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(04/18/07 12:00am)
Author: Allison Ortega Ranked second in the most recent national poll, the Middlebury women's lacrosse team showed their offensive firepower early and then held on for victory on Saturday at Kohn Field in a NESCAC matchup against Trinity. Playing in front of a large crowd assembled to celebrate the team's annual Alumnae Weekend - incidentally including first-year Trinity coach Kate Perine '03 - the Panthers set off to a fast start. "We were all really excited to play for our big group of alumnae that came back this year," wrote Lindsay McBride '09 in an e-mail.Midfielder Reid Berrien '08 opened the scoring just over a minute into the game with a shot past Bantam goaltender Michelle Smith. While Trinity countered to even the score at one just a minute later, the Panthers respond swiftly. Showing off its superior depth, Middlebury then poured on six straight goals. First-year Dana Heritage tallied back-to-back scores, before Berrien added her second of the game. Caroline Kirkendoll '09, Katherine Entwisle '08 and Tri-Captain Claire Edelen '07 then helped the Panthers build a 7-1 lead before nine minutes had elapsed in the game. The Bantams managed to stop the barrage with a goal past Middlebury's Blair Bowie '09 about a minute later. Yet, this was only momentary as Panthers subsequently continued their offensive onslaught.After assisting on three previous goals, Liza Humes '07 notched a tally of her own to resume Middlebury's scoring spree. Tri-Captain Kim Walker '07 and Amanda Smith '08 followed with two goals each, while Kate Barton '09 picked up a single tally to round out the first half scoring. At halftime the score was Middlebury 13, Trinity 2. "We came out really strong in the first half, moving the ball quickly, working the fast break, and holding Trinity to only two goals," wrote Edelen.Despite its first half domination, Middlebury was unable to maintain its torrid scoring pace during the second half of play. The Bantams responded to their large deficit with renewed energy and gradually moved back into the game. Less than a minute into the half, Trinity scored the first goal of the second half. Although Barton answered for the Panthers, the Bantams then went on an 8-0 run. "Trinity proved to be a strong opponent," wrote Edelen, "and after scoring a few goals, they gained the momentum of the second half."Smith's third goal of the game ended the Panthers' scoring drought and increased the lead to 15-11 with just under five minutes left. However, the Bantams would not relent in the game's final minutes, scoring another two goals. With the lead at just two, the Panthers' strong defensive play preserved the victory. "Fortunately we were able to hold on to the lead and pull out the win," wrote Edelen.Bowie finished the day with nine saves in the first 43 minutes of play and Whitney Wildrick '08 picked up an additional four saves over the final 17 minutes in a relief appearance. It was the Panthers' sixth straight victory, and it increased their impressive season record to 7-1. In addition to the hard fought victory against Trinity, Middlebury used the occasion to participate in another battle - this one against global warming. Joining with participants throughout the country, the team partook in the "Step it Up" National Day of Climate Action on Saturday afternoon. An initiative formulated by Environmental Studies Scholar in Residence, Bill McKibben, the Step It Up campaign is calling on Congress to reduce carbon emissions 80 percent by 2050. The Panthers created a banner and close to 250 Middlebury and Trinity players, parents, alumni and fans posed for picture with it following the game to show their support for the cause. The next three games for the women's lacrosse team are against NESCAC rivals. Bates comes to town on Wednesday April 18, before the Panthers head to Connecticut to face Wesleyan and Connecticut College. At 5-0, the Panthers will be looking to maintain their current undefeated record in league play so far this season.If last year's victories are any indication of what is to come, the Panthers should have a lot of confidence going into these games. In the 2006 season, Middlebury outscored the Bobcats, Cardinals and Camels by a combined 28 goals.
(04/18/07 12:00am)
Author: Jeff Klein One disappointing basketball tournament has ended and a new one is beginning: the NBA playoffs are almost upon us. This year a bunch of teams have a realistic shot at the title. Here are my predictions for Saturday:EastNo. 1 Pistons vs. No. 8 Magic: Once again, the Pistons are the favorite to get out of the East. They feature an impressive lineup that doesn't have many weaknesses. Chauncey Billups has shown the composure and leadership necessary to perform under playoff pressure, Tayshaun Prince is both a pesky defender and a scoring threat and Rip Hamilton always shows up with 20.1 points per game. For Orlando, Dwight Howard simply doesn't have enough help to pull the upset. Prediction: Pistons in five.No. 2 Bulls vs. No. 7 Nets: The Bulls really impress me this year. They showed how successful a team can be when it plays "team" basketball. They share the rock - four players average double-digits in scoring - and they play solid team defense, allowing only 93.9 points per game. The Nets have also impressed me, but I still see the Bulls prevailing with relative ease. Prediction: Bulls in six.No. 3 Raptors vs. No. 6 Wizards: This matchup features two teams going in completely opposite directions. The Raptors have been the feel-good story of the season. Nobody expected them to even contend this year, but Chris Bosh has led his team to a division title and home-court advantage for the first time in team history. The Wizards, meanwhile, have lost Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler to season-ending injuries. Prediction: Raptors in five.No. 4 Heat vs. No.5 Cavaliers: This is a series loaded with superstar talent. With D-Wade vs. LeBron, could it get better? Well, hold on a second. Wade was sidelined for six weeks with a dislocated shoulder and LeBron is a turnover machine who misses free-throws in crucial situations. Look for Shaq to lead Miami one step further to defend its title. Prediction: Heat in six. WestNo. 1 Mavericks vs. No. 8 Warriors: The Mavs are on a mission to avenge their defeat in last season's championship. Dirk Nowitzki will not let his team down again. Golden State is actually leading the season series against Dallas 2-0 (pending Tuesday night's result) and could cause the Mavs some trouble, but Dallas will not be denied. Prediction: Mavericks in five.No. 2 Suns vs. No. 7 Lakers: Can the Suns win a championship with the style of basketball they play? Their defense is porous, and we all know that defense wins championships. Still, the Lakers have relied too much on Kobe to carry the team. Prediction: Suns in fiveNo. 3 Spurs vs. No. 6 Nuggets: Boy, these two teams are hot right now. The Spurs have been absolutely torrid over the last few months, posting a remarkable 25-3 record since Feb. 13. The Nuggets have also been on fire, winning eight games in a row before losing last week to Memphis. I'm tempted to pick the upset here, but you can't argue against San Antonio's history of clutch postseason play with the group that they have. Prediction: Spurs in seven.No. 4 Rockets vs. No. 5 Jazz: After being the surprise of the league earlier in the season, the Jazz have struggled mightily, losing 12 out of their last 17. They have clinched the Northwest division title, but they will have their hands full with the Rockets, who feature a killer one-two punch in T-Mac and Yao. I like the Jazz and admire their team style of play, but I can't see them winning this series. Prediction: Rockets in six.
