Recent Contributions from Evan Carr

Track Hosts Invitational as Tuneup for Upcoming Heps

Evan Carr — Fri, 02 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

To kick off the month of May, the Red will be hosting the Cornell Outdoor Invitational tomorrow — the men’s and women’s track teams will be rolling into the weekend with momentum from last week’s successes at the Penn Relays.

At that three-day competition, Cornell dominated in a number of events — the women achieved eight top-10 appearances in the championship round along with an impressive number of ECAC and NCAA Regional qualifiers. Following suit, the men also made an impact at the Penn Relays with top-10 showings in almost every relay event along with many IC4A and NCAA Regional qualifying performances in other running, throwing and jumping events.

Track Wins Some, Loses Some Over Busy Weekend

Evan Carr — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Without any lag time from last weekend’s impressive performances at the Moravian Invitational and the Cortland Classic, the men’s and women’s track teams once again racked up a long list of victories and event qualifiers at this weekend’s Penn Relays in Philadelphia and the Big Red Invitational in Ithaca.

Going from Thursday to Saturday at the Penn Relays and the Big Red Invitational in Ithaca yesterday, the athletes had a busy weekend.

Cornell's Own Mountain Man

Evan Carr — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 09:15:37 -0400

After speaking to Mark Holton, Ph.D. ’96, for just five minutes, it was obvious that his overwhelming passion for students and outdoor adventures is something that drives him everyday.

Just from his past experiences teaching students and his endeavors in the demanding sport of rock climbing, Holton wouldn’t have his life any other way.

“I’m in charge of training and staffing for Cornell indoor and outdoor climbing,” said Holton, Climbing Program Coordinator for Cornell Outdoor Education (COE). “Mainly, the part that keeps me coming back is training and having a good time with new people — enjoying the world and enjoying the learning.”

Track Breaks Records in Several Events on the Road

Evan Carr — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

The track team is of one mind when it comes to breaking records, as several members of the team achieved scores over the weekend which were on the level of the world’s best or the best in Cornell’s history. Splitting between the Moravian Invitational in Allentown, Pa., and the Cortland Classic in upstate New York, the men and women combined for 21 event wins, 11 NCAA Regional qualifiers, 10 ECAC qualifiers and 18 IC4A qualifiers for both meets.

Sprinters and jumpers competed at the Moravian Invitational, with the men netting six NCAA Regional qualifiers, 15 IC4A qualifiers and five event wins on the day. The men were graced by not only great performances on the weekend but complimentary weather as well to help boost them to the top of the standings.

Track Teams Travel to Cortland, Allentown

Evan Carr — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

The track teams will be splitting time at events this weekend — the jumpers, sprinters and hurdlers will travel to Allentown, Pa., tomorrow for the Moravian Invitational, while the rest of the athletes will compete at the Cortland Invitational in Cortland, N.Y., on the same day.

Coming off of impressive showings last weekend at the Sea-Ray Relays in Knoxville, Tenn., and the Bucknell Invitational in Lewisburg, Pa., the Red is looking to build some momentum as it travels towards the championships in May. Over both events, the men and women combined for 15 ECAC qualifiers, 17 IC4A qualifiers and seven NCAA Regional qualifying performances.

Throwers Excel for Track

Evan Carr — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Simply put: the track throwers have been lights-out for the past few weeks.

Last weekend at Bucknell, senior Erik Roneker won both the hammer (183-3) and the shot put (55-1/4) for IC4A qualifiers, while junior Maria Matos dominated in the discus with a first-place, NCAA Regional qualifying performance in the discus (163-10). At the Penn Invitational the week before, the women placed athletes at the top of the standings in the shot put, discus and javelin. The men saw sophomore thrower Scott Jaffee score his first IC4A qualifier in the discus (162-11).

So what’s their secret?

Making a dent in the competition: Junior Maria Matos had a first-place NCAA Regional qualifying performance in discus last week.

Track Combines for Six Titles

Evan Carr — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

After a strong showing at the Penn Invitational last weekend with seven event wins for the women’s track team and 22 top-5 finishes for the men’s track team, the Red continued its success at Bucknell on Saturday in both running and throwing events.

With standout performances from juniors Erik Roneker and Maria Matos, the Red established its power in the throwing events. Great running and jumping marks for both the men and women in the triple jump, 1500 meter, 5000 meter, 10000 meter, hurdles and the 3000-meter steeplechase also helped to launch Cornell to the top of the standings with wins in six different events.

Track Teams Gear Up for Sea-Ray Relays

Evan Carr — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Following up on the momentum from last weekend’s Penn Invitational, the men’s and women’s track teams are gearing up for a meet today in Knoxville, Tenn., the Sea-Ray Relays. After combining for 11 event wins, 10 IC4A qualifiers, four NCAA qualifiers, and 11 ECAC qualifying marks last Saturday, the track teams are looking to gradually build on their earlier successes this season, using the competitive nature of the Tennessee Relays to elevate their level of performance.

