Owl Notebook

Fall Season Recap

Keene State fall athletic teams treated their fans to a 2009 season filled with memorable moments.

Earning a share of the Little East Conference regular-season championship, the Keene State field hockey team (18-6, 11-2 LEC), saw its string of five consecutive LEC tournament titles come to an end with a 3-2 overtime loss to UMass-Dartmouth in the finals. The Owls accepted a bid to the ECAC tournament and were upset by Plymouth State (3-2) in the first round. Two seniors, forward Carly Benning and back Erin Dallas, earned NFHCA All-America honors and were named LEC Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year, respectively.

Owl men's and women's soccer teams each captured LEC regular-season crowns before coming up short in the tournament. After losing a heart-breaker (1-0) to Eastern Conn. in the LEC finals, the Owl women (16-6-3, 6-0-1 LEC) regrouped and won the ECAC New England tournament with an upset win over Brandeis in a game decided by penalty kicks (4-2). KSC sophomore goalkeeper Megan Dempsey, who registered her third-straight shutout in the tournament, was named Most Valuable Player.

Bouncing back from a disappointing 2008 campaign, the KSC men's soccer team finished its season with a 13-7 (6-1 LEC) record. The Owls also were victim to the upset bug, losing a semifinal game to UMass-Dartmouth (2-1, OT).

After a three-year absence, the Keene State men's cross-country team returned to the NCAA Championship, where they placed 29th. The Owls earned the berth with a strong third-place finish at the New England regional race. Looking to earn All-America honors in his final trip to the nationals, senior Jared Samuel was the top finisher for the Owls, finishing 63rd (26:37) on the 8K course.

The Keene State women, who earlier in the season captured their 10^th-straight LEC championship, were represented at the NCAA meet by Paige Mills. Succumbing to injuries, the sophomore finished in 160th place. Following the season, Coach Peter Thomas was named both LEC men's and women's Coach of the Year, while Mills was selected as women's Runner of the Year.

The Keene State women's volleyball team (18-17, 4-3) came up short in their bid to defend their LEC title. Senior setter Jordan Pokryfki concluded her standout career as the Owls all-time assist (4,598) leader.

Grant Earns Academic All-America Honors

Keene State's Jacyln Grant has been named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District women's soccer team. She is the first Owl women's soccer player to receive the honor. The senior back from Newington, Connecticut, anchored a stingy Owl defense that allowed just four goals in Little East play, and she has excelled in the classroom as an elementary education major.

Keene State Captures Fourth Consecutive Women's LEC Swim Title

The Keene State College women's swimming and diving team dominated the 2009 Little East Conference Championships, winning all 16 events, breaking 12 meet records and five school records as well as posting a number of NCAA provisional times in the process. The win gives the Owls their fourth LEC title in a row and their seventh overall in the 11 years it has been awarded.

Freshman Kaila Umbarger took the meet and school record in the 50 free with a great NCAA provisional time of 23.74.

Seniors Jackie Foster and Alea Paddock each were triple winners that afternoon. Foster took home the 1650 free (17:33.63), the 200 free (1:58.08), and the 500 free (5:13.65) in her final LEC Championship meet. The 1650 time is a new KSC record, bettering her own time by nearly two seconds and making NCAA provisional standards. Paddock won the 200 breast (2:28.70), the 200 IM (2:16.04), and the 100 breast (1:08.72).

Senior Krissy Trutor and sophomore Maureen O'Leary each grabbed two victories and two NCAA provisional marks that day. Trutor won the 200 back (2:08.30) and the 100 back (58.50), while O'Leary grasped the top spot and school records in the 200 fly (2:11.34) and the 100 fly (58.15).

Sophomore Jillian Whitaker swam to meet and school records in the 100 free.

The Owls won the 200 medley relay (147.71) with another NCAA provisional time and the 400 free relay (340.80) to round out the swimming events.

In the diving events, junior Rachel Battis took home the one-meter diving crown, while freshman Jaclyn Rando earned first-place in the three-meter diving event.

Owls Hit Milestones

It's been a year of milestones for Keene State men's and women's basketball teams. Owl coaches Keith Boucher and Rob Colbert each reached a landmark in their careers, while KSC senior guard Kristin Degou became the 16th women's basketball player to join the 1,000-point-career club.

Boucher reached the 300-career-win milestone with the Owls 54-49 victory over UMass-Dartmouth on Sat., January 16.

No one has served longer on the Keene State bench than Boucher, who has led the Owls to five post-season appearances during his 21-year tenure, including an NCAA Division II berth his first season in 1989-90 and a Division III tournament trip in 2006-07.

Colbert won his 200th game with the Owls 86-78 victory over UMass-Boston on January 23.

Under Colbert's direction, the Owls have enjoyed unprecedented success. During his 11-year tenure, Keene State has not only made nine post-season appearances and claimed four conference regular-season titles, but the Owls have captured a first-ever LEC championship and a trip to the NCAA Elite-Eight in 2004 and advanced to the Sweet-16 in 2007.

Degou scored her 1,000th career points with her 20-point performance in Keene State's 68-44 win over Goucher College at the Grand Canyon Classic in late December. A Little East first-team member last season, Degou is among the conference leaders in several categories, including scoring and three-point field goal percentage. A talented all-round player on the court, the Newbury, Mass., native also excels in the classroom as a District Academic All-American majoring in biology.