(04/11/07 12:00am)
Author: Andrew Donnantuono The men's lacrosse team got back on track with a tidy 19-9 win over the Lord Jeffs of Amherst on Saturday afternoon. Three hundred spectators watched Middlebury grab its third conference win and 20th straight over Amherst, who had fallen to Middlebury by just one goal in each of the past three seasons. Saturday's affair was never particularly close, as Amherst held its only lead of the game, 1-0, for the first 58 seconds."We worked hard, out-shot, out-groundballed, and outworked them," said Dave Campbell '08. "It was nice to see the team play a full game and come out with a decisive win."Amherst took that lead when Derek Cherney opened the scoring 45 seconds into the game. Despite the quick goal, Amherst established very little in the first quarter, and Middlebury took advantage with six goals in a row. Mike Stone '09 tied it, and within a minute Rory Sanborn '08 scored the first of his two goals to give the Panthers a lead they would not relinquish. Including Sanborn, seven men on Middlebury netted at least two shots. Having responded swiftly to the opener by Cherney, the Panthers began to assert themselves with lengthy possessions and physical play. The hosts tallied another four goals, bridging the first and second periods, before Amherst could tally its second. The Lord Jeffs scored twice midway through the second quarter courtesy of T.J. Jackson, but Middlebury Captain Nick Bastis '07 quelled any thoughts of an Amherst comeback when he beat Matt Pietroforte with a lefty bounce shot. Middlebury entered the second half up 8-3.The third quarter was not short on fireworks. In the period, 27 shots, including 16 by Middlebury were taken, 13 of which resulted in goals. Of these 13 goals, 9 were netted by Middlebury. Oddly enough, all 13 of the goals were scored in the second half of the quarter, and eight of those came in the final 3:09. Jeff Begin '10 scored the first goal of his Middlebury career with 7:42 remaining, and then the floodgates opened. Pre-season All-American selection Jim Cabrera '08 had two, as did Thomas Foote for Amherst. Each team hit a post and took a penalty in the third as well.With the lead at 17-7 after three, Middlebury emptied its bench as Head Coach Dave Campbell '00 gave some valuable playing time to the younger midfield lines and attackers. Ironically, while the fewest goals were scored in the fourth quarter, the best one of the entire game came in that very period. With ten minutes to go, Tom Petty '09 tried a shot from the crease that was stuffed by Amherst goalie Andrew Harrison, who had replaced Pietroforte after Middlebury went on its 6-0 run. Petty leapt for his own rebound and ripped it mid-air into the top shelf, drawing oohs and aahs from the crowd.Captain Peter Mellen '07 further established himself as one of the best face-off men in Division III, finishing 11-15 on the afternoon. On the season, Mellen has won 67 of his 102 face-off tries-a .657 rate.With the win, Middlebury put the brakes on a two game skid and now sits atop the NESCAC with a 3-1 record, 5-2 overall this season. The Panthers face a huge test on Tuesday when they clash with the undefeated (9-0) Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Red Hawks at Kohn Field, a team they preyed on 13-4 on the road last season.
(03/21/07 12:00am)
Author: Thomas Brush Collier, men's swimming take 14th at NationalsLed by Co-Captain Robert Collier '07, the Middlebury men's swimming and diving team finished 14th out of 52 teams at the 2007 Division III Championships held at the University of Houston on March 15-17.Collier, one of eight Middlebury swimmers who made the trip to the Lonestar State, earned All-American recognition in two races, the 100 meter and 200 meter fly. In the 100, Collier finished in 50.08, enough for eighth place, while in the 200 he touched the wall in 1:51.08, good for sixth.The men's 800 meter free relay team of Collier, Kevin O'Rourke '09, co-captain Tim Lux '07 and Schuyler Beeman '10 advanced all the way to the finals and finished its season in 12th place nationally by combining for a time of 6:55.13.In the diving pool, first-year diver Brooks Farrar made a strong bid for All-American status in the three-meter event by tallying 421.10 points, which placed him ninth overall, just one spot out of the top eight needed to earn the recognition. In the 1 meter, Farrar finished in 14th overall with 396.35 total points.The men concluded one of their most successful seasons to date, finishing with a regular season record of 6-1, while finishing fourth at NESCACs.Tom Maldonado '08 named an All-AmericanMiddlebury defenseman Tom Maldonado '08 was named an All-American by the American Hockey Coaches Association at the NCAA Championship Banquet on Friday, March 16. Maldonado has been a model of consistency all year for the Panthers, appearing in every game this season. He led all the defenseman in total points scored, with 27, while his 24 assists were tops on the team.In the title game on Sunday, Maldonado registered an assist in the heartbreaking 4-3 loss to Oswego in overtime.Maldonado's skill and finesse on the ice spans beyond the hockey rink. Just five hours before being named an All-American, he bowled six strikes in a row en route to a team high 227 points in a team bowling competition. Petty '09 is NESCAC's Player of the Week A Middlebury men's lacrosse player has made his mark on the NESCAC league only two weeks into the season. This weekend, Tom Petty '09 was named NESCAC Player of the Week for March 19, 2007.Petty's play was instrumental in the heated struggle between the Panthers and the Camels of Connecticut College this past Sunday. In the thrilling 10-9 victory, made especially difficult because of the previous night's snowfall which lowered temperatures to near freezing and rendered the field turf slick, Petty notched an assist and three goals, including a crucial tally that broke an 8-8 tie late in the fourth quarter.Women's lax season opener postponedThe much anticipated season opener for the women's lacrosse team scheduled for March 17 was postponed until later in the year due to a blizzard which prevented the team from making the trek down to Connecticut College. The Panthers now must wait until Saturday, March 24 when they will face NESCAC foe Bowdoin in the season opener. Meanwhile, fans of women's lacrosse must sit patiently until March 31 in order to see their team play at home against Colby.Middlebury is currently the only team in the NESCAC that has yet to play a game.
(03/21/07 12:00am)
Author: Andrew Donnantuono For the second consecutive week, Tom Petty '09 played a solid game for men's lacrosse. And for the second Sunday in a row, Petty helped Middlebury overcome capable visitors. In a match-up postponed because of Friday night's snowstorm, Petty scored a pivotal goal, and the Panthers withstood pressure from Connecticut College in the final seconds to win 10-9 at Kohn Field. The Panthers move to 2-0 on the season and will host Springfield College on Wednesday. Connecticut (0-3) faced an uphill battle going into the game, but had at least one advantage coming into their NESCAC opener. First-year Middlebury Head Coach Dave Campbell '00 was at the helm of the Camels program for the previous three seasons. Their inside information might have helped as Kevin Nally quickly gave the guests a 1-0 edge 2:15 into the first quarter. The lead swelled to 4-1 after Matt Flanagan netted a riser surpriser with 12:04 remaining in the second. Down three, Middlebury never lost its composure, with nearly three quarters of the game to play. Attackman Jim Cabrera '08, who finished the game with three goals and an assist, took over and got the Panthers back on track.Even though Connecticut looked good in the early going, Cabrera, an All-American, gave the fans a reason to cheer as he and his teammates scored five unanswered goals to close out of the half. Middlebury was poised to open the third quarter with a flourish and put the upstart Camels away.Wind, cold weather and flurries throughout the game hardly affected the intensity on the field. Petty tallied another when he scored a sweet shot at 13:55 in the third quarter, diving from behind the net to beat Connecticut goalie Mark Moran and increase the lead to 7-4.Having swapped a three-goal lead for a three-goal deficit, Connecticut set back to work. The diminutive Flanagan, listed at five-foot-five-inches, gave Middlebury fits all afternoon. Flanagan made a few nice feeds inside to Steve Dachille, and the Camels tied it up at 7-7 with 4:10 remaining in the third.The fourth started at 8-8, and Connecticut hit a post with the chance of regaining the lead. Then Middlebury stepped it up. Seven days after scoring the game-winner against Stevens Institute of Technology, Petty decided not to dish it off on a fast break. Halfway through the fourth quarter, Petty put a sidearm crank shot into the upper corner, giving Middlebury a 9-8 lead. Captain Peter Mellen '07 added to the margin, ripping an opportunistic crank shot from a few feet inside the restraining line. The last few minutes proved thrilling as Dachille pulled one back for Connecticut with 2:25 to go in regulation. Middlebury could only play keep away for so long, as Moran laid out for Connecticut and forced a turnover with about 35 seconds left. In the end, Craig Audin got off a pretty good shot for the Camels, but captain Alex Palmisano '07 knocked it aside at the buzzer.Of Palmisano's save, Petty said, "the best part of yesterday's game was seeing Alex Palmisano save the last shot with less than ten seconds left on the clock."Thanks largely to Mellen, Middlebury dominated face-offs, winning 21 of a possible 23 restarts. Both goalies had their work cut out for them, particularly Moran, who was barraged by 42 Middlebury shots and forced to make 17 saves. Palmisano rejected 11 Camels shots, the last of which secured the victory for Middlebury.
