Tripp can help you keep your resolution

By Allison Reitz

With the start of a new semester, all the usual worries are flooding students’ minds. New classes, new schedules, new responsibilities. On top of that, some students may have the pressure of a forgotten New Year’s resolution hanging over their heads. According to the government’s official website (www.usa.gov) three of the most popular resolutions are “lose weight,” “get fit” and “eat right.”

The national average for keeping resolutions is pitiful. Some sources said 97% of resolutions are abandoned by June while others claimed that only 15% of the seasonal lofty goals are met. UMass Dartmouth students have a strong ally on their side — the Tripp Athletic Center.

Each semester, the center works to create a diverse schedule of health and fitness options to accommodate all types of schedules, fitness needs and levels of commitment. Do you only feel the occasional urge to burn some calories? Is your schedule too hectic to sign up for a traditional instructor-led workout? Are you only free at the crack of dawn or long after the sun has set? The Fitness Center (which has various workout and weight equipment) has daily hours ranging from early morning to late night so early risers and night owls alike can fit a workout into their schedules. The gym’s basketball courts and swimming pool are also available, though “open hours” are more limited, usually ending by 2 p.m.

If you want a more structured workout routine without the hassle of signing up for a session at a high-priced fitness chain, the athletic center also offers a wide array of aerobics courses. But don’t worry — this isn’t Richard Simmons’ aerobics. The classes offered include yoga, Pilates, Shotokan karate and the ever-popular “Awesome Abs.” You can pick and choose which courses fit your schedule and your fitness goals. Go alone or go with a friend (or group of friends, for that matter).

Of course, proper attire is required to enter the Fitness Center. That means: no jeans, no boots and no open-toed shoes. So if you’re serious about keeping your resolution and getting in shape, your first step should be picking up a decent pair of running or walking sneakers (depending on your preferred level of workout). Make sure your clothes aren’t too restrictive and wear layers! The Fitness Center has a “no bare chests” rule, so if you get too steamy in your Corsairs sweatshirt, you’ll want to have a lighter layer underneath to strip down to.

In order to use the Fitness Center and utilize its programs, all students must first complete a registration form and receive an ID card. The good news? Membership is free. Keep in mind, though: replacement IDs are $5 apiece; entrance without an ID is $1 per use. However, that’s a small fee to pay for a healthy lifestyle. And think of how good you’ll feel next New Year’s as you look back on 2008 and congratulate yourself on keeping your resolution.

Contact the Athletic Center:

Online: www.umassd.edu/sports/fitnesscenter/main.cfm

Sports Hotline: 508-999-8751

Gym/Pool: 508-910-6910

Fitness Center: 508-910-6921

Main Office: 508-999-8720

Holbrook, Stephens honored by Little East Conference

PROVIDENCE, RI- Two members of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth men’s basketball team has been honored by the Little East Conference.

Senior center Dan Holbrook has been named Little east Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Week, and freshman forward Brandon Stephens has been named Little East Men’s Basketball Rookie of the Week. It’s the third time that Stephens has been so honored. Holbrook’s award marked the first time that a member of the Corsairs has been named LEC Player of the Week this season.

Holbrook averaged 18.5 points and 13 rebounds in two games last week. He scored 20 points and grabbed 18 rebounds at Rhode Island College in a matchup between the last two undefeated teams in the Little East Conference last Tuesday evening, then made the winning free throws against Western Connecticut State Saturday with 23 seconds remaining. He currently ranks fifth in the conference in scoring, leads the LEC in rebounding, and is third in field goal percentage.

Stephens averaged 13 points per game last week as the eighth-ranked Corsairs defeated both Rhode Island College and Western Connecticut State to remain one of two unbeaten teams in the NCAA Division III ranks. He made 11 of 21 field goal attempts and was perfect from the free throw line.

“Danny had a monster week with 20 points and 18 rebounds against RIC,” said UMass Dartmouth Head Coach Brian Baptiste. “He was consistent last week, and was deserving of recognition. Brandon has been a consistent contributor all season long, and, in my opinion, is one of the best freshmen in the Little East Conference.”

