Posted on Dec 22, 2004

The women's
basketball team got into the spirit of the season on Thursday, December 16 when
the Dutchwomen joined Girl Scout Troop 227 of Glenville for a holiday sing at
Glendale Nursing Home in Glenville.

The group
sang as they walked through all four levels of the home and performed in four
patient lounges during the 90-minute visit. A number of residents said they
were thrilled to see the players and scouts, some commenting that the visit was
welcome since their grandchildren lived too far away to visit this year.

The scouts,
now 11, have caroled at Glendale since they were 5. But they were eager to
invite the team this year to add to their chorus. (They also invited Brownie
Troop 604).  Since the scouts and the
Dutchwomen “adopted” each other last spring, they've been doing a number of
things together. The scouts have attended a number of games and practices, and
the Dutchwomen have come to meetings, one in which the players performed a skit
for the scouts' anti-smoking program.

“Having the
team at the holiday sing was great for the folks at Glendale, and for the girls
in our troop,” said troop leader Barb Casey. 
“Mary Ellen (Union's head coach) and the players have been wonderful.
They are great mentors who are generous with their time. Our girls really look
forward to games and other events with the team. And more than a few have said
that someday they'd like to play basketball at Union with Coach Burt.”

Besides
having fun with the Girl Scouts off the court, the Dutchwomen are taking care
of business on the court and as a result moved from their previous spot of No.
25 up to No. 22 in this week's D3hoopes.com poll.

The
D3hoops.com women's basketball Top 25, through games of Dec. 19, 2004:

Posted on Dec 17, 2004

Commencement 2005 at Union College is set for Sunday, June 12, at 10 a.m. at Library Plaza.

The outdoor ceremony, held near the distinctive Nott Memorial at the center of campus, caps off a weekend of celebration. Other Commencement weekend events include a Baccalaureate Commemoration on Saturday, June 11, at 4:30 p.m. in Memorial Chapel; followed by a Baccalaureate Mass sponsored by the Catholic Campus Ministry at 6 p.m. in Memorial Chapel. The Garnet Gala, a celebration with dessert, music and dancing, is set for Saturday, June 11, from 8 to 11 p.m. in Library Field.

Union's Commencement ceremony is rich in tradition. Led by a band of bagpipes and drums, graduates and faculty march to the ceremony through campus and the Nott Memorial. Faculty line the colonnade along Schaffer Library to congratulate the graduates as they receive their diplomas. All guests are invited to join graduates and faculty at division receptions after the ceremony. Refreshments are available throughout the day, and guests are invited to use the large tents set up in case of hot or inclement weather.

Speakers, distinguished guests and other information about Commencement will be posted as soon as it is available.

For further information regarding commencement please contact Judy Ludwig in the Office of Academic Affairs at 388-6102 or ludwigja@union.edu or visit www.union.edu/Commencement

Posted on Dec 14, 2004

Ramsey Baker (Class of '93), the associate director of athletics at Union the last two and a half years, will be leaving his alma mater in order to take a position as the assistant executive director for corporate Relations and Marketing at the United States Figure Skating Organization.  Baker will begin his new duties in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on January 2.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for Ramsey and we certainly wish him and his wife, Denise, all the best,” said interim director of athletics, Dwight Wolf.  “Ramsey has brought a great many new and innovative ideas to Union and his high level of energy and enthusiasm will be missed.”

Baker joined the Union athletic staff in September of 2002 and oversaw marketing, promotions, season ticket sales, corporate sponsorship and event management. Prior to Union, Baker was the director of PR/marketing and CEO of the Scholar-Athlete Games for the Institute for International Sport. Preceding his time with that job he served as the sports information director at Jacksonville University in Jacksonville, Fla. In 1999 he earned an MBA with a concentration in marketing from Georgia State University, where he served as an assistant sports information director for two years.

“I am extremely thankful to have the opportunity to be working for one of the premier sport organizations in the world,” Baker said. “U.S. Figure Skating represents the highest level of amateur sport, and with the U.S. Championships right around the corner, I can't think of a better time than now to get to know the people that make the organization work.

