Sporting News CT – SNCTTV

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The Southern Connecticut State University men’s soccer team has been selected third in the Northeast-10 Conference preseason poll, as it was announced earlier today. Previously, the Owls were stationed at No. 12 in the NSCAA National Preseason poll.

Southern Connecticut received two first place votes in the poll.

The Owls are coming off another successful season (14-2-4) in which they reached the NCAA Tournament second round. The 2011 season opener will be Sept. 3 against Bridgeport.

Here’s a look at the complete poll:

1. Franklin Pierce (10) – 166
2. So. New Hampshire (2) – 152
3. So. Connecticut (2) – 147
4. Bentley – 128
5. Le Moyne – 125
6. Merrimack – 108
7. Assumption – 73
7. Saint Michael’s – 73
9. American Int’l -72
10. New Haven – 65
11. Stonehill – 63
12. UMass Lowell – 53
13. Saint Anselm – 35
14. Saint Rose – 14
( ) – Denotes first-place votes

Here you can relive the 2011 American Legion Northeast Regional tournament.  You can listen to the games here. If you want to purchase a MP3 audio download of the game or order a CD please visit our store. Click Here

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HAMDEN, Conn. – Quinnipiac men’s ice hockey head coach Rand Pecknold has announced that former Bobcats’ All-American Reid Cashman has been named assistant coach for the 2011-12 season. Cashman recently completed a five-year professional career that most recently saw him playing in Austria’s professional league.

"Reid was a special player, both on and off the ice, in his four years at Quinnipiac,” head coach Rand Pecknold. “His work ethic and competitiveness will translate into success as a coach.  He has had the good fortune of playing for some great pro coaches, including NHL Coach of the Year Dan Byslma.  Reid's hockey knowledge and his ability to communicate will make him a welcome addition to our progam."

Cashman was recently named as one of the top 50 players in ECAC Hockey history, as announced by the league during the 2010-11 season. Cashman was previously named to the ECAC Hockey All-Decade Team for the period from 2000 through 2009.

A native of Red Wing, Minn., he first earned All-America honors in 2004-05 when the Bobcats were members of Atlantic Hockey. Cashman went on to earn consecutive ECAC Hockey First Team and All-American honors when he finished as the league's top-scoring defenseman in 2006 and 2007, and was the only defenseman in the Top 20 in scoring in the nation in both years. In 2007, he captained a Quinnipiac team that played for the ECAC Hockey Championship in just its second year in the league.

In 79 career ECAC Hockey games, Cashman tallied 82 points, earning him a spot on the All-Decade team. In 2007, he finished second in the nation in scoring among defenseman with 41 points in 40 games for a 1.02 per game average. The previous season, he scored 41 points in 39 games for a 1.05 per game average, good for third in the nation among all blue-liners. In both seasons in ECAC Hockey, Cashman led the league in assists and power-play points and was a Hobey Baker Memorial Award finalist.

The school record-holder in career assists with 125, he also holds the single-season defenseman records in assists with 35 in 2006-07 and 45 in 2004-05. The all-time leading scorer amongst defenseman, his 148 career points rank eighth overall.

Upon completion of his Quinnipiac career, Cashman signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs, playing seven games that season with Toronto's top affiliate, the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League (AHL). Cashman enjoyed two stints with the Marlies, while also suiting up for the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and the Milwaukee Admirals. He also played for the Columbia Inferno, Wheeling Nailers and the Cincinnati Cyclones of the East Coast Hockey League before completing his professional career overseas with  EHC Black Wings Linz of the Austrian Erste Bank Ice Hockey League.

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The Southern Connecticut State University football team has been selected No. 2 in the Northeast-10 Conference preseason poll. The announcement was made earlier today by the league office. The Owls were one point out of the top preseason spot. Southern Connecticut had been ranked No. 1 in the preseason poll in each of the past four seasons.

The Owls, who received two first-place votes, finished the 2010 season with a 6-4 mark. In the process, SCSU recorded its 10th consecutive winning season.

Southern Connecticut opens the 2011 season on Sept. 3 with a road game against Central Connecticut. Kickoff is set for noon.

Here’s a look at the complete poll and vote total. First place votes are in parentheses.
New Haven (6) – 59
So. Connecticut (2) – 58
Merrimack (1) – 47
Bentley – 43
American Int'l – 42
Assumption – 28
Stonehill – 23
Saint Anselm – 16
Pace – 8

DALLAS, August 16, 2011 - The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) announced today that longtime voices of college football Verne Lundquist and Brent Musburger have been named co-recipients of the organization's 2011 Outstanding Contribution to College Football Award.

