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CLUB SPORTS OFFICE
Binghamton University
P.O. Box 6000
East Gym Office #102
Binghamton, NY 13902
Phone#: (607)-777-4318
Fax #: (607)-777-4467

Office Hours
Mon.- Fri. 10am- 6pm

Summer Office Hours
Mon.- Fri. 10am- 6pm

BADMINTON:
Fall 2003 was a big success for the badminton club. Not only were we able to increase the number of members, but we also introduced badminton to more individuals, which many of them had never heard about it in the past.

We increased the number of activities and improved the quality of equipment which was due to the increase of members this year. The fall 2003 Badminton Club Tournament was held in October 2003 this year. The tournament had four different categories: Men's Advanced Singles, Coed Intermediate Singles, Men's Doubles, and Mixed Doubles. We were using the International Badminton Federation official scoring system and rules to judge the games. The results of the tournament we as follows:

Men's Advanced Single: Champion - Atul Pawar
First Runner-up - Kinjal Munshi
Second Runner-up - Peter Dahlke
Coed Intermediate Single: Champion - Sandeep Kapoor
First Runner-up - Jie Zhen (Stanley)
Men's Double: Champion - Felix Cheng & KaKing Yan
First Runner-up - Andy Wong & David Kong
Mixed Double: Champion - David Kong & Li Zong
First Runner-up - Felix Cheng & Maggie

We have developed a web page to inform our members of the club about updated news and announcements. We also post tournament pictures for members to remember how exciting an event was. Please visit our official website: BADMINTON CLUB.

We are pleased to have made so much progress this semester. The Binghamton University Badminton club has become a well-known student club on campus. However, we hope to improve more in the coming semester.

CYCLING:

The Cycling club is cooling down for the winter after a solid season of riding and racing. The season was ripe with good weather, which allowed for mountain/road biking until the snow fell. The most memorable event of this fall was the XC/Downhill/Biker Cross weekend at Plattekill Mountain in mid October. Although it rained buckets and was blistering cold, the riding was excellent and the mud proved to be a challenge. Participants from the club included Jason Boeckmann, Andy Kirsch, Josh McKean, Bill Cullen, Andy Nasca, and Adam Petela.

Many club members are gearing up for the ski/snowboard season to fill the void of biking in the winter months. Some are looking to attend the NYS Winter-X Games at Swain Mountain to compete in the snow-covered biker cross. A mountain bike weekend trip is in the works for early spring - which will be discussed at the next club meeting. The club is beginning to think about the 2004 road season that lies ahead. Anyone interested in joining the race team, or just looking for some recreational riding should contact William Cullen.

EQUESTRIAN:
The Binghamton University Equestrian team has accomplished many goals and personal accomplishments this fall semester. The team had good overall placements, competing against 11 teams. At Hartwick the team placed 7th, Morrisville tied at 6th, Skidmore at 8th, and Cornell 8th. Besides competing at an intercollegiate show and getting over a course of 3' fences and flat classes, the team had fundraisers, hands on activities, get-togethers and many interested new members. Although fundraising may seem tedious and time consuming, the Equestrian team made the best of it. Knowing that all the girls wanted nothing more but to get on a horse and show, learn about horses, or support the team was more than enough encouragement to make the money. Between gourmet Gertrude Hawke chocolates, a flower sale that helped us out from last semester and more candy sales within Binghamton's new union, the team achieved their goal of 1,500 dollars. The team even raised money using their own team slogan on T-shirts, and Binghamton Equestrian hooded sweatshirts as well. Surprisingly, many became interested in the T-shirts and sweatshirts; helping out a good chunk of the funds. Besides working on fundraising, the Equestrian team found time at their weekly meetings to get some hands on work done. Being on a "horseback riding team" doesn't mean that we all just "horseback ride". The team is able to talk about horse care, tack and equipment, and even how to shine those boots before going to a Saturday show. Taking the time to show the team know-how about horsemanship is a one of the more interesting aspects of being a part of this team. The girls are all becoming very close this semester as a result of all the activities and shows. They all have fun going out together and maintain their dedication to the team at practice lessons once or twice a week. Our coach Veda Tupy has also been pleased with the team's season. All the girls have improved greatly
in their riding skills, even if they did not show. This semester we have gained many new members, many freshman, and even some sophomores and juniors. Including showing and non-showing, we have gained 11 freshmen, a sophomore, a junior, and a senior. The team also has many riders expecting to point out of their division into the next level of riding. Walking around with the team sweatshirt later in the semester we still receive comments: "We have an Equestrian team?" And we each answer very happily: "Yes, it's great. You should join". Our schedule for the spring is Skidmore on February 21, Cornell on February 29th, Morrisville on March 6th, and Hartwick on March 13th.

