11/23/2025
.COLLEGE SPORTS WRAP
By John Addyman
For Nov 23 25
This is an important part of the college sports year, when a lot of young athletes find out how quick life has become. During the weekend, our local athletes were competing in small basketball tourneys and big swimming invitationals. They’ll leave that high level of competition for home and turkey and cranberry sauce. And after that, it’s back to school quickly and time to start studying for finals.
We share what some very busy athletes have done during the run-up to Thanksgiving – bowler Natalie Kent at Vanderbilt University, Joe Decker at Potsdam State basketball, Taryn Goodness at Monroe Community College basketball, Hartwick College swimmer Matt Cole and Brockport State poolmaster Chip Murphy and Roberts Wesleyan’s aquaman Hayden Smith, and also Brockport wrestler Luke Herendeen. And last, St. John Fisher running back Cam Chance has earned special recognition.
It was a very good week…
BOWLING
The Vanderbilt University bowling team, ranked third in the country in Division I, earned the top seed for the final day of competition at the Tulane University Colonial Lanes Classic in Harahan, LA on Sunday. The Commodores prevailed on Friday and Saturday to earn the top slot going into the finals.
On Friday, the Dores walked over eighth-ranked Sam Houston State, 1,098-954, and Jackson State, 1,111-955. Then came losses to sixth-ranked Arkansas State in a tight match, 933-991, and to second-ranked Nebraska, 939-1,016. Vandy won out in the last match of the day, 1,112-951 over fourth-ranked Youngstown State.
Scores rose on Saturday, with Vanderbilt knocking down 10,513 pins for a 210.3-pin game average. First to go was 12th-ranked Duquesne, 1,085-984. Commodore junior Natalie Kent (Newark) posted a 215 in that win. In the next match, a 1,1390697 over Prairie View A&M, Natalie started off with a 236 game. The Dores beat Southern University, 999-969, then lost for the first time on Saturday, bowing to seventh-ranked North Carolina A&T in another close match, 1,025-1,044. Vandy ended the day with a 1,072-928 win over Tulane.
BASKETBALL
Utica University women’s basketball won the consolation game on Saturday at the Westfield State Weekend Tournament. On Friday, the Pioneers were leveled by the hosts, 53-83, setting up the Saturday consolation game meeting with Mitchell College.
Against Westfield on Friday, Utica freshman guard Jayla Bell (Lyons) scored two points, grabbed a rebound and made an assist. Junior forward Jaida Larsen (Clyde-Savannah) got in the game but recorded no stats. In the 68-43 win over Mitchell, Jaida scored four points and snared three rebounds; Jayla scored two points and gathered five rebounds. Utica is 2-3.
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Hobart College hosted its own tournament over the weekend, defeating the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point on Friday night, 91-54, then getting the trophy on Saturday in an 84-70 win over Hamilton.
Statesmen sophomore guard Devyn Williams (Lyons) scored two points, picked off a rebound and made two steals against Kings Point; he did not play in the Hamilton game. The Statesmen are 4-1.
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Potsdam State’s men were also in a weekend tournament, at the Chatham College Classic. On Friday the Bears were toasted, 77-100, and in the consolation game Saturday, were toasted again, 60-86, by Geneva College. Potsdam is off to an 0-4 start.
Freshman forward Joe Decker (Red Creek) came off the bench against Chatham to score five points, block two shots and grab two rebounds. In the Geneva game, he was the first guy off the bench, scored 13 points, grabbed three rebounds, had a steal and made one assist.
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Penn State/Behrend men’s basketball beat Thiel College at home on Wednesday, 76-68, then lost to Carnegie Mellon on Saturday, 62-78. Behrend starting senior guard Mason Blankenberg (Wayne Central) scored seven points, had two rebounds and three assists in the Thiel win. Against Carnegie Mellon, he scored 10 points, collected four rebounds, blocked a shot and fouled out. The Lions are 2-3.
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The Monroe Community College women have a sparkling 7-0 record after three wins during the week – 77-63 over Westchester Community College last Sunday, 69-63 over Herkimer College on Wednesday, and 83-63 on top of Corning Community College on Friday.
Freshman starting guard Taryn Goodness (Pal-Mac) scored six points for the Tribunes against Westchester, adding five rebounds, two steals and two assists. In the Herkimer win, she scored two points, nailed seven rebounds, made six assists, had five steals and one blocked shot.
We have no box score from the Corning game. Community College sports information people tell me they’re “not set up” to capture box score information on visiting schools. I don’t understand that…
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The Fredonia State women were at the Brockport BBQ Classic Tourney over the weekend, losing to Ithaca College on Friday, 59-65, but coming back Saturday to claim the consolation game over William Smith College, 62-55.
