MOMENT OF MADNESS: Players on the Princeton University women’s basketball team celebrate last Saturday after the 11th-seeded Tigers stunned sixth-seeded Kentucky 69-62 in the first round of the NCAA tournament in Bloomington, Ind. It marked the second-ever win in March Madness for the program. Two days later, the Princeton nearly reached the Sweet 16 for the first time, battling valiantly before getting edged 56-55 by third-seeded and host Indiana in a second round contest. The defeat left the Tigers with a final record of 25-5. (Photo by Bill Alden)

By Bill Alden

When Kaitlyn Chen hit a shot in the waning seconds of the first quarter to give the Princeton University women’s basketball team a 12-11 lead over Kentucky last Saturday in the first round of the NCAA tournament, she was mobbed by her teammates as she ran back to the bench.

With its swarming defense forcing sixth-seeded Kentucky into 31.2 percent shooting (5-16) in the first quarter and sophomore guard Chen and senior Abby Meyers triggering the offense, the 11th-seeded Tigers sensed an upset was brewing before a crowd of 6,389 at Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Ind.

Princeton built its lead to 32-25 at halftime and then utilized its tough defense to hold off a late charge by the Wildcats to win 69-62, setting off a wild celebration with the players screaming, hugging each other, and waving to their supporters in the stands.

Meyers, who ended up with a career-high 29 points in the win, cited the defensive effort in reflecting on the program’s second-ever win in the NCAA tournament (the first since the Tigers topped Green Bay 80-70 in the first round of the 2015 tourney).

“Yeah, I mean, it really just gets down to like it’s Ivy League defense, it’s Ivy League play,” said Meyers.

“I don’t think a lot of people — they just underestimate how good the Ivy League is at both ends. So we wanted to come in and just shock them, and I think we did that. Yeah, I think just making them uncomfortable, too, down low. We doubled up on [Dre’Una] Edwards. She’s a great player, very strong and just trusting in each other one through five and knowing we have help.” more

RAM TOUGH: Princeton University men’s basketball player Ethan Wright dribbles upcourt in game this season. Last week, senior guard Wright scored 18 points and had seven rebounds in a losing cause as Princeton fell 90-79 at Virginia Commonwealth University in the opening round of the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). The loss to the Rams on March 15 left Princeton with a final record of 23-7. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Justin Feil

The Princeton University men’s basketball team saw a record-setting season in which it won the Ivy League regular season title end last week in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament.

The Tigers were eliminated from the NIT with a 90-79 loss at VCU on March 15 to finish the season 23-7 overall.

“They’re a very difficult matchup, especially at their place,” said Princeton head coach Mitch Henderson. “They turn you over a lot. We knew going in we needed to have a special night and take care of the ball to win. Some of our turnovers were costly in the second half.”

The Tigers fought back so many times over the last year that it would have been easy to expect another rally against VCU. Princeton had already returned from more than a year without games to win the Ivy regular season and set four school records for offensive proficiency. The Tigers’ 79.8 points per game is the school’s highest scoring average, their 2,395 points the most ever in a single season, their 910 field goals the greatest total and their 327 made three-pointers a new mark.

“They’re not only the best offensive team in history — most 3s made, most points scored, you could argue one of the best if not the best shooting teams — they’re also great people, to each other and to the community,” said Henderson.  more

GLORIOUS WEEKEND: Princeton University wrestling star Patrick Glory, top, battles Vito Arujau of Cornell in a regular season match at 125 pounds. Last weekend, third-seeded Glory defeated second-seeded Arujau 13-5 in the semifinal at the NCAA Championships in Detroit, Mich. The win gave Princeton its first finalist in 20 years, since Greg Parker ’03 made the final at 174 in 2002. Glory was joined by junior teammate Quincy Monday (157) in the finals, giving the Tigers two NCAA finalists for the first time in program history. Both Glory and Monday went on to lose in their finals as Princeton took 16th in the team standings at the competition won by Penn State. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

It turned out to be a glorious competition for the Princeton University wrestling team as it sent six stars to the NCAA Championships last weekend in Detroit, Mich.

