College Sports
Women's Basketball vs UCLA on 4/4/2025
10:00 SUB OUT by DUDLEY,KENDALL SUB OUT by DUDLEY,KENDALL 10:00 SUB OUT by GARDINER,TIMEA SUB OUT by GARDINER,TIMEA 10:00 SUB IN by JONES,LONDYNN SUB IN by JONES,LONDYNN 10:00 SUB IN by DUGALIć,ANGELA SUB IN by DUGALIć,ANGELA 09:42 FOUL by JONES,LONDYNN FOUL by JONES,LONDYNN 09:42 MISS FT by EL ALFY,JANA MISS FT by EL ALFY,JANA — […]
College Sports
University of North Carolina Athletics
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – University of North Carolina women’s lacrosse had eight Tar Heels named All-America by USA Lacrosse, the organization announced on Thursday. Ashley Humphrey, Chloe Humphrey and Brooklyn Walker-Welch were tabbed first team, while Sam Forrest earned second-team honors. Betty Nelson made the third team, and Eliza Osburn, Sophie Student and Olivia Vergano […]
A graduate student from Darien, Conn., Ashley is the top playmaker in the country and a Tewaaraton Award finalist. A four-time All-America, she currently leads the Tar Heels in points with 98, which is tied for seventh nationally, against one of the nation’s toughest schedules. A first-team All-ACC and ACC All-Tournament team member, she’s tallied 70 assists and 28 goals on the year to accumulate her 98 points, despite being face-guarded in numerous games this season. Humphrey’s 70 assists and 3.9 assists per game lead the nation and she only needs four assists to set UNC’s single-season record. Ashley has tallied 238 career assists between Stanford and UNC and only needs nine more to set a new NCAA record (246 by Kylie Ohlmiller, Stony Brook). She is the NCAA’s active leader in assists (238) and assists per game (3.4) and ranks fourth in points per game (4.99).
Chloe, the freshman phenom from Darien, Conn., is widely considered the nation’s most dynamic young attacker, having scored 73 goals to go along with 24 assists for 97 points against one of the nation’s toughest schedules. A Tewaaraton Award finalist, first-team All-ACC and the ACC Tournament MVP, her 73 goals are tied for sixth nationally and her 97 points rank ninth. She only needs two more goals to set the NCAA record for goals by a freshman (74 by Karri Ellen Johnson, Maryland). Chloe has scored five or more goals eight times this season and has tallied hat tricks in 15 of the first 18 games of her collegiate career. She is the main reason UNC ranks second nationally in goals per game at 17.5.
Walker-Welch, a junior defender from Courtice, Ontario, is now a three-time All-America and the general of UNC’s top-ranked defense. A Tewaaraton Award Top 25 Nominee and first-team All-ACC performer, she has collected 23 groundballs this season to go along with 15 caused turnovers for a defense that is allowing just 6.67 goals per game. The Heels 120 goals allowed is by far the fewest in the nation this year. In eight games against some of the nation’s best attackers, Walker-Welch only allowed 10 goals and four assists. In her marquee match-up with Boston College’s Emma LoPinto, she held the attacker averaging 3.6 goals per game to just two goals and an assist.
Forrest, a junior defender from Glastonbury, Conn., is one of the key cogs in Carolina’s top-ranked defense. A Tewaaraton Award Top 25 Nominee and first-team All-ACC honoree, Forrest has tallied 17 groundballs, 15 caused turnovers and four draw controls for a defense that is allowing just 6.67 goals per game. The Heels 120 goals allowed is by far the fewest allowed in the nation this year. Forrest is often assigned UNC opponent’s top scorer and has done a masterful job keeping them in check. Over 10 games against some of the nation’s best attackers, Forrest held them collectively to just 12 goals and 4 assists. Against Boston College’s Rachel Clark, Forrest held the attacker averaging 4.8 goals per game to just five goals over two games.
