Allegheny Women's Lacrosse

Season is underway

2012-01-30T11:04:00.002-05:00

The 2012 Gator Lacrosse Season is underway. The season kicked off yesterday with an early morning timed two mile followed by a stick work session. Despite the anxiety regarding the timed two mile, and the flu that decided to attack two of the Gators, our fans will be happy to know that each and every gator survived the task. The first week kicks off with practice Sunday- Friday from 4:30-6:30. The coaches and the Gators are excited to get underway and are looking forward to a fun and winning filled season. Be sure to check our blog soon for new player interviews, and a recap of Noelle's semester in Spain!

It's Crunch Time!

2012-01-17T23:43:00.001-05:00

The Gators are back on campus and it's crunch time (maybe I should say chomp time) to get in those last two weeks of workouts before season begins! Before leaving campus four weeks ago the Gators were supplied with a winter break workout packet to complete at home. The packet included running, cardio, and stick workouts aimed to get the Gators ready for the best season yet. Now, the Gators have just two weeks left to get in the best possible shape before the season begins. The Gators are hard at work already, indicating that preseason should run smoothly. Brennan was spotted completing her workout as early as 11 am on Tuesday, so the eagerness to get the season underway is very evident. Anna and Noelle were also spotted completing the Insanity workout videos in the dance studio on Tuesday.

Gator Holiday Party

2011-12-20T01:20:00.002-05:00

The Gators started off the holiday season with a party featuring a gift exchange, ugly sweaters, and a delicious meal. SJ and Caryn made delicious chicken parm and mac & cheese, and each player was responsible for bringing a dish to share. Kelsey brought the giant cupcake pictured below! The gift exchange was a blast, and featured gift stealing. Unfortunately my gift (Crissman's) got stolen twice, but I still ended up with neat headphones and a new movie collection. Mo got the giant cupcake mold, Hueby ended up with a finals survival kit that Cribby made, and we won't mention the individuals that stole both the coldstone and itunes gift cards from me! :) Pandora provided music for the evening's entertainment, and the team's prom-staircase style picture closed the evening's activities (if you're lucky you may receive the photo in the mail soon)!

Alumni Match!

2011-10-24T13:51:00.006-04:00

Sunday October 23, 2011 was the first Gators Lacrosse Alumni Game! We had 9 Alumni show up for the game. The Gators only had 10 players due to a couple injuries as well as some girls being in season for other sports. Everyone arrived at Frank B. Fuhrer Field around 10:15am. The Gators and the Alumni each had good warms up before the game. It was a close battle the whole game.

The Alumni did very well and worked hard to push the ball up the field on to the offensive end. They had good possession and were smart with their passes and shots on goal. They did well to get back on defense when the Gators had the ball and to slow them down.

The Gators worked well as a team and showed that all their hard work in fall ball is starting to pay off. Goalkeeper Carly Minsterman had some great saves throughout the game and did a great job of helping to keep her defense organized. The defense showed improvement and worked together as a unit to try and stop runs at goal and to clear the ball out to the midfield and attack. The midfield was doing well to win the draws and get the ball up to the attacking third of the field. The attack did well to move the ball around and make smart passes. They worked hard and scored some good goals.

After the game we all sat down for a lovely lunch. This gave all the girls from seasons past to catch up with one another as well as the current Gator Lacrosse Team.

It was a beautiful warm fall day and the sun was shining! Thank you to all the Alumni who joined us for the match. Thank you to all friends and family that came out to support us! See you all again soon!

GO GATORS!

Make A Difference Day

2011-10-24T13:15:00.003-04:00

At 7am we met in Diamond Park to find out what we were doing for the day. The Make A Difference Day Team had breakfast for everyone since it was such an early start and the girls were quick to get in line for a quick breakfast and a hot drink while the coaches checked in and got everything needed for the day.

At 7:45am we paid respects to a longtime volunteer who has since passed. We got told a bit more history behind the lets make a difference day. We stood for the National Anthem and we were on our way to Liberty House, a housing community for those that are homeless.

We began our day at the Emergency Shelter by getting our tasks from Judith who manages the Liberty House Program. We sent two of our freshman with the head of maintenance to move furniture and throw some away, we waved as they went off in his big truck. The rest of us split into two groups, the weeding group and the cleaning group!

The weeding group was very excited when they found out that they got to use a machete! They were quick to get to work and did a fabulous job pulling all the weeds and cutting back any big bushes that needed it. They were praised by how quickly and sufficiently they had done the job. When they finished that they went to the Liberty House office sight and did some more work over there.

The cleaning group got to work right away sweeping the main landing and stairwell. They worked together well to get everything swept up and then washed. They had to be creative when filling up the hot water/soap buckets as they wouldn’t fit in the sink. The girls again did a fabulous job and the landing and stairs looked great when they were finished with them!

When done the cleaning group joined the others at the other site to help with anything that was still needed to be done. The girls had a great time using the wheel barrel to transfer dirt to the gardening beds that will be used to grow vegetables. We said our goodbyes to Judith and Jim and headed back to school for a hot lunch.

Once back to school the girls were asked to fill out a board which asked who they were, what they did and their most memorable moment from the day. Apparently when working through the gardening beds they found some zucchini and were very happy with that. Though they may have put that down as the most memorable moment they had a lot of fun working with each other and bonding as a team as well.

Well done to everyone who stepped up and did something on Make A Difference Day!

6th Annual Gator Lax Invitational

2011-10-04T23:11:00.002-04:00

Come cheer on your lady gators this Saturday, October 8 at Robertson Complex as they compete in the 6th Annual Gator Lacrosse Invitational. The tournament begins at 9 am and short games will be played throughout the day.

New Assistant Coach to Aid Gators

2011-09-16T16:36:00.002-04:00

Caryn Stone will be on the bench alongside Coach Stephanie Janice this season for the Gator's Lacrosse team. Stone is a 2007 graduate from Guilford College located in Greensboro, North Carolina. From 2007-2009 Stone taught, coached and was a boarding house assistant at Piper's Corner School in Great Kingshill, Bucks, England. During her time at the school she coached both the primary girl's lacrosse team and also the U12, U13, U15 and U19 teams.

During the past two years, Stone was at St. Margaret's School in Bushey, Herts, England. While at St. Margaret's, Stone was at the helm of the U12/13, U14 and U19 teams. In addition, Caryn was in charge of preparing and instructing all lacrosse lessons for girls ages 14-18.

During her years on the field, Stone was a four year letter winner at Guilford College. In her senior year Caryn was named captain and led the Quakers to their best season in program history. In the summer of 2006, before her senior year, Stone represented the United States as part of the USA Athletes International Team in Australia. Since in 2009, Caryn has played for the Hatch End Hawks out of Rickmansworth, England where she has been a defensive staple, helping lead the team to a winning tour in Amsterdam in June 2010.

"I am very excited to welcome Caryn to the Gator Lacrosse family,” said Janice. “Her great playing career is only complimented by her extensive coaching experience she's had for the past four years spent in England working for the English Lacrosse Association as a School Coaching Officer, and she will be a great leader and a role model for our student-athletes. She has a great passion and enthusiasm for the game and I am very happy to have her join my staff."

Stone graduated with a bachelors of science in psychology with a minor in education.

SENIOR ATHLETE CELEBRATION

2011-05-04T08:38:00.003-04:00

Monday night was the Annual Senior Athlete Celebration held in Shaffer Auditorium. This night commemorates the talents and contributions of the senior athletes on campus and is a way to say thank you for how they have represented Allegheny College outside of the classroom over the past four years. Each senior is individually honored and called across stage to receive a small token of appreciation. The night also features individual and collective awards for the athletes. Jensen Patterson was the recipient of two of these awards. She received the Student Athlete Advisory Committee's Athlete of the year award voted on by members of the committee that include team representatives from each of the varsity sport's teams. Additionally Jensen received the Athletic Achievement Award, that is presented to one male and one female athlete who have made the greatest contribution to their respective teams during their time at Allegheny. Congratulations to all the Seniors for their hard work and accomplishments these past four years!

Banquet and Team Awards

2011-05-04T08:29:00.002-04:00

On Sunday afternoon the Annual Lacrosse Banquet was held in the Wise Center on the campus of Allegheny College. The banquet started out with an array of sandwiches to choose from and other delicious food. At the conclusion of the lunch portion of the program, special team awards were handed out. The awards were voted on by the members of the team, and each recipient received a glass photo frame with their action shot placed inside. The most improved player award went to Kelly Cribby. Brennan Maine picked up the MVP rookie award, and Abby Silvester was named the Team's Unsung Hero. Defensive player of the year went to Colleen Silky, and Midfield player of the year went to Kiah Voyer-Colbath. Jensen Patterson was named as the Attacker of the year and the overall Team MVP. Following the team awards presentation, seniors were presented with gifts from the coaching staff that included a large frame with a team picture in it, and a bracelet engraved with Allegheny Lacrosse. Coach Rella had prepared a slideshow video clip with all the highlights of the season in photo form that she played at the conclusion of the banquet. The entire banquet was a celebration to the end of a sweet season.

Second is a good place, for now atleast..

2011-04-24T18:47:00.002-04:00

The Gators finished the regular season 12-5 and 4-2 in the NCAC! With the win against Wittenberg this Saturday, the Gators finished as the second seed entering in to the NCAC playoffs. This Thursday the Gators will host #3 seed The College of Wooster at 3 pm at Robertson Complex on the campus of Allegheny College. Come out and cheer on your team as they battle for an appearance in the NCAC Championship Game!

April 21, 2011

2011-04-22T01:32:00.003-04:00

What does Pre-modern China, Europe from 1880-1917 and West African Civilizations have in common? The word history fits perfectly in front of all of them, and that same word can be used to describe tonight's game between the Gators and the College of Wooster. Prior to tonight's game the Gators all time record against the College of Wooster was 0-22. However, at 9 pm that all time record shifted to 1-22 as the Gators defeated the Scots 14-13, for the first time in program history. Seniors, Jensen Patterson and Abby Silvester's efforts were key in producing the win for the Gators. Additionally, Patterson broke yet another record in the Allegheny Record Books, the single season record for goals. Patterson now holds the record with 61 goals in a season (the previous record was 58). The Gators have one regular season game left on Saturday. A win against Wittenberg Saturday ensures the Gators a spot in the NCAC tournament held the following weekend.
GO GATORS! Chomp Chomp!

Gold Rush Game

2011-04-15T12:56:00.002-04:00

In addition to honoring our seniors at tomorrow's home game against Oberlin, the game will also be our GOLD RUSH GAME. For those of you who aren't aware what Gold Rush is, let me share. Gold Rush Games are sponsored by the Student Athlete Advisory Committee in accordance with Allegheny's Student Government and the Athletic Department Staff. Each team has a game that they select throughout the season that serves as their Gold Rush Game. During these games, any student that shows up wearing gold or Allegheny Gear gets entered into drawings for $25 dollar gift cards. Students also receive free give-aways ranging from t-shirts to free pizza, root beer floats, cotton candy and popcorn. Students also receive a gold rush punch on their gold rush punch cards for attending Gold Rush games. At the end of the year any student that presents their gold rush card to the committee with six or more punches receives a "super fan" t-shirt. Students with eight or more punches get their names raffled into a drawing for a big screen tv and an Ipod! If you're coming to our game tomorrow WEAR GOLD. If you are a student make sure to bring your punch card to earn your punch, and be entered into the drawings for the $25 gift cards!

Gators to Honor Seniors on 4/16

2011-04-15T12:43:00.004-04:00

On Saturday afternoon the Senior Gators will be honored before the Gator's home game against Oberlin. This season the Gators will be graduating six phenomenal seniors! Make sure you can get to the game early so that you can help us honor our seniors, and learn a little more about their accomplishments and plans after graduation from Allegheny. These girls have done so much for us, and we will all be sad to see them leave!

Gator Clinic Huge Success

2011-04-15T12:18:00.004-04:00

After Saturday's game against Dennison the Gators put on a youth lacrosse clinic for middle school girls that attended Fairview and Mars Middle Schools. The girls attended the Gator game and cheered us on, then afterwards had the opportunity to warm up, be taught, and play on our field. The clinic began with the Gator's usual practice warmup, a lap around the field followed by dynamic stretches led by the Freshmen :). The girls were then split up into six different groups and rotated through a set of stations where they learned new skills, and were taught by the Gators. The stations included: defense, shooting, ground balls, clears, and draw controls. Each station featured some sort of competition to allow the girls to learn the new skill while competing against others. Fearon and myself ran the ground ball station. We taught girls to get low, choke up on the stick, and run through the ball changing their pace as they pick up the ground ball. We utilized the groundball queen drill to allow the girls to practice the new skills we taught them. After the participants rotated through all of the stations the two teams divided up and headed to separate benches. The teams took part in a 30 minute game against one another, and were coached by the gators themselves. Overall the entire experience was a great opportunity for us, and allowed the girls to learn some valuable skills and information about the game of lacrosse. The girls' parents were so appreciative of our efforts with the kid, and the Gators were happy to give back to the community by doing something they love to do!

A look to Wednesday, and beyond.

2011-04-04T16:01:00.002-04:00

Spring Break 2011 Team Photo

Despite a disappointing loss on Saturday to Conference Rival, Kenyon College, the Gators are ready to get underway for another game Wednesday evening. This Wednesday the Gators will pack the bus and head to Washington and Jefferson College located in Washington, PA, to take on the Presidents at 7:00 pm. The weather forecast shows no threat to the Gators, as they are ready to get out and play again after Saturday's game, even if it is in the rain. In preparation for the game Wednesday the Gators will be studying some film this evening, before hitting the track for a team run. Although midweek away games are the toughest to play because of the hectic "go to class, hurry up and eat, jump on the bus" schedule on game day, the Gators are truly anxious to get out and play again.
With that being said I think it's important to mention how accommodating our professors have been this semester thus far! (To all our recruits out there that may or may not be stalking the blog page as I did prior to coming to Allegheny......) Being a student-athlete at Allegheny isn't always an easy thing to do. However, when the professors are so accommodating to your schedule (which I've always had here), it truly makes life so much easier! Just so you believe me, I'll give you a brief example. A few weeks ago I missed a Friday genetics lab to leave for our spring break trip. Labs are the sort of classes you attend even if you are sick, because you know how much of a pain they are to make up. This wasn't just an extra hour of the day the professor would need to meet with me either. My genetics professor came in one day and stayed extra late to help me make up the four hour lab that I had missed, keeping in mind he had to set up the whole lab just for me, and he had a smile on his face the whole time. Now, I've only ever been to Allegheny as a student, but I would venture to say not to many professors would do that sort of thing to allow a student to make up their missed work.