(03/14/07 12:00am)
Author: Seth Miran Four is the magic number. Four Frozen Fours in four years is not your everyday feat. Yet that is exactly what the women's hockey team accomplished on Friday night with its fourth NCAA quarterfinal victory in as many years, defeating the Manhattanville Valiants 3-1. And if history serves as any precedent, the Panthers' work is far from finished. Energized by a record crowd of 755 spectators, the most ever to watch a women's hockey game in Kenyon Arena, the Panthers came out strong, dominating the first 10 minutes of play. Manhattanville failed to register a shot in the first 7:20 of the game. The Panthers, who outshot the Valiants by a count of 39-14 on the night, held a 13-4 advantage in shots on goal midway through the first period. "As a team we had tremendous energy all day long," said Captain Shannon Sylvester '07. "There was a confidence and a look in each person's eyes that showed an understanding that we were going to win. That sense of communal trust is something we have been working towards all season and it was great to see it shine through on Friday." Middlebury was unable to convert on any of those 13 shots and only registered one shot in the second 10 minutes of the first period as momentum shifted noticeably in favor of Manhattanville. The Valiants had two excellent scoring chances during that stretch, both of which were thwarted by Panther netminder Lani Wright '10. Wright finished with 13 saves on the evening while earning her 12th victory of the season.The streaky play of both teams resulted in a scoreless first period, with both teams going 0-for-3 on the power play. Clearly fired up following the first intermission, the Panthers again came out firing on all cylinders at the start of the second period. Middlebury finally cracked Manhattanville goalie Karine Turmel at the 11:36 mark.With the Panthers up one skater after a Manhattanville penalty, a slap shot from the point by Shannon Tarrant '07 caromed off the right post. Abby Kurtz-Phelan '07 scooped up the puck and fed it back to Tarrant, who fired another slap shot from nearly the same spot on the ice. This time, Tarrant would not be denied, as she lit the lamp for the first score of the game. The assist by Kurtz-Phelan was her 100th career point, making her the third Panther to garner that accolade this season. Fellow seniors Tarrant and Sylvester accomplished the same feat earlier in the season.Although the Panthers continued to generate excellent scoring chances throughout the remainder of the second period, it would be the Valiants who scored next. With 1:56 left in the period, Monique Rafferty swooped in and snapped a shot over the left shoulder of Wright to knot the game at one goal apiece.The score would stay that way for almost all of the third period, with both teams generating quality scoring chances. Annmarie Cellino '09, who scored a crucial goal three weeks ago against Plattsburgh, came through in the clutch once again. Cellino brought the puck up ice before blasting a knuckle puck from just inside the blue line over the right shoulder of Turmel.Erika Nakamura '09 added an empty net goal 37 seconds later to seal the victory.The Frozen Four weekend kicks off this Friday, March 16 with Middlebury taking on Wisconsin-Stevens Point. The winner of that game will earn the right to play either Amherst or top-ranked Plattsburgh, the host of this year's Final Four. Even though this is the fourth consecutive year that the Panthers have reached the Final Four, it does not diminish the excitement surrounding the upcoming weekend."It is always such an honor and a privilege to play on that last weekend of the season," said Tarrant. "This is the opportunity that we have worked for all year long.This is such a special group of people on this year's team, and we want to make the most of the time that we have left together as an entire group."
(03/14/07 12:00am)
Author: Jeff Klein It's that time of year, ladies and gentlemen. The most glorious time of the year; the time that causes employees to miss work and students to "forget" about their assignments. In the words of Dickie V, "It's March Madness, Babyyyyyyy!!!!!"This year, the field is ripe with talent. Florida looks poised to defend last year's national title, UCLA appears ready to avenge last year's championship defeat at the hands of the Gators (despite an ugly loss to California in the PAC-10 tournament) and Kansas has more than enough talent to advance deep into the tournament after egregious first-round losses the past two years to Bucknell and Bradley. But in our constant obsession with the "favorites," the teams that get all the hype and media adulation, let me present you with an idea: root for the underdogs.George Mason's remarkable run to the Final Four in last year's tournament was not only unprecedented, it was unbelievably exciting. It captivated the nation. For at least a few short weeks, the Patriots were the most talked-about team in America. George Mason's run also served as a wake-up call to biased sports commentators like CBS's Billy Packer who only consider traditional major programs worthy of getting any attention and at-large consideration to the field of 65. Yes, the small commuter college in Washington D.C. provided limitless hope to all mid-major schools that they could live the dream and compete with the big boys. Rooting for underdogs is a lot more fun than rooting for favorites. It's the whole idea of the little guy rising to the occasion and overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds to emerge victorious. Think back to some of the amazing upsets that have occurred in March Madness over the past few decades. In 1985, a Villanova squad seeded eighth in the tournament upended heavily-favored and number-one seeded Georgetown, who featured future NBA great Patrick Ewing. Nobody thought Villanova would win. That's what made its victory over Georgetown more exciting when it actually happened. Fast forward 13 years. Who can forget Valparaiso guard Bryce Drew's buzzer-beating three-pointer in the first round of the 1998 NCAA tournament to upset Ole Miss? After the shot, the Valparaiso team collapsed in a heap on the floor like little kids. The sheer joy of the moment was palpable. Two first-round upsets from the '05 Tournament will probably be talked about for years to come. Behind the clutch play of guard T.J. Sorrentine, 13th-seeded Vermont defeated fourth-seeded Syracuse in an overtime thriller. Perhaps even more exciting was last year's 14th-seeded Bucknell's one-point victory over third-seeded Kansas. Here was a Kansas team that had national championship aspirations. Few could have imagined them losing in the first round to a small liberal arts school with no standout playersÖbut it happened.My point: upsets are amazing. They provide excitement and unpredictability. Some people might say, "Oh, upsets just make the later rounds less exciting." That's fallacious. Who can say after George Mason's run, including victories over UNC and top-ranked UConn, that the later rounds weren't exciting? Upsets make the tournament that much better. So I'll definitely be rooting for, and expecting, some big upsets in this year's tournament. Hey, it's called March Madness for a reason.
(03/14/07 12:00am)
Author: Andrew Donnantuono Led by a stellar performance from goalie and Co-Captain Alex Palmisano '07, the men's lacrosse team beat Stevens Institute of Technology on March 11 by a slim 7-5 margin. The eighth-ranked Ducks made the trip up from Hoboken, N.J., but were greeted by the parsimonious Palmisano, who made 13 saves and scooped up 11 ground balls in the game."Alex was tremendous in the cage for us," said Coach Dave Campbell '00. "Stevens has an explosive offense. I didn't expect us to hold them to five goals, but that says a lot about what Alex was able to do as well as the rest of our defense."The tape will show that Sunday's game was undoubtedly played in Vermont, for snow banks of three and four feet high surrounded Kohn Field. Even so, the turf was hot and yielded four goals within the first twelve minutes of play. Captain Nick Bastis '07 and Mike Stone '09 exchanged scores with the Ducks' John Dolny and Josh Holmes, as Middlebury twice relinquished a one-goal lead.It was a low-scoring affair until the fourth quarter, as Middlebury held a 5-2 advantage after the third period. The Panthers lead took 31 minutes and 13 seconds to build between goals by Bastis with 1:47 remaining in the first quarter and sophomore James Guay's half-field heave with 34 seconds left in the third quarter, but it all evaporated in less than four minutes. Matt Althauser scored twice and Matt Keating netted the equalizer for Stevens with a hip-high lefty shot that beat Palmisano to the inside right post.Middlebury was not denied the win in a game that could have gone either way. The Panthers forced a turnover near midfield and Tom Petty '09 grabbed the bouncing ball on his way toward the net. He was knocked to the turf, but only after his shot crossed the goal line."Tom at attack had a solid first start," said Campbell. "We're expecting a big year out of him."Even though Petty gave Middlebury a tentative 6-5 lead, the final 5:45 proved to be far less nerve-racking than might have been expected. Middlebury effectively kept possession and killed off most of the clock. With one minute left, Co-Captain Peter Mellen '07, who won six of his 12 faceoffs, rounded the Stevens net and was able to score without difficulty because Dunderdale was missing from the cage.Statistically, the game could not have been more evenly played. Stevens outshot Middlebury 38 to 30, as they did a nice job backing up their shots and possessing the ball, particularly in the first half. Stevens collected 43 ground balls to Middlebury's 39. Neither team had any success on their man-up opportunities, as Middlebury went 0-4 and Stevens went 0-5."For our season opener we played great as a team," said Palmisano. "I cannot express how important this was to have so many young guys step up into important roles."Middlebury looks set to begin its quest for a seventh consecutive NESCAC crown when Connecticut College, the team Campbell coached for the previous three years, visits Middlebury on March 17. The 0-1 Camels, ranked 61st on laxpower.com, will be looking to pull off a major upset and to spoil their former coach's bid for his second win.
