02:02 PM EDT on Wednesday, June 21, 2006

By MIKE SZOSTAK
Journal Sports Writer

This is the second in a series of reviews of the year in sports at the 11 colleges in Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts.

Bryant University teams enjoyed another banner year in 2005-06. The Bulldogs won four Northeast-10 championships and sent seven teams to NCAA tournaments. Seven Bryant athletes earned All-America recognition -- Maureen Burns in field hockey and lacrosse -- and five were NE-10 players of the year. Bryant also had an NE-10 coach of the year.

``We had an outstanding year, even compared to the year before,'' said John Ruppert, the interim director of athletics for the academic year.

Ruppert, associate director of athletics since 1999, stepped in last August when Dan Gavitt left to direct men's basketball operations for the Big East Conference. He is back in his old post with the hiring of Bill Smith of Iowa State to replace Gavitt.

``It was a year that athletics was very lucky at Bryant, and it sets the tone for the future,'' Ruppert said.

In addition to 11 winning teams, Bryant also celebrated the opening of a new outdoor tennis complex, track and all-weather turf field.

Athletic success is nothing new at Bryant. The school has won the NE-10 Commissioner's Cup for overall excellence and this year finished second, one point behind Stonehill, in results that were released yesterday. Stonehill earned 76 points for men and 94 for women for a total of 170. Bryant had 85 for men and 84 for women for a total of 169.

Ruppert credits Ronald K. Machtley, Bryant's president, for this success.

``The foundation was laid in Ron's first or second year that athletics would be an important part of the Bryant experience. When other schools were cutting back, Bryant was adding sports. This year we added swimming and hired a great coach [Katie Cameron]. Bryant is expanding while others are entrenching.''

Ruppert also praised the work of his other coaches.

``It comes down to coaches. Marty Fine has turned the football program around and is recruiting good players who are good students. Archie Boulet is the NE-10 coach of the year in golf,'' he said.

Ruppert understands the importance of the overall experience for collegiate athletes. He went to Temple as a swimmer, and the school dropped the sport in his sophomore year. He joined the rowing team and loved it.

``A great experience like that is what we're giving our Division II athletes now. We're winning, and we're giving everybody a great experience. Twenty of our 22 varsity teams participated in conference championships, and the kids are having a great experience, which means we're doing it the right way,'' he said.

One minor compliance blip occurred last winter when basketball player Stephanie Perry (Providence/La Salle) was declared ineligible because she enrolled as a Bryant undergraduate after having received a degree from Syracuse. When she switched to the graduate school, she regained her eligibility.

Ruppert's experience at Bryant facilitated his serving as interim AD for the year.

``I knew there would be very big shoes to fill when Dan left. He did an amazing job for six years. But I know the coaches and the staff so it was easy for me to step in in an interim role.''

He was a finalist for the permanent position.

``Am I disappointed I didn't get the job? Absolutely. But I know Ron and what he wants for the program. Bill Smith will do an excellent job.''

Machtley assured Ruppert that he has a position at Bryant as long as he wants one. Ruppert would still like to be an AD but is particular about the type of school he would consider.

``I would be interested if the right position opened,'' he said. ``I'm not leaving Bryant tomorrow. I'm happy. Bryant is a great place moving forward.''

The summary:

MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY: Finished fourth in the NE-10, ninth in the NCAA Regional; Jared Nelson (Cranston) was 24th at the NE-10 meet.

WOMEN'S CROSS-COUNTRY: Finished 10th at the NE-10, 17th at the NCAA Regional; Nicole Radzik was 10th and 21st, respectively.

FIELD HOCKEY: Burns had six goals, eighth assists.

FOOTBALL (7-3, 6-3): Set school record for victories and 19 other team and 23 individual records; Lorenzo Perry (Providence/La Salle) rushed for a record 1,335 yards and 17 touchdowns; Charles Granatell passed for a record 1,736 yards.

GOLF: Won third consecutive and 20th overall NE-10 championship and qualified for the NCAA Regional for the 28th time; Brenden Smith (North Attleboro/Bishop Feehan) was first-team all-conference.