After Wednesday's game, the Gators return home for some conference action on Saturday against Denison. Following the game on Saturday, the Gators are putting on a Youth Lacrosse Clinic from 1:30-3:30 (I don't think it's too late to sign up yet!)

Top 21 of Spring Break 2011

2011-03-24T22:32:00.002-04:00

Okay, so truth be told top 20 wasn't good enough, and well because I'm #21 I found top 21 to be a very fitting number :) The following are in no specific order, but do indeed highlight the top 21 moments of Spring Break 2011 (in my opinion)

1) Anna Koebley's performance in IPOD IDOL during the rain delay against Occidental

2) Being promised Jumba Juice after our win against Pomona, then showing up and it being closed, so getting IN-N-Out instead

3) Beating Occidental and the events that occurred during the rain delays

4) Beating Pomona

5) Chipotle

6) the feeling in my stomach after leaving IN-N-Out Burger (okay so maybe this one isn't the truth)

7) La Jolla Beach in San Diego

8) Being with friends, that have become my family away from home

9) Not having to "walk home"

10) staying in Madison during our Occidental game, and being told we were really slow at clearing the ball

11) Simon at the Voyer-Colbath's house, and well just that whole experience in general

12) meeting a celebrity on the plane, even if it was Santa Claus that appeared in nearly every Christmas Commercial ever

13) being stared at by every single person in the airport

14) Rella informing the security guard that we should just go the way everyone else goes

15) Ontario Mills Mall

16) Colkitt's Car, and her crying her way out of a speeding ticket (and the sound effects made prior to the ordeal)

17) Pomona's Coach's voice

18) Finding "purple goo" underneath the mattress

19) Monique and Brennan's cornrows, and Monique's grandma

20) Monique and Alec's cupcake eating contest...Mo lost, but ate 7 prior to the contest

21) Monsoons and the jungle path to our final beach destination

21.21) (yes, decimals are utilized at Allegheny and do not count as whole numbers) - the pictures from break

Travel Day: The Celebrity We Met

2011-03-24T22:18:00.004-04:00

Today, the team crawled out of bed early to arrive at the Ontario Airport by 7:30 to catch their flight to Columbus, Ohio. Going through security was much quicker than it was when we left Pittsburgh….(and luckily Coach Rella didn’t have to deny any security officers that were offering to take us the shortcut route through security tehe ☺ ).

Upon arriving to the gate most of the team sat down to complete some school work until money was passed out for food. Instead of going to get food immediately I (the blog author, for those who haven’t obtained the Allegheny Advantage) sat down at a table to do some reading for a test. Before I knew it a man sat down beside me, pulled out his laptop and began completing work, which at first seemed to be business work. Soon Noelle noticed that the front of his laptop had Kris Kringle on it, and that he was indeed working on a Powerpoint Presentation with a countdown until Christmas on his presentation. I immediately denied Noelle’s suggesting that he was Santa Claus and laughed in her face. He later picked up his phone and stated “Santa Tim here.” At that moment I knew something was very different and quite unique about this individual.

Soon, the man strikes up a conversation with me about his daughter and I notice his bright red luggage monogrammed with SC and a large sticker that says North Pole. Wow, I think to myself, this fellow would fit in so well at Allegheny. The plane began to board and the entire team was intrigued. While we wait in line to board, a few songs are sung and SJ becomes bright red, embarrassed by our team “unity”.

We enter the plane, take our seats, and luckily we all get to sit by the very interesting man that appeared to think he was Santa Claus at the gate (I’m pretty sure he very carefully chose his seat so he could be by all of us). We strike up a few more conversations with this fellow and learn the truth about him. This individual who we thought was sort of unique and thought he was Santa Claus, was indeed actually Santa Claus.

Okay, so quick rewind, I know you’re probably reading this thinking we are ABSOLUTELY NUTS, but I ASSURE you this man was the REAL DEAL! In fact, this man (Timothy P. Conninghan) is SANTA CLAUS. We learned a lot about him on that flight, he showed us his commercials, tv shows and advertisements. We read his resume packet filled with tons of advertisements that he had appeared in, and he was an absolutely remarkable individual. He has been on Two and A Half Men, Deal or No Deal, and practically every other television show that has ever had a Santa appear on it…. oh and every JcPenney Christmas Advertisement that has ever existed…trust me on that one, we saw them all! He had been visiting LA because the Wax Museum was making a figurine out of him, and he had to pose for the photo session, before he could be created.

A little boy at the gate that was dressed up as Superman, with cape and all, even shouted out, “Look Dad! There’s Santa in normal clothes!” His dad quickly hushed him, embarrassed by his little boy’s statement and his ignorance of other’s feelings. Little did that man know he really was Santa…well until half way through the flight when the man got up and walked the aisle of the plane passing out Santa cards to all the children that read “Christmas is around the corner, Remember Santa is watching.”

Sooo…maybe we were all bummed that we didn’t see any celebrities in Hollywood, but what is better than meeting a famous Santa Claus in the sky, right where he belongs? And, incase you were wondering, he was flying out of LA to a Santa Claus Conference that he leads, teaching other Santas the proper techniques for carrying out their jobs effectively.

Santa seemed to have had it made. Appearances in nearly every television program one could ever imagine, a jolly demeanor, houses in Southern California and New York, a daughter working for Versace, a happy marriage, and presidency of nearly every big Santa Claus Organization in the world.

Maybe if this school thing doesn’t work out for me, I’ll look into a future in the Santa Claus business…

CHECK HIM OUT AT www.santahollywood.com

Meadville Weather Proves Beneficial in California Swamp

2011-03-24T22:18:00.001-04:00

Despite a trip the entire way across the country, the Gators still faced Meadville weather in a “swampy” game against Pomona- Pitzer on Wednesday evening. Luckily, the Meadville rain and frigid temperatures prepared the Gators for the conditions they faced in the game, and the Gators were able to come out on top. The final score was 14-10 in favor of the Gators. This victory for the Gators brought their record to 5-3 and dropped Pomona’s record to 5-2. The Gators are back in action on Saturday, on the other side of the country, where they will open conference play against Ohio Weslyan.

The coaches were so pleased with our performance against Pomona that the post-game speech included “We are going to Jumba!” Jumba Juice was a California luxury that was worked for all trip. At the conclusion of each practice we played the pipe game, (shooting a ball from half-field in an attempt to hit the pipe of the goal cage) and SJ (newly derived nickname for Coach Steph) promised anyone who hit the pipe Jumba Juice. Unfortunately, no one was able to hit the pipe all week, so Jumba Juice was not received for the efforts. However, the conclusion of the game and the victory, along with the declaration that Jumba Juice would be received was great news to the Gators. Well… until we arrived at Jumba Juice and found it to be closed. SJ knew she had to come through big after a disappointment of that sort, so the vans headed to In-and-Out Burger. The entire team tested out the renowned West Coast burger joint, and was very pleased with the burgers, and the fries, and all the milkshakes, well at least until we had to roll ourselves out of the place. ☺

Gators Travel the Land to Thrive in the Water

2011-03-23T01:07:00.003-04:00

On Sunday afternoon the Gators survived the monsoon-like conditions, two weather delays and the Occidental Tigers in an 11-9 victory. Following the game the team headed to the Voyer-Colbath's house for some delicious surf n' turf and some fun filled activities with prizes including toss the ring around Simon (an inflatable alligator). The prizes for the winners were a huge hit, and the hospitality was greatly appreciated! Monday the team spent the day in LA after an early morning practice. Then, after a fun filled day of sight-seeing and shopping, the team met up for a spectacular dinner at the California Pizza Kitchen. Tuesday the team had another early practice, then headed to La Jolla Beach in San Diego for the entire day. This trip to the beach was a team favorite, and had some of the most spectacular views of California.

Gators in Cali

2011-03-20T01:27:00.003-04:00

The Gators have arrived in Ontario, California and in a few short hours they will make their West Coast debut against Occidental College at 1 pm. The flights went smoothly, and the Gators are settled into a beautiful hotel and already had a practice in the California weather. Upon arrival in California, the team checked into the hotel, and then spent the afternoon laying out by the pool. At night, they traveled to watch the Occidental Vs. Goucher College game, and to grab some dinner. After scouting Occidental last night, the team prepared for their game against Occidental in practice today. Be sure to check the blog frequently this week for exciting pictures and updates regarding the Gators and their "California Crawl!"

Gators on the Road

2011-03-11T23:04:00.002-05:00

Today the team left the blizzard that was occurring in Meadville to head to Adrian College in Michigan for their first away contest, and a weekend of lacrosse. The bus departed promptly at 12:30, in order to get the gators to the game in plenty of time. The first portion of the bus ride included watching film of Adrian, and studying their plays. The second portion of the bus ride was filled with the movie She's The Man, a team favorite...although the team unanimously decided Amanda Bynes wasn't the best choice of soccer stars to play the part! Shortly after the movie concluded, the bus was pulling into Panera Bread to get the gators some grub before their game. The next stop was Adrian College, and the gators were ready to get off the bus and onto the field. As the game began the teams seemed evenly matched, but soon the Bulldogs of Adrian College pulled ahead. Despite the loss, one Gator received some good news upon arrival at the hotel. Senior Jensen Patterson received an acceptance email into a graduate program at COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY!!! The Gators hit the field again tomorrow and take on Buffalo State, game time is 3pm.

The Final Countdown

2011-02-28T13:03:00.002-05:00

The gators have been working hard over the course of the last month. The frigid wind and snow covered field has allowed the ladies to get acclimated to the challenges this season holds. The early morning practices and the timed-two mile runs were merely just minute obstacles that were overcome as the gators prepare for the season opener on Saturday. At 1 pm the Gators will take on Fredonia State at Robertson Complex. As the gators spend their final few days in preparation for the season opener, they are working hard to master and perfect the set pieces that were introduced early on in preseason. Luckily the Meadville rain has melted most of the field to aid in preparation for Saturday's game. Following the Gators Season Debut, families will be meeting the new team at the Season Kickoff Tail-Gator. Hope to see everyone Saturday, and if you can't make it, be sure to check our post-game article on Allegheny's Athletic Page!

Gator Staff Give Back

2011-02-21T14:53:00.005-05:00

Last week the Gator coaching staff had the opportunity to share their talents with others and participate in the "College for Every Student" program. This program focuses on exposing middle-school aged children to the various opportunities college has to offer. This form of exposure to the college lifestyle opens up the students' minds and allows them to think about life after high school. The students attended classes, ate lunch in the cafeteria and even experienced a gym class in the Wise Center, led by the gator coaching staff. Our coaches even had the chance to share some of their passion for the game of lacrosse with the students as they participated in team building activities utilizing mini lacrosse sticks. One of these activities included a lacrosse stick tee-pee relay race, where teams battled to see who could construct a tee-pee the fastest. This day was especially meaningful for Coach Rella as it allowed her to return to her college focus for the day as a Physical Education Instructor. She notes that, "The entire day was a great experience for all involved, not only did the students love their time on campus and gain knowledge about what life can hold for them after high school, but it also allowed the coaching staff to give back a little of their time and have some fun in the process."

Gators Got Talent!

2011-02-21T13:49:00.003-05:00

On Thursday evening the Gators displayed their terrific talent in the 2nd Annual Student Athlete Advisory Committee's All-Athlete Talent show. The competition this year was tough, but that gators put on a great performance (okay, maybe great is a tad bit of an exaggeration). The football team started out the evening performing various skits from movies, and ended their act with a new rendition of the tiger song (their version entitled the Gator song) from the Hangover. The tennis team took the stage next, where they sported their 80's gear and rocked out to various old songs. The coaches son even made an appearance in the act with his toy guitar and mohawk hairdo. The men's soccer team was next up on the list, and were definite crowd pleasers. Three of the guys showed off their dance moves and prepared the crowd for the next act. The baseball team proceeded in the line-up, where five of the players stood on stage and began a sing-a-long. Soon, the entire audience was signing "lean on me." After the baseball team left the stage and the voices in the audience died down, the women's lacrosse team took the stage. Dressed in black with hands in their fleece pockets, they entered the stage in a single file line. Upon the cues from the coaches, the gators took out their orange toy recorders and held them up. The girls began to play hot cross buns, and finished off their recorder session with Mary had a Little Lamb. Then, suddenly the titanic song came on the loud speakers and the ladies began playing along to it. The entire audience went wild and loved the performance (okay maybe that was a bit of a lie, but I'm sure the team will come back with something great for the talent show next year)! Other teams in the talent show were the women's volleyball team and the track and field team sporting their famous shorts. To any prospective students that may be reading this, I deem it your job to begin compiling ideas for our talent show act next year. We can discuss these ideas on your recruit visit, get thinking! :) The entire show was a great time for all, and I'm sure the Gators will be better on the field this season than they were on the stage.

Hugs from Home: A Valentine's Day Success Story

2011-02-21T12:53:00.007-05:00

On February 14 the gator girls gathered up their sticks after practice and headed around campus with heart decorated gift bags full of goodies to be delivered to 75 students. Letters had been sent home to the student's families asking them if they would be interested in purchasing a "Hug from Home" care package for their student, to be delivered on Valentine's Day. The package would be filled with goodies for the student, and the proceeds made after purchasing all the goodies for the bags would go towards the Gator Lacrosse Spring Training Trip to Southern California. The team spent time the previous few days assembling all of the bags, complete with heart stickers and personalized messages that the family had sent. The bags were stuffed with delicious food, snacks, and lots of love from home (even dietary needs were met for students with allergies). Some of the "Hugs from Home" highlights included a heart filled cup with candy, M&Ms, Easy Mac, a red juice drink, sweet-tarts, chips, little debbie snacks, fruit cups, tangerines and heart pencils. The entire process was a huge success and the students loved getting their unexpected packages hand delivered to their doors along with hugs from the girls delivering them!

Gators Geared Up and Going

2011-01-31T14:22:00.002-05:00

The Spring Semester is well underway, and the gators have been spending their time at the Wise Center preparing for the upcoming season (at least until we shovel the turf J ). With practices starting last week, the gators kicked off the spring season with a visit from a Sport’s Nutritionist to help them get a head start this year. The ladies learned about the importance of adequate healthy consumption and the reasons why hydration is so necessary, especially in season. Although the first day of practice was comprised of meetings, the team did have a chance to get out and scrimmage for the majority of the practice session. The gators showed up to practice on Tuesday with a bit of nerves as they awaited the fitness challenge, but as the challenge concluded, the nerves subsided. The challenge was completing two miles within 14 minutes. The coaches were very pleased with the results of the challenge, and realized the effort the gators put in to training over winter break. The rest of the week brought challenges, learning opportunities, and plenty of chances to scrimmage (a team favorite). A big emphasis of the first week was individual stick work. Coach Steph and Lindsay took the team back to the basics, and focused on the little details that can add so much to a player’s game. The team was also introduced to new passing drills that at first create a seemingly chaotic environment, but enable the ladies to focus on passing with precision and awareness of their surroundings. On the offensive side of the ball the team discussed a motion offense and strategic movement off the ball. Lindsay went over two dodges that the team has been incorporating into scrimmages and working to perfect. Defensively, the coach discussed 1 v 1 defense, and the proper ways to approach 1 v 1 situations. As for the gator goalie, she has been getting lots of time in the net preparing for the challenges of this upcoming season.

