DOUBLE VISION: Gevvie Stone, front, along with Kristi Wagner row in the women’s double sculls for the U.S. national team. Former Princeton standout Stone ’07 and Wagner, who starred at Yale, will be competing in the double for the U.S. at the Tokyo Olympics next week. (Photo by Ben Tufnell, Row 360, provided courtesy of USRowing)

By Bill Alden

When Gevvie Stone earned a silver medal in the single sculls at the 2016 Summer Olympics, it appeared to be the culmination of a storied rowing career.

Having starred for the Princeton University women’s open rowing program and helping the Tiger varsity 8 win a national title in 2006 and then moving to sculling and taking seventh in the single sculls at the 2012 London Olympics, Stone’s trip to the podium in Rio at age 31 seemed to be a fitting final chapter to her life on the water.

With Stone, a 2007 Princeton alum, having earned a medical degree from Tufts University in 2014 and done a year of residency in emergency medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, her career path after rowing was set.

But the pull of rowing brought her back to the water and Stone resumed training in 2018 with an eye toward making the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She came in second in the single at the U.S. trials for the 2019 World Championships and turned to the double sculls.

“You adapt or die,” said Stone. “I jumped in the double that spring with my training partner Cicely Madden and we finished fifth. It was a good learning experience for both of us.” more

MEDAL HUNT: Katherine Holmes displays the gold medal she earned for winning the individual epee at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru. Former Princeton University women’s fencing standout Holmes ’17 also helped the U.S. to gold in the team epee at the competition. Previously, she had helped the U.S. win the team epee at the 2018 World Championships. Next week, Holmes will be fencing for the U.S. at the Tokyo Olympics in both epee competitions, hoping to add to her medal collection. (Photo provided courtesy of Princeton’s Office of Athletic Communications)

By Bill Alden

While Princeton University fencing standout Kat Holmes was thrilled to compete in the epee in the 2016 Rio Olympics, she was left with a bitter taste in her mouth after the competition.

“My team and I lost in overtime for the medal round so we knew we had to go for another one,” said Holmes, who helped the U.S. place fifth in the team epee at Rio and took 25th herself in the individual competition.

Holmes returned to Princeton after the Olympics for the 2016-17 school year to compete in her senior season and earn her neuroscience degree. A native of Washington, D.C., Holmes ended up as a four-time All-American and All-Ivy League fencer during her Tiger career.

Staying in international competition, Holmes used that Olympic disappointment to fuel a gold medal performance in the team epee at the 2018 World Championships in Wuxi, China along with the Hurley sisters, Kelley and Courtney.

“I think before we knew that we could win gold but that really changed it to now we believed that we can,” said Holmes reflecting on the victory which saw her take the anchor role for the team. more

POWER STROKE: Claire Collins shows her form in training with the U.S. national program. Former Princeton University women’s open rowing star Collins ’19 was named to the United States Rowing Olympic Team and will row for the women’s coxless 4 later this month at the Tokyo Olympics. The rowing competition is slated for July 23-30 at the Sea Forest Waterway in Tokyo. (Photo provided courtesy of USRowing)

By Bill Alden

After culminating a stellar career with the Princeton University women’s open rowing program in 2019 by being named a first-team All-American and helping the Tiger varsity 8 win the Ivy League crown, Claire Collins wasn’t ready to give up the sport.

“I was strong, I had some good times on the erg and we were getting some good results on the water,” said Collins, who was also named as the winner of the C. Otto von Keinbusch Award for Princeton’s top senior female athlete and was nominated for NCAA Woman of the Year during her senior campaign.

“I was still enjoying it a lot. The national team would be training in Princeton so we would see the women here every once in a while. It was inspiring. You have to listen to your gut, it is an exciting opportunity but it is a big commitment. I was having a lot of fun with the sport and I had bigger goals that solidified. This is my next goal, this is what I want to do after college.”

Following her gut, Collins joined the U.S. program, staying around Lake Carnegie to work out of the Princeton Training Center.

But as Collins was getting used to the more intense training and making a push to earn a spot in the 2020 Olympics, the pandemic halted everything and she went home to McLean, Va.

