The Women’s Track and Field Team brings home a trophy from Northeast-10 Outdoor Championships, earning their best finish ever.

Women’s track and field team (photo provided by Samantha Mathewson).

The meet was two days (Friday, May 3 and Saturday, May 4) and was hosted by American International College.

Throwers led day one with a second-place finish for senior Shraya Manick in the discus throw. Manick scored eight points for the Chargers behind her second-place throw of 43.59 meters. The performance also broke the program record. Freshman Amy Park also scored with a fourth-place mark and personal best in the javelin at 35.18 meters.

Also in the field, senior Alissa Howell placed seventh in the long jump with a leap of 5.40 meters, and sophomore Briana Conyers scored eighth place with 5.34 meters.

On the track, distance scored two points after a seventh-place finish from the 4×800-meter relay team of sophomores Samantha Mathewson, Alejandra Cortez and Danielle Sorrentino, and freshman Olivia Tangney, finishing with a time of 10:10.17 minutes.

Sophomore Ada Udaya beat the field in both the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes to qualify for finals. Howell also qualified in the 100-meter dash, and junior Monica Yanez and Conyers each qualified in the 100-meter hurdles in fourth and eighth place, respectively.

The women scored 17.50 points on day one; New Haven ranks sixth after seven scored events.

On the men’s side, graduate student David Thomas led the way with a win in the long jump. His leap of 7.64 meters shattered the New Haven program record, the NE-10 Championships record and John G. Hoyt Track & Field Complex facility record. He also met NCAA automatic qualifying standards in the event, vaulting into the second seed in all of Division II in the long jump.

On the track, Thomas also finished first in a pair of preliminary events. He qualified for the final in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.78 seconds and beat in the field in his qualifying heat of the 200-meter dash at 22.66 seconds.

For distance, 4×800-meter relay team earned two points with a seventh-place finish of 7:56.38 minutes. The foursome consisted of freshman Sean Grady, Chad Messam, Devin Rose, and junior Christopher Dannenhoffer,

Overall, the men finished day one with 12 points and were in sixth after seven scored events.

On day two for the women, they finished with a team total of 119 points to earn second place.

Udaya, who was also chosen as Athlete of the Year, was a four-time Northeast-10 Champion. She tied the program record and set a new NE-10 Championships mark with a time of 11.69 seconds in the 100-meter dash, then beat the field in the 200-meter dash at 23.94 seconds. Both times met NCAA provisional qualifying standards.

In relays, Conyers, Udaya, Howell and freshman Marshae Holt won an NE-10 crown, breaking the meet record and tying the program mark at 46.84 seconds in the 4×100-meter relay.

In the 4×400-meter relay, the foursome of Yanez, sophomore Ivy Watts, Udaya and Holt also set a new NE-10 Championships record with a winning time of 3:47.34. The Chargers reached NCAA provisional qualifying times in both relays.

Yanez finished fourth in the 100-meter hurdles and third in the 400-meter hurdles, while Conyers placed sixth in the 100-meter hurdles and fourth in the 400-meter event.

Also scoring on the track were Watts, who turned in a seventh-place finish in the 400-meter dash, and Howell, who placed eighth in the 100-meter dash. For distance, Mathewson recorded five points with a fifth-place time of 12:10.80 in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.

In the field, Conyers placed second in the triple jump with an NCAA provisional qualifying leap of 11.99 meters. Sophomore Tiara Mitchell and Howell placed fifth and seventh in the event.

Manick won a Northeast-10 Championship with a heave of 49.72 meters in the hammer throw. Manick, who also placed second in the discus on Friday, rounded out her weekend with a third-place toss of 11.90 meters in the shot put.

On the men’s side, they finished with a total of 56 points in sixth place. Thomas won the 100-meter dash in record time of 10.65 seconds, and the 200-meter dash with a time of time of 21.58 seconds. Thomas was named the NE-10 Athlete of the Year and the Championship Most Valuable Player. Thomas also earned five points for the team in the triple jump, finishing fourth with a leap of 13.97 meters.

Freshman Taylor DenBleyker and Jordan Rippe also earned individual points. DenBleyker recorded a season-best time and a second place finish in the 400-meter hurdles. He earned eight points as the top-finishing freshman with a time of 55.44 seconds. Rippe came in fifth place in the hammer throw with a toss of 44.22 meters.

A pair of relay teams also competed. The 4×400 meter relay team of sophomore Nazim Roberts-Smith, Dannenhoffer, DenBleyker and sophomore Joseph Kingston placed fifth with a time of 3:22.22. The 4×100 meter relay team of Thomas, Dannenhoffer, Roberts-Smith and Kingston placed sixth with a time of 43.67 seconds.

The Chargers return to the track this weekend at the New England Outdoor Track and Field Championships hosted by Stonehill from May 9-11 in Easton, Mass.

WEST HAVEN, Conn. – For the first time since the program returned to the gridiron, the University of New Haven football team had three student-athletes invited to NFL teams following the 2013 draft on Saturday.

Photo provided by Charger Athletics.

