MAJOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL ON THE WAY? (NEWSDAY)

By Steven Marcus

Major college football sells. More than 37,000 fans attended Connecticut's season-opening game against Hofstra on Thursday. Juxtapose that to Hofstra's historically minuscule draw against its standard fare of JMU, William & Mary, Rhode Island et al. The logical conclusion is that mid-major college football in these environs does not appeal to the broad fan base. Hofstra is wise to schedule FBS (formerly I-A) schools. And Stony Brook is smart to follow suit next season. By playing UConn, visiting Hofstra earned a $250,000 guarantee and a vision worth dreaming. "I would love to see us on that level someday," backup quarterback Cory Christopher said. "I definitely think we can compete on that level."No one expected Hofstra to beat UConn. The 35-3 loss perhaps was a bit skewed by the Pride's starting quarterback, Bryan Savage, being scratched with back spasms. (Savage will be re-evaluated this week.)

It is not about how close Hofstra can come at this point. Just playing at the higher level is good experience and great exposure. Was Hofstra testing the FBS waters by scheduling a BCS team? Has the Pride tired of its less-than-fan-appealing classification? Does stepping up mean stepping out, or is it merely an exercise in fantasy football? "You can never say never, but there is nothing in the plans to do that," Hofstra athletic director Jack Hayes said. "The games we are playing at that level are being played to remain competitive in our conference." Perhaps that could change if rival Stony Brook keeps expanding. Despite being only a few years into scholarship football, SBU's administration might contemplate an upgrade to FBS. Stony Brook is studying luxury suites and additional seating at 8,136-capacity LaValle Stadium. "Moving to the FBS level is not something I'd rule out," SBU athletic director Jim Fiore said. "Football is important to our future, and if pursuing the FBS level will be advantageous to our university and athletic program, we will cross that bridge when we come to it."Stony Brook has scheduled road games against South Florida, Buffalo and Army in consecutive seasons beginning in 2009. Hofstra visits Boston College and Army in 2009 and 2010, respectively."It is a good opportunity for us to play a game against an opponent that generates a lot of attention," Hayes said.Long before UConn had major college football in sight, the Huskies played at Hofstra in 1999 and drew a still-standing Hofstra football record of 9,381. Only the diehards get jacked for the CAA schools' visits to 13,000-seat Shuart Stadium, where attendance generally averages less than 5,000. When local football truly was king, Hofstra played Post in front of 8,023, a Hofstra attendance record that stood for nearly 40 years. Now the campus record for a football event belongs to Brett Favre's first practice with the Jets, which drew 10,500. For one night, Hofstra was in the big leagues of college football. A transfer from Nassau CC, Christopher essentially went from the JC ranks to the upper echelon on the collegiate level."The atmosphere takes a lot of getting used to," he said. "It was kind of hard to focus. Some plays kind of get miscommunicated because of crowd noise."Hofstra coach Dave Cohen enjoyed the big-time feel."It's a great experience, from the state troopers escorting the bus to the stadium to the big crowd to the higher level on the field," said Cohen, who added that there is no hidden agenda in playing up. He thinks that conversation is premature until Hofstra dominates its current division. But Hofstra wide receiver Ottis Lewis, who grew up in Norwalk and saw UConn's somewhat seamless transition from I-AA, sees no reason why Hofstra cannot elevate."Down the road, I believe this program, which has put quite a few guys into the NFL, could play at that level," he said. "I don't see it as far-fetched at all."

STONY BROOK FOOTBALL OPENS BY BEATING COLGATE (NEWSDAY)

BY CHRIS MASCARO

The customary gift for a 10th anniversary is diamond jewelry, silver for a 25th. But as Stony Brook began its celebration of 10 seasons of Division I football and 25 overall, the Seawolves had to settle for a 42-26 pasting of Colgate in each team's season opener at Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium.They also got 270 yards on the ground, rushing touchdowns by four players and a win over an opponent that was 7-4 last season, which SBU coach Chuck Priore will take any day over pearls. "We performed well on both sides of the ball and we executed very well," he said.Entering the game, the quarterback position was a question mark for Stony Brook, with untested redshirt freshman Dayne Hoffman getting the nod.Hoffman's first career pass was intercepted, leading to a Colgate field goal, and he completed only 3 of 7 passes in the first half.
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He threw his first career touchdown pass in the third quarter on a 49-yard screen pass to Lynell Suggs, who set the school record for receiving yards in a season last year with 962. Hoffman finished 8-for-16 for 174 yards.By the time Suggs scored -- one minute into the second half -- the rushing committee of Conte Cuttino, Brandon Mason and Ed Gowins had given the Seawolves a comfortable margin to work with. Cuttino was first, as he took a swing pass from Hoffman 13 yards down the left sideline to set up his 1-yard plunge with two minutes left in the first quarter.Next was Gowins, of Bellport fame, who took his first career carry 22 yards off left tackle for a score. The freshman rushed 12 times for 147 yards and two touchdowns.Hoffman and Mason, a transfer from Pittsburgh, got into the action in the second quarter with matching 1-yard scoring runs."It's like a 1-2-3 punch, because all three of us can get the job done," Gowins said.The Colgate offense was hampered by the one-game suspension of Jordan Scott, the nation's leading rusher a season ago, for violating team rules. "You want to play with all your bullets in the gun," Priore said. "But you play with what you have."Stony Brook held the Raiders to 140 yards of offense and six points in the first half. The addition of Michigan transfer Chris Richards obviously helped, as the corner had two interceptions. He also led the team with four solo tackles, including one for a loss."I've been out of football for a year and a half now, so it definitely felt good [to get out there]," Richards said. "It meant the world to me."Colgate's first touchdown, on Jordan McCord's 6-yard dash, cut it to 35-12 with 6:06 left in the third quarter. Gowins pushed the lead to 42-12 before the Raiders closed the scoring with some trickery. Wide receiver Sam Breslin threw after taking an end around and connected with Pat Simonds for a 67-yard score.

STONY BROOK FOOTBALL TAKES SEASON OPENER FROM COLGATE, 42-26

Stony Brook Takes Season Opener from Colgate, 42-26
Seawolves Have Two Backs Go Over 100 Yards Rushing

Stony Brook, N.Y. - Stony Brook University's football team started the 2008 season on a high note, scoring 28 unanswered first half points as it took a 42-26 win over Colgate in the first ever meeting between the two teams. The Seawolves running game ground out 270 yards, with junior Conte Cuttino (Uniondale, N.Y.) gaining 104 and freshman Edwin Gowins (Bellport, N.Y.) going for 147 yards and a pair of scores in his impressive debut in a Stony Brook uniform.
I am excited about our win," said Stony Brook head coach Chuck Priore. "We performed very well on both sides of the ball in the first half. We might have scored a little too quickly in the second half and lost our concentration a bit, we are a better football team than we played at times in the second half. But we came back and made crucial stops and controlled the ball in the fourth quarter."
Both teams had shaky starts, with Colgate and Stony Brook throwing interceptions on their opening possessions. Junior Chris Richards (Quartz Hills, Calif.) made the first of his two interceptions of the night for Stony Brook, but the Seawolves gave it right back on their first possession when Wayne Moten picked off freshman Dayne Hoffman's (Ada, Mich.) first career attempt. Gaining possession on the Stony Brook 24, Colgate turned the interception into points when it got a 21-yard field goal from Jacob Stein to go up 3-0.
Colgate's lead was short lived, however, as Stony Brook erupted for 28 straight points. After the Colgate field goal Stony Brook drove 65 yards in six plays, getting key completions from Hoffman to sophomore Donald Porter (Charles Town, W.Va.) for 26 yards and to Cuttino for 13 yards. Cuttino finished that off with a one-yard plunge and the Seawolves had a lead that it would not give up the rest of the night.

