I’ve been asking around for some inspiration, but so far all I’ve gotten is more than a handful of “I have no idea”s.

I guess it’d be easy to write a cliché-riddled piece. Plenty of those have been written and have turned out OK. You know, tell my audience “not to be afraid to take risks” or “find something they feel really passionate about.” I hear it’s even more effective if you take a “Binghamton’s really not that bad” approach.

I’ll give it a try:

Well, this is it. My final column. My time here at Binghamton went even quicker than everyone told me it would, but these four years really have been the best of my life.

This place often gets a bad rap, but it’s not nearly as bad as people make it out to be. I love this place, and the best memories of my life came to be within this city’s limits.

College is what you make it out to be! Don’t be afraid to take risks and take advantage of what this great place has to offer — these four years go so much quicker than you think. Join a club, or play intramurals. Try some pasta at Lost Dog or take a hike in the Nature Preserve. Pledge a fraternity so you can stick your finger up someone’s butt and then pay them to be your friend.

Yikes, that went sour really fast. I knew that type of column wasn’t a good idea.

There are plenty of other options though. The life comparison — always a great one. Maybe I’ll give that one a shot:

Well, this is it. My final column. My time here at Binghamton went even quicker than everyone told me it would, but these four years really have been the best of my life.

I’ve learned a ton, like how sports are a metaphor for life. You set goals. You work as a team.

Yep.

… I don’t think anybody would actually want to read that.

What else is there? I could always go through and thank everyone that made my college experience enjoyable. But they already know who they are and don’t need me to write it out for them.

I got it! What if I just whine? This one has me written all over it:

Well, this is it. My final column. My time here at Binghamton went even quicker than everyone told me it would, but these four years really have been the best of my life.

But seriously? Why are we the Bearcats — it’s just so lame and completely focus-grouped. And why won’t seven members, instead of only six members, of my house chip in for blue bags? And why did Bryce Harper have to steal home in the first inning?

I’m going to cut that one short before this list gets too long.

So what’s left? I decided being cliché was, well, too cliché. A giant comparison to the course of life was too boring and elementary, and complaining about pretty much everything is what I do on a regular basis anyway — ask anyone who knows me.

So, that said, I guess I’ll just leave.

Van Ingen earned his third All-America nod this year after competing at the national championship in Boise, Idaho. But his reaction isn’t exactly what you’d expect.

“It’s definitely a great thing, but I’ve done that twice before. It’s expected of me,” he said. “When I talk about it, I know it comes off as whiny and bitchy. But when you’ve done something before the luster just isn’t there.”

Van Ingen placed seventh in the mile at the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships in March. Competing in the finals earned him his third All-America honor, but the disappointment still lingers.

“If I finished top three, I could have walked away with that,” he said. “I crossed the line and looked up at the scoreboard and remember just standing there and shaking my head. I was so frustrated. But I could tell without looking that it wasn’t a good race. It’s like in baseball when you hit the sweet spot. Well I didn’t hit mine and didn’t feel that rush and exhilaration.”

“There’s a linear progression. Qualifying for the NCAA championships, qualifying for the final, getting All-America, the next logical step after being crowned an All-American is to win a national title. But the difference between the two is so huge.”

Van Ingen never did win a national title. He posted a fifth-place finish (3.56.37) in the Wanamaker Mile at the Millrose Games in February, edging out Tulsa University’s Chris O’Hare — the eventual national champion — by .26 seconds. But with his collegiate career now coming to a close, the opportunity has passed and now eyes are on the future.

“The further along you get in something the more difficult it becomes to improve at it. That’s kind of where I’m at,” he said. “But I plan on running for maybe 10 more years, as long as my body will continue to produce the results that I’d like.”

Van Ingen’s path to becoming a professional begins in Eugene, Ore. next month. After recording a winning time of 3:38.06 in the 1,500 at the Virginia Classic last Friday, van Ingen will compete in the U.S. Olympic Trials at the end of June.

Macon led one of the worst teams in college basketball this year, and was one of the few holdovers from an era that put the program in the national spotlight for a notorious scandal that cost the jobs of his predecessor and several top University administrators.

Athletic director Patrick Elliott announced on Monday that Macon had been let go, effective immediately. He said a search for his replacement would begin shortly.

“I want to have a quality men’s basketball program with quality students, quality athletes and quality citizens,” Elliott said.

Macon told The Associated Press that he was not bitter at the University’s decision.

“In this job, you’re hired to be fired,” Macon said. “I don’t hold any ill will toward Binghamton University. They gave me a great opportunity and I’m just grateful to have had that chance. It was just amazing to get an opportunity to be a head coach.”

Binghamton will honor Macon’s contract, which was extended last year through February 2014 by former athletic director Jim Norris. Macon is set to earn an estimated $300,000.

Rob Mansell, a sophomore who lead the team in scoring, wrote in an email to Pipe Dream that Macon would be missed, even though the decision to release him was understandable.

“It’s a tough pill to swallow, but people need to understand that this is a business,” Mansell said. “And in a business, if you don’t produce, they’re going to let you go. Coach Macon will definitely be missed though.”

The decision is the latest item on a string of bad news for the program. Less than two weeks ago, it was reported that two assistant coaches, Ron Brown and Julius Smith, would not have their contracts renewed. Shortly thereafter, freshmen Ben Dickinson and Chris Longoria confirmed that they will transfer out of Binghamton at the year’s end.

“We spent a lot of time looking at a whole list of different things,” Elliott said. “I just came to the conclusion that I needed to make a change in leadership and now was the time to do it for the future.”

Macon inherited a program in shambles. He succeeded Kevin Broadus as head coach in 2009 after a series of academic and criminal transgressions resulted in a SUNY investigation of the program, as well as six player dismissals, the resignation of Director of Athletics Joel Thirer and the retirement of former University President Lois DeFleur.

But Macon’s tenure is highlighted by a lack of progress for the program. Macon had a 24-68 record during his time as head coach, and after posting a 2-29 record in the 2011-12 season, the status of the program is similar to, if not worse than, what it was in 2009.

Elliott noted that a national search for a new coach will begin soon, and that a new coach will be in place in time to “have an opportunity to recruit their own student-athletes.” Though no specific candidates have been named, Elliott said he is placing a priority on recruiting experience at the Division I level.

Despite the program’s seemingly inseparable tie to the events that transpired in 2009, Elliott stressed his belief that the position will be highly sought after. Even following a season that began with 26 consecutive losses — and has now ended with two confirmed transfers — BU’s athletic director was confident he won’t need to sell the position.

“I think this is one of the best mid-major jobs in the country,” he said. “We have one of the best facilities I’ve seen, we’ve led this league in attendance the last nine years and we have the best community support that I’ve seen. This is a quality job, and there are a lot of people who are going to be interested in it.”

For the first time in its history, the 12-team America Sky Conference — founded for the 2007-08 season — will hold a championship tournament for its members, with an automatic qualifier into the NCAA Championship at stake.

“It’s very important for any Division I athlete, when you’re a player at a Division I school, to have an opportunity to play in the NCAAs,” BU head coach Bernie Herceg said. “And now we have it.”

The University of Hartford is set to host the competition from April 29 to May 1 at the Lake of Isles in North Stonington, Conn. The winner will punch his ticket to one of six NCAA regional sites.

“It’s been a long time coming with the America Sky Conference coming together and getting the automatic qualifier,” Herceg said. “So it’s just a great year for the conference and a great opportunity for the team.”

Binghamton will send seniors Trevor Fiedler and Mike Surdey, junior David Cellura and sophomores Bryce Edmister and Paul Andrews to the tournament.

“At the beginning of the season, we have one goal, and that’s to win conferences,” Fiedler said. “Hopefully everything goes according to plan and we start playing our best and bring home the title.”

But in order to accomplish that goal, the Bearcats will have to turn in a strong team-wide performance. Of the five 54-hole scores registered on the 6,928-yard, par-72 course, the top four will count toward the team’s overall score.

“If you have two of your guys struggle in one round, it kills your score, and if three struggle, you get taken out of the tournament,” Fiedler said. “Golf is such a timing sport and if you don’t come together at the right time you’re going to struggle.”

At four events this spring, Binghamton as a team has placed no higher than fifth, despite some brilliant performances. BU did face some of the nation’s best collegiate golfers — the team traveled to both the University of Missouri and North Carolina State University for tournaments — but without four solid rounds, individual scores don’t matter.

“In the spring this year, we haven’t had the consistency we had in the fall,” Herceg said. “If you don’t get that fourth man score to be a consistent, decent score, then you can’t compete at the level you want to compete at.”

Though the team’s spring schedule was trying, Herceg said he laid it out with the inaugural America Sky Conference Championship in mind. The plan was to prepare his golfers for tough course layouts against top-notch competition and, according to Fiedler, the method has proven successful.

“The events we’ve played have been great leading up to this course,” he said. “Traveling to Missouri and N.C. State were tough courses, arguably the toughest we’ve played this year, but they’re similar to what we’ll be playing this weekend. It’s good we’ve played in those events and should help us out and we’ll be able to immediately feel comfortable.”

The three-day event is set to open Sunday afternoon, with live stats available at www.GolfStat.com. The winner will have two weeks to prepare for NCAA Regionals from May 17-19, but a confident Herceg is taking it just one event at a time.

“We’re one of the top teams in the conference,” he said. “I really like our chances.”

Binghamton split a doubleheader with Bucknell University on Tuesday (Mar. 27), losing the first game 2-1 before routing the Bison in the nightcap 10-4.

On Sunday (Apr. 1), the Bearcats split a doubleheader with Siena College. BU fell in the first game, 6-4, then topped the Saints 6-3 in the second game.

The Bearcats (8-10) are scheduled to wrap up the three-game set with Siena on Monday (Apr. 2) at 4 p.m. BU will then face Penn State on Wednesday before kicking off a three-game series against Stony Brook University on Friday (Apr. 6).

SOFTBALL

The Bearcats swept Siena in a doubleheader at home Tuesday (Mar. 27) afternoon. BU squeaked by the Saints in the first game, 5-4, then won the nightcap 9-6.

On Friday (Mar. 30), Binghamton kicked off a three-game series with AE rival University of Hartford. BU swept Friday’s doubleheader, then knocked off the Hawks 13-6 in the series finale on Saturday (Mar. 31).

The Bearcats (12-14, 3-3 AE), now riding a five-game win streak, will head to Fordham University for a doubleheader on Tuesday (Apr. 3) and will face Hofstra University on Wednesday (Apr. 4). BU will then return home on Friday (Apr. 6) to open a three-game set against University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

MEN’S LACROSSE

One-goal losses have become a thing of habit for the Bearcats, who have now dropped three straight contests in such fashion.

