03/22/2026
COLLEGE SPORTS WRAP
By John Addyman
For Mar 22 26
Our three athletes involved in national championships all came home without a medal around their necks, but they each – Kaleb Burgess, Jace Schafer and Taryn Goodness – had wonderful achievements and moments this sports year.
In lacrosse, we note some important achievements by Aiden Nice, Jacob Michaels, Jenna Havert and Roman Hoyser. On the basepaths, Chris McLean, Axton Paul, Olivia Flynn and Paulie Goodness had noteworthy weeks. Leta Bernhardt, Brynita Haas, Madison Nuessle and are very bright spots, and Jack DeFeo has earned more accolades.
Let’s celebrate the athletes who put in the time and effort to excel while making sure the books and classwork are getting all the right attention.
WRESTLING
Our two homegrown Pal-Mac graduate wrestlers fell on the first day of competition at the Nation NCAA Division I championships in Cleveland on Thursday.
Bloomsburg University grad student Jace Schafer, competing in the 125-pound class, had a 1-0 lead over Missouri’s Mack Mauger in the preliminaries, but a takedown and riding time gave Mauger a 1-4 win. Jace entered the wrestleback consolation bracket, meeting Columbia’s Sulayman Bah in a bout that featured Sulayman repeatedly getting quick takedowns and Jace working an escape, all the way to a 4-17 major decision loss. Jace finishes a fine 23-8 season and a 66-44 career record.
University at Buffalo redshirt senior Kaleb Burgess lost his opening bout to 10th-seeded Logan Rozyinski of Lehigh, 1-6. In the wrestlebacks, Kaleb beat Navy’s Jonathan Ley in a major decision of his own, 12-1, featuring a four-point nearfall. That win put Kaleb on the mat for another day of competition. His next bout, on Friday against 9th-seeded Daniel Cardenas of Stanford, finished Kaleb’s year by major decision, 6-15. Kaleb’s season ends with a 16-5 record and his career, 66-46.
BASKETBALL
The season is over for Monroe Community College women’s basketball as the Tribunes made it to the NJCAA national championship series in Hickory, NC, losing two games to be eliminated. On Monday, the Tribunes lost to Des Moines Area Community College, 47-62. MCC got behind Des Moines by 12 points in the first quarter and played them even from there, but that first quarter was the difference. Freshman starting guard Taryn Goodness (Pal-Mac) scored eight points, grabbed five rebounds and made a steal in the loss.
Into the consolation round went the Tribunes, meeting Schoolcraft College on Wednesday and losing, 79-91. Taryn scored 10 points, grabbed four rebounds, made four steals and had an assist for a great all-around game in hostile circumstances. MCC finishes its year with a 23-9 record.
Taryn scored 171 points in her first year of college ball and was third on the team in rebounds (136).
LACROSSE
Le Moyne College women’s lacrosse is 7-2 (2-0 Northeast Conference) after downing Howard University on Saturday, 14-12. Freshman attack Jenna Santelli (Pal-Mac) was in the game but did not register any stats.
# # #
Daemen University women’s lacrosse is 6-3 after losing a donnybrook slugfest to Southern New Hapshire on Monday in overtime, 15-16, but winning on Saturday over District of Columbia, 25-3.
Senior defensive back Jenna Havert (Newark) snagged four ground balls and caused one turnover in the loss; freshman midfielder Sam Branner (Wayne Central) picked up one ground ball and caused one turnover.
In the win, Jenna picked up an assist on Abbey Kamas’ goal in the fourth period; Sam scored her first collegiate goal, unassisted, in the fourth period – she also put three shots on goal, caused one turnover and had one draw control.
# # #
Alfred State College women’s lacrosse lost to Alfred University on Thursday, 6-9, but came back to waffle West Virginia Wesleyan on Saturday at home, 15-4. Freshman midfielder Cadence Watkins (Lyons) put one shot on goal and was 0-for-1 in free-position shots in the win. The Pioneers are 6-2.
# # #
Meanwhile, across the valley, the Alfred University men picked up two lacrosse wins and extended their victory streak to three games.
The first win came on Wednesday against Canton State, 15-5. Junior attack Drew Smith (Gananda) scored a goal in the third period with Sam Crosby getting the assist. Drew launched four shots, putting two on goal, picking up one round ball and causing one turnover. Sophomore midfielder Jacob Michaels (Gananda) scooped three ground balls and caused a turnover. Freshman attack Jace Smith (Gananda) took one shot and senior midfielder Tariq Joseph (Newark) was on the field but registered no stats.
On Saturday the Saxons clubbed Russell Sage, 21-4. Drew scored three goals with assists from Cole Loewke and Masson Dressler, Jacob scored in the third period with Loewke assisting, and Tariq was on the field again. The Saxons are 5-3 (1-0 Empire 8).