Junior Cory Giddings set up the next score for SBU, picking off a pass that put the Seawolves on the Colgate 34. On the second play of the drive Gowins took his first collegiate handoff and took it 22 yards to the end zone to put Stony Brook up 14-3.
Stony Brook scored again on its first two possessions of the second quarter. Cuttino's 25-yard run set up Hoffman's one-yard score at the 9:01 mark that made it 21-3. On the next possession it was Gowins who had the big play, bursting through the Raiders defense for 57 yards to set up a one-yard run by senior Brandon Mason (Phillipsburg, Pa.) that made it 28-3 with 5:56 left in the half. Colgate put together a 10-play drive on its next possession, but the Seawolves defense stiffened and held the Raiders to another Stein field goal that made it 28-6.
Just a minute into the second half Hoffman hooked up with senior Lynell Suggs (Bronx, N.Y.) on his first career TD pass, a play that covered 49 yards and put the Seawolves up by 29 points. Colgate's offense then started to show some spark and the Raiders scored touchdowns on their next three possessions. Jordan McCord capped off the Raiders longest drive of the night, a 10-play, 72-yard effort, with a six-yard run that made it 35-12 after the extra-point was missed.
Stony Brook answered that one quickly, getting a 49-yard completion from Hoffman to junior Donald Lee (Clifton, N.J.) and a 20-yard scoring run from Gowins, a drive that took just 41 seconds. Colgate answered just as quickly when Sam Breslin took a pitch on an end-around and then threw a 67-yard scoring strike to Pat Simonds. On the second play of the fourth quarter McCord found the end zone for the second time in the contest, scoring on a 13-yard scamper that made it 42-26.
Neither team would score after that. Stony Brook's defense forced a three and out on the next Colgate possession and then got a sack from freshman Ryan Haber (Lafayette Hill, Pa.) and Richard's second interception of the night to halt another Raider drive. With 6:47 left in the game Stony Brook's offense then ran all but eight seconds of that off the clock as the Seawolves claimed their sixth consecutive win at LaValle Stadium.
Hoffman finished his first outing at quarterback by completing eight of 16 attempts for 174 yards and one score, throwing the one interception. Suggs caught three of the balls for 70 yards and one score. McCord led Colgate in rushing with 90 yards while quarterback Greg Sullivan threw for 105 yards and rushed for 66 more. Simonds led all receivers with 134 yards on six catches.
Junior Tyler Santucci (New Kensington, Pa.) led the Stony Brook defense with nine tackles while Richards set a LaValle Stadium record with his two interceptions

STONY BROOK OPENS 2008 FOOTBALL TONIGHT VS. COLGATE !

Seawolves and Raiders Will Meet for the First Time

Stony Brook, N.Y. - Stony Brook kicks off its 10th season of Division I football and 25th overall with a contest against Colgate of the Patriot League. It will be the third time over the last four years that Stony Brook has opened with a Patriot League foe after facing Georgetown last season and Bucknell in 2005. Stony Brook won both of those previous games in close contests, by three over the Bison and seven over the Hoyas. The Seawolves are coming off a 6-5 campaign in 2007 that saw them play as an independent during the transition from the Northeast Conference to the Big South Conference. This season will mark Stony Brook's first as a member of the Big South and the Seawolves will face a full conference schedule later in the season.
The OpponentColgate is coming off a successful 2007 campaign that saw the Raiders finish with a 7-4 overall record and a 4-2 mark in the Patriot League, good for a tie for second in the league standings. Colgate returns 16 starters and 43 letterwinners from the 2007 team, including running back Jordan Scott who led the nation with an average of 170.5 yards per game, totaling 1,875 yards and scoring 20 touchdowns. The Raiders also return starting quarterback Alex Relph who threw for 2,138 yards and 12 scores. He lost his top receiver from a year ago, but returns all but two that caught balls in 2007. On defense Colgate will have to replace four of its top six tacklers from 2007. The Raiders, which held opponents to just eight rushing touchdowns last season, do return three of four in the defensive backfield, including Wayne Moten who led the team with four interceptions and eight passes broken up.
The SeriesDespite both schools being located in New York, this will be the first-ever meeting between Stony Brook and Colgate in football. The game does mark the sixth straight season that Stony Brook has played a member of the Patriot League, however, with the Seawolves playing Georgetown, Lehigh and Bucknell over that time frame. Overall Stony Brook is 3-4 against the Patriot League, including a pair of wins last season over Georgetown and Bucknell.

Tickets are still available for the opener of the 25th season of Stony Brook football and can be purchased either through the Stony Brook athletics website (www.goseawolves.org) or by calling the ticket office at 631-632-WOLF. There will also be a fireworks show after the game.
For those fans unable to attend the game, all of the action will be carried on WUSB (90.1 FM) with Mike Solano, Curt Hylton, Dave Vallone and Jeff Bernstein bringing listeners all the action. Fans can also watch the action through the Big South Conference Edge, which provides live video and audio streaming of the game and can be accessed through www.goseawolves.org.

BATTLE OF LONG ISLAND ENDS UP IN 2-2 TIE

Seawolves score two second-half goals

Hempstead, N.Y. - Late second-half goals from freshman Tom Butler (Birmingham, England) and sophomore Mladen Ramic (Belgrade, Serbia) helped the Stony Brook men's soccer team erase a 2-0 deficit as it went on to tie the Hofstra Pride, 2-2, in the 2008 opener for both teams.
After second-half goals from Hofstra's Demont Mitchell and Steven Ehrichs, Stony Brook answered back with one of its own in the 71st minute. After junior Diego Acero (Greenport, N.Y.) substituted in for sophomore Matt Piccoli (Selden, N.Y.), Acero's first touch was a slip pass to Butler who chipped the ball in past Hofstra keeper James Winters to cut the Hofstra lead to one.
Senior keeper Dawid Ditrich (Gdansk, Poland) would keep the Seawolves in the game with the save of the match. Following a foul in the box by Stony Brook, Richard Martinez's penalty kick was saved brilliantly by Ditrich to keep Hofstra at bay and give Stony Brook a little momentum.
The Seawolves carried the momentum and tied the game in the 88th minute. Following a foul on the Pride, junior Petar Rakovic (Kragujevac, Serbia) sent a ball into the box that Ramic headed home to tie the score at 2.
Hofstra would nearly win the game as Mitchell's shot went just wide as time expired.
In the first overtime, Butler almost gave the Seawolves the win but his shot was saved by Winters. A minute later, Ramic also had another chance but his chip sailed high.
Hofstra controlled the pace in the first 30 minutes of the game. In the 12th minute, Pride forward John Alberda crossed a ball into the box from the left side that went unchallenged. Three minutes later and after a handball, Hofstra had a second scoring opportunity that went over the head of Ditrich.

Stony Brook got its first scoring opportunity of the match when senior Martin Lynch (Oceanside, N.Y.) chipped a ball that Winters had to jump and make a save on. Three minutes later, the Seawolves had the best scoring chance of the first half for either team. After a turnover, sophomore Greg Tinari (Holbrook, N.Y.) dribbled the ball forward, faked a shot with the right foot and shot a ball just over the crossbar with the left foot.
Play remained even as both teams had chances late in the first half but were unable to convert

SBU VOLLEYBALL LOSSES SEASON-OPENER TO IONA 3-0

Seawolves play two matches tomorrow starting at 2:30 p.m.

New Britain, Conn. - Stony Brook University's volleyball team dropped three close sets as it lost its season opener to Iona College at the CCSU Blue Devil Invitational in New Britain, Conn. on Friday. The Seawolves were led by senior Gulce Nazli Dikecligil (Istanbul, Turkey), who recorded a double-double with 13 kills and 13 digs. Stony Brook is 0-1 on the season while Iona moves to 1-0.

The Seawolves had a strong start to the season, scoring the first two points of set one with kills by senior Jessica Graham (Eastport, N.Y.) and sophomore Alicia Nelson (Apple Valley, Minn.). After tying the set at three, Iona went on a seven-to-one run to grab a 10-4 lead.

Down 15-10 later in set one, the Seawolves rallied back to tie it at 15 behind kills from Dikecligil, Graham and junior Lisa Doremus (Glendale, Ariz.). However, Iona's attack combo of Kendall Paulus and Sarah Wiener proved to be too much as the Gaels pulled away, finishing the first set on a 10-4 run.

Stony Brook fell behind early in set two and despite 12 assists from freshman setter Kelsey Sullivan (Hamilton, Va.), never managed to grab the lead, dropping the set 25-22.

Set three was a back-and-forth battle as the score was tied nine different times, including at 23-23. The Seawolves grabbed a 24-23 lead on a kill by sophomore Jeanette Gibbs (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y.), but following a Gaels timeout, Iona scored three straight points to win the set and the match.