"We are thrilled to honor both Brent and Verne, two of the best announcers our sport has ever known," said NFF president and CEO Steve Hatchell. "Millions of fans have had their fall Saturdays enriched by their exceptional storytelling abilities, and they stand atop the broadcasting profession as true masters of capturing the drama of the gridiron. We are all truly fortunate to have been in their audience for so many years, and we look forward to honoring them at the NFF Annual Awards Dinner on December 6 in New York City."

First presented in 1974, the award provides national recognition to those whose efforts to support the NFF and its goals have been local in nature or who have made significant contributions to the game of football either to the manner in which it is played and coached or to the manner in which it is enjoyed by spectators. Lundquist and Musburger become the 35th and 36th recipients of this prestigious award.

Lundquist and Musburger are most recent individuals to be announced as recipients of an NFF Major Award in 2011, joining Dr. Archie Roberts (Distinguished American Award); Penn State Athletics Director Tim Curley (John L. Toner Award for superior abilities as an athletics administrator); and Ted Ruta (Outstanding Football Official Award). The Gold Medal recipient and Chris Schenkel Award recipient for excellence in broadcasting will be announced via national press releases in the near future.

The NFF Major Award winners, along with the 2011 College Football Hall of Fame inductees and the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class, presented by Fidelity Investments, will be honored at the NFF 54th Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 6 at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City. For ticket information, please contact NFF director of national events Will Rudd at 800.486.1865 or wrudd@footballfoundation.com.

VERNE LUNDQUIST'S BIO

Known throughout the sports broadcasting industry as the "Golden Throat," Verne Lundquist has become an integral part of the sports broadcasting landscape during the past forty years with his memorable calls and a colorful approach that has made him a fan favorite. Currently, he serves as the lead play-by-play announcer for CBS Sports' coverage of college football, a post he has held since 1998 alongside analyst Gary Danielson. Together, they have become the voices on CBS for SEC football.

The versatile Lundquist also handles announcing roles for CBS's coverage of college basketball, including the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship, the Masters, the PGA Championship, and other PGA TOUR events. During his first stint at CBS from 1983 to 1995, Lundquist called the NFL and NBA, and was the network's lead figure skating announcer for the 1992, 1994 and 1998 Winter Olympics.

Prior to CBS, Lundquist spent eight years at ABC Sports and three years as a play-by-play announcer for TNT's coverage of the NFL, NBA, golf and figure skating coverage from 1995 to 1997. In all, he has called 20 different sports, including track and field, swimming and diving, boxing, gymnastics and horse racing during his illustrious career.

Lundquist began his career at KTBC-TV in Austin before becoming the sports director at WFAA-TV in Dallas, where he also worked as the radio voice of the Dallas Cowboys for 16 seasons. He has been inducted into the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Hall of Fame, the Texas Radio Hall of Fame and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. Lundquist claimed seven consecutive Texas Sportscaster of the Year awards from 1977 to 1983 and was named a Legend of the Sun Bowl in 2005 by the Sun Bowl Association.

Born in Duluth, Minn., Lundquist grew up in Everett, Wash. and Austin, Texas. He graduated from Texas Lutheran University in 1962 and received that school's Distinguished Alumnus Award. In 2009 Lundquist became a member of Texas Lutheran's Board of Regents.

BRENT MUSBURGER'S BIO

A multi-faceted talent with experience spanning decades and networks and nearly every sport imaginable, Brent Musburger has become one of the most-recognized voices and faces in all of sports broadcasting.

Musburger currently serves as the lead voice of college football for ABC and ESPN, and he has called the action on ABC's Saturday Night Football since 2006. He has announced the past five Rose Bowl Games and four BCS Championship games, including Auburn's 22-19 win over Oregon this past season in the Tostitos BCS National Championship.

Musburger joined ABC in May 1990 after 15 years as CBS Sports' primary host and play-by-play commentator. During his reign at CBS, his broadcast responsibilities included college football, The NFL Today, the NCAA Final Four, the U.S. Open Tennis Championships, the NBA and the Masters.

During his celebrated 40-year career, he has worked nearly every major sporting event, including the Super Bowl, the World Series, the NBA Finals, the Final Four, the World Cup, the Indianapolis 500, the Masters, the U.S. Open Tennis Championships, and the Little League World Series, and he has done it across multiple media platforms for CBS, ABC, ESPN, CBS Radio Network and ESPN Radio. In 2011, he claimed a well-deserved spot in the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame.

