Princeton FIELD HOCKEY lost 7-5 to top-ranked Maryland in a hard-fought semifinal at the NCAA Final Four in Winston-Salem, N.C., Nov. 20. Princeton’s Michelle Cesan ’13 scored the game’s first goal on a penalty corner, giving the Tigers a 1-0 lead in the seventh minute. The undefeated Terrapins responded, putting relentless pressure on the Princeton defense and scoring four consecutive goals — three before halftime and one shortly after the intermission.

Then it was Princeton’s turn to show its offensive firepower. A goal by Katlin Donovan ’10 and two by Katie Reinprecht ’12 evened the score at 4-4 before the midpoint of the second half. But Maryland (23-0) again replied. Freshman Megan Frazer scored the go-ahead goal with 13 minutes remaining, and the Terrapins added two more scores in the closing minutes to advance to the national final. Kathleen Sharkey ’12 scored the last goal for Princeton (16-3), which made its first Final Four appearance since 2001.

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY will compete at the NCAA Championships in Terre Haute, Ind., Nov. 23 — the final collegiate cross country meet for Tigers star Liz Costello ’10 and fellow seniors Reilly Kiernan and Alexa Glencer. Costello, a captain and three-time Ivy Heps individual champion, placed 11th at the national meet last year. She has been Princeton’s top finisher in every race this season. “She’s been a terrific leader,” coach Peter Farrell told PAW. “She’s definitely at a higher level [this year].”

Princeton (3-6, 2-4 Ivy) at Dartmouth (2-7, 2-4 Ivy) Nov. 21, 12:30 p.m. Memorial Field Hanover, N.H. Above, a photo from the 1957 Princeton-Dartmouth game. This week, the forecast in Hanover calls for 45-degree weather at kickoff.

In Princeton’s win over Yale Nov. 14, the Tigers were solid in nearly every phase of the game. The running game made consistent gains, taking some pressure off quarterback Tommy Wornham ’12, and Wornham managed the offense well, steering clear of interceptions. The main flaws on offense — four fumbles lost — were counterbalanced by Princeton’s defense, which recovered one fumble and snagged three interceptions.

“In the games that we’ve won, winning the turnover battle has been paramount — that and not giving up big plays,” head coach Roger Hughes said. “I know they’re two cliché statistics, but they’re crucial.”

Protecting the ball will be important this week against Dartmouth, an improving team that has shown occasional dominance in the running game. Sophomore tailback Nick Schwieger ran for a school-record 242 yards in a 28-6 win over Columbia Oct. 24. Two weeks later, Big Green freshman quarterback Greg Patton broke that rushing record — by one yard — in a double-overtime win over Cornell.

History

Princeton and Dartmouth are even in the all-time series (42 wins for each and four ties), but the Tigers have beaten the Big Green five straight times, including a decisive 28-10 win last year. Dartmouth head coach Buddy Teevens recognized that trend in this week’s Ivy football teleconference, calling Princeton “a quality opponent that’s really owned us.” But, he added, “What we need to do is focus on how we play. We can’t get distracted too greatly with what the past history has been.”

By Brittany Urick ’10

A 4-0 trouncing of Yale Nov. 13 helped the MEN’S SOCCER team punch its ticket for Princeton’s first NCAA tournament appearance in eight years. Sophomore forward Antoine Hoppenot stole the show thanks to a hard-earned hat trick, but the win, which was televised before a national audience on Fox Soccer Channel, can be attributed to a solid defensive effort, impressive control of the midfield, and an unrelenting offensive onslaught that involved every player on the field. The Tiger teamwork, a product of veteran leadership and talented youth, has been a hallmark of Princeton throughout the season.

The Tigers began the year with high hopes, posting a perfect 4-0 record in their first four matches. Princeton hit a slump toward the end of September, however, and dropped two Ivy League contests to Dartmouth and Brown. The skid stopped when a 3-0 home victory over Columbia on Oct. 17 renewed Princeton’s confidence. One week later, the Tigers earned arguably their most remarkable win of the season when they defeated then-No. 11 Harvard, 2-1, in a double-overtime game in Cambridge.

Princeton women’s basketball made a significant jump in the Ivy League standings last season — from a tie for sixth place in 2007-08 to third place in 2008-09 — and third-year head coach Courtney Banghart sees opportunities for more progress this winter.

Lauren Edwards ’12 (Photo © Beverly Schaefer)

“We’ve got a really great blend of young, athletic kids who can make plays, with older, experienced, the-time-is-now kids,” Banghart said. “The future looks really bright for this group.”

Four of last season’s top five scorers return, including Addie Micir ’11, a dangerous three-point shooter who averaged 11.8 points per game, and versatile guard/forward Lauren Edwards ’12. Edwards, a coveted recruit during her high school career in Los Angeles, excelled in the second half of the Ivy season, scoring 10 points or more in six of the last seven games and earning a spot on the Ivy League All-Rookie Team.

Center Devona Allgood ’12, another member of last year’s Ivy League All-Rookie Team, will anchor Princeton’s post play. She led the Tigers with 6.9 rebounds per game and 44 blocks as a freshman.

Senior guard Tani Brown and senior center Cheryl Stevens are the team’s captains, and the Tigers have added four freshmen to their roster: guards Kate Miller, Lauren Polansky, and Naveen Rasheed, and center Megan Bowen.

