Each of SJC Long Island’s seven fall athletic teams will represent the College in the 2016 Skyline Conference playoffs — all with the same goal to take home an NCAA Division III championship. The College’s athletic program has earned six Skyline Conference Presidents Cups since 2007 — an annual award that honors the cumulative success of a college’s sports teams.
A productive showing in the fall playoffs will put SJC Long Island in excellent position to claim yet another President’s Cup.
Men’s and Women’s Cross Country
Led by 19-year head coach Jim Crowley, both men’s and women’s cross country are set to host the Skyline Conference Championships Oct. 30 at Broadway Avenue Park in Sayville, New York. The women’s race starts at 2 p.m. and the men at 3 p.m. Both teams are expected to compete favorably for the conference championship.
Men’s XC
The men’s cross country team has collected five conference titles in the program’s history. Ryan Haun, a sophomore from Bayport, New York, will be a key runner to watch during this race. He was named the Skyline Conference Runner of the Week for the week of Oct. 3 and led the Golden Eagles to a first-place finish at the LIU Post Invitational in 2015 as a freshman.
The Golden Eagles are expected to face stiff competition from USMMA and Maritime.
Women’s XC
The women’s team comes into the finals as seven-time defending Skyline Conference champions. The team has won nine conference titles in 10 years. Skyline Rookie of the Year in 2015, Erin MacDonell, a junior from Sayville, New York, will run her last race of the season in her hometown and is anticipated to lead the Golden Eagles to the gold. This season, MacDonnell has been recognized as the Skyline Conference Runner of the Week four times — more than any other runner in the conference.
Sarah Lawrence, Sage and Mount St. Mary are expected to be the toughest competition for SJC.
Golf
After winning the Skyline Conference title in 2015 — the first since 2007 — the SJC golf team aims to do the same this year under the leadership of first-year head coach Jeff DiMarco. The men will travel to Yeshiva University for the 2016 conference championship Sunday and Monday, Oct. 30 and 31.
The nine-man-roster, will again encounter Farmingdale State, who placed second last year, and SUNY Purchase, who took third in 2015. The well-rounded team consists of freshman Michael Nadeau; sophomores George Fabricatore, Daniel McNamara, Josh Rose, and Patrick Standard; junior Vinny Garofalo; and seniors Brandon Hauser, Rich Kelly and Evan Scheuch. The Golden Eagles recently placed fourth at the Griffin Invitational — their last competition before the conference finals. Hauser was the team’s top performer, finishing 20th, while Scheuch placed 22nd.
Men’s Soccer
The SJC men’s soccer team enters the Skyline Conference playoffs as the No. 5 seed with a 6-5 conference mark. The team will face No. 4 seed Farmingdale State — who recorded a 8-3 regular season record — on the road Oct. 29 at noon in the first round.
Midfielder Justin Heredia, a senior from Patchogue, N.Y., leads the team in shots per game with 41. He also leads the team in game-winning goals with two. Senior defender Brian O’Sullivan of Manville New York, ranks first on the team for assists with five, and senior keeper Avery Gomez, a native of Bay Shore, New York, is second in the conference for shutouts with four. The Golden Eagles are sixth in the league in scoring with 29 goals.
The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy is the No. 1 seed and Mount St. Mary College is No. 2. Both teams finished conference play with 10-1 records.
Women’s Soccer
SJC women’s soccer are the No. 5 seed in the conference playoffs, earning a first-round matchup with the No. 4 seed, Sage College, Saturday, Oct. 29, at 5 p.m. The women finished 4-4-1 in Skyline Conference play.
Freshman forward Christina Gagliardi is ranked fifth in the Skyline for average goals per game (.571) and is seventh for goals (8). She was also named ECAC Division III Metro Region Rookie of the Week the week of Oct. 4. Freshman goalkeeper Juliana Cintron-Leonardo leads the conference with a .837 save percentage.
Farmingdale State went undefeated in the Skyline Conference regular season, wining all nine matches and earning the No. 1 seed. Mount St. Mary trails Farmingdale as No. 2 and Mount. St. Vincent finished third.
Women’s Tennis
The SJC women’s tennis team is set compete in the Skyline Conference playoffs after an 8-1 victory Oct. 18 over the SJC Brooklyn Bears. The team finished third in the conference with a 6-1 record; they were 9-3 overall. The team hits the road as the No. 3 seed Friday, Oct. 28, taking on No. 2 seed Yeshiva.
Freshman Kerri McMahon is ranked fourth in the conference for all singles with an 11-1 record. McMahon also sits in fifth in the all doubles category with her partner Emily Portal , who together finished 10-2. McMahon was named the Skyline Rookie of the Week twice this season.
Women’s Volleyball
Sitting fifth in the conference, the women’s volleyball program has already secured a spot in the postseason after earning a win Oct. 23 against SUNY Old Westbury and improving their record in conference play to 6-3. The women return to action Saturday, Oct. 29, at Sage College to take on Sarah Lawrence at 1 p.m. and Sage College at 3 p.m. in a Skyline tri-match to wrap-up the regular season.
The team ranks second in the league for average assists (.932) and fourth for hitting percentage (.124 pct.). Earlier this October, senior Courtney Bocchieri earned Skyline Player of the Week honors and was selected as ECAC Division III Metro Region Offensive Player of the Week all in the same week. She ranks second in the conference for hitting percentage (.269 pct.).
To stay up-to-date on all the action, visit sjliathletics.com.