MEN'S SOCCER (8-6-4, 6-4-3): Reached NE-10 semifinals; Michael Anania (Warren/La Salle) had six goals.

WOMEN'S SOCCER (13-6-2, 9-4-1): Had eight-game winning streak and No. 19 national ranking in October; Casey Grange had eight goals, four assists.

VOLLEYBALL (27-10, 13-1): Won third consecutive NE-10 Tournament and hosted NCAA Regional; ®MDNM¯<!H>Michelle Muniz, regional player of the year, finished as career leader in kills (2,320) and second in digs (1,982).

MEN'S BASKETBALL (21-10, 14-8): Made third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance; John Williams was NE-10 co-player of the year and third-team All-America; averaged 20.2 ppg.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL (9-18, 6-16): Perry was the leading scorer and rebounder in the NE-10 but was only third-team all-conference; Joanna Skiba (Providence/Classical) was also third-team; highlight of the season occurred on Senior Night, when Pamela Malcolm, seriously injured in a car crash before her freshman year and still using a crutch, made a layup at the start of the Merrimack game for the first and only basket of her career.

MEN'S SWIMMING: Finished sixth in the NE-10 meet in first season of competition since the early 1980s.

WOMEN'S SWIMMING: Program made its debut and finished seventh at the NE-10 meet.

BASEBALL (18-33, 16-14): Jamie Pinzino replaced Jon Sjogren as coach in August after he left for Rollins College; Bulldogs struggled early but qualified for NE-10 tournament.

MEN'S LACROSSE (11-5, 8-2): Ranked in Top 10 nationally; sixth consecutive 10-win season; finished third in conference; freshman Matt McKeefrey had 28 goals and 24 assists.

WOMEN'S LACROSSE (11-5, 8-2): Burns was NE-10 defensive player of the year.

SOFTBALL (29-18, 23-5): Tied school record for victories and defended its NE-10 tournament championship; Jordan Dragon was the NE-10 player of the year.

MEN'S TENNIS (9-7, 8-3): Reached NE-10 semifinals.

WOMEN'S TENNIS (17-4, 11-1): Won third consecutive NE-10 title and made third straight NCAA Regional appearance; Sacha Solomon was the NE-10 player of the year.

MEN'S TRACK: Finished fourth in the NE-10 championships indoors and outdoors; nine indoor and five outdoor records; Hafiz Greigre (Attleboro) won the 55 and 200 indoors and 100 and 200 outdoors and qualified for the NCAA indoors 200.

WOMEN'S TRACK: Finished fourth indoors and third outdoors at NE-10 meets; set four indoor and nine outdoor records.

Windfall for PC

What an offseason for Providence College ice hockey! That $340,000 from an anonymous donor that PC announced last week came on top of a $280,000 fundraising drive that last month resulted in two additional athletic scholarships for women's hockey.

That's $620,000 in gifts for hockey at a small Dominican college known for its basketball program.

The $340,000 will pay for renovations to Schneider Arena, in particular 3,030 new seats. This upgrade should be finished by Oct. 1. Future renovations will include the Friands of Friar Room, training room, offices, locker rooms and concession areas.

Mike Ruane, chairman of the Providence College board of trustees, offered a $70,000 challenge grant for women's hockey scholarships, and when the athletic department met the match, he added another $140,000 for a total of $210,000.

PC announced the results of that effort last month.

Roundup

Sara Casey is heading to Providence College to play field hockey. A two-time first-team All-Stater, she led East Greenwich High School to a runner-up finish in 2004 and was captain last season. She plays defense ... Oregon freshman Matt Maloney (Barrington/La Salle) threw the javelin 207 feet, 6 inches in the preliminaries at the NCAA Championships and did not qualify for the finals ... Brown senior Anna Willard finished sixth in the 3,000 steeplechase (10:06.83). Fellow Brown senior Brittany Grovey finished in a 10th-place tie in the triple jump (41 feet, 11.5 inches).

mszostak@projo.com/ (401) 277-7340