For the first time in program history, the St. Bonaventure women’s basketball team is ranked in the national polls. The 22-2 Bonnies – who just missed out the last two weeks – checked in at No. 25 in the Associated Press Poll.

The ranking is also a first for any Big 4 women’s basketball team, and marks the first time in more than 40 years that a Big 4 basketball team is nationally ranked. The Bonaventure men were the last Big 4 school to be ranked in January 1971 – a season before the women’s program at Bona even existed.

“The ranking is a great piece of national recognition that our players have worked extremely hard to achieve,” head coach Jim Crowley said. “While we’re certainly excited and proud of the ranking, we need to make sure that our focus remains on the next game.”

Bona Women’s Basketball Ranked For First Time Ever – continue reading…

St. Bonaventure (12-7, 5-2 Atlantic 10) scored the game’s first 10 points and led wire to wire in a 62-47 win over Richmond (12-10, 3-4) at the Reilly Center.

With the victory, the Bonnies (12-7, 5-2 A-10) maintain a share of the Atlantic 10 Conference lead with Massachusetts (16-5, 5-2) and La Salle (16-6, 5-2).

St. Bonaventure’s 5-2 start in A-10 play in the best since the 2000 team posted the same mark through seven games, while the team’s 12-7 overall record is tops since 2001-02.

Bonnies Take Down Richmond, Maintain Share of A-10 Lead – continue reading…

A season-opening trip to Florida, home and road games against Big 4 rivals and eight Atlantic 10 Conference series highlight the 2012 St. Bonaventure baseball schedule released on Monday.

Bonaventure will open the campaign in Winter Haven, Fla., Feb. 24-March 5 with 11 total games against Western Michigan, Mount St. Mary’s, Georgetown and Northeastern.

Following its return from the Sunshine State, St. Bonaventure plays a three-game non-conference series at Marshall (March 16-18). Two other non-conference, non-Big 4 games include trips to Akron on April 4 and Bucknell (April 24).

St. Bona Releases 2012 Baseball Schedule – continue reading…

No. 24/22 Illinois (9-0) overcame a nine-point deficit with 5:22 left to claim a 48-43 victory over St. Bonaventure (3-4) in front of 14,711 fans at Assembly Hall on Wednesday.

The Bonnies held Illinois to just 31.9 percent from the floor and without a field goal for over six minutes of the second half to help turn a 31-29 lead into a 39-30 cushion with 5:22 left. Illinois junior Brandon Paul led the Illini with 17 points and tallied three field goals – two while being fouled – five free throws, an assist and a steal over the final four minutes as Illinois came from behind.

Andrew Nicholson also had 17 and added a game-high eight boards for the Bonnies. Demitrius Conger and Matthew Wright had six apiece.

Paul’s traditional three-point play tied it at 41 with 2:38 left to cap UI’ s 12-2 run before Nicholson answered on the other end. Illini sophomore Meyers Leonard, the reigning Big Ten Co-Player of the Week, chipped in nine points and eight rebounds, with several of those allowing for extended possessions down the stretch.

Bona Loses Late To 22nd Ranked Illinois – continue reading…

Head baseball coach Larry Sudbrook has announced the signing of eight players to National Letters of Intent to begin play with the Bonnies in the 2012-13 season.

The group who committed to Sudbrook’s program are: Dominic Edwards (Cleveland, Ohio/Mentor), Drew Teller (Cleveland, Ohio/Mayfield), Josh Martin (Buffalo, N.Y./Depew), Alex Bell (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair), Steve Klimek (Rochester, N.Y./Greece Arcadia), Sean Sleigh (DuBois, Pa./Treasure Lake), Thaddeus Johnson (Frewsburg, N.Y./Frewsburg Central School) and Tom Styn (East Amherst, N.Y./Williamsville East).

Bona Baseball Inks Eight To Letters of Intent – continue reading…

Junior guard Eric Mosley scored a career-high 18 points and senior forward Andrew Nicholson posted 14 points and 12 rebounds to lead St. Bonaventure to a 64-58 win over Siena at the Times Union Center.

