2019 Cross Country Program
Cover Page Cover is made in Photoshop with the template Save cover in Photoshop as a PDF and drag into InDesign OFFICIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS PROGRAM
2019 MAAC MEN’S & WOMEN’S
CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIP SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2 HOLMDEL PARK HOLMDEL, NJ HOSTED BY MONMOUTH UNIVERSITY CHAMPIONSHIPS
STAFF DIRECTORY
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Office 712 Amboy Avenue Edison, New Jersey 08837 (732) 738-5455
Richard J. Ensor, Esq. .........................................................................................................Commissioner Jessica Hegmann Grasso......................................................................Senior Associate Commissioner/SWA Jordan Confessore....................................................................... Associate Commissioner/Men’s Basketball Alexis Wayne. ..............................................Assosicate Commissioner/Women’s Basketball & Olympic Sports Valerie McQuade.............................................................................. Assistant Commissioner of New Media Harold Bentley |||............................................................................................... Director of Championships Caroline Michalak. ............................................................................................ Director of Championships Cindy Shi......................................................................................................... Director of Championships Ryan Foley. ........................................................................................................... Director of Compliance Taylor O’Connor.............................................................................. Director of New Media/Communications Elyse Appelblatt............................................................................. Director of New Media/Communications Kerry Flynn.................................................................................................... Director of New Media/Video Mathew Gonzalez..........................................................................................................New Media Fellow Michael Ionta. .................................................................................. Administrative/Championships Fellow Kelsey Nugent. ................................................................................. Administrative/Championships Fellow TABLE OF CONTENTS Championships Schedule.......................................................................................................................5 The MAAC Story...............................................................................................................................6-12 Meet the MAAC Commissioner.........................................................................................................13-15 Geico Goodworks Program Update. ..................................................................................................26-27 Pepsi Zero Commissioner’s Cup............................................................................................................18 Canisius College............................................................................................................................20, 40 Fairfield University........................................................................................................................23, 41 Iona College. ................................................................................................................................24, 42 Manhattan College. .......................................................................................................................28, 44 Marist College...............................................................................................................................31, 45 Monmouth University. ...................................................................................................................32, 46 Niagara University.........................................................................................................................33, 48 Quinnipiac University. ...................................................................................................................34, 49 Rider University............................................................................................................................36, 50 Saint Peter’s University..................................................................................................................37, 52 Siena College................................................................................................................................38, 53 Conference Records. .......................................................................................................................54-57
CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL
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2019-20 Championships Schedule Men’s & Women’s Cross Country Saturday, November 2, 2019 Hosted by Monmouth University Holmdel Park - Holmdel, NJ Women’s Soccer First Round: Sunday, November 3, 2019 at No. 3 & No. 4 Seeds Semifinals: Thursday, November 7, 2019 at No. 1 & No. 2 Seeds Finals: Sunday, November 10, 2019 at Highest Remaining Seed 2018 Champion: Monmouth University Men’s Soccer First Round:Sunday, November 10, 2019 at No. 1 & No. 4 Seeds Semifinals:Thursday, November14, 2019 at No. 1 & No. 2 Seeds Finals: Sunday, November 17, 2019 at Highest Remaining Seed 2018 Champion: Rider University 2018 Men’s Champion: Iona College 2018 Women’s Champion: Iona College Men’s & Women’s Swimming & Diving Wednesday, February 12, 2020 – Saturday, February 15, 2020 Co-Hosted by Canisius College & Niagara University Erie Community College Buffalo, NY 2019 Men’s Champion: Rider University 2019 Women’s Champion: Fairfield University Men’s & Women’s Indoor Track & Field Saturday, February 22, 2020 – Sunday, February 23, 2020 Hosted by Manhattan College New Balance Armory Track and Field Center – New York, NY Men’s & Women’s Basketball Tuesday, March 10, 2020 – Saturday, March 14, 2020 Co-Hosted by Monmouth University & Rider University Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall - Atlantic City, NJ 2019 Men’s Champion: Iona College 2019 Women’s Champion: Quinnipiac University Men’s & Women’s Golf Friday, April 24, 2020 – Sunday, April 26, 2020 Disney’s Magnolia Golf Course Lake Buena Vista, FL 2019 Men’s Champion: Iona College 2019 Women’s Champion: University at Albany Men’s & Women’s Tennis Saturday, April 25, 2020 – Sunday, April 26, 2020 Mercer County Tennis Center West Windsor, NJ 2019 Men’s Champion: Monmouth University 2019 Women’s Champion: Fairfield University 2019 Men’s Champion: Monmouth University 2019 Women’s Champion: Monmouth University Volleyball Friday, November 22 – Sunday, November 14, 2019 Hosted by Fairfield University - Fairfield, CT 2018 Champion: Iona College
Water Polo Saturday, April 25, 2020 – Sunday, April 26, 2019 Hosted by Marist College – Poughkeepsie, NY 2019 Champion: Wagner College
Women’s Lacrosse First Round: Saturday, April 25, 2020 at No. 3 & No. 4 Seeds Semifinals: Thursday, April 30, 2020 hosted by No. 1 seed Finals: Saturday, May 2, 2020 hosted by No. 1 seed 2019 Champion: Fairfield University Men’s Lacrosse Semifinals: Thursday, Aril 30, 2020 Finals: Saturday, May , 2020 Hosted by Monmouth University - West Long Branch, NJ 2019 Champion: Marist College
Men’s & Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Saturday, May 2, 2020 – Sunday, May 3, 2020 Hosted by Rider University Mike P. Brady Track - Lawrenceville, NJ 2019 Men’s Champion: Monmouth University 2019 Women’s Champion: Monmouth University Softball Wednesday, May 6, 2020 – Saturday, May 9, 2020 Rain Date: Sunday, May 10, 2020 Hosted by No. 1 Seed 2019 Champion: Monmouth University
Women’s Rowing Sunday, May 17, 2020 Cooper River Park Pennsauken Township, NJ 2019 Champion: Marist College
Baseball Wednesday, May 20 – Saturday, May 23, 2020 Rain Date: Sunday, May 24,2020 Richmond County Bank Ballpark Staten Island, NY 2019 Champion: Quinnipiac University
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The MAAC Story With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 39th year of competition during the 2019-20 academic year. The MAAC was founded in 1980 by six charter members: the U.S. Military Academy, Fairfield University, Fordham University, Iona College, Manhattan College, and Saint Peter’s College. Competition followed one year later in the fall of 1981 with members competing in the sports of Men’s Cross Country and Men’s Soccer. On January 2, 1982, Army traveled to Iona for the first MAAC Men’s Basketball game and the MAAC story had begun.
