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(03/15/18 12:38am)
Ten O’Clock Ross
Suspended
The Student Government Association announced on Monday that 10 o’clock Ross would be suspended until April 2. The announcement also warned that the program would be suspended for the remainder of the semester and reevaluated for fall semester viability if issues persist, citing staff concerns with cleanliness and general disarray. The suspension of the program is the result of a mutual agreement with all of Dining Services.
“The dining room has been left in a horrible condition,” said Brent Simons, Ross Commons dining room manager, “Napkins strewn about. Melted ice cream on counters and tables, silverware strewn about, messes on floors, equipment tampered with (mainly the frozen yogurt machine which is an expensive piece of machinery), cooler, food items have also been stolen, cereal, ice cream, allergen free food products etc.”
Since its launch in fall 2015, the program has faced multiple sanctions due to violations to Ross Dining’s alcohol consumption policy. In addition, there have been reports in the past of students stealing tubs of ice cream and boxes of tea.
“Students can help by cleaning up after themselves as much as possible and by notifying a student monitor when liquids are spilled,” Laura Castillo ’19, director of institutional affairs said. “This would demonstrate our respect and value for our Middlebury staff who come in early in the morning to set up for breakfast.”
According to SGA President Jin Sohn, SGA is currently working with Ross Dining and Dining services to improve communications and discuss future plans for 10 o’clock Ross. Students can contribute to the solution by responding to the survey included in the announcement with their Middlebury email account.
Squirrel Electrocuted
Nearby students witnessed a small explosion outside of Voter Hall on Monday. The incident was caused by a squirrel attempting to climb from the telephone pole positioned on the north side of Voter Hall to a power line.
The pole, which carries high voltage wires, had three transformers fixated to its top. During the squirrel’s commute, the circuit of one transformer was disrupted, forcing it to ground itself and discharge its electricity to the nearby neutrally-charged squirrel. Nearby students heard a loud bang.
The sudden discharge also caused a safety fuse to open, shortly knocking out power to Voter Hall. However, the Voter emergency generator automatically activated, providing auxiliary power to the building.
According to Luther Tenny, assistant director of Facilities Services, Green Mountain Power was immediately notified. Line power was restored by 1:15 p.m. to Voter Hall.
No other buildings were affected by the incident. However, Luther said, “I’m afraid the squirrel did not survive.”
College Hires Associate Chaplain & Muslim Advisor
Saifa Hussain will join the Scott Center for Religious Life on March 19 as the new associate chaplain and Muslim advisor. She will fill the position that was formerly held by Beau Scurich and Naila Baloch until their departure last year. Scurich left to begin work in hospital chaplaincy and Naila to begin her graduate studies.
Hussain was a student at DePaul University where she led the Muslim Student Association before becoming an active community organizer in both Chicago and Vermont. In Chicago she was involved in social justice organizing and in Vermont she participated in spiritual community organizing related to sustainability efforts. She has also worked with Ahle Bayt Institute to lead a hajj for diverse Muslims.
In a campus wide email sent on Monday, March 12, Mark R. Orten, director of the Scott Center, wrote that the center is looking forward to welcoming her to campus. According to Orten, a former supervisor in describing Hussain said she “stands out among many with her rare combination of intelligence and heart. She is truly exceptional.”
With Hussain’s experience in student programming, activism and her articulation of her Muslim identity, the Scott Center hopes to build up its resources for their Muslim Student Association. It also hopes to create larger discussions around the tenets of Islam in the broader college community and beyond.
Orten wrote in his email, “We look to her to infuse a wise religious voice into current discussions around campus, the nation and the world.”
(03/15/18 12:05am)
MIDDLEBURY — The town of Middlebury received a $75,000 grant from the Vermont Agency of Transportation to support local businesses as the impacts of the construction of the Middlebury Bridge & Rail Project start to hit the town.
The construction is projected to cost $71 million, as VTrans works with the town to replace the two rail bridges downtown with a tunnel. The bridges are located on Main Street and Merchants Row. The two original bridges were almost 100 years old and rapidly deteriorating, leading the state to declare them unsafe and in “emergency condition” in March of 2017.
Temporary bridges were installed in August of 2017 to address the problem until summer 2020, when the new tunnels are projected to reach completion. However, the temporary bridge currently in place on Main Street has begun to show “alligator cracking,” due to heavy vehicles and the grade of the temporary bridge. VTrans anticipated these problems, and plans to repave the bridge deck and perform maintenance this summer.
The maintenance will require the temporary bridge to be shut down for at least several days. This year, the project will also involve creating a new drainage system, relocating key utilities and creating better access to the parking lot at Battell Block.
Unfortunately, local businesses have already begun to experience financial difficulties as a result of the construction project. For instance, according to the Addison County Independent, Carol’s Hungry Mind Café owner John Mealanson reported economic struggles starting with the shutdown of the original rail bridges.
“Business dropped off dramatically,” Mealanson said. “The summer tourist season is what carries us through the year, and being down just for that brief period, and then making it more inconvenient with parking and for pedestrians, has really cost us.”
The construction has led to the loss of nine parking spaces in front of Carol’s Hungry Mind Café, as well as five more spaces near the post office. In addition, the construction has made traffic flow in Merchants Row much more inconvenient for pedestrians, leading to an overall decrease in customer traffic in downtown Middlebury. This makes attracting customers difficult for local businesses fronting Main Street and Merchants Row, such as Carol’s Hungry Mind Café, that rely on foot traffic walk-ins.
Jim Gish, the rail bridge project’s community liaison, acknowledged the temporary financial hardships for the local business community and said that he is “doing everything we can to drive business during the summer of 2020.” He predicts that the most challenging impacts will hit that summer, as the rail bridge project comes to a close and construction will require shutting down Main Street and Merchants Row for an estimated ten weeks in order to finish building the tunnels. This is notable, as many local businesses earn significant parts of their revenue during the summer tourist seasons.
The $75,000 grant by VTrans is the first of three parts. Two more similarly sized grants will be given to the town in 2019 and 2020 respectively, as construction on the rail bridges continues. This grant is a response to Middlebury and the Bridge & Rail Project directly submitting a budget request to VTrans last December to help support local businesses and make up for the financial loss during construction. VTrans has previously given grants to other towns in Vermont for similar purposes to help local businesses during large scale construction projects.
This first grant will be used to supplement the marketing branch that can help out local businesses through 2018. According to Gish, the grant is divided into three parts “so we can gain experience in what works and what doesn’t to be best effective in supporting local businesses. The key focal point is the ambitious local shop campaign driven by both traditional and new social media advertising, and then go back to the state in 2019 and 2020 for more funding.”
The marketing branch is coordinated by Neighbors Together, a local community action forum at St. Stephen’s Church with Reverend Susan McGarry. Neighbors Together includes not only St. Stephen’s Church, but also the Local Project Management team, Better Middlebury Partnership, Addison County Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Improvement District Commission, Middlebury College, Town Hall Theater and Addison Central Supervisory Union. The partnership group’s goal is to create a solution-driven action plan and help Middlebury sustain and flourish its local businesses during the construction project. According to the Addison County Independent, current proposed plans for 2018 include, “shopping promotions, a loyalty rewards program, multi-media advertising campaigns, events, website infrastructure and improved signage and beautification efforts.”
However, while the short term impacts are harmful to local businesses, Gish says that the $71 million improvement in infrastructure will be a “long term significant improvement in streetscape and infrastructure downtown, driving business up. The project will rebuild rail tracks up to Elm Street and include a fully upgraded rail corridor to pave the way for Amtrak to start and allow opportunities for Middlebury to connect to New York’s Penn Station in 2021.”
(03/15/18 12:00am)
BURLINGTON — Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben and Jerry’s ice-cream, was arrested in Burlington last Tuesday for violating the city’s noise ordinances. He and two other activists were protesting the proposal to bring F-35 fighter jets to Burlington International Airport. From speakers attached to the back of a pickup truck, they played sounds simulating the noise-level of a jet flying above.
Their objective? To demonstrate the disruption that the planes will cause in the community.
For more than five years, residents around the airport have been bracing for the arrival of 18 new F-35s. The jet is touted as one of the most technologically advanced systems ever designed, commissioned to replace the aging F-16s. But such ambitions have led to significant cost overruns, delays, safety concerns and a myriad of other issues. In Vermont, critics have zoned in on another key concern: noise. Four times louder than the old jets, the F-35s will displace a large population of South Burlington residents living near the airport.
According to federal regulations, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has the authority to initiate voluntary buyout programs in areas where the noise average exceeds 65 decibels. At this level, people are at risk of hearing loss, and children are at risk of suffering from developmental issues. The FAA has already bought and demolished over 200 homes in the vicinity of Burlington Airport. It plans to do more.
“I felt like it [our house] was being taken away from us by people that couldn’t give a shit, really. They didn’t care,” said Carmine Sargent, a local resident of 45 years, in an interview with the VTDigger.
Critics argue that politicians and businesses are using the FAA to advance their own agendas. They claim that the Burlington government, instead of supporting non-destructive efforts to mitigate noise, are demolishing low-income neighborhoods to expand the airport.
“They want a hotel on their own property. They want restaurants. There was an idea for a spa over there,” a local resident said of Burlington’s officials. “It does not meet the reality and the needs of this area. And at the same time, you’ve destroyed a great neighborhood.”
Officials resist the accusations. In a community meeting last February, Richard Doucette, the FAA’s New England Environmental Program manager, talked to residents about the viability of different noise protection efforts that don’t involve buyouts.
“Theoretically, there are measures, and if [noise barriers] were found to be more effective, we would have built more. But we haven’t built any since I’ve been with the FAA in New England,” Doucette said, stressing the limited options they have at protecting residents from noise.
Many critics have also suggested alternatives to the F-35. In a letter to voters, lawmakers from Chittenden County cited Air Force statements from 2010 assuring residents that the Vermont Air National Guard will maintain a presence regardless of the status of the F-35.
“[The National Guard] could fly another fighter aircraft, or a military transport, or drones, or perform cyber security missions,” the lawmakers wrote in their letter.
But it’s unlikely that officials will reconsider the arrival of the 18 jets. The Vermont Guard is built around its fighter squadron, making the jets a crucial part of their missions overseas. Currently, they are preparing for a major deployment in 2019. As part of the efforts, 41 airmen are training in facilities around the country to fly and maintain the F-35s.
“There is no alternative mission being planned for the Vermont Air National Guard,” said Maj. Gen. Steven Cray in a press conference last Friday.
The state’s congressional delegation is also unanimous in its support for the F-35. In fact, Senator Patrick Leahy has faced controversy over his role in bringing the jets to Vermont, pressuring the Air Force to abandon their preferred locations. In a statement to the VTDigger, he denied these allegations.
Much of the support for the F-35 jets stems from the economic benefits that the airport and its military use brings to the city. In an interview with VPR, Lt. Col. Daniel Finnegan of the F-35 integration office, said that the Guard has already spent $83 million preparing the base, and will be doing more. In addition to the one-time integration efforts, the airport receives millions in annual funding from the FAA thanks to its nature as a dual-purpose civilian and military airport. Many supplementary jobs, like the Guard’s Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting force (which spends about $2 million dollars annually), exist thanks to the jets.
Their support is shared by many in the business community. The Greater Burlington Industrial Corporation (GBIC), a non-profit promoting economic interests in the region, has advocated in favor of the jets.
“The airport is our number one, two and three economic stimulators,” said Ernie Pomerleau of the GBIC in an interview with the VTDigger. “Anything I can do to strengthen the economic viability of Burlington, Vermont, I’m in.”
In addition to the direct jobs that the Guard’s forces provide, improvements to Burlington Airport are part of a larger plan by lawmakers and business leaders to revitalize the aerospace industry in the state. There are companies across New England and Quebec that they hope to attract to Vermont. GE Aviation, which landed a $1 billion contract to manufacture F-35 engines in 2016, for example, runs a plant in Rutland.