# # #
Potsdam State men’s lacrosse is 5-0 to start its season after rushing past SUNY Polytechnic on Saturday, 19-6. Senior defensive back Brock Chasey (Gananda) and sophomore defender Erik Wisnoski (Gananda) were in the game but neither registered stats.
# # #
Keuka College men’s lacrosse claimed two wins during the week. On Wednesday, the Wolves survived a fourth-quarter Alfred University rally to grab a 10-9 win. Senior midfielder Aiden Nice (Pal-Mac) scored three unassisted goals – one in the second period, one in the third and one in the fourth – and that last goal was the game-winner with 1:17 left to play. Freshman Roman Hoyser (Walworth) picked up two ground balls and was 7-for-13 in face-offs for the Wolves.
On Saturday, Aiden got another score to help in the 16-12 victory over Elmira College. He hit the net in the fourth period with an assist from Austin Holsclaw. Aiden also had assists on two goals by Tre Lloyd and one by Cam Hovater. Roman scooped up two more ground balls and was 6-for-27 in face-offs. Keuka is 4-2.
# # #
Utica University women’s lax lost to Oswego State on Friday, 5-17, then turned on Morrisville State for a win on Saturday, 13-8. Pioneer senior defensive back Ella Stanton (Pal-Mac) shoveled up two ground balls in the Oswego game nut against Morrisville she put a shot on goal, snagged one ground ball and caused a turnover. The Pios are 3-2.
# # #
Nazareth University men’s lacrosse had a good week – the Golden Flyers won their first two games of the season, 1-6 over Western New England on Sunday and 11-6 against Sewanee on Friday, 11-6. Sophomore midfielder Alex Garrow (Wayne Central) caused one turnover in the WNEU game. The Flyers are 2-6.
# # #
The Hartwick Hawk men’s lacrosse team is still looking for its first win of the season after getting stopped twice during the week – a 5-21 loss to Hamilton College on Wednesday and a 6-11 defeat at the hands of Geneseo State on Saturday. Junior defensive back Cael Lawson (Wayne Central) corralled one ground ball and caused two turnovers against Hamilton, then picked up one ground ball and caused one turnover against Geneseo. The Hawks are 0-8 (0-1 E-8).
BASEBALL
Canton State baseball is 4-5 after winning three of its four games during the week. The Kangaroos beat Baruch College, 5-4, in the first game of a doubleheader on Friday, then lost the nightcap, 6-7. On Saturday, the Roos dispatched Lehman College twice, 11-0 and 17-2.
Senior center fielder Chris McLean (Macedon) got an RBI on a throwing error in the first Baruch game; he batted in three runs on a sacrifice fly in the third inning and a deep center-field single in the seventh inning in the second game.
On Saturday, Chris batted 1-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI single in the fifth inning in the first Lehman win; in the second win, he batted 1-for-3 with a run scored and a sacrifice fly RBI in the first inning followed by a two-RBI double in the sixth inning. Chris is batting .342 with a team-leading 13 RBIs.
# # #
If nothing else, Axton Paul (North Rose-Wolcott), a sophomore pitcher and infielder for Alfred University baseball, can always tell his grandchildren that he got an RBI in the first baseball played at Alfred’s brand-new Saxon Hill Sports Complex field.
The Saxons dropped on a doubleheader to Houghton University on Saturday, 5-15 and 5-8. Asa pinch-hitter, Axton hit a ball to deep shortstop in the eighth inning of the first game and brought in a run. Alfred is 2-12.
# # #
Le Moyne University baseball slipped past the University of New Haven on Sunday, 6-5, then lost a weekend twosome to Wagner College, 0-6 and 1-5. Senior center fielder Paulie Goodness (Pal-Mac) hit 1-for-2 with a run scored and two stolen bases in the New Haven game. Against Wagner, he was 2-for-4 in the first game, 3-for-3 in the second with one stolen base. Le Moyne is 4-13 (4-4 Northeast Conference).
EQUESTRIAN
Cobleskill State’s equestrian team had a strong showing at the Skidmore IHSA Double Show at the end of February, ending up with by tying the hosts from Skidmore for Champion Team honors.
Junior Leta Bernhardt (Williamson) placed fifth in the Limit Flat. The Fighting Tigers have now completed their regular season as the Reserve Champion Team overall behind Skidmore. Across the eight regular season shows, the Tigers captured one High Point Team title at their home show, tied for High Point Team once, finished as Reserve Champion Team five times, and placed third once.
The team now prepares for the postseason. Zone 2 Region 3 Regionals will be held at Skidmore College this Saturday.