Monmouth University and Rider University will co-host the championships at the world-famous venue. Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall and the Atlantic City Convention Center are owned and funded by the New Jersey Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA). The CRDA, working with MEET AC & the Atlantic City Sports Commission, is sponsoring the championships at the venue. Constructed in 1929 as the country’s original convention center, Boardwalk Hall has dazzled guests and residents of Atlantic City for 90 years. In 2001, a $90-million restoration project was completed to transform the original convention hall into its current state as a modern special events arena capable of hosting concerts, esports, sporting events and family shows.
MAAC basketball is all about the connection fans feel to the member schools, the student-athletes and coaches, and to the game of basketball. The current MAAC Strategic Plan sought to identify a neutral site for championships in a destination city which lead to the selection of Atlantic City. The conference is taking a sports festival approach to the AC tournament, designed to engage multiple MAAC constituencies in a big tent approach to grow awareness and affinity within the MAAC and to attract fans to grow attendance by servicing various targeted audiences including students, bands and spirit squads, families, gamers, alumni, gamblers and college basketball fans. By having an excellent working relationship with various facilities, the MAAC has been able to attract several NCAA Championships. The MAAC is slated to host three NCAA Championships from 2020-22. Along with Siena, the MAAC
Current Conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College. The MAAC supports 24 sports and championships during the 2019-20 academic year; in addition, the MAAC champion earns automatic qualification to the NCAA Championship in 15 sports. In addition, associate members include the University of Detroit Mercy and St. Bonaventure University in Men’s Lacrosse. La Salle University, Long Island University, St. Francis Brooklyn College, Villanova University, Virginia Military Institute, and Wagner College in Water Polo. Drake University, Jacksonville University, Robert Morris University, Sacred Heart University, and Stetson University compete in Women’s Rowing. La Salle University, the University at Albany, University of Dayton, and the University of Hartford are members in Women’s Golf, while Bryant University is a member in Men’s Swimming & Diving.
will host the 2021 Women’s Basketball East Regional as well as the 2020 Men’s Basketball First & Second Rounds at the Times Union Center in Albany, NY. Alongside Canisius and Niagara, the MAAC will host the 2022 Men’s Basketball First & Second Rounds at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY. In March 2018 and 2019 the MAAC hosted the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Albany Regional with Siena College at the Times Union Center in Albany, NY. The Albany Regional was the highest attended site in 2018 out of the four regions with over 20,000 fans in attendance over the two days of competition. During the 2016-17 academic year, the MAAC hosted the NCAA Division I Cross Country Northeast Regional at Van Cortlandt Park with Iona and Manhattan, the 2017 NCAA Men’s Basketball First & Second Rounds at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY with Canisius and Niagara, which marked the fifth time that all three parties partnered for this same event (2004, 2007, 2010, and 2014), and the 2017 NCAA Division I, II, & III Rowing Championships with the Ivy League at Lake Mercer in West Windsor, NJ. The MAAC, Canisius, and Niagara successfully hosted the 2019 NCAA Frozen Four and the 2014 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Second and Third Rounds at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo, NY. The MAAC and Fairfield hosted the 2013 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Regional at Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, CT. The MAAC and Rider co-hosted the 2012 NCAA Rowing Championships at Lake Mercer in West Windsor, NJ and also co-hosted the 2011 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA. The MAAC and Rider co-hosted the 2009 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship Regional at the Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton, NJ, after recording the third highest attendance figure for the women’s championship with the First & Second Rounds in 2006.
On June 1, 2018, the MAAC announced that the Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ was selected to host the 2020-22 MAAC Men’s & Women’s Basketball Championships. The MAAC Council of Presidents unanimously accepted the facility’s bid to host at their May 30th meeting in New York City. Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall will host the MAAC Basketball Championships for the first time in history and the championships will return to the state of New Jersey for the first time since 2003, when they were played at The Sovereign Bank Arena (now CURE Insurance Arena) in Trenton. A total of nine MAAC Men’s Basketball Championships and five Women’s Basketball Championships have been held in New Jersey, including the inaugural event in 1982 at what was the Meadowlands Arena in East Rutherford.
