HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. (September 1, 2010)  - Centenary head coach Kevin Davies notched his 100th career victory at Centenary and the Lady Cyclones started the season on a high note by soundly defeating Old Westbury, 9-0 at Cyclone Field.

Senior captain Jazmine Farrell (Newton, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan) tallied a career-high five goals and an assist in the victory. The five goals also ties a Centenary record for individual goals in a game. Senior Jen Dexter (Kenvil, N.J./Roxbury) tallied a career-high four assists, which is a new Centenary record for individual assists in a game. Senior goalkeeper Ashley Denti (Sergentsville, N.J./Hunterdon Central) was solid in net, recording five saves on her way to her 15th career shutout. Denti's day was highlighted by an assist and a save off a penalty kick in the first half.

Junior Courtney Flanagan (Hackettstown, N.J./Pope John XXIII) scored two goals in her first game as a Cyclone after transferring from the University of South Florida. Junior Tatiana Kingston (Mountainside, N.J./Governor Livingston) and senior captain Bianca Santulli (Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan) each added a goal as well.

The Lady Cyclones controlled the game from the opening kick, out-shooting Old Westbury 28-6. Jennifer Kupfer had three shots on goal for the Panthers. The nine goals by the Lady Cyclones was their most scored since Oct. 1, 2008 when then tallied 10 at home against Cedar Crest. The Lady Cyclones are next in action this Saturday, Sept. 4 against King's at 3:00PM as part of the Cyclone Kick-off Classic.

The Centenary women’s soccer team is upset. In 2009, the squad won 14 games, advanced to the semifinals of the Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) Tournament and earned a berth to the ECAC South Tournament. But despite the success, the Lady Cyclones felt they could have performed even better. The 2010 campaign is their opportunity to make things right.

A7-2-1 CSAC record gave Centenary the third seed in the 2009 CSAC Tournament. After defeating Baptist Bible at home, 3-0, the team fell to the eventual champion, Cabrini, by a final score of 3-1. In the first round of the ECAC South Tournament, the sixth-seeded Cyclones dropped a 3-0 contest on the road to Swarthmore.

“Although we had one of our most successful seasons, record-wise, we were disappointed not to reach the conference finals last season,” said head coach Kevin Davies. “With the players we have returning as well as the newcomers, we feel we have a great opportunity to reach the championship match.”

At the forward position, Centenary returns players who combined for 40 of the team’s 58 goals, including the 2009 squad’s leading scorer, senior Jazmine Farrell. In her first year with the Cyclones after transferring from the College of St. Rose in Albany, N.Y., she tallied 33 points on a team-high 15 goals and was named First Team All-CSAC and National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas NCAA Division III All-Mid-Atlantic Region Third Team.

Fellow classmate Sam Vanni recorded 23 points on nine goals and a team-best-tying five assists while junior Brittany Overland netted five goals and dished out five assists, as each were named to the All-Conference Second Team. Junior Caitlin Veverka finished with 10 goals and two assists to earn Honorable Mention accolades. Jen Dexter, who last played for Centenary in 2008 when she recorded 13 points on five goals and three assists, is also in the mix.

“We have a number of options up top,” said Davies. “Jazmine, Brittany, Jen, Caitlin, Sam and Arielle Hamilton can all play in the forward positions and they all bring something different to the table.”

A 2009 First Team All-CSAC winner anchors the midfield position in senior Bianca Santulli, who finished with five goals and four assists while earning her third All-Conference honor. Two Division I transfers, Tatiana Kingston (Rider) and Courtney Flanagan (South Florida) will also be competing for playing time, along with junior Kristyn Lehmann, who earned Second Team All-CSAC accolades as a defender in 2009.

“The competition for playing time at midfield is going to be just as fierce as the forward line-up,” said Davies. “Bianca, Tatiana, Courtney and Kristyn are all looking to fill in the central positions. Jen, Overland, Vanni and Sara Smith will be competing for the outside spots.”

Senior Ashley Denti returns to man her goalkeeper position after recording 75 saves in 2009. Competing to play in front of her will be Lehmann, 2009 First Team All-CSAC winner Kelley Michanczyk and Lisa Stankiewicz, who returns after missing last season due to injury. Sophomore Samantha Marxen, senior Ashley Gerber and junior Mary Anderson are also expected to see some time at the defense position.

Davies also brought in three freshmen who will all be competing for playing time at the forward and midfield positions. Kelley Carvalho was a two-time All-Conference and All-County honoree and was Team MVP her senior year at Roselle Catholic High School. Amira Guerrero was named Honorable Mention All-League at Fort Lee High School and Kaitlin Strube played at High Point Regional High School.

Santulli and Farrell were named the two team captains; for Santulli, it marks the third consecutive year she has served in this position.

“Bianca and Jazmine will be great leaders for the team this season,” said Davies. “Santulli as served as captain since her sophomore year and Jaz showed great leadership ability last season. Although they are the captains, they will be assisted by experienced players like Dexter, Vanni, Michancyzk and Stankiewicz.”