Wide receiver Jason Thompson (Indiantown, Fla./South Fork ) signed a three year contract with the Washington Redskins as an undrafted free agent, while defensive lineman Raheem Stanley (Hartford, Conn./Weaver ) and quarterback Ryan Osiecki (Seymour, Conn./Seymour / Univ. of Louisville) were invited to rookie mini camps with the Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots, respectively.

“I’m very happy for them,” said head football coach Peter Rossomando. “They have committed themselves to getting better every day and I’m positive their NFL experience’s will be fulfilling. The entire Charger football family wishes them luck as they begin this chapter of their careers.”

Thompson’s career numbers included 36 touchdowns and 2,511 yards on 132 catches. He ranks among the top insecond in receiving touchdowns and receiving yards, while finishing fifth in receptions in the UNH record books.

Stanley finished his career with 141 total tackles, including 18 tackles-for-loss. As a senior, he was named the NE-10 Defensive Player of the Year with 40 total tackles, nine tackles-for-loss and two sacks.

Osiecki, New Haven’s all-time leader in nearly every passing record, concluded his career with an amazing 91 touchdown passes, 9,572 passing yards and 754 completions.

Previously, New Haven’s had two players drafted in the NFL, Miles McPherson (1982) and Harry Boatswain (1991). Five players have appeared in a NFL regular season game, including the previous two, Fred DiRenzo, Roger Graham and Phil Bogle.

The Redskins will hold rookie minicamp this week, from May 4-6, while the Chiefs and Patriots host minicamps next week, May 11-13 and May 10-12.

The University of New Haven opened the 2013 Penn Relays on Thursday, April 25, at Franklin Field in Philadelphia. This was the 117th Penn Relays.

Two relay teams competed, and senior Shraya Manick competed in the hammer throw.

Manick finished in 10th place in the collegiate division with a throw of 50.24 meters in her second attempt. She was the second-best Division II competitor and finished just outside of the finals in the division. The toss was her second longest in her career and only the second throw of 50-plus meters. The mark provisionally qualified her for the NCAA Division II Championships.

The 4×100-meter relay team of sophomore Briana Conyers, junior Ada Udaya, senior Alissa Howell and freshman Marshae Holt posted a time of 48.87 seconds for a 49th place finish in the collegiate division.

The Chargers’ 4×400-meter relay team of junior Monica Yanez, sophomore Ivy Watts, Udaya and Holt ran a time of 3:57.57. The team finished in third place in the college division CTC.

Three members of the UNH women’s track and field team returned to action on Friday, April 26.

The lone Division II competitor in the 100-meter dash, Udaya, recorded an 11th-place time of 11.90 seconds in her preliminary heat.

Conyers was the top Division II performer in the College Division of the triple jump. Conyers recorded a mark of 11.71 meters to place 20th overall in her division. She currently leads the Northeast-10 Conference and met NCAA provisional qualifying standards earlier this season.

Also besting all non-Division I competition in her division was sophomore Tiara Mitchell, who placed 10th in the Eastern Division of the triple jump with a top flight of 11.56 meters. Mitchell’s performance marked a personal season-best and cemented her position as the Northeast-10’s No. 4 seed in the event.

The men also competed in four events Friday. Graduate student David Thomas won the men’s long jump in the collegiate eastern division with a UNH outdoor record and personal best jump of 7.46 meters. The distance is the eighth best in NCAA Division II this season and provisionally qualified the senior in the event for the National Championship.

Thomas also posted a time of 10.74 seconds for a 16th-place finish in the 100-meter dash in the collegiate division. He is the top-ranked student-athlete in the Northeast-10 in the event with a top time this spring of 10.55 seconds, recorded earlier this month.

The Chargers’ sprint medley relay team of Thomas, freshman Jamaal James, sophomore Nazim Roberts-Smith and freshman Devin Rose also broke the previous New Haven record with a 34th finish in the Championship of America division with a time of 3:37.84.

The 4×400-meter relay team placed fourth in the CTC division. James joined junior Christopher Dannenhoffer, sophomore Joseph Kingston and freshman Taylor DenBleyker to record a time of 3:26.11.

The New Haven women’s track and field team recorded 27 personal bests in their final meet prior to next weekend’s Northeast-10 Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

Photo by Samantha Mathewson

Junior Monica Yanez and senior Shraya Manick each established a new UNH women’s track and field record Sunday, April 28, at the Yale Springtime Invitational.

Yanez met a NCAA provisional qualifying standard and topped her own program record in the 400-meter hurdles with a third-place time of 1:02.49 minutes. The junior also ran to a third-place finish with a personal-best time of 14.86 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles.

Junior Ada Udaya recorded first-place times in the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes. She reached NCAA automatic qualifying standards in the 200-meter dash with a time of 23.76 seconds, also a personal best, and broke the tape with an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 11.71 seconds in the 100-meter dash.

Udaya also ran the second leg of the victorious 4×100-meter relay team. She was joined by sophomore Briana Conyers, senior Alissa Howell and freshman Marshae Holt, running a collective time of 47.29 seconds.

