Less than three minutes into her game, senior Sami Smith wrote her name into the record book. Smith has broken a 31-year-old scoring record, which was held by Keene State College Hall of Famer, Kay Mulcahy.

Smith said that breaking the record hasn’t “really hit her” yet. “Honestly, I don’t know if it’s hit me yet, and how big that is, but it was cool. It was cool that it was from my sister. She was really excited and she was definitely super happy for me,” Smith said.

Assistant field hockey coach, Allie Califano said she works really well with getting the ball up and down the field.

“She is awesome at getting the ball up in front of her and getting in front of the goal; if a goalie saves it, she’ll get back on the pads and continue to shoot until she finishes it. She also works really well with the other for

Tim Smith/ Photo Editor

wards on the team. She’s a good team player, and I think a lot of the girls on the team look up to her,” Califano said.

Califano continued, “She works extremely hard, if there’s a ball  that looks like it’s going to go out of bounds, you can always see her running full field, full force after it. She never gives up, she’s super tough,” Califano said.

Fellow senior and captain Kayla Renaud has noticed Smith’s strong work ethic as well. “I have lived with her since freshman year so we’re really close, and she’s the best teammate I’ve probably ever had,” Renaud said.

She continued, “She works really hard, even in games, obviously 100% effort, but even in practice in simple drills she’s always giving 100%.”

Califano shared a story of Smith when she pushes herself to the limit.

“I remember coach saying that in the past years, I guess she got hit in the face and her nose was broken and she was like ‘No I’m fine, I’m fine’ and she’s just gushing blood and she wanted to keep playing. So she definitely works hard, and pushes herself and it makes the others around her work as equally as hard,” Califano said.

Smith brings energy to the team Califano said. “She always tries to stay positive and on task. She’s also fun and can definitely make the team laugh at points when needs to be. But, like I said, they definitely look up to her and she’s an amazing player. She gives all she has and it makes everyone else around her want to put forth the effort that she does,” Califano said.

Smith is a big role model on the team. “Being an All American and scoring that many goals, I would just naturally look up to her, but I think her work ethic stands out the most,” Renaud said. She added, “The freshman and sophomores look up to her and she just proves that that’s how hard you have to work to get where she is.”

Although Smith has the spotlight, her team is right beside her with tremendous amounts of support. “The senior class is really tight and they are best friends, they all live together and they’re really supportive of her. I know that after the game they were all sharing it on Facebook and Instagram, everyone is just a big support. She has a lot of points and stuff like that, but as a team we recognize that and she’s humble about it,” Califano said.

Smith said her next goal is to break the next record for most goals in a career and to win the Little East Conference (LEC).

Shelby Iava can be contacted at siava@kscequinox.com

The Little East Conference (LEC) is celebrating its 30th anniversary of the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) athletic competition. According to the LEC website, they will release the top 30 LEC moments in history and honor 30 of the league’s most influential members since its inception in 1986.

Each week, beginning September 16, the conference office will recognize and celebrate the historical contributions of the league’s participants, including coaches, student athletes and administrators throughout the entire 2016-2017 academic year. They will also be releasing their “top-moments” in the LEC.

The LEC was established on April 28, 1986 as a single sport (basketball) league by six public institutions located throughout New England. Just a year later, the newly formed LEC men’s and women’s basketball teams commenced with a “double-robin” (where all contestants meet all other contestants in turn) regular season and a six-team championship tournament.

Samantha Moore/ Art director

The “original six” included Eastern Connecticut State University, University of Boston, Southeastern Massachusetts University (UMass Dartmouth), Plymouth State University, Rhode Island College and University of Southern Maine. Today, the LEC has a total of eight public institutions, now including Western Connecticut State University in 1993-94 and finally Keene State College in 1997-98.

The LEC has grown since 1986, expanding into 19-championships sports conference. They will continue to make academic and athletic strides and remain the premier Division III conference of the New England Region.