Princeton (2-6, 1-4 Ivy) vs. Yale (4-4, 2-3 Ivy) Nov. 14, 1 p.m. Princeton Stadium Princeton, N.J. TV: YES Network (Photo © Beverly Schaefer)

Winning a rivalry game doesn’t change an entire season, but for Princeton, it could provide an important boost. The Tigers are headed for their third consecutive losing campaign, and a win over Yale won’t prevent that. But beating the Bulldogs would send the seniors off with a positive memory from their final home game — and give the younger players a season highlight, too.

“The Yale game, for Princeton, always has been a big rivalry,” said head coach Roger Hughes. “It has been a game that many coaches [and] many players, many teams, many championships are benchmarked by.” Hughes is 3-6 against the Bulldogs; his 2006 team’s comeback win at the Yale Bowl propelled Princeton to a share of the Ivy League championship.

Yale, under the direction of rookie head coach Tom Williams, is looking for momentum before heading into its finale against Harvard. The Bulldogs are among the Ivy’s top defensive teams, but they dropped a home game against Brown last week, surrendering a season-worst 35 points. Despite new leadership, fans can expect to see the same style of play from Yale, according to the Princeton coaches. On offense, the Bulldogs have a dangerous passing attack led by sophomore quarterback Patrick Witt, a transfer from Nebraska who averages 165 passing yards per game. Defensively, Yale is led by experienced, disciplined, and aggressive starting linemen and linebackers (four seniors and three juniors).

Princeton FIELD HOCKEY, ranked No. 4 in the latest Kookaburra/NFHCA Division I Poll, will host Stanford in the opening round of the NCAA tournament at 11:30 a.m. Nov. 14 in Class of 1952 Stadium. (The Princeton/Stanford winner meets the winner of Boston College and Syracuse Nov. 15, also in Princeton.) The Ivy League-champion Tigers completed a perfect 7-0 league season with a 7-0 win against Penn Nov. 6. Princeton (14-2 overall) has beaten three ranked opponents and was undefeated in eight home matches. The Tigers’ only losses came at No. 1 Maryland (3-2 in overtime Oct. 7) and at Providence (2-1 Sept. 20).

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY, also ranked No. 4 in the nation, will compete for an automatic berth in the NCAA Championships at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Meet in Princess Anne, Md., Nov. 14. The top two teams in the regional race advance to the NCAA meet. The Princeton women swept the top five spots in the Ivy League Heptagonal Championships Oct. 30 to win their fourth consecutive league title. Read more about the team in a Runner’s World interview with three-time Heps champion Liz Costello ’10.

Princeton MEN’S BASKETBALL tips off its season Nov. 14 at Central Michigan, and many Tiger fans are hoping for big contributions from the team’s freshmen, including forwards Ian Hummer and Will Barrett.

(Photo courtesy Wikipedia)

Princeton (2-5, 1-3 Ivy) at Penn (5-2, 4-0 Ivy) Nov. 7, 3:30 p.m. Franklin Field Philadelphia, Pa.

Princeton’s 17-13 win over Cornell Oct. 31 came with a pair of important firsts: the Tigers’ first Ivy League victory and their first come-from-behind win. The fourth quarter was particularly rewarding, head coach Roger Hughes said: “We had a big fourth-down stop to get the ball back. We were able to run most of the time off the clock in our four-minute offense, and our quarterback [Tommy Wornham ’12] and our wide receiver Trey Peacock ’11 were able to make some explosive plays, which we hadn’t been able to do so far.”

Peacock caught three passes, two of them on touchdown plays. His 78-yard game-winning catch and run was the longest passing play in five years for the Princeton offense.

This week, the Tigers face a hot Penn team that has won five consecutive games and looks poised to challenge Harvard for the Ivy championship. A Princeton win could cripple the Quakers’ Ivy ambitions, but according to Hughes, the Tigers are not motivated by a chance to play the spoiler role.

“The Penn-Princeton rivalry has always been a big game … so I don’t know if the spoiler role has anything to do with it,” he said. “Our kids like to play each other, and our kids know that it’s a high-energy, very physical and emotional game when we get together.”

Three of Princeton’s most successful teams have a chance to become Ivy League champions on Friday, Oct. 30.

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY kicks off the day’s action at the Ivy League Heptagonal Championships, held annually at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, N.Y. The Princeton women have won three straight Heps titles and will be the favorite again this year. Liz Costello ’10 has a chance to be just the second woman to win three individual Ivy titles in cross country. She ran the 5-kilometer course in 16:59.9 last year, a Heps record. In addition to Costello, five returning Tigers placed in the top 10 at Heps last year: Reilly Kiernan ’10, Alexa Glencer ’10, Sarah Cummings ’11, Ashley Higginson ’11, and Liz Deir ’11.

Princeton (1-5, 0-3 Ivy) vs. Cornell (2-4, 1-2 Ivy) Oct. 31, 1 p.m. Princeton Stadium Princeton, N.J.

Princeton has stumbled in its 1-5 start, surrendering more than 30 points per game and scoring fewer than 10. Head coach Roger Hughes said this week that his team needs to find more big plays on offense. Saturday’s game against Cornell could be a good time to look for them: The Big Red defense has allowed 410 yards per contest, second-worst in the Ivy League. (Dartmouth ranks eighth with 428 yards allowed.)