Sophomore Ivy Watts also won the 400-meter dash with a time of 57.36 seconds, also a personal best for Watts.

Holt also recorded top-nine finishes and personal bests in both the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes.

In the field, Manick also recorded a personal best in the discus as a part of a strong day in the throwing events. She posted a 41.81-meter toss in the discus and a 48.49-meter heave in the hammer throw, achieving second place in both. Manick also placed third in the shot put on Sunday with a throw of 11.60 meters.

Freshman Amy Park placed third in the javelin with a personal-best throw of 35.12 meters.

Also excelling field events was sophomore Tiara Mitchell, who claimed first place in the triple jump with a leap of 11.54 meters. Mitchell also finished sixth in the long jump. Howell placed sixth in the triple jump with 10.06 meters, and shared third place with Conyers in the long jump with 5.25 meters.

On the men’s side, the team saw 16 personal bests.

Graduate student David Thomas won two events for the Chargers. Thomas won the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.72 seconds and broke the tape in the 200-meter dash at 21.88 seconds, both NCAA provisional qualifying marks.

Junior Christopher Dannenhoffer set personal bests in both the 200-meter and 400-meter dashes, finishing seventh in the 400-meter race. Sophomore Nazim Roberts-Smith ran the 400-meter dash with an eighth-place time of 51.47 seconds.

Freshman Taylor DenBleyker also reached two personal standards, placing second in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 56.18 seconds.

In distance events, freshman Sean Grady led the way with a fifth-place time of 4:01.02 in the 1,500-meter run. Senior Arnold Lane, freshman Chad Messam and Devin Rose all reached personal bests in the 800-meter dash.

In the field, freshman Jordan Rippe set three personal records in throwing events, led by a third-place heave of 13.22 meters in the shot put. Rippe also had his best collegiate showings in the discus and hammer.

Freshman Ato Pinkrah also set a personal record with a fourth-place mark in the long jump of 5.96 meters.

The Chargers will return to action at the Northeast-10 Outdoor Track & Field Championships. The two-day event will be held at American International College in Springfield on Friday, May 3, and Saturday, May 4.

The men’s and women’s track and field team traveled to Princeton University, N.J., to compete in the Larry Ellis Invitational with an array of Division I teams.

Graduate student David Thomas won the long jump with an NCAA provisional qualifying leap of 7.26 meters and was the top collegiate finisher in a pair of sprints to the lead the men.

On the track, Thomas placed second in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.71 seconds and finished second in the 200-meter dash with an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 21.44 seconds.

The Chargers also got strong performances in the hurdles from freshman Taylor DenBleyker, who improved to sixth in the NE-10 with a time of 57.33 in the 400-meter hurdles and raised his standing to ninth in the conference with a time of 16.03 seconds in the 110-meter hurdles.

The women’s team recorded five top-10 finishes at the meet.

Sophomore Ada Udaya led the way with a victory in the 100-meter dash, with a time of 11.89 seconds. Udaya was the lone sprinter to break the tape in less than 12 seconds, and attained a NCAA Division II provisional qualifying standard with her time.

Freshman Marshae Holt logged a personal best in the 100-meter dash with a time of 12.46 seconds.

Udaya was also a member of the 4×100-meter relay team, running the second leg alongside sophomore Briana Conyers, senior Alissa Howell and Holt. The foursome ran the fastest time to date in the NE-10 this spring with a sixth-place finish at 47.78 seconds.

In the 100-meter hurdles, junior Monica Yanez earned a fifth-fastest time by a NE-10 student-athlete this season at 15.04 seconds.

Conyers led the way in the field, placing second in the triple jump with a distance of 12.03 meters to meet the NCAA provisional qualifying mark, topping 14 Division I opponents.

On Friday, April 19, thrower Shraya Manick (senior) started the action with a pair of top-10 finishes. Manick placed sixth in the discus with a throw of 41.27 meters, as the top Division II competitor. She also placed 10th in the hammer throw, placing second among Division II student-athletes and topping 11 Division I throwers with a distance of 49.63 meters. Her performance in the discus was the best in the NE-10 this outdoor season and her throw in the hammer was the conference’s second-longest heave of the spring.

The Chargers will compete at two Ivy League institutions next weekend, traveling to Philadelphia for the Penn Relays on Saturday, April 27, and West Haven on Sunday, April 28, for the Yale Springtime Invitational.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – University of New Haven freshman softball pitcher Nicole King (Front Royal, Va./Warren County) threw her first collegiate no-hitter with 13 strikeouts in the nightcap of a two-game sweep of Le Moyne College Saturday afternoon. The rookie is the first to throw a no-hitter at UNH since Alana Wesche (Oxford, Conn./Naugatuck) did on April 25, 2011.

Photo provided by Charger Athletics

The Chargers took the opening game, behind great pitching from senior Micah Stonesifer (Archer City, Texas/Archer City / Vernon College), 3-2, in 10 innings. King’s no-hitter came in a 6-0 shutout in game two.