Sullivan finished the game with 33 assists while Doremus had a team-high attack percentage of .438 (8k, 1e, 16ta). 

The Seawolves have two matches on Saturday, starting at 2:30 pm against Bucknell and then at 4:30 pm against Central Connecticut State University.

2008 STONY BROOK FOOTBALL PREVIEW (NEWSDAY)

Seawolves excited about upcoming season
BY STEVEN MARCUS

Stony Brook continues to ratchet up football with no ceiling in sight. Scholarships are on the rise, the team is in a new, more competitive conference and, most importantly, the 2008 Seawolves may be the most talented in program history.Now all of that just needs to translate into a winning season.Coach Chuck Priore is working with 55 full scholarships, has brought in transfers to mesh with what he calls his "homegrown" players and, with 20 seniors, is prepared to go bold off last season's 6-5 record. "If our impact players play the way they should, then we've got a chance to win more games than we lose against twice the schedule we played last year," he said. "We have a chance against the teams we all say should be better than us. Now we have added depth and the excuses are less."Those impact players are all over the field. On offense, there are threats in the backfield with Conte Cuttino, Brandon Mason and former Bellport star Eddie Gowins, who spent last year prepping at Bridgton Academy, where he rushed for 1,100 yards and 11 touchdowns. Stony Brook has a new quarterback in redshirt freshman Dwayne Hoffman, who will be helped by veteran receivers Lynell Suggs and Dwayne Eley. The offensive line will be anchored by Lawrence Lovell.
"Coach does a great job on us from the shoulders up," Lovell said. "Being in a conference now gives us a new set of goals."Stony Brook has almost entirely moved away from its non-scholarship schedule and will compete in the Big South against Liberty, Coastal Carolina, Charleston Southern, Gardner Webb and VMI. The Big South is increasing its profile with games this fall against Miami, Penn State and Ohio. Despite the travel involved, Priore said the Big South is a good fit for Stony Brook, especially in qualifying for postseason play. "It is never going to be a conference that has 10 teams," he said. "If I was in the CAA, I'd be dealing with a loaded gun" in trying to make the playoffs.The Big South, which will have an automatic bid to the NCAA playoffs in two years, is a conference known for its running game, and Priore thinks defense will be Stony Brook's strong suit.Defensive lineman Adam Soivilien and most of his teammates spent their summer in the weight room and Soivilien, the captain, is up to 290 pounds. James Harris and William Martinez, who is listed at 315 pounds, have Priore excited. "When you talk about being deep at positions, you look at our defense," he said. "Championships have always been built with your ability to play great defense."The defense will be bolstered by linebackers Tyler Santucci and Andre Jean-Pierre. Cornerback Chris Richards, a transfer from Michigan whom Priore believes will be a an NFL pick after next season, and safety Chris Brevi, an Iowa transfer in his second season at Stony Brook, make it a formidable group.After playing 12 games for Iowa in 2004, Brevi was sidelined for two seasons with a stress fracture in his left foot. He spent 34 weeks on crutches and was told he would never play again. But he started all 11 games last season and is ready for a big senior year. "We want to be champions of our conference, get to the playoffs," he said. "We're excited about it."

2008 SBU MEN'S SOCCER PREVIEW

Stony Brook opens the 2008 season at Hofstra on Friday night

Stony Brook, N.Y. - The Stony Brook University men's soccer team begins its 46th season of competition when it faces Long Island rival Hofstra University on Friday night at Hofstra Soccer Stadium.
With the 2008 season marking the team's 10th in Division I, head coach Cesar Markovic, once again, has put together a challenging schedule including two teams in the NSCAA/adidas® top-25. After the Seawolves won just three road games in 2007, the 2008 season opens with three straight road games and four away from LaValle Stadium in late September.
The 2008 Seawolves have just three seniors and only two who have seen significant minutes. Dawid Ditrich (Gdansk, Poland) started 16 games in net while recording a 0.91 goals against and Martin Lynch (Oceanside, N.Y.), who along with senior Dan Zori (Levittown, N.Y.) make up the final players remaining from the 2005 Championship team, has played in 54 career games, making 45 starts.
Joining Ditrich and Lynch in the back will be juniors Collin Geoghegan (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) and Petar Rakovic (Kragujevac, Serbia). Geoghegan made 16 starts last season and scored his first two collegiate goals against Hofstra. Rakovic, who started all 18 games he played in, was a steadying presence for the Seawolves. Rakovic tallied two goals and two assists in his first season at Stony Brook. Fellow Serbian Mladen Ramic (Belgrade, Serbia) also saw significant minutes for Stony Brook on defense.

With the graduation of Matt Avellino and Michael Palacio, Stony Brook will look to sophomore Mark Secko (Shoreham, N.Y) in the midfield. Secko, an all-rookie selection in 2007, had a goal and an assist while playing in all 19 games last season. Sophomores Matt Piccoli (Selden, N.Y.), a transfer from Florida Gulf Coast University, and Greg Tinari (Holbrook, N.Y.), a transfer from St. John's University, join Secko to make a young but talented middle of the field.
Up front, junior Oscar Leis (Ozone Park, N.Y.) returns as the only forward with experience. Leis, an all-rookie selection in 2006, has four career goals and an assist. Freshmen Tom Butler (Birmingham, England), Vuk Grbovic (Belgrade, Serbia) and Jherrett Maroney (Cincinnatus, N.Y.) could all see time at striker.
Friday night's game against the Pride is the fourth time the two schools have met to open the season. Stony Brook is 8-13-3 all-time against Hofstra, but is 3-3 as a member of Division I. The series between Stony Brook and Hofstra dates back to 1965.

STONY BROOK PICKED 96TH BY U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORT

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Four America East institutions are ranked among the top 100 national universities in America according to the annual U.S. News & World Report survey released Thursday, August 21. Of the nation’s Division I and Football Championship Subdivisions, only the Ivy League had more institutions in the top 100. Boston University, ranked 60 under Best National Universities, was the highest-ranked institution among America East schools. Binghamton University (ranked 77, tie), University of Vermont (89, tie) and Stony Brook University (96, tie) were also among the top-100-scored institutions.University of New Hampshire also finished in the top tier of schools, which includes 130 universities, ranking in a tie for 113.UMBC was tabbed fifth in the publication’s first-ever “schools to watch” ranking. This category represents a selection of 70 colleges and universities identified by top college officials in spring 2008 as schools that have recently made the most promising and innovative changes in academics, faculty, students, campus, or facilities.To rank colleges and universities, U.S. News first assigns schools to a group of their peers, based on the basic categories developed by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching in 2006. Those in the National Universities group are the 262 American universities (164 public and 98 private) that offer a wide range of undergraduate majors as well as master’s and doctoral degrees; many strongly emphasize research.In each category, data on up to 15 indicators of academic quality are gathered from each school and tabulated. Schools are ranked within categories by their total weighted score.In addition, Binghamton (34, tie), Vermont (40, tie), and Stony Brook (45, tie) ranked among the top 50 public national universities in the country. Both Binghamton and Vermont improved upon last year’s rank, while Stony Brook held steady in the same spot as it stood last year.A breakdown of the top 100 by conference: ACC - 11, Big 10 - 11, Big 12 - 8, Ivy League - 8, Big East - 7, PAC 10 - 6, SEC - 5, America East - 4, Big West - 4, Colonial - 4, C-USA - 4, Atlantic 10 - 3, Patriot League - 2, West Coast - 1, Mid-American - 1, Sun Belt - 1.