Getting Wet with the Cornell Sailing Team

Evan Carr — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

With Ithaca’s stunning natural landscape — the view of Cayuga Lake, the picturesque scene of Rawlings Green and yes, the countless numbers of “Ithaca is GORGES” shirts on campus — there has to be a sport for this, right? That team is the Cornell Sailing Team. The Cornell Sailing Team is able to get out on the water four days a week for practice as one of Cornell’s most exciting club sports.

The team practices on Cayuga Lake and recently broke ground on the new Merrill Family Sailing Center, named in honor of Phil Merrill ’55. The building will be completed this fall in time for the team to host both High School and College Nationals.

Track Leaves Penn Invitational After Multiple Successes

Evan Carr — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Continuing their strong start in the spring outdoor campaign, the men’s and women’s track teams finished up at the Penn Invitational in Philadelphia last Saturday. Combined, the men and women produced 11 event wins along with 10 IC4A qualifiers, four NCAA Regional Qualifiers and 11 ECAC qualifying races on Saturday.

The men asserted themselves as a powerhouse against top teams like UPenn, Rutgers, Villanova and Temple among others, securing a total of 22 top-5 finishes at the invitational.

The Search for Adrenaline

Evan Carr — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Athletes thrive on the intensity of competition. Determination, teamwork, talent and greatness — this is what we all love to see in great sports.

While channel-surfing on TV, many sports junkies have probably caught a glimpse of a rugby match — the brutality, the speed and the vicious hits that are involved. When a pad-less player gets drilled by an opponent, sending the ball airborne, a resounding “Oooooooh!” echoes through the audience. So what are these guys thinking?

“Rugby players have a different mentality,” said freshman rugby player Kyle Sullivan. “You have no pads, no protection — it’s just you against the other guys. Fifteen guys on fifteen guys just hitting each other — it’s awesome.”

Men’s Harriers Led By Talented Seniors

Evan Carr — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400

The spring track season is here: packed with more natural skill and talent than in recent memory, the men’s track team is setting its sights on a memorable finish to the year in these last three months.

Starting in March, the men boasted several NCAA and IC4A regional qualifiers, boosting their status as one of the elite varsity teams this year on campus and in Cornell history.

March seems to be promising: starting the month at the Heptagonal championships in Ithaca, N.Y., the men dominated the rest of the Ivy League conference competition, taking a 205-point victory and beating out second-place Princeton by 56 points. The Red won on the strength of nine event wins, seven second-place finishes and three NCAA qualifiers.

Spring Schedule Gives Women Time to Shine

Evan Carr — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400

If past performance is any indication, the women’s track team has a talented team this year. With recent strong performances and NCAA Regional qualifiers at the California State Northridge Invitational, the UC Irvine Classic and the Indoor Heptagonal Championships in March alone, this year’s standouts are looking to build on success earlier in the year.

In the 800, sophomore Katie Murdoch has been establishing herself as a real force for the women. With strong showings earlier in the year, Murdoch is a young, growing talent. Dealing with injuries in her freshman season, Murdoch still bounced back as a top performer to earn All-East honors in the outdoor season, while running the lead-off spot for a record 4x800 time for the freshmen in 2007.

Early Wins Put Red On the Right Track

Evan Carr — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Returning from an impressive showing at the Spring Break Invitational and Irvine Classic in California, the men’s and women’s track and field teams are gearing up for another competition — the Quaker Invitational in Philadelphia on April 5.

The UC Irvine Collegiate Classic took place last Friday and Saturday, where the Red men and women managed to combine for 13 wins, 50 top-5 finishes, 27 ECAC/IC4A qualifiers and 6 NCAA regional qualifiers at the two-day event. With the teams rallying against many strong teams — Yale, UC Riverside, Biola, Southern Utah, Cal Poly Pomona, El Camino and Occidental among others — the Big Red made their mark on the competition.

W. Squash Heads to CSA National Championships

Evan Carr — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The women’s squash team will ride its five-game win streak into this weekend’s CSA National championships, facing Hamilton today in the first round. With wins over Williams, Toronto, St. Lawrence, Mt. Holyoke and William Smith, the Red hasn’t lost a match since Jan. 27, propelling it to an 8-6 record. As the team strategizes for this weekend, the players are setting their sights on two past opponents — Mt. Holyoke and Williams. If the Red moves on past the first round, Mt. Holyoke and Williams could be competitors in the later stages.

M. Squash Wins Two-of-Three, Places 11th

Evan Carr — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The men’s squash team was driving strong into Nationals weekend, looking to make an impact on the competition and to avenge some heartbreaking losses during the season. With the three-day CSA Nationals starting last Friday, the men sustained a cumulative 2-1 record for the weekend in the 2008 Hoehn Division, placing them 11th.