Princeton made program history as two of those standouts, Patrick Glory (125 pounds) and Quinn Monday (157), advanced championship finals, the first time that has happened for the Tigers. Both ended up losing in the title matches, leaving the late Bradley Glass ’53 as the lone Princeton wrestler to win an NCAA Championship as he took the heavyweight title in 1951.

In reaching the final, junior star and third-seeded Glory started his run with a 16-2 major decision over 30th-seeded Jace Koelzer of Northern Colorado in the round of 32 on Thursday. A day later, he earned 10-2 win over 14th-seeded Jakob Camacho of North Carolina State and then defeated 11th-seeded Brandon Kaylor of Oregon State 7-3 in the quarterfinals. In the semis, he faced an Ivy League rival, second-seeded Vito Arujau of Cornell, who had defeated Glory 19-6 two weeks ago in the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) final. Glory turned the tables on Arujau with a 13-5 win. The win gave Princeton its first finalist in 20 years, since Greg Parker ’03 made the final at 174 in 2002.  more

GRACEFUL MOVE: Princeton University women’s basketball player Grace Stone goes up for a shot in recent action. Last Saturday, junior guard Stone scored 12 points to help the Tigers defeat Columbia 77-59 in the Ivy League postseason tournament final in Cambridge, Mass., and earn the league’s automatic bid to the upcoming NCAA tournament. Princeton, now 24-4, is seeded 11th in the Bridgeport Region and will face sixth-seeded Kentucky (19-11) in a first round contest on March 19 in Bloomington, Ind. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

As the players on the Princeton University women’s basketball team entered Jadwin Gym last Sunday evening to watch the NCAA tournament selection show, they broke into a dance together to the music pounding on the arena sound system.

About a half hour later, they leaped to their feet in unison when they found out their NCAA first around assignment which has them seeded 11th in the Bridgeport Region and facing sixth-seeded Kentucky (19-11) in a first round contest in Bloomington, Ind. on March 19.

For Tiger junior guard Grace Stone, the NCAA assignment evoked a sense of deja vu.

“We played Kentucky the first round my freshman year,” said Stone, referring to an 82-77 setback to the Wildcats on March 23, 2019 in Raleigh, N.C. “Actually it was exactly the same seeding which is interesting. I think that they are a really great team and I am really excited to figure out how we can play them and what things we can do.”

The Tigers had to figure out some things last weekend at the Ivy League postseason tournament in Cambridge, Mass., edging host Harvard 72-67 in the semis on Friday and then pulling away to a 77-59 win over Columbia in the title game a day later. The triumph improved the Tigers to 24-4 and extended their winning streak to 17.

In Stone’s view, Princeton benefited by getting pushed over the weekend.

“A lot of our Ivy League games weren’t really that close,” said Stone of a campaign which saw the Tigers go 14-0 in regular season league play before winning the postseason tournament. “We prepared before the tournament for close games and those type of situations so I think it was a really good challenge for us.” more

IVY SADNESS: Princeton University men’s basketball player Jaelin Llewellyn gets covered closely in recent action. Last Sunday, senior guard Llewellyn tallied 18 points in losing cause as Princeton fell 66-64 to Yale in the final of the Ivy League postseason tournament. The Tigers, who dropped to 23-6 with the defeat to the Bulldogs, earned a bid to the NIT due to winning the Ivy regular season title. They were slated to start play in that tourney by playing at third-seeded Virginia Commonwealth University on March 15 in an opening round contest. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

As the Princeton University men’s basketball team looked ahead to starting its Ivy League campaign in January, Mitch Henderson expected a lot of rock fights along the way in conference play.

Over the course of Ivy play, Princeton found itself in a number of bruising battles as Tiger head coach Henderson had foreseen. Utilizing a high-octane offense and an improving defense, the Tigers rallied in several games to go 12-2 in Ivy action, finishing one game ahead of Yale to win the regular season title.

Last weekend at the Ivy postseason tournament in Cambridge, Mass., the Tigers got involved in two more nail-biters, edging Cornell 77-73 in the semis on Saturday before falling 66-64 to Yale in the final a day later.