New Haven improved to 24-8 overall and 7-3 in the Northeast-10 Conference Southwest Division. The Dolphins fell to 10-13 overall and 4-6 in divisional play with the two losses.

Game One

The Chargers fell behind early in the opener of the four-game set in Syracuse, N.Y. The Dolphins scored two runs off two hits in the bottom of the second inning to take the advantage. New Haven was then held scoreless for the next five innings. UNH managed just six base runners with three in scoring position during the stretch. Defensively, with solid pitching from Micah Stonesifer (Archer City, Texas/Archer City / Vernon College), the Chargers also held Le Moyne scoreless through the next five innings. She struck out six batters and allowed just six base runners. Also contributing to the defensive effort was catcher Brooke Fisher (Erial, N.J./Camden Catholic) who gunned down two base runners during the five inning span.

In the top of the seventh, Meghan Chamoff (Roslyn Heights, N.Y./Herricks) led off with an infield single to the third baseman. Two batters later, Christina Gelardi (Derby, Conn./Derby) went opposite field with a homerun to even the score at 2-2. UNH retired the side in the bottom of the seventh and the game went into extra innings.

Both teams managed three base runners in the eighth and ninth innings, but no runs and the game headed into the 10th inning. With the speed-up rule in effect, Erika Williams (Oneida, N.Y./Oneida) opened the 10th at second base. Two sacrifice hits later, and the Chargers took a 3-2 lead. Keri Tricinelli (Brick, N.J./Monsignor Donovan) hit the eventual game-winning sacrifice foul fly to right field to drive in Williams.

In the bottom of the 10th, Le Moyne advanced its runner to third off a groundout, but Stonesifer threw her 12th strikeout of the game and Jess Spivey (Holland, Pa./Council Rock) grabbed an unassisted groundout to seal the extra-inning win for UNH.

Gelardi went 2-for-3 with two RBI and one run, while reaching base on 4-of-5 total at-bats. Spivey went 2-for-4 and Chamoff went 1-for-3 with one run scored.

Stonesifer improved to 9-4 on the season with the complete game victory, her ninth of the season. She allowed seven hits and two runs while walking four and fanning 12.

Game Two

Freshman pitcher Nicole King (Front Royal, Va./Warren County) threw her first collegiate no-hitter for the Chargers in the nightcap. The Front Royal, Va. native fanned 13 of the 26 batters she faced and walked just two. In her eighth win of the season, she also fanned six of the 13 batters looking.

With no runs in the first two innings, the nightcap went into the third tied 0-0. In the top of the third, Spivey laid down a sacrifice bunt to drive in the Chargers go-ahead and eventual game-winning run. After reaching on a hit by pitch, Gelardi scored the run for UNH.

The bottom of the third and fourth innings also went scoreless as the Chargers held on to a narrow 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the fourth Le Moyne managed three base runners, but a foul-fly ball ended the inning with bases loaded.

In the top of the fifth, the UNH offense got back on track with two more runs off one hit. Lindsey Couturier (Dighton, Mass./Dighton Rehoboth Regional) singled up the middle while Gelardi and Brandy Dianno (Philadelphia, Pa./Nazareth Academy) both scored to give UNH a 3-0 lead. The Chargers retired the side in the bottom of the fifth and carried the three-run advantage into the sixth.

New Haven put two more runs on the board with three hits in the sixth. Brooke Fisher (Erial, N.J./Camden Catholic) drove in Gelardi and Dianno again with a single to right field with two outs, giving New Haven a 5-0 lead. King walked the first batter in the bottom of the sixth inning, but a line out and two strikeouts from King kept New Haven ahead 5-0.

In the final inning, Sadie Redman (Bangor, Maine/Bangor) scored one more run for UNH off a throwing error by the first baseman. In the bottom of the seventh, with the no-hitter still in play, King struck out the side to seal her first collegiate no-hitter.

Offensively, Gelardi weent 1-for-1 with two runs, two walks and a hit by pitch. Fished was also perfect with one hit plus two RBI. Couturier also boasted multiple RBI, while four others chipped in with at least one hit.

WEST HAVEN, Conn. – Brendon Buckley’s two-out RBI triple in the bottom of the ninth sent the University of New Haven baseball team into extra innings against visiting Pace on Wednesday, but the Setters struck in the 10th frame to take an 8-6 decision at Frank Vieira Field.

With the loss, New Haven falls to 16-9 overall and 4-2 in the Northeast-10 Southwest Division. The Setters claimed sole ownership of first place in the division at 5-1 as a part of a 19-9 overall mark. The Chargers took game one of the three-game series, 4-1, on March 27 in Pleasantville, N.Y.

Buckley’s game-tying three-bagger plated Stephen Clout (Bristol, Conn./Bristol Eastern), who had just sent a 2-2 pitch down the left field line to single home Kyle Cullen (Dumont, N.J./Dumont) and cut the margin of 6-5.

The Setters stranded Buckley on third base to keep the game alive and scratched across a pair of unearned tallies in the top of the 10th. Ian Wutkitsch had an RBI during the extra stanza.