(03/07/07 12:00am)
Author: Jeff Patterson The Middlebury men's hockey team has been short-handed all season. Multiple injuries, a concussion and a case of pneumonia have forced Coach Bill Beaney to fiddle with his lineup in an attempt to find the perfect harmony. Thanks to two short-handed goals against Bowdoin in the NESCAC Championship game, the Panthers found themselves up 2-0 halfway through Sunday's second period. With Bowdoin on the power play, Brett Shirreffs '07 opened the scoring 4:07 into the game when he stole a lead pass intended for Greg McConnell, carried it down the ice and beat all-black goaltender Chris Rossie with a shot from the top of the left circle. Justin Gaines '08 did nearly the exact same thing in the second period, only this time he scored on the goal on the other side of the ice.With the majority of the team fit as a fiddle, Middlebury was not going to play second fiddle to anyone. They controlled the puck all game long and used well-executed dump-ins to keep the pressure on the home team. Three minutes and 12 seconds after Gaines' goal, Mickey Gilchrist '08 scored an even-strength goal on a one-timer, set-up by Yev Saidachev '07, to put his team up 3-0. It turned out to be the game-winner, Gilchrist's fifth outcome-deciding goal this season. Shirreffs had not played in the previous meeting with the Polar Bears, a 6-2 Bowdoin win. But on Sunday, for the 4-2 win, he was in uniform, in the scoresheet and in the back row, in the embrace of fellow senior John Sales for the customary championship photo."I thought he was a major reason why we won," said Assistant Coach John Dawson '04. "I thought it was a huge difference to have him back there. It was one of the best games - not just because he scored - of his year. He was just outstanding in all areas."Sunday marked the fourth time that Sales and Shirreffs and their fellow seniors have won the league title and the seventh time Middlebury has in the eight years the NESCAC Tournament has existed. "They're kind of immune to the pressure, kind of immune to the playoffs," said Dawson. "They don't get tight, they don't get nervous." Even with the majority of the crowd rooting against the Panthers, the players kept their composure and came out champions. "Playing in an atmosphere like that, it really drives them," said Dawson.Ross Cherry's '08 performance in between the pipes, piped down the boisterous Bowdoin band. In total, Cherry stopped 32 shots, holding the Polar Bears well below their 4.36 goals per game average."If they were going to get anything on us, we made them really earn it," said Dawson. "They had to work for it, we frustrated them, and they couldn't really get a point-blank shot. When they did get a couple, Ross was fantastic."Like the bad guys in a Hollywood movie, Bowdoin outshot its opponents by a substantial amount, but could never kill the heroes. In order to meet Bowdoin in the finals, Middlebury had to first overcome Colby. The Mules, who are coached by Jim Tortorella, the brother of Tampa Bay Lightning coach John Tortorella, beat the Panthers 4-3 on Jan. 12. This time, however, lightning did not strike twice. The Panthers reversed the 4-3 score, even though they committed five more penalties than the Mules.Colby defenseman and first-team All-NESCAC selection Arthur Fritch struck twice to give the Mules a 1-0 lead 6:43 into the first period and later to tie the game at three. Middlebury had just taken the lead only a minute and three seconds earlier when Scott Bartlett '08 jammed home a loose puck.Bartlett struck twice too, scoring his second goal, the eventual game-winner, with a shot from just inside the blue line. Super speedy skater Shane Mandes '10 dug up an abandoned puck in the corner before feeding Bartlett for the snipe.The goal quieted the large Colby crowd that had made the 51-mile trip from Waterville. Goalie Doug Raeder '09 kept the Mules from scoring in the last 14:10 for the win. He stopped 26 shots, and kept the league's number one offense one goal short.By winning NESCACs, Middlebury secured a bid to the NCAA Tournament, making it 13 straight years the Panthers have postponed the task of picking up their razors. On March 7 the team faces off against Fredonia, the SUNYAC champions who beat Plattsburgh 6-4.Without a doubt, Brunswick, Maine has been hospitable to Beaney and his teams this year. In October his men's golf team won the NESCACs there. Five months later, his hockey team did the same. A few days before the NESCAC opener, Beaney severely severed his right index finger doing a job around the house. Over the weekend, it was taped to his middle finger for support. Any attempt to push the elevator button or flick the light switch, would force both fingers to do the job rather than one. Perhaps the tape-job was a reminder: Middlebury has won one, but there is still a second tournament to pursue.
(03/07/07 12:00am)
Author: Kelly Janis Middlebury Market has now become Middlebury Market and Sama's CafÈ, the newest of 54 College St.'s many distinctive faces. Chef and owner Usamah "Sama" Hayyat is no stranger to Middlebury. He grew up in the town and worked at the Market and CafÈ when it was known as Baba's, serving ice cream in the capacity of what he calls a "creamee boy." After several years of absence from his creamee post while attending college in Rhode Island, Hayyat heard that the store and restaurant by which he had been employed as a teenager was up for sale. Interested in purchasing it, he secured a business partner in Shelburne. "We didn't really know each other, but we met and talked and had the same ideas," Hayyat said. Ultimately, the two of them "just decided to do it."The pair's chief focus was elevating the quality of the Market and CafÈ to a higher plane. "We wanted to change the look of it, really just complete it and make it more food-oriented, even in the market," he explained. "Not so much snacky junk food type items but more Vermont-made products, salsas-that kind of stuff."After nearly a year in business, Middlebury Market and Sama's CafÈ is reaping the fruits of its labor in the form of widespread customer satisfaction. Not content to rest on his laurels, however, Hayyat has recently implemented yet another change. "Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights we're doing sit-down dinners," Hayyat said. "It's still very casual, very relaxed, just nicer meals at a really affordable price."The impetus behind the addition is simple. "We really just wanted to give Middlebury another opportunity to have an affordable place in town for dinner," Hayyat said. Some restaurants in town, he observed, are high-priced and "not so much fancy, but you kind of feel stuffed up. Here it's just really casual and really laid back."Dinner options at the restaurant are diverse in their nature, ranging from the $5.50 7-ounce burger topped with lettuce, tomato, onion, cheddar and bacon on a homemade roll to the $13.99 16-ounce lamb shank slowly cooked in their wood fire oven with creamy mashed potatoes and a rich vegetable gravy." Many meals are inspired by their chef's cultural heritage. In describing a favorite lamb dish, Hayyat said that "it's a kind of Middle Eastern dish I ate a lot when I went back to visit in Jordan when I was younger, and it's one that I've always liked."In addition to the sizzling dinner entrees and the sandwiches, pizza, soups, quiches and pre-made salads offered at lunchtime, the establishment boasts an ice cream counter alongside a repertoire of savory desserts. Among the most popular is the "tableside s'mores," which serve two to three hungry diners and, by the menu's description, are "just like being next to a campfire." The market contains an array of grocery items while the cafÈ furnishes customers with cappuccino, espresso, latte and coffee roasters.This breadth of offerings contributes to the pursuit of appealing to a broad audience. "We cater to families, couples, singles, college kids. You know, everyone," Hayyat said. A typical day, Hayyat laughed, is "pretty good and crazy. We open up at 6:30 and go right into pastries that we bake fresh here every morning: muffins, croissants, sticky buns, cinnamon rolls. Then we go right into lunch where we offer four different soups every single day as well as different soup and sandwich combinations. And then dinner and mid-afternoon is a lot of pizza-slices for kids getting out of school-people studying, coffees and more pastries. And dinner has been really good lately. We've been getting a lot of business at dinner time."Claudia Bromley has been employed by all three of the establishments which have occupied the building which houses Middlebury Market and Sama's CafÈ over the past five years. She is pleased with the location's most recent renovation, especially the overhaul of the building's interior, a muted sea of yellows, greens and blues complete with hand paintings, wooden tables adorned with flowers and a tidy division of the building into its various spheres. "It's what the store needed," Bromley said. "It's a nice change. It's a warm feeling." Bromley offers high praise for the Market and CafÈ's current owners. "They're good people, and good people to work for," she said. And Bromley couldn't forget the customers. "Certain customers that come in here, you get attached to them," she said with a smile.That attachment, it seems, is mutual. "I can walk here, so it's convenient," said Middlebury resident John Barstow as he gazed up momentarily from the newspaper in which he was engrossed. "Sama is doing a good job. This place is as good as it's ever been."It is not only regular customers who are taking notice of Middlebury Market and Sama's CafÈ. "We've had a lot of people come in and say, 'Oh, I've had that before, it's really good, you should try that,'" Hayyat said. "It seems like a lot more people are trying us out."Gary and Enes Holsten, who sat deep in conversation with twin cups of coffee, attested to this observation. The Holstens stumbled upon the Market and CafÈ three weeks ago after a move from Pittsford to Brandon. "We came in and had pastries and coffee and just watched [Hayyat] work," Enes Holsten recalled. The duo was immediately impressed. "He has so much energy," Gary Holsten remarked. "He's personable and full of life."The restaurant suits the couple to a tee. "It's wonderful," said Gary Holsten. "We love it. It's comfortable, it's homey. The food is excellent, the prices are reasonable." The Holstens said they intend to recommend the Market and CafÈ to their friends and, naturally, continue to frequent it themselves. "We remembered that they had a Sunday brunch, and that's why we came back today," Enes Holsten said.The cafÈ serves brunch from 8 a.m. to noon every weekend morning. Customers can choose from among a selection of eggs, potatoes, pastrami, maple hash, poached salami and stuffed French toast. The meal comes with a choice of coffee or tea, and includes breakfast sandwiches and wraps for takeout.It is apparent from the restaurant's healthy buzz that the morning offerings are an appealing draw. "We actually skipped church to come here," Enes Holsten admitted with a sheepish grin. "That's bad." She cast her gaze to the heavens and whispered "Sorry" before basking in an extended sip of her Green Mountain coffee.
