Sports Shorts

Field Hockey

After lackluster season, Coach Didio announces her resignation

COURTESY SPORTS PUBLICITY OFFICE Field hockey coach Marisa Didio is off to Northwestern.

Didio had spent four years at Northwestern before coming to Yale. From 1990 to 1994, she guided the Wildcats to four NCAA berths, two No. 1 rankings in the national poll, and one Big Ten title. When she came to Yale, Didio pulled the Bulldogs out of a five-year slump, although her team sagged to a 4-13 record in 1999.

Despite the dismal record, players were surprised to see Didio leave. "I completely did not expect the news," Anne Rippetoe, TD '01, said. "The whole meeting was a blur. I was just trying to take it all in. But as much as this was a shock, it's going to be okay. We have a strong corps of returning players, and Ainslee and Pam [Neiss] are going to be a great coaching team."

For players who are used to Didio's's no-nonsense coaching style, adjusting to Lamb will take some time. "I think one of the major changes we will have to go through is regarding [Lamb] as head coach," Amanda Walton, SY '02, said. "She has always worked us hard, but...we joked a lot with her. It is just a matter of getting used to respecting her in this new position and seeing her in a different, brighter light."

Lamb certainly has the experience to lead the Bulldogs. As a player at the University of Toronto, she led her team to a national championship in 1988, and earned All-Canadian honors three times. She received her masters in sports management from the University of Massachusetts in 1996, where she also coached for three years. "I am very disappointed to see [Didio] leave," Walton said, "but I am ecstatic that Lamb was chosen to take the position. There is now a stone-solid foundation under Yale field hockey...There is no question in my mind that she has the ability to build upon it."

—Anna Dolinsky

Men's Swimming

San Antonio trip galvanizes men's swimming over Army

Army bore the brunt of Yale's hard work when the Bulldogs crushed the Cadets, 160-92, on Sat., Jan. 8, in their first meet after the trip. The victory marked a significant improvement upon Yale's fifth place finish out of eight teams at the Penn State Invitational Tournament on Sun., Dec. 5.

Although George Gleason, DC '01, an Olympic swimmer on the Virgin Islands national team, and Steven Fahy, MC '01, a Olympian from Bermuda, have received much of the credit for the team's success, Keefe asserts that talent is abundant on his squad. "There are so many contributors on this team," he said. "We have to be able to match the lineups of the other teams with our versatility. Every meet, someone else has stepped up." He cited Captain Mike Caperonis, CC '00, who swims backstroke and butterfly, Greg Palumbo, TC '03, a distance freestyle swimmer, and Rich Birrer, JE '02, and his brother, Chris, DC '02, who are both divers, for their excellent performances to date.

Up next for the Elis is a meet at Cornell on Sat., Jan. 15 against the Big Red and the Midshipmen of Navy. According to Keefe, this is a key match, because "Navy is a little stronger than we are on paper." The squad still feels confident about its chances in the league, even though Princeton, Harvard, and Brown pose strong challenges. And they know that they will have to credit some of their success to those 10 days in the Lone Star state.

—Jonathan Berkon

Men's Track

Finishing strong

At the Yale Invitational on Sat., Jan. 8, the Elis claimed several impressive victories. The 4x400 relay team, comprised of Jason Rife, SM '01, Brandon Mc- Kay, MC '03, Thomas Hocker, PC '02, and Phil Williams, SY '02, finished in eighth place with a time of 3:21. Rife ran the 400 in 50.1 seconds, an especially fast time for an indoor meet. Yates had an indoor personal record in the shot put with a 51'4" throw, and long jumper Anthony Thomas, DC '03, placed second with a jump of 22'9".

On Sat., Jan. 15, Yale will travel to the Armory in New York, where it will take on such highly competitive schools as Ohio State, Duke, and Seton Hall. Only two athletes may enter in each event, but Yates feels that "we have what it takes. There no reason why we can't be one of the top teams." Rife's expectations are also very high. "We are as good now as we've ever been," he said, "and there are going to be some records matched and broken this season."

In case the Bulldogs need more incentive to finish on top, this is Coach Steve Bartold's last year at Yale. But if the Elis stay as strong and healthy as they are now, they should make a good showing at Heptagonals in February, motivated or not.

—Reilly Dibner

Around the Ivies

Long's shots: Harvard men's basketball

Although most Yalies would contend that Harvard sucks, the Crimson basketball team is doing its best to prove otherwise. Currently ranked first in the Ivy League, the Cantabs (7-7, 2-0 Ivy) notched emphatic victories over Dartmouth (4-8, 0-2 Ivy) and SUNY-Albany last week. Forward Tim Coleman '01 scored 17 points against Albany, and Damian Long '00 earned a spot on the Ivy League Honor Roll for his 11 points and eight rebounds against the Big Green.

Long-range shots

Harvard's women also slammed Dartmouth, 73-67, in their Ivy opener on Mon., Jan. 10. Currently 7-5 overall, the Crimson never trailed the Big Green (6-6, 0-1 Ivy) and at one time held a 22 point advantage. Forward Laela Sturdy '00 led Harvard with 15 points and was three-for-four from long range, but three other Cantabs also scored in double digits. Katharine Hanks '03 paced Dartmouth with 12 points and 10 boards.

—Compiled by Kate Moran

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