ORANGE BOWL: Princeton University men’s lacrosse player Jake Stevens, right, battles against Monmouth earlier this season. Last Saturday, senior midfielder Stevens scored two goals but it wasn’t enough as Princeton fell 16-13 to visiting Syracuse. It marked the first game against the Orange since 2013 as the foes renewed their historic rivalry. Princeton, now 4-5 overall, will look to get back on the winning track as it resumes Ivy League play with a game at Dartmouth on April 15. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

It was a historic rivalry that captivated the men’s lacrosse world in the 1990s and 2000s.

The matchup between Princeton and Syracuse produced national champions and classic NCAA tournament clashes during that stretch. Either Princeton or Syracuse won the NCAA championship each year from 1992 to 2004 except for two (1999, 2003). From 1992-2003, every Princeton season ended with either an NCAA title or an NCAA tournament loss to Syracuse.

The foes have met in four national title games with the teams each winning two championships as Princeton prevailed in 1992 and 2001 with the Orange winning in 2000 and 2002. more

ENGLISH ACCENT: Princeton University men’s lacrosse player Sam English fires a shot in a game last year. Last Saturday, senior midfielder English tailed three goals and an assist to help Princeton defeat Brown 16-12. The Tigers, now 4-4 overall and 2-1 Ivy League, host Syracuse on April 8. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

After producing a breakout season last year by tallying 30 goals and 18 assists for the Princeton University men’s lacrosse team, Sammy English has been misfiring a bit this spring.

Coming into last Saturday’s game against visiting Brown, senior midfielder English had scored four goals with 12 assists.

But wasting no time finding the range against the Bears, English scored a goal 2:45 into the contest. He went on to notch three goals and an assist to help the Tigers pull away to a 16-12 win over Brown before a crowd of 1,712 at Class of 52 Stadium and improve to 4-4 overall and 2-1 Ivy League. more

STARK DIFFERENCE: Princeton University softball player Serena Starks takes a cut in recent action. Senior Starks has been a catalyst as the Tigers have won nine of their last 11 games and are tied with Harvard atop the Ivy League standings. The Tigers, now 13-14 overall and 7-2 Ivy, host Lehigh on April 5 and then welcome Columbia for a three-game set with a doubleheader on April 8 and a single game on April 9. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Although the Princeton University softball team has won nine of its last 11 games and is tied with Harvard atop the Ivy League standings, Lisa Van Ackeren knows that her squad has plenty of room to grow.

“We haven’t hit our stride yet,” said Princeton head coach Van Ackeren, whose team won two out of three games last weekend at Penn and is now 13-14 overall and 7-2 Ivy. “We are winning games. We are in a place where we are tied for first and all of those things are great after three weekends of league play, but we haven’t played our best game yet. In some ways that is frustrating, but also in other ways really exciting. There are a lot of good things to come.”

The Tigers have been showing some good things in close games. more

END OF THE RUN: Princeton University men’s basketball player Tosan Evbuomwan drives to the hoop in recent action. Last Friday, senior standout Evbuomwan tallied 24 points in a losing cause as 15th-seeded Princeton fell 86-75 to sixth-seeded Creighton in the NCAA Sweet 16 at the South Regional in Louisville, Ky. The defeat left the Tigers with a final record of 23-9 and ended a magical run which saw the Tigers advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time since the tournament was expanded to 64 teams in 1985. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Last Friday night, the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky., was transformed into Jadwin Gym south as the 15th-seeded Princeton University men’s basketball team faced sixth-seeded Creighton in the NCAA Sweet 16 at the South regional.

The arena was a sea of orange and the Princeton fans were in full roar, serenading their squad with chants of “let’s go Tigers” as tip-off approached.

In the first half, Princeton gave its fans plenty to cheer about as it built a 38-35 lead with 4:28 to go before halftime. more

FIGHT TO THE FINISH: Princeton University men’s basketball player Ryan Langborg, left, drives around Penn’s George Smith in the Ivy League postseason tournament. Last Friday night, senior guard Langborg scored a game-high and career-high 26 points as 15th-seeded Princeton fell 86-75 to sixth-seeded Creighton last Friday in the Sweet 16 at the NCAA South Regional in Louisville, Ky. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

His eyes were reddened but Ryan Langborg managed a smile after the Princeton University men’s basketball team fell 86-75 to Creighton last Friday night in the Sweet 16 at the NCAA South Regional in Louisville, Ky.