Owls Announce Team of the Decade

The 2003-04 KSC men's hoop team, which captured the program's first Little East Conference championship and advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament, received 207 first-place votes in the poll conducted on the College's athletic web page.

The 2008-09 men's swim team, which placed third in the ECAC Division III championship and won a first-ever NEISDA title, was second with 57 first-place votes. The NEISDA and LEC champion 2008-09 women's swim team was third with 100 first-place votes.

The 2003-04 Keene State men's basketball team did something no other team has ever done: qualify for the NCAA tournament. But the Owls didn't stop there. KSC advanced to the Elite Eight by racing past Babson College (79-55) and shocking third-ranked Rochester (82-79), before having its dream season end in the regional finals with a 79-64 loss to Williams College.

Posting a 25-6/13-1 LEC record, Keene State won both Little East regular season and tournament championships. The Owls defeated rival Plymouth State (79-67) to win its first LEC crown. Keene State finished 18th in the final D3hoops national poll.

Almost 650 votes were received in the poll.

If you're anxious to vote in the next KSC Team of the Decade poll, you'll have to wait until 2020.

40th Anniversary of Women's Basketball Celebration!

There was a women's basketball "homecoming" at Keene State College's Spaulding Gym on Saturday, January 23, as former Owl players returned to the court they called home during their four years here for the 40-year celebration of the sport at the College.

Over 50 former players and four coaches representing the four decades of intercollegiate Owl women's basketball were in attendance for the event that was culminated by a parade of players at halftime of KSC's game against UMass-Boston. Teammates walked hand in hand as their names were read to a cheering crowd. Each player and coach represented a page of Keene State athletic history.

Back in the stands, players got a chance to catch up with teammates and reminisce about their days wearing the red and white of Keene State. "It's very exciting to come back see some of my teammates," said Laura Bennett Kules '92, Keene State's all-time leading scorer and rebounder. "I told my dad on the way here that coming to Keene State was one of the best things I ever did."

"I had four great years at Keene State. I wouldn't trade them for anything," said Megan Jalbert Kivela '00.

Several of the players returned with husbands, partners, and baskets full of children. "I got to show my children where I played," beamed Nicole Fargione Cornell '02.

Noted for their marksmanship behind the arc while playing at KSC, Fred Fieldhouse '01 and Hayley Alaimo Fieldhouse '03 were on hand, along with their six-month-old son Ty. Asked if Ty was going to going to grow up and be a record-breaking three-point shooter like his parents, a smiling Haley responded, "He'd better or he's in trouble."

For some players, a walk on the court was like a walk down memory lane. "It was very nostalgic," said Michelle Ziegler Bennett '90. "It was a little overwhelming. I could see myself alone in the gym practicing."

"We're sitting in the stands watching the women's game and just remembering what it was like when we were here," said Stephanie Nostrand Herlihy '73. "The game is a lot more competitive and the uniforms are much nicer."

Past coaches like Kay Saucier '64, Chuck Sweeney '74, MEd '79, and John Lemieux got a chance to reconnect with their former players and talk about their role in building the program.

"It's a gift to come back and see my players," said Saucier, who began the program in 1969-70.

"I feel good that a few of my players got inducted in the KSC Hall of Fame and became 1,000-point scorers," said Sweeney. "When you see that, you know you recruited the right players."

"It's great to catch up and share the memories, but also to see what they've done," said Lemieux, who led the Owls to a pair of ECAC Division II championships. "One of the reasons people coach is to give their players some knowledge about the game or life before they move on. I hope I did that with my players."

The lessons and the history of the day weren't lost on the participants. "I'm here with people that were really important to me when I was a young adult," said Chris Landry '79. "It's nice to see the young women here who are reaping the benefits of the people that came before them."

"It was awesome seeing the long line of players who put in the hard work and commitment that it takes to play at the collegiate level," said Bri Barnes '07. "It's a really proud moment for me."

"It was a special and very humbling experience, because the people that were here basically built the foundation of the program," said current coach Keith Boucher. "My players heard all the stories about the past teams and now they were able to put a face to those names. They're the present right now, but some day they're going to be the past."

Keene State Raises $1,500 for Elwell Scholarship

Keene State College fans opened up their hearts and their wallets to honor Brent Elwell at the Owls basketball doubleheader against UMass-Boston on Jan. 23.

Keene State raised $1,500 for the Elwell Family Scholarship Fund that has been established at Keene High School. KSC donated proceeds from both games and also accepted donations.

Elwell, a Keene native and huge KSC sports fan, died January 5 from heart failure after a life-long battle with cancer. He was 33.

Diagnosed with leukemia and heart problems when he was three years old, Brent stopped growing at 4′9″, due to the radiation treatments he received. But that never stopped his growing involvement with KSC sports. That was his passion, and any fan who attended any Owl athletic event was likely to see Brent, helping out somewhere on the sidelines. Besides working and volunteering regularly over the years at KSC sporting events, Brent worked in various positions on campus, from helping in the mailroom 15 years ago to his most recent job in the bookstore.

Additional contributions may also be made to: Trustees of Trust Funds for the Union School District of Keene with a memo reference to "The Elwell Family Scholarship Fund." The mailing address is 34 West Street, Keene, NH 03431.