Meet the Newest Gator in the Swamp!

2011-01-31T13:26:00.002-05:00

Meet Lindsay Rella, the newest addition to the Gator Lacrosse coaching staff! Lindsay is a native of Long Island, and a graduate of Syracuse University. Her extensive background coaching camps and clinics along with a travel club team over the past 3 ½ years will aid the gators on the field this season. Lindsay is looking forward to meeting and knowing the players both on and off the field despite the short amount of time before season starts. She is also looking forward to learning all of the Gator Lacrosse traditions, and creating some new ones along the way. Upon her first visit to Allegheny Lindsay was surprised as to how large the campus was despite the small student body. She also described Allegheny as a beautiful campus with modern buildings. As the first day of lacrosse season is less than a week away, Lindsay is feeling extremely anxious to meet everyone and dive right into the season. She notes that there is a lot of work to be done right away in figuring out the team dynamics and how it will compliment Coach Janice and her coaching styles, yet is extremely excited to be apart of the gator family. In addition to Lindsay’s extensive lacrosse knowledge, her personal interest in her players, and knowing them on and off the field, allows her to adapt her coaching style to each individual. Her energy and competitiveness will surely be present on the gator sidelines this year. The next few weeks will be filled with many new faces and experiences for Lindsay, but she is sure to tackle the challenges of entering into a lacrosse program right before the season with energy and enthusiasm.

Holiday Cheer with Allegheny Lacrosse!

2010-12-14T09:20:00.007-05:00

Last evening the Gators took a little break from studying to get together and spread a little holiday cheer. Featured evening events included holiday music, a white elephant gift exchange, goody bags and Coach Steph's Chicken Parmigiana.

The holiday party was a great time for all, as it provided some much needed relaxation from hectic and stressful studying. Aside from Coach Steph's Chicken Parmigiana and the delicious array of dishes that the team made for dinner, the white elephant gift exchange was the highlight of the evening.

Although the snagging of others' gifts wasn't as prevalent as some may have hoped for the type of exchange that was occurring, Amber did manage to make things exciting as she had drawn the final choice of gift for the evening. The gift she was left with was Brennan's half-consumed case of Diet Pepsi. However, because Amber had the last number, she had the choice to snag anyone else's gift, and leave them with the ever-so-popular, half-consumed case of Diet Pepsi. Amber chose to steal Abby's gift, and received a large photo frame and candle, leaving Abby with the Pepsi as her gift.

The Seniors opening some gifts!

Katie, Amber, Becca, Noelle, Becca, and Anna

As the party wound down, the gators received goody bags from Coach Steph filled with candy and toys to help get them through the last few days of finals. Kellee was even spotted playing her new old maid cards later in the library that evening (she's only a freshman, so that explains her lack of studying that was being completed).

The holiday party marked the last official Gator Lacrosse Event for the Fall Semester, and served as a final goodbye for the team until 2011. The Gators head home mid-week for winter break, where they will spend their time with family, friends, and preparing for the 2011 Allegheny lacrosse season.

Check back in during January for updated information about the Spring 2011 season!

Go gators!

Meet the New Gator Head Lacrosse Coach!

2010-12-06T16:27:00.003-05:00

Meet the new Gator Head Coach, Stephanie Janice! Stephanie played at Johns Hopkins University where she was a Psychology major in the classroom and a midfielder on the field for the Blue Jays. Her coaching experience began upon graduation in 2007 when she spent a year coaching at the Benenden School in southeastern England. After returning to the States, she coached the Baltimore Ravens Club Team 2011’s and was a Graduate Assistant at Goucher College. During her time at Goucher she earned a Master’s Degree in Education, which specialized in Athletic Program Leadership and Administration.

When asked what she enjoys most about playing lacrosse Stephanie stated she enjoys the opportunity to compete alongside and against some great players. On the coaching side of things Stephanie enjoys the experiences a team goes through during a season, and the progression that is made from the first whistle of the season to the last; personally, athletically and socially.

Coach Janice is excited about becoming part of the Allegheny community and is ready for preseason to begin and for the season to get underway. She plans to utilize poise, enthusiasm, discipline and confidence to lead the Gators this season.

Coach Steph is excited about the opportunity to head out to the West Coast for the team Spring Break Training Trip. She notes that “lacrosse as a sport and culture is exploding out there and it is great to be part of such a buzz!” She is also looking forward to the nice West Coast weather in March and is excited for the team to get some games underway.

During Coach Steph’s first impression of the team she noted how receptive, conscientious, motivated and high-spirited the group of young ladies appeared to be. She stated, “Their concern for the well-being of the program was so impressive and their work ethic is very contagious!”

The Gators were equally impressed with Stephanie during their first meeting as well. Her plan to further the Allegheny Women’s Lacrosse Program and the steps she plans to take in doing so were just a few of her strengths that highlighted her as a great candidate for the job.

Coach’s favorite quote:
“Champions are made when no one is looking”

Gators Give Back!

2010-11-22T11:38:00.000-05:00

On November 17th, the Gator Lacrosse team headed into downtown Meadville to aid in collecting and packaging food for The Second Harvest Food Bank at Meadville’s Annual Drive-thru Holiday Food Drive. Despite the windy weather and the cold rain, the team worked hard during two different one-hour shifts. The food drive collected a record 9,685 lbs of food. In addition to the food, 116 turkeys were collected to be distributed to those who are in need of one this Thanksgiving. The donations didn’t stop there, $6,970.32 in cash donations were collected yesterday in the day-long drive thru food drive. The cash donations are a huge aspect of the food drive because just $1 is able to purchase $17 worth of food for the Second Harvest food bank.

Meet Carly Minsterman

2010-10-15T10:19:00.003-04:00

Meet Carly Minsterman, a freshman from Pittsburgh, PA. Carly attended Seton-La Salle High School where she played lacrosse for four years. This year Car or Car-min as her friends call her will be sporting the number five jersey for the Gators. Carly chose Allegheny because it felt right and it was the perfect distance from her home. She also liked that she could really fit in on the campus and with the lacrosse team. Carly remains very happy with her decision to attend Allegheny and she absolutely loves it here. She notes that lacrosse and the team helped her adjust to the new school because it gave her something else to focus on other than just school work. She notes “All of the upperclassmen were so nice and helpful from the very beginning and us freshman developed a very close relationship with the whole team really fast.” In regards to the college transition Carly expected that school was going to be tough and that she would really have to work hard to manage her time. She was not expecting to feel as comfortable as she did at Allegheny as quickly as she did. “I thought it would take longer for me to get used to everything here, I didn’t expect the professors to be so helpful,” she added. Carly states that the biggest adjustment to college life thus far has been managing her time and being independent. Her goal for this season is to improve on passes and her left hand. She plans to complete this goal by working hard and giving her best at every practice and every game. Like the rest of the team, Carly is excited for the spring break trip to California, and plans to spend her winter break getting in shape for the season. She is also looking forward to spending break in Pittsburgh, hanging out with her friends and family and attending some Penguins games (Go Pens!). On campus Carly is involved in a variety of activities including Circle K, Service Saturdays and IM Floor Hockey. Her favorite event thus far on campus has been Wingfest that was sponsored by GAP (Gator Activity Programming). Wingfest included free t-shirts and free Quaker Steak and Lube Wings for students.

Carly’s Corner
Favorite color: blue
Favorite food: buttered noodles
Favorite animal: monkey
Favorite class: Environmental Science
On campus housing: Baldwin Hall (2nd floor) – “I love it, I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else as a freshman.”

~Crissman #21

Meet Kelly Dickson

2010-10-14T14:31:00.003-04:00

Meet Kelly Dickson, a freshman from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. For the last four years Dickson has suited up for Vincentian Academy, but this year she will be sporting the number twelve jersey for the Gators. Her major is still undecided, but she is considering a major in environmental science and a minor in American Studies. Kelly initially chose Allegheny because of the beautiful campus, the ability to pursue her own academic interests, and the lacrosse team. Six weeks into the semester she remains happy with her decision to attend Allegheny. She stated, “I couldn’t see myself anywhere else! I have made such amazing friendships with my teammates, hall-mates, and classmates already!” She noted that she has always been better managing her time during sports seasons, so having lacrosse fall ball forced her to stay on top of her school work, and make it the top priority. She also noted that; “My coaches and teammates have supported me a lot in the transition to college.” She expected college to be very tough but rewarding, and has found just that. She didn’t expect that she would make such amazing friends as quickly as she did. This season Dickson plans to push herself beyond what she thinks is possible, whether it be weightlifting, running or trying new skills. She is ready to fully embrace the team motto of “This is ours!” She believes that the team is really going to come together during the off-season and have both a successful and fun spring season. Her winter break plans include getting buff for preseason. So far, her favorite event at Allegheny that she has enjoyed has been the ropes course at Slippery Rock University with her teammates. She added, “The amount of love and support that exists on this team is unbelievable. I had a lot of fun pushing myself on the high-ropes and working out effective communication strategies on the ground. The event provided us with a lot of laughs and memorable quotes as well.” Be sure to look for Dickson on the field this spring as she is ready to make an impact on the field!

Dickson’s Corner

Favorite color: blue
Favorite food: peaches
Favorite animal: manatee
Favorite current class: Intro to Environmental Science
Housing on campus: Baldwin Hall

~Crissman #21

Meet Noelle Brouillard

2010-10-14T09:53:00.005-04:00

Meet Noelle Brouillard, a sophomore from Hampton Falls, New Hampshire. Noelle has played lacrosse for seven years, and wears number seven on the Gator lacrosse field. In the classroom Noelle is a managerial economics major, and Spanish minor. Upon Noelle’s first visit to campus she was hosted by teammate Becca Crissman. She recalls that Becca made Allegheny seem really exciting. Noelle also chose Allegheny because of the business classes offered. Although Allegheny doesn’t have a business program, she was really interested in the managerial economics major. She liked how people at Allegheny had many different interests and could take classes outside of their major and minor. Noelle liked that Allegheny allowed her to still take art classes even if she wasn’t majoring in art. She also chose Allegheny because she could play lacrosse. She remains happy with her decision to attend Allegheny noting that it is “fun but challenging.” She also stated that “Lacrosse has helped me to get to know people and faces around campus and make friends quickly. In season, it gives you a set schedule, so it actually helps your study habits and makes you get your homework done.” Noelle’s goal for the season is to make it to NCAC playoffs again. She hopes the team becomes even stronger than last season and improves upon what was accomplished last year. She plans to be in the best shape possible. Noelle also notes that she is looking forward to beating Wooster this year. She believes that playing to our strengths really helped the team last year. “We didn’t have as many subs as other teams, so we really worked on passing the ball and holding it on attack when we needed to. We played our game, instead of just running the ball up the field and forcing it to players.” In the off-season Noelle plans to work on her stick skills, and hopes that others do as well. She stated, if the team is proactive with injuries, the team will be much better off as a unit.” Her winter break plans include traveling home to New Hampshire, skiing, getting in shape for the spring and starting to work again. This summer Noelle worked at a State Liquor Store, was pen pals with teammate Becca, went to Bailey Island in ME and Cape Cod with her family and four siblings, and spent some time in DC with a friend. She also had the opportunity to stay on top of her lacrosse game playing in a summer league. Her favorite event during her time at Allegheny was the Third-Eye Blind concert last spring, and hanging out with Becca’s friends from the Navy Academy when they visited. On campus Noelle is involved with AWA-Animal Welfare of Allegheny, a volunteer at Hog Heaven (large animal rescue farm) on Saturday mornings, a part of APO (co-ed service fraternity), works at the Wrecking Ball Cafe' in the library, a volunteer every other week at the animal shelter, a part of ACO (Allegheny Christian Outreach), and finally a Peer Leader this semester. After Allegheny Noelle plans to attend graduate school to earn her MBA. She ended the interview stating, “ In the end we need to remember why we love to play lacrosse, go out, and do just that.”

Noelle’s Corner

Favorite color: aqua
Favorite food: ice cream- especially when Paula buys
Favorite animal: dogs
Favorite class: Spanish
On campus housing this year: Walker - “I live in the basement, I like the location, but it is rather unfortunate when they mow the grass outside my window and it blows in.”

~Crissman #21

Meet Anna Koebley

2010-10-14T09:48:00.003-04:00

Meet Anna Koebley, a freshman from Wexford, Pennsylvania. Anna has played lacrosse for seven years, including four years for the tigers at North Allegheny Senior High School. This year she will be wearing #20 for the Gators. Although undecided in which academic major she will choose, she is currently considering the environmental studies area. Anna chose Allegheny because the campus was close and small. She also loved the lacrosse team when she first met them. She remains very content with her decision to attend Allegheny and is gearing up for the spring season. Lacrosse has helped make her adjustment to college life easy because it has provided her with really good friends, and a core group of individuals to whom she can turn to if she needs help. Coming to college Anna wasn’t quite expecting the ample amounts of studying and homework she would have to do, but has seemed to make the adjustment rather quickly. Another adjustment Anna had to make leaving home was being away from family and friends. Her goals for this season include pushing herself and learning to play defense well. This past summer Anna spent time working in downtown Pittsburgh as an intern with Heinz Endowments. On campus she is involved with APO (a service fraternity on campus), a member of Circle K, a part of SEA, and a volunteer at the Vines. She also enjoys taking part in Service Saturdays (students from various organizations collaborating on Saturday mornings to work in and improve upon the Meadville community).

Anna’s Corner

Favorite color: blue
Favorite food: pizza
Favorite animal: her dog
Favorite class: Intro to Environmental Science
On Campus housing: Baldwin Hall and SHE LOVES IT.