FENCING:
For the Fall 2003 season, the fencing club has continued to improve in terms of numbers and results at home and away tournaments. Membership in fencing has continued to grow and a large number of beginner fencers have begun to compete seriously. The Binghamton Fencers continued to do well against other colleges as well as achieving significant results individually. The season highlights are as follows.

The 2nd Annual Binghamton Bash marked the first time that many of the beginner fencers competed. Carla Ziegler, Juliana Peele, Waqas Shaikh and Justin English were the beginner fencers who participated in the tournament. Waqas Shaikh proceeded to earn a new rating of 'D' at the tourney.

The Binghamton fencers also made a showing at the Penn State Nittany Lion's Open, a highly rated fencing competition with the top college fencers. Waqas Shaikh managed to place 23rd in Foil while Eric Pho placed in the top 8 in epee earning his 'C'.

At the home team tournament, there were significant participants from many colleges such as University of Rochester, Lehigh University, Colgate University, New Paltz and Hamilton College. Each of these universities fielded several teams and the event had over a hundred fencers. Binghamton University placed first in foil and third in epee.

The final tournament of the season was at the University of Rochester Blizzard Open. The Binghamton University fencers made a strong showing at the tournament winning the Open Epee.

For the coming season, the Binghamton University club is expected to attend a number of tournaments in the immediate area. As the team continues to improve, we expect the club's results to reflect this trend.

FIELD HOCKEY (WOMEN'S):
This fall was the first season of the new Field Hockey Club here at Binghamton University. Though the team had a rough start, things started to turn around and towards the end of the season things were looking up. The team has only practiced this semester and has not competed against any other institutions, but by springtime they hope to be in a league, or at least hosting a tournament here on campus. Practices became more organized and there is a solid group of girls who are excited about where the team is going. The team is coming together and learning how to work as a team. Watch out for the BU Club Field Hockey team this spring!

GOLF:
The golf club helps to teach beginners the game of golf, while at the same time allow advanced golfers to perfect their skills. While the weather prevents the club from outdoor activities, they use indoor nets to practice their swings. Once the weather improves, they move outside to conduct practice on the local driving range and utilize local courses. The club is also attempting to host a home tournament in the spring between club members and other institutions. Furthermore, they will be looking to travel to other institutions to compete in matches. The golf club is a great way for students of any ability level to learn the game of golf, and practice the skills they acquire. If anyone is interested in joining the club they can contact Steven Friedman.

ICE HOCKEY (MEN'S):
This semester the team is new to Division I ACHA Hockey and a new league. We are now in a formal league and play teams such as Niagara University, Mercyhurst College, Ithaca College, Delaware University, John Carroll College, Buffalo, Syracuse University, The University of Scranton, and Rochester University in both league and non-league games (all teams are ACHA Division I). We traveled to Staten Island in September to start our season as we did last year at Wagner College's Invitational tournament. There is a good group of freshman players that can lead the team both on and off the ice in future years as well as veteran sophomore and junior players that have returned. No long-term issues loom over winter break that hasn't been discussed in private meetings. GOOD LUCK GENTLEMEN IN 2004!!!