In the win over the Big Red, the foes were tied at 73-73 heading into the waning moments of the contest before junior star Tosan Evbuomwan put Princeton ahead on a bucket with 36 seconds left. Ryan Langborg added two free throws to add the finishing touch to the win.

“The last minute of the game, there were just three really special plays,” said Henderson, reflecting on the win over Cornell which is guided by former Princeton star and assistant coach Brian Earl.

“We got three straight offensive rebounds. We were advantaged by having the shot clock at six seconds, so Tosan just had to go and make a play. It was an absolute fight. It was one of the most, if not the most intense, games I have ever been a part of. It felt like an incredible win. It did factor in a small way to the following night, just how physical and tough it was.” more

ERIK THE GREAT: Princeton University men’s lacrosse goalie Erik Peters makes a save last Friday night against Rutgers. Senior star and co-captain Peters made a career-high 21 saves to help Princeton defeat the Scarlet Knights 16-11. He was later named the Ivy League Player of the Week for his performance. The Tigers, now 4-1 and up to No. 3 in the Inside Lacrosse Media Poll, host Penn on March 19 in the Ivy opener for both teams. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Minutes after the Princeton University men’s lacrosse team defeated Rutgers 16-11 last Friday evening to earn the Meistrell Cup, the Tigers made a beeline to claim the trophy and Erik Peters hoisted it over his head to the cheers of his teammates.

It was fitting that senior goalie Peters grabbed the hardware as he produced a brilliant effort with a career-high 21 saves to help the Tigers overcome a Rutgers team that came into the game undefeated and ranked No. 3 nationally in the Inside Lacrosse Media Poll.

When the Tigers went scoreless in the third quarter, Peters raised the level of his game, making five saves, some point blank to hold off the Scarlet Knights. The Princeton offense got back in rhythm in the fourth, tallying five goals as the Tigers pulled away to a 16-11 win improved to 4-1.

“I just try to focus on the next shot,” said Peters, reflecting on his performance which got him named as the Ivy League Player of the Week for the second straight week.

“Goalie is a position of percentages and you just have to play the percentages. One goes in so it is, ‘all right, move on to the next one.’”

Peters credited his teammates with helping him control the crease.

“I just fall back and trust in our defense,” said Peters. “We have a bunch of dogs. Every single guy out there is someone that I trust and makes plays. They make it easy for me.”

Things weren’t easy for the Princeton defense in the early going last Friday as the local rivals were knotted at 6-6 19 minutes into the game.

“It is two great offenses and two teams that are both into running and gunning,” said Peters. more

RIGHT ON: Princeton University men’s basketball player Tosan Evbuomwan goes up for a shot in recent action. Last Saturday, junior star Evbuomwan scored 23 points and had eight rebounds and seven assists to help Princeton defeat Penn 93-70 at the Palestra. The triumph gave the Tigers the outright Ivy League regular season title and clinched the top seed for the upcoming league postseason tournament. Princeton, now 22-5 overall and 12-2 Ivy, will face fourth-seeded Cornell in the league semis on Saturday with the victor advancing to the title game a day later to play for a bid to the NCAA tournament.  (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

As the Princeton University men’s basketball team dribbled out the clock in the waning seconds of a 93-70 win over Penn last Saturday evening at the Palestra, the coaches and players on the bench rose as one to savor the moment.

With the Princeton supporters on hand giving the team a standing ovation and a beaming Tiger head coach Mitch Henderson looking on like a proud father, the players hugged on the court after the buzzer sounded, celebrating the triumph which gave them the outright Ivy League regular season title and clinched the top seed for the upcoming league postseason tournament.

“We had a shot at a share of the title last week but it is nice to have the outright title for these guys,” said Henderson, whose team improved to 22-5 overall and 12-2 Ivy with the victory, finishing one game ahead of Yale in the Ivy standings.

“We are thankful to be able to play in front of fans. We have had two years really waiting to have a moment like this. I am really thankful and really appreciative to be coaching this team and be around these guys. It is a really fun group. We will hopefully keep it going. We have a big week ahead but we are really going to enjoy this.”

