2005 Bryant Weekly Sports Update
August 29, 2005

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FOOTBALL (0-0, 0-0 NE-10)
Bulldogs Open 2005 Season Saturday at Home vs. AIC (3 p.m.)
The Bryant University football team, 4-5 in Œ04, opens its 2005 season this Saturday when the Bulldogs host American International at Bulldog Stadium. Kickoff is set for 3:00 p.m. with the late start scheduled to accomodate student move-in day at Bryant University. This will be the seventh meeting all-time between Bryant and AIC with the Yellow Jackets winning all six previous encounters. Last year, in Marty Fine¹s first game as head coach of the Bryant football team, AIC held on for a 15-7 win in Springfield, Mass. Two of Bryant¹s games vs. AIC have needed overtime including a thrilling four OT game at Bryant in 2000. The Bulldogs are 3-3 all-time in season openers 2-0 in home openers at Bulldog Stadium (17-7 over Southern Conn in Œ01 and 32-24 win over Pace in Œ03).

FIELD HOCKEY (1-1, 0-0 NE-10)
Team Goes 1-1 On Opening Weekend; Hosts UMass Lowell Wednesday at the Bryant Field Hockey Complex
The Bryant University field hockey team opened its season with a 1-1 road trip through the state of Pennsylvania. The Bulldogs dropped a 3-0 decision at defending champion Bloomsburg on Saturday but bounced back with an impressive 5-4 win over Mansfield Sunday. Caroline Carr (Wrentham, Mass.) scored four times in the team¹s win over Mansfield while freshman goalie Marie Grant (Westboro, MA) notched her first win in goal for the Bulldogs. Bryant will host UMass Lowell on Wednesday at 4 pm at the Bryant Field Hockey Complex.

MEN¹S SOCCER (0-1-1, 0-0 NE-10)
Bulldogs Open Year With Trip To West Coast; Opens Northeast-10 Conference Play Saturday at Saint Michael's
The Bryant University men¹s soccer team opened its season with a trip out West to start the season starting with a date with San Francisco State on Friday. Michael Anania (Warren, RI / La Salle) scored the Bulldogs¹ lone goal in a 4-1 loss to the Gators. On Sunday, the team managed just four shots in drawing a scoreless tie with Dominican College. Thomas Madden (Saco, Maine) had four saves in the contest.

WOMEN¹S SOCCER (2-0, 0-0 NE-10)
Team Opens 2-0 With Pair of Wins Over the Weekend; Bulldogs Host No. 2 Adelphi on Tuesday at Bulldog Stadium
The Bryant University women¹s soccer team opened the 2005 season over the weekend with a pair of non-conference wins. On Friday, the Bulldogs opened with a 3-0 win over Holy Family with freshman goalie Jessica Neales (Swansea, Mass.) earning her first career victory in goal for the Bulldogs. The Bulldogs closed out the trip with a 5-0 win over Wilmington on Saturday. Jennifer Mansilla (Califon, NJ) had a goal in each game for the Bulldogs. Bryant will host second-ranked Adelphi on Tuesday at Bulldog Stadium (2 pm). The Panthers reached the NCAA Division II Championship game last season.

CROSS COUNTRY
Bulldogs Open Season September 10 at Connecticut College
The Bryant University men¹s and women¹s cross country teams will open the 2005 season on Saturday, September 10 at the Connecticut College Invitational.

VOLLEYBALL (0-0, 0-0 NE-10)
Bulldogs Head To Florida To Open Season at Florida Southern Tournament The Bryant University women¹s volleyball team will open the 2005 season this weekend when the team takes part in the Florida Southern Tournament. The Bulldogs will open Friday with matches against national power North Alabama and Eckerd before closing out the tournament with matches with Rollins and host Florida Southern on Saturday. The Bulldogs were picked by the coaches to repeat for the third year in a row as Northeast-10 Conference Champions in the annual preseason poll. The Bulldogs have not lost a conference match in the past two seasons and have appeared in six-straight NCAA tournaments. All-American Michelle Muñiz (Guaynabo, P.R.) is back for her senior season this year.

DOWN THE STRETCH ...

WILLIAMS HONORED AS NCAA NATIONAL SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD RECIPIENT
Bryant University men¹s basketball graduate MIKE WILLIAMS (Ellington, Conn.) has been named the 2005 NCAA Division II National Sportsmanship Award winner announced this week by the Committee on Sportsmanship and Ethical Conduct (CSEC) and the NCAA.

Mike Williams epitomizes everything a true student-athlete should be,² said Bryant men¹s basketball head coach Max Good. ³He had a fantastic college basketball career, while maintaining more than a 3.5 GPA majoring in Investment Banking. His overall contribution to the Bryant University community was exemplary. I personally felt honored to have the opportunity to be his coach.²

A member of the Bryant men¹s basketball team from 2000 to 2005, Williams established himself among the all-time greats in Bryant basketball history. Named the 2005 Northeast-10 Conference Defensive Player of the Year, Williams helped lead the Bulldogs to the NCAA Division II Championship game in 2005 with 10.6 points per game average and team-best 7.9 rebounds per game average.

In the NCAA Regional Championship, Williams earned all-region honors with 35 rebounds and 19 blocks in just three tournament games.

Williams concluded his career with a school record 301 career blocks including a record 90 during his sophomore season. His 1,277 career points ranks 13th all-time in Bryant history and his 987 career rebounds ranks third.

Academically, Williams was inducted into the Bryant Chi Alpha Sigma honor society in 2004 and was a Northeast-10 Conference All-Academic and Scholar-Athlete selection in 2005.

Williams recently played in the Williams Jones Basketball Cup in Taiwan on a team representing the United States. His team went 9-0 and captured the championship. He will likely continue playing this fall in Western Europe.

Each of the nominees exemplified the good sportsmanship that characterizes the highest level of respect, caring, fairness, civility, honesty, integrity, and responsibility during competition. Williams was one of six selected nationally, with a male and female from Division I, Division II, and Division III recognized.