The hiatus, though, turned out to be a blessing in disguise as Collins was recently selected to the United States Rowing Olympic Team and will row on the women’s coxless 4 later this month at the Tokyo Olympics. more

RETURN ENGAGEMENT: Davon Black drives past a foe in 2019 action for the LoyalTees team in the Princeton Recreation Department Men’s Summer Basketball League. Former Princeton High boys’ hoops standout Black helped LoyalTees win the league title in both 2018 and 2019. After taking a hiatus last summer due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the league returns to action next week for its 32nd season and LoyalTees will be back on court seeking a three-peat. The 2021 campaign tips off with a doubleheader at the Community Park courts on June 21.

By Bill Alden

When the Princeton Recreation Department had to cancel its Men’s Summer Basketball League last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Evan Moorhead vowed that it would return in 2021 and be “stronger than ever.”

True to his word, Moorhead, the assistant director of recreation and league commissioner, has the hoops circuit up and running for its 32nd season, featuring a lineup of eight teams with the action tipping off on the evening of June 21 with a doubleheader at the Community Park basketball courts.

“I wanted to be held accountable so here we are,” said Moorhead.

“I am very excited. If we had this conversation a week ago, I think we would have been at six teams but there were two teams who came together late. We would have run the league with six teams but eight is a good number.”

The process of getting the league back on court was arduous as Moorhead followed guidelines, consulting with the Princeton Health Department to get the necessary approvals as youth and high sports opened up before reaching out to gauge interest for the summer league.

“It has been a difficult year for everybody,” said Moorhead. “Once we got that OK is when I started to reach out to teams from the last few years and to see who was interested. That was really going to drive things. From there, if we had no interest we wouldn’t be having this conversation but there was enough interest there with some of the returning teams. As usually happens, I got some inquiries from some new teams that we were able to add.” more

ACTION JACKSON: Nate Jackson exhorts one of his charges in his role as an assistant coach for the Princeton University wrestling team. In addition to coaching, Jackson, a former All-American wrestler at Indiana University, is competing at freestyle on an international level in a quest to be a world champion. He recently represented the U.S. at the Pan-American Championships in Guatemala City, Guatemala, taking gold at 92 kg (202 pounds), and is competing in Poland this week at an UWW World Championships Ranking Series Event.

By Bill Alden

Nate Jackson is taking multitasking to a new level.

Jackson is an assistant coach for the Princeton University wrestling team, is competing at freestyle on an international level in a quest to be a world champion, and has a busy home life with his wife, Raychelle, and their four young children, ages 3-8.

Jackson, a two-time All American wrestler at Indiana University who turns 27 this August, lives by a simple philosophy as he juggles his many pursuits.

“‘Wherever you are, be there’ is something one of my Indiana coaches used to say,” said Jackson, who recently represented the U.S. at the Pan-American Championships in Guatemala City, Guatemala, taking gold at 92 kg (202 pounds), and is competing in Poland this week at an UWW World Championships Ranking Series Event.

“If I am an athlete, I am going be training. When I leave the practice and come home, I am a father so I need to be all in there. When I step into the office, I am a coach so I need to do exactly what I am supposed to be doing there. That is the only way I can live.”

Excelling at both baseball and wrestling at Marian Catholic High, Jackson, a native of Crete, Ill., went all in on wrestling after his baseball coach insisted that he focus his efforts on the diamond year-round.

Joining a local wrestling club, the Harvey Park Twisters, Jackson started making a lot of progress on the mat.

“They have a lot of people who have won state titles and Big 10 championships,” said Jackson.  more

SHINING LIGHTS: Members of the Princeton University women’s lightweight varsity 8 enjoy the moment after they placed first in their grand final at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) national championship regatta last Friday at Mercer Lake. The boat included Annie Anezakis, Isabelle Chandler, Lauren Sanchez, Kalena Blake, Sarah Polson, Lily Feinerman, Ashley Scott, Nathalie Verlinde, and Rebecca Mays. (Photo provided courtesy of Princeton’s Office of Athletic Communications)

By Bill Alden

Although the Princeton University rowing programs had just a handful of regattas this spring as opposed to their usual slate of around eight weeks of regular season action culminated by the Eastern Sprints/Ivy League championships, the Tigers crews still excelled in national championship competition last weekend.