After back-to-back road games at Brown and Harvard — last year’s Ivy co-champions — Princeton’s schedule seems to be getting a bit softer. Three of the Tigers’ next four opponents (Cornell, Yale, and Dartmouth) are 1-2 in Ivy play and .500 or worse overall.

History

In three Ivy games, the Tigers have been on the wrong side of three historic performances. Princeton’s losses to Columbia and Harvard were its worst defeats in each series, and at Brown, Bears receiver Buddy Farnham had 309 all-purpose yards, one of the top 10 single-game totals in Ivy history.

Princeton’s history against Cornell is a little more promising. The Tigers hold a 56-33-2 record in the all-time series and have won three of the last five meetings.

(Photo © Beverly Schaefer)

Princeton (1-4, 0-2 Ivy) at Harvard (3-2, 2-0 Ivy) Oct. 24, noon Harvard Stadium Cambridge, Mass.

In this year’s Princeton-Harvard matchup, most signs favor the Crimson. They enter the game 2-0 in Ivy League play and feature the league’s top rushing attack. The Tigers, 0-2 against Ivy teams, have struggled on offense and are now without their two most valuable players, senior captains Scott Britton and Jordan Culbreath, who were sidelined for the year by injury and illness.

But Princeton linebacker Steve Cody ’11 has high hopes for the Tigers’ defense. “I think our defense is suited to play against Harvard,” he said. “They like to pound the ball, and I think we respond well to teams that do that, as you saw in the Colgate game. The whole defense is pretty amped up about that challenge.”

Another promising sign for Princeton: Quarterback Tommy Wornham ’12 had the most accurate passing performance of his young career in last week’s loss at Brown, completing 28 of 35 pass attempts. Receivers coach Gary Goff said that Wornham is getting better at throwing to his second or third target when the primary or secondary routes are well-covered.

Culbreath update

Jordan Culbreath ’10 had been diagnosed with aplastic anemia, a rare and serious condition that occurs when the body stops producing enough new blood cells. He is receiving treatment near his hometown in northern Virginia. Princeton football followers who would like to send get-well wishes can sign the guestbook at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/jordanculbreath.

History

This year’s game marks the 102nd meeting of Princeton and Harvard. The series began in 1877 and has been contested annually since 1934, with the exception of a brief hiatus during World War II. No team has given the Tigers more trouble in recent years. Under head coach Roger Hughes, Princeton is 2-7 against the Crimson, including six games decided by a touchdown or less (four losses and two wins). Harvard has won or shared the Ivy championship five times in the last 12 seasons.

(Photo courtesy Flickr.com)

Princeton (1-3, 0-1 Ivy) at Brown (2-2, 0-1 Ivy) Oct. 17, 12:30 p.m. Brown Stadium Providence, R.I. TV: Versus

Both Princeton and Brown faced off against undefeated, nationally ranked teams from the Patriot League last week. The Tigers matched No. 23 Colgate for four quarters but lost in overtime, 21-14. The Bears avoided overtime against No. 19 Holy Cross by kicking a field goal in the closing seconds of a 34-31 victory.

The Colgate loss included some encouraging signs for Princeton, which outgained the Raiders with a season-high 358 yards on offense. Brown has momentum building as well: Last week, junior quarterback Kyle Newhall set an Ivy League record with 46 pass completions.

Number 21

Several Princeton players and coaches wore “21” stickers at the Colgate game to show their support for team captain Jordan Culbreath ’10, who was hospitalized with anemia and is now receiving bone-marrow treatments, according to head coach Roger Hughes, who said the senior’s condition could be life-threatening. Receiver Trey Peacock ’11 said that Culbreath’s health has been prominent in the thoughts of his teammates. “He’s always with us, he’s always in our hearts,” Peacock said. “We’re praying for him.”

History

Brown won last year’s matchup handily, 31-10, but Hughes has a winning record (5-4) against the Bears. The most important historical number may be two — as in, the loser of this game will have two Ivy League losses. The last time that the Ivy football champions had two losses was in 1982, when Dartmouth, Harvard, and Penn split the title, each with a 5-2 league record.

Princeton (1-2, 0-1 Ivy) vs. Colgate (5-0, 1-0 Patriot) Oct. 8, 7 p.m. Princeton Stadium Princeton, N.J. TV: ESPNU Radio: Sirius 130, WPRB

Five days after losing 38-0 to Columbia in its Ivy League opener, Princeton will return to the field to take on undefeated Colgate, one of the hottest teams in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). The Raiders, ranked No. 23 in one FCS poll, feature formidable running backs Jordan McCord and Nate Eachus, each of whom averages more than 100 rushing yards per game. Colgate’s offense has steamrolled opponents, gaining nearly 450 yards per contest.

Princeton’s offense, on the other hand, is searching for answers. In three games, the Tigers’ attack has scored just two touchdowns (the Princeton defense also scored one against Lehigh). New quarterback Tommy Wornham ’12 has completed 45.4 percent of his passes (44 for 97), and the struggling running game will be without star tailback Jordan Culbreath ’10 for the rest of the season.