SBU CHOSEN TO REPEAT IN WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY

Stony Brook Chosen to Repeat

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.- Stony Brook University--which managed to dethrone Boston University after the Terriers won the last three consecutive league championships--sits comfortably in first place in the 2008 America East women’s preseason coaches’ polls after receiving seven first-place votes and 63 total points. As a result of last year’s feat, the squad became the first female team in Stony Brook history to win an America East championship and is looking to take another.
Boston University and the University of New Hampshire tied for second in the polls with 52 points, ahead of Binghamton University (40), University of Maine (39), University at Albany (25), UMBC (24 points), Vermont University (20 points) and University of Hartford (nine points).
The Seawolves had five top-ten finishers at the 2007 America East Championship and are returning all but one of their all-conference performers. Junior Jessica Hampson, sophomore Holly Van Dalen, junior Laura Huet, and sophomore Lucy Van Dalen--who scored fourth, seventh, ninth, and tenth, respectively--are a young group expected to carry the team to a repeat performance.
Boston University, which sits in second tied with UNH in the polls, had two Top 10 finishers grabbing first and fifth, but lost both to graduation.
Similarly, New Hampshire, which has not won a championship since 2003, held the second overall spot last year but will need underclassmen to fill the spot of All-American Cathy Parker. The top three winners in the 2007 competition were all held by seniors, leaving an opportunity for the young legs of the conference to make an impact.
Young talent bodes well for fourth-place Binghamton, which is returning sophomore Ashley Horton, who placed 16 in last year’s competition leading the Bearcats.
Maine is returning its strong fifth place finisher junior Jessica Belliveau and only lost two seniors to graduation.
Trailing the Black Bears in sixth is Albany, which is up a spot from their seventh place finish in last year’s championship.
Seventh-place UMBC, which will be hosting this year’s championship on November 1, recently hired new head coach Matt Gittermann and hopes he brings a new spark to the program.
Vermont, only four points behind UMBC, will head down to Maryland September 3 to kick off its season with a young squad that will carry just two upperclassmen in 2008.
Hartford’s junior Stefanie Lombardi led the Hawks in every race while qualifying for NCAA Regionals and will look to continue her streak this season.
For more information on America East women’s cross country, including complete 2007 championship results, log on to www.americaeast.com.

LARSEN PROMOTED TO SENIOR ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS

Larsen Has Been With Stony Brook Athletics Since 1998

Stony Brook, N.Y. - Stony Brook University's Director of Athletics, Jim Fiore, has announced that Matt Larsen has been promoted to Senior Associate Director of Athletics. "I'm thrilled to recognize Matt with this promotion as he has contributed to our department in ways that have allowed it to grow, prosper and excel so quickly these past five years," Fiore said. "He is a passionate and determined leader; someone I and our entire University community holds in very high regard. Matt embodies all the core values we believe in as a member of the Department of Athletics at Stony Brook and is a role model for all Stony Brook student-athletes and staff."
As a member of the senior management team, Larsen will actively participate in the development and implementation of department philosophy, policies and procedures and will have daily oversight of the baseball, women's soccer and men's and women's cross country/track and field programs. Additionally, with this promotion, Larsen will serve as the primary financial officer for Stony Brook University Athletics and will have direct oversight of the Equipment Room, Business Operations, Summer Camps and Athletic Human Resources. He will also engage in various strategic planning initiatives for all aspects of the department including management of the department's operating budget.
A long-time member of the department, Larsen has been the Associate Director of Athletics for Business Operations and Administration since January 2007. Previous to that, he served as the department's Assistant Business Manager beginning in 1998. In December of 1999, Larsen helped create the Summer Camp at Stony Brook, a day camp that has seen its enrollment grow to nearly 2,500 since it's inception in 2000. Larsen also spent five years as the Athletic Ticket Manager, where he was responsible for creating the ticketing program, while overseeing the day-to-day running of the ticket program for football, men's and women's basketball and men's lacrosse.
Larsen is a 1996 graduate of Stony Brook, earning a B.S. in biology. After graduation, he continued his education at Stony Brook, earning his master's in liberal studies in 1998 while serving as a graduate assistant for both football and athletic facilities.
As an undergraduate at Stony Brook, Larsen was a stand out student-athlete as a three-year starter at wide receiver for the football team, earning GTE/CoSIDA Academic All-District honors as a senior in 1995.

SBU WOMEN'S SOCCER LOSSES TO LIU, 1-0 IN 2008 SEASON OPENER

Junior goalkeeper Marisa Viola makes seven saves.

Stony Brook, N.Y. - Caitlin Meadows' goal in the ninth minute proved to be the difference as the Long Island University Blackbirds defeated the Stony Brook women's soccer team, 1-0, in the 2008 season opener for both teams on Friday afternoon at LaValle Stadium. Stony Brook falls to 0-1-0 with the loss while LIU improves to 1-0-0.
Meadows took a pass from Kayleigh Morgan at the top of the 18-yard box and then struck the ball into the lower right corner to give LIU the lead just 8:24 into the game. The teams played evenly the rest of the half and LIU went into the break still leading 1-0.
The Blackbirds nearly scored again in the opening minutes of the second half as Meadows launched a shot from 20 yards out that Viola just tipped over the crossbar. Meadows then corralled the ball in the penalty area on the ensuing corner kick but her shot struck the right post.
Stony Brook's best scoring chance came in the 69th minute as senior Brooke Barbuto (Syracuse, N.Y.) dribbled down the left sideline and then sidestepped Long Island keeper Amy Johnson at the corner of the 18-yard box but Johnson was able to recover and deflect Barbuto's shot attempt. The ball deflected back to Barbuto who then struck the ball just wide of the net.
SBU outshot LIU 16-14 for the game including 13-7 in the second half. Junior goalkeeper Marisa Viola (Cutchogue, N.Y.) made seven saves for the Seawolves while Johnson, who entered the game to start the second half, made six stops for LIU. Christine DeLashmutt faced three Stony Brook shots in the first half but did not have to make a save.

Stony Brook returns to action on Thursday, Aug. 28, traveling to take on Iona. Game time is set for 3 p.m.

ALL STONY BROOK FOOTBALL GAMES TO BE AIRED LIVE ON WUSB

Stony Brook, N.Y. - All 11 games of the 2008 Stony Brook University football schedule will be carried live on Stony Brook University's campus station WUSB 90.1 FM on the radio dial. Mike Solano, Curt Hylton and Jeff Bernstein, plus various WUSB sports staff will bring all the action of Seawolves football to listeners beginning 15 minutes before the scheduled kick-off of each game. Air time for Stony Brook's season opener against Colgate on August 30th will be 5:45 p.m.

Stony Brook football will also have four of its games televised during the 2008 season. The first will be Stony Brook's visit to Maine on September 13th will be carried locally in Maine on both WABI-TV5 in Bangor and CW/My TV in Portland. The annual clash with Hofstra will be aired on the MSG network on Friday, September 26 th at 7 p.m. Two games will be carried on the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN); Stony Brook's first-ever Big South game at Liberty on October 11 th and the regular season finale against VMI on November 15 th.
Live audio and video streaming for all 11 of Stony Brook's games in 2008 will be available through the official Stony Brook Athletics website at www.goseawolves.org.

2008 SBU WOMEN'S SOCCER PREVIEW

Seawolves host Long Island to open 2008 season on Friday. Game time is set for 1 p.m.

Stony Brook, N.Y. - 2007 was a record-breaking season for head coach Sue Ryan and the Stony Brook University women's soccer team. The Seawolves won eight games for a second consecutive season, recorded a school-record five conference victories, posted the seventh longest shutout streak in NCAA Division I women's soccer history and hosted its first ever America East Tournament game, a 2-1 victory over Maine. SBU was also ranked eighth and 10th in the Northeast Region by Soccer Buzz magazine and the NSCAA, respectively, its first ever regional rankings. This year they will look to build on that and move towards their ultimate goal: an America East Championship and the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament that goes with it. The Seawolves will open the 2008 season on Friday, August 22, hosting Long Island at Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium. Game time is set for 1 p.m.
2008 Women's Soccer Preview
SeniorsStony Brook will be led by its two senior captains, Brooke Barbuto (Syracuse, N.Y./Corcoran) and Trine Allenberg (Roberts, Wisc./Woodbury) who will be counted on to pace a team with 17 underclassmen. An All-America East first team performer last season as well as a NSCAA and Soccer Buzz Magzine All-Northeast Region selection, Barbuto tied for a team-high with three goals last season as she anchored the SBU midfield. A versatile player who loves to attack the goal, Barbuto will once again be counted on to take charge in the midfield as well as lead the Stony Brook offensive attack. By her side will be Allenberg who totaled a team-best 10 points a season ago, tallying three goals and four assists. The forward started all of the Seawolves 18 games up front last year and Ryan will once again look to her for scoring punch.