Meet Monique Villanueva

2010-10-08T13:47:00.004-04:00

Monique #3 having some fun selling 50/50 raffle tickets

Meet Monique Villanueva, a freshman out of Seattle, Washington who will be sporting the number three jersey this spring. Mo, Momo, or Mulan as her friends call her, attended Holy Names Academy where she played lacrosse for three years. She chose Allegheny because it felt right from the moment she stepped on campus. She could “also sense how much of a family the lacrosse team was and couldn't help but want to be a part of that.” When asked if her decision to attend Allegheny was the right one she responded, “I could never imagine myself anywhere else. So yes, very much.” Although she was surprised by how much reading there is to do at Allegheny, she still remains content with her decision to attend. Her biggest adjustment coming to college was adapting her study habits to complete all of her work in a timely manner without having others tell her she needed to do her work. She resides on the second floor of Baldwin (the all freshman dorm) and absolutely loves it. This summer Monique spent a month backpacking through Europe, and she is looking forward to return to Seattle for winter break. Monique is looking forward to growing as an individual and as a team this spring on the lacrosse field. She also plans to work hard over winter break to come back prepared and compete for a starting spot on the Gator lacrosse field. On campus she is active in the Circle K club, volunteers at Grounds for Change (the student run coffee shop on campus) and is soon to be a member of an IM floor hockey team.

Monique’s Corner
Favorite Color: Purple
Favorite Food: Spaghetti with White Clam Sauce or her Mom's Lumpia (filipino egg rolls)
Favorite Animal: Chinchillas
Favorite Current Class: Psych 102: Sex and Gender
Favorite Program/Event Held at Allegheny This Year: Greek Sing

~Crissman #21

Meet Kiah Voyer-Colbath

2010-10-07T11:38:00.004-04:00

Kiah #11

Meet #11, Kiah Voyer-Colbath, a junior environmental studies major, religious studies minor from York, Maine. Kiah chose Allegheny for its academic reputation and to play lacrosse. When asked what her favorite thing about Allegheny was she responded, “I don't know if I have just one favorite thing about Allegheny. Allegheny stood out to me because of the small class sizes, which allow you to have a more personal relationship with your professors. Sometimes at bigger schools you can end up feeling more like an ID number rather then a person. Also here you are an actual person, rather then a student ID number.” Looking back on last year she recalls her favorite memory to be the Wooster game. She went on to state, “After that game, even though it ended in a double overtime loss, I felt like the team had finally realized just how well we could play together and the intensity level that we could reach.” Also in regards to last season she thought the team recognized each other’s strengths and weaknesses on the field, and played in a way to make others look good. She added, “I think we all did a good job of recognizing the team goal(s) and doing whatever we needed to do, individual or team wise, to reach those expectations.” Kiah believes that this year the team will need to focus on learning to play together and learning how each individual plays. She believes the addition of six new members to the team drastically changes the dynamics on the field, and the team must make the proper adjustments. Over winter break she plans to improve her overall conditioning as well as her play with her weak hand. She also will enjoy the lovely California weather and skiing at Mammoth. Kiah is “wicked excited for spring break. Since we are going to California it’s going to be a change from what we are used to (Florida), but I think it will be nice to play against some different kind of lacrosse that the west coast schools tend to play.” (Kiah’s family recently relocated to Pasadena, California during her sophomore year. Maybe we will be invited to her place over Spring Break!) When asked about the new additions to the team Kiah responded, “I am happy about the large number of newcomers. I think that they all bring their own personality and skills to the team and I think that’s going to help us readjust to losing the influential senior class. It'll be a great opportunity for our team to redefine ourselves, both on and off the field. However, the senior class will be missed for both their talents and influence.”

Kiah’s Corner
Favorite food: seafood and reeses
Favorite class: Environmental Justice
Favorite animal: lion
Favorite colors: purple and green

~Crissman #21

Meet Gabi Tetelman

2010-10-05T15:41:00.004-04:00

Gabi #2

Gabi is a junior environmental studies major, communication arts minor from New Jersey. On the field she wears #2 and plays defense, working hard to keep the ball away from Gator Goalie, Becca O’Shurak. Although influenced by her father, (who is an Allegheny Alum) Gabi chose to attend Allegheny because of the environmental department. She also liked the small, personalized atmosphere of the campus, as well as the lacrosse team. She still enjoys Allegheny today, and notes that her favorite part of the college experience has been the friendships she has made here. Last year Gabi enjoyed the spring break trip and especially seeing all the dolphins while the team was on the catamaran. She also enjoyed playing Kenyon and holding the ball for nine minutes straight in an effort to maintain possession. Last year Gabi noted that the team really started to rely on teammates more on and off the field. She describes this as a really big step in the right direction for the Gators. Gabi feels that this season the Gators need to focus on confidence because they are such a young team. She also emphasizesthe importance of taking the season one step at a time, and not thinking too far in advance. She believes looking too far into the future can be overwhelming for the team, and can distract the team from the task in front of them at a particular moment, practice or game. In the off-season Gabi will work to stay healthy. She missed the end of last season due to a knee injury that needed to be surgically repaired. She also is going to work to get back in shape. In regards to the California trip this year, Gabi is “psyched” and “ready to get tan.” Over winter break Gabi is looking forward to going skiing (if her knee can handle it). Gabi is also excited that there is a large freshman class that is so eager to learn. She is excited to share with them some of her knowledge, and learn from them as well, because they are the future of the team. Looking back on last season Gabi adds that the graduates will be missed because they held such a prominent position on the team. She is excited to utilize what was learned from them and to build the team into a stronger unit in this upcoming season.

Gabi’s Corner:
Favorite food: caprese salad
Favorite current class: news writing - “I think journalism is such a unique type of writing and I'm so excited to learn how to write in a journalist’s point of view”
Favorite animal: koala bear (she obviously hasn’t heard the latest news regarding koala bears)
Favorite color: pink, orange, green - “It’s a 3 way tie!”

~Crissman #21

Gators showed up to play, despite the swamp!

2010-10-05T15:35:00.003-04:00

The 5th Annual Gator Lacrosse Invitational was held this Sunday at Robertson Complex on the campus of Allegheny College. The weather was rainy and the winds were cold, but the Gators showed up to the invitational ready to play. The first game of the day for the Gators was played on the turf field at the stadium. The University of Pittsburgh’s Club lacrosse team challenged the Gators in the first match of the fall, but the Gators faired well, and had plenty of goal scoring opportunities. The second game of the day was relocated to the turf due to the muddy field conditions caused by all the rain. Games 2, 3 and 4 for the afternoon were played as a half field 7 v. 7 offense vs. defense. This set up allowed all the teams to get in plenty of lacrosse action despite the muddy field conditions. The 7 v. 7 set up also allowed teams to focus on either their defense or their offense for a twelve-minute consecutive period. The Gators all received plenty of playing time, and the opportunity to show off their individual and collective talents. The coaches are looking forward to this spring season and are excited about all the potential the team has. Despite the rainy weather, the day provided coaches a sneak preview of their team’s strengths going into the season, and provided the teams with the opportunity to play.

Weekend Plans for the Gators

2010-10-01T13:59:00.004-04:00

The Gators have a big weekend ahead of them, and are all excited for the opportunity to finally get out and play some other teams at the 5th annual Allegheny play day. But before the play day this Sunday, October 2, Mrs. Silky (Colleen Silky’s mother) will be preparing a lasagna feast for the girls Saturday evening. Pasta dinners often occur throughout the season and provide the team with some extra carbs and team bonding before big games. A big thank you goes out to Mrs. Silky for her work in preparing this meal for the gators. I’m sure it will be delicious! The schedule for the Gators this Sunday is as follows: 9:30 am versus University of Pittsburg, 12:20 pm versus Lake Erie, 2:40 pm versus Washington and Jefferson and 3:50 pm versus Edinboro. Each game is thirty minutes in length with a running clock. Only five-minute breaks will occur between games, so hopefully everything remains on schedule. This weekend will surely test the Gators fitness and stamina as the team only has 11 players and no substitutes for the weekend. In addition to an already eventful weekend, the Gators will be hosting nine lacrosse recruits. The Gators hope to show the recruits some good lacrosse action this weekend. In between the games the recruits will be touring campus, and finding out about what Allegheny has to offer!!

~Crissman #21

Meet Abigail Silvester

2010-09-29T11:02:00.001-04:00

Abby Silvester #9

Meet Abigail Rose Silvester! Abby is a midfielder on the lacrosse field, and in the classroom she is a neuroscience/ psychology double major from Mentor, Ohio. Abby looked into Allegheny after the women’s soccer coach had contacted her. While researching Allegheny she learned it had a very strong science program, and this fact definitely appealed to her. After she visited campus she felt very comfortable in the setting. She remembers how beautiful the campus was on her first visit, and how comforting the entire environment was. After spending this past summer at Allegheny completing research with a professor, she notes that she also loves summer time at Allegheny. In regards to fall ball, Abby wishes she could play. In the fall she spends her time with the women’s soccer team here at Allegheny, where she is a midfielder and recently named a team captain. Her team currently sits at 8-0 in the season and has yet to let up a single goal. As of September 28, the gator soccer team is ranked 20th in the country. When asked about last season with the lacrosse girls she responded: “we accomplished so much and grew as a team! We bonded more than ever and were more positive than usual.” This year Abby believes communication and positivity will need to be a big focus. She also adds that staying determined and putting in the work without complaining and making excuses should be a focus of this season. Over fall break Abby will be on campus for a little while taking on conference rival Kenyon College in a soccer match. She plans to spend winter break working out (big surprise there!). She is looking forward to spring season to get back out and play with her teammates and have fun. Abby is very pumped about the California trip, but hopes that we can fundraise a lot so it doesn’t cost too much. She is also looking forward to the possibility of her parents attending the spring break trip with teammate Becca Crissman’s parents. Abby is gearing up for her final season with the Gators, and is ready to make a lasting impact on the field. After graduation she hopes to enroll in a Physician Assistant Program. If she doesn’t do this right away she may waitress at home while taking additional classes, attending a pastry or culinary school, or finding an assistant coaching position at a division three school for soccer. She also included moving to Holland to attend medical school and finding a random job at home completing research at the Cleveland Clinic or getting a teaching degree while teaching preschool at St. Gabriel’s learning loft that she has been volunteering at since she was 10 years old on her list of post-graduation plans. With her work ethic, I wouldn’t be surprised if she did all of these, but for the time being she is hoping to enroll in a P.A. Program!

Abbys Corner: (of course these couldn’t be short like her teammate’s answers)
Favorite meal: is her mom’s grilled chicken with a side of grilled zuchini mushrooms and onions and her favorite dessert is ice cream with her mom's homemade cookies!!!
Favorite animal: a dog because they are lovable and friendly and wonderful especially her Gordan (weimereiner) …look for him on the sidelines of games cheering her on!
Favorite current class: English 200 with Susan Slote. She thinks it is wonderful, but ballroom would be a close second.

~Crissman #21

Gator Success at Gold Rush

2010-09-28T14:42:00.003-04:00

Future "Gator"!
Kellee & Carly having fun selling tickets

Brennan & Dickson selling those 50/50 tickets!

Conway
Kellee, Colkitt & Gabi selling tickets

Hubie & Abby

Silky, Fearon & Jensen holding down the table

Cutest "Gator" Puppy

This past Saturday the gators could be found roaming around the Robertson Stadium selling 50/50 raffle tickets as a fundraiser for their spring break trip to California, as the football team took on conference rival Wittenberg. Despite a windy game, and playing a team ranked sixth in the nation, the football team hung in there to the very end before falling 24-21. The lacrosse team had a little more success on the day while shouting 50/50 and convincing students, parents and community members to give in and support the team. At the end of the third quarter, the tickets were compiled, the money collected and the winner was announced over the speaker system. As the older man approached the press box to collect his winnings, he was absolutely thrilled to find out he was taking home an extra $610. The gators were even more excited that they had raised $610 for their spring break trip! The gators will be back in action selling raffle tickets at the homecoming football game on October 23, in hopes of raising even more money for the trip!

Meet Jensen Paterson

2010-09-27T14:38:00.004-04:00

Jensen #18

Meet Jensen Paterson, a senior psychology major, studio art minor from Atlanta, Georgia. Jensen plays attack for the Gators, and is excited for her senior season with the team. She chose Allegheny because of the lacrosse team and the Gators she met during her visit. The connections Allegheny has with graduate schools also appealed to her. She did note that no one told her how bad the winters were. She enjoys her time at Allegheny because of the sense of community that is found around the school. When asked about fall ball, Jensen responded, “we have a very young team mixed in with lots of experience. It’s a great thing, and we can all learn something from one another. A few more weeks practicing together and we’ll be a team to watch out for.” In regards to last season Jensen stated, “last year we were incredible. Our go get 'em attitude and never say die mentality allowed us to beat Kenyon, give Wooster a real shot at the money, and make it to the playoffs (where people were scared of us).” This year Jensen feels that the gators will need to focus on coming out strong from the first draw, and never letting up. She states, “it’s a sixty minute game, not a fifty minute game with a few breaks, we need to practice like we play so games can be fun and practices will be what is hard for us.” Over fall break Jensen can be found in Amagansett (I had to google where that was, only to find out it was in the Hamptons…had to add that) with her family. She will spend winter break in Atlanta with friends and family. J is looking forward to a trip to New England over winter break to see a Patriots game, and spending Christmas with her grandparents in North Carolina. After graduation in May, Jensen plans to attend graduate school at Pitt, Columbia or Vanderbilt to earn a master’s degree in special education.

J’s Corner:
Favorite food: cereal
Favorite animal: dolphin
Favorite class: ballroom with teammates and Colin!
(author’s comment: team GPA may be inflated this season due to the “favorite classes” of the first three Gators interviewed)

~Crissman #21

Meet Colleen Silky

2010-09-20T13:19:00.009-04:00

Silky #15

Meet Colleen Silky, a senior defender from Syracuse, New York. Colleen, or “Silky” as her friends prefer, is a Neuroscience andPsychology double major. Silky was initially attracted to Allegheny during her college search because of the neuroscience program Allegheny has. She also noted that she loved the campus right away. Silky plans to travel to Baltimore, Maryland over fall break to visither sister, but in the meantime will be focusing on her school work and preparing for the fall play day. She is curious as to see how the team will come together on play day and is looking forward to the spring as it will be her senior season with the Gators. In regards to this spring, Silky is most excited about playing Wooster (conference rival) and coming out victorious. She is also looking forward to spending Spring Break in California with the team, and getting ahead start on her training over winter break in the weight room. When asked what she believed the strongest aspect of this years team was she responded, “I think this year, it is having a mix of new and old. Our upperclassen have our traditions to hold onto but the freshmen bring in new ideas, personalities, and playing styles.” After graduation she plans to attend graduate school and earn a Ph. D. in clinical neuroscience. She eventually would like to become a pediatric neuropsychologist. Be sure to look for Silky in the defensive line this spring as she is gearing up for a great final season with the Gators.