Reflecting on Princeton’s magical run which saw the 15th-seeded Tigers upset second-seeded Arizona and seventh-seeded Missouri before losing to the sixth-seeded Bluejays, senior guard Langborg focused on the bonds with his teammates rather than the sting of the defeat.

“As much as you guys see us having fun on the court, we have even more fun when we are off the court, hanging out and playing video games together in the hotel,” said Langborg, standing in the Tiger locker room at the KFC Yum! Center a half hour after the loss that left the squad with a final record of 23-9. “We play a little trivia game all of the time; it just laughing and hanging out with my best buddies.” more

AMAZING JOURNEY: Princeton University men’s basketball player Jack Scott, left, a Hun School alum, and Tiger assistant coach Skye Ettin, a former Princeton High and The College of New Jersey standout, show their joy after upset victories in the opening rounds of the NCAA tournament. Last week, the pair were in Louisville, Ky., as the Tigers played in the Sweet 16. While the 15th-seeded Tigers fell 86-75 to sixth-seeded Creighton last Friday night at the South Regional, they will have special memories of the historic 2022-23 campaign. (Photos provided courtesy of Princeton Athletics)

By Bill Alden

Jack Scott and Skye Ettin honed their basketball skills by toiling in gyms all over New Jersey.

Scott played three years for the Hun School boys’ basketball team from 2019-22 while Ettin starred at Princeton High before going to The College of New Jersey where he served as a team captain for three seasons, culminating with the 2014-15 campaign.

Last week, the pair was 700 miles and worlds away from their Garden State roots as they arrived in Louisville, Ky., for the NCAA Sweet 16 as members of the 15th-seeded Princeton University men’s hoops squad that had captivated the nation with stunning upsets of second-seeded Arizona and seventh-seeded Missouri in the first weekend of March Madness on the way to the South Regional.

For Tiger freshman guard Scott, the highlight of the run, which saw Princeton advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time since the tournament was expanded to 64 teams in 1985, has been the bonds developed with his teammates. more

STONE COLD: Princeton University women’s basketball player Grace Stone heads to the hoop in recent action. Last Friday, senior guard Stone drained a three-pointer with 4.7 seconds left in regulation to give the 10th-seeded Tigers a 64-63 win over seventh-seeded N.C. State in the first round of the NCAA tournament’s Greenville 2 Region in Salt Lake City, Utah. Two days later, Stone scored 16 points with a game-high four 3-pointers but it wasn’t enough as Princeton fell 63-56 to second-seeded Utah. The defeat left the Tigers with a final record of 24-6. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Grace Stone clearly didn’t want it to end.

As Princeton University women’s basketball team trailed  N.C. State last Friday in the first round of the NCAA tournament’s Greenville 2 Region in Salt Lake City, Utah, senior guard Stone drained a three-pointer from the corner to give the Tigers a 64-63 win and keep their season alive.

“That is a play we practiced over, and over; that is a shot I have taken in a game before,” said Stone, who scored with 4.7 seconds left in the game. “I think my teammates have all the confidence in the world in me. I knew, if I missed the shot, they would get the offensive rebound. It is really hard not to shoot with confidence when you have teammates like mine. Yes, I think before the play, I knew what shot we had to get. When it happened, I blacked out. Then afterwards, just a bunch of hugs.”

Princeton head coach Carla Berube was not surprised to see Stone come up with the clutch bucket. more

KARI ON: Princeton University women’s lacrosse player Kari Buonanno races upfield last Saturday against Penn State. Junior midfielder Buonanno tallied four goals and an assist in a losing cause as Princeton fell 16-14 to the Nittany Lions. The Tigers, now 3-3, play at Cornell on March 25. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Kari Buonanno has dealt with plenty of adversity over her career with the Princeton University women’s lacrosse team.

As a freshmen, Buonanno’s season was halted after five games when the sports world was shut down in March 2020 due to the COVID pandemic.