JuniorsHeading the junior class is goalkeeper Marisa Viola (Cutchogue, N.Y./Mattituck) who will be looking to follow up on a record-breaking sophomore campaign. The NSCAA Northeast Region second team selection started every game in net for the Seawolves and set a school record with 10 shutouts which included a scoreless streak of 863:33, the seventh longest streak in NCAA Women's Division I history. Viola also ended the season with a save percentage of .878, ninth best in the nation and was selected to the America East All-Championship team.
Amanda Hemme (East Norwich, N.Y./Oyster Bay) will compete for time in net after a terrific offseason while Alex Teti (Dowington, Pa./Dowington), the Seawolves 2007 Most Improved Player, will help anchor the defense after starting 13 of the 17 games she appeared in last season.
Kelly Grant (Fairfax, Va./Paul IV Catholic) will once again factor in at the outside back position after making four starts last season. Michelle Striefsky (Lansdale, Pa./North Penn) will also compete for playing time in the Seawolves backfield.
The Seawolves will look for continued offensive production from Kate Collins (N. Caldwell, N.J/West Essex) at the forward position after she tallied a goal and an assist in 10 starts last season. Ryan will look to Cait Frank (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Arlington Senior) as a defensive presence in the midfield after she made 16 appearences in a reserve role a year ago.
SophomoresArriving as one of the Seawolves largest recruiting classes ever, last years freshman class lived up to its advanced billing. With a season of experience under their belt, the sophomore class will be looked to for even greater contributions this season.
Leading the way is Sarah Dwyer (Laurel, Md./Reservoir), who started all 18 games last season in the Seawolves backfield. The America East All-Rookie selection will be expected to bring stability to a fairly inexperienced Seawolves backline.
Also looking to build on a stellar freshman season is forward Danielle Tenaglia (North Reading, Mass./North Reading). In her first year with the Seawolves, Tenaglia tied for a team-high in goals (three) and was second in points (seven) as she appeared in all 18 SBU games, making 13 starts. The coaching staff feels confident that Tenaglia will continue to excel up front this season.
Both Jen Egan (Essex Fells, N.J./West Essex) and Morgan Sims (Ambler, Pa./Upper Dublin) will be trying to secure starting roles for Stony Brook this season after playing important minutes as reserves last year. Egan started seven of the 15 games she played in and scored the game-winnning goal in the Seawolves 2-1 America East quarterfinal win over Maine. Sims appeared in 17 games a year ago, scoring the game-winning goal against Fordham, and Ryan expects her to compete for major minutes this season.
After seeing limited playing time last year, Debbie Aller (Stony Brook, N.Y./Ward Melville) will compete for increased minutes this season. Elizabeth Valencia (Huntington Station, N.Y./Saint Anthony's) will attempt to come back this season after tearing her ACL.
Dana Adamkiewicz (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y./Comsewogue), Morgan Johanson (Pittsford, N.Y./Sutherland), Gabriella Petralia (West Hempstead, N.Y./West Hempstead) and Holly Razzaghi (Bloomsburg, Pa./Central Columbia) are all poised to make major contributions this year after redshirting last season.
FreshmenEntering as one the most highly touted recruiting classes in program history, Ryan and her coaching staff expect immediate contributions from this years group of freshmen.The highly-rated class was ranked as the second best in the America East by Soccer Buzz magazine. The publication also rated the group as the 13th best out of 42 teams in the Northeast Region.
Dominique Adamo joins the Seawolves from Ramsey, N.J., where she was a two-time all-state selection and four-time all-league selection in four seasons at Ramsey High.
Alexis Lindo is a defender who arrives at Stony Brook from York, Pa. where she was an all-state selection and County Player of the Year last season as a defender at Dallastown Area High.
Arriving at Stony Brook from Oakton, Va., Karen Strat played three years of varsity soccer at Oakton High where she was a four-time scholar athlete.
Alexa Woolley comes to SBU after earning two varsity letters as a defender at Pleasantville High in Elmsford, N.Y. where she was a two-time all-league selection.
A local product from Manorville, N.Y., Colleen McKenna played five seasons at Eastport-South Manor High, where she was an all-state selection and league player of the year as a senior.
Rachel Silverman earned five varsity letters at Blind Brook High, joining the team in eighth grade. A two-time all-league selection, Silverman also was picked for the all-section team in 2006.
Arriving from West Lafayette, Ind., Daniela Giuliani earned four varsity letters at William Henry Harrison High School. A four-time all-conference selection, Giuliani scored a school record 52 goals in her senior season.

SBU MEN'S SOCCER PICKED SEVENTH IN AE PRESEASON POLL

Seawolves open 2008 season at Hofstra on August 29 at 7:30 pm

Cambridge, Mass. - The Stony Brook men's soccer team was picked to finish seventh in the 2008 America East preseason coaches' poll, the conference announced on Wednesday. 2007 America East champion Vermont was picked to finish first with five first-place votes and 60 overall.
The Seawolves return six starters from a 9-7-3 team that just missed out on the NCAA Tournament. Stony Brook opens the 2008 season at Long Island rival Hofstra on August 29. Friday's kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 pm.

2008 Coach's Corner #1 - A Letter From The Desk Of Coach Priore

Welcome to 2008 Stony Brook Seawolves Football

Stony Brook, N.Y. - The Stony Brook University Football Coaching Staff would like to welcome you to the 2008 Stony Brook Football Family. This is the first installment of a weekly newsletter created to provide you, our supporters, with valuable insight into the Stony Brook University Football program. It is our pleasure to take this opportunity to connect you to the 2008 Seawolves team by letting you know what we are experiencing as the season progresses. We invite you to join us in our journey this season.
Preseason training camp began on August 4th and thus far, the dedication of our student-athletes is paying off. During the summer months, 60 of our student-athletes remained on campus to participate in a summer workout program and it clearly has enhanced our strength, speed and agility at every position. It is that type of dedication that provides the foundation for a winning program.
Winning football games is about being prepared. As we inch closer to the 2008 season, I feel that we are better prepared in every phase or our program to meet the challenges of the Big South Conference and the caliber of opponents on our non-conference schedule.
During the last two weeks, our team has begun to develop a "winning personality". The offensive line is a veteran group led by Captain Lawrence Lovell '09 (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Steve Council '10 (Plainfield, N.J.). Lovell and Council will lead the way for a ground attack that features a deep and talented group of running backs anchored by Conte Cuttino '10 (Uniondale, N.Y.) and Brandon Mason '09 (Phillipsburg, N.J.). On defense, we have seen great improvement in our speed and ferocity in swarming to the football. The improved physicality, led by Captain Adam Soivilien '09 (Dorchester, MA), will certainly fortify our ability to stop the run and force opposing offenses into difficult yardage situations.

The 2008 season begins on August 30 and our first opponent will be Colgate out of the Patriot League - a great opening day match-up for us. As we prepare for the rigors of the Big South conference slate, Colgate provides us with the opportunity to test ourselves against a solid, well-established football program. The key to our success will be our ability to execute our game plan by focusing on the little details to get the job done.
The team is looking forward to seeing you at our season opener on Saturday, August 30 under the lights at LaValle Stadium. We promise an exciting team to watch, a festive game atmosphere and don't forget, there will be a post-game fireworks show for all to enjoy. So, be sure to come out and join us as we kick off the 2008 Stony Brook Football season.
As always, wear red and Go Seawolves!
Chuck PrioreHead Football Coach

SBU VOLLEYBALL PICKED FIFTH IN AMERICA EAST PRESEASON POLL

Seawolves open their season August 29th

Stony Brook, N.Y. - Stony Brook University's volleyball team has been picked to finish fifth this season in the America East Volleyball preseason poll. This is familiar territory for the Seawolves, who were picked fifth last season before finishing the conference schedule with an 11-1 record and the regular season title.
While the Seawolves did graduate four starters from last year's team, they have strong senior leadership with Gulce Nazli Dikecligil (Istanbul, Turkey) and Jessica Graham (Eastport, N.Y.) and a talented returning group of juniors and sophomores. Head coach Deborah Matejka-DesLauriers filled out this year's roster with two junior college transfers from Phoenix and two freshmen.
Reigning America East Champion, Albany, claimed first place in the poll, followed closely by New Hampshire and UMBC. Binghamton took fourth, while Hartford and Maine finished sixth and seventh respectively.
Stony Brook opens the 2008 season August 29th at the Central Connecticut State University Blue Devil Invitational in New Britain, Connecticut against Iona at 4:00 p.m.
2008 America East Volleyball Preseason Poll Albany (4) 33 New Hampshire (2) 31 UMBC (1) 29 Binghamton 21 Stony Brook 16 Hartford 9 Maine 8

DAYNE HOFFMAN NAMED STARTING QB AT SBU

During the "Chuck Priore Report" (WUSB) last Sunday night August 17th, Head Football Coach, Chuck Priore announced that redshirt-freshman Dayne Hoffman (Ada, Michigan) will start as quarterback in the 2008 season-opener against Colgate on August 30th at LaValle Stadium. Hoffman takes over the throwing duties from graduating senior Josh Dudash...