Binghamton fell to University at Albany 12-11 on Thursday (Mar. 29) on the road to open conference play. Junior midfielder Tyler Perrelle netted his second career hatrick in the loss.

With the loss, the Bearcats now stand at 2-6. BU will host Canisius College on Tuesday (Apr. 3) and Stony Brook on Saturday (Apr. 7).

WOMEN’S LACROSSE

BU fell to 0-2 in America East play on Saturday (Mar. 31) with a loss to Stony Brook at the Bearcats Sports Complex.

Junior Kimberly McGeever tallied three goals and an assist, but the Bearcats were unable to slow down the Seawolves in the 19-8 loss.

Binghamton (3-6, 0-3 AE) will square off against Albany on Wednesday (Apr. 4) and UMBC on Saturday (Apr. 7)

TENNIS

The men’s tennis team was swept by Harvard University on Friday (Mar. 30), 7-0. The No. 20 Crimson swept all six singles matches.

BU will head to Buffalo next weekend to take on Western Michigan University on Saturday (Apr. 7) and University at Buffalo on Sunday (Apr. 8).

On the women’s side, BU fell to Fairleigh Dickinson University 6-1 on Tuesday (Mar. 27). For the remainder of the break, the Bearcats are set to face Rollins College (Apr. 3), Barry University (Apr. 5), Florida Atlantic University (Apr. 7) and Florida Gulf Coast University (Apr. 8).

TRACK & FIELD

BU kicked off its 2012 outdoor season at the West Point Invitational this weekend (Apr. 1), and captured six individual titles.

On the women’s side, junior Jessica Hennig captured first in the 400 (58.10), senior Kaitlin Sullivan in the 400 Hurdles (1:03.60), sophomore Camille Ginyard in the Pole Vault (11-5 3/4), junior Ashley AuPont in the High Jump (5-5) and fifth-year senior Nandi Dozier-Lewis in the Triple Jump (36-6 3/4).

For the men, sophomore Chris Hernandez took first in the 800 with a time of 1:54.53.

The teams will next see action at the April Open (Apr. 6-7) hosted by Cornell University.

GOLF

Binghamton posted a fifth place finish at the Fireline Towson Invitational this weekend.

Fifth-year senior Trevor Fiedler posted a 54-hole total of 219 (+3) to capture a 14th place tie with one other competitor.

The fifth-year senior and two-time All-American will compete in the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships this weekend, hosted by Boise State University in Nampa, Idaho.

On Feb. 11, van Ingen placed fifth in the Wanamaker Mile at the Millrose Games with a time of 3:56.37. The winner, Miles Batty of Brigham Young University, finished first overall with a time of 3:54.54, and will be competing against van Ingen again in Idaho.

But despite the high quality of competition, van Ingen said he isn’t stressed about the meet.

“It’s like asking Jimi Hendrix if he gets incredibly nervous before he goes out and performs,” he said. “When you have someone and they’re completely in their element and immersed in what they’re doing, what’s going on outside of them is of no concern.”

Van Ingen insisted that he is preparing for the meet as if it were any other race, acknowledging that the only way to succeed is to eliminate any distractions.

“It’s the same mindset and the same mentality,” he said. “It’s just once you get into the race there’s a greater emphasis on positioning, and being in an appropriate position to be able to strike when the iron’s hot.”

The preliminaries of the mile will start at 7 p.m. tonight with two heats of eight runners. The top four finishers in each heat, plus the next two fastest times, will advance to the finals, which will be held at 8:15 a.m. Saturday.

The Binghamton University men’s basketball team — the same team that finished the season with an abysmal 1-28 mark and garnered the No. 9 seed heading into the America East postseason — knocked off University of Maryland, Baltimore County in overtime in Thursday’s play-in game of the conference’s annual championship tournament.

Regardless of the Retrievers’ record (UMBC finished the season with only four overall wins, two of which came against Binghamton), BU’s first-round triumph is definitely an upset.

Without leading scorer and sophomore guard Rob Mansell, who missed the game due to injury, the Bearcats found a way to advance to the quarterfinals for the second consecutive year.

Last season, again as the No. 9 seed in the tournament, the Bearcats topped UMBC 91-65 before eventually losing to the University of Vermont in the quarterfinals.

“Today was a day that these guys, not myself, did the job,” BU head coach Mark Macon said. “They played a good team, and hung in there when they could have put their heads down and walked away from here with a loss and not have been bothered by anyone other than myself.”

Macon told reporters in a postgame press conference that he would have gone crazy if his team lost. And they almost did.

With under four minutes remaining and Binghamton holding a 58-52 lead, UMBC pieced together a 6-0 run to tie the game. With 24 seconds left on the clock, freshman guard Chris Longoria took a 3-pointer that would have given the Bearcats the lead, but the shot was off and UMBC secured the rebound.

With 12 seconds remaining, the Retrievers called timeout, but when play resumed they were unable to execute a play. After two missed attempts, the game went to overtime.

In the extra period, UMBC scored within the first five seconds on an easy lay-in by sophomore Chase Plummer.

In 42 minutes, Plummer scored 17 points for UMBC, shooting 6-of-15 from the floor but only 4-of-10 from the free-throw line. UMBC junior Brian Neller also found offensive success, leading the Retrievers with 18 points after being held to just five in the schools’ previous meeting. But despite combining for 35 points, Macon said his team did a good job containing UMBC’s two top dogs.

“With a team like UMBC who has go-to guys, and a guy who gave us trouble last game in Plummer, we really had to dig in on him and we covered our game plan really well in covering him and Neller,” Macon said.

After Plummer’s early layup, Binghamton responded with an 11-3 run, anchored by four points from freshman Ben Dickinson.

With one minute remaining and BU ahead 69-63, UMBC went on a quick 4-0 spurt, but with only 34 seconds remaining were forced to foul the rest of the way.

Junior Jimmy Gray sank 3-of-4 crucial free throws, and with UMBC unable to capitalize on the offensive end, Binghamton went on to take the 73-67 win.

“You’ve got to make free throws,” Macon said. “When it got close, [Gray] put them in the basket.”

Dickinson led all scorers with 21 points and fell just one rebound shy of a double-double. Gray, despite shooting only 4-of-12 from the floor and 6-of-10 from the free-throw line, finished with 14.

“I think we rebounded really well, and we got a couple of offensive rebounds off of our misses that really kept us in the game,” Dickinson said. “We were able to make the free throws when we needed to.”

The No. 9-seeded Bearcats are now set to square off against No. 1 Stony Brook University at 12:05 p.m. on Saturday. The Seawolves topped BU in both of the teams’ two meetings this season, including a 34-point blowout win last month.

For the Bearcats, topping Stony Brook will be a long shot, but for a team that has already knocked off one of the conference’s top teams in Vermont, the game plan will remain the same.

“I think our defense and our intensity when we come out is going to be important and the main key to winning this next game,” Gray said. “Being that we’ve played them already, we’re familiar with what they do, so we just need to make the adjustment.”

The spirit squads put on their pregame performance, the pep band played its usual jams and the teams lined up for introductions and the National Anthem.

The starters took the floor, and like the 26 times before, the Binghamton University men’s basketball team was set to tip off a game in search of its first win.

But this was night No. 27.

This game wouldn’t end in disappointment for the Bearcats. It wouldn’t end with heads down in the locker room or a postgame press conference riddled with reporters who ran out of new questions to ask 10 games ago.

After two clutch free throws from junior Jimmy Gray gave Binghamton a two-possession lead with only four seconds to go, reality set in, and by the time the clock hit zero, the 2,427 in attendance saw the nation’s last remaining winless team finally start a winning streak of its own.

“It was the most amazing feeling,” said senior Pamela Antoci, a member of Binghamton’s cheer team. “We all went crazy and were just extremely excited to finally see our score come up on top and come out with a win.”

But extremely excited may have been an understatement as fans from the student section rushed out onto the court from the bleachers and mobbed Binghamton’s players.

“As time kept going down, everyone was thinking, ‘Wow this is going to happen,’” said Kyle Verspoor, a senior who attended the game. “In the last two minutes, kids started moving down the bleachers, all getting ready to rush the court. It was a ton of fun, so much energy.”

University President Harvey G. Stenger was in attendance at the Events Center for the Bearcats’ first win during his time at Binghamton.

“It was fun to watch, everybody was excited and the team was smiling,” Stenger said. “It was remarkable how the community was here and they stayed and listened and watched and bit their nails right to the end.”

Head coach Mark Macon was interviewed on ESPN’s SportsCenter and Grantland, a popular sports website, had a small piece on the game. For the first time all season, Binghamton basketball was made relevant by something positive.

“I’m really so happy for our student-athletes, they work hard day in and day out and they deserve to get a win,” athletic director Patrick Elliott said. “I think also just how special it was that our community and our fans have been so supportive all year, but the reaction of our fans, I’m happy for them to give them the experience. It’s been a difficult season so to have a game like that where everybody can celebrate and our students can win on their home court and the fans can enjoy it. That made it really special.”

— Aaron Gottlieb contributed reporting from the Events Center

The Great Danes have swept the AE Championships for two consecutive years, capturing titles on both the men’s and women’s side. The men have won seven consecutive titles.

Albany’s men’s squad was predicted to finish first in the conference when the America East coaches voted prior to the start of the season. The Great Danes possess plenty of talent and will look to earn the crown behind the strength of their distance runners. Senior Paul Lagno has the AE’s third-best time in the mile run this season (4:01.86), and 2011 Track and Field Scholar Athlete of the Year senior Peter Rowell will look to repeat in the 500.

But if Binghamton’s potential overshadows Albany’s in any field, it is distance running. Fifth-year senior Erik van Ingen, one of the nation’s top collegiate runners, will represent the Bearcats along with junior Jeff Martinez, who posted a third-place finish in the 5,000 in 2011.

On the women’s side, the Bearcats will look to improve on an eight-place finish in last year’s AE championship. Junior Jessica Hennig will represent Binghamton in the 400, an event she won at the AE championship last year with a time of 55.69

Binghamton will rely heavily on its field athletes, including pole vaulter Jenna Marrione. The junior is the top qualifier in the pole vault (12’3.5”).

The America East Indoor Track and Field Championship will extend through the entire weekend, starting with the women’s pentathlon, scheduled for 10 a.m. this morning.

Despite jumping out to an early 17-11 lead, the Binghamton University women’s basketball team fell to University of Hartford on Saturday, 67-58. With the loss, Binghamton slipped into sixth place in the America East.

