2016-17 Year in Review

2016-17 YEAR IN REVIEW

WINNERS OF FIFTH-STRAIGHT ECC COMMISSIONER’S CUP

FIVE CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS TEN NCAA TOURNAMENT TEAMS NINE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

#PIONEERNATION 2016-17 HIGHLIGHTS

Team individual ECC Championships ECC player of the year Baseball Rob Andreoli (Baseball) Men’s Soccer David Arvidsson (Men’s Soccer - Defensive) Women’s Lacrosse Charlie Ledula (Men’s Soccer - Offensive) Julia Seader (Softball) NE-10 Championships Talya Williams (Women’s Cross Country) Field Hockey Football NE-10 player of the year Jared Chester (Football - Defensive) Nationally-ranked teams Jeff Kidd (Football - Most Valuable Player) Baseball Field Hockey metropolitan swimmer of the meet Football Laura Bendfeldt Men’s Lacrosse Men’s Soccer ECC rookie of the year Women’s Lacrosse Abbey Fortin (Softball) Women’s Soccer Noah Lorenzo (Baseball) Women’s Swimming Alyssa Mallery (Women’s Lacrosse) Ncaa championship appearances ECC position awards Baseball Olivia Kirk (Goalkeeper, Women’s Lacrosse) Field Hockey Football ECC scholar-athlete of the year Men’s Cross Country Ryan Gioe (Outdoor Track and Field) Men’s Soccer Jesper Malmstrom (Male, Men’s Soccer) Women’s Cross Country Elizabeth Stirling (Indoor Track and Field) Women’s Lacrosse Women’s Soccer coach of the year Women’s Swimming Bryan Collins (Football) Wrestling

@liupostpioneers 2016-17 accomplishments

Conf. Conf. Team Coach Record Record Finish Accomplishments of Note

Baseball Mike Gaffney 32-20 17-8 2nd ECC Champions, NCAA Regional Appearance

Men’s Basketball Erik Smiles 10-18 9-9 7th Two All-ECC Selections

Women’s Basketball Deirdre Moore 11-17 7-11 8th Mikaiya Moore - All-ECC Second Team

M. Cross Country Kevin Buckley -- -- 6th Jeffrey Reyes - All-ECC Second Team

W. Cross Country Kevin Buckley -- -- 4th Talya Williams - ECC Runner of the Year

Equestrian Brooke Chasin ------Seven Regional Qualifiers

Fencing Mike Corona 2-21 -- -- Beat Wagner at Inaugural LIU Post Invitational

Field Hockey Raenee Savin 16-4 9-3 2nd NE-10 Champions, NCAA National Runner-Up

Football Bryan Collins 12-1 9-0 1st NE-10 Champions, NCAA Tournament Appearance

Golf Craig Maerki ------Placed Second at Quechee Division II Challenge

M. Indoor Track Kevin Buckley -- -- 4th Five All-ECC Selections

W. Indoor Track Kevin Buckley -- -- 4th Seven All-ECC Selections

Men’s Lacrosse John Jez 8-8 5-3 4th Nine All-ECC Selections

Women’s Lacrosse Meghan McNamara 16-3 8-0 1st ECC Champions, NCAA National Quarterfinalist

M. Outdoor Track Kevin Buckley -- -- 3rd Eleven All-ECC Selections

W. Outdoor Track Kevin Buckley -- -- 3rd Nine All-ECC Selections

Men’s Soccer Andreas Lindberg 18-1-1 8-0-1 1st ECC Champions, NCAA Regional Finalist

Women’s Soccer Mark Dawson 15-4-2 6-1-1 2nd ECC Runner-Up, NCAA Tournament Appearance

Softball Jamie Apicella 27-26 10-14 4th ECC Championship Runner-Up

Swimming Michael Travers 3-4 -- 4th Laura Bendfeldt - Met Swimmer of the Meet

Tennis Walter Giacometti 6-5 5-2 3rd Two All-ECC Selections

Volleyball Amanda Ostapow 15-13 8-6 4th Three All-ECC Selections

Wrestling Joe Patrovich 10-8 -- -- Anthony Sparacio - NCAA All-American @liupostpioneers 2016-17 ecc awards

liu post wins 2016-17 ECC Commissioner’s Cup For the fifth-straight year, the LIU Post Department of Athletics has won the East Coast Conference Commissioner’s Cup, as announced by the league office on Wednesday. Under the direction of outgoing Director of Athletics Bryan Collins, the Pioneers amassed 94.75 total points to reclaim the Cup for the eighth time since it was established in 1994. The green and gold posted a league record of 83-54-2 (.604 winning percentage) in ECC-sponsored sports in 2016-17 and competed in ECC Championships in 15 of the 17 conference sports they sponsor. The Pioneers came away with ECC Tournament titles in baseball, women’s lacrosse, and men’s soccer and picked up regular-season championships in men’s soccer and women’s lacrosse.

