Athletics news, fall 2021
Track and field adds nine freshmen
The Binghamton track & field program has announced the addition of nine in-state standouts. The five women and four men will arrive on campus as freshmen in the fall.
On the women’s side Aubrey Runkle (Ontario Center, N.Y.) is a sprinter from Wayne Central High School. She placed second overall in the 400 hurdles at the 2019 New York State (NYS) Outdoor Championships and was third the previous year.
Her top times are 25.54 in the 200, 41.58 in the 300, 57.66 in the 400 and 1:02.66 in the 400 hurdles.
Volleyball alum Kaner signs professional contract
Elizabeth Kaner ’21, a former Bearcat volleyball standout, has officially signed a contract with Hapoel Ironi Kiryat ata, a professional team based in northern Israel. The four-year letterwinner was a defensive specialist and libero for the Bearcats, and emerged as one of the team’s most reliable players in the back in recent years.
“Getting the opportunity to play professional volleyball in Israel is one that I have worked for since I had learned about it when I was 18,” Kaner said. “I couldn’t be more excited.”
The New York City native was a Judaic Studies major at BU, and her ties to the Jewish community held a significant role in her pursuit of a professional contract in Israel.
Kaner attended Yeshiva on the Upper West Side prior to her arrival in Vestal, and has family origins from Israel.
Women’s lacrosse welcomes six recruits
The Binghamton women’s lacrosse team will welcome six true freshmen to the roster for the 2021-22 season. Head coach Stephanie Allen’s recruiting class features four midfielders, a defender, and an attack, all from prestigious New York high school programs.
Abby Carroll (Holtsville, N.Y./Sachem East), Gabrielle Castillo (Suffern, N.Y./Suffern), Christiana Mastrorocco (Mt. Sinai, N.Y./Mt. Sinai), Olivia Muscolino (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker), Angelina Suau (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City) and Marisa Tancredi (Manorville, N.Y./Eastport South Manor) comprise the incoming class and will look to make an immediate impact during the upcoming fall season.
Bump promoted to head softball coach
The Binghamton University Athletic Department has promoted Jess Bump ’14 as its head softball coach. She replaces longtime head coach Michelle Johnston, who stepped down at the conclusion of the recent season for family reasons.
A 2014 graduate of Binghamton, where she was a standout for the Bearcats, Bump has seven seasons of Division I coaching experience heading into the 2022 season. After serving as the graduate assistant at nationally-ranked Kentucky in 2015 and as assistant coach at Lafayette in 2016, she returned to her alma mater as the top assistant coach in 2017.
2021 Hall of Fame class announced
Binghamton athletics has announced its Hall of Fame Class of 2021 and the group is comprised of three former student-athletes and a record-breaking NCAA tournament team from the 1990s.
Selected to join the 121 current members of the Hall in the 26th annual installment are track and cross country runner Erik van Ingen (2008-12), wrestler Justin Lister (2008-12), softball player Jami Pier (1997-00) and the 1995 softball team. The 2021 class will join the previously announced 2020 class in a joint ceremony on Saturday, Dec. 11 at the Events Center.
Athletics to celebrate 75th anniversary in 2021-22
Binghamton athletics will commemorate 75 years of intercollegiate competition during the upcoming 2021-22 school year. The celebration will include social media and website reveals of great moments, elite teams, trailblazers and various features and anecdotes.
The University was officially launched as Triple Cities College (TCC) of Syracuse University on June 6, 1946 and the then two-year school opened its doors to 876 students on September 28, 1946. The first athletics competition was a men’s basketball game against Endicott-Johnson All-Stars on January 10, 1947 (a 61-53 loss). That first year, TCC fielded teams for men’s basketball, men’s track & field and men’s tennis.
Seventy-five years later, Binghamton athletics is a 21-team NCAA Division I program competing in the America East Conference.
Watch for regular posts on the department’s Twitter (@BU_Bearcats), Instagram (@binghamtonathletics) and Youtube (BinghamtonAthletics) channels throughout the 2021-22 year.
Sports Medicine adds two trainers
The Binghamton Sports Medicine Department has announced that Samantha Brown and Erin Craig have been added to the staff. Brown, who will serve as an Associate Athletic Trainer, will work with the Bearcat women’s basketball program and both tennis squads. Craig, meanwhile, will serve as an Assistant Athletic Trainer and work with the softball program.
“The Sports Medicine Staff is very excited to have Samantha and Erin join our team,” Director of Sports Medicine & Performance Chris Downey said. “They both bring excellent experience and youthful knowledge that strengthens our team and overall will benefit the student-athletes’ quality of health care.”
Men’s lacrosse announces big recruiting class
After graduating seven last spring, Binghamton men’s lacrosse coach Kevin McKeown has infused his roster with nine newcomers, set to begin their careers this fall. The recruiting class - largest in McKeown’s tenure - is comprised of one goalie, three defenders, three middies and two attackmen.
Arriving to campus are Nick Cartmill (Ithaca, N.Y./Ithaca HS), Griffin Chernoff (Long Beach, N.Y./Kellenberg), Jack Fearnley (Orange, Conn./Saint Joseph), Christian Hanko (Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan), Matthew Keegan (Lake Grove, N.Y./Sachem North), Thomas Kelly (Rockville Centre, N.Y./South Side), Lorenzo Ramos (Farmingdale, N.Y./Farmingdale), Billy Sullivan (Valley Cottage, N.Y./Nyack) and Connor Winters (Webster, N.Y./McQuaid Jesuit).
