Paw Prints E-Newsletter 4/28/2016 3:31:00 PM

Paw Prints E-Newsletter: Volume 22

From The Director of Athletics' Desk...

Unbelievable! That's the word that comes to mind as I draft the final Paw Prints of the 2015-16 academic year. The conclusion of each academic year is truly the bittersweet part of working on a college campus. The focus is on celebrating our graduating seniors, but after spending four years with these young men and women it is always difficult to say good-bye. If the coaches and staff have done our jobs these "kids" are ready to move on to the next chapter of their lives. We are both excited for them and all the good things to come, but sad because we will miss these great young people who we have come to know so well.

Daemen Athletics is a program focused on encouraging our student-athletes to use their success in athletics as a springboard for whatever other non-athletic challenges they may face. Our graduating student-athletes are ready for the springboard into the real world, and although they will always be part of Daemen Athletics, it is time for us to step back and cheer them on to different challenges and accomplishments. Thankfully we have a few events set up to do so. On Friday, April 29, we will hold our annual athletics awards ceremony. The Daemen ESPY's will take place in Lumsden Gym at 7 p.m. Be on the lookout for the follow-up video clips. On Friday, May 20, we will hold our Second Annual Senior Student-Athlete Luncheon. This event is for the senior student-athletes and their special guests and it focuses on the academic accomplishments of this special group. We could not hold either event without the gracious support of our corporate sponsors and all those who support Daemen Athletics.

Looking ahead to 2016-17, we will have three new coaches join the Wildcat Nation: Bobby McColl as our head men's soccer coach, Jenepher Banker will be leading the women's basketball program and Judy Arlington will join our cross country and track and field program as an assistant coach. The caliber of coaching candidates we are attracting to Daemen demonstrates the possibilities that others see in our future.

Those possibilities are of course all about our student-athletes. We look forward to welcoming another talented group of student-athletes next fall. Daemen's recruiting footprint continues to grow in depth and geography. When we made the move to Division II we had the goal of both expanding the parts of the world that knows of Daemen Athletics, while at the same time keeping the best and brightest of N.Y.'s athletes right here in our home state. Women's volleyball announced its incoming recruiting class full of talented young women both on and off the court from far and near. Men's and women's soccer also announced the addition of new players for Fall 2016 with the men's team expecting an additional group of signees over the summer. Likewise for the Daemen's track, cross country and triathlon programs. In the next few weeks, women's basketball and women's bowling will announce their recruiting classes.

While our other spring sports have concluded their hard-fought seasons, our track and field student-athletes are still in action. After an extremely successful ECC Championship meet, Coach Lagno's crew will be competing this weekend at the prestigious Penn Relays and at WNY neighbor University at Buffalo. In both instances, Lagno has prepared our athletes to be competitive against top-notch Division I and Division II competition.

This summer, please save the date to participate in Daemen Athletics' Fourth Annual Wildcat Golf Classic on August 11 at Glen Oak Golf Course. A portion of the proceeds for that event will be used to supplement our scholarship budget. For the youngsters you know, please check out Daemen Athletics camps. We have expanded the number and types of camps and they are yet another way to support all we do here at Daemen.

Should you want to be involved in or otherwise support events such as the Annual Wildcat Golf Classic, please feel free to contact me at bniland@daemen.edu or (716) 472-5951.

As always, we are grateful for your support of Daemen Athletics and I look forward to sharing more information on the progress of the program next month.

Be FIERCE!

Bridget Niland
Director of Athletics

UPCOMING EVENTS
April 29 - Daemen ESPY's (End Of Year Awards Banquet)
April 30 - Men's & Women's Track & Field @ UB Invitational
May 7 - Women's Triathlon @ Fly By Night Duathlon
May 14 - Men's & Women's Track & Field @ Cardinal Last Chance Meet
May 20 - Senior Student-Athlete Luncheon

FOR A DETAILED LISTING OF UPCOMING EVENTS,
CHECK OUT OUR COMPREHENSIVE ONLINE CALENDAR

IN THE NEWS...

APR. 1 - McCOLL SELECTED TO LEAD MEN'S SOCCER PROGRAM
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APR. 4 - GILLIBRAND SPEAKS TO KICKOFF NATIONAL GIRLS AND WOMEN IN SPORTS WEEK
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APR. 7 - WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYER RECEIVES POSTGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIPS
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APR. 7 - DYCK NAMED HONORABLE MENTION ALL-AMERICAN
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APR. 8 - U.S. OLYMPIAN SPEAKS AT NATIONAL GIRLS AND WOMEN IN SPORTS EVENT
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APR. 13 - MEN'S SOCCER INTRODUCES NEWEST MEMBER THROUGH PARTNERSHIP WITH TEAM IMPACT
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APR. 14 - BANKER INTRODUCED AS HEAD WOMEN'S BASKETBALL COACH
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APR. 15 - NILAND APPEARS ON ATHLETICS INDUSTRY PODCAST
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APR. 15 - FIGLER NAMED TO FC BUFFALO ROSTER
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APR. 26 - LeMAR NAMED ECC ROOKIE OF THE WEEK FOR SECOND TIME
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SUMMER CAMP NEWS...

MAR. 29 - MacDONALD ANNOUNCES MEN'S BASKETBALL SUMMER CAMP OFFERINGS
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APR. 8 - VOLLEYBALL ANNOUNCES SPRING/SUMMER CAMP OFFERINGS
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APR. 28 - McCOLL ANNOUNCES MEN'S SOCCER SUMMER CAMP OFFERING
READ MORE

FOR A COMPLETE LISTING OF DAEMEN CAMPS, INCLUDING ONLINE REGISTRATION LINKS, VISIT: DAEMEN.EDU/SPORTSCAMPS

VISIT OUR ONLINE TEAM STORE AT SHOPDAEMENWILDCATS.COM
FOR ALL YOUR DAEMEN GEAR NEEDS!

MAKE AN IMPACT TODAY BY GIVING A GIFT TO THE WILDCAT ATHLETICS ASSOCIATION

Did you know there are over 123,000 men, women and children waiting for life-saving organ transplants? Did you know that 100 people in WNY need blood every day?

You can provide hope to those in need by becoming an organ, tissue or blood donor through Unyts. Visit unyts.org/checkyes to register as a donor today.

UNYTS is a proud corporate partner of Daemen College Athletics.

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From The Director of Athletics' Desk...

Bridget Niland Director of Athletics

MAKE AN IMPACT TODAY BY GIVING A GIFT TO THE WILDCAT ATHLETICS ASSOCIATION

Bridget Niland
Director of Athletics