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In March of 2017, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced the field of teams for the inaugural Basketball Hall of Fame Belfast Classic, a college basketball tournament held in conjunction with the MAAC, Sport Changes Life, Rory McIlroy’s Foundation, the Rory Foundation, and The SSE Arena, Belfast. The two-day tournament was held December 1-2, 2017 and featured Holy Cross, Manhattan, La Salle, and Towson. After a successful inaugural event, the Sport Changes Life Foundation hosted the 2018 Basketball Hall of Fame Belfast Classic which featured an expanded field to eight schools. The schools competed in two four- team brackets, with campus round games in the United States leading into two tournament brackets in Belfast aptly named ‘Samson’ and ‘Goliath’ after the iconic Harland and Wolfe cranes in the Titanic quarter ship yard of Belfast. Marist College represented the MAAC in the 2018 Basketball Hall of Fame Belfast Classic.
In June of 1995, the MAAC developed new opportunities for student-athletes as the conference announced the formation of the MAAC Men’s and Women’s Lacrosse leagues. The men’s league began competition in the spring of 1996, while the women’s league commenced in the spring of 1997. Since their inception as associate sports leagues, both Men’s and Women’s Lacrosse have been upgraded to full MAAC sports. The men’s league currently consists of six MAAC schools (Canisius, Manhattan, Marist, Monmouth, Quinnipiac, and Siena along with two associate members Detroit Mercy and St. Bonaventure). The women’s league features competition among nine MAAC institutions (Canisius, Fairfield, Iona, Manhattan, Marist, Monmouth, Niagara, Quinnipiac, and Siena). The 2017 Men’s Lacrosse Championship game aired on ESPNU and Sirius XM for the first time in history. In the spring of 2014, the MAAC expanded the championship field to six teams in Men’s and Women’s Soccer, Volleyball, Women’s Lacrosse, Softball, and Baseball. Academics and Athletics The MAAC prides itself on the accomplishments of its student-athletes in the classroom, as well as on the field. Mary Beth Riley, a 1991 graduate of Canisius, was the first recipient of the NCAA Woman of the Year Award. In the fall of 1998, Erin Whalen, a member of the Iona Women’s Rowing team, was awarded one of the nation’s 32 Rhodes Scholarships for academic achievement and civic leadership. As of May 2018, all 11 MAAC institutions and three associate members (Dayton – Women’s Golf, LaSalle – Women’s Golf, Villanova –Water Polo) had at least one team that posted multi-year APR’s in the top 10 percent of all squads in each sport. A total of 47 teams received top 10 percent recognition. Siena led the MAAC with nine teams, followed by Marist College and Quinnipiac University with seven, while Fairfield University had six teams achieve a perfect rate. Five programs from Niagara University and four from Iona College recorded flawless scores. Manhattan registered two teams while Canisius College, Monmouth University, Rider University, and Saint Peter’s University each had one squad earn a score of 1,000. First-class facilities are the standard within the MAAC, as teams regularly play in top-notch arenas, such as Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall, Madison Square Garden, Barclays Center, Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, MassMutual Center, KeyBank Center, Times Union Center, Webster Bank Arena, Mohegan Sun Arena, and Sun National Bank Center. In May 2018, the MAAC embarked on a historic feat as the conference hosted its annual Baseball Championship at Richmond County Bank Ballpark for the first time ever in partnership with the Staten Island Yankees, a Single-A affiliate of the New
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York Yankees. The Baseball Championships are set to be held at Richmond County Bank Ballpark through 2023.
This year, the MAAC hosts the inaugural MAAC/ASUN Challenge at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. The event will feature two men’s and two women’s teams from each conference: Iona College, Monmouth University, Kennesaw State University and Stetson University on the men’s side; Marist College, Rider University, the University of North Florida and Lipscomb University on the women’s side. All games will air on ESPN3. The full slate of games will be played at HP Fieldhouse at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Florida on Nov. 22-23.