With a 7-6 conference record, Hartford is now tied for third place with University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Binghamton (12-14, 6-7 AE) sits only one game behind, but with only three regular season games remaining before the conference tournament, time to pursue a higher seed is quickly running out.

On Saturday, the Hawks jumped out to an early 6-2 lead, but back-to-back 3-pointers by senior Orla O’Reilly and junior Mallory Lawes put Binghamton ahead. Hartford would regain the lead and go ahead 11-8, but a 9-0 BU run put the Bearcats up by six just under midway through the half.

Despite carrying early momentum, Binghamton struggled on the offensive end over the next few minutes, and the team looked set to head into the locker room down 24-23.

But in the final 29 seconds of the first half, the Hawks gave themselves a cushion, converting on two quick offensive possessions. Junior Daphne Elliott converted on a 3-pointer at the buzzer, and Hartford took a 29-23 halftime lead.

Elliott would finish the game with 20 points, shooting 6-of-13 from the floor and an impressive 5-of-9 from behind the arc.

In the second half, the Bearcats managed to keep close, but Hartford’s hot shooting never allowed the Bearcats to legitimately pose as a threat.

BU pulled within five points of Hartford with 12:26 left in the half, but 3-pointers by Elliott on three consecutive possessions put Hartford up 50-38 with only 10 minutes left in the second half.

Despite shooting lights out from downtown, Elliott wasn’t the only one Binghamton had trouble slowing down.

Junior Nikkia Smith scorched the Bearcats for 24 points, shooting 8-of-13 from the floor and 7-of-9 from the free throw line. Smith dropped 15 of her 24 points in the second half, one of the primary reasons BU was never able to regain the lead.

Binghamton shot 47 percent from the floor (21-of-45), but the team’s 18 turnovers proved to be costly against the defending America East champions.

O’Reilly led BU with 16 points, shooting 6-of-9 from the field and 4-of-6 from behind the arc. Senior Andrea Holmes finished with 14 points despite shooting only 33 percent (4-of-12). Senior Viive Rebane and Lawes each finished with 11 points, capping the third time this season Binghamton has had four double-digit scorers.

The Bearcats are set to be back in action against UMBC tomorrow night in Baltimore. On Jan. 19, Binghamton knocked off the Retrievers 61-43.

“We know UMBC is a good team at home,” said Binghamton head coach Nicole Scholl. “They shoot the ball well at home so we have to be ready to defend and limit their second-chance opportunities.”

Despite currently sitting in sixth place, Binghamton can still make up plenty of ground in its final three games. A win over UMBC would pull the Bearcats into at least a fifth place tie, and with games against University at Albany and University of New Hampshire to follow, Binghamton is still in contention for a top-three seed in the America East Championship.

Tipoff for tomorrow’s game against UMBC is set for 7 p.m.

Van Ingen, a fifth-year senior, will participate in the Millrose Games tomorrow at the New York City Armory. The two-time All-American will compete in the meet’s featured event, the Wanamaker Mile.

Widely considered one of the top annual indoor track & field meets, the annual Millrose Games attract some of the world’s top runners. In total, 202 athletes have been crowned both Millrose and Olympic champions. In the Wanamaker Mile, van Ingen will be pitted against the country’s top collegiate athletes as well as several professionals.

“Right now, it’s just a very, very ideal situation and I’m super excited to be a part of it,” van Ingen said.

At a press conference last week, van Ingen told reporters that the invite wasn’t the highlight of his Binghamton career. At least for now.

“Just being a part of it isn’t enough, so I think after the race I’ll be able to more accurately answer that question,” he said.

Van Ingen will square off against five other collegiate athletes, including Brigham Young University’s Miles Batty, the defending NCAA Indoor Champion in the mile. Tulsa University’s Chris O’Hare, who finished runner-up to Batty last year, will also compete. Van Ingen also ran in the event, but posted a fifth-place finish.

“I’m going up against a defending NCAA champion and others in the field who have better, faster personal bests,” van Ingen said. “So I think for me it’s just a matter of seeing how many people I can beat and how fast I can run … It’s a race against competitors, a race against the clock and a race against myself.”

The always-confident van Ingen acknowledged that, due to the extremely high level of competition, a victory is a long shot. But he also acknowledged that, if he made it this far, anything is possible.

“It could happen, but that would have to take the race of my life,” he said. “I’ve competed against all these guys in this race and I’ve been close to them so there’s no one who’s going to run away by half a lap or anything. You go into a race, you prepare the best you can to compete — sometimes you win, sometimes you don’t. So, I’m not trying to make any claims along those lines but I think it could happen if it’s the perfect storm and the planets align.”

The Millrose Games normally take place at Madison Square Garden, but were moved to the Armory this season. But because the MSG’s track is an atypical 1/11th of a mile, the move may be beneficial.

“The Garden is notoriously slow just due to having to negotiate more tight turns, and the Armory is arguably the fastest track in the world,” van Ingen said. “It’s very world-renowned — American records set there, world records set there. There’s just as much history at the New York Armory as there is that’s involved in the Millrose Games, so I think it’s just, for running fast indoors, the Armory is one of the places to be.”

Van Ingen enters Saturday’s Millrose Games on a high note after breaking a personal record in the past month. At the Boston Terrier Invitational, he broke his own school record with a time of 7:56.21 in the 3,000, placing second in the race.

Van Ingen’s best time in the mile is 3:57.11, a mark he will look to best this weekend. The current NCAA Indoor record for the mile is 3:55.02, set in 2009 by German Fernandez of Oklahoma State University.

Originally scheduled to air on ESPN2, the event will now be available for viewing on YouTube. The Wanamaker Mile is set to begin at 9:49 p.m.

It’s frightening for some and a relief for others, in my case the former. But there’s still plenty of time for seniors to live the remainder of the college days to the fullest.

In last Friday’s issue, Pipe Dream’s editorial board outlined a list of things graduating seniors should look forward to. Well, here’s a list of things (sports-related, of course) to do before you graduate.

WATCH SPRING TRAINING

The Yankees kick off spring training on March 3, and the Mets on Mar. 5 (but who cares). When you’re employed, spring training games are on air while you’re at work. But as a student, especially those with free afternoons, this is the perfect opportunity to catch your team in those colorful alternate jerseys they’ll never break out during the regular season.

Tuning in to spring training goes something like this. Watch the first game your team plays, and watch closely to see how players look facing live pitching and playing in an actual game. Act like you really care and, since you’re watching spring training games, that you’re the biggest fan in the world. Don’t watch another game until the regular season. We all do it.

WATCH MARCH MADNESS

The NCAA tournament officially kicks off with the “first four” on Tuesday, March 13, but the “second round” (known to the common man as the first round) starts March 15.

If you’re a graduating senior, pay close attention. Plenty of my friends, and likely myself included, will be skipping classes on March 15 and 16 to watch 12 hours of nonstop basketball each day. We’ll all be hovered around the television with our brackets in hand (even though everyone knows picking first-round games means nothing, you really just need to pick the winner and two final four teams to win your pool). I recommend everyone do the same. Next year, skipping work for two days won’t go over too well with your employer.

PLAY EN-JOIE GOLF COURSE

En-joie is located in Endicott, about 20 minutes from campus. If you’re a golfer, it’s definitely worth checking out.

Every year, the senior PGA tour has an event there, and some of the most notable golfers play. It’s a tough course, at least for me, but it’s a really cool experience to see all of the grandstands surrounding the greens. You can pretend you’re on the PGA tour … when you’re sitting 12 on the fringe.

GO TO A SYRACUSE BASKETBALL GAME

Why drive to Syracuse to see a basketball game when we have a Division I program right here at Binghamton?

I think you know why.

Syracuse is about an hour away, and tickets can be expensive, but seeing a game at the Carrier Dome is pretty exciting. The Orange were ranked No. 1 for most of the season, so it’s definitely worth checking out. Plus, you’ve seen the worst team in the country this season; why not go see the best?

Stanford University’s Andrew Luck, undoubtedly considered the No. 1 prospect for next year’s NFL draft, has changed the culture for bad professional teams this season.

Miami and Indianapolis are sure to be in the running. Even St. Louis, who drafted potential franchise quarterback Sam Bradford with the first pick in the 2010 draft, may still make a bid for Luck this offseason.

But there’s just something fishy about losing to “win.”

How can we be so sure that Andrew Luck is going to be as great as everyone is predicting?

There’s no doubt that Luck will be a franchise quarterback. But is it really worth purposely losing games in order to secure that elusive No. 1 draft pick?

The answer is simply no.

Suck for Luck is a stupid campaign that, primarily because of its nice rhyme and flow, became a media hit and nationwide sensation. NFL teams don’t lose on purpose. These guys are competitors. They want to win.

Until knocking off the Chiefs 31-3 last weekend, the Miami Dolphins seemed like primary contenders to finish at the bottom of the league and secure the team’s second No. 1 pick in the last five years.

Miami killed Kansas City. They embarrassed them in front of their home fans. It was a great day for Miami Dolphins football, even though it was the team’s first win of the season.

But fans were upset. Upset!

It doesn’t make sense to me. Why would you want to see your team finish last?

Granted, Miami’s quarterback situation has been pretty ugly since the departure of Dan Marino, but even so, I’d never root for the team to lose just to secure a QB with a lot of potential.

Plenty of quarterbacks in this year’s draft class have potential. As of today, Boise State’s Kellen Moore has thrown for more than 13,000 yards in his four-year career, tossing 128 touchdowns against just 24 interceptions. Moore’s Broncos are in line to run the table again, and, as expected, are set to crash the BCS for the third time in the last six seasons.

Houston’s Case Keenum has put up even more absurd numbers, throwing for more than 17,000 yards in four years with the Cougars. As of Friday, he’s thrown 97 more touchdowns (141) than interceptions (44).

Without Peyton Manning, Indianapolis now looks like the favorite in the Andrew Luck stakes, but in the unpredictable NFL, even the Colts could string together a few wins.

Luck could be the next John Elway, but I’m not hopping on the bandwagon. If Miami happened to secure the No. 1 pick, then take him, but don’t play for the future, play for the now.

I’m too dedicated to this team to root for them to lose. That’s despicable.

The Dolphins aren’t playing their way out of the Andrew Luck sweepstakes. They’re playing to win, just as they should be.

Head coach Mark Macon said that the dismissal was his decision. He would not, however, comment on the specific rationale behind Sutton’s dismissal.

Macon repeatedly referred to the dismissal as a “coach’s decision” throughout a post-game press conference following Monday’s exhibition game against Mansfield University.