KICKLINE:
Kickline has been off to an amazing start this fall semester! With the addition of many new members as well as the return of old, the team is stronger than ever. Cooperation, teamwork, and spirit have all aided in the bonding of this year's team. New routines and ideas have made this season successful. The reduction in basketball games this semester has given our team the time to practice and grow as a team as well as perfect our technique and helps prepare for our first competition season this spring. As for plans for next semester, there are many scheduled basketballs games that we will be performing at, as well as our first competition season. We invite all to come watch us and cheer us on at the halftime show at all men's and women's basketball games. We hope to see you there!!!

OUTDOORS:
September 20 - 6 members of the Outdoors Club bike rode 40 miles around a reservoir near Deposit, NY.

October 3-6 - 15 members traveled to Ver Nooy Kill state forest near New Paltz, NY to camp for three nights, and hiked around the forest. One day we went up to Peter's Kill climbing area and rock climbed all day. Some of the climbs we did were over 40ft. David also taught some beginning rock climbing skills including belaying, basic rock maneuvering, and knot tying. The third day we spent exploring an underground cave outside of Ellenville, NY.

October 11-12 - 6 members went up to the Finger Lakes Trail near Ithaca, NY and backpacked a total of 7 miles, and camped for one night.

October 19 - 14 members of the Outdoors club down to Appalachian, PA to canoe on the Susquehanna. We had 7 canoes, and we traveled 14 miles along the Susquehanna to end up in Kirkwood, NY.

October 22 - Outdoors club gear sale in the old union raised 84 dollars for the club.

October 25 - Outdoors club went to Salt Springs State park to hike in the old growth hemlock forest, and climb on some trees. Afterwards, we went over to Fiatos (south side of Binghamton) to pick apples.

November 3 - Advanced tree climbing in the Nature Preserve. 5 members of the outdoor club went into the nature preserve with rock climbing gear and set up rappels and had fun in an old Chestnut Oak.

November 7 - Binghamton Outdoor Pursuits and Outdoors club collaborative mountain biking trip to Chenango Valley state park.

November 8 - 10 members of the outdoors club traveled to Cooperstown to rock climb in the indoor gym.

November 15 - 15 members of the Outdoors club went hiking in the Nature Preserve, including over to the newly purchased section across bun hill rd, where waterfalls and old growth hemlocks are located.

November 21-23 - Outdoors club traveled to the Catskills to backpack for 3 days and two nights. We backpacked a total of 10 miles, and climbed Hunter Mountain (elevation 4040), which is one of the highest peaks in the region.

December 6 - 13 members of the outdoors club went to the Ithaca area to hike through the various gorges.

RACQUETBALL:
The Racquetball Club traveled to two ECRC tournaments, placing the highest of any team with the same number of members, 7th out of 21. This included many great individual placements in multiple men's and women's divisions. They also hosted a successful community/campus tournament fundraiser, with close to 30 players competing over two days. They are looking forward to increasing their tournament placement at tournaments in the spring, leading up to a national competition in Los Angeles.

RUGBY (MEN'S):
Our first game was home against Sienna College, who happened to be last year's NYS Division II Champions. We scored early with a penalty kick for three points, which ended up being the only points for the game. It was a war though, with lots of confrontations including one scuffle that gave Jason Wolfe a yellow card, and one that sent him to the sin bin. Final Score: Binghamton 3 - Sienna 0.

For our second game, we traveled to Paul Smiths College right near Lake Placid. This was another tough game. Their pack outweighed ours by 200 pounds, but devils rugby prevailed. Phil Menagias had one of the most amazing runs ever witnessed. He started out just beyond Paul Smiths 22 meter line and broke 5 tackles to snake his way in for a try. Final Score: Binghamton 15 - Paul Smiths 5.

Our third game brought us to Hamilton, NY. We had a match against Colgate University. This was supposed to be one of our toughest games of the season. Well, scoring went back and forth a little bit in the first half, and by the end of the first half, we were up by maybe 2 scores. In the second half however, we showed them what Devils rugby was all about. By the end of the game, Matt O'Connor walked away with 5 tries. Final Score: Binghamton 52 - Colgate 19.