Taking part in the Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) national championship regatta last Friday at nearby Mercer Lake, the Princeton women’s lightweight varsity 8 provided a highlight as it won a national title.

Rowing in a two-boat grand final against Wisconsin, the Tigers covered the 2,000-meter course in 7:42.73, more than 26.3 seconds better than the Badgers.

Having seen his varsity 8 take second in the 2019 national final and third in both 2017 and 2018, the triumph was special for Princeton head coach Paul Rassam.

“It’s a bit bittersweet,” said Rassam as quoted on the PU Athletics website in reflecting on the top boat’s first national title since 2003. more

HEAVY DUTY: The Princeton University men’s heavyweight varsity 8 crew pulls hard in a race earlier this season. The top 8, along with the second and third varsity 8s ,will be competing in the Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) national championship regatta this weekend at Mercer Lake. (Photo by Ed Hewitt/Row2K, provided courtesy of Princeton’s Office of Athletic Communications)

By Bill Alden

Greg Hughes doesn’t know what to expect when his Princeton University men’s heavyweight crew competes in the Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) national championship regatta this weekend at nearby Mercer Lake, and that’s OK.

“I don’t even know how to compare it, it is just so just different,” said Princeton head coach Hughes.

“Normally we would have seeding, and the seeding would come off the regular season and championship results. We would get a ranking nationally based on our regular season every week and then after the Eastern Sprints. There is no way to really seed it when people haven’t raced that much; there is not any way to cross reference.”

The IRA competition will using a different format this spring in view of the disruptions to competition resulting from the pandemic, featuring time trials and an 18-boat semifinal rather than the typical series of heats leading the semis and finals.

“The clock starts when you go through the end of the starting block, so you have the lane to yourself and you go,” said Hughes in assessing the time trial piece of the regatta.

“You are separated by 30-40 seconds, everyone is going single file down the course like a 1,900-meter head race. The top 18 of those boats will go to the semifinal so it will be three semis with six boats each. It will be the top two from each to the A final, the second two to the B final, and the third two to the C final.”

Adding to the uncertainty for Hughes is the fact that Princeton did not have any fall training or head races and the rowers did not get to work together in person until the students returned for spring semester.

The Tigers started training by doing ergometer work this February outside the boathouse in pods of 10 athletes. After braving a wintry month on the deck, the Tigers hit the water in singles in early March. They progressed to pairs after that, affording some fine-tuned rowing.

“It is incredible training; with national teams, that is normally what you would do,” explained Hughes of the pairs work. more

CLASS ACT: Princeton University field hockey star Clara Roth makes a hit in a 2019 game. Last Thursday, senior Roth was named as the winner of the Otto von Kienbusch Award given to the top female senior athlete as Princeton Athletics held the Gary Walters ‘67 Princeton Varsity Club (PVC) Awards Banquet virtually. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Although Princeton University teams saw no competition in the fall or winter seasons during the 2020-21 school year and had only a handful of meets, games, and regattas this spring, the school’s stellar group of senior athletes still achieved a lot over their careers.

Over the last four years, the members of the Class of 2021 helped the Tigers reach two NCAA Final 4s in field hockey, win ECACH titles in both men’s and women’s hockey, produce an undefeated football campaign in 2018, go 26-1 in women’s hoops in 2019-20, earn NCAA individual titles in fencing, make the NCAA tournament in men’s volleyball in 2019 for the first time since 1998, win the school’s first Ivy League title in wrestling since 1986, and make the podiums in a number of national rowing regattas, among many other accomplishments.

But more importantly than their athletic achievements, the seniors displayed a special resilience and character as they dealt with the crushing disappointment of having seasons wiped away due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of reacting with anger, they made the best of the situation, inspiring coaches and teammates alike with the way they handled things. 