“We were heading in different directions,” Macon said. “And we have to move forward with our team and where we’re going to be this upcoming season.”

Sutton was seated in the student section during the first half of the exhibition game, in which Binghamton topped the Division II Mountaineers 79-64. He chose not to respond to questions from Pipe Dream reporters regarding his dismissal.

Macon said he was unaware of Sutton’s presence at Monday’s game, and would not comment on any specific restrictions the senior would be required to adhere to as a result of his removal from the team.

The 6-foot-9-inch center from Brooklyn, Sutton averaged 6.4 points and 4.1 rebounds last season in his 29 appearances and 11 starts for the Bearcats.

Athletic director Jim Norris, who will be succeeded by Patrick Elliot on Nov. 14, said during halftime that he supports Macon’s choice.

“My initial reaction would be [that] I support Mark’s decision 100 percent,” Norris said. “Mark made the decision that [Sutton] wasn’t heading in the same direction as the rest of the team, and it was time for both parties to head [in separate directions]. I support all of our coaches when they make these kinds of decisions.”

The athletic director said that Sutton’s removal from the team does not affect his academic standing.

“He’s not out of school so he can stay here and graduate,” Norris said. “If he wants, he can transfer and go to Division II and play.”

The dismissal came less than a week after the announcement that the men’s basketball program posted a perfect Academic Progress Rating (APR) score of 1,000. The score allowed the program to regain the two scholarships it lost following the release of six players in 2009.

After capturing its first America East title in 2009, the arrest of standout Emanuel “Tiki” Mayben led to a collapse of the men’s basketball program and ultimate dismissal of five additional players. After both an NCAA and in-house investigation, Binghamton ultimately decided to self-impose a two-scholarship reduction after requesting a waiver of approval from the America East.

The APR score, which indicates a program’s academic integrity, places heavy emphasis on athlete graduation. But with Sutton still enrolled in classes, according to Norris, the score should not be affected by the dismissal.

“He’s eligible right now, so we’re not going to lose that point,” he said. “I’m fairly certain he’ll graduate somewhere, and that point will be intact. I’m not worried about APR.”

Sophomore guard Robert Mansell, who joined Binghamton last season as Macon’s first official recruit, acknowledged the impact of the loss of Sutton.

“It’s definitely a huge loss for us,” Mansell said in a brief interview following his press conference remarks. “Kyrie is a great friend and a great basketball player, but we have to move on and hopefully win without him.”

Mansell told Pipe Dream he was unaware of the reason behind Macon’s decision, adding only that the team needed to move past Sutton’s dismissal.

“We’re definitely young with no seniors, and it’s going to be tough without him,” he said. “But we’ve got to move on.”

Without Sutton, the Bearcats will join University at Albany as the only America East teams to enter regular season play with no seniors on the roster.

The program’s scholarship offers were limited to 11 players, following the dismissal of six players prior to the 2009-10 season, but after receiving a perfect Academic Progress Rating (APR) score of 1,000, BU awarded the program a full allotment of 13 scholarships for this year.

The APR measures the academic performances of Division I athletes. To calculate the score, each athlete receiving athletically-related financial aid earns one point for staying in school and another for remaining eligible.

To calculate a team’s total APR, the earned points are divided by the total potential points, then multiplied by 1,000. A reduction in the number of scholarships occurs if the score dips below 925.

“We had really closely monitored [the APR],” athletic director Jim Norris said. “That result represented a lot of hard work by a lot of different people. The administration, the coaching staff and most importantly the student-athletes.”

Norris, who took over as interim athletic director following the resignation of Joel Thirer, was promoted to full athletic director in May and will be replaced as AD by Patrick Elliot Nov. 14.

Norris said that a plan was designed and implemented to improve the program’s future APR amidst the anticipation of an abysmal score following the mass dismissal. The plan stressed the importance of academic integrity and clearly defined the expected role of student-athletes. As expected, the team earned an APR of 739 following the 2009-10 academic year.

Following the conclusion of that season, the University self-imposed a two-scholarship reduction after requesting a waiver of approval from the America East. Under normal circumstances, the conference mandates that member schools must designate all 13 available scholarships.

The NCAA would have regularly imposed a two-scholarship reduction had the University not done so on its own.

“We agreed that what we really had to do was sacrifice short term to ensure long term,” Norris said.

As a result, the men’s basketball team played its 2010-11 campaign with only 10 players on scholarship. The 11th, which according to the aforementioned AE mandate was required to be assigned, was eventually awarded to guard Chris Rice. Rice, who enrolled at BU in January of last year, never played in any games, and as a result returns to the Bearcats as a freshman this season.

Following the release of the new APR, third-year head coach Mark Macon announced junior guard Jimmy Gray had been awarded one of the two reinstated scholarships for this season. Gray, a Binghamton High School graduate, is Binghamton’s leading returning scorer after averaging 6.5 points per game last year.

The other available scholarship has yet to be assigned, but in order to comply by the rules it must be applied by the end of this season.

The magic number for BU was 900, and luckily the program reached the mark when it needed to.

Due to recent scandals, the NCAA has taken steps to ensure that Division I athletes are academically eligible for athletically-related financial aid. The NCAA announced the newest changes to the APR program last Thursday.

Prior to this year, a minimum score of 900 was required to participate in postseason tournaments, but new standards will go into effect in 2012-13. Next season, teams will be required to accumulate a multi-year score of 900, and to be eligible for postseason play they must average an APR of 930 over the two most recent seasons.

The benchmark will raise even higher in 2013-14, when teams will be required to post a four-year rolling APR of at least 930, as well as a 940 average over the two most recent seasons.

Though the men’s basketball program’s perfect score stole the spotlight and garnered the most media attention, 10 other Binghamton programs achieved the same mark.

“I think this is clearly case closed as far as what transpired two years ago, and this is maybe the final piece,” Norris said.

2011 CAA champion Hofstra University ranked first, as the school’s 24 votes beat out Binghamton’s 19. Boston University (16), Drexel University (15), Rider University (12), Old Dominion University (11) and George Mason University (3) round out the rankings.

“These rankings are a great starting point for our team,” BU head coach Pat Popolizio said, according to www.bubearcats.com. “Our ultimate goal is to produce national champions and All-Americans. With continued hard work and dedication we look forward to improving our rankings.”

The Bearcats have eight wrestlers ranked in the conference and will be led by senior Justin Lister. Lister is a two-time CAA champion and in 2010 was an All-American.

Binghamton will open the year with its annual Wrestle-Offs on Oct. 29 before hosting George Mason University in its regular season-opener on Nov. 12.

You’ve said you don’t read the papers, but maybe somebody will throw this your way.

After the America East Preseason Coaches Poll was revealed, I decided to write you a letter.

First off, let me open by offering a simple “good luck.”

In my three years as a student here (I’m a senior now), I’ve seen the ups and downs of the men’s basketball program.

I was around when D.J. Rivera and Tiki Mayben dominated the America East and led us to our first conference championship. I was also around when everyone on campus wished they still played.

Last year, you guided our team to an 8-23 record, including four America East wins. But we had Greer Wright, Mahamoud Jabbi and Moussa Camara, and they all graduated.

Since that run to the tournament, things have been pretty gloomy around here. Last season, when we knocked off UMBC in the AE tourney play-in game, the buzz came back, but only for a brief second. I miss it, and I’m not alone.

This year’s team is young, and I’m sure there’s raw talent. But as I mentioned earlier, good luck.

I (and many others, I’m sure) fell in love with Binghamton University’s basketball team when we made that trip to the NCAA tournament. The America East Championship win over UMBC was probably the best experience I’ve had here thus far.

Since the dismissal of all of our stars, that love has pretty much disappeared.

The community support here is great, and I applaud those who have supported the programs through thick and thin. But students are different.

Students who chose to attend Binghamton didn’t come here for the athletics. Sure, we’re Division I, but nobody’s decision was based on their fiery desire to be a Bearcat.

A majority of college basketball fans here at BU likely root for other schools. Don’t take offense to that, but Big East basketball has a swagger that the America East just doesn’t have.

Most students will only pay attention to Binghamton’s basketball team if we’re doing well. You have to win us over. The atmosphere and experience of attending a game can only go so far; the on-court product has to be worth watching.

I understand that what happened here two short years ago still has an effect on recruiting, but I still have a challenge for you:

Win back the student body.

During the 2008-09 season, students would come to games an hour early just to ensure they could get in. Now, if at all, they come an hour in to see if the Bearcats have a shot at scoring enough points to get them free Big Macs (that promotion better continue this year, by the way).

It won’t be easy. This conference has become much more competitive than people think. The quality of play has only gotten better, and as the AE continues to grow, Binghamton’s opponents will only get tougher.

The NBA is in shambles. College basketball will be king this year (it may already be, but at least this year we know for sure). For those of us who wanted to go to Indiana, Michigan State or Duke, bring us that experience. We only have four years here, and I had my shining moment. But for those who arrived after that magical run, the thought of an NCAA berth is oh-so-appealing.

The expectations couldn’t be lower. Nobody expected us to do anything last year, yet we still won eight games. This year, literally nobody (there’s a difference) expects us to do well. You have my support, and the students will come out if the team does well. But you’ve got to show us something first.

So, good luck, and prove all of the doubters wrong.

Yours truly,

AR

In a press conference yesterday, University President C. Peter Magrath introduced Patrick Elliott as the University’s new athletic director. Elliott, who most recently served as athletic director at Saint Peter’s College, will officially begin his appointment Nov. 14.

“This is a good moment for this University,” Magrath said during his opening statements. “We’re moving, we have been moving and we’re going to continue to move.”

Elliot will succeed current athletic director James Norris, who assumed his position in 2009 after controversy surrounding the men’s basketball program led to the resignation of then-AD Joel Thirer. Norris, who carried an interim tag until this past summer, announced in May that he intended to retire at the end of this semester.

Elliott has served as athletic director at Saint Peter’s College since June 2008. He was the sixth AD in the department’s history. His tenure was highlighted by academic success, including the establishment of the Athletic Director’s Academic Honor Roll. In his first year, Saint Peter’s boasted a 91 percent graduating rate of athletes exhausting eligibility, according to the department’s official website.

“He cares about academics; he cares about athletics; he cares about the students that are part of the program,” Magrath said.

Elliott, who addressed the media during yesterday’s press conference, sported a green BU baseball cap during his remarks.

“It’s an honor, and it’s great to be a Bearcat,” he said. “I am very, very excited about the future. This is a tremendous opportunity.”