Game Four was at Oswego. We've always had problems with this team but this year the game was clean. The Devils simply took it to them. Final Score: Binghamton 39 - Oswego 0.

Game five was at home against Plattsburg; better yet it was during Parent's Weekend so the sidelines were packed. There was literally a wall of people from try zone to try zone and about two rows thick. So obviously we had to put on a show. Chris Anson scored 4 tries and Phil Menagias scored 3. We took it to them from start to finish. Final Score of this massacre: Binghamton 70 - Plattsburg 0.

That brought an end to our regular season play. Devils came out 5 and 0, the way it should be. From this point on it was going to be playoffs.

The first playoff game was for the East Division II Championships against the second placed team in our division - Sienna. It was a home game and, again, we packed the stands thanks to friends, family and Lords. Thanks to brilliant kicking by Jason Wolfe, we were able to hold a 12 - 3 lead for almost the entire game. Then with minutes to go, newcomer and former Oneonta rugger Alex Willen, and Matt O'Brien completed a fantastic two on one for a try to put the nail in the coffin. Final Score: Binghamton 17 - Sienna 3.

Binghamton Devils - EAST DIVISION II CHAMPIONS!
The next game was for the NYS Division II Championship. We played Geneseo at Genesee Community College in Batavia, NY. The 3 hour trip did not phase us at all. Thanks to the Devils pack, which has been the driving force all season, we absolutely crushed Geneseo for a glorious victory. Final Score: Binghamton 46 - Geneseo 14.

In the first round of the Northeast Regional Union Championships, we played a tough Columbia University who were able to do something no other team had yet done-score before we did. Columbia was up in the first half 8 - 3. The Devils came out like an unstoppable force in the second half scoring one try after another. We would not be beat; we had come to far. Thanks to a packed crowd of family, friends, and Lords. The final score of the game: Binghamton 21 - Columbia 8.

Our next game was in Amherst, MA, at UMass for the Semi-finals and finals for the Northeast Regional Union Championships. We were seeded first and were posted to play the United States Coast Guard Academy on November 8, 2004 at UMass - Amherst. We came and we played like Devils - ALL DAY! But we lost. For the first time all season the Devils experienced defeat. It was harsh defeat at that with a score of 29 - 0. The following day, we returned to Amherst to save face. But again, we were slapped in the face with a painful defeat in overtime to Colby by a score of 24 to 17.

Binghamton Devils - 4th PLACE IN THE NORTHEAST RUGBY UNION

Despite ending the season with losses, it was still very successful. We were still left with the foundations upon which Devils Rugby has built - HEART, UNITY, BROTHERHOOD, and AN ABSOLUTE LOVE OF RUGBY. Each and every Devil trained from day one at each opportunity that they could. Each and every Devil that stepped on a pitch and represented the Devils to the fullest extent with strong play and good sportsmanship. Each and every Devil showed more heart than they knew they ever had. That is what we are left with. THAT IS SUCCESS!

CHEERS TO A SUCCESSFUL SEASON DEVILS. Until the Spring…

RUGBY (WOMEN'S):
The Fall 2003 season proved to be a challenging one for the Binghamton University Women's Rugby team. After finishing 2nd in the state for the Spring 2003 season, the fall was one of rebuilding. With almost the entire starting lineup having graduated, the She- Devils did not place as well as expected despite hard work and commitment. However, the returning players and new players on the team came together and proved that Spring 2004 will be filled with wins. They have continued to ensure the longevity of the team as well as enabling exciting events through aggressive fundraising throughout the year. The She- Devils look forward to hosting the 3rd annual Scrumstock tournament in April 2004 as well as hope to begin planning another team trip to Europe to play rugby there.

ROLLER HOCKEY (MEN'S):
The Binghamton Bearcats Roller Hockey Club entered the 2003-2004 season coming off a Division II Collegiate Roller Hockey League National Championship title. After accomplishing this feat and winning three regional championships in the Eastern Collegiate Roller Hockey League (ECRHA) in the past three seasons, the team decided it was time to step up a level and move to Division I competition. Some new freshman talent mixed with our veteran core had the team in high spirits going into our first season at the Division I level.