The 2020 MAAC Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships will be held once again at Disney’s Magnolia Golf Course. The MAAC’s relationship with Disney Sports began in 1998 when volleyball was first hosted at the world-class sports complex. In the past several years, several MAAC schools have enjoyed success in national postseason play. In 2018, Quinnipiac Women’s Basketball picked up its third NCAA Tournament win in the last two years. The Bobcats defeated Miami in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament before falling to No. 1 UConn in the Second Round. In 2017, Quinnipiac won its first NCAA Championship game in program history and became the first MAAC women’s basketball program to advance to the Sweet 16 since Marist in 2007. The Bobcats defeated Marquette and Miami en route to their Sweet 16 appearance against South Carolina. In 2015, Siena’s Women’s Basketball team became the first MAAC Women’s Basketball program to make it to a postseason championship game. The Saints advanced all the way to the title contest of the Women’s Basketball Invitational (WBI) where Siena fell to Louisiana-Lafayette. In 2007, the Marist Women’s Basketball team advanced to the Sweet 16 before falling to the eventual National Champion, Tennessee. The Red Foxes have recorded an additional five NCAA wins since their run in 2007. Saint Peter’s Men’s Basketball team claimed the 2017 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) title, to become the first MAAC program to win a national postseason championship since Siena’s Men’s Basketball team in 2014. The Saints earned the league’s first basketball postseason championship in its history by winning the 2014 College Basketball Invitational (CBI). In 2013, the MAAC had a record six Men’s Basketball programs participate in postseason play – Iona (NCAA Championship), Niagara (NIT), Canisius, Fairfield, Loyola, and Rider (CIT). Canisius and Loyola both advanced to the Quarterfinal Round, while Rider reached the second round. In 2012, the MAAC had two teams advance to the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship for the first time in 16 years, with Loyola earning the league’s automatic bid and Iona garnering an at-large bid. Leader in Innovation Adding to its reputation as an innovator, the MAAC Council of Presidents approved Esports as a league sport in June 2019. The MAAC will conduct regular season and post-season league competition in multiple games including Rocket League, Super Smash Bros Ultimate, Overwatch, and Fortnite. The 2020 MAAC Esports Championship will be hosted on March 13 and 14 at Adrian Phillips Theater at the Jim Whalen Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. It will be held concurrently with the basketball championships being hosted at the arena.
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MEET THE MAAC COMMISSIONER
The MAAC membership sees the year-end championships as a way to increase student attendance at the combined MAAC basketball and Esports championships in Atlantic City. By creating a sports festival atmosphere, the thought is that traditional sports and Esports fans can become engaged in both events. It also serves as a new admission tool for student recruitment, and an on-campus student engagement platform that should assist with student retention.
Aprovenleader inintercollegiate sports, event management and law for over three decades, Richard J. Ensor, ESQ. was named the third Commissioner of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference in August 1988. Ensor has provided leadership in a period of conference realignment and growth in intercollegiate athletics and the MAAC. During his tenure the MAAC has secured a stable
Hall in Atlantic City, NJ had been selected to host the 2020- 22 MAAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships. Boardwalk Hall will host the championships for the first time in history and the conference will switch the dual championships to the last week of the season, generating increased excitement for the NCAA Selection Shows that occur that Sunday/Monday after the MAAC champions are decided. In 2019 the MAAC also approved the hosting of its inaugural coed Esports Championships in Atlantic City. The 2020 championships will take place on March 13th and 14th in the Adrian Phillips Theater, which is part of Boardwalk Hall. The MAAC will be conducting championships for the following games: League of Legends; Overwatch; Rocket League; and, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. MAAC champions will receive bids to the national tournaments for the games under the MAAC’s membership in the Electronic Gaming Federation (EGF). Instrumental in the expansion of MAAC sports offerings to reflect the MAAC’s commitment to Division I membership and diversity, Ensor guided efforts within the MAAC beginning in 1992 to add women’s soccer, in 1996 men’s lacrosse, and in 1997 women’s lacrosse, men’s and women’s indoor track and rowing. In 1998, the MAAC added outdoor track and field and women’s golf, and in 2002-03 it added women’s water polo. The league currently sponsors 23 sports and is awarded automatic or play-in bids to 15 NCAA championships [baseball, softball, tennis (m&w), golf (m&w), basketball (m&w), lacrosse (m&w), rowing (w), soccer (m&w) water polo (w), and volleyball (w)]. Additionally, MAAC men’s and women’s cross country have access to the NCAA championship through a regional qualifier race. Over half the MAAC sponsored sports now have direct access to NCAA Championships for the first time in the history of the conference. (Up from 13 sports and two automatic bids in 1988). To award its fans, arena partners and membership, provide staff training and networking, the MAAC during Ensor’s tenure has been very aggressive in seeking out opportunities to host NCAA Championships in various sports. With member schools it has served as a co-host of the 1995, 2000, 2004, 2007 and 2010 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament First and Second Rounds at the Times Union Center and the KeyBank Center 2014 2nd & 3rd rounds, respectively, and the 2003 NCAA Men’s Basketball East Regional at the Albany, NY arena and the 2003 and 2019 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four at the Buffalo venue. Additionally,
The MAAC has also been a leader in the forefront of technology, expanding the notoriety of the league into cyberspace. In 2017, the league reached a conference-wide agreement with SIDEARM Sports, to design and host the MAAC web page. MAACSports.com has been a great success, providing fans with fresh content, up-to-date results, live and on-demand video, and an online merchandise store. In September 2011, the conference announced the launch of MAAC.TV, the league’s first broadband network. Eight schools (Canisius, Fairfield, Iona, Manhattan, Marist, Monmouth, Rider, and Saint Peter’s) were part of the original network. In May 2014, the MAAC monumentally expanded its partnership with ESPN by announcing the launch of the MAAC Branded ESPN3 Channel. In the 2017-18 academic year the MAAC entered into a new eight-year agreement with ESPN and produced a total of 325 events on the ESPN family of networks. All 11 MAAC institutions will be producing content on ESPN3 & ESPN+ in 2019-20 with over 450 broadcasts scheduled to be aired by the MAAC membership. Under the ESPN agreement, all MAAC institutions have school production facilities which provide hands on educational opportunities for broadcast and communications majors for their students. In the 2019-20 school year, all school hosted MAAC championships must be broadcast on ESPN3 or ESPN+. On April 12, 2018 ESPN launched a subscription based digital platform, ESPN+. ESPN+ leverages BAMTECH Media’s video and commerce platform to offer fans thousands of additional live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks. This includes hundreds of MLB, NHL and MLS games, Grand Slam tennis, Top Rank boxing, PGA Tour golf, college sports, international rugby, cricket, the full library of ESPN Films (including 30 for 30) and more not available on any other platform. The first MAAC events on ESPN+ were men’s & women’s lacrosse games produced by Monmouth University. The 2018 Baseball Championship was the first MAAC championship to air entirely on ESPN+. As a part of the current MAAC-ESPN partnership ESPN+ will become home to hundreds of MAAC games, championships, and shows over the next several years. Under the new ESPN agreement, this academic year all MAAC institutions will have school production facilities and by the end of 2024-25 the conference and schools will produce over 500 collegiate athletic events and shows on the ESPN family of networks.