Head coach Roger Hughes said that he expects his team will be eager to move past the Columbia game. “While I don’t like to lose with the score the way it was, maybe it’s easier for a team to bounce back from this loss,” he said. “It’s easier to turn the page, say we had a bad game, and go on.”

Steve Cody ’11 (© Beverly Schaefer)

Princeton (1-1, 0-0 Ivy) vs. Columbia (1-1, 0-0 Ivy) Oct. 3, 3 p.m. Princeton Stadium Princeton, N.J.

By Vikram Rao ’11

Princeton opens its 2009 Ivy League season Oct. 3 against Columbia. Both teams come into the game with 1-1 records. The Tigers dropped their first game to The Citadel by a 38-7 score before rebounding with a 17-14 win against Lehigh. Columbia defeated Fordham 40-28 and fell 22-13 to Central Connecticut State.

The Tigers likely will be without senior All-Ivy running back Jordan Culbreath, who sprained his ankle against Lehigh. Culbreath also has been diagnosed with a minor case of anemia. Without Culbreath, the Tigers will rotate juniors Meko McCray and Kenny Gunter and freshman Akil Sharp at running back. Sophomore quarterback Tommy Wornham is making only his third start, and the Tigers will be relying heavily on their senior-laden offensive line.

Defensively, the Tigers will be faced with the difficult task of halting Columbia’s three-headed offensive monster. Quarterback M.A. Olawale is threat to pass or run. (He’s thrown for 316 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for two more scores.) Running back Ray Rangel has rushed for 248 yards on just 36 carries, good for a 6.9 yard per carry. And wideout Austin Knowlin is perhaps the best receiver in the Ivies. Knowlin was named a preseason All-American by The Sports Network and has notched 11 receptions and one receiving touchdown this season.

Jordan Culbreath ’10 (© Beverly Schaefer)

Princeton (0-1, 0-0 Ivy) at Lehigh (0-2, 0-0 Patriot) Sept. 26, 12:30 p.m. Goodman Stadium Bethlehem, Pa.

Princeton and Lehigh are each aiming for their first win of the 2009 season. The Tigers dropped a 38-7 contest to The Citadel last weekend. The Mountain Hawks, who did not play last week, lost their first two games to Central Connecticut State and Villanova.

For the Tigers, every positive from last week’s loss comes with a caveat. The Princeton offense converted 11 of 19 third-down plays, but the Tigers stalled as they neared the end zone. Quarterback Tommy Wornham ’12 completed 24 of 41 passes for 198 yards, but he also threw two fourth-quarter interceptions that led to Citadel touchdowns.

Head coach Roger Hughes said that the Tigers are eager to improve on offense and clean up their mistakes in the kicking game. Princeton’s defense, he said, was most effective when pressuring Citadel’s quarterback last week. Expect the Tigers to try the same approach against Lehigh.

History

This year’s game is the 53rd between Princeton and Lehigh, and while the Mountain Hawks have held the upper hand in recent years, the Tigers earned a victory last season. Connor Louden ’09 kicked a 32-yard field goal as time expired, propelling Princeton to a 10-7 win. Jordan Culbreath ’10 ran for 126 yards in the game, the first of five 100-yard outings last season.

Princeton (0-0, 0-0 Ivy) vs. The Citadel (0-1, 0-0 Southern) Sept. 19, 3 p.m. Princeton Stadium Princeton, N.J.

Friction between Citadel cadets and the Princeton University Band may have stolen the headlines from last year’s trip to Charleston, S.C., but fans of both teams saw exciting plays on the field. The Tigers and Bulldogs combined for 61 points and 665 yards.

This season, Princeton’s strength is its running game, with Jordan Culbreath ’10, the Ivy League’s top rusher in 2008, leading the way. On defense, the Tigers are aiming to force more turnovers. They have a large but inexperienced line, strong linebackers, and a seasoned secondary.

The Bulldogs have offensive firepower, with returning quarterback Bart Blanchard throwing passes to All-American receiver Andre Roberts, but they are looking to improve on defense. The Citadel surrendered 32.8 points per game last year, en route to a 4-8 record.

Princeton football fans have several reasons for optimism in 2009: A star running back returns, along with most of the offensive line, from a 4-6 team that fell a few plays shy of a winning season last year. On the other side of that coin, there are plenty of unknowns, including newcomers at quarterback and on the the defensive line. At the team’s preseason media day Sept. 4, head coach Roger Hughes gave his first assessment of the coming season: “cautiously optimistic.”

Some of his optimism comes from what happened before practice began. Dozens of Princeton players spent the summer on campus, lifting weights and training together in seven-on-seven games. Hughes said the team entered its August workouts with a healthy dose of camaraderie, much like it did in Princeton’s 2006 Ivy League championship season. “Conditioning shouldn’t be an issue, chemistry shouldn’t be an issue,” he said. “Now it’s about execution.”

Below, previews of the offense, defense, and special teams.

If they were a circus act, they could be the Flying Slovenskis. Brothers Steve Slovenski ’09 and Dave Slovenski ’12 have excelled as Princeton track athletes — Steve was one of the Tigers’ top decathletes, and Dave won the pole vault at the Ivy League Indoor Heptagonal Championships last February — but they appear even more impressive competing against each other in an event they created: the unicycle pole vault.