(02/21/07 12:00am)
Author: Seth Miran Ninety-six wins, ten losses and three ties - that was the career record of the seniors on this year's women's hockey team heading into their final NESCAC regular season contest on Saturday, Feb. 18. When you add their two NESCAC championships and three NCAA titles, you have an impressive rÈsumÈ. The Panthers padded that prestigious rÈsumÈ with an emphatic 7-1 victory over Hamilton on Saturday. Senior Emily McNamara began the scoring on Senior Night a mere five minutes into the first period, firing a wrist shot into the top right corner. But Hamilton's Jodi Raymond tied the game at one 3:41 later.Middlebury captain Shannon Sylvester '07 struck back less than a minute later with a goal of her own. The goal was Sylvester's 100th point of her storied Middlebury career. The senior class continued to shine in the second period. Alison Graddock '07 slid a nice pass to Jess Bennett '10 in front of the crease for the Panthers' third goal. Sylvester notched her second goal of the game just four minutes later on the power play from a similar spot. Erika Nakamura '09 closed out the scoring in the second frame, sliding the puck past Hamilton keeper Kathryn Manning on a breakaway. Karen Levin '08 and Shannon Tarrant '07 each added a goal in the third period to pad the Panther lead. That lead proved to be more than enough for goalie Angie Todd '08, who made 21 saves in the victory.The win was bittersweet given the emotions surrounding Senior Night, especially with so many family members in attendance. Five seniors from the 2003-2004 women's hockey team, when the current seniors were first-years, were also in attendance, adding to the night's sentimentality. "It was obviously sad to realize that our last season here is starting to wind down, but we try not to get too caught up in all of that just yet," said senior Abby Kurtz-Phelan '07. "We hope to still have plenty of hockey ahead of us this season and plan to enjoy it for as long as we can." Before hammering Hamilton, the Middlebury seniors earned win number 96 of their careers in similarly emphatic fashion with an 8-0 shutout of Trinity.Kurtz-Phelan opened the scoring 35 seconds into the first period with Sylvester and Tarrant assisting on it. Annmarie Cellino '09 put the Panthers ahead 2-0 six minutes later. After almost twenty-eight minutes of scoreless play, the Panthers went on a tear at the close of the second frame. Randi Dumont '09 beat Bantam keeper Helen McCarthy glove side with a beautiful shot into the top right corner of the net. Cellino notched her second goal of the game less than two minutes later. Then, with one second remaining in the period, Sylvester slammed the puck home to extend the lead to 5-0. Dumont added her second goal of the game midway through the third period. Marjie Billings '10 made it a 7-0 contest with her first career collegiate goal. Ashley Bairos '10 scored the Panthers' eighth and final goal of the game with 46 seconds remaining. Lani Wright '10 earned the shutout with 13 stops. Sylvester led the way with a goal and four assists. Fittingly, every Middlebury senior notched at least one point this weekend. The seniors now look to win the third NESCAC championship of their careers when they host the NESCAC tournament as the number-one seed on March 3 and 4. "With the regular season over, our accomplishments to this point do not matter," said Sylvester. "We need to look at the playoffs as a new season. The slate has been wiped clean. That being said, we need to continue to do the things that got us to this point: work hard, stay focused and play as a team."
(01/24/07 12:00am)
Author: Simon Keyes As far back as the records show, the Middlebury women's squash team has never had a match cancelled. This past Saturday, however, wintry conditions in upstate New York made road travel unsafe and halted the team bus before it could even depart from Adirondack Circle and motor towards Hamilton College. The team now has two weeks of preparation before they host Vassar in their first home match of the season this coming Sunday. The news of a cancelled match was taken as both a blessing and a disappointment. "We didn't go to Hamilton Ö which was too bad because we were looking forward to a competitive match," said Co-Captain Kara Zarchin '06.5. The match versus Hamilton certainly promised to be thrilling as the two teams are neck and neck in the College Squash Associations national rankings. Middlebury currently resides at 14th in the nation, while Hamilton lurks only one slot behind at 15th.The cancellation, however, allowed the team some much-needed rest after a grueling yet successful tournament Jan. 13 and 14 in New Haven, Conn.The Yale Invitational was a resounding success for the women's team as they finished the weekend 2-1. They beat the University of Virginia team, ranked 23rd, as well as 27th ranked Connecticut College. Their lone loss came at the hands of a very dangerous Bates team, currently ranked ninth in the nation.Co-Captain Hannah Baker '07 was very proud of the team's performance at New Haven. "The team played really well and fought so hard at every level," she said. "And in our one loss, we played closer to Bates than we have in many years." In Middlebury's first match against the University of Virginia, the fledgling UVA squash team did manage a little bit of a fight before Middlebury finished off the match at 8-1. In the most exciting match, Caroline Woodworth '09 used the full five games to defeat her opponent. After two heartbreaking games, she found herself down 0-2 before turning the tables on her opponent and grinding out an exhilarating 3-2 victory.The victory over Conn. College proved just as easy, as Middlebury trounced the Camels 7-2. The match marked Middlebury's second victory over the Camels this season.While the 7-2 loss in the Bates match surely was disappointing, there was nothing upsetting about the play of Baker and Sally Hatfield '09. Both beat their Bates opponents and finished the weekend with 3-0 records.Baker's match versus Bates, however, was the main showcase. Baker finished last season ranked 70th in the country, only four seeds behind her opponent Kelsey Engman. The match promised to be exciting before the two women even stepped out onto the court. Baker found herself down early as she was victimized by a ferocious Engman forehand. However, after two quick games, Baker made an adjustment and began hitting precise rails to the deep corners, and more importantly to Engman's backhand side. Even with the overall match out of reach, Baker put on a show for all the spectators by digging herself out of an 0-2 hole, and beating Engman to the tune of 3-9, 2-9, 9-6, 9-3 and 9-5. Baker said, "Early on I was playing her game, and going for too many hard winners. I just started to play more consistently, and frustrated her by drawing on the points and the match longer." After a tight third game, which went to Baker, the final two were relative cakewalks. The thrilling match concluded a stellar weekend for the team captain.