The Bearcats had a month to practice with their new team before their preseason tournament. The preseason event took us to Feasterville, PA where the Bearcats had captured their National title. Our first game pitted us against Suffolk Community College, ranked #1 in the nation and the result was a 7-2 loss. Our next game was against R.I.T., also nationally ranked at #5, and again the result was a loss, 10-2. The last game of the weekend had the 'Cats facing Neumann College, who handed the 'Cats a 14-4 loss.

Coming back from the tournament, they realized they were not the team they once were, losing 4 valuable players to graduation, including the most valuable goaltender in the league. The team looked to practice hard doing dryland practices 3-5 times a week along with their regular 2 practices a week. Another month went by, and it was time for the team to head to Downingtown, PA for their first regular season tournament. The team was still not at the place where we wanted to be, and it showed. Our first game was against Suffolk again, and the result was a 14-2 loss. Next game was against the University of Pittsburgh, where the 'Cats played a tight game, but lost a close one 8-7. The final game of the weekend was against Drexel University. The team came out flying to a 4-1 lead, but faded fast and allowed Drexel to get back into the game, 9-4 loss.

Our second tournament took us to Glastonbury, CT where we were to play Northeastern, Boston U., and UConn. The team came out angry against Northeastern and played them hard, resulting in a hard fought 7-5 victory, the bearcats first victory of the season, and it felt good. Building on their win, they took it to Boston U., amassing a 6-3 lead with 3 minutes left in the game. Yet, a defensive breakdown allowed the Terriers to tie the game up with a mere 13 seconds left, a disappointing tie for the team. The next game was a forfeit by UConn due to a bench clearing brawl in their prior game. The team's record was now 2-3-1.

After this tournament, the facility we practice at was closed down, and we were not able to practice for a month. A week before our final tournament of the semester, we were granted 2 practices by the school in the east gym. The rust showed on the team as they traveled to Williamsport, PA to play SUNY Buffalo twice, R.I.T., and Penn State, all nationally ranked teams. The first game against Buffalo resulted in a 7-2 loss. R.I.T. pounded the bearcats with a 10-2 win, but the team was showing signs of life. The second meeting against Buffalo saw the team attempting to get its stride back in a 6-4 loss. The final game against Penn State had the team almost back in full stride and they came out fast with a quick 3-1 lead. Penn State rallied back to gain a lead of 5-4, but 2 quick goals by the bearcats had the team up by one with 3 minutes left in the game. Penn State quickly responded with a goal a minute later to tie it, but the 'Cats were not done yet. They slipped one by the Penn State goaltender with a little over a minute remaining and held on for the upset win, 7-6.

The Bearcats look forward to next semester and hope to add some new talent. They will have their first head coach next semester, Joe Vrablic. The team hopes to solidify under their new coach and make a run for regionals and hopefully another trip to nationals, this time as a Division I team. However, the team still lacks a practice facility, finding one will be an important factor in the team's success in the future. We anxiously look forward to what awaits next semester.

RUNNING:
This semester the Running Club had mostly new members, along with a few Veterans, and their friends. They met regularly each weekday evening through the warmer first half of the semester and at their convenience through the colder, busier second half to run around campus and the surrounding neighborhoods. The club explored some new routes along Riverside Drive and Vestal Ave., and spent a few evenings on the track
discussing speed work and sharing training techniques and experiences with each other. Although the Running Club is primarily a recreational club focused on running for fun and fitness, a handful of members did participate in the "Gary Truce Open" cross-country 5k on October 11th. The club hopes to host a recreational track meet this spring, and invites any independent runners to come run with the club.

SHOTOKAN KARATE:
This semester, the Shotokan Karate club increased its membership to 22, our highest yet! Many of our club members traveled to Penn. State University to take their belt test examinations and to attend a seminar taught by Sensei Okazaki, the nephew of the man who brought Shotokan Karate to America. All passed their belt tests and one member even skipped a belt (analogous to skipping grades in school). We also held a fundraiser in theme with the Christmas holidays. Look for more Shotokan fundraisers in the New Union next semester!