After taking a gap year, Buonanno returned to the team last spring and missed five games due to injury.

Back at full speed coming into the 2023 campaign, Buonanno is primed to make up for lost time. more

FLYING HIGH: Princeton University men’s basketball player Tosan Evbuomwan flies to the hoop last Saturday as Princeton defeated Penn 77-70 in the Ivy Madness postseason tournament semis. A day later, senior star Evbuomwan tallied 21 points with five rebounds and four assists to help the Tigers defeat Yale 74-65 in the final. Princeton, now 21-8, is seeded 15th in the NCAA tourney and will face second-seeded Arizona in a first round contest on March 16 in Sacramento, Calif. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

The third time proved to be the charm for the Princeton University men’s basketball team as it hosted nemesis Yale in the final of the Ivy Madness postseason tournament last Sunday.

After having lost 87-65 at Yale on January 28 and then suffering a brutal 93-83 overtime defeat to the Bulldogs in mid-February which saw Princeton squander a 63-44 second half lead, the Tigers turned the tables on their rival when it mattered most. more

DEFENSIVE STAND: Princeton University women’s basketball player Ellie Mitchell defends a Penn player last Friday in the semifinals of the Ivy Madness postseason tournament at Jadwin Gym. Princeton defeated Penn 60-47 and then went on to rally from an 11-point second half deficit to edge Harvard 54-48 in the final a day later. The Tigers, who improved to 23-5 overall, will now head west to start play in the NCAA tournament where they are seeded 10th and will face seventh-seeded N.C. State in a first-round contest on March 17 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

When the Princeton University women’s basketball team lost its first two Ivy League games this season after having won 42 straight league contests, it looked like the setbacks could herald a changing of the guard at the top of the Ivy heap.

But showing resolve, Princeton responded to the defeats to Harvard and Columbia by winning its next 12 league games to share the regular season Ivy title with the Lions. Last weekend at the friendly confines of Jadwin Gym, the Tigers capped their run at the Ivy Madness postseason tournament, beating Penn 60-47  last Friday in the semis and then rallying from an 11-point second half deficit to edge Harvard 54-48 in the final a day later.

Princeton, who improved to 23-5 overall as it posted its 15th-straight win, will now head west to start play in the NCAA tournament where it is seeded 10th and will face seventh-seeded N.C. State (20-11) in a first-round contest on March 17 in Salt Lake City, Utah. more

CROWD PLEASER: Princeton University men’s basketball player Caden Pierce goes up for a layup against Penn last Saturday in the semifinals of the Ivy Madness postseason tournament. Freshman forward Pierce starred as Princeton edged Penn 77-70 and then went on to defeat Yale 74-65 in the final a day later. The event, which was held at Jadwin Gym for the first time, drew more than 4,000 fans to the women’s semis and final and more than 8,000 to the men’s semis and finals. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

While the Princeton University basketball players were excited to have the Ivy Madness postseason tournament being held on their home court last weekend for the first time, the Tigers knew that playing at Jadwin Gym guaranteed nothing.

Princeton women’s hoops junior forward Ellie Mitchell vowed that the Tigers would keep their focus and tune out some of the distractions of being at home.  more

TITLE PUSH: Princeton University men’s basketball player Tosan Evbuomwan pushes past a foe in recent action. Last Saturday, senior star Evbuomwan tallied 15 points with seven rebounds and six assists to help Princeton rally from a 17-point second half deficit to defeat Penn 77-69 in overtime. The win clinched a second straight Ivy League regular season championship for Princeton, which shared this year’s title with Yale. This weekend, the Tigers, now 19-8 overall and 10-4 Ivy, will be hosting the Ivy postseason tournament which will decide the league’s automatic bid to the upcoming NCAA tournament. Princeton is seeded second and will face third-seeded Penn in a semifinal on March 11 with the victor advancing to the final a day later to take in the winner of the Yale-Cornell semi. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

There were smiles and hugs as the Princeton University men’s basketball team held its annual Senior Day celebration last Saturday afternoon before playing Penn.

For Princeton head coach Mitch Henderson, this year’s senior group has carved out a special place in his heart.