The Corsairs are 17-0, 7-0 in the LEC.

Hockey Blanks Southern New Hampshire, 7-0

NEW BEDFORD, Mass.— The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth s hockey team scored three goals in the first period and freshman forward Joe Hill had a natural hat trick as the Corsairs blanked visiting Southern New Hampshire, 7-0, in an Eastern College Athletic Conference Northeast game at the Stephan Hetland Memorial Ice Arena Saturday.

Hill scored the first three goals of the third period as UMass Dartmouth broke the game open. He converted a pass from junior forward Chris Shore for his first goal, was assisted by sophomore forward Matt Serino on his second, and was aided by Serino and senior defenseman Jon Finn on the third. Sophomore forward Pat Welch scored the final goal of the game.

Joe Hill was pretty impressive today with a natural hat trick, said UMass Dartmouth Head Coach John Rolli. His linemates made several nice plays.

UMass Dartmouth took a 3-0 lead in the first period. Junior forward Nick Paquin put the Corsairs ahead, 1-0, with a power play goal at 4:32 of the first period. Shore s power play goal at 14:30 made it 2-0, and senior forward Jeff Grant made it 3-0 by scoring at 17:29 of the first period.

I liked the way we played as a team in a game that was crucial for us, coming off two tough 3-2 losses, said Rolli. We got excellent goaltending from (junior goaltender) Jeff Green, and we did an excellent job on the power play. This sets us up for a huge game Wednesday against Suffolk, the only undefeated team in our league.

The Corsairs converted four of their six power play opportunities while stopping the Penmen on all three of their chances. UMass Dartmouth out shot SNHU, 42-29. Green made 29 saves for the Corsairs in earning his second shutout of the season and the eighth of his career. Matt Courchesne made 35 stops for Southern New Hampshire.

UMass Dartmouth improved to 9-6-1 and 7-1-0 in the ECAC Northeast with the victory, while the Penmen dropped to 8-7-1 and 5-5-1 with the loss. The Corsairs will return to action when they host Suffolk in an ECAC Northeast Conference game Wednesday evening, while Southern New Hampshire will visit Salve Regina February 2.

Sports Brief

Swimmers take a dive against Plymouth State

NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass. — Plymouth State won the final event, the women’s 400-yard freestyle relay, and edged the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth s women’s swimming team, 144-136, at the Tripp Athletic Center Pool on Saturday, January 26.

The PSU team of Christina DiGiacomo, Caitlin Little, Kaitlyn Milligan and Lindsay Osborne finished first in 4:00.27, edging the UMass Dartmouth team of senior Kerrie Clifford, senior Renee Kruszyna, junior Lisa Sands and senior Shannon Quinn to clinch the victory.

For the women, UMass Dartmouth winners included Kruszyna, who won the 200 yard freestyle in 2:06.83, the 100 freestyle in 58.86 seconds, and the 50 yard butterfly in 29.57, sophomore Kathleen Foley, who took the 50 yard breaststroke in 34.10 seconds, the 200 yard breaststroke in 2:41.06 and the 200 yard individual medley in 2:25.54, and senior Katelyn Chase, who won the 200 yard butterfly in 2:25.80 and the 500 yard freestyle in 5:47. 87.

“We had some great swims today,” said UMass Dartmouth Head Coach Cathy Motta. “Unfortunately, we fell a little short. Overall, we are positioning ourselves for a great championship meet in 3 weeks. We had some multiple event winners, and some additional people qualify for New England.”

UMass Dartmouth’s women fell to 3-8 with the defeat, while Plymouth State’s women improved to 3-5.

The Corsairs will return to action when they host Colby-Sawyer on Saturday, February 2, while the Panthers will host Simmons next Saturday afternoon.

Track teams finish third, sixth against Coast Guard

NEW LONDON, CT — The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth’s track and field team acquitted themselves well at the Coast Guard Winter Invitational, at the Roland Hall Field House on Saturday, January 26.

The women finished third in a five-team field with 100 points. Westfield State was first with 156 points. The men were sixth of the six teams competing with 37 points. Host Coast Guard was first with 213 points.

