College Sports
Beyond the Byline: Like the flood mud, the memories still stink
WILKES-BARRE — Gone — everything was gone. And it would never come back. It will be 53 years since Hurricane Agnes swept away most of the memories I had of life before June 23, 1972. The mid-1960s to that fateful June day in 1972 really are difficult for me to even want to try […]

WILKES-BARRE — Gone — everything was gone.
And it would never come back.
It will be 53 years since Hurricane Agnes swept away most of the memories I had of life before June 23, 1972.
The mid-1960s to that fateful June day in 1972 really are difficult for me to even want to try to remember. My mom died on the day before Mother’s Day in the year I was to graduate from high school — 1968.
Those were extremely difficult times. My dad and I were lost. We really didn’t know how to cope without my mom around.
So one day my dad asked how I felt about moving out of the only home I had ever known. It was difficult to be in that house after my mom died. Everywhere we looked there were memories — lots of memories that were partially saved in several photo albums we had.
There was the kitchen where my mom cooked and baked and served meals.
And there was the living room where she would hang Christmas garland made out of red-and-green construction paper.
And there was my bedroom where she would serve me ice cream on most mornings before school.
There was the little stand where our black dial telephone sat and where my mom would call Jack’s Market to order that evening’s dinner.
There was her sewing machine in one corner and her jewelry in a drawer by her dressing table.
There was the screen door that led to the front porch where she would sit under the shade of our big maple tree and talk to neighbors across the street.
Too many nights crying myself to sleep, always hoping I would wake up from this nightmare and Mom would be there — for me and Dad.
So we decided to move off the hill, down to Main Street. Before long, as we continued to put our lives back together, the sirens blared on this June night. We went to Aunt Betty’s house on East Shawnee Avenue and waited.
The flood waters came, staying there for days. Finally, the water began to recede. I vividly remember the brownness of the streets and the lawns.
And I clearly recall the stink. It was awful.
Now came the time to return to our apartment on West Main Street. I remember walking in and seeing how everything was just gone. What was left — which wasn’t much — was covered in mud, soaked in river water.
And everything had that stink.
All that was important to us was gone.
Gone were my record albums — of the sixties, man.
Gone were my baseball cards — Mantle, Mays, Koufax, Aaron, Clemente, all the stars of the sixties.
Gone were all my clothes, my diplomas, baseball gloves, sneakers, even my underwear.
It was all gone.
And also gone were all those photo albums. The ones that contained all my connections to my past — the photos of the O’Boyles and the Kraszewskis — all the people I knew growing up and those who were around before I was born.
Pictures of my mom.
All were gone.
All was lost.
And just four years after my dad and I lost the only person we felt we couldn’t live without.
Every street in the floodplain had piles of flood mud-covered garbage stacked out front, waiting for the Army Corps of Engineers to take it to a landfill. Every day, this process continued as everybody’s lifelong memories were piled into dump trucks and taken away.
So don’t be surprised when I tell you that I, for one, cannot celebrate the 53rd anniversary of Agnes.
Not at all.
Living through the Agnes Flood of 1972 was — and still is in a word — humbling.
Here we were, my dad and I, living in a trailer, faced with the task of putting our already broken lives back together.
Never did we miss 210 Reynolds St. as much as we did in the aftermath of Hurricane Agnes.
One more thing that I lost in June 1972 and will never get back is that feeling of security — the feeling of safety found in a mother’s arms. The feeling that no matter what, everything will be okay.
That’s what I lost in May 1968 and then again in June 1972. That’s what most victims of Agnes lost.
I just can’t feel like I did before Agnes — no matter how hard I try.
The brown, muddy, smelly river water clearly showed me the reality of loss.
And like that smell indelibly embedded in my memory bank — it stinks.
Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.
College Sports
Pope Leo XIV names former King’s College campus minister to Vatican position
WILKES-BARRE — King’s College President Rev. Thomas P. Looney joined other local religious leaders on Friday to celebrate the Rev. Russ McDougall, the college’s former assistant director of campus ministry. Pope Leo XIV recently appointed McDougall to serve the Vatican’s ecumenism and interfaith dialogue efforts. On July 3, McDougall was named a consultor of […]

WILKES-BARRE — King’s College President Rev. Thomas P. Looney joined other local religious leaders on Friday to celebrate the Rev. Russ McDougall, the college’s former assistant director of campus ministry. Pope Leo XIV recently appointed McDougall to serve the Vatican’s ecumenism and interfaith dialogue efforts.
On July 3, McDougall was named a consultor of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, which works to foster an authentic ecumenical spirit throughout the Catholic church and strengthen relationships and collaboration with other churches and ecclesial communities.