Last Thursday, the Princeton Athletics community came together to honor those seniors as it held the Gary Walters ‘67 Princeton Varsity Club (PVC) Awards Banquet virtually.

In a one-hour webcast, co-hosted by senior men’s volleyball player AJ Chen and senior field hockey standout Juliana Tornetta along with Director of Athletics Mollie Marcoux Samaan ’91 that included some guest appearances from legendary Princeton athletes from the past, the school bestowed its annual awards recognizing athletic excellence, academic achievement, and service to the community.

Field hockey standout Clara Roth was named as the winner of the Otto von Kienbusch Award given to the top female senior athlete. Roth, a native of Schwetzingen, Germany, was a two-time All-American field hockey player who also earned three All-Ivy and All-Region selections. During her stellar junior season in 2019, which saw the Tigers reach the national championship game, Roth, a 5’8 striker, was named a Honda Sport Award Finalist, first-team All-America, Regional Player of the Year and first-team All-Ivy. She led all Ivy players in points and goals-per-game as she set career highs in both categories. As a sophomore, Roth earned her first All-America selection after being named the Ivy Offensive Player of the Year. She led the squad in goals (13), more than doubling her total from the year prior, and points (34). Roth is one of only 11 players in program history to record 100 career points, nabbing 35 goals, 31 assists. more

SPOILS OF VICTORY: Former Princeton University men’s golf standout Evan Harmeling displays the trophy he earned for winning the Savannah Golf Championship on the Korn Ferry Tour last October. Harmeling ’12 is currently ranked 41st on the Korn Ferry money list with earnings of $146,374 as he looks to crack the top 25 and earn a spot on the PGA Tour next year. (Photo provided courtesy of Princeton’s Office of Athletic Communications)

By Bill Alden

While many of his Princeton University classmates went into business, law, or medicine, Evan Harmeling was driven to pursue a different career path.

After an up-and-down career with the Princeton University men’s golf program, Harmeling ’12 decided to take a shot at the pro game.

“The interesting thing about golf is that it is all about what you shoot,” said Harmeling.

“There is no draft, there is no you have a lot of potential so we are going to take a shot on you and give you a chance. Everyone, except for the very few guys at the top of the college game who are getting some match sponsor exemptions, is starting from scratch. From that standpoint, college careers are not as important in terms of establishing your professional career.”

Over the last eight years, Harmeling, now 32, has scratched and clawed his way up to the Korn Ferry Tour, the development circuit that is one step below the PGA Tour.

Having won the Savannah Golf Championship last October, Harmeling is looking to work his way into the top 25 of the Korn Ferry money list and thereby earn PGA Tour status for next season. He currently ranks 41st on the Korn Ferry money list with earnings of $146,374.

Harmeling’s journey to the pro ranks began nearly 30 years ago, getting into the game at age 2 when his dad cut down some clubs for him.

As a grade schooler, Harmeling made his debut into competitive golf and enjoyed it right away.

“I played my first tournament when I was 10 or 11,” recalled Harmeling.

“It was on a par 3 course, Firefly, in Rhode Island. I remember that day, that first tournament, it is exciting. It is a different animal when you get a scorecard and you have got to post a score next to your name.”

Going to Phillips Academy for high school, Harmeling, a native of North Reading, Mass., started taking the game more seriously. He was named the Massachusetts Golf Association Junior Golfer of the Year in 2005 and was part of a twosome that won the Massachusetts Four-Ball Championship in 2007. After graduating from Phillips, where he also played squash, Harmeling qualified for the 2007 U.S. Amateur Championship. more

ALOHA HAWAII: Jerome Desrosiers dribbles upcourt during his career with the Princeton University men’s basketball team. Senior forward Desrosiers is heading west to finish his college hoops career, having committed to play in the 2021-22 season as a grad student for the University of Hawaii. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Justin Feil

Jerome Desrosiers was struck by Eran Ganot’s goal to see his men’s basketball players happy at the University of Hawaii.

“That’s kind of how I lead my life,” said Desrosiers, a senior forward for the Princeton University men’s hoops squad, referring to the Hawaii head coach’s approach. “It related to me that way.”