The younger Slovenski first brought his unicycle to track practice to use it in warm-ups. (It’s similar to pedaling an exercise bike, he says, but it works more muscles.) When Princeton coach Fred Samara saw the brothers riding while carrying poles, he asked incredulously if they were planning to vault off of their unicycles.

“That sounds crazy and dangerous,” Dave said.

“Let’s try it!” Steve replied.

The results of their creative combination can be seen in the YouTube video below, which shows the brothers clearing the bar at up to 10 feet while big-top theme music plays in the background.

Men’s lightweights win at Henley; Bates named coach of men’s lacrosse; Senior awards; Track All-Americans; Baseball draft; More

The Princeton MEN’S LIGHTWEIGHT CREW added another championship in its perfect season, edging the Brown freshman heavyweights to win the Temple Challenge Cup at the Royal Henley Regatta July 5. The Tigers won the national lightweight title and the Eastern and Ivy championships in 2009, but the Henley win may have been their crowning achievement: They were the first Princeton lightweight boat to win the Henley collegiate title since 1973.

[Corrected July 15: While 2009 marked the Princeton lightweights’ first Temple Challenge Cup win since 1973, the Princeton freshman men’s heavyweights won the Temple Challenge Cup in 2003, and the Princeton men’s heavyweights won the Ladies Challenge Plate in 2006. Nine Princeton boats have won Henley titles, beginning in 1948 when the Princeton lightweight eight won the Thames Cup.]

Former Drexel coach Chris Bates was named head coach of Princeton MEN’S LACROSSE June 29, replacing Hall of Fame coach Bill Tierney, who resigned three weeks earlier to become the head coach at the University of Denver. Bates, a 1990 Dartmouth graduate, led Drexel to 31 wins and two Colonial Athletic Association championships in the last three seasons.

Ten athletes shared top honors at the Princeton Varsity Club’s SENIOR AWARDS banquet May 28. Lee Jubinville (men’s hockey), Mark Kovler (men’s lacrosse), Doug Lennox (men’s swimming), Michael Maag (men’s cross country and track), and Mauricio Sanchez (men’s squash) shared the Roper Trophy, given annually to Princeton’s top male athletes. Susannah Aboff (women’s golf), Kathrine Giarra (women’s diving), Parker Henritze (women’s volleyball), Holly McGarvie (field hockey and women’s lacrosse), and Jolee VanLeuven (women’s cross country and track) received the Von Kienbusch Award for the top female athletes.

Mathematics major Cary Malkiewich (men’s heavyweight crew) won the Class of 1916 Cup as the varsity letter winner with the highest academic standing. Adam Berry (football), Joelle Milov (women’s swimming), Agatha Offorjebe (women’s track), and Kristin Schwab (field hockey and women’s lacrosse) earned the Art Lane Award for selfless contribution to sport and society.

Bannister’s star turn at Reunions

During Reunions 1949, Palmer Stadium played host to an international track meet pitting a combined squad of Princeton and Cornell stars against top athletes from Oxford and Cambridge. The marquee race featured Ron Wittreich ’50, in black, one of the NCAA’s top three milers that year, and Oxford captain Roger Bannister, in white.

Wittreich, the “Tenafly Flyer,” led at the half-mile mark, but near the end of the third lap, Bannister took over and glided to the finish in 4:11.1. Five years later, Bannister would make history as the first miler to break the four-minute mark.

(Photos: PAW, July 8, 1949)

Tigers fall to Ivy rival Cornell

By David Marcus ’92

Cornell defeated Princeton 6-4 in the NCAA Division I men’s lacrosse quarterfinals May 16. The game was only the third in the 39-year history of the NCAA tournament in which two opponents combined to score fewer than 11 goals.

“It was nothing short of a slugfest,” said Cornell head coach Jeff Tambroni. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a game in which two teams with so many gifted offensive players got shut down like that.”

“Both teams knocked the ball to the ground a lot more than I’ve seen in a long while,” said Princeton head coach Bill Tierney. “I thought both defenses played extremely well.”

Both coaches signaled their anticipation of such a contest by calling timeouts in the first quarter. Tambroni used one to adjust his defense late in the period, and Tierney countered by setting up an extra-man play after Jack McBride ’11 scored to cut Cornell’s lead to 2-1 with 1:52 left. But Princeton was unable to capitalize on the opportunity, and Cornell answered by scoring a critical goal with eleven seconds left in the quarter. “To be honest, I thought it got away from us when they made it 3-1,” Tierney said.

First midfield leads Princeton men to first-round win

By David Marcus ’92

Mark Kovler ’09 scored five goals and added an assist to lead Princeton University’s men’s lacrosse team to a 10-7 win over the University of Massachusetts in an opening round NCAA playoff game at Princeton May 10. With the win, the Tigers advance to play Ivy League rival Cornell at noon May 16 in a quarterfinal match at Hofstra University.

“It was a tough game for us,” Princeton head coach Bill Tierney said of his squad’s first playoff win since 2006. “It was a big mental hurdle. Now we know who’s waiting for us. We know them and what they do, and they know us and what we do.”