Hoffman Bio:

2007: Redshirted.

Prior to Stony Brook: Prepped for a year at Bridgton Academy in Maine ... named an athlete of the month in the fall of 2006 ... football coaches award.

High School: A 2006 graduate of Forrest Hills Central High School in Grand Rapids, Michigan ... won four football letters as a quarterback and linebacker for the Rangers ... selected as the Burger King Athlete of the Week as a senior ... named most athletic in his class ... also lettered in hockey and baseball.

Personal: Born Dayne Steven Hoffman on September 23, 1987 in Kalamazoo, Michigan ... son of Steven and Denise Hoffman ... one brother ... father played quarterback at Western Michigan ... majoring in health science.

America East, Geico Agree to Corporate Partnership

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- The America East Conference proudly announced today that it has agreed to a corporate partnership with Geico, the United States' third largest private auto insurer. Geico will be designated as the "Official Car Insurance Company of the America East Conference" and will also serve as a presenting sponsor of all televised basketball games produced by the conference. The company will also have a presence at the 2009 America East Men's Basketball championship game, which will take place on Saturday, March 14 on ESPN2.“GEICO is thrilled to be partnering with America East,” said Troy Miller, President of Division ONE Sports, the agency that represents the auto insurance giant. “America East and its member institutions are exactly the type of partners we prefer to work with and we could not be happier about this agreement.”America East Television will produce approximately 20 games during the 2008-09 season, which will air throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions on several networks, including Comcast Sports Net, MASN, MSG and NESN. “America East is proud to announce that it's adding GEICO to its growing list of corporate partners,” said Eric Reddy, Director of Sales for the Conference. “GEICO has continuously showed its support of college athletics in the past and we are excited to be working with them.”Geico, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Group, is the fastest-growing major auto insurer in the U.S., with policies-in-force growth of 8.8 percent in 2007. The company insures more than 14.4 million vehicles nationwide.Over the past 20 years, America East has evolved into one of the most comprehensive NCAA Division I conferences with a commitment to broad-based, competitive athletics programs, complementing the academic integrity and missions of the member institutions. Each of the nine institutions offer a unique blend of academic and athletic tradition. Progressive in its approach to its more than 3,500 student athletes, America East recognizes champions in each of its 21 sports

SBU WOMEN'S SOCCER PICKED THIRD IN AMERICA EAST PRESEASON POLL

Seawolves host Long Island to open up 2008 season on Friday, Aug. 22. Game time is set for 1 p.m.

Cambridge, Mass. - The Stony Brook University women's soccer team was picked to finish third in the America East conference on Monday, in a preseason vote of the leagues coaches. The Seawolves open up the 2008 regular season against Long Island on Friday, Aug. 22 at Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium. Game time is set for 1 p.m.
The Seawolves received 46 points, just behind 2007 co-regular season champion New Hampshire (52 points) and defending tournament champion Boston University (63), who was a unanimous pick by the coaches to win the 2008 America East crown.
SBU returns seven starters from last season including senior midfielder Brooke Barbuto (Syracuse, N.Y.), a 2007 first team All-America East selection and junior goalkeeper Marisa Viola (Cutchogue, N.Y) who recorded a school record 10 shutouts last year. The Seawolves also welcome a recruiting class that was ranked second in the America East by Soccer Buzz magazine.
Stony Brook won eight games for a second consecutive year in 2007 and recorded a school-record five conference victories while hosting its first ever America East Tournament game, a 2-1 victory over Maine. SBU was also ranked eighth and 10th in the Northeast Region by Soccer Buzz magazine and the NSCAA, respectively, its first ever regional rankings.
2008 America East Women's Soccer Preseason Poll 1. Boston University (8)* 632. New Hampshire (1) 523. Stony Brook 464. Maine 455. Hartford 406. Binghamton 267. Albany 238. Vermont 199. UMBC 9

DAILY NEWS - DUDE OF THE WEEK: JOE NATHAN

BOB RAISSMAN - Dude of the Week: Joe Nathan

For donating $500,000 to Stony Brook, his alma mater. The money will be used to finance the construction of a new baseball field, which will be named after the Twins' closer. Nathan has come a long way since graduating in 1997 - and we're not talking about his growing bank account. In college, Nathan was an infielder who pitched less than two innings at Stony Brook, where he became the first former player to have his number retired by the school. Obviously his college days made an impact. So much so he wanted to give something back. Very nice.

ISLANDERS HIRE SCOTT GORDON AS HEAD COACH

New York, NY (WFAN) -- It was February of 1996, and Scott Gordon and I were sitting having dinner at Jocks and Jills, a sports style restaurant at the CNN Center in Atlanta.Known to his friends as "Flash", we were talking about his first month on the job as head coach of the Atlanta Knights, then Tampa Bay's farm team in the International Hockey League. His collection of disgruntled NHL castoffs and promising prospects were muddling through but unbeknownst to us were about to rip off a wild win streak to cement a playoff spot on a West Coast road trip. Back then I was still an Islanders fan. While Al Arbour had packed his bags and shuffled off to a well deserved retirement, the Isles were still a competitive and fairly well run team. Armegeddon hadn't arrived yet in the form of Mike Milbury, effectively ending any affection I ever had for the franchise, until now. But I digress.Over what still has to be the best Corn Chowder soup in the world, I said to Flash, "Hey, maybe one day we'll both still be coaching and we'll take over the Islanders. That would be pretty cool." I'm thrilled today to see that one of us lived up to his end of the bargain.This could turn out to be a good hire much like the Florida Panthers hiring of Roger Neilson was a good one for their expansion year. The Islanders have seemed to have an expansion mindset recently and if that's the case, go with a young guy who is known for having his ducks in a row. Flash isn't flashy, but he's smart, organized, and will keep this ship running smoothly. Neilson got the Panthers up and running under former Isles dynasty architect Bill Torrey, and when he left the Panthers they were in great shape and wound up in the Stanley Cup Finals under his replacement Doug MacLean.Gordon wil keep Rick DiPietro happy but will also keep him in his place. He won't annoy the few veterans the Isles have because he has no ego nor can he say "when I won coach of the year in the NHL" or "you know, this is how we did it when we won the Stanley Cup." In many ways the entire dressing room is on even footing and they are all on a tryout to stay there when/if the Isles ever decide to break ground on the new building (which we reported has been approved by the Nassau county). The game plan is get some vets and a ton of kids, sell off the vets to get better kids from contending teams at the trade deadline and have a great corps of young talent if/when the new building arrives. It is a great plan. If anyone thinks Mike Sillinger, Bill Guerin, and Mike Comrie are part of the long term plan you are deluding yourself. If Doug Weight is still here in late March it's because a contending Stanley Cup team didn't have the right deal on the table to get him.This adds some level of accountability to the coach and the kids that you'd better do what's needed to rebuild the franchise or you won't be here long. To me, this is also a huge step for Garth Snow and it is nice to finally say (after two years) that he made the right decision. Bob Hartley and/or Paul Maurice would have stagnated the franchise. I still liked Joel Quennville as my top choice, but I think he realized what was in place here and at this point in his distinguished career knew he didn't need this particular gig.So now what?First things first. Let him hire his own staff and don't force him to inherit one. That never works. When Flash got the Atlanta head coaching job in mid season he immediately decided he needed an assistant and bypassed yours truly and hired former Knight (and Bruin and North Star) Al Pederson as his assistant. Their chemistry was great, and the team improved. Despite being swept in the opening round of the playoff that year to a veteran loaded Cincinatti Cyclones team (coached by former Rangers' coach Ron Smith) they took one game to 2OT and lost the other two by one goal. A couple of years later I was en route from Macon (Georgia) to New York after my second season as the Associate Head Coach of the Macon Whoopee (Central Hockey League) and knew that Flash's team, the ECHL's Roanoke Express was playing Richmond in the playoffs. (The assistant on that team was Long Island native Perry Florio). I had to drive through Richmond so I called Flash to tell him I was coming through.He invited me to stay in town with the team for the games and left me the key to his hotel room. I met him at the game and watched his outmanned team go toe to toe with a better Richmond squad. After the game back at the hotel, I commented that the team looked very organized and that it believed in what it was doing and played with great intensity.Flash responded that the level of accountability was very high and, because of that, his team played above its head on most nights. That sums up Flash, who is the same way. He's accountable and intense. That is the same type of mentality that his new team will need because through four lines and three defense pairs, they don't match up well with the top half of the conference. Getting the vets to buy in shouldn't be that hard because in reality those vets are playing for jobs on contenders later in the season. Getting the kids to buy in should be easy because they have to buy in or they'll be in Bridgeport making 65K. Seems this is a good first step. It is certainly worth watching, and when was the last time you said that about the Islanders since the spring of 1993?