Demitrius Conger scored 11 of his 15 in the first half and hauled in eight rebounds for the game to help SBU to its first lead with a 3-pointer just 2.1 seconds before the break. The triple was part of a 16-5 run that bridged the halftime gap and helped the Bonnies (2-1) keep just in front of Siena (2-1).

The Saints cut the lead down to one on consecutive possessions midway through the second half and kept the game tight down the stretch, but SBU, led by Mosley’s 6-of-6 outing, went 9-of-10 from the free throw line in the final 70 seconds to seal the win.

Bonnies Defeat Siena to Retain Franciscan Cup – continue reading…

Redshirt junior forward Marquise Simmons of the St. Bonaventure men’s basketball team suffered a torn right Achilles tendon in Friday night’s season-opening victory over Cornell and will not return this season.

Simmons played just two minutes in the Bonnies’ 79-58 win over Cornell and suffered the injury while driving toward the basket during the first half. After being fouled, a clearly-injured Simmons made both of his free throw attempts before leaving the game.

St. Bonaventure senior Andrew Nicholson is one of just 50 players nationally named to the Naismith Award preseason watch list, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Monday.

The Naismith Trophy is the most prestigious national award presented annually to college basketball’s player of the year. Other notable Naismith Men’s College Player of the Year winners include Bill Walton, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing and last year’s winner, Jimmer Fredette.

Nicholson, who also earned a spot on the Wooden Award preseason watch list, has earned All-Conference honors in each of his three seasons at St. Bonaventure, including First Team plaudits last year. The Mississauga, Ontario native is tied with Naismith Hall of Famer Bob Lanier atop the school’s career field goal percentage (.576) and ranks 13th in program history with 1,512 points after leading the Atlantic 10 and ranking 15th nationally in scoring (20.8 ppg) as a junior.

Nicholson Named to Naismith Preseason List – continue reading…

The St. Bonaventure University Athletics Department will stream all of its home men’s and women’s basketball games free of charge for the 2011-12 basketball season, director of athletics Steve Watson announced on Thursday.

Fans will now be able to access all Bona home games, beginning with the men’s exhibition against Mansfield on Friday, live over the Internet through the CBS All-Access player on GoBonnies.com. No usernames, passwords or account will be required.

The broadcasts will be produced by SBU-TV under the direction of Paul Wieland, associate professor of journalism and mass communication, and technical director Joe Paciorkowski.  Undergraduate students from the Russell J. Jandoli School of Journalism and Mass Communication will continue to provide most of the broadcast crew.  On the majority of the men’s games, SBU graduate Jeremy Noeson ‘05 will call the play-by-play and John Watson Jr., associate professor in the School of Business, will provide color commentary.

Bona Games to be Streamed for Free This Season – continue reading…

St. Bonaventure assistant women’s basketball coach Kate Achter will be inducted into the Birmingham Hall of Fame on Oct. 16 in recognition of her athletic accomplishments ranging from high school throughout her professional career.

A native of Oregon, Ohio, Achter will be one of seven inducted on Sunday as part of the 35th class. Inductees include athletes, business professionals and distinguished citizens who grew up in the Toledo area.

“It is an honor to be recognized by the Birmingham Hall of Fame,” Achter said. “Growing up in and around the neighborhood, I certainly know what a privilege it is be selected. This award means a great deal to me and my family.”

Achter To Be Inducted Into Birmingham Hall Of Fame – continue reading…

St. Bonaventure senior forward Andrew Nicholson is one of 50 players named to the John R. Wooden Award Preseason Top 50 List, as announced Monday by the Los Angeles Athletic Club.

The list is comprised of 50 student-athletes who, based on last year’s individual performance and team records, are the early frontrunners for college basketball’s most prestigious individual honor.

The 6-foot-9 250-pound Mississauga, Ont. native led the Atlantic 10 and ranked 15th nationally in scoring last season at 20.8 points per game. He scored in double figures in all but one contest and racked 11 double-doubles while leading the Bonnies to their first winning record (16-15) and postseason appearance (CBI) since 2001-02.