The game turned on a timeout by Tierney in the second quarter. Goalie Tyler Fiorito ’12 was struggling to clear the ball and heaved a pass from his own end of the field into the UMass half. Princeton’s Jack McBride ’11 came up with the ball, and Tierney immediately called timeout with 6:10 left and Princeton leading 3-1. Kovler scored on the ensuing possession and added another goal a minute later. He finished out the half by firing a shot past the Minutemen’s second-string goalie after starter Doc Schneider got an unnecessary roughness penalty. Schneider came into the game with the second-highest save percentage in Division I and made 13 saves against Princeton.

UMass never got closer than three goals in the second half. Fiorito made four of his 12 saves in the fourth quarter to preserve the lead before Rich Sgalardi ’09 scored the last of his three goals with two minutes left to give Princeton (13-2) a 10-6 lead.

Kovler and Sgalardi played in Princeton’s first midfield along with Scott McKenzie ’10, who added a goal and an assist against UMass. With temperatures in the mid-60s and UMass holding the ball for long stretches, Tierney was able to use his first midfield on most of his team’s possessions, a strategy that may become harder to implement in hot weather or a more up-tempo game.

UMass usually opted for a man-to-man defense, and Tierney and his offensive coordinator, Dave Metzbower, countered by initiating almost all of their offense from the midfield. Kovler, Sgalardi and McKenzie finished what they started by accounting for nine of Princeton’s 10 goals and all three of its assists. Attack Tommy Davis ’09 broke their stranglehold on the scoring column with a man-up goal late in the third quarter.

The victory sets up a rematch with Cornell, which defeated Princeton 10-7 in Ithaca April 18. The Big Red won 14 of 19 face-offs that day, allowing them to dominate time of possession. The two teams tied for the Ivy League title (each was 5-1 in Ivy games). The winner of the May 16 game will earn a trip to the Final Four at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass.

Women’s lacrosse stifles Hoyas in 15-9 win

By Eben Novy-Williams ’10

If there was one play that perfectly exemplified the Princeton women’s lacrosse team’s 15-9 dismantling of Georgetown in the first round of the NCAA tournament May 10, it came with 17:47 remaining in the second half.

Following a free-position save by sophomore goaltender Erin Tochihara, the Tigers pushed the ball up the field in a hurry. After crossing midfield, midfielder Holly McGarvie ’09 found attack Kristin Morrison ’10 streaking toward the goal and fed a perfect pass over the Georgetown defense. Morrison caught the ball in stride and stuffed it inside the Hoyas’ net to give Princeton an 11-7 lead.

Throughout the program’s second straight first-round victory, the Tigers (14-3) were proficient on both ends of the field. Senior midfielder Kristin Schwab had a team-high five goals, while Tochihara made eight saves and the Princeton defense held the Hoyas scoreless for the first 26:48 of the second half.

“This was a really big win for us against a very talented Georgetown team,” Princeton head coach Chris Sailer said. “We came out and really executed our game plan very well. … We’ve been united in a common mission all year long, and we saw that on the field today.”

The Hoyas opened the scoring just 1:44 into the game, but the Tigers responded with four straight goals — from Morrison, Schwab, Christine Casaceli ’09, and McGarvie — to build a lead they would never relinquish. Georgetown pulled within one with 18 seconds remaining in the first half, but the Tigers opened the second frame with five unanswered goals to put the game away.

As impressive as the Princeton offense was, however, the second half belonged to Tochihara, who led the defense in its domination of one of the nation’s most talented offenses.

“I came out in the second half a lot more relaxed,” Tochihara said. “I really just focused on playing my game.”

It may not have been the prettiest of games — the defensive struggles at the end of the first half were eerily reminiscent of Princeton’s loss to No. 2 Maryland two weeks ago — but the Tigers were best when it mattered most, especially in the second half, when they won nine of 10 draws and 11 of 16 ground balls. Schwab led the team with five goals, Morrison added four goals and an assist, and McGarvie, the Ivy League Player of the Year, recorded a team-high three ground balls.

The Tigers now advance to the second round of the NCAA tournament May 16, where they play a familiar opponent: undefeated defending-champion Northwestern.

“We have a lot of experience in the tournament now, and having lost to Northwestern last year, we have a lot of revenge that is motivating us,” Schwab said. “Having played them last year is going to really benefit us going into the game on Saturday.”

Winners in winter

For Princeton athletics, the list of 2008-09 Ivy League champions expanded by three during the winter season, with women’s squash, men’s squash, and men’s swimming capturing team titles. The men’s hockey team missed its chance at the Ivy crown but will play for the ECAC Hockey championship — and an automatic bid to the 16-team NCAA Championships — in Albany, N.Y., March 20-21.

Women’s squash had the most impressive run of Princeton’s winter season, winning all 13 of its matches en route to a third consecutive win at the Howe Cup, the sport’s collegiate national championship. The Tigers were dominant at times, winning by a 9-0 or 8-1 score in more than half of their matches. But they also were outstanding when tested. Princeton beat Harvard 5-4 on two occasions — first to wrap up the Ivy title Feb. 8 and then to win the Howe Cup a week later.

In men’s squash, Princeton’s championship was its fourth in four years, an unprecedented feat that highlighted the contributions of senior stars Mauricio Sanchez, Kimlee Wong, and Hesham El Halaby. The Tigers challenged 10-time defending champion Trinity in the national final and lost 5-4 in a contest decided in the fifth game of the ninth match.

