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Vol. LXIV, No. 34
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Wednesday, August 25, 2010
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Vol. LXIV, No. 34
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Wednesday, August 25, 2010
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(Photo Courtesy of Ross Tucker)
MEDIA PLAYER: Ross Tucker, right, conducts an interview with venerable Penn State football coach Joe Paterno. Tucker, a former Princeton University football star who played seven seasons in the NFL, has emerged as a sports media star since retiring from the game in 2007. The 2001 PU alum works as a broadcaster and writer covering a host of college and NFL football events. He appears on the SIRIUS Satellite Radio, YES Network, Versus, Sports USA Radio, and writes a column for SI.com. |
When Ross Tucker’s pro football career ended after injuring his neck in 2007 while playing for the Washington Redskins, it looked like it might be time for the Princeton University alum to move beyond the game.
Instead, Tucker has become even more immersed in football after the end of his playing days, now working as a broadcaster and writer covering a host of college and NFL football events.
For the former Tiger standout lineman, a four-year starter for Princeton from 1997-2000, the neck injury has turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
For Ryan Boyle, playing on the U.S. team that fell 15-10 to Canada in the 2006 world championship lacrosse game created a stain on his impeccable resume in the game.
Former Princeton University standout Boyle, 28, who won an NCAA crown with the Tigers in 2001 before winning the 2002 world championship and three Major League Lacrosse (MLL) titles, was not pleased to be on the first U.S. team to lose at the worlds since 1978.
So when Boyle found himself on a U.S. squad that fell 10-9 to Canada last month in pool play at the 2010 world tourney in Manchester, England, it would have been understandable if the attackman had been left distraught by the loss.
Upon joining the Princeton University women’s open rowing team in the fall of 2007, Michaela Strand latched on to some good role models.
As Strand made the transition to college rowing, she soaked up plenty of lessons from coxswain Ariel Frost and stroke Sara Hendershot, who ended up as team co-captains this season in their senior year, leading Princeton to a second place finish in the Eastern Sprints and third in the NCAA grand final.
“Having Ari [Frost] and Sara [Hendershot] a grade above me was great,” said Strand. “They were both great leaders. They led by example and inspired everyone to reach their potential. They had a clear sense of purpose.”
In 2009, Robin Prendes couldn’t compete for the U.S. in the U-23 World Rowing Championships as he was busy helping the Princeton University men’s lightweight crew cap a perfect season with a title at the Henley Royal Regatta in England.
After helping the Tigers repeat as champions at the Eastern Sprints and the Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) regattas this season, Prendes was determined to go overseas this summer with the U.S. squad for the U-23 worlds in Brest, Belarus.
For Maddie Copeland, it was not love at first sight when she took up field hockey in middle school.
“I started playing in seventh grade when I came to Stuart [Country Day]; I didn’t really like it at first,” recalled Copeland. “My parents had told me I should try it.”
By the time Copeland moved up to Stuart’s upper school varsity team as a freshman, she was fully committed to field hockey.