Henderson enjoyed the way the Tiger offense executed against Penn as it shot 55.2 percent from the floor (37-67) and made just two turnovers.

“I thought everything came out tonight that we have been seeing all season,” said Henderson. “I have said this many times, there is no tension on this team. They search and seek out shots for each other. Nobody is raising their hand, saying that is me. They genuinely enjoy seeing each other do well. I think the reads were really good. Tosan [Evbuomwan] makes it very difficult to guard us. We put him in some spots and the guys have really learned to play around him. We had two turnovers, none in the first half, I have never seen that.”

Junior star forward Evbuomwan displayed his versatility in the win, tallying 23 points with seven assists and eight rebounds.  more

FINISHING SPRINT: Princeton University women’s basketball player Abby Meyers races upcourt last Friday as Princeton defeated Penn 69-43. Senior guard Meyers scored a game-high 20 points in the win as the Tigers clinched the outright Ivy League regular season title. Two days later, Meyers scored 14 points to help Princeton top Harvard 73-53 and end the regular season at 22-4 overall and 14-0 Ivy. With Princeton having gone 26-1 and 14-0 Ivy in 2019-20, it marked the first time in conference history that a team has posted consecutive 14-0 Ivy seasons. In upcoming action, the Tigers will be facing Harvard in Cambridge, Mass. on Friday in the semis of the Ivy postseason tournament with the victor advancing to the title game a day later to play for a bid to the NCAA tournament. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

When Abby Meyers left the court last Friday evening in her final game at Jadwin Gym for the Princeton University women’s basketball team, she proceeded to go down the bench and hug each coach, teammate, manager, and trainer one by one.

“We have a tradition in the locker room where the seniors have to leave for an hour and all the juniors and underclassmen decorate our lockers with pictures and posters,” said senior guard Meyers.

“It is really beautiful, it is a really special day. It is about the seniors but it is really about the team. It is a great atmosphere. We were very happy and excited. We are having fun while we do it.”

Meyers had plenty of reason to be very happy and shower affection on her teammates as the evening was a highlight of a topsy-turvy journey for her. Meyers averaged 9.4 points coming off the bench as a freshman in 2017-18 and then took a year off from school in 2018-19. She returned to help Princeton win the 2019-20 Ivy League title, averaging 6.3 points in a reserve role before the postseason was canceled due to the global pandemic. Meyers was one of the few Tigers on campus last year after the season was canceled.

“With so many ups and downs, I came back to a program where we work our butts off and we win,” said Meyers, a 6’0 native of Potomac, Md. “It is the same result with different people and a different family. We are continuing the winning tradition here.”

Overcoming a slow start against Penn which saw the Tigers trailing 22-20 in the second quarter, Princeton showed that winning mentality, ending the half on a 13-0 run and never looking back on the way to a 69-43 win.

Meyers and her teammates enjoyed an extended post-game celebration as the win clinched the outright league crown for the Tigers. Getting showered with confetti, the Tigers received the Ivy trophy, cut down the net, and posed for a number of group photos. more

DOG DAY AFTERNOON: Princeton University women’s hockey player Dominique Cormier fires the puck up the ice in a game this season. Freshman defenseman Cormier picked up an assist in a losing cause as eighth-seeded Princeton fell 3-1 to second-seeded Yale in the ECAC Hockey semifinals last Friday afternoon in New Haven, Conn. The loss to the Bulldogs left the Tigers with a final record of 13-15-5. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

There was a lot on the line for the Princeton University hockey programs as last Friday dawned.

Coming off a stunning upset of top-seeded Harvard in an ECAC Hockey best-of-three quarterfinal series a week earlier, the eighth-seeded Princeton women’s hockey team was facing second-seeded Yale in the semis at New Haven, Conn. in an afternoon matinee.

Hours later, the 10th-seeded Tigers men’s squad was taking to the ice in Schenectady, N.Y., to play at seventh-seeded Union in the opening game of a best-of-three ECACH first round series.

In the early stages of their semifinal clash, the underdog Princeton women looked to be on the way to another upset, taking a 1-0 lead over the Bulldogs on a first-period goal by Mia Coene. But Yale answered back with two second period goals to forge ahead 2-1.