A native of Billings, Mont., Musburger graduated from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism before beginning his career as a sportswriter for the Chicago American. He started his broadcast career in 1968 at WBBM-Radio in Chicago as the station's sports director, later assuming the same title for WBBM-TV. He then moved to KNXT-TV in Los Angeles as the co-anchor of the nightly news.

Past recipients of the Outstanding Contributor to Amateur Football Award include:

1974 - Lathrop King Leishman
1975 - Joseph J. Tomlin
1976 - No honoree
1977 - No honoree
1978 - Jack Farcasin
1979 - No honoree
1980 - Field Scovell
1981 - Edward "Moose" Krause
1982 - Earnest E. Seiler
1983 - Gov. William Winter
1984 - No honoree
1985 - A.F. "Bud" Dudley
1986 - Rex Farrior
1987 - Chris Schenkel
1988 - Lindsey Nelson
1989 - Bob Woodruff
1990 - Bill Nichols
1991 - Don B. Canham
1992 - Eddie Robinson
1993 - John E. "Buddy" Leake
1994 - Mike Cleary
1995 - Fred Jacoby
1996 - Robert M. "Scotty" Whitelaw
1997 - Jack Lengyel
1998 - Marino H. Casem
1999 - Chuck Neinas
2000 - Tom Nugent
2001 - Thomas C. Hansen
2002 - Dal Shealy
2003 - Rudy J. Riska
2004 - Rick Dickson, Pat Harmon
2005 - Prentice Gautt
2006 - ESPN's College GameDay
2007 - The Collegiate Bowl Games
2008 - Bill Battle
2009 - Dan Jenkins
2010 - Dr. Joseph Kearney

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The Southern Connecticut State University football team has received votes in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Coaches’ preseason poll. The Owls received 14 votes in the first poll of the year. SCSU is looking for its fifth NCAA Playoff appearance in the last seven years this fall.

Last year, the club finished with a 6-4 mark and posted its 10th consecutive winning season in the process.

Southern Connecticut opens the 2011 season on Sept. 3 with a non-conference road game at Central Connecticut. Game time is set for noon.

MEDFORD, Mass. (August 15, 2011) – Two-time World Boxing Association (“WBA”) heavyweight champion John “The Quietman” Ruiz has opened Quietman Sports Gym, inside of Gold’s Gym in Medford (4000 Mystic Valley Parkway), which is a suburb of Boston and only a few miles from where Ruiz grew-up in Chelsea.

Quietman Sports Gym is a full-contact gym, featuring a boxing ring as well as a cage for MMA, wrestling, jiu-jitsu and Muay Thai fighting.  The gym also offers boxing and full-contact fighting classes, personal and semi-private instruction, self defense classes, and white collar boxing.  The gym is also available for rentals on Sundays.

Ruiz is the owner and chief boxing instructor. Other instructors include John’s brother, Eddie Ruiz, and Jose “Raul” Sanchez for boxing; Miguel Rivera, MMA/Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu; Michael Matulonis, kickboxing; Rich Bloom, wrestling; Nicc Kossivas, Muay Thai/MMA striking.

“I grew up in this area and wanted to return to my roots in order to give back to these communities,” Ruiz explained. “I’m very close to my family and friends I have back here, so this is also an opportunity for me to spend more time with them.  I believe a gym like this helps communities and children.  Our goal is to create a gym that develops Olympians, but also give kids a place to go, just like I had at the Somerville Boxing Club, where they stay off the streets and learn how to box, wrestle or mixed martial arts training.  There are so many bad temptations today for kids and many of them really need a place to go.  We want to help them develop self-esteem and character.”

Future plans call for Quietman Sports Gym to become a sanctioned USA Boxing gym. Ruiz also wants to become a boxing and MMA promoter – professional and amateur – and he has already started a boxing consulting agency, Quietman Sports, along with his longtime attorney and advisor, Boston Attorney Anthony M. Cardinale.

“I was able to see the world because of boxing and I want to help kids do the same as part of our future ‘Quietman’ traveling team,” John added.  “I’ve been fortunate to have had so many memorable times through boxing and I really want to pass along those experiences and what I’ve learned.”

The 39-year-old Ruiz, who lives in Las Vegas, retired from the ring a year ago.  He had a 44-9-1 (30 KOs) career record and fought in 12 world title fights.

Quitman Sports Gym offers active military personal, as well as police officers and fire fighters, discount memberships.

Hours of operations for Quietman Sports Gym are Monday-Thursday, 11 AM/ET-9 PM/ET; Friday 1 AM/ET-8 PM/ET; Saturday 9 AM/ET-2 PMN/ET (closed Sunday).

