GLASSBORO, NJ – Rowan University introduced new director of athletics Shawn Tucker today as University president Dr. Ali Houshmand, provost Tony Lowman and Board of Trustees member Joe Cosgrove led the event that welcomed Tucker and his family to the campus community.

Tucker comes to Glassboro after serving as Rutgers’ vice president for Athletic Development, where led a comprehensive fundraising program that supports athletics’ priorities through engagement and stewardship.

Tucker thanked Houshmand, Lowman and Cosgrove, as well as the members of the search committee. “This entire process has been first class from the beginning… I stand here before you just very proud to be a Rowan Prof.”

Tucker recognized the tremendous success of Rowan’s programs, which includes 34 conference championships since 2019, and particularly the current spring sports teams. The Profs’ softball and baseball teams are competing in the NCAA Super Regionals this week and are one step away from the College World Series in their respective sports. The men’s and women’s track teams will have 27 student-athletes competing in this weekend’s NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships while the women’s lacrosse team set a school record for victories and advanced to the NCAA round of 16.

Speaking to a crowd of more than 200 student-athletes and Rowan well-wishers, Tucker spoke of what attracted him to Rowan and what he expects in the future. 

“There were numerous boxes for me, checked for ‘why Rowan’… From my initial conversations with Rowan officials, coaches and student-athletes, it was abundantly clear that Rowan University not only desires to be a premier destination for academics and elite athletics, but there’s an internal drive to be a national leader, one of one, across all disciplines,” Tucker said.

“I love the conference championships— (winning) Super Regionals, is a job well done. But the mindset that we’re going to have here is national championships.” Tucker continued, “You need an athletics department filled with high achieving, relentlessly pursuing, integral professionals and student-athletes who are determined to put forth their very best, day in and day out, to execute on that very vision. You need a Rowan community of alumni, donors, parents, friends of this beloved institution growing together to reach each milestone along this success journey.”

He played an instrumental role in securing a $15 million gift—the largest in Rutgers University Athletics history. Tucker planned and managed a campaign that raises approximately $20 million annually through engaging nearly 75,000 Rutgers supporters, including multiple seven-figure gifts and corporate opportunities. He also worked directly with NIL partners and the corporate sponsorship team to increase brand visibility and direct student funding for more than 700 student-athletes. 

Tucker joined the Rutgers athletics administrative team in April 2010 as assistant director of student-athlete development. His most significant achievement was the development and launch of the Rutgers Leadership Academy (RLA). 

Through programming and counseling, RLA helps support student-athletes at Rutgers with valuable information and tools to guide decision-making in critical life-shaping areas such as career choice, personal enrichment, leadership, community and civic engagement and professional growth. 

Through RLA, his team offered specialized programs and career, leadership and personal enrichment events for more than 650 student-athletes annually.

Earlier in his career, as associate athletic director of student-athlete development at Rutgers, he also oversaw the Rutgers Athletics Internship Program and helped launch R Care—a program dedicated to providing a comprehensive care and communication system in the areas of academic support, sports medicine, sports performance and the RLA. He had staff oversight in the areas of career enrichment, leadership training, personal development and community engagement.

Between his two most recent appointments at Rutgers, Tucker, from 2018-2022, served as associate vice president and director of Athletics at New Jersey City University. There, he led the transformation of its athletic department, doubling the number of athletics programs to 24 and tripling the number of student athletes.

He also increased private and corporate giving which supported the Rising Knight Institute for student success. Under his leadership, facilities were improved and the department’s operational budget increased by more than 100 percent.

Tucker’s appointment comes at a pivotal time for Rowan, a top 100 public research university that has doubled enrollment over the past decade and is ranked as the third fastest growing research university in the nation. During this time of great transformation, Rowan Athletics has grown to become one of the most successful DIII athletic programs in the nation.

Rowan competes in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC), offering 18 programs. The University has captured 26 NJAC team championships and has had 19 appearances in the NCAA Championships in the last five years. Last year, it was ranked 21st nationally in the Learfield Division III Directors Cup. Rowan Athletics earned its fourth consecutive NJAC cup in 2023-24, making it the most successful program in the NJAC five times over the past six years.

Tucker comes to Rowan after the retirement of Dr. John Giannini, who was athletic director from 2020-2024. Longtime athletic department leaders Penny Kempf and Gabby Lisella served as co-directors during the national search for the new director.

As a former standout wide receiver and team captain for Rutgers Football, Tucker will bring a unique perspective and passion for athletics to Rowan. He was a four-year letter winner and three-year starter for Rutgers and was a key member of two bowl squads, including the 2006 Texas Bowl champions. Tucker earned three Preseason All-BIG EAST honors and had 115 receptions for 1,559 yards and four touchdowns in his career.