Still, to the residents losing their houses, such arguments appear dismissive, and the officials’ response even patronizing.
“For me, this is my home,” a local resident said. “A lot of people don’t get this. Well, if you grow up in a home, and you’ve been there for 30, 40, 80 years, you get attached to your home. You have memories there.”
(03/14/18 5:52pm)
The women’s hockey team saw their season come to a close last Saturday, March 10, dropping the NCAA quarterfinal game to top-ranked, four-time defending national champion, Plattsburgh State. The game was played intensely and with a lot of grit, as both teams battled for the right to play in the Frozen Four.
The opening period gave Middlebury some opportunities to get ahead, starting with a power play just a minute into the game. Madie Leidt ’21 and Jenna Marotta ’19 led the charge, taking several shots on goal, but missing wide.
Later in the period, Maddie Winslow ’18 had the best opportunity, beating her defender on the power-play, breaking free of the pack and sped toward the goal. Her shot, however, sailed wide, unable to take the lead. Both teams had another power-play opportunity, but neither squad was able to execute and the first stanza ended scoreless.
The Cardinals scored at the 14:34 mark of the second quarter capitalizing on the confusion of an ended power-play. While Lin Han ’20 blocked a shot from the right side, the rebound found its way to Plattsburgh’s Erin McArdle, who blasted it through the five-hole for a 1–0 lead.
The Panthers answered three minutes later with a power-play goal, set up beautifully by Marotta who sent the puck to Leidt. After receiving the puck, Leidt fired the shot, which was tipped in by Winslow for her 12th goal of the season.
Tied 1–1, Middlebury gave it their all in the third period, of which would be the last of their season and for the class of 2018, the last of their careers. Just a minute in, the Panthers had a power-play chance thanks to a shot by Leidt, but was stuffed by the Cardinal goalie.
Five minutes later, Plattsburgh went on top for good, scoring at the end of a power-play. Han turned the first attempt away, but the puck rolled loose on the ice and a Cardinal fathered the rebound and scored up high from the low slot.
Down 2–1, the Panthers ramped up the pressure, resorting to pulling Han with 2:12 remaining on the clock. With a six-on-five advantage, Middlebury could not find a quality shot and the Plattsburgh sealed the victory with an empty net score for the final score of 3–1.
This season, the Panthers won their third championship in just as many years, a feat no other Nescac women’s hockey team has accomplished. Middlebury also graduates a core group of girls who have had an invaluable presence on the team and have helped lead the Panthers to three consecutive championships. Senior captain Janka Hlinka ’18, goaltender Julie Neuberger ’18 and defender Hayley LaFontaine ’18, along with Winslow, Jessica Young ’18 and Elizabeth Wulf ’18 played significant roles throughout their four years.
Winslow had a phenomenal four years, playing in 114 games and boasting an impressive 124 points with 54 goals and 70 assists. Winslow was named Player of the Year in 2016, becoming the sixth player in history to win the award.
Jessica Young ’18, who was named the 2015 Nescac Rookie of the Year, earned her fourth All-Nescac honor spot and finished her career with just as impressive stats as Winslow: 132 points on 62 goals and 70 assists. Young looked back on the last game, reflecting on the sport she has played her entire life.
“Playing in my last collegiate game was tough to say the least,” said an emotional Young. “My heart just sank as the last seconds ticked off the clock and it was crazy to get back to the locker room and realize that I was taking my jersey off for the last time.
“I’ve been playing hockey since I was four so this whole retirement thing is going to be interesting. I absolutely think the underclassmen will step right up and take over where we left off. Those juniors are going to set their own Nescac hockey record, first grade to ever win a Nescac championship all four years of their career.”
Elizabeth Wulf ’18 finishes her career as a workhorse, starting in 114 games in her career and racking up 64 points over her four years, comprised of 27 goals and 37 assist. Wulf had a lot to say in reflecting on the final game of her career.
“Playing in my last collegiate hockey game was very weird,” Wulf said. “It was in the back of my mind that it could be our last one, but I think we believed so much that we could win the game and beat Plattsburgh that when they scored the empty net goal to go up by two with 12 seconds left and then final buzzer sounded, I was in shock. It honestly felt surreal.
“Obviously a lot of emotions were running through my body throughout the game, mostly adrenaline,” Wulf continued. “When the game ended, there were a lot of tears and disappointment. I honestly still can’t believe it’s over.”
Regardless of the way things turned out on Saturday, Wulf, her teammates, and especially her fellow seniors had to acknowledge and appreciate their accomplishments.
“While we were definitely all upset at the time,” said Wulf, “taking a step back, I am so proud of what our team accomplished this year and how much better we got throughout the season. It’s crazy that our hockey careers are over, but I would not have wanted to play with anyone else besides our senior class these past four years, and I would not have wanted to end my career with any other team than this one.
“Although we did not achieve our goal of winning a national championship, to make history and win three-straight Nescac Championships and also make NCAAs all four years is something to be extreme proud of.”
Wulf also spoke to how much optimism the program has to have looking forward.
“I am confident that the returners and newcomers will be able to continue the program’s success,” said Wulf. “We were a young team this year, so they will only get better with more experience. It’s weird to think we won’t be playing with them next year, but I can’t wait to follow and watch the team next year! It’s been an honor and privilege to play for this program, and I couldn’t have asked for a better last four years of my hockey career.”
The team will miss the class of 2018, but with head coach Bill Mandingo at the helm, the possibilities are endless for this young talented team and it is not crazy to think that the Middlebury Panthers might win the Nescac championship four years in a row.
(03/14/18 5:50pm)
With six seconds remaining, Matt Folger ’18 grabbed an offensive rebound, dribbled to the three-point arc, and launched a three that bounced off the back of the rim, ending the men’s basketball team’s NCAA tournament run and its 2018 season last Friday, March 9. Middlebury lost to MIT 79–76 in the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA tournament at Ramapo College in Mahwah, New Jersey. For the third straight year, the Panthers’ season ended with a loss in the NCAA tournament by four or fewer points in games that could have gone either way.
Seniors Jack Daly ’18, Adisa Majors ’18 and Nick Tarantino ’18 have all been a part of those three NCAA teams, including last season’s run to the Elite Eight, and two Nescac champion teams. After a 21–7 season as senior captains, Daly, Majors and Tarantino finished their Middlebury careers with an 83–29 record. They were parts of the first team to win back-to-back Nescac championships and the team that won 27 games last season, the second-most in program history.
For the third straight game, Middlebury threw the first punch on Friday evening, taking a 12–5 lead in the first six minutes of the game. In a game shaped by counterpunches, the Engineers responded with a 13–0 run to go ahead by six. But the Panthers came right back to score 13 out of the next 15 points and led 25–20 with 7:15 left in the first half.
Tied at 34, Daly set up a Folger three with three seconds remaining in the half, sending Middlebury to the locker room up 37–34.
The Panthers held the Engineers to below thirty percent shooting from inside the arc in the first half, as Folger rejected six shots, but MIT stayed in the game by hitting seven out of 17 threes from beyond the arc.
Jack Farrell ’21 stayed hot after scoring 19 in Middlebury’s win in the second round of the tournament, tallying 12 on five of seven shooting in the first half on Friday.
Over the first eight minutes of the second half, every time MIT got within two points, Middlebury answered to keep the Engineers at bay.
But, at the 11:31 mark, MIT tied the game at 54 and then at 57 less than two minutes later. The Panthers rebuilt their lead to five, 67–62, but then the Engineers made their move, scoring the next eight points to go ahead by three.
Farrell drilled a three to tie the game, then MIT went ahead by five to take a 75–70 lead with 3:50 remaining. Middlebury held MIT in check over the next two possessions, but could not score either until the 1:48 mark when Daly laid the ball in to cut the lead to three.
After an Engineer miss and a Folger rebound, Middlebury pushed the ball down the court and Daly finished in the lane to cut the lead to 75–74 with 54 seconds remaining. Out of their own timeout, the Engineers held the ball, but turned it over with 25 ticks left on the clock, as Farrell stole it.
Jack Daly ’18 got the ball and drove it into the lane, where he lofted a floater that rolled off the rim. MIT rebounded the basketball and made two free throws to take a three-point lead. Daly drew a foul at midcourt and sank two free throws, but MIT responded with two makes from the line. Behind 79–76, Daly missed the front end of a one-and-one after being fouled, which was the rebound Folger grabbed to launch Middlebury’s final chance.
In a game featuring four lead changes and seven ties, neither team led by more than seven points. In the second half, the lead was never greater than five—at no point in the second half were the two separated by more than two possessions. But some team had to win and MIT scored when it needed to most, outscoring Middlebury 17–9 over the final 7:10 to eke out a 79–76 victory over the Panthers.
For the second straight season, Middlebury came within four wins, they were within three last season when they made the Elite Eight, and lost in the last minute of each game, making the loss especially emotional for the Panther seniors.
“The closer you get to goals, like winning a national championship, the more crushing it is when you nearly miss achieving it two years in a row,” said Tarantino. “As a result, I think it’s been an emotional couple of days for all us.
“Nevertheless, I’m so proud of all we’ve achieved this year and over my last four years.”
The two Jacks led the Panthers on Saturday, as Daly scored 21 points and nabbed 13 rebounds, and Farrell added 15 points on three three-pointers. Folger tallied nine points, seven rebounds and six blocks.
Daly finished his career atop Middlebury’s career assist leaderboard with 611, and set the school single-season record this year by tallying 237. He also scored 1,067 points, placing him seventh in program history in that category, and grabbed 649 rebounds. Daly is believed to be the first player in Nescac history to tally 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 500 assists.
Head coach Jeff Brown has coached many of the best players in Middlebury men’s basketball history, including 1,000-point scorers Matt St. Amour ’17, Joey Kizel ’14, Ryan Sharry ’12, Ben Rudin ’09, Nolan Thompson ’13, Greg Poulos ’98, Jake Wolfin ’13, and Nate Anderson ’04. And now Daly, who Brown considers to be one of the best players he has ever coached an one of the best in program history.
“Jack will go down as one of the best players ever to play at Middlebury,” said Brown, citing Daly’s senior season as one he will never forget. “He is the only player in the history of NESCAC basketball to accumulate 1000 points, 600 assists and 600 rebounds. He started his senior season with a triple double vs Fitchburg State and had one in our first NCAA game vs Lebanon Valley. He led the country in total assists this season.”
Brown knows his point guard’s skill on the court propelled him to a tremendous career in the blue and white, and that Daly’s drive to win had just as much to do with his individual and their team’s success.
“He is one of the most passionate players that I have ever coached,” Brown concluded.
Majors and Tarantino also played their last game in the Middlebury uniform on Friday.
Majors’ career took off in his sophomore season when he burst into the Panthers’ rotation, starting 11 games and averaging 7.2 points per game in 16.1 minutes. He started 19 games his junior year, while averaging a career-best 9.6 points per contest in 23.2 minutes. Majors embraced coming off the bench in his senior season, playing five fewer minutes per game but still averaging 7.6 points per game on 52.4 percent shooting.
Majors was one of Brown’s many big men who powered Middlebury to the Sweet Sixteen. Coach Brown recognized how important he was to Middlebury’s success this season.
“Adisa made strong contributions the last three seasons,” Brown said. “He provided us with inside scoring and made a lot of medium range jump shots. This season his 15-foot jump shot on the baseline against Bowdoin with 5 seconds left was the game winner. He developed into a great passer for us.”
Tarantino, along with Daly and Majors, was a team captain this season and Middlebury’s starting center. After sitting behind more experienced Panthers his first two seasons, Tarantino started 18 games last season and all 28 games this season. He averaged 6.8 points and six rebounds in his junior year, and career-bests 7.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks this season.