The men’s swimming team captured the Ivy title for the third time in four years. The Tigers won the final four events of the championship meet, held March 5-7 at DeNunzio Pool, to extend their lead over second-place Harvard. Doug Lennox ’09 scored wins in the 100-yard and 200-yard butterfly events, shattering his own meet records in both.

The most decorated individual athlete of the winter may be men’s hockey goalie Zane Kalemba ’10, who earned Player of the Year honors from both the Ivy League and ECAC Hockey (as well as Goalie of the Year in ECAC Hockey). Classmate and swimming star Alicia Aemisegger also added to her impressive résumé, earning the Swimmer of the Meet title at the Ivy championships for the third straight year. Aemisegger will compete at the NCAA Championships March 19-21.

Senior thesis spotlight: Cracking the code

With funding from the history department, Kelly Stewart ’09 spent her winter break traveling to libraries and archives in Cuenca, Spain, where the 12th-century law code Stewart is studying for her senior thesis was written.

Stewart is examining the Reconquest period, when Christians regained control of the land from Muslims, and the legal code that was intended to create a more stable, family-oriented society. The Fuero de Cuenca, the code handed down by King Alfonso VIII, was seen meant to represent stability, law, and justice in the region. As “one of the first of its kind,” Stewart noted, it was admired and imitated by Christian settlements in the area.

“What disappoints me is that it’s impossible to know how these laws were enforced,” Stewart said. She is intrigued by some of the trial-by-battle rules, which declare God’s intervention as a deciding factor in a fight to the death, as well as laws that protected women and their honor.

While exploring Cuenca and researching at the Biblioteca Nacional de España in Madrid, the Cuenca Provincial Archive, and the Catedral de Cuenca, Stewart was able see architecture from the time period. And at an 800th anniversary event at the Catedral, she saw a page from the original code displayed, written in Castilian.

Some of the most rewarding experiences of her trip were learning to navigate through the old town, walking on its hills, and seeing the cliffs and rivers that mark important geographical boundaries. Cuenca sits perched between two gorges, part of its defense against invaders.

“It really does bring the project to life by seeing it in context,” Stewart said. By Julia Osellame ’09

Above, Kelly Stewart ’09 in Cuenca, Spain. (Photo courtesy Kelly Stewart ’09)

Read other senior thesis spotlights: Chip Snyder ’09 on safari | Adrian Diaz ’09 gets ‘Lost’ | Rosa Marie Maiorella ’09 researches ‘boogie houses’

More from ‘Joker One’ author Campbell ’01

Author and former Marine Lt. Donovan Campbell ’01, featured in the Books and Arts section of PAW’s March 18 issue, spoke about his new memoir, Joker One, with Terry Gross of NPR’s Fresh Air March 5.

Click here to listen to the interview and read an excerpt of Campbell’s book at NPR.org.

Princeton football draws a dozen on ‘signing day’

Since Ivy League colleges do not award athletic scholarships, recruits for Princeton’s football team are not asked to sign the NCAA’s letter of intent. But even without the paperwork, several Princeton-bound players announced their intentions on “signing day,” Feb. 4. The early indicators show a geographically diverse recruiting class for coach Roger Hughes’ squad: The first 12 incoming Tigers hail from 10 different states.

Stuart Ahlum, quarterback, Myers Park H.S., N.C. [Charlotte Observer]

Andrew Bierschenk, kicker, Oaks Christian H.S., Calif. [Ventura County Star]

Princeton (3-6, 2-4 Ivy) vs. Dartmouth (0-9, 0-6 Ivy)

Nov. 22, 1 p.m. — Princeton Stadium, Princeton, N.J.

(Photo courtesy Joe Shlabotnik/Flickr)

History

Princeton-Dartmouth has been one of the Ivy League’s most evenly matched rivalries over the years. The Big Green lead the all-time series by the slimmest of margins (42-41-4). Neither school has beaten the other in five consecutive seasons, but the Tigers could accomplish that feat with a win this year.

Princeton (3-5, 2-3 Ivy) at Yale (5-3, 3-2 Ivy)

Nov. 15, noon — Yale Bowl, New Haven, Conn.

History

The Princeton-Yale series, now in its 131st installment, ranks second on the list of college football’s most-played rivalries, behind Lehigh-Lafayette. The Bulldogs have the all-time edge (71-49-10), but the Tigers scored a major victory in their last trip to New Haven, winning 34-31 in 2006 and earning a share of the Ivy League championship.

Head coach Roger Hughes said that when he was hired, he was told about the matchup’s importance, but he didn’t understand the magnitude until he received a flood of messages from alumni after Princeton’s 2000 win in New Haven. That passion, combined with the long history, makes Princeton-Yale “a very special rivalry,” he said.

This year

Princeton suffered a disappointing 14-9 loss to Penn Nov. 7, while Yale enters this week’s game on a high note after beating Ivy frontrunner Brown, 13-3, in Providence Nov. 8. Princeton’s seniors are 1-2 against Yale and are anxious to even the score. The game will be televised nationally on Versus.

Princeton (3-4, 2-2 Ivy) vs. Penn (4-3, 3-1 Ivy)

Nov. 7, 7 p.m. — Princeton Stadium, Princeton, N.J.