TRACK & FIELD
Hartwick College took its track teams to the Purple & Gold Opener at West Chester University in southeastern Pennsylvania on Friday and Saturday. Hawk senior Brynita Haas (Red Creek) finished 15th in the 1500 meters (5:31.65) and was sixth in the 5000 meters (19:52.49). Sophomore teammate Julia Weinschreider (Williamson) came in 21st in the 1500 meters (5:44.86) an anchored the ninth-place 4-by-400 relay (5:03.82).
VOLLEYBALL
Hilbert College played host to Buffalo State on Wednesday and proved generous volleyball hosts, getting shut out by the Bengals, 0-3. Senior outside hitter Garyson Gaud (Walworth/Monroe) got into the match but did not record any stats. The Hawks are 3-17 (1-6 AMCC).
# # #
The volleyball team at Hobart College had a big week, losing games to 16th-ranked MIT on Wednesday, 0-3, then getting bumped by Wentworth Institute of Technology on Friday, 0-3. But on Saturday, the Statesman wrang games out of Wheaton College, 3-0, and 12th-ranked Lasell University, 3-2.
Sophomore outside hitter Lawson Drabik (Macedon/Penfield) had one kill and a service ace against WIT, and added an assist against Lasell. Hobart is 12-11 (4-1 UVC).
SOFTBALL
Keuka College softball got its season started in Florida during the week, playing nine games and winning two of them – 2-1 over Maine/Farmington last Sunday and 3-2 over Alverno College on Thursday.
Senior pitcher and infielder Olivia Flynn (Williamson) and junior outfielder Lena Ramos (Newark) had a busy week. Last Sunday, the Wolves lost their season opener to UMass/Dartmouth, 1-9. Olivia batted 0-for-1 and scored the only Keuka run; Lena was 0-for-2. Olivia was the starting pitcher for the Maine/Farmington meeting, and she got the win, throwing a three0hitter, striking out six and walking three with three hits allowed. She also batted 1-for-3. Lena was 0-for-2 at the plate.
On Monday’s loss, 2-9 to Plattsburgh State, Olivia was the third baseman and hit 2-for-2 with a run scored; Lena was 0-for-0.
The first loss on Tuesday was 8-14 to Edgewood University. Olivia pitched 5.2 innings and took the loss, allowing 13 hits and nine runs, striking out two and walking two. She batted 2-for-2 with three runs scored; Lena was 0-for-0. Tuesday’s second game was a 3-7 loss to Rutgers/Camden. Olivia batted 1-for-4 with an RBI single in the fifth inning; Lena was 0-fror-3.
Back in action on Thursday, the Wolves beat Alverno, 3-2. Olivia was the designated hitter and batted 2-for-3 with a run scored. In the second game on Thursday, the Wolves lost to Buffalo State, 2-6. Olivia pitched a complete game, taking the loss after getting touched for nine hits and six runs, striking out five and walking two. She batted 0-for-1 with three walks.
Friday was getaway day. The Wolves lost the opener to Southern Maine, 2-13. Olivia played third base and batted 1-for-3; Lena was in center field and batted 0-for-0. The final Florida game was a 4-9 loss to Manchester University. Olivia was starting pitcher, threw for 4.1 innings and took the loss after yielding eight runs on 12 hits. She struck out three and walked one batter. Olivia was 1-for-3 at the plate; Lena had a breakthrough at the plate and hit 1-for-2.
# # #
Le Moyne softball lost to Long Island University on Sunday, 4-5, beat New Haven in the first game of a Saturday doubleheader, 9-0, then lost the nightcap, 1-2. Sophomore catcher Ava Todd (Savannah/Tyburn Academy) got into the LIU game as a pinch-runner. She started both New Haven games and batted 1-for-2 with a first-inning RBI single in the first one and went 0-for-3 in the loss. The Dolphins are 4-18 (1-4 Northeast Conference).
# # #
Oswego State softball is 3-0 to start its season after a doubleheader sweep of Marymount University on Thursday, 6-0 and 10-2, and a Friday win over Notre Dame of Maryland, 8-3. Senior utility player Emma Grasso (Wayne Central) got into the second Marymount game to play right field but did not get an at-bat.
FLAG FOOTBALL
Mercyhurst University evened its flag football record at 2-2 with a tight 6-14 loss to Geneseo State on Saturday. Laker freshman safety Madison Nuessle (Williamson) made three solo stops on defense and partnered with a teammate on one more “tackle.”
HONORS
RIT junior sprinter Jack DeFeo (North Rose-Wolcott) was named the Liberty League Men's Track Performer of the Week after he led the Tigers to a fifth-place finish at the AARTFC Indoor Championships with a pair of record-setting performances. He charged to a third-place finish in the 400-meter dash with a program-record setting time of 48.12 seconds. He also ran the anchor leg in the 4-by-400 relay that finished second overall with a time of 3:14.59, also a program record. Jack’s time in the 400 meters is the 26th-fastest time in Division III, while the 4-by-400 clocking is 20th-fastest.
