mr. & Mrs. Zawodny • Mr. & Mrs. James McNeill • Mr. & Mrs. Patrick Milligan • Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Collins III • Mr. & Mrs. James Duggan • Mr. & Mrs. John Parsons • Ms. Kara C. Borel • Mrs. Patricia Pellet • Mr. & Mrs. Paul Mason • Mr. & Mrs. Fitzpatrick • Ms. Aisha Varnadore • Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Lear • Mr. Jeffery Loutzenhiser • Mr. & Mrs Mike Marrillo • Mr. & Mrs. Lester Lightbourne • Mr. & Mrs. Richard Loughran • Ms. Patsy Harris • Ms. Kimberly Holmes • Ms. Meghan Holohan • Ms. Lisa Jordre • Mr. & Mrs. Michael D. Johnson • Dr. Kelly Bidle • Ms. Martha Clouatre • Ms. Marianne Cousins • Ms. Pamela Durkin • Ms. Claudia Siervo • Ms. Kristen Kriebel • Mrs. Joanne Palmisano • Mr. & Mrs. Timothy Capstraw • Mrs. Joan P. Green • Mr. & Mrs. Robert Mattai • Ms. Rita C. Peters • Ms. Patricia Keyser • Mr. & Mrs. Gale Casey Sr. • Mr. & Mrs. Herb Young
Issue 1 Fall 2014
Inside this issue Alumni News and Notes P.2
Did you know: • Sports Management has officially been added as a new major at Rider University. • Douglas Potkay has been hired as the new tennis coach. He replaced long time coach, Ed We love sharing information with you about our program. Whether it is quick updates, via FaTorres. Welcome to ceboook (RiderWbb) and Twitter (RiderWbb) or just pictures on Instagram Rider Coach Pot(RiderWbb) we try to keep you posted on the latest news. But we want to make sure you rekay! member to check out our women’s basketball blog. On this site is where you will find mostly vid• The Rider women’s eos put together by the coaches and players about things surrounding our program. Hope you basketball team has enjoy! had a great year ever in the classFINISHING THOUGHTS - Coaches Corner with Head Coach Lynn Milligan room. At the end of the summer, our Hey Lady Bronc Fans! I hope everyone had a great summer. It went by so fast but that team GPA is 3.18! only means we are that much closer to hoops! Keep up the good We are so excited to continue preparations for the season. I say continue because the work Ladies! Lady Broncs had a terrific summer. Not only did we excel in the • Former Lady Bronc classroom but also on the court. The entire team was able to spend Jessica Beck Ruzathe second summer session together lifting, doing individual nic ‘96 will be recworkouts, team practices, and playing. The key was we were TOognized in March as GETHER. We are excited for this year’s journey and what our fipart of the MAAC nal destination will be. Hall of Fame honor We are adding three very talented freshmen and welcoming roll. back a healthy Taylor and Emily from injury and Robin who sat out last year as a transfer. Our senior class of Marritta, KV, and To read more, please visit LaShay are ready to lead this veteran group to the next step. the athletics website at www.gobroncs.com. We also welcome assistant coach John Hampton who joined us after four years as the GO BRONCS! head coach at Clarkston University. Although we will miss Coach Miller we are thrilled Rider University with our new member of the family. Women’s Basketball As this newsletter goes to press we are a little more than five weeks away from our first 2083 Lawrenceville Rd. game which is also the first appearance in Lady Bronc history in the preseason WNIT. We Lawrenceville, NJ 08648 are thrilled to have such a great opportunity ahead of us. Contact: Pam Durkin I hope we will see everyone in the ZOO this year. The first event of the year, our tip off O - 609-896-5368 social is rapidly approaching on October 28. You should be receiving the information shortE -
[email protected] ly. We hope that you can make it. Thank you for your continued support of our program. Facebook: Riderwbb Twitter: Riderwbb Instagram: Riderwbb Blog: Riderwbball.wordpress.com
2014-15 Schedule P.3 Among the new faces in the Rider University women’s basketball program this season is Finishing Thoughts P.3 assistant coach John Hampton. (See inside Birthday Calendar P.4 to meet our three freshmen) Hampton comes to Rider from Clarkson University in Potsdam, NY. The Philadelphia native spent four seasons as head coach, after two seasons as a graduate assistant. Hampton graduated from Division II Mansfield University in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, and he earned his master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from SUNY-Potsdam in 2010. While at Mansfield, Hampton walked on to the men’s basketball team and earned an athletic scholarship. In 2006, he was the Most Improved Player, and he was the team Most Valuable Player in 2007 and 2008, earning PSAC All-Conference honors as a senior. Hampton replaces John Miller who after 7 years moved on to a similar position at Richmond University. Welcome to Rider Coach Hampton!