Binghamton’s newest athletic director inherits a young program still in its early stages of development. This year marks just the 10th season as a Division I program for BU after the transition.

Elliott commended the progress BU has made thus far.

“We have great facilities, we’re a great staff of people, incredible student-athletes, but the next thing is to get the brand of Binghamton University athletics out there,” Elliott said. “This region has so many people who are very interested in Binghamton athletics, so what I’d like to do is to bring it out to them, and to make sure that BU athletics, throughout the Southern Tier region, is something everyone can identify with.”

Though nearly a year removed from an NCAA investigation of the Binghamton men’s basketball program, questions still arose concerning, as one reporter put it, the “lingering taint.”

“You have to go out and you have to show that we have integrity,” Elliott said. “We’re going to stand for integrity, and we’re going to stand for going forward and showing people that we’re going to run the program, on and off the court, with integrity.”

“You can’t erase things that have happened in the past, but you can move toward the future with integrity and doing the right thing,” he said.

Magrath also took an opportunity to address the issue, citing that Binghamton’s athletic programs are being run “correctly.”

“As far as I’m concerned, what happened, happened,” he said. “If some people think there’s a lingering taint, that’s what they will think. But I know for a fact, that there ain’t been any bad taint for the last year and a half. We’re focused on today, tomorrow and the future.”

had come full circle. All the work I put in and all of the

support I had from everybody — it finally paid off.

Minnesota Twins manager Ron Gardenhire takes the ball from his pitcher’s hand. The rookie, in

his first career start, had limited the Cleveland Indians to four runs before making his departure

with one out in the seventh inning.

“You did a heck of a job, enjoy this,” Gardy tells him. “These people are going to be cheering for

you when you walk off. You’ll never forget this moment.”

As he walks toward the dugout, 38,491 fans at Target Field offer their applause as he tips his

cap.

“Unbelievable,” he would say after the game. “It’s what every kid dreams of.”

BEARCAT BEGINNINGS

The Binghamton University baseball team got its first good look at Scott Diamond in 2005.

A native of Guelph, Ontario, the left-hander was widely considered one of Canada’s top high

school prospects, and it didn’t take long for head coach Tim Sinicki to see why.

As a freshman, the lefty was named America East Rookie of the Year after posting a 4-2 record

and 2.85 ERA in conference play. He tossed four complete games that season, and at one point

pitched a stretch of 15.1 consecutive scoreless innings.

Diamond only improved as a sophomore, and by the time he’d reached his junior season the

southpaw was garnering the attention of Major League clubs.

On March 3, 2007, scouts came out in numbers to see Diamond on the hill as the Bearcats

opened the season against Norfolk State University. Though cold weather may have played a

role, BU’s ace struggled, allowing five runs on 10 hits in only four innings of work.

“[The scouts] started to talk: ‘Is he hurt?'” Sinicki says. “We just tried to put their mind at ease

and tell them that ‘he’s not hurt, you saw him the first outing of the year and he’s on a pitch

count.'”

Diamond went on to another quality season, and delivered for Binghamton down the stretch,

but many scouts had turned their heads after he struggled early on. In an elimination game at the

America East tournament, he tossed a complete game to keep BU’s season alive, but what would

prove to be his final collegiate start went highly unnoticed.

“We begged, begged pro scouts to come back later in the year, and not many did,” Sinicki

says. “He had some of his best outings at the end of the year, but then went undrafted.”

A total of 1,453 players were selected in Major League Baseball’s 2007 draft. Scott Diamond

wasn’t one of them.

STARTING FROM SCRATCH

As an undrafted free agent, Diamond left BU and signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta

Braves in August 2007, reporting to the team’s Class-A affiliate in March. Three years later, he

was pitching in Triple-A.

In December 2010, the Minnesota Twins announced that they had selected Diamond in the

league’s annual Rule 5 draft. As a Rule 5 pick, Diamond would be granted a spot on the Twins’

25-man roster, or they would be required to offer him back to Atlanta.

To avoid both, Minnesota would have to offer Atlanta a trade, and at the end of spring training,

hard-throwing prospect Billy Bullock was sent to the Braves and the Twins optioned Diamond to

Triple-A Rochester.

“We liked him, that’s why we took him from Atlanta,” Gardenhire says. “We liked the arm. Our

people in the minor leagues had faced him and watched him; we kind of look at him like [Tom]

Glavine — he’s got that same windup and same deception.”

Diamond would open the 2011 season in Triple-A, but in mid-July, as the Twins struggled with

injuries and an upcoming doubleheader, the decision was made to call him up to make a start

against the Indians.

“My manager brought me into the office, and told me there was a problem with my start [the

next day],” Diamond remembers. “He said, ‘Well, you’ve got to go up to Minnesota and make

the start up there.’ Right then and there I couldn’t believe it, and everything had come full circle.

All the work I put in and all of the support I had from everybody – it finally paid off.”

A BIG LEAGUE CAREER

On July 18, Diamond made his first career start in the nightcap of a doubleheader against

Cleveland. He held the then-division leading Indians to three earned runs, surrendering seven

hits while walking two. He would take the loss in what would inevitably be a 6-3 Indians win.

He would return to the minors after his start, but was called up again in late August to finish the

season with the team.

In his second start back, the third of his young career, Diamond pitched six innings against

Chicago, holding the White Sox to three runs on only three hits.

In the top of the first, before Diamond even took the mound, Minnesota tagged Jake Peavy

for six runs to give the rookie a healthy lead. Chicago battled back, but the Twins held on as

Diamond earned his first win as a Major League pitcher.

“That’s something that every kid dreams about,” Gardenhire says. “Every kid who has a uniform

or dreams about their first win, or their first hit, the whole package. He went out and earned it.

He pitched his tail off and it was a good moment. It’s always fun with these guys.”

Diamond would make seven total starts with the Twins, finishing the season with a 1-5 record

and 5.08 ERA.

“He’s got really good stuff,” Twins catcher Drew Butera says. “He’s got a good fastball, runs in

the low to mid-90s, and it cuts every once in a while, which is great for deception. His out pitch

is his curveball. He’s got some really good stuff.”

This past Saturday, Diamond had a chance to earn his second win of the season, but after taking

a three-hit shutout into the sixth inning, he allowed four runs and was pulled after recording only

one out. Minnesota went on to lose the game 7-6, but reliever José Mijares took the loss.

“HIS INTANGIBLES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN OFF THE CHARTS”

Ron Gardenhire calls Scott Diamond a “class act.”

“I like the fact that he’s able to control himself out on the mound,” he says. “He’s handled

himself well; everything we’ve thrown at him he’s been very professional about … He’s kept his

emotions in check from his first start and through every outing he’s been out there. He’s remained

in control of himself and you can see him take deep breaths and step back off the mound — he’s

handled everything so far.”

Diamond hasn’t pitched for the Bearcats since 2007, but the way people talk about him, you’d

think he was still on the team.

“His intangibles have always been off the charts. When we recruit guys, abilities and tools

are part of the process, but we want guys in our program we feel like we can trust,” Sinicki

says. “We want guys who will represent us and the University the right way, and Scott fit that

mold from day one.”

Scott was a model student-athlete during his time at BU, and, as it stands, is only one course

away from receiving a degree in industrial engineering. Current athletic director Jim Norris

remembers him not only as an athlete, but as a member of Binghamton’s campus community.

With the Twins, not much has changed, and Diamond’s professional demeanor has earned the

respect of both his teammates and coaching staff.

“I like all of these guys,” Gardenhire says.

But there are some conditions to staying on his good side.

“As a manager I always make sure these guys do the right thing. One of the big things in this

clubhouse is you have to say hi to the manager when you walk in. [Scott]’s learned that, and now

he comes in and says, ‘Hi, Gardy,’ all the time. That’s a good start; he’s a class act.”

AN INSPRING STORY

College baseball isn’t all about where you play.

“I’ve always been told you can’t hide baseball talent,” Diamond says. “Even being from a smaller

northeastern school, no matter where you are there’s going to be exposure. As long as you work

hard and play hard, people are going to take notice.”

It’s tough to play college baseball in the northeast. Teams typically spend the first month and a

half of their season on the road, and, historically, the nation’s top players tend to attend schools

located in the South or on the West Coast.

Binghamton’s program is heralded as one of the best in the region, and 14 Bearcats, including

Diamond, have joined a professional organization since 2006. Prior to July 18, none had played

in the MLB.

“It’s very encouraging to see someone make it from our program here at Binghamton,” says

current Binghamton senior and first baseman Dave Ciocchi. “It’s tough to get serious recognition

out of the northeast, let alone make it to the Major Leagues. [Diamond] gives us current players a

sense of hope and confidence that if we work hard enough, anything can happen.”

There’s something cliché about working hard and reaching your goals, and it seems so Disney

to be the little guy and make it. But even so, Diamond’s story is one of determination, taking an

atypical path to reach the Majors.

“It’s been my mantra ever since I stepped on campus,” Diamond says. “I’ve done nothing but

always tried to work as hard as I could.”

Diamond has become a face for Binghamton University and its alumni. His story has inspired

current BU players, and all those who knew him during his time here have applauded his

accomplishments.

“There’s a lot of programs with much more storied histories than we have and still don’t have a

guy in the big leagues,” Sinicki says. “It means a lot to this area and to this University.”

The Twins are out of the running for a postseason berth this year, after a season where many of

the team’s more notable players suffered injuries and setbacks. Diamond’s future role with the

club remains up in the air, but after Minnesota’s season ends on Wednesday it will definitely be a

topic of discussion.

“What we do with our roster will play out over the winter, but it’s easy to say that he’ll get a look

in spring training for sure,” Gardenhire says. “We know he can get big league hitters out, and

he’ll definitely get his opportunity in spring training to pitch and we’ll go from there. We like him

a lot.”

In 2010, the Bearcats finished on top in a field of 14 schools. In 2009, 15 competed, but BU still won the event.

“We won it the last two years, which is great, and I really think we’re going to get another win this year,” junior David Cellura said. “Everyone’s been playing good this season, but we just haven’t been playing courses that fit our game.”

Binghamton opened its season with a ninth-place finish at the Turning Stone Tiger Intercollegiate hosted by University of Missouri. Sophomore Bryce Edminster, whose four-over finish (71-73-76) earned him a tie for 18th place, led the Binghamton lineup. Cellura’s 8-over-par performance was good for 25th.

The following weekend, Binghamton travelled to University of Maryland for the Maryland Intercollegiate. The Bearcats posted a seventh-place finish in the field of 13.