Brown is proud of his Tarantino’s, and all of his seniors’, selflessness on and off the basketball court.
“Nick started every game for us in his senior season,” said Brown. “He provided inside scoring, rebounding and good defense at the rim. He was able to create a spark for us with an exciting dunk or block. He was very active and athletic on the court and very unselfish.”
Majors and Tarantino also left their marks on the Middlebury record book, as this year’s team set Middlebury’s single-season rebounding mark by grabbing 1,329. Tarantino secured 6.8 rebounds per game, while Majors corralled five.
As much as Middlebury will miss its three seniors, they will miss being Panthers just as much. Being a part of coach Brown’s team meant much more to Daly than what happened on the court.
“Basketball has been a huge part of my life at Middlebury, and my best friends have all played on the team,” said Daly after Friday’s loss. “That is the unique part about continuing to play at the college level. It’s led me to relationships that I may never have created and has led me to people I may never have met. I am so grateful that I have crossed paths with everyone these last four years, players and coaches.”
“I’m sad to say my basketball career is over, but my passion for it will never stop,” said Tarantino, echoing his classmate’s sentiments. “I’ve taken away so many life lessons from the sport and have met many close friends through it. I have all the gratitude in the world for my teammates and coaches for making these past years the best four of my life.”
Ending their collegiate careers with a loss was certainly difficult for Daly, Majors and Tarantino, but they know their final loss neither represents their careers as a whole nor clouds their memory of their awesome times at Middlebury.
“We’ve had so much success during my four years, from winning back-to-back Nescac championships, to hosting NCAA tournament games, to making the Elite Eight and the Sweet Sixteen,” Daly said. “I can proudly say that I left everything all out on the court and have no regrets, which is why I can keep my head held high because there is nothing more I could have done.
“Obviously it’s sad to not have your last game be a win, but life goes on, and you have to be able to reflect on the good times because they clearly outnumbered the bad times we’ve had on the court.”
Once again, Middlebury will be hard-pressed to replace its three outgoing seniors who helped guide the Panthers to consistent success over their four years here. But Daly knows Middlebury will be in the good hands of his teammates and coaches.
“I wish returners nothing but the best of luck, and I know they will continue to keep this program at a high level,” Daly concluded. “The future looks extremely bright.”
(03/14/18 5:47pm)
Last week, the Middlebury Alpine and Nordic ski teams flew across the country to compete in the NCAA Championships in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Caroline Bartlett ’19 and Erik Arvidsson ’21 added exclamation points to Middlebury’s trip out west, earning All-American honors by placing fourth in the giant slalom and slalom, respectively. The team placed eighth overall in a 23-team field, third among eastern schools.
On day one of the Alpine races the Panther women placed fourth in the giant slalom, led by Bartlett. Her first run time of 53.85 was the fastest of the day among all competitors, while her two-run total of 1:53.37 earned her fourth place, good enough to place her on the All-American First Team. Lexi Calcagni ’19 placed 17th out of 34 with a total time of 1:55.23 while teammate Lucia Bailey ’21 capped off her rookie year in the top 20 (20th – 1:55.99).
An All-American nod is an achievement for any athlete, and that did not escape Bartlett. “It feels great to be an All-American and accomplish a goal that I set in freshman year,” said Bartlett, after returning to campus. “I’m proud of where I am and super grateful for my teammates who keep me smiling through it all!”
The men sent two Alpine competitors to Colorado, Riley Plant ’18 and Arvidsson. Plant was 17th after the first run but hit a bump on the course that prevented him, and four other racers, from finishing his second run. Arvidsson, however, completed both legs and placed 11th (1:50.48), making up eight spots after his first run.
The next day the Nordic teams began their racing, starting with the men’s 10K and women’s 5K Classic races. With the races taking place in Colorado, eastern schools such as Middlebury, Williams, and Bates are at a disadvantage due to the altitude.
“NCAAs were at 6000 feet where there is way less oxygen,” said Adam Luban ’18. “It’s a totally different style of skiing and a big challenge to adjust to it, particularly this late in the season. We went out a week early to acclimatize and get used to the slower style of racing out there.”
The women placed all three of their racers in the top 23 (out of 40 racers) with Alexandra Lawson ’21 pacing the group with a time of 16:26.5, good for 18th place (fourth among eastern racers). Just behind her was Katie Feldman ’18 with a time of 16:27 to finish in 19th. Cate Brams ’18 came in 23rd place with a time of 16:34.7.
Sam Wood ’19 was the first Panther on the men’s side to cross the line during the 10K Classic, placing 16th with a time of 29:05.9. Luban ended in 18th (29.15.1), and Peter Wolter ’21 placed 24th (29:37.2). The competition was very stiff, with five of the top-six scoring teams being western schools.
It was in the slalom event on Friday that Arvidsson earned his All-American bid, finding his way to the honor with a time of 1:21.75 and a fourth-place finish. Plant ended his career with a 25th-place finish after a time of 1:26.58. The women did not have as good luck as the first day, as Calcagni was the only racer to complete both runs (25th, 1:25.77).
To cap off their season at nationals, the men’s Nordic team competed the 20K Freestyle, where Luban and Wood flip-flopped positions this time. The former completed the course in 55:28.1 (15th), while the latter finished in 55:29.4 (16th) with Wolter coming in 25th (56:47.6). Among eastern skiers, Luban and Wood finished fifth and sixth, respectively.
Head coach of the nordic team, Andrew Johnson, was proud of what his team accomplished this season.
“We achieved many of our goals including qualifying a full nordic team for NCAA’s for the first time since 2006,” Johnson said. “I couldn’t be more proud of the way [the team] worked together and pushed each other throughout the fall and winter. Our captains – among others – did a fabulous job of helping build a very team-centric environment in a sport where that’s not always the easiest thing to do.”
As Luban’s career concludes, he looks back with fond memories. “It’s been a hell of a ride I am incredibly proud of the team. I feel like the luckiest guy in the world that I got to ski here for five years.”
The women’s 15K Freestyle saw a strong performance from Feldman (13th place, 45:58.2), who placed third among eastern racers. Brams and Lawson also placed in the top 30, finishing in 26th and 29th, respectively. The team finished second among eastern schools, behind only Dartmouth.
Just like Luban, Brams will miss skiing for Middlebury. “I know this is cliché but this team is my family – they’ve picked me up at my lowest, and they’ve pushed me to be better when I’ve been at my best. I just hope I’ve been able to give the same to them.
“It’s been a wild ride, and as stoked as I am to be graduating, I’ll miss the grind with this crew.”
With the end of the season comes retirement for not just Plant, Luban, Brams, and Feldman, but also Jacob Volz ’18 and Evan Weinman ’18 from the Nordic team and Davon Cardamone ’18 and Jack Schibli ’18 from the Alpine squad. The team will surely miss all eight of its seniors.
Plant will remember nothing but the best from his experience on the Middlebury Ski Team, but not necessarily for time on the mountain.
“Skiing for Middlebury has been everything I wanted from a college ski racing experience. The best memories I will carry from these four years will have little to do with actual ski racing, but more to do with the great personalities I got to spend so much time with in crazy storms, crammed van rides, and the cabin basement.”
(03/14/18 5:43pm)
The men’s lacrosse team showed that they have depth and are capable of competing with the nation’s best last Saturday, March 10, and Monday, March 12. At the same time, there is plenty of room for growth in a season that is still young.
Although they split their two games, they played No. 20 Connecticut College closely last Saturday, ultimately falling to the Camels by a score of 8–6 on Youngman Field at Alumni Stadium but held 4–2 and 6–5 leads earlier in the game. Then, in their game on Monday, the Panthers laid it on St. Lawrence for a better part of three-quarters of an hour, leading 12–3 at the end of the third quarter, before having to hold on to barely beat the Saints 12–11.
In Saturday’s game against Conn. College, the Camels put Middlebury on its heels immediately by gaining the upper hand just 48 seconds into the first quarter. At the 9:57 mark, the hosts found an equalizer at the hands of Henry Riehl ’18. Midfielder Parker Lawlor ’18 found the back of the net with two minutes remaining in the first to give the Panthers a 2–1 advantage.
The Panthers continued to press until the very end of the quarter, scoring once more with 3.7 seconds left on the clock after the Camels committed a turnover. Michael McCormack ’19 burst into the crease and slotted the ball into the back of the net to put Middlebury ahead 3–1 at the end of the first quarter.
The visitors cut the deficit to one goal halfway into the second quarter. Then Frank Cosolito ’20 assisted a Riehl goal at the top of the crease to restore the two-goal advantage. But over the final four minutes of the first half, the Camels responded with two goals to knot the game at four going into the halfway point.
In the third quarter, Middlebury and Conn. College traded goals, before the Camels scored what would prove to be the game-winning goal with 2:20 left in the quarter. The visitors took its first lead 25 seconds into the quarter, but Alderik van der Heyde ’21 answered with his first career goal to tie the game at five. The Panthers regained the lead when A.J. Kucinski ’20 scored from the top of the crease. Kucinski’s goal was Middlebury’s last, as the Camels scored the last two goals of the quarter to take a 7–6 lead.
Conn. College scored an insurance goal with 10:34 left in the game. The Panthers had a few chances to score, ripping four shots at the end of regulation but could not find the back of the net. And Nescac foe Conn. College handed Middlebury its first loss of the young season, avenging its 8–6 loss to the Panthers last season.
Conn. College’s style and tactics proved a difficult code to crack for the Panthers of play proved. Defender Keaton Yates ’18 chimed in on the challenge the Camels posed for the Panthers.
“Their zone defense is a different look than we are used to going against,” said Yates. “It slows the game down and makes you move the ball patiently to get the looks that you want. Conn. College a is very disciplined team and works well within their system.”
After the tough loss at home, the Panthers had a one day turnaround to prep for the St. Lawrence Saints, in a game that was moved up from Tuesday, March 13, to Monday, March 12, due to the weather forecast.
Middlebury got off to a fast start against St. Lawrence — the Panthers scored six goals in the first 12 minutes, all by different players. Those who got in on the action were Lawlor, Cosolito, John Jackson ’18, Riehl, Danny Jacobs ’20 and van der Heyde. It was the first goal of the season for Jacobs, who scored 19 last year for the Panthers.
The Panthers went on to end the first half with a 7–1 advantage after Kucinski scored a goal assisted by Jacobs.
The fact that the Panthers have spread the goal-scoring around will prove to be a plus for the team going forward.
“On Monday, we had 10 different goal scorers, which is a testament to our depth and ability on the offensive end,” said Riehl, who led the team in scoring last season with 53 goals. “Each day in practice, we are becoming more comfortable as a unit and mastering our scheme a little bit better.”
A little over two minutes into the third, the Panthers held an eight-point lead following goals from Will Brossman ’21 and McCormack. The Saints responded with two rapid goals of their own, to which McCormack decided to score two additional goals to complete a hattrick for the game. Soon after McCormack’s double, Laurence Jackson ’21 was able to force a turnover and provide a goal for defender Eric Rogers ’18 with 4:53 left in the game.
The Saints answered back with a man-up goal and would hold the Panthers goalless in the fourth quarter. They were able to score seven goals in the final quarter but were unable to cap off their almost miraculous comeback.
Lapses on the defensive end and St. Lawrence’s sudden revival in the fourth put the Panthers into a corner during the final quarter.
“During that quarter there was a collective lapse in communication and some sloppy play on our defensive end,” said Yates. “We started to turn the ball over in the clear and allowed them to convert on possessions they had after those turnovers, which let them gain some momentum.”
Fortunately, the Panthers were able to salvage a win and will now prep for their first away game of the season for a Nescac bout against No. 9 Wesleyan.
