Baseball
The Bombers reached
the NCAA playoffs for the 24th time in 25 years and advanced to the regional
finals for the third straight year, posting a 31-11 record.
Junior outfielder
Ron Amato, the Ben Light senior athlete of the year, capped his record-setting
career with second-team all-region and first-team Eastern College Athletic
Conference (ECAC) and Empire Eight (E8) honors. Senior Scott Allen was
a first-team all-region selection, shared ECAC player of the year honors,
was E8 player of the year, and made the NCAA New York region playoff all-tournament
team.
Men's Crew
The varsity eight
recorded a 10-4 record, their best since 1986. Led by senior coxswain
and team commodore Jeff Morris, the Bombers took first at the Atlantic
League sprints, besting RIT and Johns Hopkins. At the state championships,
Ithaca won the novice eight, helping the program to first in overall points
(men’s and women’s together). Next Ithaca won the combined points trophy
at the Champion International Collegiate Regatta. The novice eight team
took second, the varsity eight fifth.
 Women's
Crew
The Bombers made their
third appearance at the NCAA championships and placed 5th in the third-level
final (17th overall) and 2nd among Division II/III schools at the event,
which included boats from Division I schools. Ithaca won the combined
points trophies at the New York State Collegiate Regatta and at the Avaya
Collegiate Championship (both featured competition from all three levels).
The varsity eight won five races this season, including the state championship
(the program’s first since 1993 and fourth overall).
Seven IC crew members
--- more than any other school --- were named "national scholar athletes"
by the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association: senior Jenna Ross; juniors
Melinda Bolgar, Jocelyn Fitchett, Liz Jackstadt, and Cyndie TeWinkle;
and sophomores Carrie Johnson and Linnet Miller.
Bolgar, Jackstadt,
and Ross were also first-team selections to the CRCA Division II/III All-America
Team, and Coach Becky Metz Robinson ’88, M.S. ’95, was named the organization’s
coach of the year.
Men's Lacrosse
With 8 victories at
the conclusion of the 1999 season and 12 to start the 2000 season, the
Bombers had the longest winning streak in all divisions of NCAA lacrosse.
Falling to second-ranked Nazareth in regular-season play and national
champion Middlebury in the second round of the NCAA tournament, Ithaca
finished the season 13-2, ranked eighth nationally.
Sophomore Nick Mayer,
a first-team E8 all-star and second-team ECAC upstate New York all-star,
led the Bombers in points with 51. The offense finished out the season
ranked in 6th place nationally with a 9.0 scoring margin and an average
of 15.93 goals per game. The defense allowed 6.93 goals per game, ranking
11th in scoring defense.
Women's Lacrosse
The Bombers finished
15-4 and reached the NCAA quarterfinals, where they won Ithaca’s first
NCAA playoff game, beating St. Mary’s (Maryland) 9-8. Winning the program’s
third-ever New York State Women’s Collegiate Athletic Association title,
they beat St. Lawrence and Nazareth and then upset 10th-ranked Cortland
in the championship game. Senior goalie Brooke Andrews (see previous story)
was voted most valuable player of the NYSWCAA playoffs.
Senior Becky Karver
received second- team honors on three all-American teams. She received
Ithaca’s James K. Harris Award as the top multisport athlete in the senior
class (she was an all-American defender on IC’s NCAA playoff field hockey
team) and was selected for the District I All-Academic Team. Senior Kelly
Bliss, a first-team all-region, ECAC, NYSWCAA, and E8 selection, led scorers
with 58 points. She was followed by freshman E8 rookie of the year and
second-team selection Michelle Schlegel with 55 and sophomore NYSWCAA
third-team and E8 second-team all-star Jessica Welch with 48.
Sixth-year head coach
Piep van Heuven received honors as coach of the year from three organizations:
NYSWCAA, E8, and the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association
(New York region).
Softball
The host Bombers won
their third straight NCAA regional title to advance to the College World
Series. They battled torrential rain, weather delays, and top-seeded Oneonta
--- who defeated them in the first of two championship games. Ithaca bounced
back, defeating the Red Dragons and advancing to Wisconsin for the national
tournament.
Senior Laura Remia
(ICQ, 2000/no. 4) broke the NCAA record for career home runs, earned
all-American honors for the third straight year, and was named player
of the year by the NFCA, ECAC, and E8. Five Bombers earned all-region
honors, with Remia, catcher Kristin Furdon, and outfielder Kim Sebastiao,
both juniors, named to the first team and pitcher Abby Hanrahan and designated
player Liz Yentema, both sophomores, making the second team. All five
were also ECAC and E8 all-star selections.
For the second straight
year head coach Deb Pallozzi was named Empire Eight coach of the year.
Men's Tennis
The Bombers (10-8,
6-2 E8) finished as E8 runners-up, defeating Elmira and Nazareth and losing
to defending champion RIT. Individually, senior Ari Roberts finished 22-20
for the year, moving into third on the Ithaca career wins list. He ranks
third in both career singles and doubles wins, with 36 each.
The freshman duo of
Evan Green berg and Blair Watkins tied the record of 14, set by Roberts
in 2000, for doubles wins in a season.
 Men's
Track and Field
For the first time
ever, Ithaca won the state meet. Freshman Mike Styczynski (photo) was
named the meet’s outstanding runner after winning both the 5,000- and
10,000-meter runs. Also winning state titles were senior Matt Hopp in
the 400-meter dash (his third straight), freshman Brandon Mallette in
the 800-meter run, and the 1,600- and 3,200-meter relay teams. Junior
Kyle Robison won the high jump, and freshman Kevin Alford became the first-ever
Ithaca winner in the decathlon event.
Women's Track and Field
Senior Lauren Byler
earned all-American honors at the NCAA outdoor track and field championships
at Millikin University, placing seventh in the 1,500-meter run with a
school-record time of 4:38.36. The top eight finishers in each event earn
all-American honors. Byler earned them twice, placing fourth in the 800-meter
run at the 2000 NCAA indoor track and field championships.
The Bombers won their
fourth straight New York State Collegiate Track Conference outdoor track
and field championship. Senior Beckie Kravitz won her third straight title
in the javelin, and Byler won her fourth straight in the 800-meter run.
Senior Amanda Miller won the discus. Coach Matt Belfield was named NYSCTC
coach of the year. 
Photos by Tim McKinney
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