Over the last 20 minutes of the contest, the Tigers outshot Yale 8-3 but couldn’t break through, yielding an empty net goal in the waning moments of the contest to fall 3-1.

The defeat left the Tigers with a final record of 13-15-5 but the future looks bright for the squad. While Princeton is losing four seniors in star goalie Rachel McQuigge along with forwards Shannon Griffin, Sharon Frankel, and Sarah Verbeek, it will return its three top scorers this season (Maggie Connors, Annie Kuehl, and Stef Wallace). In addition, the team should get a huge lift from the return of Sarah Filler, who took a year away from college to compete for the Canadian women’s team at the Beijing 2022 Olympics and starred as it won the gold medal.

As for the Tiger men, they were looking for a fresh start in the playoffs after struggling through a disappointing regular season campaign which saw them deal with COVID issues and injuries to key players. While Princeton came into the playoffs mired in a six-game losing streak, it was heartened by having gone 8-2 in its last 10 ECACH playoff contests, including winning the 2018 championship. more

By J-TRAIN: Princeton University men’s basketball player Jaelin Llewellyn dribbles upcourt in a game earlier this season. Last Friday, star guard Llewellyn enjoyed a special Senior Night, scoring 29 points to help Princeton defeat Harvard 74-67 in his final regular season game at Jadwin Gym. Two days later, Llewellyn scored 16 points to help the Tigers edge Harvard 74-73 as they improved to 21-5 overall and 11-2, clinching a share of the regular season league title. Princeton plays at Penn on March 5 in its regular season finale, looking to earn an outright league title. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

It was Jaelin Llewellyn’s final home game for the Princeton University men’s basketball team and he was determined to make it an evening to remember.

“It was the last chance to play on this court and this court means lot to me,” said senior guard Llewellyn, a 6’2, 185-pound native of Mississauga, Ontario, reflecting on the ceremony to honor the program’s Class of 2022 at Jadwin Gym before Princeton hosted Harvard last Friday evening.

“I knew we were going to get a big crowd and a good turnout. It was just awesome to be on this court. I just wanted to do the best I could. I finally had an opportunity to have family here. It was a big night, just to have fun.”

Harvard had more fun in the first half of the contest, taking a 38-36 lead into intermission.

Despite the deficit, Princeton head coach Mitch Henderson liked where the Tigers stood.

“They had maybe three turnovers; they had no fouls committed, I haven’t seen that much,” said Henderson. “I came in halftime and said we are all right. Let’s go, we have been down 14 here all season. These games are good for us, we are learning how to win.”

In the second half, Llewellyn carried the Tigers to a 74-67 win, pouring in 20 points in the second half to end the evening with 29.

“When we didn’t have a shot to make, Jaelin made them tonight,” said Henderson of Llewellyn, who chipped in six rebounds and three assists in the victory. “He was just terrific. He put us on his back and he carried us throughout the course of the game. What a performance on Senior Night.” more

HOME COOKING: Princeton University women’s lacrosse player Kyla Sears heads to goal last Saturday against a Temple defender. Senior star Sears tallied six goals and two assists to help Princeton post a 14-10 win over the Owls. Sears was later named the Ivy League Offensive Player of the Week. It marked the first home game for the Tigers since February 22, 2020 as that season was halted due to the global pandemic and the 2021 campaign was canceled due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns. No. 20 Princeton, now 2-0, hosts Cornell (2-1) on March 5 in the Ivy League opener for both teams. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Kyla Sears hit some high notes as the Princeton University women’s lacrosse team hosted Temple last Saturday for its first home game in more than two years.

Before the contest started, senior attacker Sears took the mic and belted out a spirited rendition of the national anthem. Minutes later, she proceeded to score Princeton’s first goal of the afternoon.

“We are so happy to be back, I think it was just a great feeling to see all of our parents back and playing on this field,” said Sears, reflecting on the first game at Class of 1952 Stadium for the Tigers since February 22, 2020 as that season was halted due to the global pandemic and the 2021 campaign was canceled due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns.

