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Tiger of the Week: Ibby Caputo ’03

The Oct. 8 Tiger of the Week has not been making news. Not yet. But Ibby Caputo ’03 is anxious to put her byline on stories and radio broadcasts soon. Caputo, who graduated from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in 2007, spent the last year fighting acute myelogenous leukemia, which doctors feared would be fatal — at her initial diagnosis, they gave her six weeks to live. A stem-cell transplant helped to put the disease into remission, and Caputo’s strength is returning, according to her father, Steve Caputo ’75.

On Oct. 4, Ibby Caputo talked about her experiences at the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Light the Night fundraiser in Franklin Township, N.J., where she was an “honored hero.” “I accepted that I might live and I might die, but my choice was life,” she said. “I chose life. I knew I that I only had two cents worth of say in the matter, and I wholeheartedly put those two cents in God’s piggy bank.”

In recent weeks, Caputo has been pitching freelance stories, conducting interviews, and looking for a fulltime public-radio job in Boston. As she wrote to friends and family in August, a year to the day after her diagnosis, “I’m itching to move on.”

Above, Ibby Caputo ’03 on the field at Fenway Park Sept. 25. The tickets were a gift from Red Sox president and CEO Larry Lucchino ’67, a lymphoma survivor. For more about Ibby’s story, visit teamibby.com. (Photo courtesy Steve Caputo ’75)

Do you have a nominee for Tiger of the Week? Let us know. All alumni qualify. PAW’s Tiger of the Week is selected by our staff, with help from readers like you.

Princeton (1-1) at Columbia (0-2)

Oct. 4, 1:30 p.m. — Lawrence A. Wien Stadium, New York, N.Y.

Tiger of the Week: Susan Mango *90

Consider the week that was for Susan Mango *90: First, the biologist from the University of Utah published a paper in Current Biology, showing how a gene can be manipulated to extend the lifespan of C. elegans, a small worm commonly used as a model organism in biology labs. Then, she was named a professor of molecular and cellular biology at Harvard, her undergraduate alma mater, effective July 1, 2009. And finally, on Sept. 23, the MacArthur Foundation chose her as one of its 2008 fellows, an honor that comes with the five-year, $500,000 “genius grant.” That morning Mango told The Salt Lake Tribune, “It’s such a surprise. I’m still kind of speechless.” What’s left to say? The Princeton Ph.D. is our Tiger of the Week.

Two other graduate alumni also were selected as MacArthur fellows: John Ochsendorf *98, a structural engineer and architectural historian at MIT, and Marin Soljačić *00, a theoretical physicist at MIT. Oschendorf, Soljačić, and Mango will be spotlighted in a future issue of PAW.

Photo courtesy the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation

Do you have a nominee for Tiger of the Week? Let us know. All alumni qualify. PAW’s Tiger of the Week is selected by our staff, with help from readers like you.

Princeton (0-1) vs. Lehigh (1-1)

Sept. 27, 6 p.m. — Princeton Stadium, Princeton, N.J.

Tigers of the Week: Jay Katsir ’04 and Rob Kutner ’94

Behind the scenes of two of cable television’s most popular shows, Jay Katsir ’04, pictured at right, and Rob Kutner ’94, below, shown infiltrating the CNN Grill at the Republican National Convention, spend their days trying to make America laugh. This week, the two comedy writers were recognized for their work. Katsir, a writer for The Colbert Report, and his co-workers won the 2008 Emmy for “Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music, or Comedy Program.” Kutner, a writer for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, also was nominated in the writing category and saw his show honored as the “Outstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy Series.” PAW adds another honor for Katsir and Kutner — they’re our Tigers of the Week.

The last year was a difficult one for television writers, who spent more than three months on strike. Katsir wrote a March 8, 2008, PAW essay before the settlement and explained that writing jokes for a living was “so like a pleasant dream that the current state of affairs seems to be the sudden waking that was inevitable all along. It’s exactly how I felt the time I fell asleep on the sidewalk during one of the pickets. Luckily, Gilbert Gottfried had a bullhorn.”

One programming note for alumni and Colbert Report fans: Princeton professor Cornel West *80 is slated to be a guest on the show Sept. 24.

Photos: Courtesy Jay Katsir ’04; courtesy Rob Kutner ’94

Do you have a nominee for Tiger of the Week? Let us know. All alumni qualify. PAW’s Tiger of the Week is selected by our staff, with help from readers like you.

Princeton (0-0) at The Citadel (1-1)

Sept. 20, 1 p.m. — Johnson Hagood Stadium, Charleston, S.C.

Tiger of the Week: Charles Gibson ’65

In the most publicized “get” of the presidential campaign, ABC anchorman Charles Gibson ’65 went to Alaska last week to record a series of one-on-one interviews with Gov. Sarah Palin, her first on national TV. And while most of the attention was on Palin, the Republican vice-presidential nominee, the bright lights fell on Gibson as well, with questions about what he would ask and how tough he would be.

