Sports

Head football coach Chuck Priore, who led the Bantams to their fourth consecutive NESCAC Championship this season and the longest winning streak in the nation for NCAA Division III (30 straight wins), has accepted the head coach position at Stony Brook University. He begins his new duties on January 1, 2006. Trinity defensive coordinator Jeff Devanney ’93 has been named the Bantam’s new head football coach.

Commenting on Priore’s remarkable tenure at Trinity, President Jones said, “Not only was he an extraordinary coach, but he demanded excellence from our athletes in the classroom as well. While we are hugely disappointed to lose a person of his caliber, we wish him nothing but total success in his new assignment at Stony Brook. He represents the highest ideals of the College and I have the deepest admiration for his outstanding achievements.”

A 1993 Trinity graduate and star player in football and baseball, Devanney was voted the NESCAC Football Defensive Player of the Year in 1992. He earned a master’s degree in liberal studies from SUNY-Albany in 1995. “Becoming head coach at a great academic school has always been a goal of mine,” says Devanney. “I never dreamed that I would have the opportunity to do it here at my alma mater. I owe a lot to Chuck Priore for what he has done for Trinity’s football program and for me personally. I am looking forward to continuing his legacy of success.”

Devanney was the defensive line coach in 2001 and the secondary coach from 2002 to 2004, before taking on duties as the defensive coordinator this past year. Under his leadership, the Trinity defense led the nation in scoring defense (4.5 points allowed per game), rushing defense (40.6 yards allowed per game), and total defense (165.9 yards allowed per game). The Bantams also had the New England Division II/III Defensive Player of the Year in 2005, as well as the NESCAC Defensive Player of the Year the last two years. 

Basketball and Hockey Teams Off to Winning Starts

The men’s basketball team is 7-2, with wins in its last three games, including a 67-61 win against Springfield College, during which senior co-captain Tyler Rhoten became the College’s all-time leading scorer. Rhoten broke the scoring record of 1816 points, held by Ken Abere’86, with 24 against Springfield and currently has 1,856 points in his career. Both Rhoten and junior Kino Clarke have claimed NESCAC Player of the Week honors already this season.

The women’s basketball team, in its first year under Head Coach and former UConn star Wendy Davis, is 4-3 with wins in four of its last five games. The Bantams will compete in the Florida Sunshine Tournament in Miami on January 3 and 4. Junior Sarah Cox leads Trinity with 17 points and 7 rebounds per game.

The women’s ice hockey team is off to the best start of all the Trinity winter teams and the best in its history as a varsity program. Under reigning NESCAC Coach of the Year Andrew McPhee, Trinity is 5-1-1 overall and 2-1-1 in the conference and boasts a four-game unbeaten streak. Senior co-captain Tara Borawski and sophomores Ali Schmidt and Megan Fallon have each scored nine points to lead the offense and senior goalie Courtney Bergh has already been named the NESCAC Player of the Week once and had 61 saves in a tie at nationally ranked Williams. Bergh has 160 saves and a 2.74 GAA.

The men’s ice hockey team is 5-2 and ranked 13th in the nation. The Bantams will face Elmira in the Cardinal Holiday Classic at Plattsburgh State on December 30. Senior tri-captain Cameron Finch and sophomore Daniel Maturi lead the Bantams in scoring with eight points each.

For the latest Trinity sports news, please go to www.trincoll.edu/athletics/

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