When Desrosiers entered the transfer portal last semester, it was with an idea of finding a school where he could be happy playing one final season of college basketball after the Ivy League did not allow competition in his final year at Princeton. Desrosiers has finalized his commitment to Hawaii, where he will study either finance or marketing in his graduate season.

“The obvious reason is, it’s Hawaii,” said Desrosiers. “It’s not a bad place to go for an extra year.”

It’s more than the climate and scenery as Desrosiers believes he can help Hawaii, who ended the 2020-21 season with an 11-10 record (9-9 Big West). Desrosiers has been watching some of their games as he prepares to join the new team next winter. He’s also excited about how he can fit in their style.

“That’s one of the reasons why I decided to go there,” said Desrosiers, a 6’7, 230-pound native of Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec.

“Their four man (power forward) touches the ball a lot. He makes a lot of decisions. The ball moves a lot, just like the offense at Princeton. They’re not afraid to shoot it. They’re aggressive on defense and offense. I consider myself versatile with my position. I play the four or five (center), sometimes the three (small forward) rarely. Their four man is someone that can do a lot of things. I feel the same way about my game. They felt the same way. That’s how I’m going to fit in the offense and defense. It was perfect really.” more

CAT FIGHT: Princeton University women’s hockey player Maggie Connors, right, gets pushed into the boards by a Quinnipiac defender last February during a best-of-three ECAC Hockey quarterfinal series. The Tigers survived a grueling weekend against the Bobcats, cruising in game one, losing game two in overtime, and then prevailing in the decisive final game in a double overtime thriller. Buoyed by that hard-earned triumph, Princeton went on to defeat Clarkson 5-1 in the league semis and then rally for a 3-2 overtime win at top-ranked Cornell in the final to earn the program’s first-ever ECACH crown. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

A year ago, the final weekend of February turned out to be both a marathon and a springboard to history for the Princeton University women’s hockey team.

Rising to No. 6 in the national polls, Princeton was hosting Quinnipiac for a best-of-three ECAC Hockey quarterfinal series starting on February 28 at venerable Hobey Baker Rink.

The Tigers were rolling, having gone 11-1-1 in their last 13 regal season games and they had swept Quinnipiac in two previous meetings in the 2019-20 campaign.

Opening the series, Princeton continued to sizzle, jumping out to a 4-1 lead in the first period on the way to a lopsided 5-1 victory in game one.

A day later, the Tigers went up 1-0 in the first period and seemed to be on track for a sweep of the underdog Bobcats.

But things turned dicey after that as Quinnipiac responded with two unanswered goals in the second period. The Tigers knotted the game at 2-2 late in the third period on a goal by senior star Carly Bullock. On the verge of being eliminated, the Bobcats pulled out a 3-2 win with a goal at 1:45 of the first overtime to force a decisive third game.

In the finale, Princeton scored twice to build a 2-0 advantage but Tiger sophomore star Sarah Filler sensed that the series was far from over.

“We knew we were going to get their best game, they are ranked 10 in the country,” said Fillier.

“I think arguably we play in the best league in the nation so we knew it was going to be a battle and we were excited to play this one.”

Sure enough, Quinnipiac refused to die, scoring two goals to force a second straight OT game.

In the first overtime, Princeton looked to finish off Quinnipiac, outshooting the Bobcats 16-6 but to no avail as the teams remained stalemated at 2-2.

In the break after the first extra period, Princeton team managers raided the refrigerator in the rink kitchen to microwave snacks to refuel the exhausted Tigers. more

CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT: Members of the Princeton University football team celebrate with the Ivy League championship trophy after beating Penn 42-14 in the 2018 season finale to cap a perfect 10-0 season. While the Ivy League football season this past fall was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of former Ivy products enjoyed a banner season in the NFL. A quartet of Princeton alums, Stephen Carlson ’19, John Lovett ’19, Seth DeValve ’16, and Caraun Reid ’14, saw action this fall for NFL teams. On Sunday, Harvard alum Cameron Brate and former Penn standout Justin Watson helped the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Kansas City Chiefs 31-9 in Super Bowl LV.  (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Last Sunday evening, tight end Cameron Brate made three receptions for 26 yards to help the Tampa Bay Buccaneers prevail in Super Bowl LV.