“Father Russ’ appointment to the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity is an outstanding accomplishment,” said Looney. “When he first came to us at King’s after serving as the rector of Notre Dame’s Ecumenical Institute in Tantur, he was passionate about continuing his work in building bridges across differences. His outstanding work here at King’s and in the Wyoming Valley led to a major position at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington, D.C., and now in service of the Universal Church.
“I am thrilled that my brother in the Congregation of Holy Cross and member of the King’s College family has been recognized for his talents and convictions and will serve the cause of dialogue that the world so desperately needs.”
During his tenure at King’s College from 2019 through 2023, McDougall furthered the institution’s ecumenical and interfaith efforts by building relationships between local congregations and organizations. He served as a member of the Wyoming Valley Interfaith Council, convened ecumenical conversations at the College, promoted events related to the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, and regularly participated in worship services at local churches and synagogues.
“In his own quiet, thoughtful, and prayerful way, Father Russ has demonstrated well his capacity as an informed ecumenist, an experienced leader, and a priest committed to fulfilling Jesus’ prayer that his followers might all be one,” said the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, bishop of the Diocese of Scranton. “He has earned the respect and appreciation not only of his Catholic colleagues but of our ecumenical and inter-religious partners, particularly during unsettled and challenging times for many of our brothers and sisters of different faith traditions. He will undoubtedly serve our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, and our Church well.”
“In addition to multiple meetings with rabbis, priests, ministers, imam, and laity, Father Russ developed friendships and actively participated in interfaith and ecumenical local activities,” said the Rev. Robert M. Zanicky, of the First Presbyterian Church in Wilkes-Barre. “His intellect, knowledge, wisdom, pastoral demeanor, friendliness, and compassion have placed him where he greatly benefits the Gospel of Christ.”
“Russ was a calm, bright and wise emissary of the Catholic world to the Wyoming Valley,” said Rabbi Larry Kaplan, of Temple Israel in Wilkes-Barre. “He was always engaged in the betterment of our community and was skilled in fostering conversations to bring together disparate religious groups and organizations, even during turbulent times. His calm demeanor relaxed even excited exchanges among colleagues.”
McDougall was executive director of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Secretariat for Ecumenical and Inter-religious Affairs. Previously, he was assistant director of campus ministry, theology faculty member, and superior of the local Holy Cross community at King’s College.
In addition to being a former rector of the University of Notre Dame’s Tantur Ecumenical Institute in Jerusalem, McDougall also worked in parochial ministry at Holy Cross Parish in Nairobi, Kenya, and as formation director, academic dean, and lecturer in Old Testament at the Queen of Apostles Philosophy Centre in Jinja, Uganda.
Originally from Northwest Indiana, McDougall received his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Divinity from the University of Notre Dame and Licentiate in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome. He made final vows in the Congregation of Holy Cross in 1990 and was ordained a priest in 1991.
College Sports
College Sports Commission must receive work evidence for NIL deals to be approved
The NCAA is still technically in charge but the College Sports Commission (CSC) is the new sheriff in town. This recently created organization ran by former MLB executive Bryan Seeley is the enforcement arm charged with overseeing NIL Go and making sure all third-party deals meet the new “valid business purpose” protocol. One could argue […]

The NCAA is still technically in charge but the College Sports Commission (CSC) is the new sheriff in town. This recently created organization ran by former MLB executive Bryan Seeley is the enforcement arm charged with overseeing NIL Go and making sure all third-party deals meet the new “valid business purpose” protocol.
One could argue that Seeley might now be the most powerful man in college athletics.
There was some skepticism about how this new system will work throughout the college sports industry. The revenue-sharing era officially started on July 1. We are now getting some transparency on this new approval system just over a week later after the CSC issued a memo to athletic directors this week.
Evidence will be required for any third-party NIL deal. Student-athletes must complete a service to get deals approved.
“An entity with a business purpose of providing payments or benefits to student-athletes or institutions, rather than providing goods or services to the general public,” the CSC wrote in the release. “For example, a NIL collective that has a business purpose to pay student-athletes associated with a particular school or schools does not satisfy Rule 22.1.3 when it reaches a deal with a student-athlete to make an appearance on behalf of the collective at an event even if that event is open to the general public and the collective charges an admission fee (e.g., a golf tournament).”
What does this mean exactly? It eliminates direct pay-for-play from a collective to a player. A service must be clearly proven to earn the agreed upon financial package. This goes against the previous setup where there was almost zero policing these NIL deals with school collectives. The new enforcement arm is forcing collectives to start making deals with companies so student-athletes are participating in true NIL agreements.
Ross Dellenger reports that “most deals that have not been cleared do not meet the ‘valid business purpose’ definition – many of those from collectives”.
As with almost anything in regards to NIL enforcement without the student-athletes being employees, there is doubt that this new framework will hold up. Some lawyers are already claiming that this violates NCAA Bylaw 22.1.3.
