Together We Transform Thursday – November 15, 2018
Battle for the Golden Apple
One game remains on the regular season schedule for our football team… and it's a big one.
Saturday's Battle for the Golden Apple against Albany is huge for a number of reasons. For starters, it's an opportunity to earn a sixth CAA win and potentially a conference championship. A win also solidifies a strong position in the FCS playoff field, which will be announced on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. on ESPNU.
Ultimately, it's about bringing the Golden Apple Trophy back to Long Island.
Coach Priore told his team earlier in the week to treat this like the first CAA game of the year. The goal is to be 1-0. All of the guys that I have spoken to over the past few days are completely dialed in on Albany. There has not been one mention of the playoffs at all. That doesn't mean that I'm not thinking about the playoffs.
This is my first year serving on the East Regional Advisory Committee, which serves to assist the Division I Football Committee in the evaluation of teams throughout the season. It has been very interesting to be a part of the process and, while I can't share any of the information that is discussed on the weekly calls, I am reminded of the difficult job that the national committee will have this weekend when they meet to select the 24-team field.
While we can't control what the committee will decide, we can put ourselves in an advantageous position by handling our business on Saturday. Regardless of the outcome, our program is firmly established among the upper echelon of the FCS. There is a lot to build on, but Stony Brook Football is only getting stronger.
Volleyball Runs the Table, Hosts America East Tournament this Weekend
After winning 15 consecutive matches and running the table in conference play (12-0) for the first time in school history, our volleyball team will defend its America East championship in Pritchard Gym this weekend.
Stony Brook became the first team since 2009 to win the America East regular season title with an undefeated record. It's truly been an amazing transformation under head coach
Kristin Belzung, who took over a team that finished 8-21 and missed the four-team conference tournament in 2016. Kristin, along with her assistant coaches
Sarah Bullock and
Marc Neef, saw the potential to win at Stony Brook and made it happen. I'm so proud of our coaches and student-athletes, who bought in deserve every bit of the success that they have achieved thus far.
We will play Hartford at 6:30 in the second semifinal game tomorrow following the Albany-New Hampshire match, which begins at 4. The winners of each semifinal will play for the championship on Saturday at 6:30.
The last time that we hosted the volleyball championship at Stony Brook was 2007, and I hope that we have a great crowd to cheer on our women this weekend at Pritchard.
Men's Basketball Rolling
Our men's basketball team is 2-0 for the first time since 2013 and is coming off of one of the most significant wins in program history.
The 83-81 victory over South Carolina – a team that went to the Final Four two years ago – on Friday was the first in program history over a school from the SEC. It also gave our department its second win over a Power 5 program this year following the women's soccer triumph at Oregon State.
I mentioned in last week's blog how much our guys like to compete. Expect more of the same this weekend when we play two games as part of the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament at Mohegan Sun Arena. We're back in action tomorrow night against Holy Cross at 6 p.m. and will play either Saturday night or Sunday morning depending upon the result. Let's hope for Sunday brunch with the Seawolves!
Don't miss your chance to spend Thanksgiving Eve with the Seawolves next Wednesday for the home opener against Molloy at 6 p.m.
Get your tickets now!
Women's Basketball Defends the Island
Tuesday night was the home opener for the women's basketball team, which flexed its muscles in a 77-49 victory over Long Island rival Hofstra. It was almost a mirror image of last season when the Seawolves claimed a 73-49 win in Hempstead.
As I have stated before, I really like our women's team and believe that this is our year. Seniors Jerell Matthews and Shorty Johnson were outstanding in the win over Hofstra but what was most impressive was the play of true freshman Annie Warren, who scored 16 points on 7-of-8 shooting.
The women will be back in action at Island Federal Arena on Tuesday against Georgia Southern. Our team is so much fun to watch so
get your tickets today!
Happy Thanksgiving
The blog will take its annual Thanksgiving break next week so I want to wish all of you the very best. I have so much to be thankful for, including the opportunity to keep making history.
Keep believing!
Warm regards,
Shawn