“Wesleyan is a very good team and a challenging competitor every year,” Yates said, “but we are going to prepare for them like we would for any other Nescac game by making sure we are working hard and taking steps forward everyday in practice. It’s going to be important that on Saturday we win the ground ball battle and limit the time spent in the penalty box.”
The Panthers will head to Middletown, Connecticut, on Saturday, March 17, where the action against the Cardinals is set to start at 2 p.m.
(03/14/18 5:40pm)
Before last season, the baseball team had only qualified for the Nescac playoffs two times in the conference’s 16-year playoff history. In that span of time, since 2001, the Panthers only finished over .500 twice. For some perspective, Middlebury went 11–23 two years ago, and they are just three years removed from a dismal 4–24 season.
Last season, Middlebury finished over .500, going 22–16, and advanced to the Nescac championship round, where the Panthers came within one game of capturing their second Nescac championship and an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament. It was a dramatic reversal for the Panthers who were previously, frankly, known as one of the worst varsity teams at Middlebury and the butt of many jokes on campus.
With momentum on their side, the Panthers opened their 2018 season last Saturday, March 10, with a loss to Stevens in Hoboken, New Jersey, where they fell 8–4. The Ducks had an advantage in that it was their seventh game of the spring, whereas it was the Panthers’ first chance to get outside.
After their first soiree outside, the Panthers went on to face Bard at Honey Field in Annandale-On-Hudson, New York, for a doubleheader last Sunday, March 11. The Panthers split with Bard, winning the first game 7–0 before falling 9–3 in the second.
Despite the weekend’s 1–2 record, the Panthers have lofty goals in mind after one of their best seasons in program history.
“The goal at the front of everybody’s mind this season is winning the Nescac championship,” said Rob Erickson ’18, one of Middlebury’s three captains. “Many of us felt like it slipped through our fingers last year, and with the combination of talent and experience we have this time around, we feel like we are in a tremendous position to get the job done .”
Head coach Mike Leonard enters his second season at the helm aware of the expectations placed on him and his team after last year’s success.
“This year’s biggest challenge will be embracing the expectations that come with having success,” said Leonard.“I think last year we could be an underdog and surprise teams with our ability, but this year we’ll have a target on our back. So far this year, I think that the team has really embraced this, and they understand that having high standards can be motivating and doesn’t have to be a negative.”
After six seasons as head coach of Bates, Leonard took over at Middlebury last season, replacing longtime coach Bob Smith, who was in charge of the program for 32 years.
Leonard is an up-and-coming coach who made the Nescac playoffs twice at Bates and came within a game of winning the conference title in just his first year with Middlebury.
Since last May’s defeat in the Nescac championship, the Panthers spent the offseason preparing to reach last season’s high points and to surpass them. The taste of victory put fire in their bellies to achieve what they came so close to last season.
“Everyone who was on the team last year has worked very hard, especially in the weight room, and as a result we have a much stronger, faster, and athletic team,” said Leonard. He and the Panthers search for ways to get over the hump, something he feels will be a key difference between the success of last year and this year. Among the list of returning contributors to watch this season are shortstop Brooks Carroll ’20, second baseman Justin Han ’20, infielder Andrew Hennings ’20, and outfielders Sam Graf ’19 and Alan Guild ’20.
A trio of sophomore infielders aim to follow up on their tremendous first season in the blue and white. Carroll played 33 games at shortstop last season. He hit .274 with three home runs in 106 at-bats and showed a patient eye with 15 walks. On top of that, Carroll showed some speed on the basepaths, stealing nine bags in 10 tries. He was also in the middle of 14 double plays.
Han often paired with Carroll in the middle of the infield at second base and blasted a team-high four home runs in his first season. He batted .319, with an on-base percentage of .418 and a slugging percentage of .504. Meanwhile, Hennings led the team with a 1.001 OPS in his 67 at-bats.
Kevin Woodring ’20 looks to be the frontrunner to pick up the slack at first base after hitting .281 and hitting two home runs last season to go along with five doubles at first base. He seeks to fill the void left by Jason Locke ’17, who graduated after last year’s conference championship run. Locke and Ryan Rizzo ’18, who hit .301 and stole 20 bases last season at the top of the lineup, are the only major contributors that the team has to replace from last season’s squad.
Sam Graf ’19 is an immensely important piece in the outfield and in the batting order. Graf hit .323 last season, with three home runs and a team-leading 12 doubles and three triples. He also did not make a single error in the field while racking up 48 putouts and five assists.
Along with producing the fourth-most runs in the conference last season, the Panthers also had the second-best batting average, on-base and slugging percentages in the conference.
On the other hand, Middlebury gave up the most runs in the Nescac last season, with the second-worst ERA and fielding percentage in the conference.
Every pitcher who started a game last season, except for Dylan Takamori ’17, returns. Colby Morris ’19, another team captain, will head the pitching staff after tossing 68.2 innings last season in 12 starts, going 6–4 with a 4.46 ERA and a conference-high four complete games.
Spencer Shores ’20, Colin Waters ’19 and Erickson pitched 45, 43.1 and 38.1 innings, respectively. Shores finished with a 4.80 ERA and struck out almost nine batters per nine innings, while Waters recorded a 4.78 ERA. Erickson finished with a 3.99 ERA. Conor Himstead returns after tallying eight saves and a team-best 1.64 ERA last season.
Taking the mound once again will be Erickson; Colby Morris ’19, another team captain; Spencer Shores ’20; and catcher Gray Goolsby ’20, all of whom held key roles and saw significant playing time during the 2017 season.
This year’s team is confident it can replace the lost production from six graduated Panthers.
Jake Dianno ’21, Henry Strmecki ’21, George Goldstein ’21, Evan Stewart ’21, Ryan Hanrahan ’21, Bobby Sullivan ’21, Michael Farinelli ’21, Will Oppenheim ’21 and Jake Miller ’21 make up the Panthers’ first-year class.
Leonard is excited about what this new group of players will bring to his team.
“The new players always bring great energy and enthusiasm to the team,” Leonard said about his first-year class. “I know that the players who are new to the program are eager to contribute, and I believe most of them will in some way.”
Faced with the challenge of adapting to college life, the first-years “are willing to absorb the information thrown at them,” team captain Sebastian Sanchez ’18 believes.
Sanchez also believes the first-years will only add to one of Middlebury’s biggest strengths: its depth.
“We have an amazing depth chart, and if any one single person is put into the game, they will perform,” Sanchez said. “Additionally, everybody on our team can hit the ball hard and far, from our lead off guy to our nine-spot. We also have depth in the bullpen, and each of our pitchers can come into a situation throwing strikes and getting outs.”
Erickson agrees with his fellow senior and captain.
“Everyone on the team, from starters all the way down, knows that he has something to contribute every day,” Erickson asserted.
Erickson observed that each season presents new challenges to a team.
“One of our challenges this year will be forming a new team identity behind new leaders,” said Erickson. One of the challenges this season will be forging a new identity after playing as underdogs last season.
The team’s chemistry both on and off the field is something the Panthers feel will be hugely advantageous this season.
“Our team dynamic embraces not only the players but also the coaching staff,” says Sanchez. “We pick each other up when we are down. We love to play loose and energetic. No matter the score, no matter if we are up or down, we are loud and cheering for our teammates.”
Erickson agrees. “This is the closest team I’ve played on in my four years at Middlebury. When I take a step back and look at my teammates, I see a pretty goofy group of guys, so it makes me very proud that such a diverse group of individuals has been able to coalesce into a very tight unit.”
This weekend, Saturday, March 17–Sunday, March 18, the Panthers have a unique opportunity, as they will get the chance to travel to Atlanta, Georgia, to play another game against Stevens and then two against Emory.
Leonard, Erickson, Sanchez, Morris and all members of the team are ready to prove last season was not a one-hit wonder. Together, they are ready to elevate the baseball program to another level in their quest for a Nescac championship.
ROAD TRIPIN’
The baseball team will spend most of the next several weeks on the road, starting this weekend with their trip to Atlanta.
Based on our rudimentary calculations done here in the back of the newspaper office where the sports section is stationed, that could mean close to 7,000 round trip miles.
Our unscientific guessing also estimates that his is the furthest the team has travelled over the course of a two-plus-week period in its history.
(03/14/18 5:38pm)
After extensive training throughout the season, a select group from the men’s and women’s track teams participated in the NCAA Championships on Friday, March 9, and Saturday, March 10, at the end of last week.
Four Panthers on the women’s side took part in the competition. Tasha Greene ’21, Meg Wilson ’20, Kate McCluskey ’18 and Abigail Nadler ’19 made up the distance medley relay team. McCluskey also qualified to take part in the 400-meter event.
In the 400 meters on Friday, McCluskey finished ninth, missing the cut for Saturday’s national championship heat by one spot, but just narrowly. In fact, that might be an understatement. With a time of 56.30, she was just 0.003 seconds slower than the eighth-place finisher.
The women’s distance medley relay team entered the championships after setting the one of the fastest relay times this winter, but placed 12th at NCAAs with a time of 12:16.33.
On the men’s side, Jimmy Martinez ’19 and the distance medley relay team headlined the event for the Panthers. On the whole, they managed to rack up 11 points as a team, good for a 20th-place finish in a field of 66 teams.
In the 400-meter race, Martinez managed to lock up a spot in the final heat with a seventh-place finish in his preliminary heat. He turned up the heat for the final, though. In the race for all the marbles, Martinez crossed the line in 48.34, good for fourth place and All-American honors.
“Individually, I did everything I said I was going to do,” Martinez said, in reference to his performance. “That was to go out strong to the break line, make the final, and run hard in the final.”
Martinez also referred to how one of his competitors contributed to his strong performance:
“Hearing A.J. Digby’s blades behind me was honestly pretty terrifying,” Martinez said of his fellow competitor, a sophomore from Mount Union. Digby finished fourth in the 400-meter at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. “But I was glad to have held on at the finish this year. Unfortunately, having to hold Digby off messed with the pace a little, so the other heat went off slightly faster. But I’m happy with how I attacked both races.”
The men’s distance medley relay team added the final highlight to what was a very successful weekend for the track program. Nathan Hill ’20, Tyler Farrell ’18, James Mulliken ’18 and Kevin Serrao ’18 combined for a time of 9:57.94, which was good for third place.
“I was really proud of the distance medley boys,” said Martinez, who watched intently as the race unfolded. “Nathan led off really strong, just like he said he would. And Kevin made some really gutsy moves in the last few laps to pass arguably the best miler in Division III history. Those guys are ballers.”
The distance team joined Martinez as members of the indoor All-American team.
After a productive season, the men and women are now looking to continue improving for the outdoor track season. They have a long way to go before outdoor NESCACs, New England Championships and NCAAs arrive, but the thought of succeeding in these races will act as motivation throughout the spring.
For now, both teams will look to get their legs back underneath them prior to the team’s spring break trip. They will both be back in action at the PLNU Collegiate Invitational on Saturday, March 24, in San Diego, California.
(03/08/18 4:01pm)
The president’s office shared with students a list of committees and advisory groups formed under its “Common Agenda” with the Student Government Association. The document also included future plans for the semester.
In an all-campus email on Feb. 23, President Laurie L. Patton and SGA President Jin Sohn ’18 lauded the actions completed under the agenda, including assigning administrators as liaisons for several issue-specific committees and working together with the SGA.
The SGA and the SLG created the Common Agenda this past fall as a joint effort to improve various aspects of the college. The SGA announced its formation in an email sent to students on Oct. 17.
“This is in the hopes that the SGA and members of the administration will have a more routine check-in, less of a call and response form of communication, so that students and the SGA can have a better understanding of what members of administration are working on, and so that the administration will know what the students need and what the SGA is working towards,” the email read.
The Feb. 23 email included an attachment outlining nine Common Agenda “action items,” the status of each, and the SLG and SGA “leads” for each item.