“The football team was here, the video board was exciting. There were a lot of nerves but mostly it was excitement to be back, Singing on this field, I only have seven of these left so that is great.”

With Sears getting a goal 4:30 into the first quarter, that tally helped get the Princeton attack going in a back-and-forth first half that saw the Tigers up 10-8 at intermission.

“It was nice, just good to get momentum rolling,” said Sears, who had three goals in the half with sophomore Grace Tauckus chipping in four.

“It was a game of runs and we knew Temple was going to be a really great opponent. We knew that they were going to come hard. Our whole mantra today was this is our house and we want to protect our field.”

After a sluggish third quarter which saw it go scoreless, Princeton was clinging to a 10-9 lead heading into the final 15 minutes of regulation. The Owls scored to knot the contest and then Sears took matters into her hands, scoring two straight goals and assisting on another as the Tigers pulled away to 14-10 win and improved to 2-0. more

THOM TERRIFIC: Princeton University men’s hockey player Matthew Thom, right, controls the puck in recent action. Senior defenseman and team captain Thom will be looking to extend his college career as 10th-seeded Princeton (8-19-2 overall and 7-14-1 ECAC Hockey) plays at seventh-seeded Union (12-17-4 overall, 9-11-2 ECACH) in a best-of-three ECAH first round series starting on March 4. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

It was a tough weekend to end a rough regular season for the Princeton University men’s hockey team.

Hosting a trio of rivals, Princeton lost 4-3 to Colgate on Friday night after squandering a 3-2 third period lead and then got blanked 4-0 by No. 18 Cornell on Saturday and fell 3-0 to Harvard a day later.

The defeats left the Tigers at 8-19-2 overall and 7-14-1 ECAC Hockey heading into the first round of the league playoffs where the Tigers are seeded 10th and will head to New York to play at seventh-seeded Union (12-17-4 overall, 9-11-2 ECACH) for a best-of-three series starting on March 4.

“We haven’t had one practice or one game where we had an entire roster the entire season with COVID and injuries,” said Princeton head coach Ron Fogarty, whose team is mired in a six-game losing streak. “It has been a challenge, but it has been an enjoyable grind. Now it is playoff time and hopefully we will get some of these injured guys back.”

The Tigers were shorthanded as they faced Harvard in the regular season finale.

“The game plan was similar to any other game that we have had through the year,” said Fogarty. “It was just stay on top of it but we are decimated with injuries we have. Finn [Evans] is out, one of our leading point scorers, Ian Murphy, is out. We have David Ma out and Jeremy Forget is coming back at goalie from an injury.” more

CRIMSON TIDE: Princeton University women’s hockey player Sharon Frankel battles for the puck in recent action. Last Sunday senior forward and co-captain Franklin tallied a goal and an assist to help the eighth-seeded seeded Tigers edge top-seeded Harvard 3-2 in the decisive game three of an ECAC Hockey best-of-three quarterfinal series. Princeton’s series victory over the Crimson marked the first time since the ECACH started quarterfinals in 2002 that an eighth-seeded team eliminated the top-seed. This weekend, Princeton, now 13-14-5 overall, will be competing in the ECACH semis at New Haven, Conn., facing second seeded and seventh-ranked Yale (24-7-1) on March 4 with the victor advancing to the title game the next day. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Cara Morey saw it coming.

As Princeton University women’s hockey head coach Morey looked ahead to the ECAC Hockey best-of-three quarterfinal series last weekend between her eighth-seeded seeded Tigers and top-seeded Harvard, she was confident of an upset.

“I am excited, we always play well against Harvard,” said Morey, whose team had two narrow losses to the Crimson in regular season action. “It was a 1-0 game (on January 21) and a 2-0 game (on February 11). We can definitely take it to them. Our league this year is so tight, anybody can win. Harvard is not happy drawing us.”

Acting on Morey’s message, the Tigers took it to Harvard, ranked sixth nationally, in game one on Friday, topping the Crimson 4-2 as senior captain and Arlington, Mass., native Shannon Griffin tallied two goals and an assist to lead the way for Princeton.