This move by the CSC was expected once the House settlement was passed. Now we will see if collectives will obey this rule or if there a loophole to be found. Some litigation is probably coming in the near future.. The revenue-sharing era is here and there will likely be some rough waters as everyone adjusts to the new rules.
Heck, we’re not even sure these new rules will hold up at this point.
College Sports
Medicaid cuts in Trump’s tax bill will ‘devastate’ access to care in rural Pennsylvania, critics say
This story was produced by the State College regional bureau of Spotlight PA, an independent, nonpartisan newsroom dedicated to investigative and public-service journalism for Pennsylvania. Sign up for Talk of the Town, a weekly newsletter of local stories that dig deep, events, and more from north-central PA, at spotlightpa.org/newsletters/talkofthetown. BELLEFONTE — President Donald Trump […]

This story was produced by the State College regional bureau of Spotlight PA, an independent, nonpartisan newsroom dedicated to investigative and public-service journalism for Pennsylvania. Sign up for Talk of the Town, a weekly newsletter of local stories that dig deep, events, and more from north-central PA, at spotlightpa.org/newsletters/talkofthetown.
BELLEFONTE — President Donald Trump signed the “big, beautiful” budget bill into law last week, celebrating it as a win for taxpayers and a fulfillment of key campaign promises.
Supporters of the federal package say it reduces government spending and adds protections to programs. But in rural Pennsylvania — where hospitals operate on thin margins and Medicaid helps keep the lights on — critics warn the cuts and new requirements will burden states with paperwork, make it harder for patients to access care, and push health facilities to their breaking point.
The law cuts federal Medicaid funding by roughly $1 trillion over the next decade. It also imposes work requirements and mandates eligibility verification every six months rather than annually. Many provisions in the law, like the Medicaid funding cuts, won’t go into effect until after the 2026 election.
About 3 million people in Pennsylvania — 23% — are covered by Medicaid, according to state data. More than 737,000 Medicaid recipients live in rural counties, where residents are typically older and more reliant on government-funded insurance programs. Such programs reimburse at lower rates compared to private insurance companies and haven’t kept pace with inflation.
Nicole Stallings, president and CEO of the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania, said in a statement in early July that the deep reductions will “devastate” access to care, leave hundreds of thousands without insurance coverage, and “destabilize” hospitals already struggling to keep services open.
“Our rural hospitals are financially at the brink, and so any reductions in funding could really send them over the edge,” she told Spotlight PA during a June interview. “That means a reduction in service and potential closure. That’s not just going to impact 3 million Pennsylvanians. That will impact every community around that hospital.”
Once a facility ends a service or shuts down, it rarely reopens, she added — though Sharon Regional Medical Center in rural Mercer County is a unique exception.
On average, Pennsylvania hospitals absorb a loss of 18 cents on the dollar for care provided to Medicaid patients, according to the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania, which represents more than 230 hospitals statewide. In rural communities, the average loss is 26 cents on the dollar.
“We didn’t just suddenly arrive at this place,” Stallings said. “Our hospitals have been chronically underfunded by Medicaid.”
That funding gap has driven many rural health systems to consolidate with other networks and expand into new areas to stabilize their finances and diversify their patient base. It’s the strategy behind Penn Highlands Healthcare — a nonprofit with nine rural hospitals — expanding into Centre County, president and CEO Steve Fontaine told state lawmakers last year.
For weeks leading up to the bill’s final passage in Congress, advocates warned that deep cuts would result in more uncompensated care because patients can’t afford to pay. The added cost would then cause hospitals and other rural health facilities to shutter core services — such as medical, dental, or behavioral health — or close.
The law earmarks $50 billion for a rural health care grant program between fiscal years 2026 and 2030, but a spokesperson for Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services, which administers the Medicaid program, told Spotlight PA those dollars won’t fill the “massive gap” created by the federal funds.
Health policy research firm KFF estimates that rural areas nationwide will lose $155 billion in federal Medicaid funding over 10 years.
The Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers — which represents facilities that provide care regardless of someone’s ability to pay — said it’s working with rural providers and state officials to determine how best to navigate the federal changes.
By 2034, the law will have caused 11.8 million more people in the United States to be without health insurance, according to estimates from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. An analysis by Princeton University’s State Health and Value Strategies program predicts almost 8.7 million people will lose their coverage nationwide, 340,000 Pennsylvanians among them.
Meanwhile, the Shapiro administration has estimated that 310,000 Pennsylvanians will lose their Medicaid coverage, also warning that the commonwealth — still without a final budget — won’t be able to cover any cuts made at the federal level.
In fiscal year 2023, the year with the most recent data, Medicaid spending in Pennsylvania totaled almost $44 billion. The federal government provided nearly $28 billion of those dollars. Estimates of how much federal Medicaid funding Pennsylvania will lose over 10 years range from $51 billion to $53 billion.