“Union has, and always will hold a special place in my heart. The decision to leave the College was a difficult one, but I know that my time here has prepared me well for the next step in my career, Baker continued. “I will miss the people that I work with every day a great deal, those that I knew as a student who later welcomed me as a colleague, and the many new faces that I met during my last two and a half years at Union. I think the thing that I will miss the most is the family of student-athletes and coaches that Union has. The most enjoyable part of each week for me was watching our teams compete, sharing in their joys of victory and feeling for them in defeat. Now I will be relegated to 'watching' via the internet, or through a call to the sports hotline. It won't be the same as being there, but Union will always have a huge fan wherever I am.” 

As assistant executive director for corporate relations and marketing at U.S. Figure Skating, Baker will manage U.S. Figure Skating's image and visibility while enhancing public understanding of the organization; develop and implement communication, sales and marketing strategies; supervise all aspects of PR, media relations, the web site and publications; direct and coordinate sales, promotions and sponsorships; and assist local organizing committees in promoting U.S. Figure Skating events.

In addition to his collegiate athletic administration background, Baker has been involved with major international event management, serving as the CEO of the 2002 European Scholar-Athlete Games and the 2001 World Scholar-Athlete Games, the director of operations for the 1999 United States Scholar-Athlete Games, and the director of volunteers and assistant to the commissioner of PR/marketing for the 1997 World Scholar-Athlete Games.

Posted on Dec 14, 2004

Senior swimmers D.J. Hogenkamp (East Aurora, NY) and Sarah Steuer (Wilton, CT) topped the opening two weeks of the Liberty League's winter “Performer of the Week” awards.

Hogenkamp was named the league's “Swimmer of the Meet” after leading the Dutchmen to a third place finish in the annual championship meet while Steuer was the “Diver of the Meet” as the Dutchwomen also finished third.

The basketball teams were also represented as senior forward Devon Bruce (Altamont, NY) and junior guard Erika Eisenhut (Mohawk, NY) picked up weekly honors. 

Hogenkamp won his second-straight “Swimmer of the Meet” after setting a record in the 100-yard backstroke and also captured both the 200 backstroke and 100 butterfly. He broke his own 100 backstroke record of 53.04 (set last year), with a 52.50. D.J. won the 100 fly with a 51.28 and the 200 back in 1:56.54.

Steuer, meanwhile, won the three-meter dive with 433.65 points and was second on the one-meter board with 360.10 points.

Bruce scored 31 points and pulled down 21 rebounds in Dutchmen victories over Utica, 65-62, and Bridgewater State, 72-58.  The senior captain connected on 11 of 17 field goals, had nine offensive boards and a dozen on the defensive end, and also contributed three assists and two steals in 68 minutes of court time.

Eisenhut averaged 13.5 points in a 1-1 week, which included a 57-55 overtime win over eighth-ranked Rochester.  She scored 19 points and handed hour four assists with two steals and five rebounds as the Dutchwomen suffered their first loss of the season, 74-62, at Mt. St. Mary.

Posted on Dec 14, 2004

Senior
defensive back Brian Griffin (Holyoke, MA) was named to the Eastern
College Athletic Conference's Northwest All-Star first team while sophomores,
running back Tom Arcidiacono (Castleton, NY) and sophomore wide receiver
Steve Angiletta (Planstville, CT) were voted to the honorable mention
team.

Griffin, who was among those players who represented the Dutchmen
as a member of the Liberty League's first-team defense, led in both
interceptions (five) and pass break-ups (16).  He also was in on 44 total tackles,
including 34 first hits, and recovered a pair of fumbles.  A three-year
starter and four-year letterwinner, Griffin's career totals show 100 tackles,
36 assists, 11 interceptions, 23 pass break-ups, one forced fumble, and five
fumble recoveries.

Arcidicano, who led the Dutchmen in rushing with 908 yards on 207
carries and nine touchdowns, finished second in the Liberty League in rushing,
with a per game average of 98.7) and nine rushing touchdowns.  Angiletta, meanwhile, established a Union
single-season record for yards in a season as he picked up 897 with his 55
receptions (breaking the old mark of 795 set by Ryan Gallo in 2002). He led the
league in receptions (6.1) a game, receiving yards a game (99.7), and tied for
fifth in touchdown receptions.