The interviews were a popular draw for TV viewers — ABC won the week’s evening-news ratings race by a wide margin. But reviews were mixed: Some critics complained about the drawn-out format, while others applauded Gibson’s professionalism and no-nonsense approach. As Tom Shales of the The Washington Post wrote, “[I]t was almost a no-win situation, yet he came out of it not losing.” For that, Gibson is our Tiger of the Week.

Photo courtesy Wikipedia

Do you have a nominee for Tiger of the Week? Let us know. Nominees need not be famous — all alumni qualify. PAW’s Tiger of the Week is selected by our staff, with help from readers like you.

Lind, Coppola win rowing medals

Princeton classmates Caroline Lind ’06 and Steve Coppola ’06 earned medals at the Beijing Olympics Aug. 17. Lind and the U.S. women’s eight won gold, while Coppola and the U.S. men’s eight settled for bronze. A third member of the Class of 2006, Andreanne Morin of the Canadian women’s eight, missed a medal by less than a second, finishing fourth in the event finals.

The victory in the women’s eight was America’s first since 1984, and Lind, who had met members of the 1984 team, told The Boston Globe that she drew inspiration from that gold-medal-winning crew. “They wanted to welcome us to their club,” she said. “So we had to step up.”

Alumni Lia Pernell ’03 (United States, women’s quadruple sculls) and Sam Loch ’06 (Australia, men’s eight) also rowed in the Olympic finals Aug. 17, finishing fifth and sixth, respectively, in their events.

Click here for NBC’s video coverage of the U.S. women’s eight.

Alumni, students begin competition

Twelve Princetonians - 11 athletes and one coach - are representing their countries in Beijing during the opening week of the 2008 Olympics. (Apologies to Konrad Wysocki ’04 and Bryan Tay ’12, who were not included in The Weekly Blog’s July 9 list of Tiger Olympians.)

The early headlines belonged to rower Caroline Lind ’06 of the U.S. women’s eight. Her crew won its opening heat Aug. 11 to advance to the event finals Aug. 17. In other rowing action, Lia Pernell ’03 and the U.S. women’s quadruple sculls settled for third place in their heat and will row again in a repechage Aug. 12. Three-time Olympian Paul Teti ’01 and his U.S. teammates qualified for the Aug. 13 semifinals in the men’s four.

Two Tiger classmates, Steve Coppola ’06 of the United States and Sam Loch ’06 of Australia, will face off in the first heat of the men’s eight repechage Aug. 12. Another Class of 2006 rower, Andreanne Morin, will compete with the Canadian women’s eight in the repechage Aug. 13.

Canadian soccer standout Diana Matheson ’08 started both of her team’s first two games, a 2-1 win over Argentina Aug. 6 and a 1-1 tie against China Aug. 9. The Canadians will play Sweden Aug. 12 in the last game of the preliminary round.

Wysocki, a former Princeton basketball player, started alongside NBA star Dirk Nowitzki in Germany’s opening win over Angola Aug. 10. The Germans will face Greece Aug. 12. David Blatt ’81, the Russian men’s basketball coach, won his Olympic debut against Iran. The Russians play Croatia Aug. 12.

Princeton’s two swimming competitors, Tay, an incoming freshman representing Singapore, and Doug Lennox ’09 of Puerto Rico, did not advance from their opening heats in the 200-meter freestyle and 200-meter butterfly, respectively. Lennox will swim again in the 100-meter butterfly Aug. 14.

Shooting competitor Sandra Fong ’12 will make her Olympic debut Aug. 14 in the 50-meter three-position rifle event.

Meet Princeton’s Olympians

David Blatt ’81 | Basketball coach | Russia

Blatt, who played professionally in Israel after college, has become one of the most respected coaches in European basketball, leading several top professional teams including Italy’s Benetton Treviso and Turkey’s Efes Pilsen S.K. But his most notable victory came last September, when he coached the Russian national team to the European championship. In the final game, the Russians beat Spain, the tournament favorite and host, 60-59.

PAW archives: Read a 2007 feature story about globe-trotting coach David Blatt ’81.

Steve Coppola ’06 | Rowing | United States

Coppola, a former high school basketball player from Buffalo, N.Y., is one of three rowers on the U.S. men’s eight who stand 6 feet 7 inches or taller, and the Americans are hoping the powerful, long-limbed competitors can improve on the team’s showings at the last two FISA World Championships (fourth place in 2007 and third in 2006). The U.S. won gold in the men’s eight at the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

PAW archives: Read about the 2006 Princeton men’s heavyweight eight, a boat that featured Steve Coppola ’06 and Australian Olympian Sam Loch ’06.

Sandra Fong ’12 | Rifle | United States

Rifle may sound like a rural, Western sport, but Fong, a New York City native, is quick to point out that most of the U.S. team hails from the Northeast. Three-position rifle, Fong’s event in Beijing, involves taking 60 shots at a target 50 meters away (20 standing, 20 kneeling on one knee, and 20 from a prone position). To train, she lifts weights, works on cardiovascular fitness, and shoots every day to refine her technique and build muscle memory.