Chris DeMorais (West Hartford, Conn./Conard) doubled to lead off the home half of the 10th inning, and Zach Collett (Westbrook, Maine/Westbrook) worked a two-out walk to bring the winning run to the plate, but Pace’s Neil Pezzullo came out of the bullpen to get the final out and clinch the 8-6 win for the visitors.

DeMorais led the Chargers’ offense with a 3-for-5 showing at the plate and two runs scored. Cullen hit a third-inning triple as a part of a two-hit, two-run day. Clout and Nick Nunziato (Setauket, N.Y./Ward Melville) each drove in two runs.

On the basepaths, Buckley and Collett each picked up a stolen base.

Taylor Candage started on the mound for New Haven and ceded four earned runs on eight hits in four innings of work. Joey Royer (Westbrook, Maine/Cheverus), Frank Vilacha (Dartmouth, Mass./Dartmouth), Jason Lewicki (Milford, Conn./Foran) and Peter Jay (Shelton, Conn./Shelton) came out of the bullpen and hung zeroes on the board for the next five frames as the Chargers mounted their comeback.

Jay, who struck out the side in a perfect ninth, also worked the 10th inning and took the hard-luck loss to fall to 0-1 despite not surrendering an earned run.

Edward Byrne notched the win out of the Pace bullpen with one inning of work, improving to 3-1. Pezzullo, whose seven prior appearances were all starts for the Setters, recorded his first save with his four-pitch appearance to end the contest.

The Chargers trailed by as many as five runs at 6-1, with a Clout RBI groundout in the third inning serving as the only offense in the early stages of the game. New Haven plated two more in the fourth inning on a two-out, two-run single by Nunziato and scored again in the sixth stanza via an RBI groundout from Andrew Johnson (Branford, Conn./Branford / Wheaton) to set the table for the team’s ninth-inning push.

Today’s game began a four-game homestand and a string of nine consecutive Northeast-10 Southwest Division contests. The Chargers host Le Moyne for a 3 p.m. game on Saturday and a noon doubleheader on Sunday.

WEST HAVEN, Conn. – University of New Haven junior attacker Nicole McKee (Wantagh, N.Y./MacArthur) scored a game-high five goals and led the nationally ranked No. 15 women’s lacrosse team to a 13-5 victory over visiting Merrimack College Saturday afternoon at Kayo Field. The Wantagh, N.Y. native was one goal shy of her season best mark and improved her total this year to 35.

Photo provided by Charger Athletics

The Chargers improved to 6-6 overall and 4-3 in the Northeast-10 Conference with the victory. The Warriors dropped to 3-9 overall and 2-4 in conference action with the loss.

Over the first two minutes, UNH and Merrimack exchanged one goal each with McKee getting the Chargers on the board first. Natalie Lieberman (Manorville, N.Y./Eastport South Manor) then put New Haven ahead with two unanswered goals during a five minute stretch. Just 40-seconds later, Jenn Pino brought Merrimack back within one with an eight-meter goal, 3-2. New Haven then took control of possession and went on a 5-0 run to close out the first half. Lieberman scored a pair during the span, while McKee, Kathryn Campbell (Mansfield, Mass./Mansfield) and Courtney Ackland (Perth, Western Australia/Churchlands) also contributed to the scoring effort. UNH led 8-2 at halftime.

After leading by six at the break, the Chargers surrendered three of the first four goals of the second half and Merrimack narrowed the UNH advantage to 9-5 at the 20:17 mark. Ackland then sparked a 4-0 run for New Haven to close out the game and seal its sixth win of the season. McKee scored two during the stretch and Kristina Curry (East Meadow, N.Y./East Meadow) netted her 15th goal of the season. Nine second-half saves by Marissa McDermott (Longmeadow, Mass./Wilbraham & Monson Academy) kept the Chargers ahead by eight in the closing minutes of her fourth win this season.

New Haven held the advantage in nearly every statistical category Saturday. UNH led 29-22 in shots, 13-6 in saves and 23-20 in ground balls. It was an even lock with draw controls (10-10) and turnovers (14-14).

McKee added a team-best five draw controls and one ground ball to her stat line. Lieberman finished with four goals, one assist, one ground ball and a caused turnover. Ackland scored two, while Campbell scored one and dished out two assists. Brittany Ast (Glenwood, N.J./Vernon Township) led the defensive effort with three caused turnovers and team-best five ground balls. In goal, McDermott stopped 13 total shots on the afternoon, while facing 22 total shots.

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The University of New Haven Department of Athletics enshrined its 30th Hall of Fame class on Friday, April 12 at Anthony’s Ocean View in New Haven. Nearly 300 alumni and friends gathered to celebrate the outstanding careers of seven former student-athletes. The 2013 inductees, who round out the all-time Hall of Fame roster at 151 individuals and one team, are Jim Ferguson (baseball), Pat Fitzpatrick (football), Mike Forte (football), Debbie Moore (women’s basketball), Major Ruth (men’s track and field), Alec Zarnowski (baseball) and Edward Zimmitti (men’s soccer).