Keene State College has brought home 16 straight LEC Commissioner’s Cups. The commissioner’s cup is the league’s top honor for overall institutional performance on the competitive playing field. Keene State College has always been a top competitor for the LEC and intends to stay that way.

Shelby Iava can be contacted at siava@kscequinox.com

It’s that time of year again, when thousands of students flood the Keene State College campus. For some, it’s an easier transition than others, but for student athletes, it is all the more daunting. Not only do they have to stay on top of grades, but they also have to perform at the college level.

Student athletes who used to be leaders in high school are first-years once again and have dropped back to the bottom of the totem pole. They may have been at the bottom before, but not at the college level. College sports are a whole new ball game for star high school athletes. The speed and intensity of the game has been elevated.

KSC first-year volleyball player Hannah Syzmanski said that college sports are much different than high school sports. “In college, you have to prepare yourself more for conditioning, lifting and really pushing yourself to strive not only as a student, but as an athlete.”

She continued, “Coaches, for sure, have higher expectations for their players. Personally, I love a challenge and a coach who can get in my face and tell me when I’m doing bad and need to push myself, but also a coach who can provide support when everything goes well. That’s exactly what Coach Weiner does for us,” Syzmanski said.

Robert Weiner is the head volleyball coach at KSC. Weiner says the first-years, as a group, are doing “very well”.

“They all played high-level club volleyball, so this type of intensity is nothing new to them. Of course, a couple of them have had bouts of home-sickness already, but being an early fall sport keeps them busy enough so they don’t think about it,” Weiner said.

Tim Smith/ Photo editor

KSC first-year and women’s soccer player Nicole De Almeida said she agrees with Syzmanski when it comes to the coaches having higher expectations.

“Coaches in college definitely expect a lot more from their athletes than coaches did in high school. You are expected to come into the season in shape if you want to be on the team and play, where in high school it was easier to catch up. In college, you’re fighting for playing time and a spot on the team, whereas in high school it sometimes is more equal to try to give everyone a chance,” De Almeida said.

Being a first time college athlete can lead to some struggles. “First of all, these athletes were all the best player on their team in high school. Now, they are confronted with the fact that everybody is as talented and hardworking and committed as they are. It’s a shock, and it always leads to playing time issues. They’ve always played, and now they might have players in front of them who are not only older, but flat out better. That is also a shock,” Weiner said.

Another issue that might occur is the fact that they might not have been coached. “By that I mean their skill-set has never been questioned, because they got by with what they’ve always done. It might not be good enough for the college level, and coaches are going to want them to change things. That’s another shock,” Weiner said.

Syzmanski and De Almeida said they really haven’t come across any challenges thus far. “I am actually adjusting really well! Coming from Colorado, I really expected to get homesick very easily, but I have adjusted well. Waking up in the morning and looking out my windows to see mountains helps too because it makes me feel like I’m still home in Colorado,” Syzmanski said.

She continued, “I have yet to come across any challenges thus far here at Keene. If I did come across a problem, I have learned that Keene provides exceptional help whether it is with my academics [or] my body for either health reasons or the athletic trainers to help with even the smallest stretching techniques before practices or games.”

De Almeida said she’s always been a busy person. “Coming to college I knew how to manage my time well and make sure to be on top of things,” she said.

Weiner said the first-year student athletes bring energy, excitement, athleticism and competition to the team.

Being an Owl is something both girls said they take pride in. Syzmanski said that her favorite part about being an athlete at Keene State College is just being a part of the athlete community.

“You get to know everyone else on sports teams and I feel as if we are a unit and can come together as a family. I am thankful that this school treats us as individuals with responsibilities, but also treats us as a unit of athletes and supports us all equally,” Syzmanski said.

De -Almeida said, “I would say my favorite part about being a student athlete is being involved in something that I love to do and representing our school while creating friendships and making great memories along the way. It’s a great way to be connected to the school and experience things that not many people get to.”