For more information about the Quietman Sports Gym, call 781.396.6700, go online to www.JohnTheQuietmanRuiz.com or WWW.Quietmansports.com, or on Facebook at John Quietman Ruiz.

HAMDEN, Conn. - Quinnipiac University Director of Athletics Jack McDonald has announced that Men's Ice Hockey Head Coach Rand Pecknold has signed a contract extension through the 2015-16 season. Terms of the contract have not been disclosed.

"I'm very excited with my new contract extension. I look forward to another five years at Quinnipiac, and hopefully beyond," Pecknold said. "I'm thankful to President John Lahey, Vice President Mark Thompson and Director of Athletics Jack McDonald for the resources and support that have made Quinnipiac successful. I'm very excited for the upcoming year at the TD Bank Sports Center."

Earlier this year, Pecknold was selected as ECAC Hockey's representative on the NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey committee. Pecknold will serve on the committee for the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons. This past season, his 17th at Quinnipiac, Pecknold led the Bobcats to its 15th straight winning season at 16-15-8 while also leading Quinnipiac to the ECAC Hockey Championship Quarterfinals. Since joining ECAC Hockey for the 2005-06 season, the Bobcats have hosted an ECAC Hockey Championship First Round series in each of the last five years and are the only team in the 12-team league to win a postseason series in each season.

"Rand and his staff continue to elevate our men's ice hockey team to national prominence," McDonald said. "I am pleased that he will continue to guide the program to be successful on the ice and in the classroom while also making an impact in the community."

For his career, Pecknold boasts a career record of 317-216-56, making him just the fifth coach in Quinnipiac Athletics history to reach the 300-win mark. Since joining the Division I ranks for the 1998-99 season, Quinnipiac ranks in the top ten in NCAA Division I men's ice hockey in wins and winning percentage. Among his many honors, Pecknold is a two-time Spencer Penrose National Coach of the Year finalist, the 2005 Atlantic Hockey Coach of the Year, the 2006 InsideCollegeHockey.com ECAC Hockey Coach of the Year and was a member of the inaugural class of the Elm City Legends in 2008.

In 2009-10, Quinnipiac reached new heights as the Bobcats were  ranked 4th nationally in the USCHO.com and USA Today/USA  Hockey Magazine Division I polls after winning 12 of their first  13 games. In 2010-11, Quinnipiac hosted elite national programs  in Ohio State and nationally-ranked No. 8 Nebraska-Omaha,  whom the Bobcats swept in a two-game series, at the TD Bank  Sports Center.

Off the ice, Pecknold has pushed the Bobcats to improve  academically while also facilitating the program's community  involvement. This past year, the men's ice hockey program  featured 23 players with grade-point averages over 3.00 for a  team-wide 3.245 GPA. In the community, Pecknold has  spearheaded several fundraising activities on behalf of  Quinnipiac, including the "Blades & Skates" event in 2008 to  benefit St. Baldrick's children's cancer research. The event,  through efforts by Pecknold and Quinnipiac men's ice hockey's  student-athletes, helped to raise over $30,000 for children's  cancer research. In recent years, the Bobcats have also donated  funds to benefit Autism Speaks and have volunteered with several  local youth organizations in Connecticut.

UNCASVILLE, Conn. (August 15, 2011) – Committee officials announced today that five-time World Champion Vinny “The Pazmanian Devil” Paz heads a distinguished list of seven 2011 inductees into the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame (“CBHOF”). The seventh annual Gala Induction Dinner will be held Saturday night, October 29 in the Uncas Ballroom at Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut.

The other 2011 inductees include 1996 U.S. Olympic Boxing Team Captain, Lawrence Clay-Bey; renowned world boxing judge Glenn S. Feldman; world light heavyweight title challenger Eric “Magic 2000” Harding; amateur boxing standout Kelvin Anderson; boxer, referee and coach Billy Taylor; highly-respected ringside physician, Dr. Michael Schwartz.

Tickets, priced at $75.00 per person, are available to purchase by calling Kim Baker at Mohegan Sun (860.862.7377) or Sherman Cain at the Manchester Journal Inquirer (800.237.3606 (X 321).  Doors open at 5:30 PM/ET, followed by cocktails at 6 PM/ET, and then dinner.

Among the five world titles captured by Paz (50-10, 30 KOs) were the IBF lightweight and WBA light middleweight championships.  The wildly popular Italian-American from Cranston (RI) was the prestigious 1991 Ring Magazine Comeback of the Year Award recipient having overcome a broken neck suffered in a car crash to win another world title.