A redshirt freshman from Littleton, Colo., Nelson has been a stalwart in goal all season. A second-team All-ACC and ACC All-Tournament member, she has played 819 minutes and made 101 saves on 319 shots for a 50.5 save percentage, which ranks fourth nationally. Nelson’s 7.25 goals against average leads the country and her 99 goals allowed are the fewest in the nation. She only allowed 22 goals over three games in the ACC Tournament to help Carolina win the title and claim her spot on the all-tournament team.
Osburn, a freshman from Castle Rock, Colo., has turned in an outstanding freshman season in midfield, earning ACC Freshman of the Year, second-team All-ACC honors and claiming a spot on the ACC All-Tournament team. She has scored 27 goals and dished out five assists for 32 points to support the nation’s second-ranked offense. She’s also tallied 44 draw controls, 11 groundballs and six caused turnovers to assist the country’s top-ranked defense.
A graduate student from Hopkinton, Mass., Student has seen her play flourish in the midfield throughout the spring. A third-team All-ACC performer, Student earned a starting spot in early March after recovering from an injury that caused her to miss 2024 and hasn’t looked back. She’s amassed 31 draw controls, 15 groundballs and four caused turnovers on the year, while assisting the nation’s top-ranked defense. Student was named ACC Co-Defensive Player of the Week after tallying a career-high six groundballs against Boston College.
A West Babylon, N.Y. native, Vergano has been an offensive force for the Tar Heels during her first season in Chapel Hill. A preseason ILWomen Top 20 Impact Transfer, Vergano has been just that, posting 29 goals and 11 assists for 40 points on the season to earn second-team All-ACC honors. The 40 points rank third on the team. In addition, she’s grabbed 10 groundballs, six draw controls and caused one turnover.
USA Lacrosse All-Americas are selected by staff and contributors.
Stay up to date with UNC women’s lacrosse by following the Tar Heels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
College Sports
Mizzou lands SEC gymnast from transfer portal
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Mizzou Gymnastics has made its second splash in the transfer portal this offseason. Arkansas transfer Dakota Essenpries announced that she’s committing to head coach Shannon Welker’s program, per a post on her Instagram page. The Missouri native is heading home, following two seasons with the Razorbacks. The Adrian High School alum was […]
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Mizzou Gymnastics has made its second splash in the transfer portal this offseason.
Arkansas transfer Dakota Essenpries announced that she’s committing to head coach Shannon Welker’s program, per a post on her Instagram page.
The Missouri native is heading home, following two seasons with the Razorbacks. The Adrian High School alum was a vault specialist at Arkansas and was a consistent member of the team’s lineup in that event throughout her career. Essenpries appeared in nine competitions during her freshman campaign, earning a season-best 9.875 on that apparatus. Then, the redshirt sophomore took another leap forward last season, posting her career-high (9.900) on vault and hitting the 9.850-threshold on five different routines over 13 meets.
Essenpries is the second transfer to commit to Mizzou’s 2025 transfer portal class. Illinois transfer Makayla Green, who specializes on the uneven bars, signed with Coach Welker’s team earlier this week.
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College Sports
How the Yankees discovered newest slugger
Ben Rice hits vs. Carlos Rodon at Yankees spring training 2025 Yankees’ catcher-first baseman Ben Rice takes live batting practice vs. Carlos Rodon during the opening workout of pitchers and catchers. NEW YORK – At heart, Ben Rice is a hockey guy. “I was better at hockey for most of my life until high school,’’ […]
Ben Rice hits vs. Carlos Rodon at Yankees spring training 2025
Yankees’ catcher-first baseman Ben Rice takes live batting practice vs. Carlos Rodon during the opening workout of pitchers and catchers.
NEW YORK – At heart, Ben Rice is a hockey guy.
“I was better at hockey for most of my life until high school,’’ said Rice, on a recent afternoon at Yankee Stadium. “I made varsity hockey my freshman year, but I got cut in baseball.’’
