Winter sports finish on a high note, spring teams off and running

The 2004-2005 season was a great one for winter sports at CCRI. This season marked the first time in program history that both the men’s and women’s basketball teams won their respective Region XXI Titles and District Titles and went to nationals. The women completed their best season ever with a record of 29-4 and placed third at the nationals in Phoenix, AZ. Sophomore co-captains Jeanell Hughes (Baltimore, MD) and Amanda Ward (East Hartford, CT) were both named to the national All-Tournament Team. The men came in ninth at the national tourney, where freshman forward Marvin Owens (Bridgeport, CT) was named to the All-Tournament Team.

Indoor track athlete Jasmine Jennings (Warwick, RI) finished second at nationals in the 20-lb weight-throw, earning Second Team All-American status. Jennings also finished sixth in the shot put and Nicole Sauer (East Greenwich) finished fourth in the 20-lb weight throw, each earning Coaches Association All-American designations.

The CCRI Knights baseball team is looking to return to prominence in 2005. They currently hold an 8-4 record. They are led by the hitting of Brett Thornton (Coventry), who is batting .500 with 14 hits including three doubles and seven runs scored. Gregg Allen (Rehoboth, MA) is batting .441 and leads the team with 15 hits including three doubles, a triple and seven RBIs. Teammate John Furtado (Johnston, RI) is batting .333 with ten hits, three doubles and nine runs scored, while Phil Butler (Cranston) is batting .297 with eight RBIs. The Knights pitching staff is led by Andrew McNulty (Norwood, MA) who is 2-1 with a 1.66 ERA and twenty-six strikeouts and Marek Deska (Ontario, Canada) who is 3-0 with a 1.40 ERA and 23 strikeouts including a no-hitter and a one-hit performance.

The defending Regional Champion Lady Knights softball team look forward to another stellar season and are currently 6-1. Returning to the team are 1st Team All Region XXI and All-American Amanda Ward (East Hartford, CT). Co-captain Lindsay Cavanagh (1st Team All-Region XXI) (Warwick) leads the team in hitting with a .652 batting average, a team-leading 15 hits and 11 RBIs. Co-captain Aubrey Fisher (Somerset, MA) is batting .579 with 11 hits and a team-leading 11 runs scored. The Lady Knights have bolstered their program with some exciting new talent like pitcher Jen Dupont (Lincoln), who is 4-0 with a .320 ERA, including a no-hitter and a nine strikeout one-hitter. Other newcomers include Christina Campopiano (Johnston), batting .455 with 10 hits and nine runs scored, and Lindsay Laurie (Warwick), batting .400 with eight hits and nine runs scored.

The outdoor track team will be led by Jennings who has a great chance to win the hammer throw and place in the top three in the shot put at the Outdoor Track Nationals. Other weight throwers expected to do well include Jennifer Bento (Providence) a returning 2nd Team All-American and Sauer.