Tucker earned a master’s degree in City & Regional Planning from the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers. He earned a pair of Bachelor of Arts degrees in Geography & Labor Studies from Rutgers.

Tucker was joined at the event by his wife, Mary, and sons, Miguel, Javier and Mario. He will officially begin his post at Rowan on June 16th.

 

 

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – For the second week in a row, Tennessee volleyball landed another big-time offensive player through the transfer portal, as 2024 American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year Sydney Jones announced her decision to join the Lady Vols.
 
“We believe Sydney has a world of potential,” head coach Eve Rackham Watt said. “She has great physicality at the net, can play on either pin and has been a primary passer. Our staff is looking forward to helping Sydney develop on Rocky Top, as she builds off a great freshman season.”
 
An outside/opposite hitter for Temple in 2024, Jones compiled 369.5 points, 324 kills, 209 digs, 35 aces and 17 blocks during her first season of collegiate volleyball. She ranked third overall in the AAC for aces (0.39) and kills (3.60) per set and was fourth in points per set at 4.11.
 
The All-AAC Second Team selection recorded double-digit kills in 19 matches and reached 20 or more kills on three occasions, including a career-high 25 against Binghamton on Oct. 9. Her 35 aces marked the second most by an Owl during the 25-point rally scoring era, and she recorded a season-best five aces against Charlotte on Nov. 17.
 
Defensively, Jones finished third on the team with her 209 digs, helping solidify Temple’s back row defense. She netted 10 or more digs in 10 matches, with nine of those going for double-doubles as well.
 

Jones attended Haverford Senior High School in her hometown of Havertown, Pennsylvania. She eclipsed more than 1,000 kills during her prep career and played club ball with Synergy VB. She was also a track & field star at her high school, competing in the high jump.
 
Tennessee added three hitters in this portal class, as Jones joins All-Big 12 honoree Brynn Williams and All-CUSA selection Starr Williams. The Lady Vols bolstered the defense with libero Gülce Güçtekin and middle blocker Zoë Humphrey.

Three University of Northern Colorado track and field athletes qualified for an NCAA regional outdoor meet with the end of the regular season last weekend.

Men’s sprinter and hurdler Jerome Campbell and sprinter Zander Cruzan, and women’s jumper Kiana Van Haaren will compete in the Division I West First-Round or regional meet May 28-31 at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas.

Campbell, a junior from Jamaica, qualified in the 100 meters and the 110-meter hurdles, continuing his strong track and field seasons dating to last year’s outdoor performances.

Cruzan, a freshman sprinter from Cortez, will run the 400 meters. Van Haaren, a junior from New Braunfels, Texas, will be in the long jump. New Braunfels is about 2 1/2 hours southwest of College Station.

Last year, four UNC athletes qualified for the west regional meet: Campbell, middle distance runners Jesse Hayward and Regina Mpigachai and women’s sprinter Alexia Austin.

The top 48 athletes in each individual event through the conference championships qualify for the east and west regional meets, which are the first round of NCAA qualifying. The top 24 teams in each relay also compete at first-round meets.

The East First-Round meet will be held May 28-31 at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, Florida.

Qualifying athletes from the regional meets advance to the NCAA Outdoor Championships on June 11-14 at the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon.

Campbell, 22, reached the NCAAs in Oregon last year in the 110-meter hurdles. He finished seventh.

Though he qualified for first-round meets in two events this spring, UNC coach Wayne Angel said Campbell has until May 25 to decide if he’ll compete in both at Texas A&M. There are only 20 minutes between the start times of the 100 and 110 hurdles quarterfinals races May 30. The events’ first-round races are scheduled to start an hour apart on the first day May 28.

In the 100 meters, Campbell is tied for 17th among west regional qualifiers with a season-best time of 10.16 seconds. He recorded the time May 3 at Colorado State. Campbell ranks 11th in the west in the 110-meter hurdles. His best time this year is 13.43 seconds, set last weekend at the Big Sky Conference Championships in Sacramento, California.

He won the 100 and 110-meter hurdles at the conference meet.

Cruzan ranks 40th at 45.97 seconds among 400-meter runners in the west region. Cruzan ran the time in early April at the University of Arizona in Tucson. He won the 400 in 46.42 seconds at the Big Sky championships on the way to earning honors as the men’s co-freshman of the year.