For the women, freshman Linee Mello-Frost won both the 55 meter hurdles (8.79 seconds) and the 200 meters (28.87), freshman Briley Morrill was first at 55 meters in 8.02 seconds, and second in the 200 meters in 29.54 seconds and junior Lenora Benson was first in the triple jump at 31 feet, six inches. Both Corsair relay teams also won their events. The 4 x 200 meter relay team of Morrill, senior Deanna Bealby, Frost and Benson was victorious in 1:57.67, while the 4 x 400 meter relay team of sophomore Jess Carpenter, Morrill, Bealby and Benson was first in 4:38.17. Senior Leanne Nygaard was second at 3000 meters in 11:33.62, junior Hilary Baker was second in the shot put at 34 feet, seven inches and fifth in the 20 pound weight throw at 35-7, and freshman Ashley Kelly was fifth in the shot put at 31-6.

On the men’s side, senior Eric Holmes finished second at 3000 meters in 9:11.92, senior Chris Jodoin was third at 600 meters in 1:27.66, sophomore Nick Farrara was fourth in the high jump at 5-11 , freshman Nick Deininger was fourth in the 55 meter hurdles in 8.61 seconds and freshman Marcus Williams was seventh in 8.74 seconds, and the 4 x 400 meter relay team of Jodoin, junior Jason Muller, sophomore Erik Gonzalez and freshman Bobby Miller was third in 3:37.94.

“I thought we did well,” said UMass Dartmouth Head Coach Jon Hird. “We’re trying a few different things, and on our women’s team, people who should be doing well are starting to come through with good performances. Linee Mello-Frost and Briley Morrill ran well, and any time you can score 100 points in a meet like that you should feel pretty good. The men’s meet was tough; some of the best Division III teams in New England were there. We have some young people who are still learning as they are competing, and, at some point, things should fall into place.”

The Corsairs will return to action when they visit Southern Maine on Saturday, February 2.

ECAC honors two UMD hockey players for extraordiary effort

CAPE COD, Mass. — Two members of the of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth hockey team have been honored for their performances last week.

Junior goaltender Jeff Green has been named Eastern College Athletic Conference Northeast Goaltender of the Week, and freshman forward Joe Hill has been named Rookie of the Week. It s the first time Hill has been honored, while Green was named for the second time this season and the seventh time in his career.

Green made 52 saves in two games during the week of January 20, earning his second shutout of the season and the eighth of his career in a 7-0 victory against Southern New Hampshire Saturday. He stopped six shots in the first period with the Corsairs down two men for 1:21 and holding a 1-0 lead, and has a career record of 41-9-2 at UMass Dartmouth.

Hill scored a natural hat trick against the Penmen, scoring the first three goals of the third period to break the game open. He scored his third power play goal of the season against SNHU, and leads the Corsairs with nine goals and 10 assists for 19 points.

“Jeff Green had probably his best game of the season against Southern New Hampshire,” said UMass Dartmouth Head Coach John Rolli. “Joe Hill had a natural hat trick, and is currently second in the conference in scoring among freshmen.”

The Corsairs are 9-6-1, 7-1-0 in the Eastern College Athletic Conference Northeast. They returned to action when they hosted Suffolk, the only undefeated team in the ECAC Northeast, at the Hetland Arena on the evening of Wednesday, January 30.

Women fall to WCS, 61-58

NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass. — The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth’s women’s basketball team tied the game at 53 with 4:24 left to play, erasing a 38-24 halftime deficit, but fell just short of victory as Western Connecticut State held on for a 61-58 win in the first game of a Little East Conference doubleheader at the Tripp Athletic Center Saturday afternoon.

An 11-1 run by the Corsairs midway through the second half tied the game 53-53, but the Colonials came back with the next six points on back-to-back three pointers by freshman guard Heather Lee and junior guard Alyssa McGhee to make it 59-53, and held on for the victory. Freshman forward Kristin Penney ignited the run with a three-pointer, and senior center Vasiliki Palantzas and senior forward Lisa Satkevich added consecutive layups.