Former UNH student-athletes inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Jim Ferguson

Baseball, 1983-86

Jim Ferguson was a key component to one of the most successful four-year runs in the history of New Haven baseball. The Chargers went 102-24 during his tenure, including four NCAA postseason appearances and three trips to the College World Series. He drove in 97 runs for Head Coach Frank “Porky” Vieira from 1983-86.

Ferguson entered the starting lineup as a second baseman in the midst of his freshman campaign. He accumulated 12 hits with eight RBI in 20 games, with the biggest hit coming in the form of a two-run single that put the Chargers on top of Quinnipiac in the NCAA Northeast Regional Championship Game.

The former star at Notre Dame High School in West Haven became a fixture at second base in 1984, hitting .261 with 13 extra-base hits, 24 RBI and five stolen bases. Ferguson’s sophomore season ended with the first of three consecutive trips to the NCAA College World Series.

Ferguson’s best statistical season came in his junior campaign. Now manning the hot corner for Coach Vieira, Ferguson hit a team-best .413 with 14 doubles and 31 RBI in 33 games. Once again, the Chargers went 3-0 to win the NCAA Northeast Regional and advance to the College World Series in Montgomery, Ala.

In his final season for the Blue and Gold, Ferguson split time in the starting lineup between second and third base. He hit .269 with 27 RBI and a pair of stolen bases. After another run through the NCAA Northeast Regional, Ferguson’s career ended at his third College World Series.

Following his New Haven career, Ferguson signed a professional contract with the St. Louis Cardinals. In 1987, he was a member of the history-setting Salt Lake City Trappers. That summer, the team set the professional baseball record with 29 straight victories. Ferguson logged 1,175 professional at-bats in his career, rising as far as High-A with the St. Petersburg Cardinals of the Florida State League.

Pat Fitzpatrick

Football, 1987-90

One of the finest kickers to don a New Haven uniform, Pat Fitzpatrick ranks sixth all-time at UNH with 169 career points. He connected on 127 extra points and 14 field goals during his illustrious career from 1987-90.

As a freshman, Fitzpatrick made a quick impression on the coaching staff and took over primary kicking responsibilities midway through the season. After connecting on four of four field goals and 19-of-21 extra points, he emerged as the number one kicker as a sophomore. He was the team’s second leading scorer, connecting on 31-of-36 extra points and three of nine field goals for a total of 40 points. His season highlight came at Central Florida when he hit the eventual game-winning field goal in the Chargers 31-23 upset the nation’s second-ranked team.

In his third season, he connected on 33-of-38 extra point attempts and four of nine field goal tries. Fitzpatrick scored a then-school record eight extra points plus two field goals for a career-best 14 points in a 62-25 victory over Virginia Union. Both field goals in the win traveled a career-long 35 yards for Fitzpatrick. He was the team’s second leading scorer once again with 45 total points.

Fitzpatrick sealed his Hall of Fame career in 1990 with a career-high 53 total points, ranking him third on the team. He converted 44-of-53 extra points and three of nine field goals. His most impressive season included three games in which he connected on seven extra points and two games where he scored 10 total points. On homecoming 1990, the Garnerville, N.Y. native helped lead the Chargers to an impressive 64-45 victory over crosstown rival Southern Connecticut State at Dodds Stadium. He scored seven extra points and a 31-yard field goal, tying his season-best mark of 10 points in the game.

At the time of his graduation, Fitzpatrick held New Haven’s all-time record for points and was the first kicker to cross the 150-point plateau. Not only did Fitzpatrick enjoy individual success during his four-year career, but the Chargers posted a remarkable 30-10 overall record from 1987-90.

Mike Forte

Football, 1990-94

A standout football player, Mike Forte played both sides of the ball during his career which spanned from 1990-94. He amassed 144 total tackles and over 200 yards of total offense.

Forte came to New Haven as a tailback and earned a starting role during his sophomore campaign. He gained 95 yards on 14 carries during his first two years under head coach Mark Whipple. In his freshman season, he played his best game against Southern Connecticut State, rushing for 44 yards and a touchdown on five carries. During his first two seasons, he also caught 13 passes for 128 yards, including nine catches for 89 yards as a sophomore.

Forte made the transition from the offensive backfield to linebacker during the spring of 1992 and performed admirably. The transition was halted when he suffered a broken leg during preseason training camp in the fall. The season was lost to a medical redshirt, but Forte would come back ready to his mark on UNH football history.

In 1993, his addition to the Chargers defense benefited as the linebacker racked up 53 total tackles, fourth best on the team, with one sack and two fumble recoveries. His best game of the season came against Carson-Newman when he registered 12 tackles. He followed it up with nine stops, one tackle for loss and one sack against Virginia Union.

After graduating in the spring of 1994, Forte returned for his final year of eligibility as a graduate student in the fall. In his second year starting at linebacker, he enjoyed a very successful season. Forte’s numbers included 90 tackles, one fumble recovery and an interception in his final year. The Mansfield, Mass. native put together one of the most outstanding individual performances in a game at Abilene Christian on September 24, 1994. He made a single-game record 27 tackles against the Wildcats, a mark that still stands 20 years later.