While Brate’s output will stand as a mere footnote in Tampa Bay’s 31-9 rout of the Kansas City Chiefs and the hoopla surrounding legendary quarterback Tom Brady earning his seventh Super Bowl title, the Harvard alum’s performance culminated a banner season for a number of Ivy League products competing and coaching in the NFL.

Although COVID-19 concerns resulted in the cancellation of the 2020 Ivy sports season, players and coaches with ties to the league gave its fans plenty of highlights to savor.

Stephen Carlson ’19 led the Princeton NFL contingent, seeing action in 18 games at tight end and on special teams for the Cleveland Browns as they made the NFL playoffs for the first time since 2002. Carlson made two key clutch plays down the stretch, recovering an onside kick in the waning moments of a 24-22 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers which clinched the playoff berth and then gathering in an onside kick to end a Pittsburgh rally when the teams met a week later in an AFC Wild Card contest. Over the course of the season, Carlson made one reception for 11 yards and had seven tackles on special teams. more

STICKING WITH THE PROGRAM: Tommy Davis, right, battles for the puck in a 2017 game during his senior season for the Princeton University men’s hockey team. Over the last two years, Davis has been teaching and coaching at Princeton Day School and also serving as the director of operations and then volunteer assistant coach for the Tiger men’s hockey team. In late December, Davis was promoted to the role of full-time assistant coach for the Tigers. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Tommy Davis helped the Princeton University men’s hockey team turn the corner during his senior season with the Tigers in 2016-17.

After Princeton went a combined 9-46-6 in the previous two years, defenseman Davis starred as the Tigers improved to 15-16-3 and won a first-round ECAC Hockey playoff series in his final campaign.

“I am proud about a lot of things and a lot of teams that I played with but I think what always stands out to me is my senior year and how we sort of finally found our rhythm,” said Davis, a 6’2, 185-pound defenseman from Ho-Ho-Kus, N.J., who ended up with six goals and 15 assists in 96 appearances for Princeton.

“It was a really tough first year with Ron (head coach Ron Fogarty), Dex (assistant coach Brad Dexter), and Stavs (assistant coach Stavros Paskaris). The second year, we were a lot better but it didn’t really get reflected in the win column. Then that last year we were a respectable team. We were .500 or thereabouts, we won a playoff series, and we came really close to winning another one. I felt like we set the stage for the next year.”

The next winter, Princeton went on to win the ECACH tournament while Davis headed north and starred at Providence College in his remaining year of college eligibility, tallying a goal and 10 assists as the Friars advanced to the finals of both the Hockey East tourney and NCAA East Regional. more

JORDAN RULES: Jordan Fogarty heads up the ice during his career for the Princeton University men’s hockey team. After graduating from Princeton last June, Fogarty headed to Europe to play pro hockey, joining Virserums SGF in Sweden’s Third Division. Through his first 10 games with the club, forward Fogarty tallied 11 goals and eight assists. (Photo provided courtesy of Princeton’s Office of Athletic Communications)

By Bill Alden

When the Princeton University men’s hockey team saw its season halted last March by the pandemic after it had swept Dartmouth in an ECAC Hockey opening round playoff series, Jordan Fogarty was planning to move on from the sport.

“I was pretty well prepared to have that Dartmouth game be my final time lacing up the skates,” said forward Fogarty, who graduated from Princeton last June.

“I was applying to work in finance because I worked an internship over last summer.”

But after hitting the interview circuit, Fogarty decided that he wanted to get back on the ice and committed to play a post-graduate season at Long Island University while studying for an MBA.

With the specter of COVID-19 hanging over the college season, Fogarty checked out options to play pro hockey abroad and eventually signed with Virserums SGF in Sweden’s Third Division.

“I got a really interesting offer in the summer to work as an internship with a Princeton hockey alum (Steve Shireffs ’99) at a credit management fund (Granite State Capital Management),” said Fogarty, an economics major who made the ECAC All-Academic Team three times. more