Sophomore guard Ashley Kalvitis (Macedon/Penfield) was the first player off the bench against the Bombers, scoring two points, grabbing two rebounds and making two assists. In the win over the Herons, she scored one point, made one steal and had one assist. The Blue Devils are 4-1.
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Daemen University’s women won their first two games but took one on the chin Wednesday, falling to Gannon College, 57-50, after getting outscored in the second half 34-16. Sophomore forward Kaylee Marvin (Wayne Central) got in the game long enough to pick up a rebound for the Wildcats.
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Corning Community College women’s basketball is 1-3 after losing twice during the week, 49-84 to Fulton-Montgomery CC last Sunday, and 63-83 to Monroe Community College on Friday. Red Baron freshman center Kayla Bellefontaine (Marion) snagged two rebounds, had an assist and blocked one shot in the Fulton-Montgomery loss; she added two more rebounds against MCC.
SWIMMING
Roberts Wesleyan men’s swimming finished third at the two-day North Country Invitational Swimming and Diving meet at Potsdam State on Saturday. Redhawk freshman Hayden Smith (Pal-Mac) had a remarkable weekend in the relays – he anchored the winning 400 medley relay (3:30.97), the 200 free relay (1:28.39), the 200 medley relay (1:36.84) and the 400 free relay (3:15.09) – four events, four anchors, four wins. Wow! In individual events, he finished sixth in the 50 free (23.10), seventh in the 100 free (51.27), was 11th in the 100 breaststroke (1:10.81).
Freshman teammate AJ Merced (Newark) swam the second legs of the seventh-place 200 medley relay (1:44.63) and the eighth-place 400 medley relay (3:54.99), and anchored the eighth-place 400 free relay (3:28.13). In individual events, he came in fifth in the 400 individual medley (4:37.06), sixth in the 100 breaststroke (1:04.49), and was eighth in the 200 individual medley (2:07.85).
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Cortland State swimmers competed in The College of New Jersey Invitational over the weekend. On Saturday, Red Dragon freshman Kenzie Wilck (Newark) finished fifth in the 3-meter diving (285.35).
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The Fredonia State Blue Devil Invitational, run over the weekend, drew a number of swimming and diving teams. We have results for events through Saturday.
Brockport senior Jace Fredericksen (Newark) finished ninth in the 500 free (5:02.74) and the 200 free (1:51.83) and swam the first leg of the fourth-place 400 medley relay (3:38.23). Senior teammate Chip Murphy (Newark) came in 17th in the 100 backstroke (1:00.40), was 24th in the 200 individual medley (2:18.15) and swam the first leg of the 11th-place 400 medley relay (3:59.45).
Fredonia State freshman Landon Stanley (Clyde-Savannah) swam the first leg of the 10th- place 800 free relay (8:46.23), the second leg of the 14th-place 200 free relay (1:40.08) and he anchored the 14th-place 200 medley relay (1:54.39).
Hartwick College junior Matt Cole (North Rose-Wolcott) swam the third legs of the ninth-place 800 free relay (8:00.27) and the 15th-place 200 free relay (1:42.41). He also took seventh in the 400 individual medley (4:39.81) and came in 21st in the 200 individual medley (2:12.63).
WRESTLING
Brockport State sophomore 197-pounder Luke Herendeen (Pal-Mac) finished fourth on Saturday at the New York State Collegiate Wrestling Championships at Onondaga Community College. His first match of the day was a 5-1 decision, followed by a 5-3 decision. He lost, then got a pin in the consolations to finish fourth. The Golden Eagles took third in the team standings.
HONORS
St. John Fisher senior running back Camden Chance (Clyde-Savannah) has earned Empire 8 Conference Third Team (Offense) accolades. He has rushed for 446 yards and four touchdowns on 82 carries and caught 10 passes for 211 yards and two scores. He produced the best receiving performance in program history by a running back in Fisher's win over Hartwick, catching three passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns (an 80-yarder and a 54-yarder). He was then the first Fisher running back to have a 100-yard receiving game since Ryan Kramer caught 11 passes for 108 yards against Ithaca in October 2013. Additionally, with his 80-yard score in the first quarter, he became the first Fisher running back to log a receiving touchdown since Chambers against Cortland in October 2017.
And even more delightful – Cam is a Physics major. Congratulations on the accomplishments.
St. John Fisher football got what the guys felt they earned by compiling a 7-3 record – an invitation to an ECAC post-season bowl, the Clayton Chapman Bowl, and the Cardinals hosted the game on Saturday, losing 24-35 to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Cam was injured and could not play in the game.