In fact, Rice’s NHL dreams preceded anything connected to MLB.
“I was hockey all the way up until baseball turned out to be the best option, to be honest.’’
In a way, ice hockey has a connection in the Yankees’ earliest ties to Rice, during the 2020 COVID year.
Yankees scouting director Damon Oppenheimer took up residence in Malden, Mass., where his son played prep school hockey.
“Those kids who play that sport, they just have a different way,” said Oppenheimer. “There’s a different set of guts that goes with that and it translates over into baseball.”
By the fall of 2020, Rice, who attended Dartmouth, along with some friends from Harvard and UMass had formed an impromptu baseball league in nearby Northborough.
Having already told Yankees’ area scout Matt Hyde that “I’m going to be a pain in the (rear), I need to do things up here,’’ Oppenheimer began watching Rice play catcher and slam college pitching.
“It wasn’t a real huge park’’ at Northborough,’’ said Oppenheimer, who saw Rice “hit so many balls into the bushes that you couldn’t find’’ that he wondered if the Yankees might have to donate buckets of baseballs to keep the league going.
“Damon must have seen him 20 times. We were regulars there,’’ said Hyde. “We ended up calling it ‘The Ben Rice League.’ ’’
Ben Rice’s power: “It was just a different sound off the bat”
Earlier that COVID year, Northeast showcase leagues – including the famed Cape Cod League – were being canceled.
“The only show in town was the Futures Collegiate League,’’ said Hyde, who watched Rice become the league’s MVP during an abbreviated summer schedule.
“If it was tied after nine innings, they’d do a home run hitting contest,’’ said Hyde. “And the Worcester Bravehearts would always send up Ben as their representative.’’
That summer and fall, Hyde grew accustomed to the “real left-handed power’’ Rice possessed, and Oppenheimer was becoming sold, too.
“The physicality stood out,’’ said Oppenheimer. “On top of that he’s a left-handed hitter and the power was there, the impact was really good. You heard it, you saw it.
“And his desire,’’ not just as a hitter, but as a catcher.
When the Ivy League canceled its 2021 spring baseball season, Hyde went to see Rice hit indoors, against his father, who pitched at Brown University.
“He’d take a nice BP, and then his dad would try to get him out and they’d have these competitive at-bats,’’ said Hyde. “It was just a different sound off the bat.’’
Hyde’s instincts were reaffirmed before the 2021 draft, when Rice played for the Braintree White Sox in the independent Cranberry League.
Erik Turgeon, a friend of Hyde’s who played at UConn and made it to Triple-A, texted him: “We’ve got this kid playing for us who’s the best lefty-hitting catcher I’ve ever seen.’’
Rice went to the Yankees in the 12th round, having played just 30 college baseball games.
Yankees’ belief in a young Ben Rice
Hyde was at the Stadium for Rice’s MLB debut last June 18, and they facetimed with Oppenheimer on the field afterward.
“His joy and enthusiasm for being in the big leagues was unbelievable. It kind of put me at ease,’’ said Hyde. “He’s not nervous. He’s really appreciating it, he’s embracing this opportunity.’’
In his 17th MLB game, Rice hit three home runs against the Boston Red Sox, a game Hyde followed on his iPhone during his son’s Little League game.
From that point, Rice batted .109 with a .431 OPS in 33 games, and did not play in the postseason.
Still, “I don’t think you can put a value on that time he spent up there last year where he was able to learn and adjust,’’ said Oppenheimer. “Now, it’s not all foreign to him, so I think, that part is a real big deal.’’
Over the winter, Rice added at least 10 pounds of muscle and regained the Yankees’ attention by barreling pitches throughout the Grapefruit League.
Giancarlo Stanton’s elbow injuries left a void at DH, and Rice, 26, has stepped in with a .904 OPS and eight homers over his first 33 games.