(01/24/07 12:00am)
Author: Geoff Homer Women's hockey wins two moreThe women's hockey team continued its success this season as the number three-ranked Panthers beat Utica and RPI last weekend. The Panthers have not lost a game in their last 13 contests, and hold their record at 12-1-1. Friday night the Panthers beat Utica 4-2 in a non-conference game. The Panthers entered the second period trailing 2-1 after a short-handed goal by Lacey Farrell '08. Goals from Karen Levin '08 and Abby Kurtz-Phelan '07 in the second period put the Panthers up 3-2. Captain Shannon Sylvester '07, who has the most goals for Middlebury this season, added the game's final goal in the third period. Angie Todd '08 had 24 saves in goal to get the win.On Saturday, the Panthers took on tenth-ranked RIT at Hamilton College, which they won 3-1. Shannon Tarrant '07 added the only goal of the first period with an assist from Erika Nakamura '09. In the second period, first-year Ashley Bairos added another tally from a feed by Molly Vitt '09. RIT came right back and scored on a 5-3 power-play to make it a 2-1 contest. However, Heather McCormack '10 gave the Panthers some insurance with a little less than 13 minutes remaining. Lani Wright '10 stopped 16 shots on goal to get the victory for Middlebury.This weekend brings rematches against Colby and Bowdoin, both at home in Kenyon Arena. Earlier this month, Middlebury traveled to Maine and defeated Colby 5-2, then trounced Bowdoin 4-1. Surely both teams will be looking for revenge after the Panthers humiliated them on their home rinks.Indoor track competes at UVMThe men's and women's track teams competed in a three-team race this past Friday at the University of Vermont along with McGill University. Both teams placed third, and UVM took first in each meet. Jennifer Brenes '09 captured the 55-meter hurdles with a time of 8.66 while Kelley Coughlan '09 finished right behind in second. Simone Weisman '09 captured the 600-meters with a time of 1:41.12. First-year Anjuli Demers took first place in the 300-meter dash. Ian O'Reilly placed third for Middlebury in the one mile run while Robert Athan '10 captured the long jump with a meet-high jump of 19'6". Pascal Losambe captured the 35-lb weight throw with a distance of 43'2", and later added another victory in the shot put with a throw of 44'5.5".This weekend the Panthers cross the border for an event at McGill in Montreal.Men's squash has best weekend everOn Jan. 13 and 14 at the Yale Round Robin, the men's Club Squash team made history, and took a giant leap forward in their push for Varsity status and respect in the collegiate squash world. The Panthers impressively beat three of the four varsity squash programs they faced, defeating Colby, Wesleyan and George Washington, and fell short against Bowdoin.It was in their victory over Colby, however, that they re-wrote Middlebury Club Squash history. Entering the match, they knew that 22nd ranked Colby was vulnerable, especially the lower half of their lineup. The Panthers pounced on the Mules in exciting 5-4 fashion by winning at the 2, 6, 7, 8, and 9 slots. The win proved to be monumental for the Panthers as Colby was the highest ranked team that Middlebury's club squad had ever defeated.Co-Captain Zach Foster '06.5 could not have been more proud of his team. "[Colby] trounced us last year at NESCACs so it was great to leave the courts with the taste of revenge on our lips. We simply had more heart than them from top to bottom on the ladder," said the senior leader.The 26th ranked Middlebury club squash team is back in action this Sunday at 1:00 pm as they play host to Vassar College.
(01/10/07 12:00am)
Author: Livingston Burgess Middlebury's men's and women's track teams opened their seasons Sunday by throwing some of their top competitors into a difficult field at the 38th annual Dartmouth Relays in Hanover, N.H. The Panthers walked away with several strong individual performances, a good sense of where the team stands and most importantly, according to Head Coach Martin Beatty, a feeling of a strong potential for growth. The highlight of a meet that featured an abundance of young talent came, appropriately enough, in sophomore Jen Brenes' performance in the 60-meter hurdles. After posting seventh in the preliminary and semi-final races, Brenes jumped to fifth overall and second among collegiate athletes after running a blistering 9:46 in the final.Beatty saw Brenes' run as a demonstration of the Panthers' ability to compete on the highest levels. "There are a lot of Division I and II schools who come to Dartmouth, so the competition's pretty intense. It makes Jen's performance that much more special," said Beatty. Brenes was by no means the only Panther underclassman to post strong results in Hanover. In the 400 meters, Anjuli Demers '10 was eighth overall and third among college athletes with a 1:00.97, and Simone Weisman '09 placed a collegiate-level fifth in 1:01.89."They both ran very well," said Beatty. "Our 400 women's runners were very strong, both individually and in the relays."The relay team, including Demers and Weisman along with Kara Plunkett '07 and Susanna Merrill '09, took fifth place overall in 4:17.29. Merrill also ran individually in the 800 meters, placing 22nd in prelims with a time of 2:32.56. Kelley Coughlan '09 rounded out the women's side with her 22nd place finish in the 60-meter hurdles, a time of 10.59.A slightly older men's team saw most of their stronger performances from their veterans, led by Pat Sedney's '08 showing in the pole vault. Sedney's seventh place finish paced the team, and his 13' 3/4" loft was a personal record. Sedney's counterpart in the field events, captain Pascal Losambe '07, took fifth among collegiate athletes and ninth overall in the shotput. His throw went for 13.98 meters and was good enough to qualify him for the New England Division III Championships. Losambe also placed 18th overall in the 35 lb. weight throw with a distance of 12.22 meters.Also, Middlebury entered a pair of first-years in the 60-meter dash. Derek Sakamoto and Isaiah Walker posted times of 7.64 and 7.78, respectively. Neither was able to make it out of the preliminary round, but Beatty pointed out that the field at Dartmouth was stacked, especially in such a popular event."There are some kids who are recent college graduates, some Division I schools and some independent teams, so the competition gets pretty stiff," he said. The other men's entrants were Alex Wellman '07 (12th, 60-meter hurdles, 9.08), Conor O'Neill '07 (23rd, 800 meters, 2:04.54), Ben Fowler '09 (22nd, 800 meters, 2:04.49), and Ian O'Reilly '08 (15th, 1 mile, 4:32.8). Overall, Beatty saw the meet as a positive step in what he anticipates to be a strong season. "This is the first meet of the year, and people are still getting into shape," he said. "This is just a time for us to start building and to see what our baseline is. Now that we've set that baseline and gotten our feet wet, we're just going to try to improve week by week."
(01/10/07 12:00am)
Author: Tom Brant The Office of Admissions has received nearly 7,000 regular decision applications for admission to the class of 2011, a 13 percent increase from last year, according to Dean of Admissions Bob Clagett.Middlebury's early decision applications were also up, by seven percent, in contrast to other New England colleges that saw drops in early decision applications. While the final numbers for regular decision applications are not yet available at many NESCAC schools, Tufts, Wesleyan, Amherst and Connecticut College all reported drops of seven to 10 percent in the number of early decision applications. Yale saw a 13 percent drop, while Dartmouth's numbers remained about the same. Clagett, who in November predicted a rise in regular decision applications, said that a higher volume of campus visits this season indicated that numbers would increase. "As of the end of August, [campus visits] were up 40 percent and I have no reason to believe that we've dropped in the meantime," said Clagett. "I think that had an impact, for sure."Acompanying the increase in the number of submitted applications was an increase in the caliber of the students who applied. Using its set criteria, the admissions office ranked the strengths and talents of each applicant on a numerical scale. "It's a significantly stronger applicant pool this year," Clagett said. "We've got a 50 percent increase in the number of applicants who have the top ratings on our scale."When asked about possible reasons for the increase in both number and quality of applicants, Clagett said, "There are a lot of reasons. I don't know if there's a single most important factor, but the fact that [Middlebury] has become more selective has contributed, and being in the top five in the U.S.News ranking probably helps too." Middlebury was ranked the fifth best liberal arts college in U.S.News and World Report's annual survey released last fall.Besides rankings, Clagett cited Middlebury's characteristics as a possible draw for applicants. "We don't have a label attached to us," he said. "We have a balance that prevents people from being locked into a certain stereotype." Clagett suggested that this balance sets Middlebury apart from otherwise similar liberal arts colleges. "We are a liberal arts college with a pragmatic twist," he said. "There's an emphasis on language and international study, and those are topics that really resonate with people, especially with everything that's going on in the world right now."In 2006, Middlebury received 6,204 regular decision applications, up 1,004 from its 2005 figure. Applications for early decision rose earlier this year as well, with the Admissions Office receiving around 700 applicants, up from 645 last year.The admissions staff, which started sorting through applications last week, will continue to evaluate them for the next two months. After committee meetings in March, the staff will mail out decisions to applicants in early April.