A day later, the Tigers nearly knocked out Harvard, taking a 1-0 second period lead on a goal by Grace Kuipers before succumbing 2-1 in overtime.

On Sunday, Princeton made Harvard very unhappy, building a 3-1 lead by midway through the third period on goals by Sharon Frankel, Maggie Connors, and Griffin and then held off the Crimson for a history-making 3-2 win.

The triumph by the Tigers, now 13-14-5 overall, marked the first time since the ECACH started quarterfinals in 2002 that an eighth-seeded team eliminated the top-seed.

Griffin enjoyed a special homecoming, tallying three goals and three assists on the weekend. Senior goalie Rachel McQuigge spearheaded the Tiger defensive effort, stopping 103 of 109 shots for a .945 save percentage and was later named the ECAC Hockey Goalie of the Week. more

OPENING SALVO: Princeton University men’s lacrosse player Alex Slusher races upfield last Saturday as Princeton hosted Monmouth in its season opener. Playing its first game since March 2020 after that season got halted due to the global pandemic and the 2021 campaign was canceled due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns, Princeton rolled to a 22-6 victory over the Hawks. Junior attackman Slusher contributed five goals and an assist in the win. The Tigers, now ranked 20th nationally, were slated to host Binghamton on February 22 before playing at No. 1 Maryland in February 26. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Gusts howled through Class of 1952 Stadium early Saturday afternoon as the wind chill plummeted to the 20s and a snow squall eventually blew in, but Alex Slusher was perfectly comfortable.

With the Princeton University men’s lacrosse team hitting the field to host Monmouth for its first game since March 2020 after that season got halted due to the global pandemic and the 2021 campaign was canceled due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns, Tiger junior attackman Slusher and his teammates were thrilled to be out in the cold.

“It was pretty crazy, getting to step on the field, we were just excited,” said Slusher.

“We missed it a lot. We have been talking  about this since March 10 that year or whatever day that was. That is what made it even more special. We were here all spring last year with no games. There were literally 20 of us, freshmen and sophomores, practicing on our own, going and watching Michael Sowers (former Princeton star who graduated in 2020) play for Duke on the weekends. I love playing with this team and it was fun more than anything.”

After a sluggish start as the Tigers shook off some rust and worked through the emotions of the day, Princeton started clicking, outscoring the Hawks 6-3 in the second quarter to build a 10-5 halftime lead.

“We are best when we share the ball and we really started to do that in the second quarter,” said Slusher, who tallied four goals and an assist in the first half. “That is what coach Mitchell (offensive coordinator Jim Mitchell) always says. If we share the ball, play unselfish and move the rock, good things are going to happen.” more

LONG TIME COMING: Princeton University men’s lacrosse player Andrew Song heads upfield in a 2020 game. Senior longstick midfielder and co-captain Song will be counted on to help spearhead the Princeton defense. The Tigers, who last played a game on March 7, 2020, open their 2022 season by hosting Monmouth on February 19. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Coming into this spring, the Princeton University men’s lacrosse team is looking to pick up where it left off in 2020.

Featuring a core of senior stars, Princeton roared out to a 5-0 start that year, rising to No. 3 in the national polls.

But the season was halted due to the global pandemic and the 2021 campaign was canceled in light of ongoing COVID concerns.

As Princeton prepares to start its 2022 season by hosting Monmouth on February 19, Matt Madalon is looking forward to simply getting back into the grind.

“We are just excited to play just to have a season, preparing for games, recovering and all of that,” said Tiger head coach Madalon, who is entering his sixth season at the helm of the program. “That is what we most excited for, the rhythm of the game prep.”

The Tigers will have a different offensive rhythm this spring in the absence of superstar attackman Michael Sowers, who graduated in 2020 and went on to help Duke make the NCAA semis last year as a grad student. more

DARTING BY: Princeton University men’s basketball player Tosan Evbuomwan looks to get by Dartmouth’s Aaryn Rai last Saturday. Junior star Evbuomwan scored 15 points and had five rebounds as Princeton defeated Dartmouth 85-40. The Tigers, now 17-5 overall and 7-2 Ivy League, play at Brown on February 18 and at Yale on February 19. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Over the course of the 2021-22 campaign, the Princeton University men’s basketball team has featured a high-octane offense but has been a work in progress at the defensive end.