Just as impressive as his individual statistics are the accomplishments of the team during Forte’s tenure. He was a member of two teams that qualified for the NCAA playoffs and posted a career record of 40-15.

Debbie Moore

Women’s Basketball, 1989-93

Debbie Moore led New Haven women’s basketball in each of her four seasons at the University. She finished first or second on the team in both points and rebounds in every winter from 1989-93. Moore finished her career as UNH’s third-most prolific scorer and rebounder, and continues to rate as the fourth-highest scorer (1,667 career points) and sixth-best rebounder (817 career rebounds). She is also second in career steals and ninth in career assists for the Chargers.

As a freshman, Moore led the Chargers on the glass with 8.3 rebounds per game while contributing 12.1 points per contest to the scoring effort. She had 78 steals as a rookie and, at the time, her 17 made three-pointers were among the most in single-season history.

It took just two years of Moore to join the Charger greats, as she entered the all-time top-10 in rebounds, steals and assists during her sophomore campaign. Moore ranked second on the team with 10.9 points per game while once again topping the UNH stat sheet with 7.3 rebounds per outing.

Moore became the third Charger to eclipse the 1,000-point plateau as a part of a First Team All-NECC junior season in 1991-92. She ranked third in the conference in scoring and added 6.9 rebounds per game.

Capping her outstanding career, Moore averaged 19.7 points and 7.3 rebounds per game en route to a second straight First Team All-NECC nod in 1992-93. The Bridgeport, Conn. native scored double figures in all 27 games her senior year while recording 12, 20- and three 30-point performances. She also grabbed 138 steals her final season, a mark which still stands as the New Haven program record as well as the 17th-most in a single season in NCAA Division II history.

Moore’s Hall of Fame career included some outstanding numbers, but most impressive may be the sustained success over her four years. She finished her career scoring 10 or more points in more than 75 games and 10 or more rebounds in more than 30 games.

Major Ruth

Men’s Track and Field, 1985-89

One of the best hurdlers in program history, Major Ruth set three program records and was a two-time ECAC Champion during his four-year track career at New Haven from 1985-89.

As a freshman, Ruth burst onto the New England track and field scene as a standout hurdler. His marks improved throughout his first year and qualified him for the New England Championship. He posted a season-best time of 15.1 seconds in the 110-meter hurdles and 55.8 seconds in the 400-meter hurdles during his rookie season.

As the track & field media guide stated prior to his sophomore season, Ruth had the chance to establish himself as a standout athlete in the hurdle events and relays during his career, and he did just that. He continued to compete in the in the 55-meter hurdles, 110-meter hurdles, 400-meter hurdles and as a member of many relay teams for the next three years. Ruth’s numbers improved every meet and all the hard work culminated in his senior season.

The Staten Island, N.Y. native won the 55-meter hurdles at three meets in 1989 and placed second in three others. He won the ECAC Division II Championship in the event and finished second at the New England Championship. The postseason accolades poured in for Ruth in his final season. He earned All-New England, All-ECAC Championship, All-Connecticut Intercollegiate and All-Eastern Intercollegiate honors in multiple events.

In total, Ruth set New Haven records in the 55-meter hurdles, 110-meter hurdles and 400-meter hurdles during his four years with the Chargers. His time of 53.81 seconds in the 400-meter hurdles still stands today, while the other two held for nearly 10 years.

After completing his athletic eligibility, Ruth continued his track and field career as a coach. He returned to New Haven and coached numerous All-Americans from 1994-98, including the athlete that broke two of his previous records. Since leaving UNH, Ruth has continued to develop young track athletes as a longtime coach with the New Haven Age Group Track Club.

Alec Zarnowski

Baseball, 1997-00

Alec Zarnowski is one of the most prolific hitters to ever step on the diamond at Frank Vieira Field. The Chargers’ team captain in the 2000 season, Zarnowski was a lifetime .366 hitter – the second-best average all-time by a UNH student-athlete with at least 500 career at-bats. He ranks seventh in program history with 204 career hits while landing at fourth in doubles (45), eighth in RBI (138) and 11th in home runs (20).

A member of the starting lineup from day one, Zarnowski appeared in the Chargers’ infield in all 28 games of his freshman season in 1997. He hit .361 as a rookie with eight doubles, 17 runs batted in and seven stolen bases as New Haven finished 19-9.

In 1998, Zarnowski was a key contributor in the Chargers’ run to the College World Series. The sophomore third baseman manned the hot corner in all 41 games, hitting .377 with 15 doubles, six home runs and 44 RBI. After three wins at the NCAA Northeast Regional, Zarnowski and the Chargers headed to Montgomery, Ala. to take the national stage, finishing with a record of 29-11-1.

Another winning season in 1999 saw Zarnowski hit .351 and earn All-New England Collegiate Conference Second Team honors. Now a well-established figure at the hot corner for Coach Frank “Porky” Vieira, he had 12 doubles, seven home runs and 41 RBI in 38 games as the Chargers finished with a record of 25-13.