membership base, expanded the number of championships conducted and developed an extensive marketing program cemented with broadcast agreements with ESPN, a web paged hosted by SIDEARMSports and secured championship venues such as the Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall (Atlantic City, NJ), Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and Disney Sports Attractions. During a time of tumultuous realignment and ethical challenges within NCAA Division I conferences the MAAC remains a homogenous association of private institutions of similar size and funding, which are committed to student-athlete excellence both on the playing fields and in the classroom. The MAAC’s graduation rate is yearly in the top 25% of all leagues and in August 2019 the MAAC again received a NCAA Public Recognition Award for its member schools placing in the top 10% in the NCAA’s Academic Progress Rate for student-athletes. Ensor is a past member of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee and past president of the Collegiate Commissioners Association (CCA). He serves on the boards of the Sports Lawyers Association, WBCA, Philadelphia Sports Congress, and NACDA’s IAAA ADs. He has just completed a two-year term on the NCAA DI Council where he served as chair of the Women’s Basketball Oversight Committee on which he will remain with a recent 4-year term renewal. Since 2017, Ensor has served on the Arizona State University Sports Law and Business Program National Advisory Board. Under Ensor’s direction, the MAAC has focused efforts to showcase its member institutions in its annual men’s and women’s basketball championship. Since 1990 with the support of the MAAC Council of Presidents and the league’s athletic administrators and coaches the MAAC has held its premier event in state of the art playing facilities such as the Times Union Center in Albany, NY, the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY, the Sun National Bank Center (Trenton, NJ), and the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, CT.
The MAAC President for the 2018-19 academic year is Gregory G. Dell’Omo, President of Rider University. The Vice-President is Rev. James Maher, President of Niagara University. Commissioner Richard Ensor, Esq, serves as the league’s Secretary/Treasurer., Greg Amodio, Director of Athletics & Recreation at Quinnipiac University, will chair the Committee on Athletic Administration, and Jennifer Lawlor, Senior Associate Athletics Director/Student Development/SWA at Monmouth University will serve as Vice Chair.
Photo Courtesy of Canisius Athletics
The MAAC announced in 2018 that Jim Whelan Boardwalk
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The MAAC, along with Walt Disney World Resorts, enters its 20th year of hosting MAAC Championships in Lake Buena Vista, FL. The championship operation at Disney allows the MAAC to provide its participating student-athletes, their families, and fans a world-class sports championship experience. During the championship weekend in Disney, student-athletes have access to the playing facilities, on- site hotels, theme parks, and an awards banquet held after hours in one of Disney’s theme parks. These are designed to provide lasting memories for the student-athletes, recruiting opportunities for the coaches and world-class broadcasts. The new agreement continues ESPN live broadcasting elements for all championships and events. ESPN’s state-of- the-art studios broadcast highlights of MAAC championships throughout all Disney World Resort hotel properties on the ESPN channels and MAAC.TV In conjunction with Disney Sports and ESPN the MAAC has co-hosted the Orlando Invitational (previously the Advocare/ Old Spice Classic) at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex since 2006. This eight-team tournament, which is held over Thanksgiving weekend, continues to draw elite Men’s Basketball teams to compete. One MAAC school is included in the field each year. Fairfield University will represent the MAAC in the 2019. The MAAC Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships are also held at Walt Disney World. The golf hosting agreement at Disney was recently extended through the 2022 championships. For the seventh year in a row the 2020 MAAC Men’s & Women’s Golf Championships will take place at Disney’s Magnolia Golf Couse. In 2017 the MAAC expanded it brand internationally with the launch of the Basketball Hall of Fame Belfast Classic in Northern Ireland. Manhattan College was the first MAAC team to participate in the MTE which was also the first regular season NCAA Division I basketball game ever played in Europe. The MAAC works with the BBHOF to sponsor several basketball MTEs including the Mohegan Sun Classic and one-day events in Los Angeles, Phoenix, Miami, Toronto and Atlantic City. The Belfast Classic developed out of the MAAC’s partnership with the Sports Changes Life Foundation in Belfast. The primary goal of the Sport Changes Life Foundation is to provide an opportunity for raising the aspiration of young people on both sides of the Atlantic so that they can live out their dreams and guide them as sport changes their lives. The foundation mission is built on inspiration, hope and victory. SCL works in disadvantaged communities to help young people find a path to a brighter future with the help of international student-athletes, the Victory Scholars, many of whom have played men’s and women’s basketball in the MAAC.