The first action item involves dining. A 17-member student advisory committee met with head of dining Dan Detora every month and will continue to throughout the spring. David Provost and Jack Goldfield ’20 will continue to lead this initiative.
The next item, “Transparency and Communication,” is led by dean of students Baishakhi Taylor and Varsha Vijayakumar ’20. There are five student groups that work with SLG members to promote collaboration between administrators and students regarding college policy on issues like diversity and investment. Taylor currently meets with two student advisory groups. Chief diversity officer Miguel Fernández and dean of faculty Andi Lloyd each work with their own student advisory groups. Treasurer David Provost advises two student investment clubs.
Future steps on this action item will include the formation of a student advisory group to Bill Burger, the college’s spokesman, additional student representative appointments to the alumni board and annual fund committees, and greater student engagement with the board of overseers.
To address the next item, “Talking, Listening and Better Admin Access,” SLG members have hosted dinners for students at their homes and have met students for lunch in the dining halls. Both practices will continue in the spring semester.
Two other items involve McCullough improvements and “Public Spaces & Art.” Both the McCullough team and the public art team cited the approval of a new mural on the first floor of McCullough as an accomplishment. “Public Spaces and Art” is led by Patton’s special assistant Dave Donahue and Violet Low-Beinart ’19. Low-Beinart will work with director of the arts Pieter Broucke this spring.
Provost, John Schurer ’21 and Diego Garcia ’20 led the “McCullough Improvements” project, which spearheaded the redesign of the Crest Room as a student and faculty lounge. Provost has maintained regular communication with the SGA in order to further improve the building as a social space for students and will continue to do so in the spring.
The “New Traditions” action item has involved the announcement of a new college traditions competition. This item is led by Patton for the SLG, with Rae Aaron ’19.5 and Adiza Mohammed ’18 leading for the SGA. Since going live Feb. 19, the competition has already received 12 proposals. The winner will be announced on April 25.
The “Summer Communications” item is led by Burger, Taylor, general counsel Hannah Ross and Laura Castillo ’19. The team decided to send updates to the college in both late June and early August detailing the SLG’s activities during the summer.
“We the Midd Kids,” the eighth action item, was a system used by students to petition the Middlebury SGA. The team, led by Annie Cowan ’18, with the SLG lead to be determined, hopes to revive this program in the future with support from the SLG.
Lastly, Provost and Ishrak Alam ’18 are spearheading efforts on “Midd Works,” which aims to increase students’ understanding of administrative and facilities functions, finances, alumni engagement and non-profit governance. Strategies to accomplish these aims included talks for the student body in the fall and winter. Ross, Donahue, Provost, vice president for advancement Colleen Fitzpatrick and philanthropic advisor Mike Schoenfeld will participate in “Midd Works” presentations this spring. Provost will also try to arrange for SGA and SLG members to take shifts in dining and facilities, and for SGA members to shadow administrators.
(03/08/18 12:38am)
The women’s hockey team played for and won its third consecutive Nescac championship, edging Bowdoin 2–1 in the semifinal contest on Saturday, March 3, and shutting out Amherst 2–0 on Sunday, March 4, for its 10th championship in program history.
In Saturday’s contest, Middlebury and Bowdoin battled back and forth for advantage in the opening period. Although the Panthers took 13 shots on goal, it was one of Bowdoin’s seven that found its way into the net. Lin Han ’20 blocked the initial shot, and Jenna Marotta ’19 rejected another attempt, but a Polar Bear picked up the rebound and made sure the third time was the charm, giving the guests a 1–0 lead.
Behind by one goal, Middlebury went on the power play with 9:12 remaining in the second period. With a five-on-four advantage, Maddie Winslow ’18, from the right side of the ice, centered a pass to Jessica Young ’18, who blasted a shot that deflected off two Bowdoin players and slid across the goal line for her team-leading 16th goal of the season and a 1–1 tie.
The goal was another connection for this duo that has completed dozens of assists to one another over their careers in the blue and white.
In the final period, Bowdoin’s defensive unit was put to a test, suffering four penalties in a row. The first came on a hooking call, which led to shots by Katherine Jackson ’19, Sidney Porter ’19 and Winslow, all of which went wide. After Winslow’s shot went wide and the power play opportunity ended, the next penalty came on a tripping call, which sentenced the Polar Bears to another four-on-five disadvantage. A barrage of shots on goal followed, several by Anna Zumwinkle ’19 and Elizabeth Wulf ’18, but were blocked by Bowdoin’s goalie.
As the tripping penalty expired, the Polar Bears were called for another hooking penalty. Unable to prevent mistakes, Middlebury’s power play unit bore down on their opponents, sending shot after shot towards the goal. The last penalty came when Bowdoin had too many players on the ice and the Panthers capitalized on the opportunity.
On the fourth and final power play, Marotta and Madie Leidt ’21 worked together to set up a look for Winslow, who one-timed Leidt’s slap pass from the right point into the back of the net to put Middlebury ahead 2–1.
The Polar Bears pulled their goaltender late in the final minutes, but it was not enough to tie the game, as Winslow’s goal proved to be the decisive one.
Middlebury outshot Bowdoin 41–15, while the Polar Bears also spent 14 more minutes in the penalty box, 18–4. Even though Bowdoin was outshot by 26 and spent almost a third of the game in the penalty box, the Polar Bears matched the Panthers for 60 minutes.
“Bowdoin was very physical and tough. They really made us work,” said Wulf. “When we went down 1–0, however, we didn’t panic. We knew we could come back if we played together as a team. It took a lot of grit and mental toughness to come out with the win, and it was a total team effort. I think that game showed that we can overcome adversity when we play together. The Bowdoin game united us even more, and we used the momentum from that game to play for each other in the championship game.”
For the fourth consecutive year, the Panthers advanced to the championship game to compete against the Amherst Mammoths on Sunday, March 4.
Neither team scored in the opening period, even though the Mammoths had two opportunities to sneak the puck pass Han, who has had a spectacular season — she has recorded 335 saves.
On the hosts’ side, Marotta’s shot from the right side made it through traffic before hitting the roadblock that was the Mammoths’ goalie. Winslow aggressively dove at the rebound but was also denied, and the contest carried into the second period with goose eggs on the scoreboard.
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Middlebury pulled away, however, at the 8:56 mark with a play that started right outside of the Amherst blue line. Leidt worked to create a turnover and Young quickly took over position of the puck. Carrying it down the ice, as she has done for the past four years, she found some space and fired a laser shot past the goaltender’s shoulder to give the Panthers a 1–0 lead. Han preserved the lead with another glove-side save, and the hosts headed into the third and final period of the 2018 Nescac playoffs.
The hosts doubled their advantage in the third stanza when Hayley LaFontaine ’18 took a shot from the point, which was redirected by Wulf into the back of the net.
Amherst tried to make something happen with two minutes left, but to no avail. As the clock winded down, the crowd grew louder, yelling and screaming, and the excitement of a three-repeat reverberated through Kenyon Arena. With ten seconds left, the Panthers trapped the puck on the boards, let time expire and dog-piled in front of their net.
“It’s indescribable. I’m still speechless,” said Wulf after reflecting on her third championship in four years. “It’s so special and an incredible feeling. I can’t stop smiling!”
“To make history and do it with this class and this team is beyond amazing,” Wulf continued amid the postgame excitement. “It’s something we will remember forever. As a senior class, we were so happy to come out on top and win our last home game at Kenyon.”
Julie Neuburger ’18 chimed in to express her excitement and happiness:
“Winning is always an exciting thing, but it’s definitely more special when you can do it in your own house in front of all your fans,” she said. “We have some of the best fans this sport has to offer from both the community and college, and we definitely fed off all the energy they brought to Kenyon on Sunday afternoon. There really are no words to describe those last 10 seconds or even the last minute. You’re just counting down in your head until you can run out onto the ice and jump and celebrate and be surrounded by your whole team.”
The Panthers still have work to do, hoping to secure a national championship for the first time since 2006. They are back on the ice this weekend, gearing up to play No. 1-ranked Plattsburgh State.
“For NCAA’s the focus right now is all on Plattsburgh,” said Wulf. “We said we wanted to play them again in March after we lost to them earlier this season because we knew we had more in us and could beat them. We are a much different and better team now than when we played them last, so we are super excited about the game Saturday.
“As the reigning four-[season]-straight national champions, we know Plattsburgh is good, but we are confident that if play our best hockey, we can win.”
The women’s hockey team played for and won its third consecutive Nescac championship, edging Bowdoin 2–1 in the semifinal contest on Saturday, March 3, and shutting out Amherst 2–0 on Sunday, March 4, for its 10th championship in program history.
In Saturday’s contest, Middlebury and Bowdoin battled back and forth for advantage in the opening period. Although the Panthers took 13 shots on goal, it was one of Bowdoin’s seven that found its way into the net. Lin Han ’20 blocked the initial shot, and Jenna Marotta ’19 rejected another attempt, but a Polar Bear picked up the rebound and made sure the third time was the charm, giving the guests a 1–0 lead.
Behind by one goal, Middlebury went on the power play with 9:12 remaining in the second period. With a five-on-four advantage, Maddie Winslow ’18, from the right side of the ice, centered a pass to Jessica Young ’18, who blasted a shot that deflected off two Bowdoin players and slid across the goal line for her team-leading 16th goal of the season and a 1–1 tie.
The goal was another connection for this duo that has completed dozens of assists to one another over their careers in the blue and white.
In the final period, Bowdoin’s defensive unit was put to a test, suffering four penalties in a row. The first came on a hooking call, which led to shots by Katherine Jackson ’19, Sidney Porter ’19 and Winslow, all of which went wide. After Winslow’s shot went wide and the power play opportunity ended, the next penalty came on a tripping call, which sentenced the Polar Bears to another four-on-five disadvantage. A barrage of shots on goal followed, several by Anna Zumwinkle ’19 and Elizabeth Wulf ’18, but were blocked by Bowdoin’s goalie.
As the tripping penalty expired, the Polar Bears were called for another hooking penalty. Unable to prevent mistakes, Middlebury’s power play unit bore down on their opponents, sending shot after shot towards the goal. The last penalty came when Bowdoin had too many players on the ice and the Panthers capitalized on the opportunity.
On the fourth and final power play, Marotta and Madie Leidt ’21 worked together to set up a look for Winslow, who one-timed Leidt’s slap pass from the right point into the back of the net to put Middlebury ahead 2–1.
The Polar Bears pulled their goaltender late in the final minutes, but it was not enough to tie the game, as Winslow’s goal proved to be the decisive one.
Middlebury outshot Bowdoin 41–15, while the Polar Bears also spent 14 more minutes in the penalty box, 18–4. Even though Bowdoin was outshot by 26 and spent almost a third of the game in the penalty box, the Polar Bears matched the Panthers for 60 minutes.
“Bowdoin was very physical and tough. They really made us work,” said Wulf. “When we went down 1–0, however, we didn’t panic. We knew we could come back if we played together as a team. It took a lot of grit and mental toughness to come out with the win, and it was a total team effort. I think that game showed that we can overcome adversity when we play together. The Bowdoin game united us even more, and we used the momentum from that game to play for each other in the championship game.”
For the fourth consecutive year, the Panthers advanced to the championship game to compete against the Amherst Mammoths on Sunday, March 4.
Neither team scored in the opening period, even though the Mammoths had two opportunities to sneak the puck pass Han, who has had a spectacular season — she has recorded 335 saves.
On the hosts’ side, Marotta’s shot from the right side made it through traffic before hitting the roadblock that was the Mammoths’ goalie. Winslow aggressively dove at the rebound but was also denied, and the contest carried into the second period with goose eggs on the scoreboard.