For Binghamton’s golfers, the familiarity of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club will play a big role in how the team performs this weekend.

“Cornell is a great course for us,” Cellura said. “Everyone knows it, par five [holes] are pretty reachable and we all hit it pretty long so we’ll be able to take advantage of it. I really like the lineup and practices have been going well this week. I really think we’re going to do well.”

At the Maryland Intercollegiate on Sept. 12-13, Cellura posted an opening round score of 66 (-5), the best opening round in program history. The junior went on to shoot 75-70 (-2) to tie for 12th place.

“It felt great,” he said. “It was nice to finally have a round in the 60s, but it would have meant more to me if we won the tournament. I love that I shot a 66, but I’d love to shoot a 66 and win as well, that’s ideal.”

The Bearcats will seek to defend their second consecutive title tomorrow, with play extending into Sunday. For BU, a solid week of practice has helped ready the team for the tournament.

“We’ve been working on our putting a lot,” Cellura said. “Coach had us do a couple of drills that focus on our putting since the greens are very big and you can have some tricky putts. We’ve been working on putting a lot so that’s really going to be key.”

GOLF BRIEFS

AMERICA SKY GRANTED AUTOMATIC BID FROM NCAA

The NCAA Division I Championships/Sports Management Cabinet approved the Automatic Qualifying conferences for 2011-12, a list which now includes the America Sky Conference. For the first time in the conference’s short history, the America Sky champion will represent the league in the NCAA championship.

FORMER BINGHAMTON GOLFER JAKE KATZ RECORDS FIRST PROFESSIONAL VICTORY

Binghamton graduate Jake Katz recorded his first professional win earlier this month while competing in the West Florida Golf tour. Katz, who was making his first professional start, shot a 6-under-par score of 66 at Lake Jovita Golf & Country Club in Dade City, Fla. He took home a prize of $1,000.

The candidates, who were selected from a field of approximately 40 applicants, have been invited for on-campus interviews scheduled Sept. 19-21.

The search began after athletic director Jim Norris announced his plan to retire at the end of the fall 2011 semester. Following the resignation of former athletic director Joel Thirer, Norris was promoted from senior associate athletic director to interim athletic director in September 2009.

The selection was made by an 11-member search committee whose formation was announced by President C. Peter Magrath in mid-June.

Michael F. McGoff, vice provost for strategic and fiscal planning, is the committee’s appointed chairman.

Two of the candidates are current Division I athletics directors: Tom Brennan of LaSalle University and Patrick Elliot of St. Peter’s College. The third, Eric Roedel, is the deputy athletic director at Temple University.

“The candidates kind of sorted themselves out,” Norris said.

The field was cut to three after the committee interviewed six finalists in Syracuse last weekend.

“When eventually one of them accepts the job, I know that I’ve turned the program over to a very capable athletic director that will be able to continue to build on what we’ve built and will continue to move forward,” Norris said.

As part of their scheduled on-campus visits, the candidates will meet with a wide array of people including head coaches, student athletes, athletics management staff, faculty leaders and deans.

“I’m as or more concerned with making sure we don’t hire the wrong person as I am with making sure we hire the right person,” Norris said of the three candidates. “But without hesitation, the three finalists would have my 100 percent support and endorsement. We’ve got three top-notch finalists.”

The 11-member committee, of which Norris was a member in non-voting capacity, is composed of representatives for student-athletes, faculty and coaches.

Julie Chambers, a senior member of Binghamton’s volleyball team, represented student-athletes on the committee as president of the Student Athletes Advisory Committee (SAAC).

“What struck me about the committee itself was that we had a great cross section, and everybody had one common agenda [in looking to] hire the best athletic director for Binghamton University,” Norris said. “We delivered three very top-notch candidates for the entire campus to get a look at.”

Norris spent more than two years rebuilding a Division I program in upheaval, working to re-establish the department’s damaged reputation. Prior to the start of the 2009-10 season, less than one year removed from its first NCAA tournament appearance, Binghamton’s men’s basketball program crumbled. The release of six players for both unlawful actions and behavioral issues, the resignation of Thirer and the suspension of then-head coach Kevin Broadus led to both an in-house and NCAA investigation. These blemishes to the reputation of the University’s young program put the athletics department back at square one.

In the two years since Norris was appointed athletic director, the department revamped its image and restructured its game plan, not only for the men’s basketball team, but for the department as a whole.

Norris will officially step down in December. University President C. Peter Magrath will make the final decision regarding the department’s next director.

Norris said he believes the candidates’ desires to become a part the Bearcat community highlight his and the University’s efforts in rebuilding its program.

“It speaks volumes about the community, the University and the athletic department,” he said. “We’ve got tremendous staff in place, we’ve got great facilities and if they’re not already built they’re being built. The potential is really unlimited as to where we can go and where we can get to.”

Take a minute to remember the innocent victims and the brave men and women who lost their lives to ensure the safety of others. Take a minute to remember the troops who have put everything on the line to defend our freedom and way of life.

The tragic events of Sept. 11 will never escape our thoughts, and what are now 10-year-old memories still remain fresh. These images trapped in our minds are still difficult to think about, but go back to them and remember the emotions.

Sept. 11 put so many Americans in a position they never expected to be in. A nation full of independent and proud people was devastated and weak, desperately seeking something around which to unite.

Being a sports fan in this country is a privilege. Fans unite around their teams and accept their favorite players as if members of their own families. The passion is unmatched.

And, in September 2001, despite the ongoing aftermath of arguably the most tragic event in the history of this country, New Yorkers united in typical New York fashion.

The raw emotion of the Big Apple could be seen on every face in Shea Stadium on Sept. 21, 2001. It was the first professional sporting event played in the city since the attacks, and with heavily increased security and fans still feeling the shock, the atmosphere was quiet and reserved.

Then, in the bottom of the eighth, and with the Mets trailing 2-1, catcher Mike Piazza belted a two-run home run to straightaway center field. The crowd erupted, backed by pent-up emotion from 10 days of insecurity and sorrow.

In sports, life always goes on. One team wins and one team loses, and in the end we all move on with our lives and continue our daily routines. But on that night in 2001, when New Yorkers needed each other more than ever, they found their peace in baseball.

Remember the events of Sept. 11, and never forget. But also remember how during a city’s darkest moment, New York’s residents rallied together around something more than just a game.

This should be both an eventful and exciting season, and here’s how I think the divisions will pan out.

AFC East

New England Patriots (12-4): The Pats only got better this offseason with the addition of marquee names on both sides of the ball. As long as Tom Brady is under center, the Pats will have one of the top offenses in the league.

Miami Dolphins (10-6): After struggling with inconsistency, I finally think Chad Henne and the Dolphin offense will start to click. Brandon Marshall and Reggie Bush could have big seasons, and Miami’s defense has the ability to win games for this team. (Assistant Sports Editor’s note: Adam is a Dolphins fan.)

New York Jets (9-7): The Jets have a good offense and an even better defense, but something tells me they’ll finish in third place in this division. Expect blowout losses in Weeks 6 and 17. (Assistant Sports Editor’s note: Adam is still a Dolphins fan.)

Buffalo Bills (5-11): I think Buffalo has a chance to have a decent season in 2011, but only if they can figure out a way to stop the pass.

AFC North

Baltimore Ravens (11-5): Baltimore’s conservative but effective offense and stingy defense is a great combination.

Pittsburgh Steelers (11-5): It’s nearly impossible to run the ball against the Steelers’ defense. Pittsburgh and Baltimore are similar teams, and I expect them to tie for the top spot in the division.

Cleveland Browns (7-9): Peyton Hillis is the only real weapon on the offensive side, but Cleveland’s front four on defense is one of the best in the league.

Cincinnati Bengals (2-14): Two wins is generous.

AFC South

Houston Texans (10-6): Houston is always such a tempting preseason pick. Offense isn’t an issue, but the signing of Johnathan Joseph was a must for the league’s worst pass defense.

Indianapolis Colts (9-7): This has nothing to do with Peyton Manning. The Colts’ defense can never seem to stay healthy, and even if they do it will be average at best.

Jacksonville Jaguars (8-8): This team made so many moves during the offseason that it’s basically unrecognizable, but the Jags should still find a way to win some games.

Tennessee Titans (4-12): Tennessee’s offense will score some points, but its defense will allow more.

AFC West

Oakland Raiders (10-6): Surprise! Oakland’s a much better team than many believe, and if they can find consistent play at quarterback they could take down this division. In 2010, Oakland went 6-0 against AFC West opponents, and while the loss of Nnamdi Asomugha hurts, Stanford Routt is still one of the league’s elite corners.

San Diego Chargers (10-6): Philip Rivers in one of the top quarterbacks in the league, and San Diego’s defense is solid.

Kansas City Chiefs (7-9): Todd Haley has a lot going for him in Kansas City, and he pieced together a pretty good team last season, but big turnarounds are often followed by a step in the wrong direction.

Denver Broncos (3-13): John Fox went from one bad team to another. Tim Tebow is the big story here, but the Broncos won’t win too many games in 2011.

NFC East

Dallas Cowboys (11-5): Rob Ryan could turn the Dallas defense into one of the league’s elite units. Tony Romo is a solid quarterback, despite what all Giants fans will tell you.

Philadelphia Eagles (10-6): Made plenty of splashes in free agency. The Eagles have taken a similar role to the NBA’s Miami Heat. They’ll be good, but Andy Reid can never seem to get over the hump.

New York Giants (7-9): Tom Coughlin’s on the hot seat, and with a tough schedule he could be looking for a new job come the offseason (or even earlier).

Washington Redskins (5-11): John Beck is in the running for the starting quarterback spot in Washington. Despite a solid preseason, that’s not a good thing.

NFC North

Detroit Lions (11-5): This could be one of the league’s better teams if Matt Stafford can stay healthy. The Lions have an offense with plenty of weapons and a young, solid defense.

Green Bay Packers (11-5): Green Bay is still one of the top teams in the NFL, and Aaron Rodgers is the league’s best quarterback. The NFC North is arguably the best division in football.

Minnesota Vikings (8-8): As usual, Adrian Peterson will carry the offense, but Donovan McNabb is not the answer.

Chicago Bears (7-9): The Bears looked awful in the preseason, but this team was only one game away from the Super Bowl in 2010.

NFC South

New Orleans Saints (11-5): The Saints could actually be better on offense without Reggie Bush, who missed most of 2010 due to injuries. Mark Ingram could be one of the more productive rookies.