Silky’s Corner: Favorite food: Popcorn
Favorite hobby: Drawing

Favorite animal: Cat

Favorite current class: History of Jazz with teammates Caitlin Fearon and Becca Crissman

~Crissman #21

Meet Caitlin Fearon

2010-09-18T09:40:00.008-04:00

“Meet the Gators” will be the new series of blogs found on this site allowing Gator friends, families and fans to find out the latest information on their favorite players. Over the next few weeks interviews will be conducted with each player, providing fans with the opportunity to gain a sneak preview of each player and the plans the Gators have for this upcoming year. Be sure to check the blog frequently for new postings regarding all of the Gators that will be found on the field this year!

Meet Caitlin Fearon. In the classroom Caitlin is a senior Communication Arts major / Values, Ethics and Social Actions minor. On the field, Caitlin plays attack, and is gearing up for her final season with the Gators. Although she is unable to participate in fall ball this year due to her recent surgery to repair ligaments in her right ankle, she has been working hard in physical therapy to gain her strength and motion back to aid the Gators on the field in the spring. She is disappointed that she cannot play right now, but she can be found at every practice cheering on the team and adding smiles to everyone’s faces. She noted that she was particularly excited about the large class of incoming freshmen, and feels that the team has lots of potential this season. She plans to spend winter break preparing for the spring season so that she can be ready to help the Gators to a winning record and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament. In the meantime, she plans on having lots of fun with the team and hoping that she and her teammates remain injury free over the next several months.

Caitlin’s Corner
Favorite Hobby: Listening to music
Favorite Current Class: Ballroom dancing with teammates Abby, Jensen, Colleen and Colkitt
Fall Break Plans: Working on her Senior Composition
Favorite Food: Grilled Cheese

~Crissman #21

IWLCA Names Academic Honor Roll ~184 student-athletes recognized for work in classroom

2010-09-13T10:58:00.002-04:00

Conway #10

Zanic #4

The IWLCA honored 184 student-athletes from 81 different institutions for inclusion in the 2010 Academic Honor Roll. Representing the Gators on the Academic Honor Roll is junior Katie Conway, who is majoring in Neuroscience with a minor in History, and former Gator Christina Zanic, a Psychology major who minored in English last year. Congratulations to them both!

Conway's Summer Recap

2010-08-18T10:54:00.004-04:00

This summer I conducted research in the Biology department here at Allegheny. I used electrophysiological techniques to investigate a specific protein, or ion channel, called Cav3.2. I applied venom from the carnivorous cone snail Conus striatus to Cav3.2 channels to see what effect it had on them. This research has pharmacological potential, and research similar to mine has been led to the development of prescription drugs. For example, Prialt ® is a drug developed from synthetic Conus venom that is used to treat chronic pain. I worked under the direction of Dr. Lauren French, Ph.D.

~Conway #10

IWLCA Academic Merit Squad

2010-08-17T14:19:00.007-04:00

The Allegheny College Women's Lacrosse team has been recognized for earning Academic Squad honors for the 2010 season!

The IWLCA has recognized three schools as earning Merit Squad status while 61 other earned Academic Squad honors for the 2010 season. Institutions were named Merit Squads by virtue of having one of the top three team GPAs for the season; every school with a team GPA of 3.0 or higher earned Academic Squad honors. Bates College ranked first with a 3.470 GPA, just edging Washington & Lee University, which posted a 3.458 GPA, and Vassar College, which had a 3.410. Of the 64 institutions, 13 participated in the NCAA championships, including runner-up Hamilton College and semifinalists Gettysburg College and Franklin & Marshall College.

Crissman's Summer Recap

2010-08-16T09:57:00.002-04:00

I spent my summer working for the local county parks and recreation department as a camp counselor for a day camp. My favorite part of the job was spending three hours at the pool everyday where I was required to lay out and pretend like I was providing the upmost supervision to the forty children that attended the camp on a weekly basis. At work I also had the opportunity to work with four of my good friends, which helped pass the nine hour days quickly.

This summer I was also pen pals with teammate Noelle. We enjoyed writing snail mail back and forth with frequent updates of our summer lives. If anyone considers being my pen pal for next summer you may wish to speak to Noelle first regarding my inconsistencies. In July I traveled to San Diego and Los Angeles with my family for vacation. While in San Diego we stayed on Coronado Island where we spent lots of time at the beach, shopping, eating, and biking around the island. My father perfectly planned the trip, and we just so happened to be there at the same time of the giant annual COMIC CON convention. It was absolutely NUTS!!! People in our hotel were dressed up as every comic figure imaginable, and some people simply chose to wear clothing that was...well just plain inadequate for their bodies. My favorite part of San Diego was visiting the zoo.

Although I had a great time at the zoo and absolutely loved it...I would say it was a tad bit overrated. There were tons of animals, however, I also thought they had tons of tapers and warthogs...like a real plethora of both, and to be quite honest once you see one taper and one warthog you have seen them all. My favorite part of the zoo was the sea lion show, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who plans to visit the zoo. My favorite animal at the zoo was the Galapagos Tortoise, and it was literally bigger than I am (despite the fact I'm a Nugget, that's still a real big tortoise). While in Los Angeles we toured the city on a hop-on-hop-off bus where we had the opportunity to see Rodeo Drive, as well as Beverly Hills and Hollywood. In LA there was a movie premier of Cats and Dogs, which added to the commotion of the city. The last day of our vacation was spent visiting various beaches. We went to Torrey Pines, the site of the U.S. Open, and viewed the ocean from the beautiful cliffs and the golf course surrounding it. I had a great summer, but can’t wait to get back to Meadville with all my lovely teammates.

~Crissman #21

Abby and Silky's Experience at the Student Athletic Leadership Academy

2010-08-12T14:55:00.009-04:00

This past weekend, Abby and I got up at 5 am (!) to go to Robert Morris University. We were recommended by another Allegheny student to the people who organized the event to be "captains". The event was called Student Athletic Leadership Academy (SALA for short).

Abby and I were in charge of a group of 19 high school athletes. All of these athletes were recommended by their coaches or athletic directors to come to the camp based on their leadership abilities on and off the field. Our team was team purple! We named ourselves the purple people eaters (of course). We took the students to 6 different activities. The first was about effective communication as a captain and how to deal with conflict. The second was a group bonding activity. We did fun things such as trying to get our whole group all up in push up position but no one’s knees or feet could touch the ground. The next activity was open session where the students could ask us questions about college and sports in college. Then we did relay races against all the other teams. Our team didn't win but we looked good doing bear crawls and cart wheels! The next activity was about leadership in your life post sports. He titled it "How not to suck in 50 years". It was very entertaining and actually pretty powerful. Abby and I were in tears at the end because as the man presenting put it... when you’re at the point of almost graduating college and you have to decide what to do with your life, make sure your passionate and make your life extraordinary. Abby and I are stressing about growing up so that hit us hard. I don't think the high school students got the message as well as Abby and I did but it was empowering none the less.

The last activity was on stress management. The guy had us mediate with two chocolate chips, one in each hand between the index finger and thumb. He said that if you can allow yourself to not feel stress and be completely relaxed your fingers can get warm enough to melt the chocolate. Well... of course the stressed college students' chocolate didn't melt AT ALL and pretty much all the kids in our group had chocolate dripping down their fingers. Kind of wild to see. And then we did yoga as a group and at the end of the day we had to vote the kid in the group who showed the most leadership -her name was Sarah Jolly. Then to our surprise the organizers of the event voted for who they thought were the best captains of the day and Abby and I won!!! Woo hooo! So we got two tickets to see a Steelers game in Sept. which is bomb since we both have never gone to a game. So that's all! It was fun and we learned a lot and hopefully made a tiny itty bitty difference in high school kids lives!

--Silky #15 and Abby #9

Kiah's Favorite Season Memories

2010-05-27T10:59:00.007-04:00

Meg & Kiah snorkeling on spring break

Before I left school for the summer I went back into the Wise Center for a couple of meetings. Walking past the blue courts I realized how fast this season had gone by and was flooded with all the memories from both on and off the field. The memories from off the field that I will always remember will be the team dinners, bus rides, Paula's pregame rap of Ice Ice Baby and the epic fail that was Team Bowling. In regards to Paula's rap I cannot remember how it all started as a pre-game ritual, but ever since the musical stylings of Turn Table Habel that were exposed during the team's sing off on the bus, Ice Ice Baby was played after every pre-game locker room talk. The memories from on the field that I will carry with me for a long time are the Wooster game, the win in double overtime against Denison during their senior game and the win against Kenyon. Although in the record books it says that we lost against Wooster, but in my mind we won. After that game our team was never the same, and in a good way. We came together in a way that I had never seen us do before and there was such energy and heart on that field that night that abled us to show one another what we were capable of as a team. Now winning against Denison, on their senior day, in double overtime to secure a spot in the NCAC tournament will also be a memory not easily forgotten. Finishing on the winning side of a game like that is something this team worked for all season to be able to do. Lastly the memory of the Kenyon game. Being Kenyon's only loss during the regular season is pretty gratifying. After winning a game that we controlled and that was completely ours was one of the best feelings I had all season. There are not really words that can render the feelings and memories of this season justice. All that can really be said was that it was a season of growth and one that will be remembered as on of the best for myself and for the team.

Kiah taking a shot

Abby's Favorite Season Memory

2010-05-20T10:04:00.004-04:00

Abby outside shoveling the snow this past pre-season!

The season was awesome but I have to say one of my favorite memories was the Wooster game even though we lost. It was one of the first times I have felt we played completely as a team and it felt amazing! I know we have the potential and we have been saying it for years but this game actually proved it. It would have been amazing to win but win or loose we did take a huge step that game and really proved to ourselves and others that we are an amazing team!

Student-Athlete Celebration

Crissman's Favorite Season Memories

2010-05-14T10:33:00.005-04:00

Miss Crissman doing the "crab walk"

This season came and went, and many memories were made. Included in my favorite memories are the bus sing off, where the underclassmen clearly were victorious, the overtime win against Denison, and the dolphins on spring break, I mean spring training. The first memory, the sing off was quite an extravagant event. Someone had the brilliant idea that we would have a little competition on the way home from one of the games where each team would sing and dance to three different songs. Paula and Emily were of course the judges. The competition ended when DJ Turn-table Habel (Paula) rapped off Vanilla Ice's "ICE ICE BABY." After the contest and Paula's brilliant rapping, I guess it was fair to say Paula took the gold. The overtime win against Denison was my favorite memory from the field this year. Words don't quite do the play justice, so for those that were at the game, you saw a good one. Dolphins were great as they played in the wake of our catamaran on our spring training trip. We all got some pretty amazing pictures and it was truly unbelievable. -Becca #21

Dolphins!

End of a great season!

2010-05-03T10:15:00.004-04:00

On Friday, April 30th, Allegheny women’s lacrosse team ended their season with a loss to Wooster in the semi final game for the conference tournament. The Gators dug themselves into a hole, losing 8-3 going into halftime. However, the team fought back hard in the second half and came within 2 goals with 5 minutes left in the game; however the Fighting Scots held off the rally and won 13-9. The Gators defense allowed only one goal by Wooster in a 24 minute span; however the Scots scored 4 goals in the final 6:43 minutes of the game to help take them to the conference championship which they in turn won on Saturday with a score of 10-8 beating #1 seed Kenyon. Now that the season has ended, the girls are finishing up classes and getting ready for finals. Graduation is just around the corner for the six seniors who will be truly missed next year! As for returners and newcomers, summer is almost here and the training does not end. The girls will be given workouts to do while home on summer vacation in order to prepare themselves for next season which will be here before we know it!

Gators Ranked Fourth in Region

2010-04-22T13:17:00.006-04:00

The Allegheny women’s lacrosse team is ranked fourth in the West Region according to the NCAA Division III Women’s Lacrosse Committee in the first regional ranking of the season. The Gators are one of four North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) teams ranked in West.

Claremont Mudd-Scripps leads the region with an 11-2 overall record, followed by Wooster in second and Kenyon in third. Allegheny holds the fourth spot and Sewanee (University of the South) is fifth, while Ohio Wesleyan rounds out the top six.

The Gators are currently 6-7 overall and 6-5 in the region, including wins over the Battling Bishops 15-8 and handing the Ladies their first loss of the season, 13-11. Allegheny took the Fighting Scots into overtime, falling 14-11.

All of the hard work and dedication that these girls have put into the season thus far has paid off in a very big way! Check out the link! First DIII Regional Rankings Released

Updates from the field!

2010-04-22T11:46:00.009-04:00

The Allegheny Women’s Lacrosse team started the season off a bit shaky. The first game of the season was a tough loss to Frostburg State, but then a win against Alfred State was big before heading to Florida. While in Florida, the team competed against Western Connecticut State and Southern Maine for two non-conference games. Even though the two losses were difficult, they still enjoyed their time down in Florida. A catamaran ride was enjoyed by all! Once the Lady Gators arrived back in Meadville, they knew it was time to get serious because they had their first conference game against rival team Ohio Wesleyan. The girls prepared very well and were ready to take on OWU. The excitement and energy in the locker room that day transferred directly to the field and the Lady Gators pulled a huge 15-8 win! The team then took on Medaille and came out on top again with a 21-3 win. The next big conference game was against Wooster- a team that the Lady Gators have yet to defeat. The team is now 0-21 against Wooster. The team had the same energy, were prepared and ready to take on Wooster as they did OWU. The game was back and forth the entire time with a half time score of 4-4. Going into the second half, the game was still back and forth until the Lady Gators took a 3 goal lead with 6 minutes left in regulation time. However, the Scots fought back and tied the game 11-11 and forced the game into OT. The first 3 minute OT half, the Lady Gators won the draw and had two goal opportunities, but the Scots regained possession of the ball and took it down the field and scored. Unfortunately, the team was unable to rally back and swallowed a tough loss of 11-14 (OT). The tough loss would then carry over to Wittenberg and Washington & Jefferson. The Wittenberg loss was a conference loss by 1 goal and the loss to Washington & Jefferson was by 4. However, the Lady Gators were able to find a way to get back on track and take on Kenyon, who was coming into the game 8-0. However, that game winning streak was broken that afternoon by the Lady Gators with a 13-11 win over Kenyon! To add to the win, junior Jensen Paterson tied the all time leading score for Allegheny. The girls would then travel to Fredonia State for a non-conference game in which they were easily defeated 18-9. However, to add a little light to the loss, Jensen Paterson became "the all-time leading scorer in program history for the Gators (4-7), only needing one for the record but scoring a team-high four goals for 129 career goals and surpassing Ashley Hughes (125 – 2005-08)." But again, the Lady Gators did not let that loss affect them and came back with an 18-2 win over Waynesburg. The biggest game of the season up to this point was this past Saturday against Denison. The Lady Gators were defeated by Denison last season and as a result were unable to compete in the conference tournament. The team was determined not to let that happen again this year! With 1:53 left in the first half, the Lady Gators were down 6-3, however they were able to bring the game back to a 1 goal game going into halftime! Going into the second half, the team was prepared to dig deep and fight to get the win. The game again was back and forth. Down by 1 goal with 38 seconds left, junior Abby Silvester scored to send the game into overtime. Overtime was something the team knew oh too well, but they were determined to come out on the other end this time! Going into overtime, Denison took the lead 10-9, but Jensen Paterson scored the tying goal with 28 seconds remaining in the first overtime. The game then went into sudden death. Denison won the draw control, took it down on the attack end, but forced a bad pass that the Lady Gators capitalized on! Noelle Brouillard picked up the ground ball, cleared it up the field and Abby Silvester scoring the winning goal! “That final shot gave Allegheny the 30-29 edge in shots!” Even with the ups and downs so far in the season, this team has achieved their goal of returning to the conference tournament!