Clark hired as video and social media coordinator
Binghamton athletics has hired Zach Clark as its Video and Social Media Coordinator, the department announced Tuesday. Clark succeeds former softball standout Sydney Harbaugh, who served five years in the role.
Clark, a native of Columbia, S.C., comes to Binghamton after working as the social media coordinator at East Coast Magazine Sports. Clark previously honed his college athletics video and photography skills at Wake Forest University, where he covered football, basketball, soccer and tennis for the ACC member Demon Deacons. As a graduate student, Clark combined his studies in the school’s documentary film program with creative content storytelling.
He holds a bachelor’s degree from Clemson (2018) and a master’s degree from Wake Forest (2021).
Men’s lacrosse completes coaching staff
Binghamton men’s lacrosse coach Kevin McKeown has finalized his coaching staff for the 2021-22 year with the addition of Tyler Perrelle and Nick Grill. Perrelle, a former Bearcat captain, comes from Marist, where he served as an assistant on the Red Foxes staff since 2019. Grill just completed an accomplished playing career at Maryland, where he was the 2021 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a USILA All-American.
“We are very excited to announce the additions of Coach Perrelle and Coach Grill to our coaching staff,” McKeown said. “Both of these guys are passionate teachers of the game and will be great mentors for our young men.”
Men’s baskeball schedule announced
The Binghamton men’s basketball 2021-22 schedule has been finalized and first-year coach Levell Sanders’ team will play 11 non-conference and then 18 America East games in the regular season.
The non-conference slate begins with a season-opener against Cornell on Nov. 9 at the Events Center. The Bearcats will play five games in November and then five in December. In addition to Cornell, BU faces fellow Ivy League member Columbia on Nov. 17. Three days later, BU will face BIG EAST member and 2021 NCAA tournament team UConn in a marquee game in Storrs, Conn. The first-ever game between the two programs will pit Sanders against his former Seton Hall teammate Dan Hurley, coach of the Huskies.
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Women’s basketball releases 2021-22 schedule
The Binghamton women’s basketball program has released its 2021-22 schedule, which begins with a Nov. 9 home game against Siena at Dr. Bai Lee Court at the Events Center. The 27-game slate includes 14 home dates as well as a home-and-home series against all nine America East opponents.
The Bearcats’ game against the Saints marks the first of five consecutive home games to start the season. Binghamton follows up with contests against Canisius (Nov. 13), Cornell (Nov. 17), St. Bonaventure (Nov. 20) and Mansfield (Nov. 23). It’s final non-conference home game takes place on Dec. 7 against Pitt-Johnstown.
Former baseball coach McCormack passes away
Former baseball coach Dan McCormack, who positively influenced thousands of Binghamton students in a career that spanned five decades, passed away on Aug. 29 at the age of 82.
McCormack came to campus in 1970 and served numerous roles before retiring in 2018. He led the TRIO/Veterans Programs on campus, coached the BU baseball team for 11 years, helped the softball program for another three and continued to be a friend to athletics as an academic advisor and tutor in mathematics and other subjects. His grant writing expertise helped secure millions of dollars for vital programs that opened pathways to education for veterans, and low-income or disadvantaged individuals. He also taught graduate-level course and workshops on the process of grant writing.
Wrestling releases 2021-22 schedule
The Binghamton wrestling program has announced its 2021-22 schedule, it’s first complete schedule since the 2019-20 season. The Bearcats will take on competition from the Big 12, Pac 12, Big Ten, ACC, and the MAC before diving into EIWA matches in the latter part of the campaign.
“Our schedule was designed so that we will wrestle many of the top ranked opponents across the country,” head coach Kyle Borshoff said. “I’m looking forward to seeing how we stack up against the best.”
Gaube retires after 22 years in athletics
She has worn many hats during her 22 years at Binghamton University. She has been known by several different job titles – Physical Education Instructor, Ticket and Promotions Director and currently the Assistant Athletic Director for Annual Giving.
But is a well-earned nickname that people have long identified with her the most – Bette Bearcat.
Mackay and DePrez honored by department
Senior cross country and track runner Emily Mackay and junior wrestler Lou DePrez have yet to compete this year. On Monday afternoon, however, Binghamton University and the local community paid tribute to the pair of All-Americans for their past accomplishments.
Binghamton University President Harvey Stenger and Interim Athletics Director Dennis Kalina each gave remarks on the accomplishments of both Mackay and DePrez. There were also formal citations from New York State Assemblywoman Donna LuPardo and New York State Senator Fred Akshar.
Wrestling welcomes six newcomers
The Binghamton wrestling program has announced the addition of six newcomers for the 2021-22 season, which includes three true freshmen and three transfers.
“I am excited about the class that we have added for this season,” head coach Kyle Borshoff said. “We have a nice mix of freshmen and transfers coming into the program to add to an already strong lineup.”
Nick Lombard enters as a transfer from the University of Michigan. The Monroe, N.J. native won all three of his matches a season ago, and looks to compete with the rest of the middleweights. A Big 10 All-Academic team member, Lombard also posted an impressive 120-17 high school record before arriving in Michigan.