“In terms of the result, I’d say it was a bit of a disappointment,” said senior Mike Gelinas. “We ended up finishing 11th in the country, but we wanted to finish ninth. It didn’t turn out that way. But we fought really hard, and all of our matches were really close.”

Squash Utilizes Hobart to Help Young Players

Evan Carr — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

As the men’s and women’s squash teams prepare for their last matches before the CSA National championships, the men will set their sights on Hobart, while the women will take on William Smith and Mt. Holyoke. With both teams coming in at around .500 — the men at 6-7 (1-4 Ivy) and the women at 6-6 (0-6) — the Red is looking for victories this weekend to give the squads a boost going into Nationals next weekend.

Hobart will come into the 3 p.m. match tomorrow with a 2-17 record, with its most recent losses to Rochester and Navy. The men’s squad hopes to use this match to shake off any rust before Nationals.

Squash Plays Last Home Matches

Evan Carr — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Coming off of a couple of hard-fought victories last weekend, the men’s and women’s squash teams will host two new opponents tomorrow — St. Lawrence and Franklin and Marshall. With the matches based in Ithaca, the Red will take on St. Lawrence at 10 a.m. and finish the day against Franklin and Marshall at 3 p.m.

The men’s squad has its work cut out: St. Lawrence is coming to Ithaca with an 11-4 record with decisive wins last weekend over Colby and George Washington. Franklin and Marshall is also coming off of an impressive victory over No. 20 Hamilton on Jan. 27, sweeping it in a 9-0 blowout. The win brought Franklin and Marshall to 9-7 overall.

The Man Behind the Fun

Evan Carr — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Nothing sparks a fire in people like competition.

For Todd Jackson, The Robert D. Kennedy ’54 Director of Intramural Sports, competition is a means for educating students, training participants and helping students enjoy Cornell sports.

“[Todd] is very meticulous with all the little things it takes to run a successful intramural program,” says Jeremy Pickard, assistant director for intramural sports. “He genuinely cares about the staff, the students and all involved.”

Squash Teams Perform Well Against Opponents

Evan Carr — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Over the weekend, the men’s and women’s squash teams faced three tough teams in Amherst, Dartmouth and Williams. The men came out on top at Amherst, 9-0, but lost two contests to Dartmouth, 2-7, and Williams, 4-5. The women fared slightly better, edging out both Amherst, 9-0, and Williams, 5-4, with the loss versus Dartmouth the only one of the weekend.

The men started the weekend off with a bang on Friday, shutting out Amherst with a dominating victory. In an impressive effort, the Red won six out of its nine matches in three games.

Squashers Face Tough Matches Over Break

Evan Carr — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0500

During Winter Break, the men’s and women’s squash teams focused their energy on new opponents: Bates and Yale. While the men (2-5, 1-3 Ivy) dropped both matches, 5-4 at Bates and 8-1 at Yale, the women split their matches, with a 9-0 win over Bates and a 9-0 loss at Yale.

“Our goal for the year is to finish in the top-8,” said men’s squash head coach Mark Devoy. “We started the year at No. 9, and we are currently in No. 7 but need to maintain this for the remainder of the season.

Catching Up W. Ice Hockey's With Caeleigh Beerworth

Evan Carr — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0400

What drives an athlete? What makes the struggles, the pains, the frustrations and the time commitment all worth it? To senior hockey player Caeleigh Beerworth, the taste of victory is what keeps athletes motivated.

“It all comes down to the fact that I love to compete,” Beerworth said. “The feeling of competition and coming out on top is what makes any sport worth it. Any dedicated athlete would tell you that it’s the taste of success at the end of a long road that keeps them playing the game.”

Beerworth has been a dedicated hockey player for a long time. Aside from earning three college varsity letters, she has been a valuable part of the Red hockey team.

Sprints Gives Parke Life Lessons

Evan Carr — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Football runs in his blood. Determination drives his performance. And, most importantly, he just loves to hit people.

“Being able to come out on the football field and hit kids is what motivates me,” said junior linebacker John Parke. “I would take a big hit over a tackle any day.”

Coming off of an undefeated season in 2006, the first one since 1982, the sprint football team clinched its sixth CSFL title. Having only two other perfect seasons in 1978 and 1982, the Red defense drove the team last year, finishing as the best overall ranked defense.

Golf Heads to St. Bonaventure Invite

Evan Carr — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0400

With hearts pounding, hands shaking and adrenaline flowing, the golf team will return to action at the St. Bonaventure Invitational on Sept. 23.

Great leadership is often hard to put into place on sports teams. The golfers are coming back from a disappointing close to last year’s season, finishing out as last place in last April’s Ivy League championships. While they went in with high hopes for a possible victory over league competitors like Yale and Dartmouth, the team’s performance did not live up to the hype as less than half of the field shot under 80 on the last day. By bringing in new talent, like freshman recruit Matt Jaye, Cornell hopes to take the next step as C.U. upperclassmen leaders initiate this year’s new class of golfers.