These players and others who excel throughout the season will be evaluated and considered for the Midseason list and the official voting ballot released in March. The National Ballot consists of approximately 20 players who have proven to their universities that they are also making progress toward graduation and maintaining at least a cumulative 2.0 GPA. The Wooden Award All-American Team will be announced the week of the “Elite Eight” round during the NCAA Tournament.

Bona’s Nicholson Named to Wooden Award Watch List – continue reading…

The 6th Annual GREAT STRIDES: Taking Steps to Cure Cystic Fibrosis walk, taking place this Saturday, Sept. 17, will bring together hundreds of St. Bonaventure student-athletes, coaches and members of the St. Bonaventure Athletic Department.

Registration for the 1.5-mile walk begins at 10 a.m. at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, located at 99 Wildwood Ave., with the walk beginning at 11.

Started five years ago by head strength and conditioning coach Darryn Fiske, the walk has become an annual opportunity for the Bonaventure athletic community to give back. Fiske’s six-year-old nephew, Andrew, was born with Cystic Fibrosis (CF), a terminal disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of the body. Forty years ago, a majority of the children diagnosed with CF never made it to kindergarten. While strides have been made since then, the average life expectancy of someone with CF is just 40 years.

Bonnies Walk To Find A Cure For Cystic Fibrosis – continue reading…

Ten games against schools that reached the postseason last year, six televised games and three matchups with squads from BCS conferences highlight the 2011-12 men’s basketball schedule released on Tuesday.

The Bonnies, who return senior All-America candidate Andrew Nicholson and four of five starters from last year’s squad, will be featured on national television three times in 2011-12: at Illinois Dec. 7 (ESPNU), at Xavier Jan. 14 (ESPNU) and in the Reilly Center opposite Temple Feb. 15 (CBS Sports).

After an exhibition tune-up against Mansfield Nov. 4, the season officially opens Nov. 11 when Ivy League-member Cornell comes to the Reilly Center for the first time since 2004.

2011-12 St. Bonaventure Men’s Basketball Schedule Released – continue reading…

St. Bonaventure Associate Athletic Director Steve Campbell announced on Thursday the hiring of John Powers as the university’s new golf coach.

Powers – a four-year golf letterwinner at Bowling Green State University – played professionally on the Florida Professional Golf Tour for one year.

A 2010 BGSU graduate, Powers has overseen the daily operations of the golf shop at Stone Ridge Golf Club in Bowling Green, Ohio since March. He also helped instruct the junior golf program at the club, and organized member events and tournaments.

Powers Hired As New Bona Golf Coach – continue reading…

The St. Bonaventure baseball team had its season come to a close Sunday morning with the announcement of the 2011 Atlantic 10 Baseball Championship seeds.

The Bonnies, who finished in a three-way tie for 5th place in the A-10 at 13-11 with Richmond and La Salle, were eliminated by virtue of losing the head-to-head tiebreakers against the Spiders and Explorers. Richmond went 5-1 against La Salle and St. Bonaventure; La Salle went 3-3 against St. Bonaventure and Richmond; St. Bonaventure went 1-5 against La Salle and Richmond.

Therefore, Richmond received the 5th seed and La Salle earned the 6th, and final, seed in the six-team tournament.

Bona Loses Tiebreaker, Misses Out On Postseason Play – continue reading…

Christine Hanley of the St. Bonaventure University women’s lacrosse team has been selected to participate in the 2011 IWLCA/Under Armour North-South Senior All-Star Game on Saturday, June 11 in Downingtown, Pa.

The All-Star game, part of the Under Armour Lacrosse Festival at the United Sports Training Center, features the nation’s top seniors at the Division I, II and III levels. The Division I All-Star game is scheduled for 12 p.m. followed by the Division II game at 1 p.m. and the Division III game at 2 p.m. All three games will be played at the United Sports Training Center in Downington, Pennsylvania.