THE END OF AN ERA "MIKE AND THE MADDOG" SHOW IS NO MORE, CHRIS RUSSO LEAVES WFAN FOR SIRIUS.

Chris 'Mad Dog' Russo, who for so long was one half of a successful sports talk duo with Mike Francesa.

With a large photo of Chris "Mad Dog" Russo behind him, Mike Francesa opened his show Friday with a tape of Dog's signature "Good morning, everybody!"Francesa then spent the first segment of the show paying tribute to Russo and their 19 years together. Francesa called it a "very sad occasion."After the first commercial, Russo joined in by phone, getting emotional when talking about the end of the show and insisting he's leaving because he needs "a little challenge in my life," and not because he and Francesa couldn't get along.Russo continued, saying leaving WFAN "wasn't an easy call," and adding he'll announce soon where he'll end up, presumably on satellite radio.

STONY BROOK UNIVERSITY ANNOUNCES LEAD GIFT FROM THREE-TIME MLB ALL-STAR (MINNESOTA TWINS) AND SBU ALUMNUS, JOE NATHAN '97

New Baseball Field to be Named

Stony Brook, N.Y. - All-Star closer for the Minnesota Twins and former Seawolves baseball standout, Joe Nathan (BS '97), is making a $500,000 lead gift to the Department of Athletics in support of the construction of a new baseball field at Stony Brook University announced University President Shirley Strum Kenny and Director of Athletics Jim Fiore. In recognition of the gift from the Joe Nathan Charitable Foundation (www.joenathan.com), the State University of New York has approved that the new field will be named "Joe Nathan Field." Among other enhancements, the project will include a dramatic transformation of the field from grass to FieldTurf®.
A three-time All-Star selection, Nathan is currently tied for fourth in the Major Leagues with 34 saves, posting a 1.12 ERA in 48.1 innings of work. Since taking over as Minnesota's closer in 2004, Nathan ranks second among all Major League closers with 191 saves -- trailing only the Padres' Trevor Hoffman. He has a career record of 43-18 with a 2.85 ERA, striking out 606 batters in 597.0 innings of work.
While playing with the Stony Brook University Seawolves, Nathan was a two-time Academic All-American and was also inducted into the Stony Brook Athletics Hall of Fame in December 2006, when he also became the first former Stony Brook student-athlete to have his jersey number retired.
Joe Nathan Field will become the new home of a Stony Brook team that has become one of the top programs in the America East Conference. Under head coach Matt Senk, the Seawolves have won the America East title and represented the conference in the NCAA Tournament twice in the past five years, including the 2008 season. The squad's 34-26 record in 2008 was the fifth time in nine seasons of Division I play that the team has reached 30 wins in a season.
"Joe Nathan's generosity and leadership in making this wonderful gift underscores the importance of the spirit of philanthropy that is growing among our alumni," said Fiore. "As much as Joe was a talented collegiate athlete and a high achiever as a student; more importantly he is a remarkable human being. We are very proud of Joe and are thrilled to name our baseball field in his honor. It will serve as a lasting tribute to his continued love for his experience as a Stony Brook student-athlete."

"My experiences as a part of the Stony Brook athletics family helped get me to where I am today," remarked Nathan. "I feel extremely fortunate to be playing baseball as a professional athlete and feel strongly about supporting the growth of the Stony Brook baseball program. Coach (Matt) Senk has built an extremely successful program; one with which I'm very proud to be affiliated. I look forward to following and supporting our baseball program to even greater success in the years to come."
"Joe's support of our baseball program is greatly appreciated," added Senk. "Joe embodies all the core values we try to instill in our student-athletes; commitment, passion, pride, respect and swagger. Current and future Stony Brook baseball student-athletes will benefit from playing in a facility which Joe's gift will help build. Future Stony Brook recruits will be able to look forward to playing in one of the finest facilities in the northeast."
"Joe Nathan's lead gift in our efforts to renovate our campus baseball facility is another example of the incredible strength of Stony Brook's alumni," said University President Shirley Strum Kenny. "We will soon surpass our $300-million capital campaign goal and gifts like this, from those who value Stony Brook for its ability to transform lives, are the reason we will reach our lofty goals. Alumni like Joe have set their own personal goals at the highest levels, and it is my pleasure to share in their great achievements."
"Congratulations to Joe Nathan on his great successes while at Stony Brook as a student-athlete and as an all-star pitcher for the Minnesota Twins," said Richard Nasti, Chair of the Stony Brook Council. "His decision to share those successes with his alma mater, and for the University to name the field in his honor, is a cherished opportunity. I congratulate President Kenny, Director of Athletics Jim Fiore and Head Coach Matt Senk for sharing in this vision with Joe and helping to create a great opportunity for current and future baseball student-athletes at Stony Brook."

THIRD-ANNUAL CHUCK PRIORE REPORT TONIGHT ON WUSB!

The "Chuck Priore Report" featuring third-year Stony Brook University Head Football Coach Chuck Priore, will return once again on the longtime radio home for Stony Brook Athletics, WUSB (90.1 FM)...The third-year segment featured on the "Sports Section" will start tonight on Sunday, August 10th at 10:15 p.m. and continue every Sunday until November 16th...Veteran Seawolves broadcaster Jeff Bernstein will co-host the segment with various WUSB sports staffers, and discuss August preseason camp, game recaps/summaries and previews for the upcoming week...The SBU Football team will play its inaugural season in the Big South Conference in 2008.

CHAD HEADS TO MIAMI

After being replaced by a legend in New York, Chad Pennington will now become the 13th QB to try to replace a legend in Miami. Since Dan Marino, who is second to Brett Favre in career completions, attempts, passing yards, and passing TD, retired after the 1999 NFL season, 12 different QBs have started a game for the Dolphins.

SBU MEN'S AND WOMEN'S BASKETBALL STUDENT-ATHLETES VISIT LONG ISLAND STATE VETERANS HOME

The Stony Brook men's and women's basketball teams visited the Long Island State Veterans Home on Friday afternoon to celebrate the opening of the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Stony Brook, N.Y. - Stony Brook University's basketball teams took some time off the court on Friday afternoon to visit the Long Island State Veterans Home to celebrate the opening of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. The student-athletes along with assistant men's basketball coach Dan Rickard and women's head coach Michele Cherry conducted a short dribbling and passing demonstration before meeting with the over 50 veterans who attended the event.
Many of the veterans will compete in their own style of Olympic Games when they will compete in the Golden Games. The Golden Games, which has taken place for almost 20 years, features veterans over the age of 62, competing in such events as bowling, wheelchair relay, bean bag toss and bowling. The games will take place in September on the campus of St. Joseph's University in Patchogue.
The Long Island State Veterans Home opened its doors to its first residents on October 25th, 1991, after more than twelve years of intensive planning and building. Located on the campus of Stony Brook University, the Veterans Home is a 350-bed skilled nursing facility that provides round-the-clock nursing and sub-acute care to veterans of the United States armed forces.
The mission of the Long Island State Veterans Home is twofold. First, to provide the highest quality and most comprehensive health care services to Long Islands veterans, and second, to serve as a model site for research, and the education and training of tomorrows long-term care and geriatric professionals. The Veterans Home is operated by the University Hospital Health Sciences Center, and continues to be one of the only nursing homes in the country that is fully integrated into the health and educational mission of a major teaching and research university. This affiliation enables the Home to offer Long Island's veterans access to the New York metropolitan region's best health care professionals and most advanced medical technology.