“We took a break for a year and all of the guys stayed in school, so I only had three years with them,” said Henderson, whose Class of 2023 includes Tosan Evbuomwan, Konrad Kiszka, Jacob O’Connell, Ryan Langborg, and Keeshawn Kellman.

“From the top down, Tosan through to Konrad, Jacob, Ryan, and Keeshawn, there is humility and grace. Everything that I have asked them to do over the course of their time here they have done it and now they are passing it along to the next group. That is what you want and the only way a program works.”

Evbuomwan, a native of Newcastle, England, savored the pregame ceremony. more

COMING THROUGH: Princeton University men’s hockey player Spencer Kersten, left, controls the puck in a game this season. Last Saturday, Kersten scored the final two goals for ninth-seeded Princeton as it defeated eighth-seeded Union 6-4 in an ECAC Hockey one-game first round playoff contest. The Tigers, now 13-17 overall, will be playing in a best-of-three ECACH quarterfinal series at second-seeded Harvard (21-6-2) starting on March 10. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Unable to get its offense going, the Princeton University men’s hockey fell 3-1 at Union College in its regular season finale on February 25.

Last Saturday, Princeton got another shot at Union in Schenectady, N.Y., as the teams met in an ECAC Hockey one-game first round playoff contest and the Tigers were clicking from the start. more

STONE AGE: Princeton University women’s basketball player Grace Stone puts up a shot in recent action. Last Friday, senior star Stone scored 13 points and had four rebounds to help Princeton rally from a 10-point halftime deficit to earn a 51-47 win over Harvard. The Tigers, now 20-5 overall and 11-2 Ivy League, play at Penn on March 3 in their regular season finale. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Grace Stone experienced some extra nerves to go with the emotions she was feeling as the Princeton University women’s basketball program held its annual Senior Night celebration last Friday when it hosted Harvard.

After each member of the team’s Class of 2023 was introduced, Tiger senior guard/forward Stone grabbed a mic and sang a duet of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” with her mother Karen Stone before the crowd of 1,744 at Jadwin Gym.

“I have never really sung in front of anybody before like that,” said Stone. “She really, really wanted me to sing with her; that song means a lot to us and our family. I know it meant a lot to her so I really wanted to do it. It felt special.” more

GETTING HER FILL: Princeton University women’s hockey player Sarah Fillier, right, goes after the puck in a game earlier this season. Last weekend, junior star Fillier totaled two goals and two assists as seventh-seeded Princeton lost a best-of-three ECAC Hockey quarterfinal series to second-seeded Colgate. The Tigers topped the Raiders 3-2 on Friday in the opener but then lost 4-3 on Saturday and fell 2-1 to Colgate in a decisive game three on Sunday. The defeat left the Tigers with a 15-15-1 overall record. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

It may have been blackboard material for the opponents of the Princeton University women’s hockey team, but Cara Morey was on to something.

On the last regular season home weekend of the season when Princeton clinched a spot in the ECAC Hockey quarterfinals, Tiger head coach Morey exuded confidence as she looked ahead to postseason action.

“Our hope is that we are really hot as we head into playoffs,” said Morey. “I think that people are generally scared of the Tigers in the playoffs and I think this year is going to be like the rest. Whoever we play and it is looking like it could be Quinnipiac or Colgate, I am sure they are wondering, shoot, I just don’t want to face the Tigers.”

Sure enough, Princeton ended up playing at Colgate last weekend in the ECACH quarters and the seventh-seeded Tigers put quite a scare into the second-seeded Raiders, who were ranked third nationally.  more

ALEXANDER THE GREAT: Princeton University men’s lacrosse player Alexander Vardaro races upfield last Saturday as Princeton hosted Monmouth in its season opener. Midfielder Vardaro started his senior campaign with a bang, tallying a career-high five goals along with two assists as Princeton defeated Monmouth 22-9. In upcoming action, the No. 3 Tigers were slated to host Manhattan on February 21 and defending national champion and No. 9 Maryland on February 25. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

For Alexander Vardaro, taking a gap year from Princeton University in 2020-21 resulted in some soul-searching and led him to change his perspective on things.