Participation in the Preseason Women’s National Invitational Tournament and games against national powers Old Dominion, Penn State and Delaware highlight the 2014-15 Rider University women’s basketball non-conference schedule and the Broncs open the MAAC schedule at home against Iona December 5. “We have again put together a terrific non-conference schedule that will challenge us on every level,” said head coach Lynn Milligan who will begin her eighth season at Rider. “Our goal is always to challenge ourselves in preparation for our conference schedule. We have a chance to play opponents from multiple conferences, all of which will bring a different dynamic on game day.”The MAAC schedule opens December 5 against Iona (26-6, 18-2 MAAC) and the Broncs travel to defending MAAC champion Marist (27-7, 18-2 MAAC) on December 7. "You have to play all 20 MAAC games at some point," said Milligan. Rider opens the season with a minimum of three games in the 2014 Preseason WNIT, and the Broncs begin tournament play at Seton Hall on November 14. Rider lost 86-75 to the Pirates last season in a game that had six ties and four lead changes. Tied at 68, the Pirates used a 9-0 run in the final five minutes of play to escape with the victory. Seton Hall won 20 games last year, and the Pirates advanced to the third round of the WNIT. The Broncs return eight letterwinners and three starters from a squad that compiled a 15-17 record, the fifth most wins in the 75-year history of the sport at Rider. The Broncs advanced to the MAAC semi-finals for the first time ever, and Rider was within three points of Marist College with 14:11 remaining in the game before losing by 11 to the eventual conference champions. “Every year and team is different, and this one will be as well,” Milligan added. “We would like to continue our late season success into this season but we will be a very different team when we step on the floor at Seton Hall in November than we were in March against Marist. The MAAC will be as strong as ever. With conference play beginning in December, we will get an early look at how the team is developing. Every team has to be ready earlier in the season for the rigors of conference play and the non-conference schedule will certainly challenge us to reach that goal.”
We are thrilled to report that Myneshia McKenzie ‘14 has officially begun her professional career. After not being placed somewhere earlier in the summer, Mac decided to switch agents and signed a contract with 610 Sports & Entertainment Management at the end of August. About one week later, September 3, Myneshia was on a plane to Portugal! She is playing with a team called Boa Viagem based in the city of Angra on the island of Terceira. From all accounts it is a beautiful little island. We are sure that Myneshia is exploring whenever she has free time! We will keep you updated on her progress. Hey Lady Broncs...We are always looking for great stories of our alums, family and friends. This section is, and has always been, one of the more popular sections of our newsletter. If you have anything you would like to contribute to the Bronc Bulletin, please contact us!
Two former Rider Lady Broncs walked down the wedding isle recently and we couldn’t be happier to share that news with our readers. We always say “once a bronc always a bronc” and it is evident in these pictures that some of their closest friends, and former teammates are very important to them. Congratulations Shannon and Danielle! On June 28, 2013 (Ok, so we are a little late reporting this) Shannon Fergusson married her long time best friend, Travis Gast in Blue Bell, PA. Attending the wedding reception were several Rider Alumnae. From left: Allison Brody, Soccer ‘10, Melissa Kowalczyk ‘10, Steph Wisniewski ‘10, Diana (Maggie) Molfetas, ‘10, Shannon Fergusson Gast ’10 , Alyssa Parsons ‘12, Lauren Gregg, Kristy Love, Volleyball ‘11, and Meghan Brett, Soccer ‘10
Wedding bells rang on June 14 2014 for Danielle Costantino ‘08 & Steve Bitterman. Attending the wedding & in her bridal party were former Lady Broncs Christine Catalonatto ‘05 and Maura Gillooly ‘08. Congrats Danielle and Steve!