Through 21 games, the Tigers had scored at a clip of 80.9 points a game but had yielded 71.4 points per contest and been plagued by some defensive lapses at key times.

Last Saturday against visiting Dartmouth, though, Princeton produced a defensive masterpiece, jumping out to a 43-13 halftime lead over the Big Green and cruising to an 85-40 triumph. The Tigers held Dartmouth to 23.1 percent shooting from the floor (12-51), including 1-20 from 3-point range, and built a 50-27 edge on the boards.

The most important thing for us has been guarding,” said Princeton head coach Mitch Henderson, whose team improved to 17-5 overall and 7-2 Ivy League with the victory. more

RED ALERT: Princeton University wrestler Quincy Monday makes a move on Cornell’s Hunter Richard last Saturday at 157 pounds. Junior Monday posted an 8-4 win over Richard buy the Tigers fell 21-12 to the Big Red. A day later, Princeton topped Rider 33-7 as Monday posted a 7-2 decision over former Princeton High standout Alec Bobchin. The Tigers, now 5-3 overall and 3-1 Ivy League, have a dual at Lehigh on February 11 and then host Penn a day later. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

In February 2020, the Princeton University wrestling team produced a historic breakthrough, edging Cornell 19-13 to end a 32-match losing streak to the Big Red and clinch the program’s first Ivy League title since 1986.

With the 2020-21 season being canceled due to COVID-19  concerns, the rivals met last Saturday for the first time in nearly two years and Princeton head coach Chris Ayres was expecting some fireworks.

“I thought that it was going to be a great dual, there were a lot of toss-ups,” said Ayres.

“There were a couple of matches that both teams could feel pretty confident about and we knew that it would be a battle of toss-ups and we thought 174 to heavyweight was going to be the area where we could either win it or lose it.”

Ayres proved prescient as Princeton lost at 174 pounds, 184, 197, and heavyweight in falling 21-12 to the Big Red. The Tigers got wins in the dual from Jake Marsh at 165, No. 1 Patrick Glory at 125, Danny Coles at 14, and No. 8 Quincy Monday at 157.

“If you would have told me at the beginning of the dual that Jake Marsh is going to win and so is Glory, that was a huge toss-up, I would have said we are going to win this dual for sure,” said Ayres.

“That is what is great about dual meets you can put anything you want on paper and that stuff can go all over the map.”

Junior standouts Glory and Monday have been giving Princeton some great stuff this season. more

ROLLING STONE: Princeton University women’s basketball player Grace Stone fakes out a foe in a game earlier this season. Last weekend, junior guard Stone came up big as Princeton defeated Cornell 75-37 on Friday and then topped Columbia 57-39 in clash of teams that entered the game unbeaten in Ivy League play. In the victory on Friday, Stone contributed 14 points, seven rebounds, and five assists and then had 10 points, seven rebounds, and two assists against Columbia. The Tigers, now 16-4 overall and 8-0 Ivy, play at Dartmouth on February 12. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

With the Princeton University women’s basketball team hosting Cornell on Friday and Columbia a night later in a clash of Ivy League frontrunners, Grace Stone set the tone for the Tigers.

Princeton junior guard Stone notched the first bucket of the weekend, putting in a layup against Cornell, helping the Tigers jump out to an 18-5 first quarter lead and they never looked back on the way to a 75-37 win.

“We really wanted to just come out and dominate Cornell,” said Stone. “We set goals for ourselves and I think that we met those. We are happy with the win.”

Princeton met its goals at the defensive end, stifling the Big Red from the opening tip.

“It is something that we always stress, that is something that is very important to us,” said Stone, reflecting on a defensive effort that saw the Tigers hold Cornell to 32.6 percent shooting from the floor (14-41) and forcing 22 turnovers.

“We are always trying to hold teams, especially in the first quarter and the first five minutes. We always want to start off well. I think we did that, we were really aggressive.”

Stone was aggressive in looking for her shot, tallying a game-high 14 points on 5-11 shooting.  more