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Middlebury pulled away, however, at the 8:56 mark with a play that started right outside of the Amherst blue line. Leidt worked to create a turnover and Young quickly took over position of the puck. Carrying it down the ice, as she has done for the past four years, she found some space and fired a laser shot past the goaltender’s shoulder to give the Panthers a 1–0 lead. Han preserved the lead with another glove-side save, and the hosts headed into the third and final period of the 2018 Nescac playoffs.
The hosts doubled their advantage in the third stanza when Hayley LaFontaine ’18 took a shot from the point, which was redirected by Wulf into the back of the net.
Amherst tried to make something happen with two minutes left, but to no avail. As the clock winded down, the crowd grew louder, yelling and screaming, and the excitement of a three-repeat reverberated through Kenyon Arena. With ten seconds left, the Panthers trapped the puck on the boards, let time expire and dog-piled in front of their net.
“It’s indescribable. I’m still speechless,” said Wulf after reflecting on her third championship in four years. “It’s so special and an incredible feeling. I can’t stop smiling!”
“To make history and do it with this class and this team is beyond amazing,” Wulf continued amid the postgame excitement. “It’s something we will remember forever. As a senior class, we were so happy to come out on top and win our last home game at Kenyon.”
Julie Neuburger ’18 chimed in to express her excitement and happiness:
“Winning is always an exciting thing, but it’s definitely more special when you can do it in your own house in front of all your fans,” she said. “We have some of the best fans this sport has to offer from both the community and college, and we definitely fed off all the energy they brought to Kenyon on Sunday afternoon. There really are no words to describe those last 10 seconds or even the last minute. You’re just counting down in your head until you can run out onto the ice and jump and celebrate and be surrounded by your whole team.”
The Panthers still have work to do, hoping to secure a national championship for the first time since 2006. They are back on the ice this weekend, gearing up to play No. 1-ranked Plattsburgh State.
“For NCAA’s the focus right now is all on Plattsburgh,” said Wulf. “We said we wanted to play them again in March after we lost to them earlier this season because we knew we had more in us and could beat them. We are a much different and better team now than when we played them last, so we are super excited about the game Saturday.
“As the reigning four-[season]-straight national champions, we know Plattsburgh is good, but we are confident that if play our best hockey, we can win.”
(03/08/18 12:32am)
The men’s basketball team entered the NCAA tournament on a three-game losing streak, desperately needing to regain the form it had earlier in the season. In each of the Panthers’ two games last weekend, they reestablished themselves immediately by jumping out to 12–3 leads, forcing their opponents to call early timeouts, en route to victories in the first two rounds of NCAAs. Middlebury defeated Lebanon Valley 83–63 on Friday, March 2, and beat Eastern Connecticut State 83–58 on Saturday, March 3, to move onto NCAA sectionals.
Jack Daly ’18 continued his magical season with his second triple-double of the season, and second in program history, against Lebanon Valley. Daly scored 13 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, and assisted on 14 more baskets to lead the way on Friday, and tallied 11 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists in Middlebury’s second round matchup.
As one of the final 16 DIII teams left in the nation, Middlebury will play MIT at Ramapo College tomorrow, March 9, at 5:30 p.m. If the Panthers win, they will meet the winner of Ramapo and Franklin & Marshall on Saturday for an opportunity to play in the Final Four.
Middlebury’s first-round opponent, Lebanon Valley, entered the tournament on the heels of winning Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth with an 18–9 record. Coincidentally, Lebanon Valley played one Nescac team in the regular season, Hamilton, and lost to the Continentals 102–83, the exact same score of the Middlebury-Hamilton matchup.
On Friday, the Panthers could not have started the game any hotter than they did, getting out to a 10–0 lead just over two minutes into the first half by making their first four shots and forcing two turnovers. Daly assisted on the first three baskets, including on two transition baskets off turnovers, before getting one of his own to help account for Middlebury’s first ten points.
The Flying Dutchmen responded with a 19–5 run of their own to take a 19–15 lead. Back-and-forth the first half went, as Middlebury came right back to take a 26–22 lead. Lebanon Valley took another lead, 36–35, with 1:26 remaining in the first half.
With three of his big men facing foul trouble, head coach Jeff Brown turned to a four-guard lineup over the last two minutes in the half. Joey Leighton ’20 answered Brown’s call to his guards by hitting a three-pointer to give Middlebury a two-point lead. Then, Daly forced a Lebanon Valley turnover at midcourt, and finished off the half with a contested layup to put Middlebury in front 40–36 heading into the halftime locker room.
Ahead 50–46 almost seven minutes into the second half, Middlebury started to take control, going on a 10-point run to take its first double digit lead of the contest. Second-leading scorer Matt Folger ’20 sparked the run by scoring five straight points. After only scoring three points in the first half, Folger tipped in his own miss and then hit a three the next time down. Daly kept the pressure on the following possession by finishing a layup, forcing a Lebanon Valley timeout. Then, Leighton hit another three-pointer off a Daly offensive rebound to give Middlebury a 60–46 lead.
Lebanon stopped the bleeding temporarily with a three of its own next time down, but the Panthers kept extending their lead on the back of their defense and offensive ball movement. From the 14:38 to the 5:20 mark, Middlebury blew the game open. They extended their lead from a narrow four point margin, 50–46, to a 74–54 lead, which all but put the game away. The Panthers held the Flying Dutchmen to three of 11 shooting and forced four turnovers over that span of 9:18.
The 20-point margin would stay intact over the final 5:20, and Middlebury secured a 83–63 win in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
After a close first half, Middlebury ran away from Lebanon Valley in the second half, outscoring the Flying Dutchmen 43–27. Although the Panthers shot only two percentage points better than the Flying Dutchmen in the second half, they outrebounded Lebanon Valley 13–1, which led to Middlebury’s taking 18 more shots from the field.
Lebanon Valley’s leading scorer, Sam Light, who averaged 23 points per game this season, scored only 14 on Friday night, and only three in the decisive second half. Guard Jack Farrell ’21 had the assignment of Light for most of the night Friday night, as one of coach Jeff Brown’s quickest guards. Farrell and the Panthers knew if they slowed down Light they would be in very good shape to move onto the second round.
“Coming into the game we knew Sam Light was their guy, and that he could score from many different levels,” Farrell said. “It was all about putting everything I had into not letting him score the ball, or make other impactful plays. I knew I was quicker and a little bigger than him, so I tried to make sure he could feel me and know I was right there every time to get him out of his usual rhythm.”
Along with Daly’s triple-double, Folger added 14 points, and Eric McCord ’19 added 12 in 14 minutes off the bench.
As hot as the Panthers started on Friday night, their start on Saturday may have been more important. Eastern Connecticut State entered their matchup with Middlebury with a 26–3 record and a perfect 4–0 against Nescac opponents.
Middlebury came out in attack mode to take a 12–3 lead within the first four minutes of action. Eight of their first twelve points came in the paint, and the other four came on free throws. The nine-point lead forced Eastern Connecticut State to call a timeout, but that did not slow the tide. Middlebury continued to attack the basket with the drive and the pass, and to crash the boards ferociously. The Panthers built a 24–7 lead just over seven minutes into the first half.
From there, Middlebury slowed down offensively, and the Warriors started to make some shots. The home team cut the lead to 25–15, but could not get any closer in the first half.
Daly exited the game with 2:25 left in the first half with two fouls, opening the door for Eastern Connecticut State to make some headway into its 14-point deficit. But Middlebury’s supporting cast rose to the occasion to extend the Panther lead going into the halfway point. Ahead by 15, Max Bosco ’21 fought off some Warrior pressure to find Farrell on the wing for a three to give Middlebury a 46–28 halftime lead.
Only once did Eastern Connecticut State get closer than 18 points in the second half, less than two minutes in when two Warrior free throws made the score 47–30. Middlebury grew its lead to as many as 25 points, 73–48, with 7:04 remaining on its way to sealing an 83–58 victory.
Middlebury’s defense on its opponent leading scorer was crucial once more on Saturday. Tarchee Brown scored 19.4 points per game this season, but Middlebury held him to 12 points on four of 20 shooting.
“We knew Brown liked to shoot the three, so we tried to chase him over every screen and be right on him with high hands every time he caught the ball to make sure he wasn’t able to get off a good shot,” said Farrell. “Coach always tells us defense comes first and stops will turn into transition baskets. I think that’s what we did well this weekend as a team.”
Farrell led Middlebury in scoring with 19 points on an efficient five of nine shooting and seven of eight from the foul line.
“Coach Brown always stresses shooting with confidence and making smart plays,” Farrell said, when asked about his big scoring night. “I think that’s what I tried to go out there and do, have confidence in my ability to score, at a couple different levels. But I also think in the flow of the game I was given a couple opportunities to take a jumper or drive at my defender.”
Farrell was one of many Panthers who was aggressive in finding good shots. Middlebury outscored Eastern Connecticut State 46–28 in the paint, after dominating Lebanon Valley 42–18 there the night before. After failing to score above 68 points in their previous two games, the Panthers tallied eclipsed that total by 15 points in both games last weekend.
MIT, Middlebury’s next opponent, enters tomorrow’s matchup with a 24–5 record, having beaten Brockport and Johns Hopkins to get to the Sweet Sixteen. The Engineers won New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference to receive a bid to the tournament.
In the other sectional matchup, the sectional host Ramapo plays Franklin & Marshall. Ramapo (23–6) won the New Jersey Athletic Conference, and Franklin & Marshall (22–6) received an at-large bid after losing to Johns Hopkins in the Centennial Conference semifinals.
(03/08/18 12:26am)
The men’s lacrosse team (1–0, 1–0) kicked off their season in successful fashion, sealing a narrow win over No. 14 Bates (0–1, 0–1), 11–10, last Saturday, March 3, at Middlebury’s Youngman Field. This extended the Panthers’ streak of winning their season opener to three years in a row.
Bates was aggressive from the outset and even jumped out to an early 2–0 lead a few minutes into the game. With a bit of patience, the Panthers notched their first goal of the season courtesy of Henry Riehl ’18, who managed to cut down the middle of Bates’s defense before sending the ball past the keeper. Following six minutes of solid defense from both the Panthers and the Bobcats, Middlebury trailed 2–1 when the horn sounded to end the first quarter.
To open the second quarter, A.J. Kucinski ’20 showed a brilliant display of individual skill as he spun away from a defender to set himself up for an easy shot directly in front of the goal. The keeper had no chance. Frank Cosolito ’20 followed up Kucinski’s goal just a few minutes later with a shot that erased any concern raised by the early 2–0 hole the Panthers were in, as his goal with 8:27 left to play in the second quarter gave the Panthers a 3–2 lead.
Bates immediately charged towards Middlebury’s goal on the ensuing possession, but a stop at the 7:53 mark by goalie Charles Midgley ’19 diffused any chance of the Bobcats netting a potential equalizer.
Midway through the second quarter, Wes Quinzani ’18 fought hard to recover a scramble at midfield. The Panthers pushed their offensive line up and were able to find a goal through Michael McCormack ‘19, scoring off a second-chance opportunity. Bates responded with a goal of their own just 20 seconds later and finished the quarter with two additional goals to lead 5–4 at the half.
Coming out of halftime, Riehl scored early in the third quarter to momentarily give the Panthers a 6–5 lead, but Bates quickly moved to tie the game at six. Then, a short three minutes later, Kucinski and Riehl combined once again for another Panther goal. This time, Kucinski delivered a great ball to Riehl, who found the back of the net for his fourth goal of the game. John Jackson ’18 was able to set in motion an additional goal for the Panthers, as he fed a ball to newcomer Will Brossman ’21 — playing in his first collegiate game — who managed to bully off a defender for a clean shot on goal.
Before time expired in the third quarter, though, Bates showed why they are a perennially ranked team, as Matt Chlastawa found the back of the net on an unassisted goal, making the score 9–8 heading into the final 15 minutes.