In August, the team took a trip to Costa Rica and faced some tough opponents, including the Costa Rica National Champions. The trip was a resounding success, as the Lady Cyclones were able to improve not only on the field, but also off the pitch.

“The trip to Costa Rica certainly helped with our 2010 preparations,” said Davies. “We were able to play good competition as well as take care of some things that we would generally have to wait for pre-season to address.”

Centenary was picked to finish third in the CSAC after a vote by the league’s coaches. CC opens its season against Old Westbury at home on Sept. 1, followed by the Cyclone Kickoff Classic on Sept. 4-5, with Drew, King’s and Medgar Evers. Four straight road contests follow, including the TCNJ/adidas classic on Sept. 11-12, before CC opens its CSAC slate with Philadelphia Biblical on Sept. 18 in Hackettstown. The Lady Cyclones face a key CSAC contest on Oct. 5, when they travel to face the defending CSAC champion Cabrini Cavaliers. Three straight CSAC home contests will close the season before the conference tournament begins on Nov. 1.

Centenary’s 14 victories in 2009 gave Davies 99 for his career. Although the team could not break the century mark for their head coach in the CSAC or ECAC South tournaments last year, the season was a great experience for the team, showing them the focus and dedication it takes to be successful. With a good blend of veterans and rookies this year, The Cyclones know what they have to do to achieve their goals.

“Our expectations are always the same, and that is to be successful in the classroom and on the field,” said Davies. “The season is going to be tough but if we can keep people healthy we will do well this year.”

The Centenary College women’s soccer team had one of the most successful seasons in program history, finishing the 2009 campaign with a final record of 14-5-1, including a 7-2-1 in the Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC). The Lady Cyclones received the third-seed in the conference tournament and defeated Baptist Bible, 3-0, at home, before falling in the CSAC semifinals, 3-1 to eventual champion Cabrini. The team’s 14 victories gave head coach Kevin Davies 99 in his Centenary career.

CC also earned a bid to the ECAC South Region post-season tournament for the first time since 2007. The sixth-seeded Cyclones fell at third-seed Swarthmore, 3-0.

The team began this season with the best start in program history, at one point compiling a record of 12-1-2. It opened its season by winning the Centenary College Cyclone Classic Tournament with a win over Drew. The fine play kept on coming as the Lady Cyclones recorded wins over Carnegie Mellon, William Paterson, Wilkes and CSAC foes Neumann, Cedar Crest, Keystone and Gwynedd-Mercy.

Transfer Jazmine Farrell led the team with 33 points on a team-high 15 goals and three assists. She was named First Team All-CSAC and National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas NCAA Division III All-Mid-Atlantic Region Third Team. Junior Sam Vanni scored nine goals and assisted on five others and was named Second Team All-CSAC and sophomore Caitlin Veverka scored 10 goals and picked up two assists and received Honorable Mention All-CSAC accolades. Junior Bianca Santulli (First Team All-CSAC) and sophomore Brittany Overland (Second Team All-CSAC) each scored five goals a piece.

Joining Farrell and Santulli on the First Team was junior Kelley Michanczyk, while sophomore Kristyn Lehmann and senior Cheryl Stark received Second Team honors. Junior Danielle Dole took home All-CSAC Honorable Mention.

Academically, Michanczyk, Santulli, Stark, junior Ashley Gerber and senior Kiti Ovaskainen received National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-East-Region Scholar-Athlete Honorable Mention team accolades and 15 Cyclones earned CSAC All-Academic Team honors. 

HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. (May 25, 2010) – During the 2009-10 school year, the Centenary women’s soccer team oversaw a soccer clinic for pre-kindergarten boys and girls at the Independence Soccer Club in Vienna, N.J. For their efforts, the club gave a sizeable contribution to the Cyclones’ 2010 pre-season Costa Rica trip.

“We are very appreciative for the generous donation that the Independence Soccer Club gave us,” said head coach Kevin Davies. “We look forward to starting up the soccer clinics after the Summer and we hope our relationship with the Independence Soccer Club will continue to grow.”

Twice a week a group of pre-kindergarten boys and girls gathered at the Independence Soccer Club to learn how to play soccer through games and other activities. Each game used a skill necessary for soccer, such as dribbling, passing or shooting, and the children ended each clinic with a scrimmage. Centenary women’s soccer players served as clinic counselors.

The Centenary women’s soccer team is still accepting donations towards its 2010 preseason trip to Costa Rica. For more information, contact Coach Davies at 908-852-1400 ext. 2292 or email him at daviesk@centenarycollege.edu.

HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. (March 15, 2010) – The Centenary women’s soccer team is planning a pre-season trip to Costa Rica this summer for training as well as team bonding and community service.

The trip will be nine days spanning from Aug. 1-9. During that time the Lady Cyclones will be playing in three contests as well as training.