Finally, we are also beginning our recruiting process for January '04 and plan to attend our first tournament as a team, though some of our members have already gone individually in past semesters. Our Sempai is to return in the spring to teach in conjunction with our Sensei.

SKIING:
The fall semester has been relatively calm for the ski club, as they spent most of the time praying for early snowfall and a long winter! The 2003-2004 Ski Club are extremely excited to begin on snow training camp in January, and can't wait for the first race on January 17 and 18. The United States Collegiate Skiing Conference has changed their schedule this year and included a race at Bristol Mountain, a significantly larger mountain than what they are used to racing on. The club is looking forward to a successful and exciting season of racing and we'll see all you skiers on the slopes!

SOCCER (MEN'S):
This semester was a building semester for the men's club team here at Binghamton. We played only a few games this fall including away contests at Ithaca and Syracuse, while Cornell traveled here to play us. Three other opponents were scheduled but due to weather we were unable to play Albany, Buffalo, and LaFayette.

This winter has seen more of the team bonding and a greater focus on building for the future. The club has been split into two separate groups in order to help players develop. A competitive team will host some schools while a recreational team will have a separate schedule all their own. Each team will have its own administration and be able to make decisions regarding what they would like to do as a group. As a whole team, trips to Hooters will hopefully develop into more of a tradition.

New dark green T-shirts will adorn our players for the start of the spring 2004 semester as both teams join the Vestal indoor league. After a moderate showing last year, the teams hope to place in the top 3 of the league this year. Other outdoor games will be added to the schedule as the weather gets warmer and talk of joining an organized league has floated through our ranks. The other event that is hopefully in the works for the next semester or two is an alumni game. After our foundation in 2000 we have only enough alums perhaps to field a single team. Within the next year we should be at the point of having the old men come back and show the boys how it's done properly.

Another Binghamton University tournament and increased fundraising are in the not too distant future as well. The desire to go to the National club tournament is strong here and with the right fundraising and players, this team could go a long way. The other goal is to resume our club web-page. An old outdated version exists but with our webmaster gaining acceptance to graduate school it has suffered greatly. With any luck that will be up and running again with all the efforts of the team posted alongside some pictures and information about the club. GOOD LUCK TO THE MEN'S SOCCER CLUB IN THEIR UPCOMING SEMESTER!!!

SOCCER (WOMEN'S):
The Women's Soccer Club accomplished a great season record. With many new freshmen legs, our team was able to have two wins to kick off our enjoyable season. The first two weekends of play we defeated SUNY Geneseo and Colgate. Our next game, at Ithaca was a great competition. Due to the holiday, some of our players were unable to attend this game. Lack of numbers was, in turn, the explanation of our loss. Our final game at Buffalo was the most exciting game of the season. Buffalo was a tough, aggressive team. We noticed this from the very beginning of the game. Although we felt their "aggressiveness" was uncalled for, we kept calm and played our game. This game ended in a one to one tie. Once again, we played Buffalo in the playoffs, and lost one to zero. Overall, we had a great season getting to know one another. Our two wins were a great accomplishment for our team! In the spring we will be joining an indoor league in Vestal and will also play various teams outdoor when weather permits.

ULTIMATE FRISBEE:
The fall season opened with a great start for the Ultimate Club. Many new and surprisingly experienced players showed up to join and bring their knowledge of the sport to the team. We had a great showing at all 6 of our tournaments this season traveling all over New York and into Northern Pennsylvania. On average, the tournaments hosted about 9 teams from other colleges bringing a lot of good competition to the field. The Binghamton Club successfully finished in the top half of every tournament usually coming away in second or third. We plan to kick the spring season off with a couple of indoor tournaments and practices and as the weather begins to improve a few more outdoor tournaments, hopefully including one hosted by us. As always we welcome any new players to the team at the start of every season!