Whether DH, first base or catcher is in Rice’s pinstriped future, his power swing and plate discipline will determine it.
“I think that confidence is part of what makes him successful,’’ said Hyde. “He keeps it simple…and he loves that competition of pitcher vs. hitter, and that challenge drives him to have success.’’
College Sports
Club sports wrap up spring seasons – The Lafayette
The men’s club ice hockey team defeated Kutztown University 4-1 in its senior night game on April 27. (Photo courtesy of Jack Dolan ’25) Aside from Division I sports, 34 club sports teams played and competed for Lafayette College this year. Here are season recaps highlighting seven of them. Men’s ice hockey The men’s ice […]
The men’s club ice hockey team defeated Kutztown University 4-1 in its senior night game on April 27. (Photo courtesy of Jack Dolan ’25)
Aside from Division I sports, 34 club sports teams played and competed for Lafayette College this year. Here are season recaps highlighting seven of them.
Men’s ice hockey
The men’s ice hockey team concluded its season on April 27, defeating Kutztown University 4-1 in a senior night scrimmage that honored Nate Morrissey, Gavin Johns, and captains Jack Dolan and Michael Martirano.
Morrissey opened the scoring with an early goal in the first period. The score remained tied at 1-1 until the third and final period, when Martirano and Johns slotted goals just 22 seconds apart. With seven seconds remaining, Dolan delivered an assist to Johns, securing a 4-1 victory.
“We all played very well in our final game, and it was special for every senior to put points on the board,” Dolan said.
On April 5, the alumni game reunited past and present Lafayette puck players.
“We’ve built relationships with each other, the coaches and the alumni, creating a strong camaraderie,” Dolan added.
Women’s ice hockey
The women’s ice hockey team wrapped up its season in March with an even record of 3-3.
A dominant 6-2 win over Indiana University of Pennsylvania secured the Leopards their first victory since 2020.
“We all couldn’t believe it, we were just really proud of ourselves,” said junior goalie Gigi Rauchut. “That was a really special moment.”
Later in the season, the team delivered a decisive 9-4 win versus Loyola University Maryland. The team then shut out George Mason University 11-0, before falling to Montclair State University in the playoffs.
Running
The running club participated in three races this spring, ranging from 5K distances to a half marathon.
The group’s first race, the March Fourth 5K, was held in Millburn, New Jersey. Junior Anthony Malshyti and freshman Patrick Mayer led the run club to a strong showing, claiming first and second place overall, respectively.
In April, the runners traveled to Philadelphia for the Hot Chocolate Run, where they raced in either a 10K or 15K.
“The crowd in Philly was lively, a lot of the community turned out,” freshman Julia McSharry said.
Their final race, the St. Luke’s Half Marathon and 5K, was held in Allentown.
Baseball
The club baseball team concluded its season over the weekend of April 26-27.
The team hosted the University of Pennsylvania in a doubleheader on Saturday, followed by a road doubleheader against Lehigh University on Sunday. They split both matchups 1-1, finishing the spring season 3-7.
“That was our busiest weekend of games,” sophomore club president Jake Dudas said. “We were all playing for the seniors, trying to rack up wins before they head off.”
Ski and board
From January to March, the ski and board team had a busy schedule of competitions.
The team took on five regular-season competitions before advancing to the postseason, which included regionals and nationals.
The men’s and women’s freestyle teams, men’s alpine squad and the snowboard team all qualified and competed in nationals, held at Mount Bachelor in Oregon from March 10-15.
Senior Lindsay Correll has dedicated four years to the team, serving as president this past year. She will be handing over the presidency to junior Jack Blackmar.
“A lot of my closest friendships and best memories at Lafayette have come from the ski team,” Correll said. “Closing this chapter is definitely bittersweet.”
Equestrian
The equestrian team concluded its season in March after participating in three regular-season shows, followed by regionals for sophomores Ava Gustafson and Nora Kelly and junior Daly Gibson. The team finished second in the regional standings.