At the start of the fourth quarter, the visitors’ bench started to turn up the volume in hopes of securing their first win of the season on the road. The bench went silent when McCormack managed to convert a well-placed rising shot into the top corner to give the Panthers a 10–8 lead 17 seconds into the fourth quarter. And that was not all. Momentum had clearly swung to the Panthers’ side when, two minutes later, Chase Goree ’20 added his name to the scoresheet with a patient play for the Panthers.
The next 10 minutes were scoreless until Bates secured a goal from a diving effort with three and a half minutes to play. Though the Bobcats were able to secure a late goal with 34 seconds on the clock to cut the lead down to one, their comeback fell short, as the Panthers won the ball in the ensuing face-off and ran down the clock.
Riehl led the Panthers in scoring with four goals, while McCormack had a brace with goals and assists. Midgley managed to stop 16 attempts successfully, just one more than the Bates keeper. This one additional save very well could have been the decisive factor in this Panthers win.
Overall, the Panthers were satisfied with their performance, particularly on the defensive end according to midfielder Parker Lawlor’18.
“One key takeaway was that our defense didn’t give up easy crease goals and our freshmen stepped up,” Lawlor commented.
The Panthers will be back in action on Saturday, March 10, when they host Connecticut College in a conference bout on Youngman Field at Alumni Stadium at 1 p.m. After their first victory, the Panthers don’t seem to be slowing down and are already preparing for the new challenge that Connecticut poses.
“Connecticut traditionally plays a zone so that is something we are preparing for this week compared to bates who played mostly man,” Lawlor mentioned.
Middlebury will have their third straight home game on Tuesday, March 13, when the Panthers welcome St. Lawrence at 4 p.m. that afternoon.
(03/07/18 11:57pm)
“I am a girl. I am seven years old. I live in Kasur. I love mangoes.”
Zainab Amin, only seven years old, was kidnapped, raped and murdered in Kasur, Pakistan, on Jan. 4. Her body was found in a heap of trash five days later.
News of rape is heartbreaking, but more so, it is angering. I was angry because hearing this news from my country was not unusual. I was angry because my reaction was so customary, and I never thought that the world would reach a stage where stories like this are “just so sad, but it happens.” My social media feeds were overflowing with #JusticeForZainab posts, photos of the young girl with a mere hashtag that would somehow miraculously undo the incident and transform my society. A day later, 20-second long, black and white security camera footage of Zainab being led by a mysterious man along the street outside her house was surfacing on the web. Her playful skips, her innocence and her blind trust were unnerving.
There is a grave issue, a flaw, in my society. We always tend to focus on the wrong thing, the more futile thing. We tend to focus on what the girl did that put herself in the situation, rather than what actually happened to her. We tend to blame. And who do we usually blame? The victim. While there is no doubt that there are many progressive Pakistanis, the majority of my country is entwined with and fastened to a very rural and narrow mindset.
One month later and the #JusticeForZainab posts have simmered down, almost as though she has been forgotten. However, there has been some progress made in the Pakistani Supreme Court. The suspected murderer and rapist of Zainab has been identified as Imran Ali, and there is a nationwide demand that he be publicly hanged. Now, whether this public hanging will scare society and prevent cases like this from happening again is uncertain; it is a shame that a part of my society does not know that rape is not okay. After Zainab’s case, there were a few other victims that were discovered, but their stories did not reach social media platforms, hence few knew that there was yet another girl whose life was taken.
I often ponder over whether there is a way to use social media to directly make a change, because I feel it has made us normalize other people’s pain and suffering. In addition, it has normalized the bad in the world. While Zainab’s case is only one out of the many unfortunate cases that happen and have happened, I felt that voicing an incident in my country to you, the reader, would make you think about the happenings on the other side of the world.
Mangoes — “aam” — symbolize immortality and love in my culture. Zainab is the aam of my society: a sweet fruit that will receive justice and ripen in a vast field of other mangoes, a field that will hopefully become safer.
(03/01/18 1:13am)
On Wednesday, February 21, over 40 students, staff and faculty members gathered in the Axinn Center’s Abernathy Room to hear black faculty members speak about their experiences navigating primarily white spaces, including Middlebury.
The panelists included literatures and cultures librarian Katrina Spencer, computer science instructor Jason Grant, associate professor of history William Hart, assistant professor of American studies Jessyka Finley and artist and J-Term professor William “Kasso” Condry.
Middlebury’s fall 2017 student body profile reported that only 4.1 percent of the student body identifies as black or African American, and Data USA reported that 0.73 percent of the town of Middlebury’s residents are black. But for many of the professors who spoke on Wednesday’s panel, Middlebury was not the first predominantly white space they had faced. They bring the influences of these past environments to their work here.
Spencer spoke about the significant impression left on her by her undergraduate experience, which she said had a similar environment to Middlebury. “ I felt very unseen,” Spencer said. “I was a human body in the class, but people didn’t see me as a human being, so it definitely affects how I interact with students because I try to see them as whole people.”
Grant discussed being a minority among students pursuing Ph.D.’s in Computer Science. He described an incident that occurred in his last year of school, when his senior work professor told his adviser that he couldn’t reach Grant or his black classmates because of the “cultural gap.” That ostracizing experience led Grant to a new pedagogical outlook.
“I try to find any type of way to connect to my students because once that professor said he couldn’t teach me, I felt like I no longer belonged there,” he said. Grant also added that at Middlebury he feels “extreme pressure to represent the black community.”
Professor Hart said that he and his siblings were the only black students at their high school and explained that at Middlebury he feels subjected to a similar “uninvited hypervisibility.” Hart also said that people in the community outside his department see him as a “black person interested in only black things.” He recounted an interaction with a well-meaning colleague who presumed he had read a book because it was by a black author and also described an encounter with someone he ran into on the street who told him that reading the “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass” had made him think of Hart.
While these professors are working to positively influence Middlebury through their work, they are also still facing the challenges of living and working in a predominantly white community here at Middlebury. However, it is not only words, but also the lack of discussion, that some of the panelists find problematic about Middlebury.
“There is a lot of silence around race and social justice,” Spencer said. “There is a fear white people have about talking about race. They don’t want to say the wrong thing, so instead of the wrong thing they say nothing, which creates another silence.”
Professor Finley emphasized that despite these challenges, the ability to teach at places like Middlebury is an amazing opportunity that black professors want to take advantage of, and that the administrations at rural schools like Middlebury should be aware of this. “
There is this assumption on the part of a lot of people who are doing the hiring that people like us don’t want jobs here, can’t hack it here, can’t get our [hair cut here], and [that] we’re city people, but we want jobs, and this is a good job,” Finley said. She added that extending more faculty job offers to people of color, as well as increasing financial aid, will help to increase diversity at places like Middlebury.
“This institution is over 200 years old — it’s probably going to take that long, if not longer, for it to be equal as far as white and black here,” Condry said. “But that’s where it comes in with the type of teaching you’re doing, to hopefully inspire that next person to inspire the next person.”
(03/01/18 12:57am)
The admissions office reported in January that applicants to the college reached an all time high. With 9,230 total applications, Middlebury’s pool increased by 3.6 percent from the previous year and exceeds the previous 2013 record.
The announcement arrived shortly before the one year anniversary of the Charles Murray incident, where “The Bell Curve” author’s lecture was met with protest from students. The incident soon drew the attention of national media outlets, thrusting Middlebury into the spotlight and invoking a national debate about free speech on campuses.
As critics of the college emerged from every ideological corner, the admissions office began evaluating the impact of the protests and the negative media coverage that followed. Beginning last spring, the office tracked three data points: withdrawals of early decision applicants, the number of campus visitors through June and yield for regular decision applicants.
But the data collected led to an unexpected conclusion: The impacts of the Murray incident on admissions were marginal at best.
“We lost nobody who applied and was admitted early decision,” said Greg Buckles, dean of admissions. “Our regular decision yield was up just a little bit, and we had a great number of visitors. We were on track with the previous spring, which was a record year.”
Despite speculation that coveted regular decision applicants would be discouraged from accepting their admission offers, the college’s yield rate for the class of 2021 reached a five-year record high of 43 percent.
The admissions office also hired an external consultant, who interviewed four sets of eight to ten students across the country on their perception of Middlebury, including in the surveys questions about the Murray incident.
The polling results ultimately drew two major conclusions. For students who didn’t view Middlebury as one of their top schools, few were aware of the situation at all. For students who favored Middlebury, the incident simply reflected the critical debate taking place on college campuses across the nation.
“The consistent response we heard, if I can sum it up, was essentially: that just sounds like what college is supposed to be — a bunch of people in lively debate and argument,” Buckles said.
Some conservative first-year students saw the incident as providing room for conversation and civil debate.
“I knew that Middlebury was a very liberal school when I applied and that being conservative here would put me in the minority,” Brendan Philbin ’21 said. “The Charles Murray incident actually made me more excited to come here, as it opened the door for many discussions about free speech on campus, a topic about which I am very passionate.”
For others, Middlebury’s qualities and opportunities eclipsed the blemish of the incident.
“I thought lightly about it, but the actions of a few rowdy individuals do not and should not reflect the viewpoints of the entire Middlebury student body,” Allan Lei ’21 said. “On top of that, Middlebury had always been one of my top choices, so I just wasn’t gonna let that overshadow my deep enthusiasm for the school.”
Incoming students are not alone in viewing the aftermath of the incident positively. Andi Lloyd, dean of the faculty, said, “At least some prospective faculty suggested that they appreciate the fact that Middlebury is actively engaging these issues — issues that are, of course, not unique to Middlebury — as hard as those conversations may be, they see it as a good thing that we are actually having them.”
“I believe that the incidents have had, in the long run, a positive effect on our community,” Nora Bayley ’21 said. “We have used the incidents to realize flaws in our administration and governing system, and have tried to fix them to better represent our community as a whole.”
Although the Murray incident had a marginal impact on the growth of the college’s applicant pool and its reputation, the critical internal conversations have allowed Middlebury to establish itself as a leader in the broader national discussion about speech on campus.
A committee on speech and inclusion was formed in response to the incident, and recently issued its first report and recommendations for campus change. The past fall, the faculty also launched “Critical Conversations: Advancing a Culture of Freedom and Inclusivity.” As part of the series, the college invited a panel of scholars to discuss the creation of a robust and inclusive public sphere. In a completely different capacity, first year students were also able to navigate the topic of speech in the seminar course “Free Speech v. Racist Speech” led by Professor Erik Bleich.
“The only way to find compromise is to listen, and I think now we’re starting to have the conversations we need to be having,” Emma Clinton ’21 said. “People are talking, the administration is listening, and hopefully that will bring change for the better.”
(03/01/18 12:09am)
On Friday Jan. 26, the Center for Teaching, Learning and Research hosted a talk entitled “Slow Teaching.” An array of professors gathered to discuss a book called “The Slow Professor: Challenging the Culture of Speed in the Academy” by Maggie Berg and Barbara K. Seeber as well as to discuss the idea of the slow campus.
A slow campus describes a school environment where both students and teachers adopt a slower pace in their lifestyles. For students, this would involve a slower class pace and lower schedule load leading to a reduction in stress. This would allow them to have more time to contemplate various things and socialize. For professors, this would involve not consistently rushing from class to class as well as being able to have sufficient amounts of time to prepare to teach and do research.
In this talk, the professors discussed ways in which they could help to facilitate a slow environment for their students. One professor mentioned the importance of meditation and relaxation practices in class. These practices would allow both students and professors to destress through quiet thinking and contemplation. The slow campus could potentially help students who sense the conveyor-belt like nature of school. Some students find themselves going through the motions of class without really having a goal in mind. By taking the time to think, one could potentially lay out what they truly want to do as a career and figure out how the college experience will help with that goal. In setting goals, the importance of having a purpose can enhance work ethic and motivation. This led to a discussion of what students want out of a class. This professor mentioned how in some of his classes, he asks students what they expect out of the course in the first days of class and then meets with the students individually throughout the semester in order to clarify and note progress on the original expectation. If all professors did this, or if an entire school focused on this type of learning, more students may feel as though they are moving through school with a clear vision.
