NEW ORLEANS, La. – Three members of the St. Olaf College men’s and women’s track and field teams were officially named All-Americans by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association on Wednesday following their performances at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships last week.

Senior Alison Bode, junior Ignatius Fitzgerald, and junior Kevin Turlington were honored in the USTFCCCA’s announcement, with Bode earning first-team honors, while Fitzgerald and Turlington were second-team honorees. The top-eight finishers in their respective individual events and relays collected first-team accolades, while those who finished ninth through 16th individually or ninth through 12th as part of a relay were second-team honorees.

Bode secured her third consecutive All-America accolade in the 10,000-meter run by finishing seventh with a school-record time of 34:54.92 in Geneva, Ohio last week. The All-America accolade was the fourth of Bode’s career overall, as she placed 34th nationally in cross country this past fall in addition to the three 10K honors. Her seventh-place finish was the highest by an Ole in the event since Emma Lee ’13 was sixth in 2013.

Competing in his first national track and field meet, Fitzgerald finished ninth in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (9:08.67) to land his first All-America accolade. The junior’s performance marked the second year in a row St. Olaf has had an All-American in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, as Will Kelly ’24 was fourth in 2024.

Turlington collected his third All-America accolade of his junior year by placing 11th in the 5,000-meter run (14:23.51). The 11th-place showing matched his national finish in the event indoors earlier this season. Turlington was also 23rd in cross country in the fall, as he became the fifth Ole to earn All-America accolades in cross country, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field in the same academic year.

 

Waterville, Maine – Colby College is excited to announce the selection of Sean Elvert, a multi-faceted and accomplished professional in the soccer industry with a history of success as a player, assistant coach, and head coach, as the new leader of its men’s soccer program.  He becomes the fourth coach of the men’s soccer program since 1975.
 
“I’m honored and grateful to lead this dynamic Colby team,” said Elvert, “and I am thankful to Amanda DeMartino and the search committee for their trust and support. The last three years with Scott Palguta at a program as distinguished as Colorado College has prepared me well for the opportunity and I couldn’t be more excited to help shape the future of Colby men’s soccer.”
 
Colby competes in the highly competitive New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC), a conference that saw eight member institutions selected for the 2024 NCAA Division III tournament, with three advancing to the Final Four.
 
Elvert comes to Colby from Colorado College where he served as an assistant coach from 2022-2025.  He helped guide the Tigers to a 22-0-5 record in the SCAC conference over his three seasons with back-to-back NCAA Division III tournament appearances, advancing all the way to the Elite Eight in 2023.  Colorado College held a 13-game unbeaten streak in 2022 and in their most recent season maintained an NCAA top-10 ranking for the entirety all the way from preseason through the tournament.
 
Elvert also had a remarkably successful career as a leader in the net during his time as a student-athlete at Loras College, guiding the Duhawks to four conference championships and two trips to the NCAA Division III Final Four. Entering into the coaching realm, Elvert held assistant stints at Ohio Northern and Bluffton Universities before landing the head coaching role at Bluffton, guiding the Beavers to their first winning season in 30 years. 
 
Elvert has also been active in the junior ranks, guiding Colorado’s top youth players for Arsenal Colorado and Real Colorado in the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL).
 
“We are incredibly excited to welcome Sean to Mayflower Hill,” said Amanda V. DeMartino, the Harold Alfond Director of Athletics.  “The search committee was impressed with the combination of his high level playing and coaching experience, his passion for Division III athletics and his vision for the next era of Colby men’s soccer.  Sean understands the importance of striving for competitive excellence while providing a stellar student experience.  He has proven to be a talented recruiter yielding high-academic athletes, and his commitment to developing students as both players and people aligns perfectly with our values.”
 
“With a strong foundation in place, I’m thrilled to provide stability and guidance for the program moving forward,” continued Elvert. “We’re well positioned to offer a holistic student-athlete experience rooted in on-field success, and I cannot wait to get started with the Mules.”
 

Bruins

“College — it’s a different level of hockey. It’s harder. It’s not junior hockey. It’s tough to score every given night.”

James Hagens has heard all the noise at this point.

Once crowned as the top player in the 2025 NHL Draft class, the dynamic Boston College forward has seen his stock slip over the last few months.