A 1975 graduate of Saint Peter’s University, Ensor has served in many administrative capacities in college sports including positions at his alma mater, Saint Louis University and Seton Hall University. In 1982, Ensor was awarded a Master’s degree in sports management with honors from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. An attorney, Ensor graduated from Seton Hall University’s School of Law in 1987 and was admitted to the New Jersey Bar in June of that year. He has taught as an Assistant Professor in Sport Management at UMass, where his concentration was on sports marketing and sports law, and as an adjunct at Seton Hall School of Law. Ensor is a member of many professional associations, including the American Bar Association. In addition, Ensor is a member of sport-related associations such as the Sports Lawyers Association, the New Jersey Bar Association Sports Law Committee, the American Bar Association, Forum on the Entertainment and Sports Industries, Philadelphia Sports Congress, NACDA and the CAANJ. In 2017, Ensor was elected Treasurer of the Sports Lawyer’s Association. His community work has included terms as a board member of the Mercer County Sports & Entertainment Commission and the Monsignor Donovan High School Leadership Advisory Committee. He has published in the areas of Sport Law, and Sport Marketing. In 1994 Ensor served as chair of the New Jersey Bar Association Sport Law Committee. A member of the Collegiate Commissioner’s Association (CCA), Ensor served as President of the association from 2007-09. He will serve as chair of the CCA DI Subdivision for 2019-21. Ensor has been very involved in NCAA governance since 1999 when he began a four-year term on the NCAA Division I Management Council, a segment of the new national governing system for the intercollegiate sports association. He represented the CCA DI membership on the Council from 2017-19. Ensor had previously served on the old NCAA Council and in January 1996, he served as Chair of the Division I-AA NCAA Convention/ Business Session. Since 2016 he has served on the NCAA Nominating Committee. He previously served on the Division I Championships Cabinet where he chaired the exempted events subcommittee. Ensor has also served on the NCAA Division IAA Governance Committee and on NCAA committees dealing with playing season exemptions, athletic certification, and the regulatory culture of the NCAA, governance restructuring and antitrust issues. Ensor was appointed in 1996 and 2003 to a one-year term as the chair of the IAA commissioners. From 1999-2003 he served as Secretary/Treasurer of the Ice Hockey Collegiate Commissioners Association.
In 2007 Ensor extended his involvement with national issues when he was appointed to a 5-year term on the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee. The committee is charged with annually selecting teams, seeding, bracketing and operating the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship including the Final Four. In 2019 Ensor completed a 2-year term as chair of the NCAA Division Women’s Basketball Oversight Committee, which is charged with guiding the governance of the sport within the association. His term was extended in September 2019 to a four-year extension on the committee. In 2001 Ensor was named by the American Football Foundation as its Commissioner of the Year and in 1999 he was presented a Distinguished Service Award from the Metropolitan Basketball Writers and in 1998 was inducted into the Saint Peter’s University Hall of Fame. He also is a member of the Monsignor Donovan HS Hall of Fame. In 1996, the University of Massachusetts, Amherst Sport Management Program named Ensor as the recipient of the VanderZwaag Distinguished Alumnus Award. In 1989, the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities named Ensor as one of the “Leaders of Service” in its Bicentennial Series publication. In 1993, Ensor was honored by NACWA as a “Good Guy” for his efforts regarding gender equity. In 2004 Ensor received a Mouscar from Walt Disney World for his efforts to make dreams happen for the MAAC’s student- athletes participating in championships at ESPN Wide World of Sports. In 2016, he was honored by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame for his leadership in basketball and contributions to the game. The WBCA has honored Ensor twice for his contributions to women’s basketball with the coach’s association’s Presidents Award in 2014 and as its Administrator of the Year in 2015. Ensor and his wife Deirdre, who is a Registered Nurse, are the parents of Kaitlin, Brendan, Kiernan, and Colleen. They reside in Lanoka Harbor, NJ.
the MAAC co-hosted the 1998, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2016 NCAA Northeast Cross Country Regional at Van Cortlandt Park - Bronx, NY. In 2002, the MAAC was a co- host of the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championship at the Times Union Center, and it repeated as host in 2011 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA. The MAAC co- hosted the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament First and Second Rounds at the Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton, NJ in 2006 and then hosted the Trenton Regional at the same site in 2009. In 2013 the MAAC hosted the regional again, this time at the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, CT, and in 2018 and 2019 it co-hosted the regional again at the Times Union Center in Albany, NY with Siena College. Upcoming hosting commitments include the 2021 WBB Regional in Albany NY, and the 2020 & 2022 MBB First/ Second Rounds with Albany hosting in 2020 and Buffalo in 2022. Ensor, who spearheads the league’s marketing efforts, has sought to tie the conference’s strong academic image into its marketing campaign. The MAAC has carved a well- earned niche as an athletic conference that balances quality academics and athletics. In 2016, the MAAC announced a new 8-year agreement with ESPN which includes broadcasts annually on ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN3 and ESPN+ including men’ and women’s basketball and championships from ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, FL. The deal also formalizes the launch of ESPN3 school production facilities at all MAAC schools which will produce upwards to 600 broadcasts a year by 2025-26. The MAAC assisted with the launch of ESPN+ in April 2018, as it had done previously with ESPNU and ESPN3. Ensor has long championed as association with ESPN’s brand, and in the first-year of the new agreement the MAAC broadcasted 325 competitions, including 32 on the new ESPN+ VOD platform, 281 on ESPN3, 11 on ESPNU and 1 on ESPN. In 2019 the MAAC announced a new sponsorship sales representation 8-year agreement with Van Wagner Sports & Entertainment which will manage the multimedia rights and negotiate and execute corporate sponsorships on the Conference’s behalf. Van Wagner will work to enhance event- driven experiences for the Conference while creating a year- round brand presence for sponsors, member institutions and their fan bases through sponsorship sales, promotions, event production, broadcast rights and marketing initiatives.