malmstrom dubbed ecc male scholar-athlete of the year After compiling an outstanding 3.97 grade-point average, LIU Post men’s soccer senior goalkeeper Jesper Malmstrom was honored as the East Coast Conference Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Malmstrom is the second Pioneer men’s soccer player in as many years to be bestowed with the honor. Former standout Per Forgaard earned the nod as the ECC Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2016. Malmstrom, who was named the CoSIDA Division II Men’s Soccer Academic All-American of the Year, helped lead the green and gold to their first undefeated regular season since the team’s inception. He also landed on the All-East Coast Conference and D2CCA All-East Region Second Team in 2016, after pacing the league in wins (16), shutouts (8), fewest goals allowed (11) and goals-against average (0.67). @liupostpioneers 2017 athletic hall of fame

2017 athletic hall of fame class inducted The induction class consisted of four former student-athletes from four different varsity sports at LIU Post. They were Mike Hammond, Jim McCauley ‘89, Mallory Poole ‘08 and Jeremiah Pope ‘03. Hammond was a two-year starter at the guard position for the LIU Post men’s basketball team from 1985-87. In only 56 career games with the Pioneers, he amassed a total of 1,248 points, which was good for an average of 22.3 points per contest. Hammond, who holds the program’s single-season record for points scored, was named the Big Apple Conference Player of the Year and earned a spot on the NABC Division II All-America Third Team as a senior. He was also a two-time Big Apple Con- ference First Team All-Star and garnered Preseason All-America accolades in 1986. In addition to his many accolades, Hammond broke the school’s single-season records for field goals made and scoring and helped the Pioneers to back-to-back Big Apple Conference Championships in 1986 and 1987. McCauley was a starting pitcher for the LIU Post baseball team from 1987-89. In his tenure with the Pioneers, he posted a career record of 23-6 on the mound with 147 strikeouts and a 2.36 earned-run average. He was a two-time New York State Baseball Coaches Association All-Star and received Diamond Conference All-Star recognition in 1988. Additionally, McCauley still currently owns the school’s single-season record for wins and is tied for first all-time in program history for career victories. A staple in the Pioneer midfield, Poole appeared in all 71 games for the LIU Post women’s lacrosse team from 2005-08. In that time, she tallied 137 goals and 32 assists for 169 career points. She was a four-time IWLCA All-American and a three-time Inside Lacrosse All-America first-team selection. Additionally, Poole’s outstanding senior campaign that saw her tally a career-best 55 points earned her nods as the East Coast Conference Player of the Year and Inside Lacrosse Division II Midfielder of the Year. In the Pioneers’ undefeated and National Championship season of 2007, Poole was named the Most Valuable Player of the NCAA Tournament, after scoring six goals at the championship, four of which came in the national title game against West Chester University. Lastly, Poole’s efforts on the field were complemented by her hard work in the classroom. She was recognized as the IWLCA Division II and D2CCA East Region Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2008, and honored as the New York Collegiate Athletic Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2006. Pope was one of the best players to grace the gridiron for the LIU Post football team, starting at the wide receiver position from 2000-03. A 2011 inductee to the LIU Post Football Hall of Fame, Pope hauled in 139 career receptions for 2,435 receiving yards and 26 touchdowns. Pope, who helped the Pioneers to three-straight Northeast-10 Conference titles, currently holds the school’s single-season records for receiving yards and touchdown receptions, and until this year, owned the program’s all-time marks for receiving yards and receptions. He was a three-time All-Northeast-10 Conference selection, culminating in a nod as the Northeast-10 Offensive Player of the Year in 2003.

@liupostpioneers 2017 student-athlete banquet

pioneer student-athletes shine at 2017 athletic awards banquet On Monday, May 1, the LIU Post Department of Athletics hosted its 2017 Student-Athlete Recognition Banquet at the Tilles Center in Brookville. The ceremony featured a presentation of two team awards by each of the 24 varsity head coaches, as well as the spirit team and club coaches. The night concluded with the presentation of the department’s major awards. The honors were Most Outstanding Male Athlete, Most Outstanding Female Athlete, Pioneer Excellence, Newcomer of the Year, Comeback Player of the Year, Make a Difference, the Christine Webb Award and the Dr. Roy Ilowit Sportsmanship Award. In addition, former Director of Athletics and Recreation Bryan Collins closed the night by recognizing Melissa Peet of the softball team and Kelly Carey of the cheerleading team, who received the highest academic honor of being named the school’s valedictorian and salutatorian of the 2017 graduating class, respectively. The major awards were presented to: Most Outstanding Male Athlete Jeff Kidd, Football In 11 games, Kidd led the Northeast-10 Conference in completion percentage (65.3), passing yards (2,825), passing yards per game (256.8) and passing touchdowns (28), en route to being named the league’s Most Valuable Player. He was also recognized to the AFCA All-America and Football Gazette All-Super Region I Second Team, while garnering CoSIDA Academic All-District and NE-10 Commissioner’s Honor Roll distinction. Most Outstanding Female Athlete Connor Bird, Women’s Lacrosse During the regular season, Bird was the team’s leading scorer with 55 points (37 goals, 18 assists) and won 52 draw controls. She ranked in the Top-15 in the East Coast Conference in goals, assists and points. Male Pioneer Excellence Award Jesper Malmstrom, Men’s Soccer Malmstrom, who carries a near-flawless 3.97 cumulative grade-point average in Finance, helped lead the Pioneers to their first-ever undefeated regular season and was recognized as the CoSIDA Division II Men’s Soccer Academic All-American of the Year. He was also named to the All-East Coast Conference and D2CCA All-East Region Second Team in 2016, after pacing the league in wins (16), shutouts (8), fewest goals allowed (11) and goals-against average (0.67). Female Pioneer Excellence Award Kristin Brandman, Women’s Soccer In 2016, Brandman, a 3.63 grade-point average student in Education, led a defensive unit that limited the opposition to the fewest goals allowed (12) in the East Coast Conference. Her play earned her All-ECC, D2CCA All-East Region and ECAC All-Star first-team honors, in addition to a spot on the CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team.