Clay-Bey (21-3-1, 16 KOs), fighting out of Hartford, captained an absolutely loaded 1996 U.S. Olympic Boxing team that included four future world champions  as professionals – Floyd Mayweather, Jr., Antonio Tarver, David Reid and Fernando Vargas.  Lawrence lost in the second round to current world heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko, 10-8. Clay-Bey was the IBA Continental heavyweight titlist. He is a veteran correctional officer in Connecticut.

In addition to judging 95 world title fights all over the world during the past 23 years, Feldman founded the CBHOF and has been its only president. He is a financial advisor with Merrill Lynch in West Hartford.

The signature victory for Harding (23-4-1, 7 KOs), who captured the NABF and USBA light heavyweight titles, was a 12-round decision in a 2000 IBF Eliminator against 16-0 Antonio Tarver, a five-time world champion. Eric lost a world title bid to Roy Jones, Jr. when he was unable to answer the bell for the 11th round due to a serious shoulder injury in their WBC/WBA/IBF/IBO world title fight.

Anderson was a much decorated amateur boxer from Hartford who tragically died in a 1980 plane crash.  Fourteen boxers and eight staff members of the USA Boxing Team, traveling to Poland to compete in an International match, were among 77 passengers who perished.

Taylor was honored in 1990 by the NCAA Coaches Association, as well as the Connecticut Boxing Guild, for his 50-year contribution to boxing.  He kick-started the boxing careers of Connecticut greats such as world champion Marlon Starling, Tyrone Booze and Troy Wortham.  Billy coached the 1969 Coast Guard national championship team, guided Central Connecticut State University for eight seasons in the eighties, and produced three national champions and 32 All-America boxers.

Dr. Schwartz is Chief Ringside Physician for Professional Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts, who has been responsible for creating many of the medical protocols utilized in boxing.  He is the founder of the first Medical Association for Professional Ringside Physicians, in addition to being Chief Ringside Physician for the State of Connecticut. Schwartz also serves as the Chief Ringside Physician and Chairman of the Medical Advisory Board for both Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mohegan Sun Casino.

Go on line to www.CTBoxingHOF.com for more information about the 7th annual CBHOF Gala Introduction Dinner or the history of this organization.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - The San Francisco 49ers have signed former Yale TE Nate Lawrie '04 to a one-year deal.
Lawrie (6-6, 255) was originally drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the sixth round (181st overall) of the 2004 NFL Draft. He has played in 26 NFL games (five starts), registering four receptions for 43 yards. Lawrie has played for Tampa Bay (2004-05), the New Orleans Saints (2005-06) and the Cincinnati Bengals (2007-08), while also spending time with the Philadelphia Eagles (2004, 2010) and Baltimore Ravens (2008).
The new 49er end would have joined another former Yale TE on Jim Harbaugh's first NFL squad as a head coach, but Chris Blohm '11 was released after a few days on the roster.
Lawrie spent two seasons in the UFL, playing for the California Redwoods (2009) and the Sacramento Mountain Lions (2010), recording 26 receptions for 252 yards and one touchdown.
The 29-year old native of Indianapolis, Ind., set the Yale record for receptions by a tight end in a single-season with 72 in 2003.

Here you can listen to the rebroadcast of the 2011 American Legion Sr. tournament games played at Palmer Field in Middletown.

We hope you enjoy the games. If you would like to purchase an MP3 audio file of the game which you can download to your digital device please visit our store. Click here for store.

If the game you are listening to does not appear in the store email me at customerservice@sportingnewsct.com and we will make sure the game becomes available.

Palmer Field - 7/26/11 - Middletown vs. Bristol

Palmer Field - 7/26/11 - Branford vs. Oakville

Palmer Field - 7/25/11 - Middletown vs. Southington

Palmer Field - 7/25/11 - Greenwich vs. Stamford

Palmer Field - 7/25/11 - West Hartford vs. Avon

Palmer Field - 7/24/11 - Branford vs. Avon

Palmer Field - 7/24/11 - Bethel vs. West Hartford

Palmer Field - 7/24/11 - Greenwich vs. Southington

Palmer Field - 7/23/11 - Southington  vs. West Hartford

Palmer Field - 7/23/11 - Stamford vs. Branford

Palmer Field - 7/23/11 - Middletown vs. Avon

Palmer Field - 7/23/11 - Greenwich vs. Bethel

Here you can watch the replay of the Junior American Legion Championship game between Bristol vs. Stamford. Bristol won the game in their first year of Jr. American Legion play.

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