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THE MAAC’S DISNEY STORY
2019-20 DISNEY CHAMPIONSHIPS
the award-winning ESPN production team housed at the facility.
Men’s & Women’s Golf Friday, April 24, 2020 - Sunday, April 26, 2020 Disney’s Magnolia Golf Course Lake Buena Vista, FL 2019 Men’s Champion: Iona College 2019 Women’s Champion: University at Albany
The MAAC and ESPN have an agreement with Disney through 2022, which includes ESPN live broadcasting elements for all championships and events. ESPN’s state-of-the-art studios broadcast highlights of MAAC championships throughout all Disney World Resort hotel properties on the ESPN channels and MAAC.TV. All MAAC contests for the hosted events are broadcasted by ESPN using on-site studios. Oftentimes, the ESPN studio is used as an innovation lab for the network and the MAAC is the beneficiary of this investment, whether it’s basketball or the rarely seen live transmission of the cross-country races. In conjunction with ESPN the MAAC has co-hosted the AdvoCare Invitational (previously the Old Spice Classic) at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex since 2006. This eight-team tournament, which is held over Thanksgiving weekend, continues to draw elite Men’s Basketball teams to compete. One MAAC school is included in the field each year. Fairfield University will represent the MAAC in the 2019 installment of the Advocare Invitational. During the 2015 AdvoCare Invitational, the two-time MAAC Men’s Basketball Player of the Year, Monmouth University’s Justin Robinson, set the tournament scoring record with 77 points over three games to claim MVP honors. The MAAC Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships are also held at Walt Disney World. The Men’s and Women’s Golf teams compete at PGA-caliber courses during the spring and rotate between Disney’s Palm and Magnolia Arnold Palmer managed courses. The golf hosting agreement at Disney was recently extended through the 2022 championships. For the sixth year in a row the 2019 MAAC Men’s & Women’s Golf Championships will take place at Disney’s Magnolia Golf Couse. Since relocating the championships to Orlando, not one round of golf has been scratched because of weather, allowing MAAC athletes to opportunity to focus on winning the trophy and moving on to the NCAA Regional’s. Last year champions were the University at Albany (women) and Iona College (men). During the fall championship weekend, the MAAC Student- Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) heads down in Disney to volunteer at a local charity, assist in the championship operations, and hold its annual fall meeting. In addition, two MAAC SAAC commercials are produced at ESPN studios to be used during the season on MAAC school produced broadcasts. The MAAC has used this time to provide leadership training from the well-respected Disney Institute staff, or consultants in the field that understand the family entertainment, inclusivity and customer service principles that have made Disney a leader in entertainment, broadcasting and event management.
The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), along with Walt Disney World Resorts, enters its 21st year of hosting MAAC Championships in Lake Buena Vista, FL as part of the conference’s mission to provide the best experience for its student-athletes, their families and fans. For the 2019-20 academic year, MAAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball debuts as a featured event when the MAAC/ASUN Challenge tips off, featuring four MAAC and ASUN teams face off for bragging rights on at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in the HP Field House from November 22-23. The 2019 Challenge will mark the first time the conference has hosted a MAAC basketball event at the ESPN Complex, although a MAAC men’s team competes in the Orlando Invitational each year over Thanksgiving Week which is an NCAA Multi-Team Event sponsored by the MAAC. The 2019 Challenge will feature two men’s and two women’s teams from each conference: Iona College, Monmouth University, Kennesaw State University and Stetson University on the men’s side; Marist College, Rider University, University of North Florida and Lipscomb University on the women’s side. All games will air on ESPN3. The Challenge will return to Walt Disney World again in 2021.With a rich tradition of competition at the complex, The Iona College volleyball program won the 2018 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship over Canisius. The Gaels clinched an automatic berth into the NCAA Volleyball Championship for the