Home Opener vs. Alfred University

2010-03-16T08:55:00.005-04:00

Senior Meg Grossman led the team in scoring with 4 goals

Saturday afternoon, the women’s lacrosse team took on Alfred University and won their home opener 13-11. Senior, Meg Grossman netted 4 goals for the Gators while sophomore Kiah Voyer-Colbath and junior Abby Silvester each had 3 goals, sophomore Caitlin Hubel added 2 goals and senior Christina Zanic had 1. The Gators started off strong with a 3 goal run in the first four minutes of the game. However, Alfred held Allegheny to three goals and came back and tied the game with 5:38 left in the first half, but the Gators quickly came back in the last 5 minutes of the first half and took the lead 6-3 going into halftime. The Gators started the second half off strong with a goal from Meg Grossman and the Gators used this momentum to their advantage scoring back to back goals. However, Alfred never gave up and kept coming back. With 5:41 left in the game, the score was 13-7; however Alfred University came back within the last 5 minutes and brought the game within 2, but the Gators were able to hold Alfred off and win 13-11.

Snow Day!

2010-03-12T11:52:00.006-05:00

Just two weeks ago, the turf was covered completely by snow. There was not an inch of green showing anywhere on the field. Paula and Emily decided to take the team up to Robertson along with shovels in an attempt to clear a section of the turf to practice on. The girls split into groups and each group had a box they were to clear with their shovels. By the end of it, the turf was visible, but it was a small section. That section would be used in the following weeks by the goalies to work on bounce shots while the team worked on clears, rides, and stick work in the parking lot. Once the shoveling was over, the girls walked to the backside of the baseball field where a hill is located and attempted having relay races while sitting on the shovels, but it did not work out exactly as we wanted, but it was a good day overall with a lot of teamwork! Below are some of the pictures of the girls shoveling/ wrestling in the snow!

Just the beginning...

Kiah and Caitlin tackling each other in the snow

Caitlin, Silky, Gabi and Abby take a break from shoveling

Becca and Emily trying to tackle Paula into the snow!

Starting to see some green!!

More green!

"Hi Zanic!"

Becca taking Bean for a walk while trying to spread the snow out

Caitlin pulling Gabi down the hill!

The girls trying to make a path for the relays

Full Steam Ahead

2010-03-12T10:06:00.008-05:00

Last Friday the lacrosse team switched up their practice and had a water workout in the pool. Danielle Stuart, the athletic trainer worked the girls hard in the pool by having them tread water, do high knees, lunges, and finished with a relay race. The girls got in a great workout in that day and are heading back into the pool today for a quick workout and then practice later tonight to prepare for their home opener tomorrow against Alfred! Unfortunately, Tuesday night against Frostburg State the team lost 14-12. The game was back and forth the entire time and at half time the score was tied 7-7. Going into the second half, again the scoring was back and forth, but unfortunately the team came up short by 2 goals. It definitely helped the girls see what needs to be improved upon and what to do from here on out to succeed this season! Wish the girls luck in their home opener tomorrow at noon! Also, check out the pictures below from the water workout last week!

Treading water- Zanic looks like she is loving this workout!

Keep treading!

Lunges

Get those knees high girls!

Preparing for the relay!

Coons, Gillian, Fearon and Silky cheering on their teammate in the relay!

Pre-season continues

2010-02-28T21:13:00.003-05:00

Weeks 2, 3 and 4 of pre-season have flown by. It feels like only yesterday pre-season began for this team. The girls are preparing for their first game against Frostburg State which is only 1 week from Tuesday! Since pre-season has begun, the practices have progressed from individual stick skills, attack and defense, to team attack and defense. The stick skills are improving each day and both the attack and defensive units are working well with each other. Many of the man up/man down situations is looking great for both attack and defense. The girls have touched upon transition in practice, but this next week and a half we will progress into more midfield transition and both units will combine. Don’t worry we didn’t forget about the goalies. They have been working incredibly hard these 4 weeks of pre-season. The three goalies have been doing a lot of footwork, reaction drills, ladders and shots through rapid fire and many other drills. The team is looking great because the hard work is paying off!

Team Building

2010-02-11T13:07:00.006-05:00

On Sunday, the team took a trip down to the Slippery Rock University Ropes Course for some team building. To start off the team had to choose 4 words that meant the most to them as a team and as the day progressed they would go back to these words for discussion to show how they related to the team building activities. The four words that the team chose were #1 Family, #2 shared goals, #3 dedication, and #4 accountability. Throughout the season, these four words will be brought up often as a reminder that together this team is a family that has shared goals, who are dedicated to this each other and the program and will hold not only themselves but each other accountable for their actions and effort.

"ALL ABOARD"

The team building activities brought this team closer together as a whole and helped them overcome each obstacle. It was impressive to watch the team come together and complete the activities. At times that were bumps in the road and frustrations, but the team came together and completed the tasks set forth in front of them.

Biondi leading her team around while avoiding distractions

"MINEFIELD"

"PIPELINE

Emily and Elissa before completing "Pipeline"

"FAMILY-SHARED GOALS-DEDICATION-ACCOUNTABILITY"

First Week of Pre-season

2010-02-11T09:18:00.004-05:00

Zanic taking Hubie to net 1v1

Last week marked the lacrosse team’s first week of pre-season. The girls have been looking forward to pre-season since October and they couldn’t have started off on a better foot! The practices consisted of fitness tests along with a great deal of stick work as well as individual attack and defense for the first week. All of the hard work that this team put into the off season has paid off because the stick work looks great and their fitness levels are looking good as well! If the girls keep up this hard work, fitness, and great attitudes- this season will be a very successful one for them!

Tallying up their team's score

Abby and Gordon working on their 1v1s

Conway's semester abroad in England

2010-01-22T17:06:00.015-05:00

This past semester I was studying abroad in Lancaster, England. In England I was able to take classes that weren’t available to me at Allegheny, yet still suited my interests (Needless to say it was also fun to have professors lecture with an English accent; it makes them sound very intellectual ). For example, I took a history class on England, Scotland, and Wales during the Middle Ages. The English have a much older national heritage than us, and I found it interesting to learn about but also to visit some of these places. I went to Conwy, Wales where Conwy Castle (welsh: Castell Conwy) was commissioned by King Edward I in 1283. He had it built so that he could house a garrison and enforce his rule over Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, previously the Prince of Wales, and the welsh nation.

The picture below is of the Conwy Castle:

Because the country is so small it’s very easy to get around. I flew from Manchester to Dublin and the flight took less than an hour. I travelled extensively while being abroad; I visited London, Edinburgh Scotland, Conwy Wales, Dublin, Brussels, Amsterdam, Prague, Berlin, Paris. I also spent a week in a half in Japan and we to Kyoto and Tokyo. If I could visit anywhere again I would choose Japan. The culture was so different; at times it was like being on another planet. Sights were beautiful, the people are really respectful, everything and everywhere was clean, and the food was fantastic.

Prague

Paris

Japan

Amsterdam

While being abroad I never knew what cultural differences to expect. Buying groceries, for example, was trickier than I expected. On more than one occassion upon check out, cashiers have been puzzled by my credit card, You don't have to swipe UK cards, or sign the receipts for transactions. I felt truly foreign when the cashier has to get a manager to ask if my card can be accepted, or why it's not going through when they try getting it to work their traditional way. More often than not an external device in which to swipe my card needs to be dusted off and used with some sense of wonder by the cashier.

Studying abroad was a great experience; I’m really glad that I decided to do it. I was able to go in the fall, so I didn’t have to miss my season. Allegheny does however offer programs to go abroad for both the spring and fall semesters. Before I left the United States, I did face some criticism on my choice to study abroad. People would ask, 'why do you want to leave America? It’s the best country in the world'. When I said I was looking forward to traveling in Europe people would say, 'well you can travel here; America is bigger than all of Europe'. Firstly, I don't know that there is one country that is superior to all others, but I think one can only make such a claim when he or she has been everywhere. Yes, America is large, and different states and regions offer different things, but it is not a microcosm for the world. I think that it is important for every person, not just Americans, although we do carry a reputation for being strongly nationalist, to go abroad.

Xenophobes and those who are overly nationalist will not have an enjoyable experience because traveling requires being open to new things, being flexible, being able to compromise, and step out of your comfort zone. There may be disappointments, or certain experiences that are less enjoyable, but traveling is so much more than that. You learn about other cultures, which can provide so many great opportunities, good food, music, sites, but you also learn about yourself and your own culture would recommend study abroad to anyone student who has an open mind. It should not be forgotten that traveling abroad is a privilege, and like it or not, we represent our country wherever we go. Those who are willing to step up to the challenge are in for the experience of a lifetime.

~Katie Conway #10

Allegheny College Feature

2010-01-05T11:41:00.002-05:00

The link below was aired during the broadcast of the Allegheny-Westminster game televised on Fox Sports Net Pittsburgh this past September. It gives great insight to Allegheny College as well our Athletics! Please take a look for yourself and enjoy!

Allegheny College Feature

Seaon's Greetings

2009-12-22T12:49:00.006-05:00

The semester has come to an end and the students are home for the holiday break. As for the team, the girls worked very hard this off season! They were in the gym working out three times a week and also held captains practices twice a week. The team worked very hard both on and off the field as well as in the classroom this fall and is ready for a successful spring season! As for Paula and Emily, they too had a very busy first semester with recruiting, clinics, and conventions. Paula just arrived back from a convention and coaches academy where she learned a great deal and is incredibly excited to implement the ideas this spring! When it comes to the recruiting, it does not end and there is more to be done this coming semester, but for now, the coach’s are making the snowy trek home for a little holiday break and will be back at it January 4th and preparing for February 1st-- the first day of pre-season!

Allegheny Lacrosse wishes you all a wonderful holiday season and a happy new year!

Interview with Alumni Ashley Rogerson

2009-11-19T16:13:00.003-05:00

Why did you choose to go to Allegheny?
I first heard about Allegheny from a friend of the family who went there. I looked into it more and saw that they had a good reputation for getting graduates into medical school which is something I was interested in. The neuroscience program was another big draw for me. So then I contacted Coach Groff about playing soccer. Once I visited in the fall for a recruiting trip I was sold and actually didn't apply anywhere else.

What have you been up to since graduation?
I took the summer after graduation off and lived at home until medical school started in August. I've been there ever since. I assistant coach a high school lacrosse team in the spring. My roommates from college, including lacrosse alumni Danielle "DP" Parsons, have been touring various south central PA attractions on an annual basis (i.e. Amish country, Gettysburg, Indian Echo caverns). We are hoping to be published in an Allegheny pamphlet in the future.

Did anything from your lacrosse or soccer career help you transition into the "real world"?
I think I'm still transitioning actually since I've been in school my entire life. I am in the middle of applying for an orthopedic surgery residency position and my personal statement was all about my different experiences in sports. I don't know if medical school is truly a "real world" experience but it's evident every time you have to work together with another person regardless of what line of work you pursue. I can't think of a career where you are totally isolated...you always need to be able to communicate and play nice with others despite personality differences. This is something I've definitely learned through soccer and lacrosse. You don't realize it at the time but there are valuable life lessons (I know that sounds lame) in college but I can look back and see how my athletic experiences have shaped the way I react to situations. There are many things I would have handled differently in soccer and lacrosse at Allegheny but I'm grateful for those experiences and that I could learn from them.

How did you manage your studies, soccer and lacrosse?
I treated school like an 8-3 job and tried not to take much time off during the day. That way I could get to practice and not worry about having tons of work to do that night. It seems like science classes were always early so sleeping in wasn't usually an option.

Can you share a favorite lacrosse memory?
Most of my favorite lacrosse times were on our spring break trips to Florida, especially senior year. I will leave out the details but it did involve 100 chicken wings and a rained out practice. Beating OWU in the semi finals that year was probably one of my favorite on field memories.

What was your training like while at Allegheny?
Being on both teams I pretty much had a game or practice every day so during season training wasn't much of an issue. Sometimes I'd go for a run on my own if we had a light practice. Early in college I just went for long runs all the time and lifted every once in a while. By senior year I think I was actually training correctly by mixing up sprint work outs, core training (which never showed due to weekly hot and readys from Little Caesars) and footwork drills with distance running and lifting. It's always better to train with your teammates than by yourself. But really, you need to work out on your own and not waste the team's time by being out of shape in preseason.

If you could pass on one tidbit to the current team what would it be?
Don't be babies and go big or go home. Don't make excuses for yourself, whether it is on the field or in the classroom. There's no reason you shouldn't be in shape and ready for every game/practice and getting good grades if you put the time and effort in. And yes there is time in college for all that and you can still go out and have fun too. Enjoy your teammates while you are all living in Meadville but most of all don't make excuses and don't be babies.

Lastly, will we see you at a lacrosse game this year?
The 2006 team always makes it to a game one way or another. This is not a question.

Record Breaking 2nd Harvest Food Drive

2009-11-19T16:05:00.016-05:00

November 18th. For the past three years the Allegheny Women’s Lacrosse team has participated in the 2nd Harvest Food Drive. This year in particular the team aided the project to its best year yet! At the Meadville site our team including other volunteers collected, sorted and distributed 8,016 lbs of food, 81 turkeys, $7, 445.52 in donations, which translates to $126,573.82 in purchasing power for the Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest Pennsylvania.

This event was a great way for the team to support the Meadville community and build a stronger, more committed connection between the college and the town. The team went down to the location in shifts throughout the day. We all collected bags of food from generous donors, packaged the food into boxes, weighed the boxes and recorded each step of progress.

The experience of the food drive gives us as students a chance to step back from academic life and notice the needs of our community around us. As a team we believe it is important to recognize these issues and do our part in helping as much as we can. The day was a success, proving a reciprocal service relationship is the most rewarding! We were able to give help to others, while also learning about our community and what as young people we can achieve. We look forward to participating in the drive again next year!