THREE STONY BROOK FOOTBALL GAMES TO BE TELEVISED IN 2008

Games Against Hofstra, Maine and VMI Will Be Televised

Stony Brook, N.Y. - Three of Stony Brook University's football games will be televised live in 2008, including the annual contest for bragging rights on Long Island between Stony Brook and Hofstra as well as games against the University of Maine and the Virginia Military Institute. The combination of the three games will bring Stony Brook football to sports fans all along the East Coast, from Maine to South Carolina. The battle between the Seawolves and Pride will be moved from Saturday, September 27 to Friday, September 26 and will air live in prime time at 7:00 p.m. on MSG network. Others games scheduled for television coverage are games at Maine on September 13 and the final game of the season at home against VMI on November 15.
A time change for the contest with VMI, one of five Big South games Stony Brook will play in its inaugural season in the league, will be made for the broadcast on the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN). The game will move from a 1:00 p.m. start to 3:30 p.m. on November 15 and will be the first meeting ever between the Seawolves and Keydets. The MASN network is available in the New York area through either Direct TV or Dish Network satellite services.
The game at Maine, which will be the first football visit to the Orono campus for Stony Brook, will be carried on both WABI-TV5 in Bangor and CW/My TV in Portland.
Live video streaming for all 11 of Stony Brook's games in 2008 will be available through the official Stony Brook Athletics website at www.goseawolves.org.

BRETT FAVRE COMING TO NEW YORK JETS!

Brett Favre this morning is a New York Jet.
Favre, the Green Bay icon and future Pro Football Hall of Famer who retired, then unretired, then found out the Packers truly intended to move on without him, has been traded to the Jets by the Pack.
Details of the trade and terms of any reworked contract provisions aren't available. But Jets chairman and CEO Woody Johnson said early this morning:
"I am looking forward to seeing Brett Favre in a New York Jets uniform. He represents a significant addition to this franchise, and reflects our commitment to putting the best possible team on the field. Mike Tannenbaum and his football administration staff did a great job of navigating this complex process. I am excited about welcoming Brett, Deanna and their family to the Jets organization."

FIVE SEAWOLVES NAMED TO USTFCCCA DIVISION 1 ALL-ACADEMIC TRACK & FIELD TEAMS

Women's team also honored

Stony Brook, N.Y. - Stony Brook University's track

 & fiel

d teams placed five athletes on the USTFCCCA Division I All-Academic Track & Field Teams, according to a release from the association today. Stony Brook's women's team was also honored by the USTFCCCA by being named an All-Academic Team.

Dana Hastie '08 (Wellington, New Zealand) and sophomore sisters Holly and Lucy Van Dalen (Wanganui, New Zealand) were named to the 468-member women's All-Academic team, while juniors Alex Felce (Stroud, England) and Tim Hodge (Tawa, New Zealand) earned spots on the 266-member men's team.

To qualify for the USTFCCCA All-Academic Track and Field Team, a student-athlete must have compiled a cumulative grade point average of 3.25 and have met either the NCAA Division I Indoor automatic or provisional qualifying standard or the NCAA Division I Outdoor regional or national qualifying standard in their respective event.

The women's track & field team, which finished the academic year with a combined GPA of 3.379, ranked 18th among the 117 Division I women's track & field programs that were recognized as All-Academic Track & Field Teams. 

SEAWOLVES BEGIN PREPARATION FOR 2008 FOOTBALL SEASON MONDAY

Lovell, Soivilien and Meadows Named Team Captains

Stony Brook, N.Y. - It begins on Monday; it being the countdown to the 2008 football season for the Stony Brook University Seawolves. After gathering today on campus for physicals and team meetings, head coach Chuck Priore and his staff will guide the team through its first practice on Monday at 4:30 in LaValle Stadium. Priore has also announced the team captains for 2008 - senior Lawrence Lovell (Brooklyn, N.Y.) for the offense, senior Adam Soivilien (Dorchester, Mass.) for the defense and senior Michael Meadows (Shrub Oak, N.Y.) for special teams.
Monday's workout begins a series of 27 practices and a pair of scrimmages over the next four weeks as Stony Brook prepares for the season opener against Colgate on August 30 at 6:00 p.m. in LaValle Stadium. This will be the fourth straight year that the Seawolves have opened their season at home, with the game also marking the first meeting between Stony Brook and Colgate, the 2003 national FCS runner-up. The 2008 season also marks another first for the Stony Brook football team, its first season as a member of the Big South Conference. The Seawolves will begin a full schedule of Big South games later in the season when it opens conference play at Liberty on October 11.
Stony Brook will practice once each day next week leading up to the first workout in full pads on Friday. The Seawolves will have their first two-practice day on Saturday, with the first of two scrimmages scheduled for Friday, August 15 at 3:30. A complete schedule for fall camp practices is listed below.
During the course of fall camp a position-by-position look at the Stony Brook football squad will be posted on the official Stony Brook Athletics website, www.goseawolves.org, beginning with the running backs later this week.

2008 Stony Brook Preseason Football Camp Practice Schedule
Monday, August 4 - 4:30 (helmets)
Tuesday, August 5 - 3:30 (helmets)
Wednesday, August 6 - 3:00 (uppers)
Thursday, August 7 - 3:00 (uppers)
Friday, August 8 - 3:00 (full)
Saturday, August 9 - 9:30 (helmets) & 3:30 (full)
Sunday, August 10 - 3:00 (uppers)
Monday, August 11 - 9:30 (helmets) & 3:30 (full)
Tuesday, August 12 - Off
Wednesday, August 13 - 9:30 (helmets) & 3:30 (full)
Thursday, August 14 - 3:30 (full)
Friday, August 15 - 9:30 (helmets) & 3:30 (scrimmage)
Saturday, August 16 - Off
Sunday, August 17 - 9:30 (full) & 3:30 (helmets)
Monday, August 18 - 3:30 (full)
Tuesday, August 19 - 9:30 (helmets) & 3:30 (uppers)
Wednesday, August 20 - 3:00 (full)
Thursday, August 21 - 3:30 (uppers)
Friday, August 22 - 3:00 (scrimmage)
Saturday, August 23 - Off
Sunday, August 24 - 3:45 (uppers)
Monday, August 25 - 4:00 (helmets)
Tuesday, August 26 - 3:00 (full)
Wednesday, August 27 - 3:00 (full)
Thursday, August 28 - 3:00 (uppers)
Friday, August 29 - 2:10 (helmets)
Saturday, August 30 - 6:00 (Season opener vs. Colgate)

SBU FOOTBALL ADDS TWO MORE RECRUITS FOR 2008 SEASON

Seawolves Add Reciever and Defensive Back to Roster

Stony Brook, N.Y. - Stony Brook University's football team has two more recruits to the 2008 roster head coach Chuck Priore announced today. Stephan Towns (San Diego, Calif.) and Darren Watson (Alhambra, Calif.) will both be juniors for the Seawolves in 2008 after transferring to Stony Brook from the junior college ranks.
"We are very excited to add Stephan and Darren to our team," said Priore. "They are both very talented players that will bring a lot to our team with their athletic abilities."
Towns, a 6-2. 190-lb. wide receiver has played the last two seasons at Palomar College in California where he was third on the team in 2007 with 16 receptions for 216 yards and one score. He helped the team to a 7-3 record and a #26 final national ranking. A graduate of Southwest High School in San Diego, he was an all-metro selection as a senior and a two-time captain of the team.
A 6-1, 190-lb. defensive back, Watson comes to Stony Brook from Santa Monica College in California. A two-time letterwinner at Santa Monica, he was the team MVP in 2007 as well as a Western State All-Conference selection. A graduate of Alhambra High School, he was a four-time letterwinner in football for the Moors that earned all-state recognition as a senior.