Senior president Emma Sylvester will be passing her role on to freshman Benjamin Morris.
“Being president was no easy feat, though it was rewarding getting to work with my friends and watch them succeed,” Sylvester shared. “The team is in great hands next year,” she added.
Women’s volleyball
The women’s club volleyball team capped off its season with a tournament at Rider University, earning a spot in the semifinals after a victory against Monmouth University.
“That was an unexpected win for us,” freshman middle Joanna Rudenberg said. “We had a shaky start to the tournament, and we weren’t working well as a family, but we eventually found our rhythm.”
Disclaimer: Photo Editor Emma Sylvester ’25 is a member of the equestrian team. She did not contribute writing.
College Sports
Mizzou Gymnastics Adds Promising Transfer; The Buzz, Friday, May 9, 2025
Missouri gymnastics added a new athlete with Dakota Essenpries, who is transferring from Arkansas. The incoming junior will have two years of eligibility remaining. Essenpries represents an exciting addition to an already talented Missouri squad. Her decision to be a Tiger is also a homecoming, as she is from Adrian, Mo. She will focus on […]
Missouri gymnastics added a new athlete with Dakota Essenpries, who is transferring from Arkansas. The incoming junior will have two years of eligibility remaining.
Essenpries represents an exciting addition to an already talented Missouri squad. Her decision to be a Tiger is also a homecoming, as she is from Adrian, Mo.
She will focus on vault, an event she specialized on at Arkansas. Essenpries performs a Yurchenko 1.5 and with it, she logged a 9.850 or higher on five occasions. Her National Qualifying Score in 2025 was a 9.845.
Essenpries earned her career high, 9.900, on vault in the second round of the Penn State Regional this year, which tied her for second place in the event.
Essenpries joins Missouri at an ideal time, as the Tigers are losing seniors Amari Celestine and Jocelyn Moore. Both Celestine and Moore regularly competed on vault for the Tigers, so Essenpries can look to fill the gap.
None.
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𝑶𝒇𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 a Tiger
Join us in welcoming distance runner Suzy Lecourte to the program!
800m: 2:09
1500m: 4:26
3000m: 9:30
5k: 16:18#MIZpic.twitter.com/YMlVXbPPBX
— Mizzou Track & Field (@MizzouTFXC) May 8, 2025
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Bishop Bambera comments on election of Cardinal Robert F. Prevost as new pope
SCRANTON — The Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, released the following statement on the election of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, as the new pope, who has chosen the papal name Leo XIV: “Today is a day of great joy and thanksgiving in the life of the Church as we welcome a […]
SCRANTON — The Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, released the following statement on the election of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, as the new pope, who has chosen the papal name Leo XIV:
“Today is a day of great joy and thanksgiving in the life of the Church as we welcome a new Successor to the See of St. Peter.
“I invite all the faithful of the Diocese of Scranton to join me in fervently praying for our new Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, who has been chosen today by the College of Cardinals as the 267th Pope.
“While the election of Pope Leo XIV is historic as the first North American to be elected pope, his vast missionary experience of walking among the poor and serving those on the margins with humility, will serve him well as he echoes Christ’s call of going forth and making disciples of all nations to all people.
“With this selection, I believe the Cardinals have recognized the vibrancy, faithfulness and strength of the Church in the United States. For generations, American Catholics have sought to embrace the Gospel with compassion — and having a shepherd chosen from among us is both humbling and affirming. It also speaks to the goodness that has grown in the church of North America — a goodness bearing fruit in service and evangelization.
“We entrust Pope Leo XIV to the care of the Holy Spirit. May his heart be open to divine guidance, and may he be filled with strength, wisdom, courage, insight and compassion for the great responsibility that lies before him.
“This is a beautiful moment for our Church to show its unity. Let us remain united in prayer — and especially hope — in the weeks and months ahead as the 2025 Jubilee Year continues.”
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