Zarnowski captained the New Haven Nine in 2000, capping his career with a .372 batting average as a senior. Now on the other corner of the diamond at first base, Zarnowski roped 10 doubles and slugged four home runs en route to 33 RBI while playing all 31 games of a 22-9 campaign.

During Zarnowski’s four seasons, the Chargers made one College World Series appearance, recorded 95 wins and posted a winning percentage of .692.

Edward Zimmitti

Men’s Soccer, 1965-66

A scoring sensation for the Chargers from 1965-66, Edward Zimmitti helped lead the only undefeated men’s soccer team in program history. In two short years as a player, he re-wrote the New Haven record books and was twice named the team’s Most Valuable Player.

As a rookie, the Middletown, Conn. native hit the collegiate soccer scene with an impressive 23 goals and 11 assists. The feat becomes more incredible taking into consideration the team’s mere 10 game schedule. Zimmitti tallied five of the six goals scored in a 6-1 victory over Windham College during his rookie season. His 57 points rank him among the top 10 in New Haven history and led the Chargers to a perfect 10-0-0 record.

Zimmitti’s second season was no different as the Chargers continued their winning ways. With four victories to open the season, New Haven set a program record with 22-straight triumphs. Zimmitti scored another 24 goals in just nine games, ranking him among the program’s top single-season performances once again. The team concluded the season with a 7-2-0 record and Zimmitti garnered New Haven Athletics’ Most Valuable Player award.

Before taking a spot on the coaching staff, he finished his collegiate playing career with 105 points, using modern scoring rules (47g, 11a), ranking him fourth in program history. He also ranks third all-time with 47 goals.

Zimmitti’s talents didn’t end on the soccer field. He was also a standout kicker for New Haven’s club football team and a member of the men’s tennis team.

After graduating with a degree in English, Zimmitti became the first Middletown native to sign a professional soccer contract. His professional career included a three year stint with the Connecticut Wildcats of the American Soccer League from 1973-75.

Zimmitti was previously inducted into the Connecticut Soccer Hall of Fame (2004) and the Middletown Sports Hall of Fame (1999).

WEST HAVEN, Conn. – The University of New Haven baseball team traded zeroes with Le Moyne for eight innings on Saturday afternoon, but the visiting Dolphins scratched out a pair of runs in the ninth to take a 2-0 decision at Frank Vieira Field. Henry Hirsch (Scarsdale, N.Y./Scarsdale) got the start and tossed seven shutout innings for the Chargers.

Photo provided by Charger Athletics.

With the loss, New Haven falls to 16-10 overall and 4-3 in the Northeast-10 Southwest Division. Le Moyne improves to 11-17 with a 3-3 divisional record. The teams will complete their annual three-game series tomorrow with a noon doubleheader.

Hirsch scattered five singles, two walks and two hit batters in his seven scoreless innings of work. The hard-throwing right-hander struck out eight. Southpaw Joey Royer (Westbrook, Maine/Cheverus) took the loss, recording three outs and ceding the game’s only two runs (one earned). Peter Jay (Shelton, Conn./Shelton) finished the game with a scoreless frame of relief.

Kevin Carroll (2-1) shouldered the load on the mound for Le Moyne. He surrendered two hits and six walks while compiling 13 strikeouts in his eight-inning, 129-pitch shutout. Conor Nolan threw a 1-2-3 ninth to earn his second save.

The Chargers’ offense came courtesy of a double from centerfielder Brendan O’Reilly and a base-hit by designated hitter Chris DeMorais (West Hartford, Conn./Conard). O’Reilly and DeMorais each earned one of the half-dozen walks issued by Carroll as well, with O’Reilly and third baseman Brendon Buckley (Monroe, Conn./Masuk) each swiping a base. In addition to calling a strong outing by Hirsch, catcher Joe Romanelli (Baldwin, N.Y./Holy Trinity) also laid down a successful sacrifice bunt.

The only runs of the day came in the top of the ninth inning. Kody O’Connor led off with a double to left centerfield off of Royer, and well-placed sacrifice bunt by Paul Speicher then yielded no outs to put runners on the corners. After Head Coach Chris Celano handed the ball to Jay, a suicide squeeze off the bat of Ryan Mahoney scored the game’s first run and again resulted in no outs recorded. After a fielder’s choice groundout and a pop-up to right field, Matthew Ciraco’s two-out single added an insurance tally for the Dolphins, up 2-0 heading into the bottom of the ninth frame.

The Chargers made solid contact off of Nolan, most notably Romanelli’s fly-out tracked down in the gap in left centerfield, but went down in order in the last of the ninth to fall by a count of 2-0.

After the series concludes with tomorrow afternoon’s twin bill, the Chargers continue NE-10 Southwest Division play with a five-game road swing beginning on Tuesday, April 16 at crosstown rival Southern Connecticut State. New Haven returns to the diamond at Frank Vieira Field on Thursday, April 25 for a non-conference meeting with Post.