~Caitlin Fearon #6

The 3rd Annual Pumpkin Carving Contest!

2009-11-03T10:20:00.010-05:00

Last night marked the 3rd Annual Pumpkin Carving Contest for the team! The girls got together for some apple cider, cookies, and good competition. There was a variety of pumpkin carvings while others used their artistic drawing side and decorated their pumpkins with markers. In the end, the winner, freshman Noelle Brouillard, came out on top with a fabulous lacrosse player she was able to carve out of her pumpkin. Freshman Gillian Green received the award “Best Pumpkin with use of words” and sophomore Gabi Tetelman received the “Most Potential” award with her skull pumpkin carving. Overall it was a great night of fun, food, and laughter! Here is a look at the good time the team had:

Gabi Tetelman with "Most Potential" Gillian Green with "Best Pumpkin with use of words"

The winner Noelle Brouillard!

'09 Fall Season Wrap Up

2009-10-06T14:48:00.006-04:00

On Sunday, October 4th, Allegheny hosted the 4th Annual Gator Invitational. Eight teams traveled to Allegheny's Robertson Complex to compete in 25-minute scrimmages. It was quite a chilly day, but the rain held off and we were able to see a lot of great lacrosse from all of the participating teams! Allegheny played four teams, including two Division II programs, and went 2-4 for the day. There are just two more practices left in the fall season before the girls are on their own until February! Overall it’s been a great fall ball and the girls can’t wait to see it all transition into the spring season!

The "Gold Rush"

2009-09-23T10:55:00.007-04:00

On September 12th, the Allegheny College Football team had their "Gold Rush" game! Allegheny athletics and the student government (ASG) are teaming up to start a new initiative on campus to generate fan participation and involvement in collegiate athletic events called “Gold Rush” games. The Allegheny football team took on and defeated regional-rival Westminster in a live broadcast game by FSN Pittsburgh 27-14. This game was declared an all-stadium “Gold Rush”, meaning Allegheny fans were asked to wear gold to the contest. ASG distributed free t-shirts to Allegheny students with identification to wear in support of the Gators. There was live music, free rally towels to the first 1,000 people, and a pre-game tailgate where fans were able to purchase food. The women’s lacrosse team raised a total of $1,230 at the football game selling 50/50 raffle tickets! There was a not an empty seat in the stands and the girls worked incredibly hard to sell as many tickets as they possibly could. As a result of working so hard, $615 will go towards their spring break trip to Florida in March! One lucky ticket winner won the other $615 to take home with them! All around it was a great day for the women’s lacrosse team, the Allegheny football team and one lucky fan!

First Week of Fall Ball

2009-09-14T15:40:00.002-04:00

This past week marked the first week of fall ball! The girls were excited to be back out on the field playing together while welcoming the three new freshmen to the team! The first practice it rained, but that didn’t stop the girls from having a great first practice which continued for the next two practices! Everyone had been waiting for this past week since the season ended and cannot wait for a new season to begin! As for the next few weeks, we will be focusing on the fundamentals and progressing as we go through this fall ball!

More Academic Honors for ALLEGHENY!

2009-09-07T10:01:00.002-04:00

Graduates Erin Foster and Katie Murphy, along with rising senior Christina Zanic, three members of the Allegheny women’s lacrosse team, have been named to the 2009 Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Academic Squad for their excellence in the classroom during the 2008-09 academic year.

To be nominated, the student-athlete must be at least a junior standing academically and have at least a grade-point average of 3.5 or were in the top 10 percent of their squad. The IWLCA recognized 407 student-athletes at 152 institutions.

Earlier this summer, the Gators were honored by the IWLCA as a team for attaining an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Welcome Freshmen

2009-08-26T15:23:00.002-04:00

This past weekend the freshmen class said their goodbyes to their families and said hello to their new roommates and friends here at Allegheny College! Everyone is excited to be starting up a new year of classes, as well as a new season of lacrosse! In the coming weeks, the freshmen are going to get their first taste of college, classes, lacrosse and what it takes to balance it all. It’s a good thing that they have upper classmen to look to for advice and answers! Everyone is up for the challenge and can’t wait for it all to begin!

Gators earn IWLCA Academic Squad honors

2009-08-25T11:26:00.002-04:00

The Allegheny College women’s lacrosse team has been honored with a 2009 Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Division III Academic Squad Award. Teams selected for the IWLCA Academic Team honors are nominated by their coach and must attain an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher. The Gators are one of 62 Division III institutions recognized and join Denison, Oberlin, and Wooster from the North Coach Athletic Conference. Keep up the hard work ladies both on and off the field!!

2010 Team Captains

2009-08-10T11:37:00.013-04:00

I’m excited to announce that there will be three new captains leading the squad for the 2010 season, Christina Zanic, Elissa Gordon and Jensen Paterson.

I’m expecting a lot out of these three players. I first gave them a job description and asked if they wanted the job, this is not a job that everyone wants. I’m glad they accepted the position; I know the team this year will be better for it and I am certain they will do a great job leading this team.

Zanic was selected by her teammates for a multitude of reasons including: confidence, calming on field presence, leading by example, strong, dedicated and respected by the team. One teammate said she is extremely passionate, a team player, approachable and willing to put in the time and effort.” Another teammate called Zanic a visionary. Paula on Zanic: “Zanic is a knowledgeable player that cares a lot about the program and is ready to lead this team.”

The team on Gordon: While she is quiet, she leads by example. One teammate said of Gordon “I feel she has really great things to say and that she’ll step up if put in that role.” “She can step up to the leadership position. She knows the game well and is such a team player.” She has “lots of potential as a player and to lead.” Paula on Gordon: Gordon plays center for us and I believe that she is the center of the team both literally and figuratively. She is right in the thick of the action. She’s really been great about trying to motivate and recenter her teammates when they are off or need a kick in the butt.”

The team on Jensen: “a natural leader on and off the field.” She has so much heart said a teammate. One of her greatest strengths as a leader is that she can read her teammates. Another teammate noted that she was young, but “has tremendous potential as a leader.” One teammate described her as a “phenomenal leader” (But spelled it wrong!) Paula on Jensen: I think Jensen has considerable knowledge on the game of lacrosse. She is a great leader by example and her passion for lacrosse is contagious.

The lacrosse team looks to open up the non-traditional season in September. The annual fall ball tournament is penciled in for October 4th. Looking forward to a GREAT year!

GO GATORS!

Wetmore named as new Assistant Lacrosse Coach

2009-08-05T15:04:00.004-04:00

There is a new addition to the Allegheny Women’s Lacrosse team this year! Emily Wetmore begins her first season as the new assistant coach under Coach Habel. Emily comes to us from Franklin Pierce University in Rindge, NH where she was the field hockey and women’s lacrosse assistant coach for the past two years. Before beginning her career as a coach, Emily played lacrosse at Stonehill College under Coach Michael Daly. While at Stonehill College, the lacrosse team never lost a conference game. They won 9 consecutive conference championships while also going onto win the 2005 NCAA Division II Championship, and returning to the tournament in 2007, but losing in the semi finals to C.W. Post. Emily is looking forward to a very exciting career here at Allegheny College and can’t wait for the year to begin!

Harvey and Paterson Honored as IWLCA All-West Regional Selections

2009-05-27T09:57:00.003-04:00

Senior Midfielder Cailin Harvey and Sophomore Attacker Jensen Paterson were both named member of the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Association All-West Regional teams. Harvey was named to the All-West first team while Paterson received second team recognition. These gators were two of 224 Division III student-athletes chosen to All-Region teams this year. This is Harv's first time receiving All-West recognition, while J receives her second nomination this year. The Gators are extremely proud of their teammates' accomplishments - GO GATORS!

Five Gators named to All-NCAC Teams

2009-05-12T09:25:00.003-04:00

Five members of the 2009 Gators have been honored with NCAC All-Conference Team selections.

Sophomore attacker Jensen Paterson makes her second consecutive First Team appearance this year. As team stats leader, she finished with 53 goals and 13 assists for the year, which add to both her third-place career points and goals records. She also led the team in draw controls this year with 60, setting a career record with 95.

Senior midfielder Cailin Harvey was a Second Team selection this year. The tri-captain led the team in both ground balls (36) and caused turnovers (21).
Senior defender Katie Murphy was also named to the NCAC Second Team for the second consecutive year. She ended with 11 caused turnovers and 25 ground balls for the gators.

Junior Meg Grossman, a midfielder, received her second NCAC recognition this year being named to the Second Team. A powerhouse in the midfield, she added 37 draw controls and averaged over 3 goals per game.
First-year attacker Kiah Voyer-Colbath was honored twice this year as a Second Team selection as well as receiving the 2009 NCAC Newcomer of the Year award. In her first season as a Gator, she tallied 41 goals (ranking second for the team) and 5 assists. She also made her mark in the posession game, grabbing 29 draw controls, 11 ground balls and 7 caused turnovers.

The Gators are very proud to have five team members honored with All-Conference selections for this 2009 season, and look forward to next year to continue their pursuit of an NCAC Conference Championship.

End-of-Season Wrap Up

2009-05-04T09:21:00.002-04:00

With NCAC playoffs behind us, the Gators look forward to next fall when they will regroup to begin the 2009-2010 season. The Gators would like to thank all their parents, friends and fans for the wonderful support and encouragement they have received this year, and want to wish the best of luck to our 2009 Seniors. This summer, the girls will be working hard on their own so they can come back ready to move Allegheny Lacrosse to the next level.
Thanks to those who helped us this season! Have a great summer and we'll see you next year!

Meg Grossman NCAC Player of the Week

2009-04-07T10:48:00.002-04:00

As noted on the NCAC Lacrosse Website on Monday, April 6:
Allegheny junior Meg Grossman (Lexington, KY/Sayre School) recorded 10 goals, three assists, 11 draw controls and eight ground balls in the Gators' 2-0 week. She tallied five goals and two assists in a 21-17 defeat of Washington & Jefferson, then added another five scores with an assist in a 23-10 NCAC victory over Oberlin.

Gators Continue Fight for NCAC Championship in Victory over Oberlin 4/4/09

2009-04-06T15:01:00.004-04:00

The team delivered another high-scoring game this Saturday against the Yeowomen.

Nine different scorers contributed to the win. Allegheny won the possession battle, going 14-9 in ground balls and 18-17 in draw controls. The team also caused six turnovers. Goalkeepers Rachel Coons and Becca O'Shurak combined for six saves. With a final score of 23-10, the Gators are now 4-4 (1-1 NCAC) and look on to their next challenge as they will travel to the College of Wooster Tuesday.

Gators Overcome W&J in Scoring Battle 4/1/09

2009-04-03T09:57:00.003-04:00

The Gators returned from Washington, PA Wednesday night after a 21-17 victory over the Presidents of Washington & Jefferson College. Ten different players added points to the board, including a first collegiate-goal scored by first-year midfielder Caitlin Hubel. Sophomore attacker Jackie Sikora contributed a game-high three assists in the effort. Meg Grossman led with five goals and two assists, while Christina Zanic and Abby Silvester each had four goals. Jensen Paterson and Kiah Voyer-Colbath added two goals apiece, while Emily Hoar, Caitlin Fearon, and Colleen Silky each had one. The team combined for 24 ground balls and 24 draw controls, beating out W&J in the possession game. Goalkeeper Rachel Coons made seven saves and rookie Becca O'Shurak hopped in net to make two saves for the Gators.

The team, now 3-4 overall, continues their fight to the NCAC playoffs with a conference game against Oberlin this Saturday at Robertson. The game starts at 2pm.

Meet the Team: Caitin Fearon #6

2009-03-25T12:09:00.005-04:00

This week's player interview is with sophomore attacker Caitlin Fearon:

Name? Caitlin Fearon

Nicknames? Fearon, Cait

Homestate? CT

High School? The Williams School

Number of years played? 9 years

Favorite Color? Purple

What made you choose Allegheny? I came on a recruiting weekend and met the team. I really liked all the girls and wanted to be a part of the program. Also, my college counselor urged me to apply based on Allegheny's academic reputation.

What is your major/minor? What made you choose them? Communication Arts major, VESA minor. I chose communication arts because I have always been interested in the media and production. VESA stands for Values, Ethics and Social Action, it is a service-learning minor that asks students to actively participate in the community through service.

Where did you live freshman year? Now? Baldwin Hall... Now I live in an on-campus house with Foster and Biondi!

Favorite Lacrosse memory? Being with the team on spring break last year in FL, especially karaoke on the boat:)

What is one thing that you were expecting coming to Allegheny? One thing you were not expecting? I was expecting to have a challenging academic plate but also really enjoying the people around me, especially .my teammates. I was not expecting to really make this place my home, its hard being far away from my family but a lot of other girls on the team are in the same position, we can relate to each other in that respect.

What is the best thing about Allegheny Lacrosse? My teammates!

One goal you have for the season? To be a smart and reliable player on offense and for our team to work together and go even farther than we did last season.

Favorite Place on Campus? The Art wing in the Campus Center.

What did you do this past summer? Lived and worked in Meadville through the Davies Program at Allegheny. I worked with Meadville Family YMCA and helped set up an outreach program at the parks for children to come to as a safe place to hang out with other kids.

What activities do you participate in on campus? Community service activites through my minor(VESA).

Spring Training 2009

2009-03-23T10:48:00.006-04:00

The Gators have returned from a sunny week in West Palm Beach, Florida. Between practices, three games and a few team bonding activities, the team had a lot on their plate. After falling to Keene State and Mt. Holyoke in three-goal games, the Gators bounced back to defeat the Smith College Pioneers 16-5. Ten different scorers made their mark in the team's final game on Friday. The Gators hope to keep this energy going through the week as they prepare for their trip to OWU to compete against the Bishops.

Apart from training, the team was also able to take advantage of their location a few times during the week. In addition to enjoying the hotel pool, the team also made a trip to Delray Beach, witnessed the rocket launch, took a Catamaran ride and snorkeled along Lake Worth, and even had enough time for a round of team bowling!

Below are a few snapshots from the Gators' adventures during Spring Fling 2009:

Snorkeling - between all participants, was sighted three small squid, a barracuda, five rays, a starfish the size of a pizza, and schools of fish in all colors and sizes! Coach Habel even swam next to a manatee!

Getting ready to jump in...

Dancing on the deck - was this the pizza dance?

Jensen cruising in style.

Coach Habel learning a thing or two about how to drive the Catamaran.

Raising the main sail - good work ladies!

Gordon about to throw a strike (or at least NOT a gutter ball)!

Becca as she works her way to a 159 - team high score!

Out to dinner on St. Patrick's Day.