second time in program history. The 2018 tourney marked the 5th time the conference has hosted volleyball at the ESPN Complex. the 2016 MAAC Men’s and Women’s Cross Country took place on site with a course that winded through fields and a nearby wooded area. Iona College claimed victory in both championships. In 2017, the women’s soccer championship was hosted at the complex with Monmouth taking the crown. The MAAC’s operation at Disney allows the conference to provide its participating student-athletes, their families, and fans a world-class sports championship experience. During the weekend in Disney, student-athletes have access to the playing facilities, on-site hotels, theme parks, and for championships an awards banquet held after hours in one of Disney’s theme parks. These are designed to provide lasting memories for the student-athletes, recruiting opportunities for the coaches, and broadcasts produced by
DISNEY CHAMPIONSHIPS HISTORY
Men’s Golf Champions 2000 Iona 2001 Iona 2002 Iona
Men’s Cross Country Champions 2000 Iona 2004 Iona 2008 Iona 2012 Iona 2016 Iona
Women’s Cross Country Champions 2000 Marist 2004 Marist
2008 Iona 2012 Iona 2016 Iona
2003 Loyola 2004 Loyola 2005 Loyola 2006 Siena 2007 Siena 2008 Loyola 2009 Loyola 2010 Loyola 2011 Loyola 2012 Loyola 2013 Loyola
Men’s Soccer Champions 1999 Fairfield 2003 Saint Peter’s 2007 Loyola 2011 Fairfield 2015 Rider Volleyball Champions 1998 Fairfield 2002 Manhattan 2006 Siena 2010 Niagara
Women’s Soccer Champions 2001 Loyola 2005 Fairfield 2009 Loyola
2013 Monmouth 2017 Monmouth
2014 Saint Peter’s 2015 Saint Peter’s 2016 Siena 2017 Saint Peter’s
2018 Iona 2019 Iona
2014 Siena 2018 Iona
Women’s Golf Champions 2000 Fairfield
2001 Siena 2002 Siena 2003 Siena 2004 Siena 2005 Siena 2006 Siena 2007 Siena 2008 Siena 2009 Siena 2010 Siena 2011 Siena 2012 Siena 2013 Butler 2014 Siena 2015 Albany
2016 Quinnipiac 2017 Quinnipiac
2018 Albany 2019 Albany
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SOCCER'S MISSING LINK The ultimate ball for high-quality training or competitive match play.
2019-20 Pepsi Zero Commissioner’s Cups Standings
Men’s Standings
School
Points
2019-20 Champions
1. Canisius College 2. Fairfield University
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Men’s Cross Country: Women’s Cross Country: Women’s Soccer:
3. Iona College
4. Manhattan College
5. Marist College
6. Monmouth University 7. Niagara University 8. Quinnipiac University
Field Hockey: Men’s Soccer: Volleyball: Men’s Swim & Dive: Women’s Swim & Dive: Men’s Indoor Track & Field: Women’s Indoor Track & Field: Men’s Basketball: Women’s Basketball: Men’s Golf: Women’s Golf: Men’s Rowing: Women’s Rowing: Men’s Tennis: Women’s Tennis: Women’s Water Polo: Women’s Lacrosse: Men’s Lacrosse: Men’s Outdoor Track & Field: Women’s Outdoor Track & Field: Softball: Baseball:
9. Rider University
10. Saint Peter’s University
11. Siena College
Women’s Standings
School
Points
1. Canisius College 2. Fairfield University
3. Iona College
4. Manhattan College
5. Marist College
6. Monmouth University 7. Niagara University 8. Quinnipiac University
9. Rider University
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10. Saint Peter’s University
11. Siena College
Overall Standings
School
Points
1. Canisius College 2. Fairfield University
3. Iona College
4. Manhattan College
5. Marist College
6. Monmouth University 7. Niagara University 8. Quinnipiac University
9. Rider University
10. Saint Peter’s University
11. Siena College
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CANISIUS COLLEGE LOCATION BUFFALO, NY YEAR FOUNDED 1870 MASCOT GOLDEN GRIFFINS COLORS BLUE AND GOLD PRESIDENT JOHN J. HURLEY ATHLETIC DIRECTOR BILL MAHER
SCHEDULE/
RESULTS
SCHOOL WEBSITE
ATHLETICS WEBSITE
Name
Cl.
Ht.
Hometown
Tom Appenheimer
Fr.
5-9
Kenmore, NY
Anthony Belfatto
Sr.
5-6
Buffalo, NY
Marcus Brown
Sr.
6-0
Buffalo, NY
Henry Burton
Sr.
5-9
Pittsford, NY
Tyler Clark
Fr.
6-0
Gates Mills, OH
Connor Davies
Sr.
5-10
New Hartford, NY
Turner Dirrigl
Jr.
5-11
Buffalo, NY
Connor Doran
Jr.
5-7
Lockport, NY
Brian Fisher
So.
5-11
Morrsi, CT
Michael Gianadda
So.
5-10
Buffalo, NY
Matthew Kifer
Fr.
6-0
Niagara Falls, NY
Richard Moore
So.
5-11
Groton, NY
Nick Neamtu
Sr.
6-2
Webster, NY
Austin Oetinger
R-Sr.
6-5
Getzville,NY
Michael Peppy
So.
5-11
Bemus Point, NY
Andrew Perreault
Fr.
6-0
Lewiston, NY
Simon Powley
Fr.
5-11
Lockport, NY
Nicholas Spinosa
Sr
5-7
Spencerport, NY
Samuel Viggiani
Fr.
5-9
Canandaigua, NY
Head Coach: Nate Huckle Assistant Coach: Tyler Scheving Graduate Assistant: Aileen Doyle
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