Lisa Davis, director of the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health, said one thing is certain: A surge in people losing Medicaid coverage will place significant strain on hospitals and clinics across the state — ultimately leading to poorer health outcomes in every community.
“The ripple effect across the state and across the country is going to be huge because there’s this direct correlation to having insurance and accessing care, or having a way to pay for care,” Davis told Spotlight PA.
Ned Balzer — who joined a protest outside Republican U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson’s Bellefonte office ahead of the U.S. House’s vote on the Senate’s version last week — shared concerns about the cuts and worried about what it would mean if millions of people lost their coverage.
“I don’t think that people realize how many people would be affected,” he told Spotlight PA. “And I think the people who are being affected don’t realize how they’ll be affected.”
Thompson, who has a background in health care services and represents one of the most rural districts in Pennsylvania, ultimately voted for the bill, calling it a “victory for rural America.”
“Changes to Medicaid were made to ensure the long-term stability of the program by enforcing work requirements for able-bodied adults, while preserving it for those who need it most, mothers, children, seniors, and those living with disabilities,” Kelsey Holt, Thompson’s communications director, told Spotlight PA.
U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, who represents a district spanning Bucks and Montgomery Counties, was one of two GOP lawmakers who opposed the legislation. While he initially voted in favor of the package in May, Fitzpatrick said that deeper Medicaid cuts later approved by the Senate changed his mind.
“The original House language was written in a way that protected our community; the Senate amendments fell short of our standard,” he said in a statement.
SUPPORT THIS JOURNALISM and help us reinvigorate local news in north-central Pennsylvania at spotlightpa.org/donate. Spotlight PA is funded by foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability and public-service journalism that gets results.
SUPPORT THIS JOURNALISM and help us reinvigorate local news in north-central Pennsylvania at spotlightpa.org/donate. Spotlight PA is funded by foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability and public-service journalism that gets results.
College Sports
Ohio Sports Hall Of Fame Will Honor 11 Former Musketeers During July Event
DAYTON, Ohio — The Ohio Sports Hall Of Fame will formally introduce 10 former Xavier University Musketeers in the 2025 induction class at its first annual banquet, which will be held at the Dayton Convention Center on Saturday, July 26. The list of 10 2025 inductees includes former soccer standouts Nick Hagglund (’14) and Amanda […]


DAYTON, Ohio — The Ohio Sports Hall Of Fame will formally introduce 10 former Xavier University Musketeers in the 2025 induction class at its first annual banquet, which will be held at the Dayton Convention Center on Saturday, July 26. The list of 10 2025 inductees includes former soccer standouts Nick Hagglund (’14) and Amanda Gruber (’98), football star Dan Abramowicz (’67) as well as basketball stars Brian Grant (’94), Amber Harris (’10), Tyrone Hill (’90), Byron Larkin (’88), Carol Madsen (’94), Ta’Shia Phillips (’11) and Romain Sato (’04). Former XU basketball coach and player Chris Mack (’93), who was a member of the 2024 class, will also be honored since this is the first year for an awards banquet and the Ohio Sports Hall of Fame will be recognizing both the 2024 and 2025 classes. For more information on the Ohio Sports Hall of Fame or the upcoming banquet and Hall of Fame weekend events, visit www.ohshof.com.
Dan Abramowicz (’67) was a three-year letterwinner at wide receiver for the Xavier football team and a member of the Legion of Honor. Abramowicz finished with 50 catches for 738 yards and eight touchdowns as a junior, helping Xavier to an 8-2 season. He was named to the All-Catholic All-America Team (The Brooklyn Tablet) at the conclusion of the season. Despite facing double coverage in his senior season, Abramowicz grabbed 34 passes for 585 yards and three touchdowns. The Steubenville native still holds the XU records for passes caught in a season (50 in 1965) and in a career (102), yards gained through passes caught in a career (1,470), as well as touchdown passes caught in a season (10 in 1965) and in a career (13). Upon graduation from Xavier, he was drafted by the NFL’s New Orleans Saints and went on to play wide receiver for the Saints and the San Francisco 49ers until his retirement in 1974. He was named a first-team All-Pro with the Saints in 1969, when he led the league in receptions. He caught passes in 105 consecutive games, an NFL record which stood until 1982.