Satkevich led UMass Dartmouth with 11 points, senior forward Lindsay Marsh contributed 10 points and a game-high seven rebounds, and freshman guard Kate Garabedian added nine points. Ally Greenwood led the Colonials with 11 points, and McGhee joined her in double figures with 10.

UMass Dartmouth, which was outrebounded in the first half, 20-13, came back in the second half with a 16-8 edge on the glass and outrebounded WCSU for the game, 29-28.

We played our best defense of the year in the second half, said UMass Dartmouth Head Coach Mick Klitzner. We did a halfway decent job of handling the ball, and we rebounded better. I thought Kristin did well coming off the bench, and (junior guard) Maddy and (senior forward) Lindsay (Marsh, Bristol, CT/Bristol Eastern HS) fought through some nagging injuries and played well.

UMass Dartmouth fell to 4-14 and 0-7 in the LEC with the defeat, while WCSU improved to 13-3 and 6-1 in conference play with the victory. The Corsairs will return to action when they host UMass Boston in the first game of a Little East Conference doubleheader Tuesday evening, while Western Connecticut will host Rhode Island College Tuesday.

Men’s basketball still undefeated

STERLING, VA— For the fifth week in succession, the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth’s men’s basketball team is ranked in a national poll. For the first time, the Corsairs are the only undefeated team remaining in the NCAA Division III men’s basketball ranks.

The Corsairs were ranked fifth in this week’s edition of the d3hoops.com top 25 poll. It’s the highest that they have been ranked since they began receiving votes several weeks ago.

Prior to the current stretch, UMass Dartmouth last received national recognition during the 2000-2001 season, when they finished 25-3, won the Little East Conference championship, and advanced to the round of 16 in the NCAA Division III Tournament.

“It’s great to be ranked among the top five teams in the country and be undefeated,” said UMass Dartmouth Head Coach Brian Baptiste. “With the only undefeated team left in the country and the fact that we play a strong schedule, I think we should be ranked number one. We know we have to prove it on the court, but it’s a nice tribute to these kids.”

The Corsairs are 17-0 and returned to action when they hosted UMass Boston Tuesday evening.

PROFESSOR TORCH

New England sports: Being undefeated is as good as it gets

By Adam K. Ellis

As your Professor for the past two years, I have taken great pride in enhancing your sports IQ and providing you with insight to various topics within the world of sports.

As I embark upon my final semester here at UMD, once again I feel it is my civic duty to enlighten you to the phenomenon that is present day New England sports. Many of you may not know it, appreciate it or even grasp the magnitude of the greater historical context at hand.

But know this: you are witnessing history. As Super Sunday arrives, your alcohol soaked/ hot-nacho induced breath screams will undoubtedly be projected from your lungs onto the high-definition television screens that surround you. At this very moment, at whatever your respectful age may be (myself, 23), your athletic fanaticism will never be as good, EVER AGAIN.

Win or lose, the magnitude of this Super Bowl is the peak of New England sports. Seven years from now, Tom Brady and Bill Belichick will be immersed within the five-year process that is required of NFL retirees who are awaiting their bid to the Hall of Fame.

The Patriots may be in contention, or they may not. Nevertheless, the significance of this team will never equal to the mass hysteria that surrounds Brady and Co. as they attempt to become the first 19-0 squad ever.

David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez and Curt Schilling will also be retired, with the latter two awaiting a Hall-of-Fame bid as well. The Sox without question will be in contention because of the structure of the MLB that allows big-market teams such as the Boston Red Sox to outspend teams by over $100 million dollars.

February 3, 2008 will be the peak of the greatest sports’ era ever in New England sports’ history. Some could argue otherwise, using the argument that the Celtics are currently the best team in the NBA. Yet as good as they have played up to this point in the season, come April they will ultimately fall short due to the lack of experience and toughness at the point guard position.

Some may use the argument that the Red Sox are another 180 games away from another World Series victory. And for their sake they may be right. But our beloved Sox have undoubtedly lost “your father’s team” title and morphed into a 21st century organizational version of Gwen Stefani (i.e. a sellout).