Van Haaren’s season-best, school-record jump of 20-feet, 9 ¼ inches places her 21st in the west region. She hit the distance earlier this month at Colorado State’s Doug Max Invitational, breaking her own school record. Van Haaren jumped 20-9 for a UNC record in late April at the University of Oregon.

Van Haaren finished third in the long jump at the Big Sky Conference meet last week. Her best jump there was 20-3 ¾.

STARKVILLE – Following the SEC Outdoor Championships, Rémi Rougetet, Marie Rougetet, Abdullahi Hassan and Ramat Jimoh were named to the All-SEC teams.

Athletes are selected for the All-SEC teams based on their event finish at the conference championships. With a top-three finish, athletes are then named to the first, second or third All-SEC teams.

Rémi Rougetet took home the title in the javelin with a massive personal best of 80.49m. Rougetet was named to the SEC first team with his win and was the third Bulldog to win the event since 2018.

Marie Rougetet was named to the second team after her runner-up finish in the hammer. Her throw of 66.50m in the fifth round was a personal best and improved her program and freshman record in the event.

Abdullahi Hassan earned second-team honors after earning second place in the 800m with 1:45.64. He is now a two-time SEC runner-up and All-SEC second team athlete, after finishing in second at both the indoor and outdoor championships.

Ramat Jimoh competed in her first SEC final in a big way, running a personal best of 2:03.64 to finish third. Her time ties for the second fastest in program history, and earns her a spot on the SEC third-team.

For more information on the Mississippi State track and field program, visit HailState.com and follow “HailStateTF” on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Facebook.

 

 

---

Matt Cummings, Noel Ruccio, Joe Andrews, and Liam Warshaw were trailblazers for the Harbormen volleyball program

• Hingham High School’s boys volleyball team, established four years ago, celebrates its second varsity season.
• The team honored seniors Kyle Ruccio, Liam Warshaw, Matt Cummings, and Joe Andrews on Senior Night.
• The seniors have been key to the program’s development and growth.

Four years ago, a group of athletes began a road they hoped would lead to a varsity boys volleyball program at Hingham High School.

After two years competing as an intramural program, that dream came true last year with the first varsity season for the Harbormen netters. They picked up five wins last season and are one victory away from getting to that mark again this year with three matches left to play this week.

Kyle Ruccio, Liam Warshaw, Matt Cummings, and Joe Andrews were recognized for their commitment to the cause on Senior Night before Wednesday’s home game with Scituate High. They left the gym happy after a three-set 25-10, 25-15, 28-26 victory over the Sailors.

Head coach Shawn Nugent praised his senior’s impact with the fledgling program on the court as well as in the locker room. They are the foundation of what he thinks will be more success on the near horizon.

“All four of the seniors have been players, as well as people, that you want to have in your program. They’ve been instrumental in getting this program off the ground,” said Nugent. “Noel and Matt have been with me since the very beginning and have been so important to the development of the program. They both started for me as freshmen. Joe joined us as a sophomore and I finally talked Liam into playing starting his junior year.”

If Nugent ever needed a recruiting video for bringing in new players to the program, Ruccio, Warshaw, Cummings, and Andrews should all be among his very first phone calls. The four seniors shared some memories of their time with the team.

More: ‘Shot that brings you back’: Eye disease can’t stop Plymouth man from sinking hole in one

Andrews – “To help build this from the ground up has been awesome. I wasn’t around for the first season, but I’ve really enjoyed the last three years playing with this team. We have an eighth grader on the team with us this year and I’d love to see volleyball grow at the middle school level so there are more players involved when they get to high school.”

Ruccio – “We are a close team so I’m sad to see my senior season coming to an end. I’m hoping to end the season on a good note.”

Warshaw – “I hopped on the bandwagon last year and playing on this team has been an awesome experience. I’ve had the opportunity to play a lot of sports and I probably love playing volleyball the most if I had to rank them. I just like killing the ball.”

Cummings – “I had no experience at all with volleyball before coming out for the team as a scared freshman. It’s been great to see myself, as well as the volleyball program, grow over the last four years. From someone who knew absolutely nothing about the sport to where I am now, it’s been a great experience. I’d love to see the program continue to grow in the next few years.”

Nugent is excited by the future of the volleyball program. He has a specific goal in mind for the direction of the team.

Said Nugent, “We have a very robust girls volleyball program here at Hingham High and one of my goals is to see the boys program get to that same level of success.”

Hingham finishes the final week of the season at home against North Quincy (Monday) and then Milton (Thursday) before closing things out Friday at New Bedford.

Contact the reporter at dwolcott@wickedlocal and you can follow him on X @DavidWolcott1.