Briant Grant (’94), native of Georgetown, Ohio, stamped his name throughout the Xavier record book, ranking as the 11th all-time leading scorer with 1,719 points and fourth on the career rebounding list with 1,080. He also set the all-time mark for offensive efficiency by posting the highest field goal percentages for a season (.654) and a career (.594). Grant is tied for fifth all-time on XU’s blocked shot list with 127 career swats. He helped the Musketeers to three postseason appearances during his Xavier career with two NCAA Tournament appearances (1991 and 1993) and one NIT appearance (1994). Grant collected MCC Player of the Year honors in back-to-back seasons (1992-93 and 1993-94). Entering his senior year, Grant was named a Street & Smith’s Third Team All-American. In 1994, Grant was selected eighth overall by the Sacramento Kings, the highest-ever selection among all XU players. He joined Tyrone Hill as the only NBA Draft lottery picks in Xavier history. He played 13 NBA seasons, including earning NBA All-Rookie honors in the 1994-95 season.
Amanda Gruber (’98) holds the school records for most goals in a season (24 in 1997) and a career (67), most points in a season (59 in 1997) and a career (160). She also stands second on XU’s all-time list for most career assists (26). Gruber became the first men’s or women’s soccer All-American when she earned NSCA Third Team All-American honors as a senior in 1997. The Cincinnati native earned a long list of other honors including 1997 Atlantic 10 Player of the Year and was a three-time A-10 First Team selection as well as a three-time A-10 All-Academic Team selection. As a rookie, she earned MCC All-Newcomer Team, MCC Second Team and MCC All-Tournament Team. Gruber helped the Musketeers reach the A-10 Finals in their first season in the league and earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team. As a senior, she set an A-10 record with 59 goals while leading the Musketeers to the conference semifinals and earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team.
Nick Hagglund (’14) enjoyed the most decorated career in Xavier soccer history. The Cincinnati native was a two-time conference defensive player of the year and was part of 31 shutouts as the leader of the Musketeer defense through his four years in the program. Hagglund led Xavier to its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearances with three straight in 2010, 2011 and 2012 while the Musketeers picked up their first-ever NCAA Tournament win in 2012. At the conclusion of his junior year, he earned NSCAA All-America Second Team honors as well as College Soccer News All-America Third Team honors, becoming the first XU player to earn NSCAA honors. In Xavier’s first season in the BIG EAST, Hagglund earned the 2013 BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year awards as well as a spot on the All-BIG East First Team and the NSCAA All-Great Lakes Region Second Team. He was the 10th overall pick by Toronto FC in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft and went on to win the 2017 MLS Cup with the squad. He was acquired by FC Cincinnati in 2019 and has been a key veteran for FCC since his acquisition.
Amber Harris (’10) was drafted fourth in the 2011 WNBA Draft and is the highest draft pick in program history. The three-time All-Atlantic 10 First Team honoree and the 2009-10 A-10 Player of the Year is the second all-time leading scorer at XU with 2,205 career points. Harris became the first Musketeer to be honored as a State Farm All-American by the WBCA in 2009-10 and repeated in 2010-11. She also earned mention as a Second Team All-American in 2011 and Third Team All-American in 2010 by the Associated Press. Harris is the all-time blocked shot leader with 361 and ranks second all-time with 1,226 rebounds to become only the second Musketeer to surpass the 2,000-point, 1,000-rebound mark. She was a member of the All-Tournament Team in all four of her appearances in the Atlantic 10 Championship and was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2010 A-10 Championship. She finished her Xavier career a perfect 12-0 all-time in A-10 Tournament games, leading XU to four championships in five years. Harris, who was forced to sit out the entire 2008-09 season due to injury, was a playing member of four NCAA Tournament appearances, including XU’s second NCAA Elite Eight appearance in 2010. Harris was drafted fourth overall by the Minnesota Lynx in 2011 and won a pair of championships with the team in 2011 and 2013.
Tyrone Hill (’90) was the first XU alum to ever be selected as an NBA Draft “lottery pick” and the first alum to ever earn NBA All-Star honors. Hill was a four-year starter, helping Xavier average 23.5 wins during his four-year career. Xavier compiled a 94-34 (.734) record including three MCC Tournament Championships, four NCAA Tournament berths, two MCC Regular Season Championships and XU’s first-ever berth in the NCAA Sweet 16. He was a freshman starter on the 1987 team that captured Xavier’s first-ever NCAA Tournament victory. As a sophomore he led the team to 26 wins, a then-school record, and another trip to the NCAA Tournament. As a junior, Hill was the 1989 MCC Tournament MVP and led the Musketeers to a third straight NCAA Tournament. The Cincinnati native led XU to a school record 28 victories as a senior and a fourth consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament where the Musketeers defeated Kansas State and Georgetown to reach the school’s first-ever NCAA Sweet 16. Hill is Xavier’s all-time leading rebounder with 1,380 and fifth on the career scoring chart with 2,003 points. Hill, who was drafted in the first round of the 1990 NBA draft by the Golden State Warriors, played 14 NBA seasons.