Shelby Iava can be contacted at siava@kscequinox.com

Keene State College Athletics has been without a full-time athletic director for almost an entire academic year. Kemal Atkins is currently the Interim Athletic Director and also the Vice President of Student Affairs.

Last fall there were two possible candidates who were in the running for the position. Wanda Swiger, Chair of the committee and also the Athletic Training Program Director said they re-opened the search because the committee could not come to a consensus. “While the candidates were strong there was not a consensus from the committee,” Swiger said.

She continued, “So with the lack of consensus from the committee we decided to go ahead and leave the search open and try to bring in some additional candidates to review.”

The committee has done the initial and secondary reviews of all the candidates. “We are hoping to finalize a scheduling for phone interviews and those interviews will be completed before spring break, and then we will move on to the next step,” Swiger said.

Atkins said that they have made a lot of progress in the new search. “The search committee is in the midst as of today, March 7, halfway through telephone interviews with the potential candidates.”

He continued, “We had over sixty applicants and we narrowed it down to, I believe, twelve candidates to have telephone interviews with and then from there we will narrow it down to those who would like to visit campus.”

Although Keene State has an interim Athletic Director, the athletes need someone who is there full-time.

Junior men’s lacrosse player Tyler Reilly said that not having a full-time athletic director affects the entire athletic department.

“I think in some regards it does hurt the department. The department cant step forwards if there is not one in place permanently so I think everything’s on hold right now until we find one which definitely affects the whole athletic department,” Reilly said.

Senior pitcher Kevin Guild said that Keene State needs an athletic director to give the athletes a consistent collegiate experience.

He said, “The coaches do a great job of establishing a good culture and positive etiquette. We could still use one [Athletic Director] to take the heat off Kemal though.”

Although Kemal is wearing many hats at this time, the committee is lending a helping hand by delegating different things to different people to try and make up for the absence of a full time athletic director according to Swiger.

“That being said, everyone in the athletic department is very happy with the work Kemal Atkins has done in moving us forward based on the limitations he has basically having two full-time jobs,” Swiger said.

The athletic department is handling this situation, and hopes to have a hired Athletic Director by or before July 1.

Shelby Iava can be contacted at siava@kscequinox.com

“We have people on our Campus Safety staff with 20 plus years of experience in the New York Police Department, ten years in the national guard and degrees in criminal justice.” These are the words of Assistant Director of Campus Safety, Leonard Crossman.

Despite some of the employees’ experience, The Department of Campus Safety often goes back and forth on whether or not they should carry firearms, Crossman said.

Though PSU and UNH have their own campus police as for Keene State College, KSC’s campus safety works hand-in-hand with the Keene Police Department. What sets Keene State College apart from any other colleges is that the police department is approximately three minutes down the road.

George Amaru / Art Director

“We have the ability to have staff members carry a weapon depending on their experience,” Crossman said. He said that this factor plays a huge role in deciding whether or not Campus Safety carries firearms. However, Crossman doesn’t really see the need for them when the police department is always going to be right there.

The informal survey showed three out of four students agreed with Crossman and said no to Campus Safety carrying firearms.

One female senior said, “I understand why campus safety does not carry firearms, but they should have something–pepper spray, handcuffs, something.”

Campus safety is looking into non-lethal weapons, Crossman said. The non-lethal weapons would include items such as pepper spray, tasers and nightsticks. Although Crossman said he supports the application of non-lethal weapons for many on-campus incidents, in the event of an active shooter Crossman said he believes the most effective strategy would be to wait for armed police presence. “Do not go into a gun fight with a knife,” Crossman said.

He continued, “The best way to stop someone with a firearm, is a firearm.”

Shelby Iava can be contacted at siava@kscequinonx.com

Will the love of the game keep you in it, when paying for equipment gets to be too much?