Atlanta Falcons (10-6): The Falcons could make a run to the Super Bowl this year, especially with the additions of Ray Edwards on defense and Julio Jones on offense.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7): Josh Freeman is a quarterback on the rise, and Tampa Bay has plenty of playmakers, but a tough division will make it hard for them to reach the playoffs.

Carolina Panthers (3-13): Cam Newton will be exciting to watch. At least they’ll be better than the Bengals.

NFC West

St. Louis Rams (9-7): Sam Bradford had the Rams one game from the playoffs last season. Josh McDaniels will only make him better.

Seattle Seahawks (8-8): Sidney Rice and Zach Miller make Seattle’s passing offense much better, but Tarvaris Jackson isn’t the best option. I’m hoping third-stringer Josh Portis will get a chance to become the team’s starter.

Arizona Cardinals (5-11): Signing Kevin Kolb will help in the future, but the Cardinals have too many questions right now.

San Francisco 49ers (3-13): Jim Harbaugh’s 49ers could give the Bengals a run for Andrew Luck.

In his senior year alone, Katz tallied nine top-10 finishes, five runner-up performances and an individual title at the Cornell University Invitational. The two-time America Sky Conference Player of the Year earned a bid to the 2011 NCAA Regionals, and despite his 42nd-place finish in the event, brought national attention to Binghamton’s program.

So the answer? Big shoes to fill. But this year’s Bearcats are (confidently) ready for the challenge.

“Personally I think we’re going to be even stronger this year,” junior David Cellura said. “I think coach [Bernie Herceg] did a great job with recruiting, and we’re a well rounded team. We’re obviously going to miss Jake, but we’re looking pretty strong.”

BU’s golfers kept busy this offseason; many played in summer tournaments to ready themselves for the upcoming fall campaign. Cellura, along with senior Mike Surdey, earned top-20 finishes in the 89th New York State Amateur Championship in July. Katz was the runner-up.

“We need to take advantage of the summer, and the players as Division I athletes have a passion for the game and want to compete,” Herceg said. “It’s going to help them go into the season a bit more on top of things and ready to go right from the get-go.”

The upcoming schedule has provided the Bearcats with plenty of excitement, culminating with the America Sky Championship next spring. The tournament’s winner, who previously earned little reward beyond bragging rights, will earn a bid to the NCAA Regionals. The bid, which was withheld by the NCAA during the conference’s first two years, could not be rewarded until the America Sky entered its third year of existence.

“The overall goal is to win the conference championship and have the opportunity to play in the NCAA regionals,” Herceg said. “Now that we have that opportunity, that’s a goal, but we also want to win some events. I tried to put together the best schedule I could so we’re competing against some better teams and have the opportunity to improve our ranking.”

Though Binghamton’s schedule includes tournaments hosted by University of Missouri, University of Maryland and Austin Peay State University, winning events is still a major focus.

“All of the players on the team are up to the challenge of making our team better than it was last year, even without Jake,” Herceg said. “To do that we need to be more consistent from the top down.”

In addition to Surdey, Steve Armstrong and Trevor Fiedler round out the team’s seniors, and Cellura and Ryan Prinzo its juniors. Sophomores Paul Andrews and Bryce Edmister, along with three freshmen, round out the BU roster.

“Last year we weren’t as deep as a team,” Fiedler said. “This year I think we’re going to be much deeper and it’ll be much more competitive to get into the lineup. It’s a good thing, everyone will have more drive to travel.”

“Everyone’s got to get more consistent, everyone knows what they need to do,” he continued. “Everyone needs to grind on their swing and figure out a go-to shot. You need to put it in play. We need to putt well, and I think our team is already putting better this year than any other year.”

While the Bearcats open their season this weekend, the team’s lineup has yet to be determined. For the players, finishing strong during practice rounds is a definite priority.

“You root for each other, but you still want to beat out the other players so you can travel,” Armstrong said. “That’s half the battle.”

With cutthroat competition in house, Binghamton’s golfers have put in extra effort to earn the opportunity to travel with the team. With no clear-cut No. 1, solid overall performances will be key in winning tournaments and events.

“The big thing this year will be team chemistry,” Armstrong said. “We all need to rely on each other; we don’t have one stud who can carry the team anymore. We all need to mesh; all the scores are going to count.”

The Bearcats will travel to Verona, N.Y. this weekend for the Turning Stone Tiger Intercollegiate hosted by University of Missouri, where in 2010 BU finished seventh in the field of 18.

For the golfers, the tournament will be the official end to an offseason of golf, golf and more golf, but even they found some time to relax.

“I took some time off for vacation, and it was the best vacation I’ve ever had,” Fiedler said. “I had a butler.”

Diamond (1-2), who pitched 6.1 innings in each of his first two outings, went six innings for the Twins on Wednesday, allowing only three runs on three hits with five strikeouts before departing with a 7-3 lead. Chicago clawed back to make things interesting, but ultimately fell short after scoring three runs in the final two innings.

Twins’ closer Joe Nathan, who nearly blew the save after surrendering two runs in the ninth, secured the victory for Diamond. A fellow America East product, Nathan played college ball for Stony Brook University.

Minnesota pounded White Sox starter Jake Peavy for six runs in the top of the first to give Diamond a healthy cushion before he even took the mound. His only real hiccup came in the third inning when, after allowing a two-out walk, he surrendered a two-run home run to Brent Lillibridge. Paul Konerko doubled in a run in the sixth, but Diamond battled back and recorded the final two outs before any more harm was done.

“Those six runs in the first inning really helped out and really helped ease my mind, but I’m really happy,” Diamond said in a postgame interview with www.foxsportsnorth.com. “This is awesome.”

The outing lowered Diamond’s ERA to 4.82. In three starts, the southpaw has allowed 10 runs on 20 hits over 18.2 innings.

“The kid [Diamond] thew the ball very, very well for his first Major League win,” Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said during a postgame press conference. “It’s always fun to see them get their first win, their first hit, their first appearance in a game. That’s what it’s all about. We’ve all been through it … It’s a fun thing.”

Diamond, who spent four years in the Atlanta Braves organization, was selected by the Twins with the 27th pick in December’s Rule 5 draft. He made his MLB debut on July 18, allowing three earned runs over 6.1 innings in Minnesota’s 6-3 loss to the Cleveland Indians.

At Binghamton, Diamond started 37 games for the Bearcats, finishing his collegiate career with 14 wins.

After a runner-up finish in the America East last season, the men’s team is ready to recapture the conference title it won in 2009, but with six freshman and only five upperclassmen, the pursuit will be a challenge.

“On the men’s side, this is going to be a really young team for us,” head coach Annette Acuff said. “I think we’re really going to be focusing a lot on helping these younger guys develop and help the team dynamics for the future of the program. We do have some guys coming back, and we’re looking forward to seeing what those guys can do.”

For the Bearcats, returning junior Vasili Papastrat will be counted on to anchor the team. In 2010, the then-sophomore finished 19th overall at the America East Championships and placed a team-best and program-best eighth overall at the University at Albany Invitational.

“Vasili Papastrat had one of the most consistent seasons last year, and we’re really looking forward to seeing him step up,” Acuff said. “We’ll have some challenges, but this is one of the most talented teams we’ve ever had.”

The 12th-year head coach is confident in her men’s squad despite an influx of incoming freshmen and is confident that their high school accomplishments will be reflected this season.

“I couldn’t be more pleased with the freshmen that we have and what they were able to do at the high school level and who they are as people,” she said. “We were really excited about how well we felt like they would fit in with the rest of our team. [A huge part of our success] has been our team chemistry and how well our guys have been able to work together.”

On the women’s side, the Bearcats will see the return of juniors Rachel Miura and Lindsay Raulli. After placing 27th overall at the America East Championships and finishing 13th out of 177 runners at the Albany Invitational, Raulli was named the squad’s 2010 MVP. Miura finished right behind her in 28th.

“Those two have been training really well this summer, and I know they’re really excited about what their potential is for this year and also for the team,” Acuff said. “I think the girls are probably the most motivated that I’ve seen them since they’ve come in. They’ve had a chance to be with the program and develop over the past couple of years.”

As the only senior on either side, Ashley Horton will look to finish her collegiate career on a high note. As a junior, she posted fifth at the season-opening dual meet against Siena College and finished 37th overall at the season-ending Eastern College Athletic Conference Championships.

“We’re really excited Ashley decided to come back and stay with us another year,” Acuff said. “She’s had a great summer and she’s been feeling really good, so I hope that we can help her finish on a great note and help her to improve a lot upon what she’s been able to do so far over the last few years she’s been here.”

With three incoming freshmen, Binghamton will also rely on sophomore Caitlin Jelinek and transfer Megan Jacoby, a junior who joins the Bearcats from the University of Connecticut.

“Both of those girls will contribute a lot, they both have a lot of talent and potential,” Acuff said. “Caitlin’s been with us for a year, and Megan is transferring from UConn, but she has a lot of experience competing at UConn and in the Big East, certainly a competitive conference. We just have to keep both of them healthy along with the rest of the team and I think we can do really well.”

The teams will open the 2011 season on Sept. 9 at Cornell University for the Cornell Tri-Meet with Army.

Nelson, whose hiring was announced on May 18, joins the Bearcats after coaching three seasons at Marist College. He succeeds Kevin McKeown, who served as interim head coach for BU after Ed Stephenson’s midseason resignation.

In 2011, Nelson’s Red Foxes finished with an 8-7 record, ending the regular season with a seven-game winning streak en route to their second consecutive Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament appearance.

Prior to his tenure at Marist, Nelson posted a 211-87 overall record as a head coach at Nazareth College and Brown University. His Nazareth teams captured three Division III national championships in 1992, 1996 and 1997.

McKeown and Rob Williams, both assistant coaches under Stephenson, return to the program as assistants under Nelson. For the new head coach, their presence has helped him transition to a new program, campus and community.

“I think everybody in the athletic department has been great,” Nelson said. “It’s a new system for me to learn and people have been a big help with that. Kevin and Rob know a lot about the school, and they really help a lot with tours of campus and things like that. They’ve been a big help and they’ve been fun to work with.”

While the transition has at times been hectic, Nelson is already focusing on the future of the program, highlighting the potential growth and success he anticipates for Binghamton lacrosse.

“I’ve always looked at Binghamton as a place that can be pretty awesome, and I think it already is pretty good,” he said. “They already have some talent and they were well-coached, so it will be taking pretty good and making it really good, but that’s not going to be easy.”

With July underway, Nelson is already making his mark on the program through recruiting; he has stressed academics when dealing with potential newcomers.

“We want to have great citizens,” he said. “We want to have guys who represent the University in a first-class way, and we want great students. We want to continue that trend.”