Byron Larkin (’88), long-time Xavier radio analyst, is the all-time leading scorer in Xavier basketball history. The Cincinnati native had an immediate impact on Xavier basketball, starting every single game after starring in the first seven games of his freshman season. Larkin led XU to three MCC Tournament Championships, being named MVP of each one. He also led the Musketeers to two MCC Regular Season Championships and three NCAA Tournament appearances, including XU’s first-ever NCAA Tournament victory in 1987 behind a 29-point effort from Larkin. During his four years, Xavier went 86-35 (71.1 %), including two of the top 10 seasons for wins in Xavier history in 1985-86 (25-5) and 1987-88 (26-4). Larkin accumulated multiple honors throughout his Xavier career including two MCC Player of the Year Awards, 1988 AP Third Team All-America honors, 1988 UPI and Scripps Howard Second Team All-America selections and claimed a spot on the 1987 U.S. Pan Am Team. He finished his Xavier career with 2,696 points and is still among the top 30 on the NCAA Division I all-time scoring chart.
Chris Mack (’93), the all-time winningest coach for Xavier basketball, also played for the Musketeers and is the current head coach at the College of Charleston. The Cincinnati native, a two-time team captain as a player, won an MCC Regular Season Championship and reached the second round of the 1993 NCAA Tournament. Mack was named the 17th head coach of Xavier basketball on April 15, 2009, after five seasons as an assistant on Sean Miller’s staff. In nine seasons as the head coach, Mack compiled a 215-97 record (.689) with eight NCAA Tournament appearances, four Sweet 16 appearances and a trip to the Elite Eight in 2017. His teams won or shared three conference regular season championships while compiling a 105-49 league record over nine seasons in the BIG EAST and Atlantic 10. Mack became Xavier’s first-ever national coach of the year after being named the 2015-16 Henry Iba Award winner as the USBWA National Coach of the Year as well as the CBS Sports and Basketball Times National Coach of the Year. In his final season with the Musketeers, Mack was named the BIG EAST Coach of the Year and led Xavier to its highest national poll ranking at No. 3 in the final 2018 AP Poll and the first NCAA Tournament No. 1 seed in school history.
Carol Madsen (’94) was a two-time MCC Player of the Year and the 1993 MCC Tournament MVP. Madsen held multiple school records at the time of her graduation including most points in a game (46 vs. La Salle, 1994), most assists in a season (212, 1993-94) and most career assists (518). Her 46-point single game record still stands to this day. She is tied for the individual record of single-game 3-pointers with nine against Indiana State in 1992 and previously held the record for most three-pointers in a single season and career. Madsen ranks seventh on XU’s all-time scoring chart with 1,702 career points. The Cincinnati native was a three-time MCC First Team selection and was selected the 1993 MCC Tournament MVP after scoring a record 70 points in three games, leading Xavier to an MCC Championship and its first-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
Ta’Shia Phillips (’11) is XU’s all-time leading rebounder with 1,552 career boards. She was a two-time Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year and the 2008-09 A-10 Player of the Year. Phillips was selected as a 2010 and 2011 State Farm Honorable Mention All-American by the WBCA. She finished her senior year second in the country in rebounding (12.4 rpg) and third in field goal percentage (.605). The 6-foot-6 center notched 77 career double-doubles and scored in double-figures 103 out of 131 career games played. Phillips led the league in rebounds per game in all four of her seasons, earning a spot on the Atlantic 10 All-Defensive Team for three consecutive seasons. She was honored as a three-time Atlantic-10 First Team honoree and an All-District I pick by the WBCA in 2009, 2010 and 2011. Phillips led Xavier to the 2010 Elite Eight run that came up just short of the Final Four in a heartbreaking 55-53 loss to Stanford in the Regional Final. XU made four NCAA Tournaments during Phillips’ career (2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011) and averaged 27.0 wins during Phillips’ career. Phillips was selected eighth overall in the 2011 WNBA Draft to become the second highest draft pick in program history.
Romain Sato (’04), a native of the Central African Republic, played high school basketball in Dayton before coming to Xavier. Sato helped Xavier reach the NCAA Tournament in each of his four seasons, including the NCAA Second Round twice and XU’s first-ever trip to the NCAA Elite Eight in 2004. Xavier won two A-10 Regular Season Championships and two A-10 Conference Tournament Championships during his career. Sato was named to the five-member All-Regional Team for the 2004 NCAA Tournament Atlanta Regional after scoring 18.3 ppg and grabbing 7.3 rpg. He was also named a 2003-04 AP Honorable Mention All-American and 2003-04 NABC All-District 10 First Team. His long list of honors also included First Team All-Atlantic 10 Conference twice and A-10 Conference All-Defensive Team three times. Sato is fourth on Xavier’s all-time scoring list with 2,005 points and eighth on the all-time rebounding list with 892 rebounds. He holds the school record for career three-point field goals made (307) including the top two single game displays in XU history. Following his Xavier career, Sato was drafted by the San Antonio Spurs in the second round of the 2004 NBA Draft. He enjoyed a tremendously successful career in pro basketball in Europe, earning his induction into the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2024.