(01/10/07 12:00am)
Author: Kathryn Flagg The Board of Trustees granted three professors tenure in December, approving all candidates up for the promotion last semester. Although this year's tenure pool is uncharacteristically small - only two professors will be up for review this spring - the decisions reaffirm the College's commitment to what one of the recently tenured professors dubbed a "scrupulously fair" review process. The religion department's James Calvin Davis, Anne Kelly Knowles of the geography department and Antonia Losano of the English and American literatures department were promoted from assistant professor to the rank of associate professor without limit of tenure. The trustees accepted the recommendations of President of the College Ronald D. Liebowitz and the Educational Affairs Committee at a meeting on Dec. 7. Last month's promotions reflected the work of a long review process - one often misunderstood by students but viewed by professors and administrators as responsible and fair.The Ultimate ExamTenure-track professors generally come under review in the spring of their seventh year at the College, and the decision is orchestrated by the Promotions Committee. Professors under review are evaluated for excellence in teaching, significant scholarly accomplishments and participation in and service to the College community. The review process considers all of a professor's past course evaluation forms, letters from students and alumni, classroom visits and departmental reviews."It's a very thorough process," said Acting Dean of the Faculty and F.C. Dirks Professor of International Economics Sunder Ramaswamy, particularly when compared to practices at other colleges and universities. Losano confirmed this crucial difference in the College's approach to the review. "The tenure process here is very teaching-focused," she wrote in an e-mail. "Many of my friends who teach at other schools went through the process with not a single class visit by a colleague. I had, I think, 27 visits." But this labor-intensive process ultimately builds the foundation for the weighty decision left to the Promotions Commitee and the President of the College."By the end of the process, the Promotions Committee is confident that, based on the departmental recommendation and its own observations, it can make a recommendation to the President that this person has actually met the excellence of teaching," Ramaswamy said. The thoroughness of the College's review process aside, tenure is widely recognized as a "tough, challenging moment in every faculty member's life," Ramaswamy said. The benefits of lifetime employment with an individual university - including much-valued financial and academic security - are coveted by many academics, but a failed tenure review can be devastating for a professor's career. "A great deal rides on tenure," said Knowles. "It's very sobering." Decisions, she continued, can be "tragic" for professors denied tenure.Tenure for the 21st CenturyThe tenure practice is not without its critics. Critics often argue - as President Emeritus John M. McCardell did in a 2004 New York Times op-ed - that tenure is a solution to the problems of the 1940s, when academic freedom was at serious risk. He contended in his op-ed that the system as it stands does not reflect the "realities of academic life in the 21st century." "I think tenure is one of the great shibboleths," said McCardell in an interview. He argued that while the review process at the College is meticulous, tenure remains "one of those icons towards which academia tends to bow" without questioning or challenging the institution.For Associate Professor of German Bettina Matthias, who was tenured last fall, the institution is also at times problematic. "I have never not said what I wanted to say," she noted, questioning the argument for academic freedom. She worried, too, about the effect that tenure has on the larger body of faculty members."Tenure creates two camps among the faculty," she said. "Them and us. I don't think there should be that divide." Matthias admitted, however, that although she is not sure that the practical justification for tenure still exists, the mental reassurance is welcome. In additional to providing a certain validation of a professor's work, tenure allows for creative freedom and the time and flexibility to pursue new research."For the first time in my life, I'm not waiting for something," Matthias said. New Kids on the BlockFor the newest batch of tenured professors, the review process proved "arduous," in Davis's words, but ultimately worthwhile. "The most trying thing for everyone is waiting in silence," Knowles said. "The person actually up for tenure has almost no idea at all what is going on." Knowles, however, viewed the process as beneficial for her classes and her teaching last semester. After teaching at three universities before coming to the College, and after finishing her dissertation 13 years ago, she expressed great excitement when finally up for review. "That excitement carried over into some of the best teaching I've ever done," she said. She described her students as supportive during classroom observations. "It felt like they were cheering me on." For all three professors, tenure allows for new directions in their research and validates their commitments to their departments and their students. Davis, whose review was originally scheduled for spring 2008, expressed excitement at the "clarity" that tenure can bring to a professor's position in the department - a benefit that he identified as one of the motivating factors for his early review. "Ours is a pretty young department, so much so that I'm regarded as one of the folks who's been here for a while. I was ready for my official status to reflect that," he wrote in an e-mail.For Knowles, tenure signals a new security in her relationship with the College community, one that she cherishes after having searched for the right university for some time."The longer I've been here, the more I've loved it," she said. "I like getting to know people. I like the scale here. I like the culture, too. I like the high standards." Those high standards - applied to students and faculty alike - are at the foundation of a tenure review process that will kick into gear again next semester.
(01/10/07 12:00am)
Author: [no author name found] 1 Students stunned by loss of Norbert Vaughn '10 (Nov. 30)2 Professors challenge Rehnquist Professorship (Nov. 2)3 Delta Social House evicted from Prescott (June 19)4 College upholds early admissions program (Oct. 12)5 Friends mourn Mark Southern (March 30)6 Popular Dog Team Tavern destroyed by fire (Sept. 14)7 Forum reaffirms Commons' future (Dec. 7)8 College jumps in the guidebook rankings (Sept. 14)9 Students face Facebook's realities (Sept. 21)10 Rehnquist protesters engage Old Chapel (Nov. 16)11 Late-night fight reveals racial tensions (Feb. 23)12 Students literally living in the library (Dec. 7)13 Swim team's season ended in controversy (Feb. 16)14 College remembers Sammy Muhlfelder (Dec. 7)15 Feb program scaled back (Sept. 14)16 Winter Sports Preview (Nov. 16)17 Liebowitz setting $500 million goal (Nov. 16) 18 Mr. Ups cited for serving minors (Mar. 9)19 Admissions numbers up (Jan. 26)20 Early applications up (Nov. 9)21 Local press pries into assault case (May 4)22 Police investigate assault in Delta case (April 22)23 Fall Sports preview (Sept. 14)24 Roberts at Mead (Oct. 26)25 Kelly Brush recuperating from ski accident (May 4)Based on article hits as of December 31, 2006.
(12/07/06 12:00am)
Author: Geoff Homer M/W soccer players honoredFive members of the Panther soccer squads have earned NSCAA All-New England honors for their performances this fall. Kim Walker '07, Zack Toth '07 and Casey Ftorek '08 all were named to the first-team, while Caitrin Abshere '07 was named to the second-team and Dave Lee '07 was selected to the third-team. Walker and Abshere led the Panthers to the NESCAC Championship and advanced to the sweet 16 of the NCAA playoffs. The two midfielders had solid seasons for the Panthers, with Abshere scoring six goals and assisting on five, for 17 points. Walker tallied four goals and had three assists. Abshere ends her career as Middlebury's all-time leader in assists with 24. The men's squad advanced to the NESCAC Championship where they lost in penalty kicks to Williams and earned a berth in the NCAA tournament. Toth, a first-team All-NESCAC selection ended his year with a 1.05 goals against average and six shutouts. He allowed no goals in 200 minutes during the NESCAC Championship. Ftorek tallied 34 points on the season, tying the school record and led the team with 13 goals and eight assists. A first-team All-NESCAC selection, he led the league in points. Lee was selected to the third-team because of his key contributions and leadership to Middlebury's defensive success this season as the team only allowed 0.98 goals per game. Squash falters in tournamentAfter starting off the season with an 8-1 win against Conn. College at the Dartmouth Invitational, the women's squash team competed in the two-day Wesleyan Invitational. The Panthers weren't as successful this time around, as they dropped three games to NESCAC opponents before closing out the tournament with a win over Smith. The Panthers opened with a hard-fought 5-4 defeat to Colby. Hannah Baker '07 and Sally Hatfield '09, the one and two players, easily defeated the lady Mules they faced. Also victorious were Elizabeth McMorris '09.5 and Elizabeth Parker '07.5. Following Colby, the team faced Bates, who defeated the Panthers by a score of 6-3. Hatfield, Parker and Brooke Beatt '10 were the only point winners for Middlebury.Saturday morning, the Panthers hoped to put Friday's disappointing effort behind them, but they started off right where they left off. This time, the Panthers were defeated by Bowdoin, the third college from Maine represented at the tournament, by a score of 7-2. Both Baker and McMorris, playing at number five, won their matches. Hatfield, Avery Tilney '09 and Parker all took their opponent to five games before falling. After the defeat, the Panthers regrouped and were determined to win their last match to avoid a long trip back to the Green Mountain state. All nine Panthers won their matches as the women annihilated Smith College 9-0. Baker did not give up a single point, as she breezed to victory. Hatfield, Caroline Woodworth '09, Tilney and McMorris all posted strong victories over their opponents while Katie Hawkins '07 allowed only one point in her three-game win. Kara Zarchin '06.5, Beatt and Parker rounded out the Panthers' scoring as the trio cruised to victories in which each girl gave up a total of two points each in her match. Baker, Parker, Hatfield and McMorris each finished the weekend with 3-1 records, while Beatt went 2-2. The Panthers are now off until mid-January, when they will travel back to Conn. to compete in the Yale Invitational.IM bball champ crownedBen Shapiro '09 and his appropriately named Can't Miss intramural basketball team took home the 2006 3-on-3 men's basketball championship on Tuesday afternoon. After advancing to the finals in which they won their previous two games by scores of 15-10 and 15-12, Can't Miss beat defending champion Balls Deep 15-10 for the right to the coveted gray tee-shirts.Shapiro scored nine points, hitting three three-pointers (which counted as twos) including a pristine, parabolic game-winner. "They played well," said Andrew Germansky '08 a three-time finalist, "they made everything. What can you do." Matt Joseph '09 and David Ellis '09 each contributed two baskets towards the victory, which took a full amount of effort. There were a total of 13 fouls in the game, some of which could have been whistled as flagrant if a referee had been present. Still, Can't Miss led for most of the game as they held 7-4 and 13-10 advantages before the final bucket.