Football pads. Hockey sticks. Basketball shoes. Soccer cleats. Swimsuits. The cost of equipment alone can empty out pockets and drain bank accounts.

The price of equipment is never cheap for any sport.

Corrina Nickerson is a senior on the KSC swimming and diving team and said on average, women’s swimsuits range from  $25 and $500.

The suits on the more expensive side are technical suits. Speedo’s LZR Racer X Kneeskin Tech Suit is nearly $500. With technology, Speedo has developed this elite fabric. It uses one-way stretch technology, stretching vertically and allowing swimmers freedom of movement during their strokes. The suit is resistant to horizontal stretch providing high compression and reducing drag while increasing the muscles’ efficiency.

“I probably spend almost $450 a year,” Nickerson said.

She continued, “We get a free tech suit for New England Championships, then I usually buy one for the MIT Invitation and LECs.”

Swimsuits and goggles are essential for swimmers. Goggles, depending on the pair you get, are more reasonable. “Goggles usually range between $20 and $30, so it’s not too bad,” Nickerson said.

“Over the years I’ve probably accumulated eight tech suits or so since junior year of high school,” Corrina said. Combined that would equal nearly $4,000 in swimsuits.

More and more sports these days are demanding expensive equipment.

Catcher for KSC’s baseball team Joe Cortese said he hasn’t purchased his own bat since high school. “Bats can range anywhere from $400 to $1,000,” Cortese said.   

Head Coach of Keene State College’s baseball team Ken Howe said the bats they usually buy are in the $300 range. Howe said that bats that they have used in the past are Easton brand bats.

First-year athletes on the baseball team have to pay up to three times more than returning athletes.  The first-years have to pay for all of their gear. The freshman have to buy required gear warm up jerseys, pullovers, sweatpants and cleats. “Luckily for me I already bought everything so the prices aren’t bad,” Cortese said.

He continued, “The first-years have to buy everything for the first time, and that’s what gets you.”

Coach Howe said that he is already working on the new order form for this year. “It depends if we stay with the same company this year.  The cost to the player changes every year, the amount the players pay depends on what they want to order,” Howe said.

Next to equipment, traveling is another expense that comes with being an athlete. Like a few other teams at KSC, the baseball team travels to Florida every year.

Coach Howe said the Florida trip costs the most amount of money for the baseball team.

Kendall Pope / Managing Executive Editor

“The Florida trip can cost anywhere from $1,000 to $1,500,” Cortese said.

Along with equipment and training trips, some sports teams have to pay for the places they practice.

The men and women’s ice hockey teams have to pay every practice for ice time.

Trevor Theroux is a junior on the men’s hockey club. He said he spends nearly $200 at home for rink time. “I’m not too positive on the new rink here. They’re in the process of figuring that out, but I would assume it would be about the same,” Theroux said.

Equipment can be all different prices for hockey players.

“A rough estimate for my equipment would be $500 for skates, $70 for shin pads, another $70 for pants, $100 for shoulder pads, $50 for elbow pads and then my helmet is probably around $70,” Theroux said.

Not including the hockey stick, it is a total of $860. “Hockey sticks can range between $100 and $300, but mine was $200,” Theroux said.

Even though hockey is one of the sports on the more expensive side, Theroux said, “I’d make it happen, I love it too much to give it up.”

Shelby can be contacted at siava@kscequinox.com

Fans aren’t the only ones who  have traditions or rituals before a game. Many Keene State College Owls have their own rituals that they do before a meet or game. Some sports even have traditions as an entire team. Whether it’s cross country and track, baseball, lacrosse or even swimming, the rituals vary for each team.

Junior women’s lacrosse player Jenna Bellano said that in her first year they had one specific warm-up they would repeat every single game day.

“Freshman year we did the same pre-game warm up and never changed anything and it worked well, we stretched, did shuttles, 3v2s and shooting drills. Plus we’d shoot on the goalie,” Bellano said.

