February Sports Briefs

On Saturday, February 3, TCNJ’s Department of Athletics held its first celebration in recognition of National Girls and Women in Sports Day. The day was filled with a wide variety of events for young women in sports and commenced with a speakers program, followed by a brunch, a banner making contest, admission to TCNJ’s women’s basketball game against Ramapo College, and culminated with an autograph session with members of TCNJ’s women’s basketball team. The program was free and open to girls and young women between the ages of 11-16.

Among the featured speakers that day were Lisa McCarthy, director of alumni affairs at TCNJ; Chelsea Dixon, volunteer coordinator at the Visiting Nurse Association of the Mercer County Hospice Program; Sgt. Jeanne Hengemuhle of the New Jersey State Police Office of Public Information; and Ann DeGennaro, director of the Center for Campus Wellness at TCNJ.

On February 5, TCNJ’s women’s basketball team hosted a “Think Pink Night” in conjunction with the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association to show support for individuals who are battling breast cancer. Fans who wore pink to TCNJ’s women’s basketball game against Marymount University were admitted for free, and their admission costs will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. In addition to the fans who wore pink, TCNJ’s coaching staff also wore pink in a show of support, while TCNJ’s women’s basketball players wore pink practice shirts and pink headbands during the contest. Earlier this academic year, TCNJ’s women’s basketball team participated in the Annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.

In addition to the contest, members of the staff of the newly opened University Medical Center at Princeton (UMCP) Breast Health Center of East Windsor were on hand to answer questions, provide information about breast cancer and breast cancer prevention, as well as additional information about their brand new $1.6 million Breast Health Center.

The College of New Jersey Head Athletic Trainer Joe Camillone was awarded the Presidential Award at the 2007 Eastern Athletic Trainers Association Convention in Boston on January 6. 

Camillone became only the second person honored with the Presidential Award, which is given to a person who shows unselfish and dedicated efforts that have advanced the EATA and the athletic training profession.

TCNJ Field Hockey Coach Sharon Pfluger was recognized in conjunction with the 2007 National Field Hockey Coaches Association National Convention in Baltimore on January 5. Pfluger was honored for having achieved her 400th career field hockey victory this past season. Pfluger just wrapped her 22nd season as the head coach of TCNJ’s field hockey program in the fall of 2006. She currently owns an overall record of 400-70-9, with 391 of those wins happening here at the College. Her winning percentage of .844 is fourth among coaches from all three NCAA divisions, while her 400 wins are seventh. Pfluger is also in the top 20 in total games coached with 479.  

TCNJ Men’s Swimming and Diving Coach Brian Bishop achieved his 150th career dual meet victory when his Lions knocked off previously unbeaten New York University on Sunday, January 28. Now in his 18th season at TCNJ, Bishop holds a career record of 151-35.

TCNJ’s wrestling team was ranked eighth in the most recent NWCA Division III poll and finished the 2006-2007 dual meet season with an impressive 18-1 record, while also riding a 13-match win streak. TCNJ will be hosting the 2007 Metropolitan Conference Championships on February 18 with hopes of qualifying all 10 wrestlers for the upcoming NCAA Division III Championships at Loras College on March 2-3.

TCNJ’s baseball team has received acclaim for the upcoming 2007 campaign as the Lions are ranked in the top 10 in a pair of coaches’ polls. TCNJ’s baseball team has been tapped for the No. 8 spot in the NCAA Division III Pre-Season Poll, as selected by the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. In addition, the Lions picked up the No. 4 ranking in the latest ABCA Division III preseason poll, released on February 2. TCNJ opens the season on March 6, hosting Salisbury University.

On Sunday, January 28, TCNJ senior baseball playerGerard Haran was honored by the New Jersey Sports Writers Association. Named the Collegiate Baseball Player of the Year, Haran gave a tremendously moving speech that touched the audience and several of the other honorees on the dais, including Rutgers Football Coach Greg Schiano and Mets General Manager Omar Minaya.

TCNJ’s women’s lacrosse team, which captured back to back NCAA Division III championships in 2005 and 2006, has been picked No. 1 in the pre-season IWCLA Stx Poll, receiving eight first place votes. The Lions open the 2007 season on March 6, hosting FDU-Florham in Lions’ Stadium.

On February 3, TCNJ’s Department of Athletics recognized retired Assistant Athletic Director and Director of Athletic Facilities Frank Harris. Harris retired from the College after 25 years of service last March. TCNJ’s athletic department honored him for his outstanding contributions to the department and the campus community with the Peter Apostolires Award.

After a standout career at Middlesex County College, senior Mike Guenther joined the nationally-ranked Lion program in 2005 and was limited to only nine matches due to injury. This season, Guenther has bounced back from his injury and has been one of the catalysts for the Lions's success.

Guenther has an impressive 22-2 record this season and also was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the Spartan Invitational at York College (PA) earlier in the season.

As this season winds down, Guenther would like to leave his mark on the program by adding his name to the list of All-Americans in the team’s practice room.

"I wanted to be an All-American when I came here to TCNJ. To get my name up on the wall, that is a goal," he stated.

While things have picked up on the mat, Guenther is also on the fast track when it comes to beginning his professional career upon graduation in the spring. The business administration major has been selected to attend the National Collegiate Sales Competition (NCSC), which is a two-day event in mid-March where students from all over North America test their selling skills in a variety of challenges and are judged by corporate sponsors of the event.

"This is a great opportunity to network and meet some good people at a lot of good companies," he explained. "There are a lot of Fortune 500 companies who attend that conference."