(11/30/06 12:00am)
Author: Thompson Davis Editor's Note: This Thanksgiving The Campus asked Thompson Davis '08 to brave the harsh Middlebury frontier and report on what Thanksgiving is like when the world abandons you. A native of Miami, Florida, Davis was not accustomed to the ways of the cold Middlebury climate. Below, find his account.Culturally, Miami is as removed from America as much as, well, I don't know, Spain is. Because there are no seasons, all of the cold weather holidays seem pretty goofy. Simply put, Thanksgiving and Christmas don't matter (Hannukkah is huge). So I decided to take it easy this Thankgiving, save a few bucks on airfare, and stay put for the holiday. Besides, I had to record my debut EP, "Young, Invincible, and Poor," out Dec. 13. I thought things would be great. I'd finally be able to have some "me" time, catch up on some homework and record a watershed album. What could go wrong?On Thursday I woke up to the sound of eerie silence. Ross was completely devoid of any life, human or animal. I missed the usual bedlam but there were some perks. In the bathroom I let go completely. I let the toothpaste run down my chin instead of self-consciously hoarding it in my cheeks, and after my shower I was able to air dry by sprinting naked through the halls. It was extremely effective. Things were looking up. In the studio the album was shaping up great because there were no distractions. I was getting used to this ghost town. However, things took a turn for hungry around 7 p.m. I was famished and since I had exhausted what had seemed to be an endless supply of spearmint/menthol lozenges, I parka'd up, and decided to brave the elements to find sustenance. I wandered about campus raving and screaming like a lunatic hoping that someone would take me in, but alas, no one could hear me scream (did I make a sound?). It was quite distressing to be so alone. Finally, having endured what seemed like years of cold and wandering, I had an epiphany and decided to make the trip down the hill. You see, there is this house down there called Weybridge, and the College gives them, like, a million dollars a year to buy food so I figured I would find something. I made the trip and when I got there I saw a light on in the kitchen! My heart leapt!But alas! The beacon of hope was a trick! On the kitchen table was a fresh loaf of hot organic bread, but when I tried to open the door I found it to be locked. And I cried tears, but tears do not open locks. I sped away on my bike furious and delirious from hunger. What kind of Thanksgiving was this? What the heck did I have to be thankful for? I would have continued to feel sorry for myself had I not hit the curb and fallen into the street. Luckily, I only hurt my hand, but it hurt a lot. But then, a Thanksgiving miracle happened. As I sat there in the middle of the street nursing my cold, bloody hand I suddenly heard a voice. It was a soothing lyrical voice full of empathy and goodness. The voice came from a young gent with jet-black hair, who was more aptly dressed for the harsh winter than I. He seemed very friendly and he turned out to be a Middlebury student hailing from India. Like the settlers long ago, I rejoiced in his companionship. I followed him to what he called "Jewitt" and, lo and behold, there we found many eager eaters. We ate curry and rice with our hands. It was heavily spiced, very hot and extremely delicious. Much better tasting than turkey and gravy. But it wasn't all about the food. My fellow diners proved to be excellent dining companions. In the end, instead of going through the rote motions that usually constitute your typical Thanksgiving, I was able to expand my cultural horizons and be genuinely thankful for the brotherhood that resides within the human spirit. Isn't that what Thanksgiving is really about?
(11/09/06 12:00am)
Author: Melissa Marshall There is nothing in the world quite like a well-constructed, thoroughly thought-out, emotionally charged, memory-inducing mixed CD. A mixed CD composed with style, grace and just the right amount of daring has power enough to conjure the joy brought on by the first truly warm day of spring or reenact the sorrow induced when you finally understood the movement of a hand waving you goodbye. And the kicker is that this musical endeavor of epic proportions has to accommodate the aforesaid wide range of passions without compromising the mood of the masterpiece while still replicating the sense of awe felt at the first falling snowflake of the season. Sounds more intimidating than Calculus homework, doesn't it? I suppose that is why I prefer good mixed CDs as presents over cashmere sweaters, and why I usually despise soundtracks. Although I enjoy a good musical score every now and then, films that package music from popular artists in the hopes that consumers will pay $13.99 for the convenience of having "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Respect" on the same disc bothers my musical conscience more than Now That's What I Call Music Vol. 37. Granted some directors are responsible wielders of art and place songs from underappreciated artists in their films, such as the tracks found in Wes Anderson's magnum opuses, while others just make you downright exuberant - case in point, releases from Love Actually and Forrest Gump. One of the strongest aspects of music as an art form, however, lies in its ability to create personal, emotional connections with the listener, and it is a rare occurrence when a song featured in a film can break away from its connotation with a particular scene and stand as an independent entity in your mind and ear. The Garden State and Cruel Intentions soundtracks are perhaps the shining exceptions to this stigma, featuring complimentary vocals woven with melodies seemingly destined to spoon with one another on the same disc.The Cruel Intentions soundtrack is veritably vintage (release date 1999), and I'll admit that I have let other soundtracks slip into my player - the crooning DeLovely and the insubstantial yet charming Music From the O.C. to name a few. But no matter what new music I am introduced to, I continue to crawl back to its seductive beats and seamless transitions. The only surprising thing is why I strayed in the first place. The Cruel Intentions soundtrack satisfies every possible duty of film music as well as the demands of a mixed CD. Besides matching the mood of the movie, the album introduces you to stellar releases from obscure artists ("Ordinary Life" by Kristen Barry and "Secretly" by Skunk Anansie), provides established hits to make you feel comfortable while you're wading in unfamiliar waters ("Praise You" by Fatboy Slim and "Bittersweet Symphony" by The Verve), and offers strong tracks by indie Veterans that may be exotic to even the most well-versed hipster ("Every Me Every you by Placebo and "You Could Make a Killing" by Aimee Mann). Even though the Cruel Intentions soundtrack always delivers a gratifying 57-minute musical experience, the summer of 2004 introduced the "soundtrack as mix tape" ideology to sleepy suburbs and college campuses across the nation.Whereas the Cruel Intentions soundtrack just happens to play like a gift from a clever suitor, the creators of the Garden State soundtrack obviously took a lesson from Stephen Chbosky's cult-novel, The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Each song is laced with sentiment-stirring power - from nostalgia to loneliness to exhilaration, the album recreates the emotional rollercoaster known as life. With outstanding selections from indie mainstays The Shins and Nick Drake, as well as standout tracks by newcomers Frou Frou and the Cary Brothers, the Garden State soundtrack won a Grammy Award while catapulting the careers of Zero 7 and Iron and Wine. Most importantly, however, it feels intensely personal, and that's what takes it from being a one-night stand on my iPod to a life-long love affair on my playlist. With the new movie season in full-swing as the holidays approach, I am curious whether the Cruel Intentions and Garden State soundtracks will be introduced to some new faces on my regular rotation. If not, I can always hope for some blank CDs in my stocking.