College Sports
Williams hopes to put his NHL experience to good use
Jack Williams sat in front of a room of reporters with a grin on his face. It was a championship grin – after all, he’d just hoisted a trophy. A two-time Beanpot winner, Williams had a new prize to add his collection on Saturday. “First one,” Williams said. “It’s good to get that win.” This […]

Jack Williams sat in front of a room of reporters with a grin on his face. It was a championship grin – after all, he’d just hoisted a trophy.
A two-time Beanpot winner, Williams had a new prize to add his collection on Saturday.
“First one,” Williams said. “It’s good to get that win.”
This one, though, didn’t come at TD Garden, a place Williams has seen plenty of success. It came in the OhioHealth Ice Haus in Columbus, as Williams’ three goals in the Stinger Cup lifted Team Cross to a dominant 6-0 win over Team Donskov to wrap up the Blue Jackets’ 2025 development camp presented by Bread Financial.
Williams went undrafted and was signed by Columbus as a free agent in March after three years of college hockey at Northeastern. Last week was the center’s first development camp as a Blue Jacket.
He had a pretty unique perspective, though – he’s practiced at the Ice Haus before, gotten dinner with Boone Jenner and Jack Johnson, and was on the ice when the cannon sounded at Nationwide Arena.
Within a few days of signing with Columbus, Williams was leaving Northeastern and joining the Blue Jackets for the NHL stretch run. Williams had a front row seat to the Blue Jackets’ playoff push, and he was a sponge, absorbing every last morsel of what it means to be a professional.
“It was awesome just seeing the way that the guys operated,” Williams said. “They showed me the ropes. They kind of helped me out whenever there were questions, and it was great to get to know the staff and everybody here. It was an awesome experience.”
At the end of it all, Williams’ time with the team was capped off with his first NHL game, as he skated more than 11 minutes in the season finale April 17 in a 6-1 win over the New York Islanders at Nationwide Arena.
“It was surreal,” said Williams, who was the only player at development camp with NHL experience. “Playing your first NHL game is obviously something you dream of. And luckily enough, I found out that morning that my parents were able to make it out in time. It was just a super special night.”
Then, in a blink of an eye, it was done. One moment, Williams was making his NHL debut. The next, it was the offseason.
After getting a taste of the NHL, the former Northeastern captain is tackling his summer training with a chip on his shoulder and a slight edge in experience.
“I’m definitely hungry for more,” Williams said. “To get a feel for what the speed was like, what the strength was like, and what a game feels like at that level was really special. And I think it’s a little bit of an upper hand. I know what I need to work on and what needs to be done in the offseason.”
New England Roots
Williams grew up in Biddeford, Maine, a small city just south of Portland near the coast. When he debuted for the Blue Jackets, he became just the eight player from his home state ever to skate in the NHL.
Before captaining Northeastern or signing with Columbus, Williams attended the Maine prep school Berwick Academy for one year and spent the next two at South Kent School in Kent, Connecticut. He was pulled out of New England for the 2019-20 season, joining the Muskegon Lumberjacks in the USHL, where he’d stay for three full seasons.
When the call came ringing to head back east, Williams jumped on it.
“Northeastern was a special place for me,” Williams said. “I committed there when I was pretty young, and there is just so much history and culture at that school. And I’m so proud that I was able to go there, and very honored to be able to wear the ‘C’ there.”
In his three seasons at Northeastern, Williams’ Huskies just missed out on NCAA tournament berths. They failed to advance further than the Hockey East quarterfinals in his first two seasons, but went on a miraculous run down the stretch this past season that led them to Hockey East championship weekend.
The Huskies might not have been able to get over the hump in the Hockey East playoffs or the NCAA tournament. But Williams knows a thing – or two – about winning. Northeastern won five Beanpot tournaments in six seasons, and Williams was part of two of those championship squads in the famed Boston-only in-season tournament.
“So special,” Williams said of those two championships. “It’s four teams where anybody can win it every year. It’s such a fun night (and) fun tournament.”
This season, Northeastern fell short of a third consecutive Beanpot title. The Huskies experienced a dip in performance as the team dealt with the consequences of having a young group – Williams was a junior captain, and four of the five assistant captains were also juniors.
Still, the Huskies upset top-seeded Boston College in the Hockey East quarterfinals before experiencing a heartbreaking double-overtime loss to Maine, the eventual league champion, in the semifinal at TD Garden in Boston.
A Natural Leader
A freshman at Northeastern – and a 2022 Blue Jackets draft pick – had a front-row seat to witness what Williams meant to the Huskies.