“It was pretty big for my mindset to understand what my priorities were in life and in lacrosse,” said Vardaro, a midfielder for the Princeton University men’s lacrosse team. “Going in that year after COVID, you think about how much time you really have here.”

The year away from school also allowed Vardaro to develop physically as he spent time in Park City, Utah with a group of teammates before they headed south to Texas.

“We were training every day, sometimes twice a day. I was in some of the best shape of my life there,” said Vardaro, reflecting on his experience in Utah where the players were working out in the mountains at an elevation of 6,890 feet. “We went down to Austin, Texas, after that. It was a different environment. We were basically on the college campus, so we got to see what that big rah-rah school is like compared to here, but I still do appreciate what Princeton has to offer.”

Returning to action for the 2022 season, Vardaro was a changed player for the Tigers as they advanced to the NCAA Final 4, tallying 26 goals and 15 assists after totaling 23 goals and seven assists in his first two college campaigns. more

GOING TO THE MATT: Princeton University men’s basketball player Matt Allocco looks to make a pass in a game earlier this season. Last Friday, junior guard Allocco scored 20 points and played lockdown defense on Brown star Kino Lilly as the Tigers topped the Bears 78-67. A night later against Yale, Allocco scored 13 points but it wasn’t enough as Princeton squandered a 19-point second half lead and fell 93-83 to the Bulldogs in overtime. The Tigers, now 17-8 overall and 8-4 Ivy League and in a three-way tie for first place in the league standings with Yale and Penn, play at Harvard on February 25. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Matt Allocco drew a tough assignment when the Princeton University men’s basketball team hosted Brown last Friday night.

With Brown having edged Princeton 72-70 on January 14 as Kino Lilly torched the Tigers with 26 points, junior guard Allocco was given the unenviable task of trying to contain Lilly in the rematch.

The wiry 6’4, 193-pound Allocco proved up to the challenge, sticking with Lilly all over the court and holding him to 10 points on 3-of-13 shooting as Princeton topped the Bears 78-67 before a crowd of 1,750 at Jadwin Gym.

“He is an unbelievable player. He is really good, but I know too that I am going to do my job and I am going to try my best,” said Allocco. “My team behind me was going to have my back. If you have that kind of support, you have got all of the confidence in yourself. Any time you guard a player like him, you have got to be super disciplined and more than anything else you have got to play really hard.”

Allocco also did very well offensively against Brown for a second straight game, tallying 20 points after having scored a career-high 21 points in the previous meeting with the Bears.

“It is in the flow of things, it is just how the game goes sometimes,” said Allocco, who went 6-of-11 from the floor and 6-of-6 from the free throw line in the win on Friday. “It is not missing an opportunity and just to make the right play, whatever it is.” more

PLAYOFF PUSH: Princeton University men’s hockey player Pito Walton controls the puck in a game earlier this season. Senior defenseman and captain Walton has starred as the Tigers have risen to seventh place in the ECAC Hockey standings, putting them in position to earn home ice for the first round of the ECAC Hockey playoffs. Princeton went 1-1 last weekend in its final regular season action at Hobey Baker Rink this season, edging Brown 3-2 on Friday before falling 4-0 to Yale a night later. The Tigers, now 12-15 overall and 8-12 ECACH, play at RPI on February 24 and at Union on February 25 to wrap up regular season action. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Pito Walton was determined to take an even-keeled approach as he took the ice at Hobey Baker Rink last Saturday night for his final regular season home game for the Princeton University men’s hockey team.

“I was trying to keep the emotions level throughout the game and stuff, obviously you can get caught up in it sometimes,” said Princeton senior defenseman and captain Walton. “I think ultimately it was not looking at it as the last game here, hoping that we can secure a couple of wins next weekend and be right back here for playoffs.”

The Tigers didn’t get the win against Yale in the finale, falling 4-0 despite outshooting the Bulldogs 40-25.

“It is just hockey, sometimes it just doesn’t go your way,” said Walton, a 6’2, 192-pound native of Peapack, who starred at the Lawrenceville School before coming up the road to Princeton. “We had a lot of good spurts out there but you have to put the puck in the back of the net to win games and unfortunately we didn’t do that tonight.”

Drawing on his experience, Walton wasn’t about to let the frustrating defeat get to him. more