History

Friday night’s game will be the 100th between Princeton and Penn, and everyone associated with the rivalry has a favorite. Tops on the list for Princeton head coach Roger Hughes: the 2006 game, when Rob Toresco ’08, stalled at the goal line, flipped the ball to quarterback Jeff Terrell ’07 for a key touchdown in overtime. Defensive coordinator Steve Verbit, who has been at Princeton for 24 seasons, fondly recalls a goal line stand in 1995 that helped the Tigers secure a 22-9 win. For more memorable moments and historical photos, check out “100 and counting,” a story from PAW’s Nov. 5 issue.

Above, Frank McPhee ’53 caught this Dick Kazmaier ’52 pass for a touchdown against Penn in 1951.

Princeton (2-4, 1-2 Ivy) at Cornell (3-3, 1-2 Ivy)

Nov. 1, 1 p.m. — Schoellkopf Field, Ithaca, N.Y.

(Photo courtesy Mark Anbinder/Flickr.com)

Princeton (2-3, 1-1 Ivy) vs. Harvard (4-1, 1-1 Ivy)

Oct. 25, 1 p.m. — Princeton Stadium, Princeton, N.J.

Princeton (2-2, 1-0 Ivy) vs. Brown (2-2, 1-0 Ivy)

Oct. 18, 1 p.m. — Princeton Stadium, Princeton, N.J.

Princeton (2-1) at Colgate (3-2)

Oct. 11, 1 p.m. — Andy Kerr Stadium, Hamilton, N.Y.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

What you need to know about Princeton football in 2007

A Weekly Blog Summer Special

1 - Princeton loss in 2006. Cornell topped the Tigers 14-7 at Schoellkopf Field, and coach Jim Knowles expects another competitive game when his team comes to Princeton for a Friday-night showdown Oct. 26. “We match up pretty well against them,” Knowles said in August. “All three years that I’ve been [at Cornell], they’ve been really close games. There’s a nice rivalry there.”
2 - Starting running backs returning. Fullback Rob Toresco ‘08 and tailback R.C. Lagomarsino ‘09 accounted for a third of Princeton’s offensive attack last season. The two combined for 779 rushing yards and caught 49 passes for 491 receiving yards.
3 - Passes thrown by Bill Foran ‘08 last season. The new starting quarterback is a former sprinter on the Princeton track team who excelled as a kick returner and part-time wide receiver in the last three years, but he disputes the notion that he’s a running quarterback. “I think that’s a little unfair,” Foran said. “Just because you’re fast doesn’t mean you’re a runner. As a quarterback you have to be both [a runner and a passer]. … I can make all the throws.”
4 - Princeton games decided by a field goal or less last season. The Tigers won all four: 27-26 at Colgate in overtime, 31-28 over Harvard, 31-30 over Penn in overtime, and 34-31 at Yale. “Our largest lead [last season] was 14 points, and that was in the very last game,” head coach Roger Hughes said. “We got to enjoy that lead for two minutes.”
5 - More yards between the kicker and the far end zone. Kickers will start at their own 30-yard-line, instead of the 35. The NCAA made the change to prevent touchbacks and encourage more returns, but offensive coordinator Dave Rackovan is not sold on that logic. “I think it’s going to create injury situations,” Rackovan said, noting that players will have five more yards to build up speed before colliding. “It’s not a great rule, but we have to live by it.”
6 - Uniform number of wide receiver Brendan Circle ‘08. Jeff Terrell ‘07 slipped 56 passes into the sure hands of number 6 last season, and Circle finished the year with a league-best 835 receiving yards. “He doesn’t have great speed,” Hughes said of Circle, “but he has great savvy and great football sense and understands how to get open.”
7 - Princeton wins in its last seven games against Lehigh, Lafayette, and Columbia. The Tigers have played well against this year’s September opponents in the last three years. With wins over Lehigh and Lafayette in 2006 (the Patriot League’s top two teams), Hughes joked that the Tigers could have staked a claim to the Patriot title.
8 - Ivy championships for Princeton in the league’s 51 seasons. By splitting the title with Yale last year, the Tigers ended a 10-year drought. Princeton celebrated the achievement by including a picture of its Ivy championship ring in the corner of each page of the 2007 media guide.
9 - Starters lost: four on offense, four on defense, plus punter Colin McDonough ‘07. Recent graduates J.J. Artis ‘07 and Tim Strickland ‘07 both were first-team All-Ivy defensive backs last season, and replacing them will be a significant challenge for defensive coordinator Steve Verbit. The punting job likely will go to Princeton-native Ryan Coyle ‘09. “He stepped in for two games last year when Colin was hurt and has really shown a lot of promise,” Hughes said.
10 - Games, starting this Saturday. The complete schedule:

Sept. 15 LEHIGH, 6 p.m.
Sept. 22 at Lafayette, 6 p.m.
Sept. 29 COLUMBIA, 3:30 p.m.
Oct. 6 HAMPTON, 3:30 p.m.
Oct. 13 at Brown, 12:30 p.m.
Oct. 20 at Harvard, 12:30 p.m.
Oct. 26 CORNELL, 7 p.m.
Nov. 3 at Penn, noon
Nov. 10 YALE, 1 p.m.
Nov. 17 at Dartmouth, 12:30 p.m.