While Hagens’ consolidated draft ranking on Elite Prospects still has him tabbed as the No. 3 prospect in this group behind defenseman Matthew Schaefer and center Michael Misa, there is some variance as to where the 18-year-old forward could land in the draft order in late June. 

TSN’s Craig Button even went so far as to put Hagens as the No. 8 prospect in the upcoming draft, with forwards with lower ceilings like Brady Martin (No. 6) or injury concerns in Roger McQueen (No. 5) slotted ahead of him.

Such a dip would be a steep drop for Hagens — who entering the 2024-25 collegiate season as the next potential Jack Hughes.

But Hagens’ murky stock could also offer the slim hope that a Bruins team starved for elite offensive talent could potentially have the Long Island native in their crosshairs next month with the No. 7 pick.

“I love Boston,” Hagens said on Tuesday. “Being at Boston College, we’re right in the middle of Boston there. So it’s a beautiful city. Only great things to say about it. I love it there.”

For all of the discourse surrounding Hagens and the tape he submitted as a freshman at Boston College, the young forward was candid about the performance he put forward in the collegiate ranks this winter.

“I thought I had a great season. You’re playing against guys that are 25, 24 years old every night. It’s tough,” Hagens said. “It’s hard hockey, but I’m super grateful to be able to have the year that I was able to have with the group of guys that we did have.”

Hagens closed out his first season in college hockey with 37 points (11 goals, 26 assists) in 37 games. 

That stat line pales in comparison to the production orchestrated by other potential top-10 selections like Misa (62 goals, 134 points in 65 games in the OHL) or Jake O’Brien (32 goals, 98 points in 66 games in the OHL).

But the quality of competition in college hockey — especially in Hockey East — is far more daunting than what phenoms like Misa and Co. feasted on in the Canadian Junior ranks.

Still, scouts were likely expecting a No. 1 pick like Hagens to mimic the standout collegiate seasons orchestrated by other generational freshmen talents like Jack Eichel (71 points in 40 games), Adam Fantilli (65 points in 36 games), and Macklin Celebrini (64 points in 38 games) over the last decade. 

But even if a point-per-game pace might be deemed as underwhelming for a player of Hagens’ caliber, he has few regrets over his play at Chestnut Hill. 

“I love making plays,” Hagens said of his approach on the ice. “I love being able to find a guy back door, that’s something that I feel like is a big part of my game, my whole entire career.  So I wouldn’t say that I ever deflect away from shooting the puck. I know when to shoot and when to pass. 

“Just something that really helps take my game [to] the next level is the way I’m able to kind of find other guys. … College — it’s a different level of hockey. It’s harder. It’s not junior hockey. It’s tough to score every given night. It’s low-scoring games. You have to work to score goals.”

Beyond his play at the college level, Hagens’ track record speaks for itself. 

Hagens closed out his tenure with the U.S. National Team Development Program with 102 points in 58 games in 2023-24. 

That same season, Hagens set a new scoring record at the 2024 World U18 Championships with 22 points (nine goals, 13 assists) in just seven games, breaking the previous record set by Nikita Kucherov. 

In an NHL that now relies heavily on skating and skill, Hagens brings it every single time he hops over the boards — with the forward citing Patrick Kane, John Tavares, and Logan Cooley among those he models his game after. 

But talent evaluators still have some qualms about whether or not Hagens’ size or play style can translate to the NHL, at least as it pertains to him being a legitimate franchise talent. 

“At BC, he had stretches this season where he was hard to notice at even strength and had too many games where he was invisible,” The Athletic’s Corey Pronman wrote this week of Hagens. “He struggled to consistently get to the inside against bigger college defenders. He also struggled to score goals this season. 

“At barely 5-foot-11 and without a physical edge, his profile becomes harder to project as a top-line NHL center who you can win with. His compete level is decent and looked good at the World Juniors, but I wouldn’t call it a standout trait.”

As tantalizing as Hagens’ skillset is, there is a reason why physical forwards like Martin are starting to see their stock soar at this point on the NHL calendar as GMs and other evaluators start projecting how these 2025 forwards could fit into their lineup. 

With the NHL scouting combine set to commence in less than a week, Hagens is looking to dispel some of the narratives surrounding his game once he’s able to meet face-to-face with teams in Buffalo.

“I’m just trying to explain just how high my compete level is at the combine,” Hagens said. “I’m getting ready to show that with all the tests. I love winning. I will do anything to win. Something that’s helped me get to the point where I am today is just how hard I’ve been able to work my whole life. 

