(WBNG Binghamton)
3 programs are set to begin their spring season and defy expectations.
After going 7-36, winning just 2 games in conference, the softball team brings in a new head coach in Owego high school grad Michelle Burrell, who helped a similar turnaround at her last coaching stop.
Burrell says, " Being at Rochester and kind of coming into the same type of situation, we expect that we're going to have some bumps along the road, but I think this is a good place to be. I think there is an environment here that can really create a winning tradition. "
Similarly, the women's lacrosse team is looking for a turnaround in 2010.
They went just 3-13 last season and were winless in conference play.
So it's no surprise that they were again picked to finish last in conference.
Coach Tony Zostant, " You know we're going to be picked that way, but the kids are really focussed in what they're doing and they have a renewed commitment and we feel confident that we can surprise some people this year."
On the men's side, since winning the America East regular season title in 2004, the expectations have been raised for the Bearcats.
But in 3 of the past 4 seasons, they've finished with a losing record in conference play.
So again, no one was surprised that the Bearcats were picked to finish last this year.
Coach Ed Stephenson says, " I guess looking from the outside, a couple polls that had us ranked a little lower this year, and I certainly can understand that. We haven't played particularly well in the last 2 years compared to the previous years. We lost a couple of older guys this year, but we've got a lot of older guys that played an awful lot for us."
And that's this week's Bearcat Brief.
Twitter
Facebook