VOLLEYBALL (MEN'S):
The end of the fall semester was important for the future of the Men's Binghamton Volleyball Club. The many experiences gained throughout the semester showed that the team was capable of performing at high levels of competition. However, it also showed that the team has to work very hard in the upcoming spring semester, in order to be competitive in the NIRSA National Volleyball Championship Tournament to be held during the month of April in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Being competitive and having a good record in the upcoming NIRSA Championship is the ultimate goal for the team. "It is what we all have been working hard for" said Dave Smith, the setter for the Men's Volleyball team. When asked about the team's future, the current president of the team Peter Homyak and vice-president William Stubbs replied that: "Even though we lost three of our senior players this year, we have found great new talents that are likely to make a difference during competition against other teams."

Even though many members of the Club are relatively new, the end of the semester has made it possible to concentrate on the areas that need improvement in order to be successful in the upcoming championships.

VOLLEYBALL (WOMEN'S):
This year's Club Volleyball Team has a great deal of new talent. Losing 5 out of 6 of our key starting players, made our club skeptical of how this year was going to unfold. Due to our surprise, we had a great turn out with over 50 girls interested in coming out to play our sport. More than half decided to stay with us for the year. We are confident that this year's team will be just as successful as last year, of not more. We have about 29 girls so far, who are split between two teams. We practice altogether three times a week for about 2 hours.

Being members of the National Women's Volleyball Club League, we are invited to many tournaments in varying locations throughout each semester. Our league director, Jung Park has been only helpful and kind in organizing these tournaments. On November 9, we hosted a tournament here at Binghamton, which presented a great success. Rutgers won this year, competing with thirteen other teams, such as UCONN, Penn State, Cornell, Cortland, Buffalo, Syracuse, Bloomsburg, and Ithaca. Our two teams used this tournament to adjust to new players and develop a competitive strategy. The Binghamton A team was a mere few points away from winning each game they played, which only enhanced our determination for upcoming tournaments. While, Binghamton B made it to the first round of playoffs, and then were also only a few points away from victory. Both teams agree that this tournament is only that first, and plan on achieving higher standards.

This year, NIRSA's Nationals are held in Charlotte, North Carolina. We plan on bringing around 12 girls to compete with over 50 teams. With the drive to play our hardest, we are certain that we can achieve our goal of making a name for ourselves this year. If you are interested in finding out more about NIRSA Nationals, please visit THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE FOR NIRSA NATIONALS.

WATER POLO:

Water Polo Club spent the fall semester competing for the first time in the Collegiate Water Polo Association. It was a learning period for the club as they matched up against some of the strongest teams in the country, including The United States Military Academy, Colgate and Cornell University. The club has been able to put together a strong roster that should set a foundation for the future as they acquire more game experience.

Water Polo competed in three tournaments in the 2003 fall semester. In Geneseo on September 20th and 21st, the club competed in four games. The best game was played against Geneseo, where Binghamton lost despite posting an equal number of goals in the last three quarters. Senior goalie Chris Heckathorne made big saves while senior Andrew Clark led in goals scored for the tournament.

Water Polo made a trip to the big apple to play against NYU, Columbia, Colgate and The United States Military Academy on October 4th and 5th. In a heartbreaker, Binghamton lost to the host team while playing exhausted in their fourth game of the weekend after the team collectively slept on the floor Saturday night in Brooklyn. The leading scorer was Alex Knapp, who in a single game against Columbia poured in 5 goals.

The New York State club championship was held on October 18th on the campus of Colgate University. It showed that the team was very tired after a compact, but tough season. The club hopes to be more prepared for the championships next year. To achieve this, water polo will continue to practice and compete in a minimum of two invitational tournaments in the spring. Practice is held three times a week and no prior experience is necessary. The game is a unique combination of swimming, wrestling and other team sports that is easy to learn but tough to master. If interested, contact Will Randolph. Dedication and commitment are the only things required to be competitive, so join us as we prepare for the 2004 Collegiate Water Polo championships!