Just before enjoying unlimited salad and breadsticks at the Olive Garden.

Team pics on the beach.

Riding the waves at Delray.

After the rocket exited the atmosphere - how cool!

Driving back from practice - this huge jet stream appeared in the sky. It took a few minutes before we realized it was the Discovery taking off from Cape Canaveral!

An early practice at Lake Lytal Park.

Gators Chomp the Bobcats in Season Opener 3/10/09

2009-03-12T09:10:00.008-04:00

Allegheny had a record-breaking first game win over Frostburg on a wet, chilly Tuesday afternoon on the turf. Eight different scorers contributed to a 22-14 victory for the Gators. Sophomore attacker Jensen Paterson let the scoreboard with six goals, and junior midfielder Meg Grossman finished with the most points, combining five goals and four assists. Other points contributors include sophomore midfielder Abby Silvester, with two goals and three assists, and attacking classmate Caitlin Fearon, who finished with two goals and two assists. Freshman Kiah Voyer-Colbath also made her mark in the attacking end, with three goals, while Junior teammates Christina Zanic finished with two. Junior Emily Hoar and sophomore Jackie Sikora had one goal apiece. Junior center Elissa Gordon also added an assist.

The Gators led the possession game, combining for 18 ground balls to Frostburg's 14 and controlled 24 draws to Frostburg's 14. Allegheny also caused eight turnovers. Junior goalie Rachel Coons had seven saves for the day. Overall, the team really controlled the game, demonstrating smart decisions, composure and tough play all over the field.

In the end, the Gators broke three Team Game records. They combined for 22 goals (previously 20 goals, vs. Washington & Jefferson on 4/2/08 and Earlham on 4/17/99), and 10 assists (previously 9 assists, vs. Washington & Jefferson on 4/2/08, Bridgewater State on 3/17/08, Notre Dame of Ohio on 4/1/05 and Earlham on 4/22/01). Their combined points total of 32 surpasses the previous record of 29, set on 4/2/08 vs. Washington & Jefferson as well.

The Gators now face the Tigers of RIT, Thursday afternoon at 4pm at the Robertson field complex.

Dixon's Semester at Sea

2009-03-10T11:15:00.007-04:00

After her interview, Dixon wanted to share a few snapshots from her time overseas (literally):

I studied abroad on Semester at Sea and it was definitely the best time of my life. There sure is nothing like living on a cruise ship for 100 days and circumnavigating the globe! While on the trip I was in 12 different countries (although 2 were only for a few hours), lost a day (I believe it was September 8th that did not exist), and experienced things that some people only dream about...

Japan: Final destination after the longest day ever. Took a night train from Tokyo to Hiroshima and then another train to Miajima.

The ship!! There is nothing like being in a different country each week and always having your home to come back to. It is an amazing feeling. I miss it everyday!

Egypt: We made port in Alexandria, which has a fantastic library by the way, but I flew down to Cairo and got to eat the Sphinx's nose. It was quite delicious!

Vietnam: Floating market on the Mekong River. Most people live on boats in the area and it is a popular destination to get your produce for the day.

Turkey: Amphatheater on the side on a mountain at Thermosis which is in Southern Turkey. It has become my most favorite destination and I CANNOT WAIT to go back there some day! Anyone want a free tour guide? Just pay for my flights and I'm there!

Thailand: The tiger temple was quite the experience. There was a special area for the big tigers, which we got to pet for $10, and then everywhere else there were cattle, chickens, peacocks, goats and other animals just running around freely.

Meet the Team: Anna Dixon #21

2009-03-08T17:07:00.009-04:00

This week's interview is with Senior defender Anna Dixon:

Nicknames? Dixon, Nanners

Homestate? Pennsylvania

High School? Perkiomen

For how long have you played lacrosse? 10 years

Favorite Color? Lime green

What made you choose Allegheny? I'm not sure. When looking at colleges the first thing I told my parents is that I was not going to school in PA. In August, I received a packet from the SAT people and Allegheny was on the list. I thought it looked okay and my parents bugged me to look at it online. I did, we visited, and here I am. Before that it was between Alfred and NEC.

What is your major/minor? What made you choose them? Psychology and Studio Art. I took a Psych course in high school and really enjoyed it. I got to college and realized they had a huge Psychology program so I said "Hey, why not?" It wasn't until this summer when I had an internship in Baltimore that I realized I wanted to further my education in it at Grad school. With my minor, well I've always been into drawing. I attended Saturday set classes for 4 years when I was younger and I worked at an amusement park for 5 years doing henna tattoos.

Where did you live freshman year? Now? Baldwin 2B! Woo! It was pretty fun! Now I live off campus on Baldwin street.

Favorite Lacrosse memory? Oh man I have too many! Spring break my sophomore year was pretty great. Just being on break with my favorite people doing my favorite things!

What is one thing that you were expecting coming to Allegheny? To meet a variety of people, some of whom would become my best friends.

One thing you were not expecting? The work load - Yikes!

What is the best thing about Allegheny Lacrosse? We're not like most teams. We are all crazy, in a good way, and we know how to laugh at each other and ourselves when the time is right.

What would you like to do once you graduate in May? Move to Baltimore asap! But that will all depend on where I get into grad school.

Favorite Cartoon Character? Rocco from "Rocco's Modern Life"

Favorite Place on Campus? Well its not technically campus but the trails behind Robertson.

What did you do this past summer? I had an internship in Baltimore working at the Kennedy Krieger institute. I learned about applied behavior analysis and worked with children with autism. It was definitely an eye opening experience. I also worked as a hostess in a restaurant and went tubing down lots of rivers.

What activities do you participate in on campus? I was in GAP my sophomore year which was fun but now I am just in the Outing Club.

Looking Ahead to Season Opener

2009-03-04T11:13:00.003-05:00

The Gators begin their season with a Home Opener against Frostburg State Tuesday, March 10 at 4pm on the Turf at Robertson. We are all rearing to get this 2009 season started - we're crossing our fingers and pleading with the weatherman to keep temperatures up next week. The team has been having a great week of practice - you can tell the girls are excited to be able to show off their skills in competition. The Gators also face RIT next week, before leaving for Spring Fling '09 in West Palm Beach, Florida where they will compete in three non-conference games against Keene State, Mt. Holyoke and Smith. Let's go Gators!

Scrimmage Day

2009-02-23T10:46:00.006-05:00

This weekend the Gators had their first opportunity to test their skills. On Saturday, the team traveled to Amherst, OH to compete in short scrimmages against Notre Dame of Ohio, Trine, Oberlin and Denison. Despite having minimal warm-up time and space, the team really worked hard and put everything that they had been working on these past few weeks together out on the field. By the last two scrimmages they were making great stops on defense, great connections through the transition and great finishes on attack. The Gators proved to themselves that their hard work through pre-season would pay off.

Between games, the girls watched other teams compete from the cramped sidelines. Below are some shots of the team throughout the day:

2009 Spring Season Kick-off

2009-01-30T11:15:00.003-05:00

Although the time change was difficult to get used to (6am is never easy), the Gators have successfully worked through the first week of practice. After a few days of fitness tests and conditioning, the team got to work on some full-field play - and they look great! The final day of 6am practices ended with a team yoga session, to work on flexibility. Everyone is looking forward to an inter-squad scrimmage tomorrow. The only direction from here is forward!

Back to School 2009

2009-01-19T09:43:00.003-05:00

After a restful Winter Break, Allegheny students have returned to campus to start off the Spring 2009 semester. Braving the somewhat chilly temperatures we've had this past week, students are buzzing around campus - getting to classes, grabbing some food at McKinley's, or releasing some steam with a workout at the Wise Center.

The team now just has ONE WEEK before practices start! Everyone is really excited to get things going - it feels like we have been waiting forever! With a few weeks of classes under their belts, the girls will be ready to concentrate on working hard and bringing the team to the next level!

Exciting Adventures Abroad: Christina Zanic in Townsville, Queensland, Australia

2008-12-17T10:46:00.000-05:00

After returning from an amazing semester abroad, Zanic stopped by Allegheny to meet up with friends, teammates and coaches. Here's what she had to say about her study abroad experience:

What kinds of things were going through your head during your first week after your arrival in Australia? During your last week there?

At first I was nervous and a lot more homesick than I was expecting. But within the week I met a lot of amazing people, which made the transition a lot easier. By the last week I was so sad that the experience had to come to an end, but excited to come back to all the great things I had waiting for me at home... especially lacrosse season.

Describe a typical day.

I would typically have between 3 and 6 hours of class a day Monday-Friday. Fortunately my workload was a lot lighter than what I'm used to at Allegheny, so I had a lot more time to spend hanging out with friends or going to the beach. We also had a lot of time to travel around Australia during breaks or on the weekends.

What is one favorite memory of your travels?

Ah, I think it's almost impossible to pick just one..but if I had to, I might say bungy jumping in the rainforest. I've always wanted to bungy jump and it was just as exhilarating as I thought it would be.

What is one thing you learned about Australians that you didn't know before (maybe something you would never have thought)?

I never imagined that Australians could be as friendly and outgoing as they are. I met so many people who were impossibly nice and so genuinely interested in getting to know new people, especially international visitors.

Did you travel in Australia? Where was the coolest place you went and why?

Yes! Some of my favorites were Sydney, Fraser Island and a sailing trip to the Whitsunday Islands. In Sydney I was able to visit historical sites such as the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. At Fraser we went four-wheel driving and hiking on an all-sand island with a group of really interesting people. Lastly, the sailing trip was with a big group of my friends to a lot of really beautiful islands.

Below are a few pictures Zanic has shared with us:

Baby Joey

At the Australia Zoo in Brisbane

Trip to Fraser Island (teammate Emily Hoar is there too)

The beautiful beaches of Fraser Island

Coaches at IWLCA Convention

2008-12-10T11:00:00.000-05:00

This week, Paula and Jill traveled to Marco Island, FL for this year's Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association annual meetings. The conference lasted three days, and coaches from all divisions and from all corners of the United States were in attendance. Between skill workshops, professional development sessions, keynote speakers, Rules discussions and Awards banquets, the coaches even got to spend a little time enjoying their sunny surroundings. The coaches returned to snowy northern Pennsylvania with many new ideas and a hunger to start the 2009 season. Only six weeks to go!

Allegheny at the IAS Showcase

2008-11-24T17:21:00.000-05:00

Coach Steigerwald flew to Manchester, NH this weekend to watch the IAS Indoor Lacrosse Showcase. Participants competed in both 7v7 and full-field games throughout Saturday and Sunday. Over 60 colleges were in attendance to watch close to 300 high school players compete over the weekend.

Meet the Team: Kaitlan Biondi #20

2008-11-20T16:59:00.000-05:00

This week's interview is with Junior Defender Kaitlan Biondi:

Nickname? Biondi, B, kb, K, Bi-on-dayy

Homestate? New York

What High School did you attend? Brewster High School

What Club Team did you play on? Westchester Elite

How many years have you been playing lacrosse? This is my 8th year.

Favorite Color? Blue

What made you choose Allegheny? I fell in love with Allegheny the second I stepped on campus and the team was amazing so I knew it was where I wanted to be.

What is one thing you were expecting when you decided to come to Allegheny? One thing you were not expecting? I was expecting a lot of work because I had heard that Allegheny was pretty tough. I was NOT expecting the mass amounts of snow that we get in the winter.

What is your major/minor? What made you choose them? My Major is Environmental Science and my minor is Religious Studies. When I first got to school I wasn't sure what I wanted to study but after taking a bunch of different classes I realized that I was very interested in learning about and making a difference in the Environment. I also thought that learning all about different religions was extremely interesting, so I decided to make it my minor.

Where did you live freshman year? Now? Freshman year I lived in Baldwin and Now I live in a house on Loomis Street with Foster, Fearon and Emma (other Lacrosse players).

Favorite Lacrosse memory? I have so many amazing memories with this team but some of my favorites have been the bus rides and hotel stays with the team (especially all the times the bus broke down), rounds of zoomyy, all the laughter and goofing off that occurs , going to NCAC's last year - especially when we were all singing rounds on the field during a practice and spring break, to name a few.

What is the best thing about Allegheny Lacrosse? The best thing for me has definitely been all the amazing friends that I have made and the amount of fun I have everytime I am with the team.

One goal you have for the season? To win NCAC's and finally put a number up on the banner in the Wise Center.

Favorite Cartoon Character? Scooby Doo

What activities on campus are you involved in? Other than Lacrosse, I work with the group Healthy Homes, Healthy Children - an Environmental Health group that works in the community to promote awareness about different health issues.

What did you do this past summer? I worked at a sleep away camp on Newfound Lake in New Hampshire.

Food Drive!

2008-11-13T09:13:00.001-05:00

On Wednesday, November 12, the team helped out at the Meadville Tribune's Annual "Second Harvest Food Drive" in downtown Meadville. The girls helped collect food donations from community members, sort it into boxes and weigh it. At the end of the day, the drive collected 5,748 pounds of food and raised $4,739. We were happy to be a part of such a great project! Great job girls! See the team hard at work below:

Pumpkin Carving!

2008-10-31T14:19:00.001-04:00

Last night, the team held it's 2nd Annual Pumplin Carving Contest. The girls met for a little Apple Cider and some Halloween treats, and sat down for a little competition. For some, it was their first carving experience, while other experienced veterans pulled out some tough designs using skilled techniques. Take a look at some of the fun:

And the winners of this year's contest:

Sophomores Katie Conway and Jackie Sikora - great job girls!

The team also gathered to take a PINK team photo to promote Breast Cancer Awareness.

Fall 2008 Season Wrap-Up

2008-10-06T13:53:00.000-04:00

On Sunday, October 5th, Allegheny hosted the 3rd Annual Gator Invitational. Ten teams traveled to Allegheny's Robertson Complex to compete in 25-minute scrimmages. Overall, everyone had a great weekend and we saw some great lacrosse played under the Pennsylvania sun. Allegheny played four teams, including two Division II programs, and went 1-3 for the day. Now the team has a few more practices to wrap up the fall season. Then, the girls are on their own until we start our season in February.

2008-10-04T13:56:00.000-04:00

Some kodak moments from practice this week:

7v7

Warm-up

Team huddle

Fall Ball 2008 Kick-off

2008-09-17T15:46:00.001-04:00

This week marks the first week of fall practice for the Gator lacrosse team. It's been great to be back out there on the field with sticks in hand. Even though the first week also means some fitness testing, everyone is excited to be playing together again.

Without the five of us who are working hard on the soccer field this fall, and those gators who are currently studying abroad, we have 19 girls out for Fall Ball this year, and we welcome four new first-years. The next few weeks will be focused on improving individual fundamentals and putting those skills to good use on the playing field. So far so good!