“Nothing’s ever come easy. I’ve had to work for everything that I’ve ever gotten before, and that’s something I’m super grateful for. That’s something that’s just within my family, something that I was raised up, taught from my parents and my coaches. So, going into those meetings just really expressing how hard I compete, and how badly I want to be on a team and hopefully win a Stanley Cup one day.”

Hagens would not be the first blue-chip prospect to sink down the draft leaderboard. It would be a welcome sight for a team like the Bruins — who would seemingly tune out any of those shortcomings in his game if Hagens realizes his potential as a legitimate top-line pivot in the coming years. 

Even if Hagens isn’t exactly a carbon copy of Jack Hughes, an offensively-deficient team like Boston would welcome a scenario where Hagens develops into another Clayton Keller (90 points in 81 games with Utah this past season). 

Hagens sporting the spoked-B still stands as wishful thinking.

Even if he slips past teams like Chicago (No. 3 overall) or Utah (No. 4), teams starved for young talent down the middle like Nashville (No. 5) or Philadelphia (No. 6) would likely do somersaults in their draft war room if Hagens dropped down the order.

But regardless of where he lands on June 27, Hagens is embracing the twists and turns that await in the lead-up to the draft.

“Getting drafted has been my dream my whole entire life,” Hagens said. “That’s why I started playing hockey. That’s why I still play. But I’m really just grateful for everything right now. The noise will always be there, but you just have to make sure you’re living in the moment and taking it day by day.”

 

Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.

It was an emotional evening of celebration and reflection as Luzerne County Community College’s Dental Hygiene program honored the class of 2025 during its annual pinning and recognition ceremony, and bid a heartfelt farewell to a beloved educator.

After an extraordinary 41-year career, Julie Cleary, professor of dental hygiene, celebrated her final ceremony before retirement. Held at the Educational Conference Center on the LCCC Main Campus in Nanticoke, the event recognized the achievements of both first-year and graduating dental hygiene students, while paying tribute to Cleary’s decades of service and mentorship.

The program included the presentation of first-year pins to students completing their initial year of study, graduate pins to the Class of 2025, recognition of class officers, the awarding of Dental Hygiene honors, and the recitation of the Dental Hygiene Pledge. But the highlight of the evening was a moving tribute to Julie Cleary, whose dedication and passion have left a lasting impact on generations of students.

Cleary reflected on her career with gratitude and emotion.

“This has been such a good ride,” she shared. “I’ve worked with amazing students, staff, and faculty. Everyone here at the college has been incredible, and I truly appreciate every moment.”

Over the years, Cleary witnessed tremendous growth in the program and the profession.

“Technology has advanced, especially with digital imaging,” she said. “There’s a greater understanding now of the oral-systemic link in healthcare. It’s rewarding to see how dental hygiene has evolved and how our program has kept pace.”

Cleary’s influence has helped LCCC’s Dental Hygiene program become one of the most respected in the state, boasting a 98% first-time pass rate on the national board exam for the past 36 years and a 100% pass rate since 2015 on an additional written exam.

When asked what she’ll miss most, she didn’t hesitate.

“The students — always the students,” she said with a smile. “Watching them grow has been the best part of this job.”

Class President Bryna Soriano of the Class of 2025 delivered heartfelt remarks, thanking the faculty and recognizing the journey she and her classmates shared.

“We’ve worked so, so hard,” Soriano said. “This program has been about more than just academics — it’s been about life. We’ve gone through haircuts, homes, breakups, car troubles, and so much more. We’ve learned, grown, and leaned on each other. We’ll carry these memories with us forever.”

She closed her speech with encouragement to her peers:

“Whether it’s national boards, future jobs, or personal goals — we’re ready. And to the future classes: you will feel just as confident as we do. Everything happens for a reason. When opportunity knocks, answer it.”

Although retiring from her full-time role, Cleary hopes to remain involved in the program she helped build.

“Maybe I’ll teach a course here and there,” she said. “And I’ll keep in touch — I have all their emails!”

The legacy Julie Cleary leaves behind is not just in the curriculum, the awards, or the program’s high success rate — it’s in the lives and careers of the hundreds of dental hygienists she helped mold. And as the Class of 2025 moves forward into their professional journeys, they do so with her guidance, passion, and spirit carried in their hearts.

– Staff Report