A Championship to Remember



The whistle blew. Immediately, my eyes shot up to the scoreboard clock in the south end zone: 2.5 seconds remained in regulation. As the officials negotiated the commotion on the field, I had the feeling that something great was about to happen.

Just two minutes earlier, our sixth-ranked women's lacrosse team found itself trailing Albany, 9-8. This wasn't just any game. It was the America East championship game, and a fourth straight conference championship was on the line. Our team needed to make magic happen - and did they ever.

A game-tying goal from junior Courtney Murphy with 1:23 left, and an amazing defensive play by Alyssa Fleming to reclaim possession with 39 seconds remaining, set the stage for a memorable finish. I stood on the sideline as our offense went on the attack. With the final seconds melting away, the ball wound up in the stick of freshman Kasey Mitchell. Then came that whistle with only two-and-a-half seconds remaining.

Kasey was awarded a free-position shot and as time expired, she calmly drilled home the game-winner. It was an amazing moment for Kasey and for our entire team. In the aftermath, as the celebration took place on the field and the players took pictures with the championship trophy, I kept coming back to one word: poise. Our team didn't flinch - despite facing difficult odds late in the game - and they maintained a steadfast belief that we would win. It starts with our coach, Joe Spallina, and permeates throughout the entire team.

Something great did happen on Sunday, and I am excited for our women's lacrosse team to create more memorable moments as the NCAA Tournament begins on Friday against Boston College.

Senior Salute



This time of year is always difficult as we say goodbye to our seniors. We have such an amazing group of seniors here at Stony Brook and I hope that they know how much they will be missed. It is bittersweet when members of the Stony Brook Athletics family leave; but, we are incredibly proud of them and all that they have accomplished. They leave behind a legacy of leadership and a lifetime of memories that will vividly resonate well after graduation.

Among the mental snapshots that I will retain from this group are Kathy Fletcher's wicked jump serve, Matt Schultz's goal-scoring celebration, Jane Sallen's windmill windup, Victor Ochi's speed rush off of the edge, Allie Pisciotta's laser-beam home runs, Jack Parenty's sweet left-handed stroke, Tessa Devereaux's nimble footwork, Brittany Snow's precision set shots and Jameel Warney's one-handed rebounds that he somehow redirected into the basket.

There are countless other memories that our student-athletes have given to all of us. Most importantly, they gave us everything that they had at all times. I could never ask for anything more.

To our seniors, I offer my sincere gratitude for your commitment to Stony Brook and to the role that you played in elevating our program to new heights. We truly have transformed together.

Soccer Sizzling



The spring was an extremely productive time for our women's and men's soccer teams as they combined for a 10-0 record in exhibition play.

Under new coach Brendan Faherty, the women outscored their opponents 13-3 while finishing the spring 5-0. The spring slate included wins against regional rivals Fordham and Hofstra. The men didn't allow a goal in their five matches this spring, which included impressive wins over Rutgers, Yale, Army, Columbia and Manhattan.

I am very excited about the future of both programs and can't wait to watch them in action this fall.

Together We Transform!


Warm regards,



Shawn