Although it worked out well for Bellano’s first year, something was different when the season started back up again her sophomore year.

“We had a really tough start to the season,” Bellano said. “We were 0-9 at one point so our coach decided our warm up wasn’t working for us, and she was right.”

The veterans of the team knew it wasn’t the same team as the previous year.

“We had so many new freshman and a whole new team, so we switched things up,” Bellano said.

She continued, “We still do shuttles and shooting on the goalie but everything in between is a little different, we separate into offense and defense to focus a little more.”

As the sports vary, so do the traditions.

Junior men’s cross country and track athlete Eric Dietz said his routine is more of an individual one than a team one.

“The day before I stretch and roll out, I also try not to over exert myself, or over run,” Dietz said.

Photo Editor / Tim Smith

As for the day of the game, the atmosphere changes and Dietz is in a different zone.

“The day of I focus on my specific goals that I have or that my coach has for me,” Dietz said.

He continued to talk about how music motivates him during the meet. Dietz listens to music when he’s getting ready for the races but while he’s running he is not allowed to. At a cross country meet music is not allowed because it can enhance a runner’s endurance during the race.

In a way, swimming is similar to cross country and track and field. Swimming is more of an individual sport compared to many others. Like cross country, each athlete has to focus on themselves first and then the team as a whole.

Senior captain for the men’s swimming and diving team Zachariah Carroll eats almost the exact same thing before every single meet.

“I have four hard boiled eggs, just the whites, four packets of Quaker Oatmeal, half apples and cinnamon half plain, then I have a bowl of yogurt,” Carroll said.

He continued, “Right before we leave the DC I make a triple decker peanut butter and jelly sandwich to bring with me on the bus.”

Like many others, Carroll said he listens to music on the way to the meets. “On the bus I mostly listen to rap or death metal,” Carroll said.

As for the team, Carroll said they do a chant before the very beginning of the meet and before the first race. The men get into a giant huddle. “We go ‘Team cock hoorah on three’,” Carroll said.

The Owl’s baseball team is full of tradition and ritual. Senior Kevin Guild explains just a little bit of what they do.

“There are some guys that just do the isolated ‘don’t talk to me’ while others just mess around and joke with the guys before hand,” Guild said.

Guild said he likes to make sure he has at least 15 minutes to take a foam roller to the outfield. “I need to just settle in, calm down and simplify my thoughts,” Guild said.

According to Guild, the players on the baseball team do their own thing. Then they’ll come together either as an entire team or a group, for example the pitchers.

“Last year as a bullpen, we would all buy in to bring red bulls for everyone, and we would all drink them before a game after a few words,” Guild said.

He continued, “There’s always a ‘staff meeting’ we like to call it, where the pitchers get together right before the first pitch and discuss the game plan for the day.”

Whether it’s lacrosse, baseball or anything in between, each athlete has something that they do before every game; something they do so often it becomes a tradition.

Shelby can be contacted at siava@kscequinox.com

Sisters Sami and Casi Smith don’t even have to talk to one another to know what they have to do during a game.

Junior and center forward on the field hockey team, Sami Smith, has been going to the same school as her younger sister Casi ever since they were little.

“Going to college and having Casi be here is nothing new,” Sami said.

Casi, sophomore and defender said that they’ve been going to school together since she was in the first grade, although there were some years they both attended different schools.

There’s something that just clicks with the Smith sisters, and captain Kayla Renaud has noticed it.

Photo Editor / Tim Smith

“They have an underlying communication when they are on the field,” Renaud said.

The sisters themselves said they can completely read each other while they’re in the game.

“Casi knows exactly what to do when I just give her ‘the look’,” Sami said.

Whether it’s at practice or during a game, the Smith sisters said they can always tell what the other wants.

“We always know what we’re looking for, it’s like we’re playing with headphones in all the time,” Casi said.