That trend has been a staple for the men’s lacrosse program, which in 2011 led the America East in overall GPA for the seventh consecutive season. Of 35 student-athletes, 25 were named to the America East 2011 Winter/Spring Academic Honor Roll.

“It’s a nice environment to be in and to have real student-athletes,” Nelson said. “When I talk to parents and kids, I can tell them they’re going to get a great degree out of this place. The fact that they can get an incredible education, that’s never varied at Binghamton.”

While education remains a priority, Nelson also hopes to experience success on the field in what will be his 25th season as a collegiate head coach.

“We’re going to have fun playing lacrosse,” he said. “We’re going to be good, but we’re going to treat the game the right way and enjoy it. The way I coach the game isn’t going to change. I’ve always tried to make the game fun for the guys out there. We want guys who want to come to practice every day.”

Come spring, the Bearcats will return a wealth of young talent, including 2011 standouts and rising juniors Tyler Perrelle and Matt Springer. For Nelson, upperclassmen who demonstrate good leadership will be crucial for the team’s success.

“Your upperclassmen have got to be your leaders out there,” he said. “They don’t know what to expect from me yet, but they know what to expect from Division-I lacrosse. It’s a big commitment, and to have guys who are successful on the field and in the classroom is very, very important.”

Though there’s plenty of work to be done, Nelson isn’t hesitant when establishing his goals.

“Like any coach, I want to win a national championship,” he said. “We’re probably not that close right now, but we want to win a national championship and that’s our goal.”

While a national championship may be years down the road, Nelson hopes Binghamton lacrosse will continue to work to improve as a team and a program.

“Our goal is to get organized, get better every day and set our sights high,” Nelson said.

I always watched football games on TV — big schools with 100,000-seat stadiums. It seemed so fun and so wild that I didn’t want to miss out on it. And basketball, don’t even get me started. I’ve wanted to sit with the Cameron Crazies since I was 2 years old.

But despite all of this, I still wound up here at Binghamton University. Don’t get me wrong, the education is definitely important, but on paper BU just didn’t seem like a great fit for me. I wanted to see future NBA stars playing in huge converted football stadiums, not little-known players in a tiny, quiet arena.

The truth is, Binghamton definitely isn’t a nationally recognized powerhouse for athletics, but that doesn’t mean that attending games and following the teams can’t be a blast. It’s all about what you make of it (no matter how many times your mother has told you that).

Both students and members of the community make attending Binghamton sporting events a good time. The Bearcats play in the America East, and we lead the conference in attendance across practically every sport.

My best experience at BU came in March 2009, when the Bearcats hosted the University of Maryland, Baltimore County Retrievers in the AE title game.

Remember when I mentioned a small arena? And remember when I called it quiet?

This was the moment that turned it all around for me. The Events Center was packed with more than 5,000 fans, all screaming and hoping for the school’s first NCAA tournament berth.

Well, they won it. And yeah, it was on national television. I was looking for a big-time sports program, and I found it right here at BU. Everyone in the crowd wore white, and we stormed the court when we won. It wasn’t 20,000 strong, but it was definitely a passionate bunch, happy to be a part of Bearcat history.

The basketball games are a blast, and there’s usually a ton of people there for both the men and women. The Events Center is a great place to see a game, and it’s definitely up there as one of the conference’s premier basketball facilities.

But it’s not just basketball. I’m a big soccer guy, and attending a game here is definitely worth it.

It’s not 100,000 seats, but the Bearcat Sports Complex gets pretty rowdy, especially during the homecoming game. The Bearcat Hooligans have all sorts of cheers, whether they’re cheering on Binghamton or taunting the opposing side. They get the crowd pretty involved.

The venues at this school are really nice, especially the arena. The complete remodeling of the baseball facility will be finished this spring, as Varsity Field is undergoing a multi-million dollar reconstruction.

All of the sports teams are worth seeing. Every event is guaranteed to have passionate fans who are proud to be there. The games and matches are fun and intense.

Binghamton basketball will never be Duke University basketball, and Binghamton football will never be University of Michigan football, primarily because Binghamton doesn’t have a football team.

That was an attempt to be witty, cut me some slack here. But really, we all know this. All of the fans and members of the community know, but we all take great pride in being part of the Bearcat program. What helps make the games great and exciting are the fans, a majority of which are students. So head down for a game or two this season, I’m sure you’ll have a good time.

Binghamton (12-14) earned its fourth straight conference title this year, a feat led by senior Sven Vloedgraven, who was named America East Men’s Tennis Player of the Year for the third consecutive season. Binghamton head coach Adam Cohen was awarded conference Coach of the Year honors.

UCLA (17-6) is making its 35th straight NCAA appearance, and is in pursuit of the program’s 17th national tennis title.

Even though Binghamton was able to get off to a hot start against the Bruins, the Bearcats were eventually outplayed.

Early on, both first and second doubles were tied 4-4. However, the Bruin tandem of Warren Hardie and Amit Inbar, ranked No. 57 in the nation, won four consecutive games at second doubles over junior Alexandre Haggai and senior Arnav Jain to win the match, 8-4. UCLA’s Daniel Kosakowski and Holden Seguso topped BU’s sophomore duo of Bastian Bornkessel and Ruben Devos at No. 3 doubles, 8-0, to secure the doubles point.

At the time, Binghamton’s No. 1 tandem of seniors Vloedgraven and Gilbert Wong led the 32nd-ranked doubles team, 5-4, but their match was halted when the point was decided.

“When you’re playing this kind of level of team, you have to take the opportunities when they’re there,” Cohen said. “If you make a mistake it can come back to bite you because when they get their chances they’re executing. We played well in doubles, especially at first and second, but we didn’t play our best at third.”

At singles, the Bruins pulled away by winning the first three decided matches in straight sets. Maxime Tabatruong defeated Devos 6-0, 6-0 at No. 6, No. 58 Inbar defeated Jain 6-1, 6-2 at No. 2 singles and Holden Seguso defeated freshman Ruben Haggai 6-2, 6-1 at No. 5.

At No. 1 singles, No. 77 Vloedgraven was pitted against UCLA’s top dog, No. 37 Daniel Kosakowski, but the match was halted with the Bruin leading 6-2, 4-1. Wong’s match also did not finish at third singles, but No. 79 Clay Thompson led 6-2, 5-3 at the time. Junior Alexandre Haggai’s singles bout also went undecided, but he too trailed when it was halted, 6-4, 3-2 to No. 103 Adrien Puget.

“In singles we got no momentum, and they were on top of us on almost every court,” Cohen said. “It was tough to get any kind of momentum going. They’ve got some very good spots, and that’s why they’re one of the top teams in the country.”

For Binghamton seniors Arnav Jain, Andreas Danielsson and Evan Algier, and for junior Wong, who’s graduating early, Friday’s match marked the end of their Binghamton careers. Jain finished the 2010-11 campaign with a 26-9 singles record and an 18-11 doubles mark. For his career, he is 101-27 in singles play, good for second-most in program history. Danielsson posted a 2-2 singles mark and 0-3 doubles record, while Algier finished 2-4 in singles and 0-3 in doubles. Nationally ranked Vloedgraven will also be graduating at the end of the year, and his 113-33 career singles record is good for most wins in program history. His 72 doubles wins ties the program record.

“They’ve done a phenomenal job from day one when they came in,” Cohen said of the squad’s graduates. “With Arnav and Sven, they’re probably the two greatest guys to ever play at Binghamton University. And Gilbert Wong, he’s not far behind them.”

Binghamton’s men’s tennis program has excelled both on the court and in the classroom and has led the department in GPA for the past six semesters. In spring 2010, the team also held the highest GPA of any sport in the entire conference.

“They do everything the right way for Binghamton, in terms of how they represent us on the court and in the classroom,” Cohen said of his players. “They’ve done it on both ends, and for that I’m extremely grateful.”

Friday marked the end of the season for the team, but Vloedgraven’s collegiate career will continue, as for the second straight season the senior was invited to participate in the 64-man NCAA Singles Championship, which is set to begin on May 25 at Stanford University.

Major League Soccer, now in its 16th year, has been steadily growing since its inaugural season in 1996. There are 18 teams, and the league has done an excellent job of elevating its quality of play.

With household names on nearly every roster and a majority of teams calling soccer-specific stadiums home, the MLS has developed into a well-respected league. It has done a great job with its expansion plans and awarded teams to cities who have created some of the league’s best atmospheres.

Though their stadiums may be smaller, many MLS clubs now draw crowds whose intensity rivals that of European teams. If you’ve previously knocked the league for having disconnected and quiet fans, the supporters of these clubs are sure to prove you wrong.

SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC

The Sounders, who joined MLS as an expansion club in 2009, lead the league in attendance with an average turnout of more than 34,000 fans per game. Their home pitch is Qwest Field, which also serves as home to the National Football League’s Seattle Seahawks.

Major League Soccer’s decision to award Seattle an expansion franchise was probably the best move league officials have made. The Sounders boast arguably the loudest crowd in the league, and with 34,000 fans singing in unison, Qwest Field’s atmosphere really does compete as one of the best in the world.

PORTLAND TIMBERS

Portland just joined MLS this season, but already boasts one of the league’s best crowds. The Timbers play their home games at Jeld-Wen Field, a former baseball stadium that was converted to be soccer-specific.

The Timbers have sold out every game they’ve hosted in 2011, and though their stadium only holds 18,627 spectators, the volume level gets pretty high. After every Portland goal, Timber Joey, a lumberjack who serves as the team’s mascot, uses a chainsaw to cut a slab off a giant log and awards it to the goal-scorer at the conclusion of the match. It sounds cheesy, but the place goes crazy when the chainsaw gets fired up, and it’s definitely pretty cool.

TORONTO FC

I’ve always wanted to see a game in Toronto, primarily because the team hasn’t failed to sell out since joining the league in 2007. TFC plays its home games at BMO Field, which was recently expanded to accommodate 23,000 spectators.

I think one of the reasons Toronto boasts one of the league’s best atmospheres is because half of the fans’ chants are in French. BMO Field’s capacity crowds can definitely be loud, but when supporters cheer in another language it gives games a pretty unique feel.

PHILADELPHIA UNION

The Union is also one of the league’s newer teams, joining as an expansion side in 2010. Constructed last year, PPL Park serves as the club’s home field. Situated on waterfront property along the Delaware River, PPL may be one of the nicest stadiums in the country.

Philadelphia’s loud supporters fall in line with pretty much all of the city’s other crowds, but the Sons of Ben, the Union’s supporters group, make the atmosphere even more hostile.