Niagara U.
Related Photos
-
DAN CAPPELLAZZO/STAFF PHOTOGRAPH
Tools
WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL: MAAC title would complete Niagara’s turnaround
The Niagara women’s volleyball team grew up fast.
The youngest team in the nation a year ago, the Purple Eagles won just six games, and finished last in the 10-team Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.
Still without any seniors, and a starting lineup of all underclassmen, Niagara’s 15-win improvement this season was the biggest in the country. And it netted them then No. 2 seed in the MAAC tournament, which begins today at Canisius, and three major year-end awards.
Third-year coach Susan Clements was named MAAC coach of the year on Saturday, while Michelle James picked up setter of the year honors and Hannah Hedrick was voted defensive player of the year. James, who led the conference with 10.77 assists per game, and Hedrick, who ranked third in kills per set, are both sophomores.
Meanwhile, freshman Kari Honomichl was voted second-team all-MAAC. She seventh in the league in kills per set.
Prior to the season, Clements set her sights on qualifying for the four-team MAAC championship playoff. When she noticed during early non-conference action that the Purple Eagles were finding ways to win when they weren’t playing their best, she reset the goals.
“I don’t think anybody expected that we’d have this much success, but we’re excited about it,” she said. “We were able to pick up wins at the beginning of the season, and it gave them confidence in the system and the philosophy of the program.”
Niagara is 21-8 overall and 14-4 in MAAC play. Two of their conference losses have come against No. 1 seed Fairfield.
In today’s 4 p.m. semifinal, Niagara plays defending champion Siena, which features three-time MAAC offensive player of the year Burgandy McCurty.
The winner will advance to Monday night’s final, which will be shown live on ESPNU.
“That would be a thrill for our girls because it would mean we’ve established ourselves and we’d get the recognition,” Clements said.
- Niagara U.
-
-
MEN'S HOCKEY: UAH stuns Niagara in OT to take CHA title
In what might be a fitting finale to a league that never really found continuity or conformity, the last College Hockey America hockey game finished with a surprise and little sense of closure for the home team.
-
MEN'S BASKETBALL: Next year, Niagara will be in Nelson's hands
Always a gifted passer, Nelson has improved his all-around game since his freshman year, and although he wasn’t one of the five point guards on the 15-member all-Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference’s team last year, Lewis predicted he’ll be recognized as one of the league’s best players next year.
-
FOOTBALL: Niagara basketball player piques Packers' interest
All those times Tyrone Lewis went flying into the Gallagher Center grandstands, could he have been preparing to take the Lambeau leap?
-
MEN'S HOCKEY: Niagara upsets top-seed Bemidji in CHA semifinal
When the history of the short-lived College Hockey America becomes little more than a Wikipedia entry, the lead sentence will certainly need a blurb about the rivalry between Bemidji State and Niagara University.
-
MEN'S HOCKEY: Robert Morris coach has had enough of CHA
While some see next year’s move to Atlantic Hockey by Robert Morris and Niagara as a regression, Colonials’ coach Derek Schooley is anything but a detractor.
- MEN'S HOCKEY: Alabama-Huntsville will play Niagara for CHA title Neil Ruffini scored the lone goal of the game and goaltender Cameron Talbot made 29 saves as the University of Alabama-Huntsville men’s hockey team edged Robert Morris 1-0 in a College Hockey America tournament semifinal at Dwyer Arena on Friday afternoon.
-
CHA TOURNAMENT: Ties to NHL run deep for CHA teams
The names are familiar to hockey fans, more than gibberish on the back of a jersey. Yes, before you ask, No. 10 Mironov for Niagara is indeed the son of a National Hockey League player. His uncle played too. And over there, No. 27, that’s the son of Dave Hannan, the guy responsible for ending the longest overtime hockey game in the history of the Buffalo Sabres.
-
CHA TOURNAMENT: Is Niagara's Moran the man?
Chris Moran is tricky. Crafty. The kind of guy who can control portions of a college hockey game without blazing speed, bulking size or a booming shot.
-
CHA TOURNAMENT: Our odds to the big event
Tim Schmitt breaks down all four College Hockey America team's chances to win this week's tournament at Dwyer Arena.
-
MEN’S HOCKEY: Moran named to final all-CHA team
Chris Moran felt the pressure before the puck even dropped this season, getting his team’s only nod for the final all-College Hockey America preseason team. But it didn’t faze him too much, as the Niagara University senior was also named to the lame duck league’s final postseason team, learning Wednesday of the honor.
- More Niagara U. Headlines
-