"The trip will be a great opportunity for us to visit and experience a different country and culture. Playing three games and daily training will definitely benefit the group and hopefully prepare them for the upcoming fall season," said head coach Kevin Davies.

Aside from competing, the team will be involved in a community service project that will take them to a local orphanage where they plan to spend a day with the kids as well as donate items.

"The opportunity to do a community project at an Orphange will be one of the highlights of the tour," said Davies. "I hope it will be a fun experience, but I would like the girls to realize and appreciate how lucky they are and how rewarding it is to help others less fortunate."

In the midst of fundraising, members of the team went to the Morristown, N.J. St. Patrick’s Day parade on Saturday, March 13, where they were selling green roses. More on this story as well as the rest of the parade was covered by the Daily News and can be read here.

The Lady Cyclones are still looking for more fundraising opportunities in an effort to pay for their trip and all donations are welcome. If you would like more information about a way to help, you can contact head coach Kevin Davies by email or phone, daviesk@centenarycollege.edu or 908-852-1400 xt. 2292.

ASTON, Pa. (February 3, 2010) – The Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) announced its All-Academic recipients for the Fall 2009 Semester on Wednesday. Forty-one Centenary student-athletes received the honor.

“It is my pleasure to announce that 528 CSAC student-athletes have achieved the level of academic success necessary to be named to the Fall 2009 CSAC All-Academic Team,” said CSAC Commissioner Amy Friedman. “These student-athletes have assumed leadership roles on their campuses by demonstrating that a complete education includes both academics and athletics.”

The CSAC All Academic Award is earned by each student-athlete that meets the NCAA Division III eligibility requirements, earns varsity status in their respective sport, and earns a minimum semester grade point average (GPA) of 3.2. The team consists of student-athletes from Men’s Cross Country, Women’s Cross Country, Field Hockey, Men’s Soccer, Women’s Soccer, Women’s Tennis and Volleyball.

Of the 528 student-athletes receiving this award, 45 were First Team All-CSAC in their respective sport, 38 were named to the Second Team All-CSAC in their respective sport, 38 received Honorable Mention and 47 were recipients of individual Sportsmanship Awards.

The following student-athletes are members of the Fall 2009 All-Academic Team. Please note the following representations: 1st = First Team All-CSAC, 2nd = Second Team All-CSAC, HM = Honorable Mention and S = Sportsmanship Award.

Women's Soccer Fall 2009 CSAC All-Academic Honorees
Christina Bressman, Fr., Business Administration/Sports Management, Bayville, N.J.
Samantha Davey, So., English/Candidate in Elementary Education, Belvidere, N.J.
Ashley Denti, Jr., Business Administration/Sports Management, Sergentsville, N.J.
Jazmine Farrell, 1st, Jr., Mathematics, Newton, N.J.
Diana Gazzano, S, Sr., Sociology/Candidate in Elementary Education, Hardyston, N.J.
Ashley Gerber, Jr., Fashion Design, Medford, N.J.
Arielle Hamilton, Fr., Fashion Merchandising/Retail, Scotrun, Pa.
Samantha Marxen, Fr., Fashion Design, Red Bank, N.J.
Kelley Michanczyk, 1st, Jr., Business Administration/Management, Middletown, Conn.
Caroline Mountney, HM, Fr., Business Administration/Management, Flourtown, Pa.
Kiti Ovaskainen, Sr., Business Administration/Sports Management, Helsinki, Finland
Brittany Overland, 2nd, So., Art & Design, Andover, N.J.
Bianca Santulli,1st, Jr., Inactive Psychology, Bridgewater, N.J.
Cheryl Stark, HM, Sr., Mathematics, West Milford, N.J.
Caitlin Veverka, HM, So., Business Administration/Sports Management, Bayonne, N.J.

Fall 2009 CSAC All-Academic Team

HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. (February 1, 2010) – Five members of the Centenary women’s soccer team were named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-East-Region Scholar-Athlete Honorable Mention team, the league announced.

Juniors Ashley Gerber (Medford, N.J./Shawnee), Kelly Michanczyk (Middletown, Conn./Middletown) and Bianca Santulli (Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan) and seniors Kiti Ovaskainen (Helsinki, Finland/Vaskivuoren Lukio) and Cheryl Stark (West Milford, N.J./West Milford) all earned the honor. To be nominated for consideration, student-athletes must have at least a 3.30 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) throughout their career and start more than 50 percent of all games and be a significant contributor to the team.

Michanczyk, Santulli and Stark all started for the Cyclones, while Ovaskainen and Gerber were key contributors off the bench. Santulli finished with five goals and four assists and Michanczyk tallied one goal and two assists from her defensive position as each was named to the Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) First Team. Stark earned CSAC Honorable Mention accolades after helping Centenary’s defense shut out nine opponents and Ovaskainen finished with two goals and three assists.

Centenary finished the season 14-5-1, falling in the semifinals of the CSAC Tournament and the first round of the ECAC South Tournament.

2009 NSCAA All-East-Region Scholar-Athletes