The two have been playing field hockey together since Sami was in eighth grade, for a total of seven years playing on the same team. They’ve had time to figure out the game and how it works for them as a two-person team. Playing off each other not only improved their relationship on the field, but as sisters as well.

“It makes us closer more than anything because we’re going through the same things and are around all the same people,” Sami said.

The dynamic they have together works great for the team; just being able to have that one-step ahead at all times is an advantage. Even though they act as if they have the same mind on the field, they are two very different people.

“Both girls are very different, but it brings great variety to the team,” Renaud said. Casi said she thinks of herself as the one with more responsibility.

“Even though I’m younger coach will usually go to me when she wants something done,” Casi said.

On the other hand, Sami thinks of them as very different but still similar. “We’re sort of opposites, but at the same time very similar,” Sami said. She continued and said they are both outgoing, friendly and easygoing.

With any siblings there are always ups and downs, especially when they’re in the same school.

“It’s nice to have the support, she’s always there and there’s nothing better than your big sister,” Casi said.

Sami said she looks out for her younger sister at all times, “If anything, I’m harder on Casi than anyone else,” Sami said.

Although they seem like they mesh perfectly, even siblings that get along so well get on each others nerves.“We get annoyed with each other all the time, but we have totally different friend groups and make everything work,” Sami said.

She continued, “But if we ever need each other we’d be there.”

Shelby Iava can be contacted at siava@kscequinox.com

Being a part of the Keene State College community gives you access and opportunities to work on not only your fitness, but also your health.

According to the KSC webpage, if you are enrolled in at least three classes you are considered a “full-time” student.

If this is the case, then you have full access to the Recreation Center here on campus. Having “full access”

Tim Smith/ Photo Editor

gives you a chance to explore your fitness options. You are able to use the fitness center, recreational courts, swimming pool, racquetball courts, all aerobic and fitness classes and the indoor track. Many KSC students come to wonder if all students are taking advantage of what KSC has to offer.

Katie Stewart, Spaulding Gym Facility Manager said, “People utilize the gym a lot during the beginning of the school year and after the new year.”

Stewart said in the first month or two the gym is nearly flooded with at least 30 people in just the weight room at one time.  There are seven fitness classes that are available this fall at KSC: Boot camp, Butt, Guts, and More, Cycling, Hydrorobics, Insanity, Yoga and Zumba.

Stewart said, “The fitness classes are a majority of students, with the exceptions of the spin classes where it’s about fifty-fifty students to faculty, whereas Hydrorobics is usually all faculty and staff.”

Fitness classes are held each week at all times of the day from early morning at 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Even though the classes are held at different times, students still have some conflict with fitting them into their schedules.

KSC senior, Cody Fitzgerald, shares a common struggle among all students. “I don’t really have much time to do the classes that they have, but I would like to do yoga. I just don’t know when they are.” Students have all different kinds of work, projects and tests they need to study for.

“Most people are probably too busy to do the classes or even to work out on their own in general. I feel like half the student body knows that we have access to these classes and then a third of that just don’t go to them,” Fitzgerald said.

A random survey that I conducted of 20 KSC students shows that 50 percent of students have gone to or are continuing to go to the fitness classes offered at the gym.

KSC junior, Gabrielle Brzozowski said that she doesn’t have much time to go to the gym.

“Being an athlete and also a student taking five classes is a bit overwhelming. I wake up, go to practice,

Tim smith/ photo editor

then class, then another practice and by the end of the day I’m either too tired to go to a fitness class or I just have so much homework I have no time to do them,” Brzozowski said.

Schoolwork seems to be the priority  for a handful of students. “My parents pay so much money for me to go to school at Keene State. I need to make sure my grades are where they are supposed to be, there just simply [is] not enough time in the day to do everything that I want to do,” Brzozowski said.

Although many KSC students struggle to manage their health and schoolwork, there are still many students who strive to work at both.

Shelby Iava can be contacted at siava@kscequinox.com