@liupostpioneers 2017 STUDENT-ATHLETE BANQUET

Male Newcomer of the Year Award Anthony Sparacio, Wrestling Sparacio became the second Pioneer in three years to qualify for the NCAA Division II National Championships and grapple to All-America honors. He completed the 2016-17 season at 23-10 overall, including a 14-3 mark in duals. Additionally, he posted a record of 15-7 at the 133-lb. weight class. Female Newcomer of the Year Award Mikaiya Moore, Women’s Basketball Moore set the tone for scoring amongst all rookies in the East Coast Conference this season. She averaged an impressive 15.6 points per game on a team-best 46.9 percent (157-of-335) shooting from the field. Moore, an All-ECC second-team honoree and three-time ECC Rookie of the Week selection, also led the Pioneers in four other statistical categories and reached double figures in scoring in 22 of her 25 games. Comeback Player of the Year Award Dylan Cafarella, Football Cafarella fought back from a malignant brain tumor to help the Pioneers to a Northeast-10 Conference Championship in 2016. He made eight tackles in 11 games for the green and gold. Make a Difference Award Men’s Lacrosse The Make a Difference Award is presented annually to the team that totals the most hours of community service. The LIU Post men’s lacrosse team involved themselves in numerous volunteer initiatives in 2016-17, including toy drives, Team Connor Day and the Tunnel to Towers Run. Christine Webb Award Melissa Peet, Softball The Christine Webb Award is awarded annually to a deserving student-athlete, who displays the most Post Pride. Peet was named the valedictorian of the 2017 graduating class, after posting an impressive 3.99 cumulative grade-point average in her four years at LIU Post. Dr. Roy Ilowit Sportsmanship Award Ashley Martin, Softball The Dr. Roy Ilowit Sportsmanship Award is annually bestowed upon a deserving student-athlete for their achievements in the classroom and on the field, while also representing the spirit of Dr. Ilowit with an outstanding grade-point average and a high level of character on the playing field. Despite suffering a season-ending injury midway through the season, Martin compiled a 2.85 earned-run average and 37 strikeouts in 2017. She has also worked hard in the classroom, sporting a stellar 3.99 cumulative grade-point average.

@liupostpioneers A LETTER FROM THE AD Thank you for your continued support of LIU Post Athletics. We are very proud of the tradition of excellence set forth by our student-athletes on the playing field, in the classroom, and out in the community. The 2016-17 campaign was no exception. Academically, our student-athletes succeeded beyond measure and set the bar high for future Pioneers posting a cumulative GPA of 3.22. Nearly 75 percent of our 547 student-athletes obtained a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Addi- tionally, for the first time in school history, two Pioneers were recognized as the class valedictorian and salutatorian, the University’s highest academic distinctions. Athletically, five of our teams won their respective conference championships, while 10 teams ad- vanced to NCAA Championship play. In the fall, the field hockey team reached the NCAA Division II National Championship game for the third time in four years, while the football and men’s soccer programs soared to new heights with undefeated regular season records. Then, in the spring, the women’s lacrosse team continued its winning tradition by clinching its third-consecutive East Coast Conference title, while the baseball team captured its first league championship in seven years. Furthermore, we had a baseball player drafted into the Major Leagues for the first time since 1994. We are equally proud of our student-athletes’ eagerness to be involved in their local and national communities. Over the past year our department amassed more than 4,000 hours of community service and raised funds for numerous worthy causes. Overall, I believe our department has shined in all facets of who we want to be as Pioneers, and I am determined to continue this practice as we move forward. I am extremely excited to lead this department and build on the unrelenting commitment to excellence that has been set forth by my predecessors. Our administration, coaches and support staff will work diligently to create an environment that encompasses our core values while challenging ourselves and our student-athletes to reach new heights academically, athletically, and within the community.

Thank you again for your support of Pioneer Nation.

GO PIONEERS!

Sincerely,

Debbie DeJong Director of Athletics and Recreation LIU Post Pioneers

@liupostpioneers