“I think everyone in Columbus should be excited about a player like that,” said James Fisher, who got to share the ice with Williams once again at development camp last week. “He led our team this year through thick and thin. We had some low points, we had some highs, and he was always a great teammate. He was great to me as a first-year guy at Northeastern, and he showed me the ropes.”
Fisher had glowing things to say about his captain, who led Northeastern with 41 points in his junior campaign. Williams’ offensive flair was on full display at the Stinger Cup, where he chipped in on the score sheet in all kinds of ways – most notably, driving to the net.
Williams measures in at 5-11, meaning he’s not going to be the tallest guy on the ice. But his relentless pressure on the forecheck and ability to drive to the dirty areas separates his game from the rest of the pack.
“You watch him on the ice, he’s going to be the hardest worker out there,” Fisher said. “In practice, to go against him one-on-one, he’s going to do everything he can to outwork you.”
“I like to play fast. I like to drive the pace forechecking, I think it’s a big part of my game,” Williams said. “For me, just finding pucks loose around the net and the crease is a big objective of mine.”
That scrappiness and drive is what enticed Columbus to sign the undrafted free agent at the end of his college season. Of those eight players from Maine to skate in the NHL, Williams was just the third to debut after going undrafted.
“I think it just gives me a lot of confidence knowing that I can play at that level,” Williams said. “I’ve just been playing with confidence and that hunger in the offseason so far.”
After getting his shot in the NHL, Williams was ready to put in the work to get back there. It was a no-brainer for him to return to the place he credits for making him the player he is today – for the first half of the summer, Williams worked with strength and conditioning coach Dan Boothby in the weight room at Northeastern.
Northeastern is not like Boston College or Boston University, both blue bloods in college hockey with long and rich histories, or even Harvard, a longstanding powerhouse in the ECAC.
“It’s a school where you kind of earn everything that you get,” Williams said. “I think I’m a really good example of that. You can start on the fourth line, but by the time you’re a sophomore, junior, senior, you work your way up.”
Williams is a tangible example of just that. His excitement and eagerness to get back to the NHL is palpable, practically radiating off of him as he fielded questions after his hat trick in the Stinger Cup.
“I saw how hard he worked throughout the year,” Fisher said. “Watching him play that game at the end of the year was special. It put a smile on my face. I was so happy for him.”
Williams will move to Montreal to train with a friend of his before his first NHL training camp. It’s been a year of “firsts” for the forward, which for some might be daunting.
But if there’s anyone that can handle a little pressure or adversity, it’s Williams.
“He worked toward that goal every single day this year,” Fisher said. “It’s just a special thing to see a guy like that (get rewarded) – an undrafted guy who wasn’t really given anything, who had to work for everything. It goes to show him as a person and as a player and his work ethic. It’s special.”
As Williams left Columbus to continue his offseason work, he has a goal in mind. While it’s possible or maybe even likely he begins the season in the AHL as he gets his feet under him at the pro level, like every player, his goal is to make the Blue Jackets have to make a tough decision once training camp begins.
“Honestly, my mentality is just coming into training camp, working as hard as I can and trying to win a spot,” Williams said. “But just showing everybody – all the staff and all the players – what I can do.”
College Sports
Skidmore women’s lacrosse names Makayla Hutchinson Assistant Coach
Story Links SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Skidmore College Women’s Lacrosse program is excited to announce the hiring of Makayla Hutchinson as its new Assistant Coach. “I am beyond excited to welcome Makayla Hutchinson to the Skidmore lacrosse family,” said head coach Elizabeth Ghilardi. “Makayla’s drive, knowledge of the game, and energy will […]

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Skidmore College Women’s Lacrosse program is excited to announce the hiring of Makayla Hutchinson as its new Assistant Coach.
“I am beyond excited to welcome Makayla Hutchinson to the Skidmore lacrosse family,” said head coach Elizabeth Ghilardi. “Makayla’s drive, knowledge of the game, and energy will be a fantastic addition to our program and culture.”
Hutchinson brings with her five years of Division I playing experience, competing at Central Connecticut State University before finishing her career at George Mason University, where she utilized her NCAA COVID-eligible fifth year. Known for her competitive edge and leadership, she made an immediate transition into coaching, taking on roles with PRIDE Lacrosse Club and South Lakes High School (VA), where she coached at the varsity level.
At Skidmore, Hutchinson will focus primarily on the defensive side of the ball, bringing fresh perspective and innovation to the Thoroughbreds’ unit. Her strong interest in statistics and analytics will play a key role in practice planning and in-game adjustments, helping to elevate both player development and team strategy.
“Makayla’s passion for data, creativity on the field, and commitment to growth make her a great fit for where our program is headed,” said Ghilardi.
Makayla will officially join the Thoroughbreds in September, just as the team begins preparations for the 2025 season.
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