Doug Lennox ’09 | Swimming | Puerto Rico

Lennox swam the 200-yard butterfly in 1:42.80 at the NCAA Championships March 29, earning fourth place and All-America honors, and in Beijing, he is looking toward intermediate goals, like reaching his event semifinals (top 16 swimmers). This summer, Princeton coach Rob Orr helped Lennox to arrange training sessions with University of Tennessee coach John Trembley, renowned for his work with top sprint swimmers.

Caroline Lind ’06 | Rowing | United States

For Lind, four years at Princeton turned into six when she decided to stick around after graduation to train with the national team, and the results have been spectacular. After stroking the Princeton varsity eight to an NCAA title in 2006, she helped the U.S. win gold in the women’s eight at the FISA World Championships in 2006 and 2007. Living in Princeton also has given Lind a chance to remain close with her collegiate coach, Lori Dauphiny, whom she calls the “number-one influence” on her rowing career.

PAW archives: Read about Caroline Lind ’06, Canadian Olympian Andreanne Morin ’06, and Princeton’s 2006 NCAA-champion women’s varsity eight.

Sam Loch ’06 | Rowing | Australia

Loch stroked the Tigers’ heavyweight crew to an undefeated regular season and an Eastern championship in his senior year, but his most cited legacy in Princeton may be the “Bloch,” a Hoagie Haven sandwich named in his honor that combines chicken parmesan with bacon and eggs. The Daily Princetonian called it a “titanic sandwich [that] does not appear to be made for mere mortals.” Loch, an avid weightlifter, cites bodybuilder Ronnie Coleman as his sporting hero.

Diana Matheson ’08 | Soccer | Canada

Matheson has played in some of soccer’s most prominent events, including the NCAA Final Four and the FIFA Women’s World Cup, but this will be her first trip to the Olympics. She expects a bigger stage and more media — particularly at Canada’s Aug. 9 game against China in Tianjin. After the Olympics, Matheson will continue her soccer career as a professional player in Norway.

PAW archives: Read about Diana Matheson ’08’s 2006 season, in which she split time between Princeton and the Canadian national team.

Andreanne Morin ’06 | Rowing | Canada

Morin was still a student when she rowed at the 2004 Olympics in Athens as the youngest member of the Canadian women’s eight. The boat did not reach the finals that year, but this year, with Olympic veterans making up half of the crew and six-time Olympian Lesley Thompson-Willie in the coxswain’s seat, Canada is aiming for the medal stand. The boat won an Olympic qualifying race in Poland last month.

Lia Pernell ’03 | Rowing | United States

After spending five years on the national team, Pernell has earned her first trip to the Olympics, but according to her bio from U.S. Rowing, the achievement was 24 years in the making. Pernell first became fascinated with the Olympics in 1984, when Los Angeles hosted the summer games and her family was living there. “I was 3,” she said, “but it was all I could think about from there on out.”

Paul Teti ’01 | Rowing | United States

Teti is one of two athletes on America’s 45-person rowing roster who will be competing in the Olympics for a third time. In Sydney and Athens, he competed with the U.S. men’s lightweight four. This time, he will be in the men’s four without coxswain. Olympic longevity seems to run in the family. Teti’s brother Mike, now a coach of the U.S. team, also competed on three Olympic teams.

PAW archives: Read about Paul Teti ’01’s preparation for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.

Alumni rowers earn tickets to Beijing

Five Princeton alumni were named to US Rowing’s 2008 Olympic roster June 27. Paul Teti ’01 will row in his third consecutive Olympics, this time with the men’s four. Lia Pernell ’03 will compete with the women’s quadruple sculls. Caroline Lind ’06 will be a member of the women’s eight, and classmate Steven Coppola ’06 will join the men’s eight. Simon Carcagno ’98 was selected as an alternate on the men’s team.

Alumnus Sam Loch ’06 was chosen for the Australian men’s eight earlier this year, and Olympic veteran Andreanne Morin ’06 is a candidate for the Canadian women’s eight. Olympic rowing events will begin August 9 at the Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park in the Shunyi district of Beijing.

Tigers at the trials

Follow Princeton alumni and students at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in Eugene, Ore., June 27-July 6, and the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials in Omaha, Neb., June 29-July 6.

In track and field, NCAA All-American Cack Ferrell ’06 will run the women’s 5,000 meters (semifinals - June 30, 8:50 p.m.; finals - July 4, 8:55 p.m.), and Tora Harris ’02, a 2004 Olympic team member and 2006 USA outdoor champion, will compete in the men’s high jump (qualifying - July 3, 7:25 p.m.; final - July 5, 12:55 p.m.).

The swimming trials will feature eight current or future Tigers, led by multi-talented star Alicia Aemisegger ’10, a qualifier in six events (100-meter butterfly, 200-meter freestyle, 200-meter butterfly, 200-meter breaststroke, 800-meter freestyle, and 200-meter individual medley). Other athletes slated to compete: Courtney Kilkuts ’10, 200-meter individual medley; Meredith Monroe ’11, 100- and 200-meter backstroke; Jillian Altenburger ’12, 200-meter individual medley; Will Schaffer ’09, 200-meter individual medley; Mike Carter ’09, 100-meter freestyle; Dan Eckel ’09, 200-meter butterfly; and Colin Hanna ’11, 200-meter individual medley.