Hanley graduated as the Bonnies’ all-time leading scorer (154) and ranks second in career points (195) after posting a team-high 38 goals to go with 10 assists this year. She was named the Atlantic 10 Conference Rookie of the Year in 2008 and has earned All-Conference First Team honors in each of the last two seasons.

Former St. Bonaventure baseball alumnus Tom Marra, Class of 1980, was named to The Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation Board of Directors on Thursday.

Marra earmarked a $900,000 gift in September 2005 to the Anniversary Campaign for the complete renovation of McGraw-Jennings Field.

The gift converted the previously all-natural grass field to an artificial surface, while also expanding the dugouts, replacing the bullpens and providing new fencing around the entire stadium.

When the field was dedicated on Sept. 9, 2006, it was renamed Fred Handler Park at McGraw-Jennings Field in honor of longtime Bonnies coach Fred Handler. Marra, a member of the university’s Board of Trustees, played under Handler, who was also a physical education professor at the school from 1959 until his retirement in 1997.
Tom Marra Named to Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation Board – continue reading…

For the third consecutive year, the St. Bonaventure women’s basketball team has earned a berth in the Women’s National Invitational Tournament (WNIT) and will host Lehigh in opening-round action Thursday at 7 p.m.

The Bonnies (20-11) advanced to the quarterfinal round of the Atlantic 10 Women’s Basketball Championship before falling to Temple, which received a 10 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Lehigh (21-10) earned the auto bid into the WNIT out of the Patriot League despite dropping a 69-64 decision in the conference semifinals to American.

St. Bonaventure received an at-large selection in the 64-team field announced following the NCAA Selection Show Monday evening. The field includes 31 teams that earned an automatic berth by virtue of winning their respective conference’s regular-season championship, and 33 at-large bids.

Women Bonnies To Host Lehigh In WNIT Opening Round Thursday – continue reading…

After posting the program’s first winning season in nearly a decade, the St. Bonaventure University men’s basketball team (16-14) has accepted a bid into the College Basketball Invitational (CBI). The rest of the tournament field will be announced late Sunday evening.

The opponent, time and location for an opening round game on Tuesday or Wednesday will be released late Sunday evening after NCAA Championship and NIT selections have been announced.

“This is the next step in the development of our program,” said Bonnies fourth-year head coach Mark Schmidt. “It is an honor to be selected for postseason play – that was one of our goals coming into the year. It’s great for Ogo [Adegboye, the Bonnies' lone senior] and with such a young team we will have the opportunity to gain more experience.”
St. Bonaventure Men’s Basketball Accepts CBI Bid – continue reading…

La Salle’s Steve Weingarten made a 3-pointer with 32 seconds left in double overtime to help the 10th-seeded Explorers (15-17) escape with a 75-73 victory over No. 7 seed St. Bonaventure (16-14) in the opening round of the Atlantic 10 Championship Tuesday night at the Reilly Center.

With the victory, La Salle advances to Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall to face No. 2 seed Temple (24-6) in the quarterfinals, set to tip at 6:30 p.m. on Friday.

Weingarten’s 3 in 2OT turned a two-point St. Bonaventure lead into an advantage for the Explorers, who trailed by as many as seven with under a minute to go in the first overtime session.

Bona Bows Out In A-10 Opening Round – continue reading…

Richmond’s Justin Harper scored a game-high 24 points to pace the Spiders (21-7, 10-3 Atlantic 10) to an 82-65 victory over St. Bonaventure at the Robins Center on Sunday. Andrew Nicholson booked a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds and Demitrius Conger scored 17 as the Bonnies (14-11, 6-6) had their three-game A-10 win streak halted.

Junior  Michael Davenport notched all 11 of his points in 13 first-half minutes to carry SBU, before Nicholson got going with 14 of his 16 in the second. Nicholson now has 193 free throw attempts on the year, passing J.R. Bremer’s previous school record of 188 in 2001-02.

The Bonnies trailed 40-31 at the break and couldn’t get over the hump down the stretch, cutting Richmond’s lead to seven on four separate occasions before the Spiders put it out of reach.
Spiders End Bona Win Streak – continue reading…