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Vol. LXI, No. 23
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Wednesday, June 6, 2007
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Vol. LXI, No. 23
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Wednesday, June 6, 2007
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(Photo courtesy of Princeton's Athletic Communications)
HOLDING COURT: Courtney Banghart is all smiles as she looks forward to starting her tenure as the head coach of the Princeton University women's basketball program. Banghart was a star point guard for Dartmouth in the late 1990s and has spent the last four years as an assistant coach at her alma mater. During her playing career, she led the Big Green to Ivy League titles in 1998-99 and 1999-00 seasons. As a coach, she has helped the Big Green go 70-44 the last four seasons, including a 41-15 record in Ivy games and two league titles. Banghart replaces Richard Barron, who recently headed to Baylor to be the associate head coach there. |
Courtney Banghart knows a little something about beating up on the Princeton University women's basketball team.
As a star point guard for the Dartmouth women's team in the late 1990s, Banghart led the Big Green to Ivy League titles in 1998-99 and 1999-00 seasons. She returned to her alma mater in 2003 as an assistant coach and helped the Big Green go 70-44 the last four seasons, including a 41-15 record in Ivy games and two league titles.
Coming into last week's state Group II semifinal clash as West Morris Central, the Princeton High boys' lacrosse team had the sense that it hadn't yet produced its 'A-game' this spring.
Rising to the occasion under the pressure of the playoffs, fourth-seeded PHS took its game to a higher level, going full throttle from the opening faceoff. The Little Tigers jumped out to a 2-1 lead after the first quarter. At half, the teams were knotted at 4-4.
James Smirk wasn't sure whether his Princeton High girls' track team was destined to develop into a powerhouse this spring.
"It's interesting, early in the season we struggled," said head coach Smirk. "We seemed to be worried about just surviving the meets. The season was about getting to the appropriate competitive level."
The Little Tigers ultimately reached a high competitive level as they went 8-1 in dual meets and placed second in the team standings at the Central Jersey Group III sectional meet.
Bill Quirk has been a vocal presence on the sidelines at Hun School athletics events for more than a quarter century.
The longtime athletics director is known for appearing at just about any game, whether it be fall, winter, or spring, and barking out pointers to Hun players in his no-nonsense style.
Last Wednesday, though, Quirk was left speechless at the school's annual spring sports banquet.
It was a message that stuck in Ari Silver's mind.
In 2000, Silver and his teammates on the Princeton Soccer Association's Union 90 Under-16 boys' travel team had their first practice with new coach Stoyan Pumpalov, who had recently come to the U.S. after a 22-year playing career in Bulgaria.
After that first training session, Pumpalov told his new charges that they would some day win the New Jersey state title if they stuck together.