We have posted updates in the past about former Rider women’s basketball alumni and their prowess for running events (5K, 10milers, half and full marathons). This past summer there were a couple of Lady Broncs that tackled the sport of triathlon. This summer, Chelsea Brown Capstraw ‘92 and Barb Levonatis McNeill ‘93 caught the triathlon bug and competed in their first events. Chelsea took part in the Jersey Girl Triathlon in Long Branch, NJ, and Barb made her debut at the Long Beach Island Annual Triathlon. From all accounts they both had a great time and will definitely be looking at next year’s schedule to find another one. Maybe we can form Team Rider Lady Broncs! Way to go ladies!
Friday Sunday Friday
11/14/14 11/16/14 11/21/14
Tuesday Sunday Tuesday Friday Sunday Sunday Thursday Sunday Monday Friday Sunday Thursday Sunday Friday Sunday Thursday Monday Wednesday Sunday Thursday Saturday Friday Sunday Friday Sunday Thursday Saturday
11/25/14 11/30/14 12/02/14 12/05/14 12/07/14 12/14/14 12/18/14 12/21/14 12/29/14 1/2/15 1/4/15 1/8/15 1/11/15 1/16/15 1/18/15 1/22/15 1/26/15 1/28/15 2/1/15 2/5/15 2/7/15 2/13/15 2/15/15 2/20/15 2/22/15 2/26/15 2/28/15
Preseason WNIT at Seton Hall at WNIT Second Game at WNIT Third Game
12:00pm TBA TBA
LAFAYETTE 7:00pm at Old Dominion 2:00pm at LIU Brooklyn 7:00pm IONA* 7:00pm at Marist* 2:00pm at Penn State 2:00pm UMBC 5:00pm at Binghamton 2:00pm at Delaware 7:00pm at Saint Peter’s* 1:00pm at Manhattan* 2:00pm MONMOUTH* 12:00pm FAIRFIELD* (Alumni Game) 2:00pm NIAGARA* 7:00pm at Iona* 2:00pm at Fairfield* (ESPN3) 5:00pm SAINT PETER’S* 7:00pm at Siena* 11:00am CANISIUS* 2:00pm SIENA* (ESPN 3 DH) 5:00pm at Quinnipiac* 2:00pm at Monmouth* 7:00pm MANHATTAN* (NGWSD) 1:00pm at Canisius* 7:00pm at Niagara* 2:00pm QUINNIPIAC* 7:00pm MARIST* (Senior Day) 2:00pm MAAC Championships Thursday - Monday 3/5/15 - 3/9/15 - Albany NY, Times Union Center TBD Home Game in CAPS MAAC Games Denoted by *
Congratulations go out to Christine Catalonatto Sikiric ‘05 and Maritza Rodriquez Dortrait ‘00 on their newest additions!
On April 27, 2014 Chelsea Brown Capstraw ‘92 was inducted into the Lakewood High School Athletic Hall of Fame. Congratulations to Amy Walker Hartz ’97 on her upcoming induction to the Trinity High School athletics Hall of Fame. She will share that ceremony with her sister, Chrissy, later on this year.
BIG BROTHER AEDEN IS HOLDING LUCAS DORTRAIT, BORN MARCH 31, 2014.
PROUD PARENTS CHRISTINE AND JOHN HOLDING THEIR DAUGHTER ADRIANA, BORN APRIL 5, 2014
C’Quoya Haughton #13 Forward - 6’1” Schenectady, N.Y. Stoneleigh Burnham Major: Criminal Justice
Kamila Hoskova Jessie Wallace #3 #31 Guard - 5’9” Forward - 6’1” Brno, Czech Republic Reading, Pa. SSMH BRNO Wilson High School Major: Integrated Major: Communications Math & Science
Rider Basketball Tip Off Social October 28, 2014 6:00-8:30pm Rider University Alumni Gym/Hall of Fame The Rider Basketball tip off social will be held on our campus this year. The new format will have the men’s and women’s players doing some drill work and after, coaches Kevin Baggett and Lynn Milligan will talk about their programs during a live web broadcast. Immediately following, we will have a mingle in the Hall of Fame in the SRC atrium. Come out after work and mingle with fellow friends, alumni and fans. Watch your mail for information or email Joan Hedden for more information.
[email protected] January 11, 2015 Women’s Basketball Alumni Game 11:30am Rider vs Fairfield 2:00pm The alumni game is coming back this year! Mark your calendar for Sunday January 11, 2015 as the date for our alumni game. More information will be mailed out soon, but be prepared to lace up and sweat it out for about 40 minutes or so prior to our game against Fairfield University. As always we will have a postgame reception for our alumni, friends and family!