With all those pink hats and fair-weather fans weighing down our bandwagon, we are in need of a few losing seasons to get back the rightful feeling of belonging to the group once glorified as the Fenway Faithful. In laymen’s terms, the enjoyment of being a Sox fan has been watered down due to the over-saturation of freeloaders and posers.

February 3, 2008 is the day. It is the day that history has chosen as a day that New Englanders will remember, either infamously or intimately (hopefully the latter). Nonetheless, the memory shall be infinite.

February 3, 2008, 6:18 p.m. (EST) - Mark it in your calendar or tattoo it on your arm with a picture of the Patriots, Sox, and Celts’ logos surrounding the date. Win or lose, it is the greatest day in New England sports’ history.

MMA

Interview with Jorge Rivera

By Timm Freitas

While you were all away on spring break, I was out trying to find a great story that would bring a lot of attention to the column, and I think I may have done just that. Over the intercession, I had the change to meet up with UFC Middleweight Veteran Jorge Rivera.

We exchanged some e-mails, then some numbers and eventually met up at his school (USMMA) in Bellingham, MA, and here is what came of it:

TF: How did you get into Fighting?

JR: Like most people I was watching it on TV and I was watching a guy who was winning most of the tournaments and he was a very small dude, half the size of the bigger guys and he just seemed very athletic to me. And what caught me was his technique. It was the first time I believed in a martial art. I got sucked in.

TF: Who was the fighter [who inspired you]?

JR. Royce Gracie

(Should I have expected any other answer?)

TF: What was the first Promotion you fought for?

JR: Kip Kola (Laughs) a gentleman out of Connecticut, he’s a good guy. I fought in Rhode Island Vale Tudo, which basically means anything goes.

TF: And where did you go from there?

JR: From there I went all over the place. I went to West Virginia and fought for an organization called World Extreme Cagefighting…I think it was. Then I fought up in Detroit, Michigan for Combat Zone, then I fought in Tommy’s (his USMMA business partner) promotion called Ring of Fury which is still by far the biggest that we have in New England. Actually, that was the promotion that put me on the map. I had two fights there that got me national attention.

TF: So how did the UFC contact you?

JR: Dana White was in town; he was watching Ring of Fury 2. I was fighting a gentleman by the name of Travis Lutter, who is actually a very good friend of mine; who I admire greatly. I was fighting him, and he was, and still is, a world-renowned ju-jitsu expert and I wasn’t supposed to win that fight, yet I ended up knocking him out. And Dana White happened to be there with Chuck Liddell and they enjoyed the fight. I fought one more time in the area and the next call came from the UFC.

TF: When you’re going into a fight, how do you feel? Do you get pissed at your opponent, or do you just view the fight as competition?

JR: I get inspired by my family - Like my mother and father and my kids, and my brothers and (expletive) like that. It motivates me, it inspires me. I think about where I came from in life and about where the (expletive) I am at now…I don’t think about my opponent. I just look at this as a job no matter who it is. I have no animosity toward the gentleman at all. I don’t know him, you know? I get to know him in the cage, I get to know who he truly is in that cage.

TF: Do you still get nervous before fights?

JR: Oh yeah. I get anxiety, I have a hard time sleeping, that kinda stuff.

TF: Do you prefer fighting in a cage or a ring?

JR: Definitely a cage, you have nowhere to run. There’s an intimidation factor every time you step into a cage. There is no way out man, you’re not falling out of the ropes.

(After this we talked about his upcoming fight with Kendell Grove, but as you all know that fight was on Jan. 19, 2008 and Jorge came out victorious with a first round TKO, so it is rather irrelevant now)

TF: Okay, [switching gears a bit] what advice would you give younger fighters who are just starting?

JR: Believe in yourself, train hard, and don’t be gassed out by the people around you. You may never be as good as they say you are, but you’ll never be as bad as they say you are. Just train hard and focus and you’ll be alright.

TF: In closing, is there anything else you want to say?

JR: Yeah, if you are looking to train, and you want to train with the best, you need to come to USMMA (Bellingham, MA).

So that’s a rap. Jorge was a great guy and extremely personable; it was a pleasure to have met up with him. It should also be noted that if you are interested in training at USMMA, they do offer a couple of free lessons. So if you are interested, check it out.