In actuality, it may be difficult to implement a slow type of learning. There could be push-back from some professors, administration and parents since it is hard to quantify the how slow learning would benefit the understanding and visions of students. For the slow campus to occur, there would likely have to be an entire cultural movement towards it. As was also discussed in the talk, slow could potentially be renamed “intentional” or “thoughtful” to better relay the idea. Right now, the slow campus definitely deserves to be discussed by everyone.
(03/01/18 12:07am)
Literatures and cultures librarian Katrina Spencer is liaison to the Anderson Freeman Center, the Arabic department, the French department, the Gender Sexuality & Feminist Studies (GSFS Program), the Language Schools, Linguistics and the Spanish & Portuguese departments. These affiliations are reflected in her reading choices.
“While I am a very slow reader, I’m a very critical reader,” she says.
If Someone Says “You Complete Me,” Run!: Whoopi’s Big Book of Relationships
By Whoopi Goldberg, 2015
Pages: 244
Happy Black History Month!
The What
Actress, comedian, talk show hostess and film producer Whoopi Goldberg takes some time to reflect on what she has learned after navigating the institution of marriage thrice and a variety of romantic and sexual relationships over the years. In this memoir/self-help hybrid, Goldberg recommends we all apply a heavy dose of common sense and honesty in pursuing unions with others and that we make the pursuit of romantic love less central to our lives and their meaning. In approximately 15 chapters, Goldberg addresses romantic love with a lack of sentimentality and with a good deal of logic. She has embraced her singlehood without denying her sexual appetites.
The Why
As I was collecting works for the Black History Month display, I made sure to include both Sister Acts, movies that were central to many black people’s youth in the 1990s and developed massive cult followings.
It was by accident that I found out that Whoopi Goldberg was an author and filmmaker, too. I started to dig deeper and explore facets of the artist’s and writer’s life. I knew, for example, that she was a comic before she was an actress, but I was unfamiliar with her work. So I took the time to appreciate her stand-up in Whoopi, Back to Broadway, her documentary, Moms Mabley and her words on relationships in this highlighted tome, ...Run!, all of which are available in the Davis Family Library.
In this work, Goldberg asks her readers to critically examine where we get our societal cues on what makes, builds and sustains functional relationships, naming songs as one of the culprits that brainwashed the masses. When I critically examine my past, I realize that Ginuwine’s “Pony,” the Temptations’ “My Girl” and Salt N Pepa’s “Shoop” may not have led me down the path towards a bona fide, edifying, reciprocal love. Not one of these incredibly popular songs references household maintenance, chores, or who takes out the garbage and washes the dishes, payments of a shared mortgage, the revolutionary concept of a pair maintaining separate households, polyamory, love languages, STDs, vasectomies, tubal ligations, IUDs, spermicide, diaphragms, prenuptial agreements or any of the other conversations, products and situations couples encounter when they attempt to cohabitate, reproduce, parent and/or love one another.
Sexually-motivated and cloyingly amorous lyrics are what we are inundated and indoctrinated with. And while they’ve got irresistible beats and conjure historical memory, they hardly, poorly and ill prepare us for relationships that actually work, relationships that survive conflict, demand negotiation and carry us through turmoil. Goldberg challenges readers to be more methodical, balanced and level-headed in approaching unions.
I generally liked the work as it seems to suggest that every relationship is a world of its own that can be shaped by its participants. While Disney has generally suggested that wedding bells are the ultimate manifestation of love, few narratives offered by this cartoon warehouse engages what happens after the nuptials. Goldberg’s ...Run! asks readers to anticipate just that.
...Run! is rarely laugh-out-loud funny; more often it’s gently snaky. But it meaningfully problematizes an institution that we have culturally come to accept as a default. The work leans rather heteronormative yet contains critical thinking prompts that apply to a variety of relationships. I’d recommend it to feminists and/or anyone planning a wedding that will exceed $10,000 in costs.
(03/01/18 12:02am)
High school students across the United States have participated in organized protests against elected politicians who have not worked to enact gun control legislation in the wake of the Feb. 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, that left 17 people dead. Students who survived the shooting have admirably led the charge in calling their generation to action, using social media to organize marches, demonstrations, protests and walkouts of high school classes.
Many high school students who have already participated in walkouts and protests have been punished by their high schools for missing class, as CNN has reported. In response to the discipline faced by protestors, various colleges and universities across the country have assured prospective students that discipline inflicted upon them by their schools as punishment for participation in peaceful protests will not affect their chances of admission. Brown University, University of Massachusetts Amherst and others all posted such statements to Twitter in the days following the shooting. On Monday, Middlebury followed suit, publishing its own statement on its admissions website.
Each statement varied in tone and style. Most notably, the posts referenced school shootings, gun control, free speech and protest in different ways. For example, Brown assured students that “peaceful, responsible protests against gun violence will not negatively impact decisions of admission to Brown.” Bucknell, however, tweeted that students who “receive disciplinary action due to participation in peaceful protests” would see no impact on their admissions decisions, omitting mention of gun control.
Middlebury’s statement places itself between the two sides, but in a vaguer category. It claims to respect free-speech rights of students and student applicants, including the right to engage in peaceful protest and civil disobedience. Ending its statement by addressing student applicants, the announcement guarantees that the admissions committee will consider situations with the belief that students are active citizens with political rights and obligations. The statement explicitly says this is true without regard to any specific political or social issue.
As a board, we believe deeply in the value of demonstration as a fundamental method for affecting change on college campuses and beyond, and we stand with the high school students across the country who have bravely chosen to strive for this change in their communities through protest. We have continually voiced our belief in demonstration since the protests against Charles Murray last February ignited a national debate about the limits of students’ right to demonstrate.
In response to Middlebury’s statement, this board would like to offer thoughts to the conversation. To be clear, we are in no way supporting or denouncing the statement. Rather, the board would like to use this opportunity to offer ideas that encourage people to question their definitions and beliefs regarding forms of protest and treatment of protesters.
While the college officially published this statement, we hope that it continues to apply to students in the future as we continue to work through this time of political and social tension. While this step can serve as an expression of support for young Americans navigating the debate over gun control, it should ultimately be implemented as a broader means of acknowledging how essential open, non-violent demonstration is as a fundamental right of students in America.
This policy should apply both to students protesting for gun control in the wake of the Parkland shooting and to those engaged in non-violent, non-hateful demonstration for other causes, now and in the future. From this, we should expand our definition of violence. It should include not only physical violence, but discriminatory abuse, structural violence and institutional violence — to name a few.
We also invite people to question what people mean when they say “peaceful.” Is a protest only not peaceful when it is inconvenient for someone? When do the ideas become too radical, and therefore deemed “non-peaceful”? For example, Middlebury administrators have looser restrictions with how to respond to student protests that do not publicly undermine its authority as an institution.
The Charles Murray protests are an example of a student-led movement to reject complicity. We must protect form above content of protests to ensure that future student protestors at Middlebury are not disciplined more harshly for protesting an issue with which the college administration does not agree.
We should also look to this institution’s history when considering the novelty (or lack thereof) of the issue of students’ rights to protest. According to “A People’s History of Middlebury,” most of the student body went on strike in November 1879 in support of a fellow student who accrued over 50 demerits as a response to his irresponsible antics against the demerit system introduced the year before. The result was a decision to suspend every student who protested. Soon after, negotiations continued and all punishments were rescinded, except for those of the student behind the reason for the protest.
Charles Murray showed that Middlebury was more willing to denounce those standing up for what they believed to be violent — whether the methods can be agreed upon or not — than to take the opportunity to be clearer on what we will and will not allow in our community.
History also shows how undecided the college is in how they treat protesters. This reality should be considered with how we respond to the college’s statement concerning “peaceful protest and civil disobedience.” Does the college support civil disobedience as long as it doesn’t expose the fractures in the institution’s foundation? Is the protest peaceful until those in charge feel like their authority is attacked?
The debate over students’ right to demonstrate, so closely tied to the national debate over freedom of expression on college campuses, has been a pertinent topic on this campus for longer period than most of us are aware. The college administration has repeatedly voiced its belief in free speech as essential to intellectual freedom, going further to connect that freedom with the freedom to protest in its most recent statement. In this era of political activism, moving forward has to come at some cost.That includes the risk that in making a brave announcement, Middlebury’s institution may assume some risk.
We hope that administrators will consider actions such as these as central to the mission of the college, rejecting the fear of risk that bolder actions may produce. This moment provides Middlebury with a valuable opportunity to confront our values — especially when they differ — and acknowledge the struggles of future students by validating their right to exercise their freedom to protest.
(02/28/18 11:58pm)
In the wake of Charles Murray’s visit last year, Middlebury students and faculty banded together to salvage race relations on campus. Concerted efforts were made by administrators and student-led cultural organizations to educate community members on inclusivity and white privilege. Unbeknownst to the well-meaning white people who attended these teach-ins and town halls, their crash courses in white supremacy were at the expense of the students and faculty of color who led the discussions. In trying to decolonize the campus of its white hegemonic norms, students of color de-prioritized their mental health. Cultural orgs ceased to be spaces of respite for people of color (POC) and transformed into highly-politicized forums with the sole purpose of combating racism. By the time I arrived at Middlebury in the fall of 2017, the solidarity among black students in particular was virtually nonexistent. The black students of Middlebury — while active participants in campus-wide events regarding race — had neglected to maintain their singular designated place of refuge: the Black Student Union (BSU).
Many attributed the defunct BSU to poor leadership. Others stopped attending meetings because they found asylum in groups such as Umoja and Alianza, which are ethnic, rather than race, specific. Hidden beneath the many known reasons that led to the demise of the BSU was a larger culprit that had yet to be acknowledged: white passivity.
White passivity is the perpetual complicity of white people who do not help to rectify their ancestors’ moral bankruptcy, but instead look to black people to dismantle institutional racism. White passivity is what leads black students to challenge racist sentiments in class when their white professors fail to. White passivity is what caused several black women to demand an apology for a student who had been racially profiled when the predominantly white administration failed to do so. Ultimately, it was white passivity that caused black students to neglect their community of the Black Student Union so that they could aid in the rebuilding of the larger Middlebury community.
The corrosive nature white passivity has on black communities can be seen throughout history. The mammy archetype which rose to prominence in the late nineteenth century characterizes black women as the nannies and homemakers of white families who were unwilling to care for themselves. “Mammy” was not afforded the luxury of taking care of her own children. She was not only willing, but eager to prioritize her white superior’s needs over her and her family’s. Somehow, amid all of the racial hostility, the black students of Middlebury became contemporary renditions of “mammy.” This new and evolved mammy archetype does not assist by breastfeeding white infants, but by coddling white adults whose fragility deters them from listening. “Mammy 2.0,” as I like to call her, is every student of color who has skipped meals, missed sleep or failed to turn in assignments because they were preoccupied explaining to their white peer why they “shouldn’t say the N-word even if its a song lyric.”
In January, a committee of other black students and I planned events with the primary objective of resurrecting the Black Student Union. We hosted a black professors panel, rented out the Marquis theater for a private screening of the Marvel film “Black Panther” and cooked a community dinner that fed about 50 students. At all of the aforementioned events, there was an unmistakable sense of camaraderie. Laughter filled the rooms, new friendships were forged and the black solidarity many of us believed to be extinct appeared to be alive and well. Nowhere to be found in the events’ crowds was “mammy,” eager to pacify, serve and sacrifice.
