D3 WEEK: 2019-20 Athletics Year In Review

Posted: Apr 13, 2020

BEVERLY, Mass. – Despite seeing the 2019-20 athletic season cut short due to COVID-19, the Endicott Athletics and Recreation Department was well on its way to another historic year at The Nest. This article's purpose is to celebrate the major milestones that occurred during the 2019-20 year.

For starters, in regards to varsity conference championships, Endicott's field hockey, women's volleyball, women's basketball, men's ice hockey, and women's ice hockey programs all won their respective conference titles to give the Gulls five for the year headed into the heart of the spring season.

That figure ranks tied for third all-time in a single season for the department. Meanwhile, the most conference championships ever won during an academic year is eight, which was set during the 2013-14 season (baseball, football, men's golf, women's lacrosse, women's soccer, softball, women's tennis, men's volleyball).

The Gulls had a legitimate chance at tying or breaking that record this year, starting with the No. 11 nationally ranked men's volleyball program. Prior to play being canceled across all NCAA divisions, the men's volleyball team sported a 13-3 overall record and the best New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) record at 3-0. The Gulls returned several key members from last year's squad that captured its sixth NECC title in program history and fell one match shy of reaching the NCAA Tournament semifinal round.

Aside from the men's volleyball team, Endicott's baseball and softball programs were also situated first in their respective Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Preseason Coaches' Polls headed into this spring, while the men's and women's lacrosse teams were positioned second in theirs.

The goals for all four teams previously mentioned were as follows, baseball looked to capture its seventh league title in program history, men's lacrosse envisioned flipping the script on its latest run of back-to-back CCC Championship appearances, the No. 20 nationally ranked women's lacrosse squad aimed its focus on completing a four-peat, and the softball program had its sights on defending its 2019 CCC crown.

In regards to the women's lacrosse, specifically, the Gulls were off to their best start (4-0) in program history since 2005 (7-0) and defeated their first nationally ranked since March 19, 2014, when they defeated No. 16 Trinity (Conn.), on the road, by an 11-10 score.

Lastly, the women's track and field program looked poised to make a splash in the CCC Championship this season after breaking several program records in its winter campaign. The Gulls also made their first-ever appearance at the Indoor NCAA New England Division III Championships to highlight their 2019-20 campaign.

OVERALL DEPARTMENT SUCCESS

Wins were aplenty in 2019-2020, so much so that every Endicott athletics varsity program competed in and/or for its respective conference championship until the cancelation of all NCAA sports occurred.

As for the department's overall record, the Gulls varsity athletics teams combined to go 192-77-4 overall (.711) and 99-17 in conference play (.853). Meanwhile, our club sports programs (men's rugby, women's rugby, roller hockey) combined for a 40-14-1 overall record (.736).

When combining varsity and club sports programs, Endicott's overall record in 2019-20 was 232-91-5 (.715).

Other highlights from the year included the women's basketball team's first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance, first-ever NCAA Tournament win, and first-ever victory against a nationally ranked opponent when the Gulls defeated No. 12/12 Scranton, 65-56, on March 6.

The field hockey team also defeated Wilson, 8-1, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to round out the list of NCAA postseason victories for the Gulls.

Endicott's dance program won its first-ever national championship in open pom in addition to capturing its 10th straight Universal Dance Association (UDA) New England Regional title.

The football program also won the 2019 New England Bowl Championship and the women's rugby team captured the Colonial Coast Rugby Conference (CCRC) championship en route to a runner-up finish in the National Small College Rugby Organization (NSCRO) Women's 15s National Championship.

Endicott's cheer program had tremendous momentum going into this year's National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) National Championship after placing seventh last year, while the roller hockey team had all the pieces in place to defend its 2018-19 National Collegiate Roller Hockey Association (NCRHA) national title.

Lastly, the equestrian program had its sights set on some big goals for Regionals and Zone 1 Finals this year.

MAJOR AWARDS (varsity athletics only)*

Endicott's varsity programs accounted for 21 major awards (all broken down below) during the 2019-20 year.

Of all sports who completed their seasons to the point of being able to receive major awards, Endicott earned a 40-percent share of the awards handed out across the CCC, NECC, and Colonial Hockey Conference (CHC) in sports the Gulls competed in.

As far as All-Region and All-American awards are concerned, Endicott student-athletes have received 23 All-Region honors and 14 All-America honors (to date).

MAJOR AWARDS BY SPORT (sports abbreviated)

Offensive/Player of the Year: WHKY, MVB, WVB, FH, FB, MSOC

Rookie of the Year: MBKB, MHKY, MSOC, MVB

Coach of the Year: MBKB, FH, MHKY, WHKY, MVB, WVB

Offensive Lineman of the Year: FB

Defensive Lineman of the Year: FB

Goaltender of the Year: MHKY, WHKY

Libero of the Year: WVB

* = not all club sports organizations give out major awards, All-Region, and All-American honors / excludes Academic honors (that will be publicized on Tuesday)

NATIONAL RANKINGS

The Gull saw many of their teams break into the national rankings throughout the year. The list below provides a look into each program's highest national ranking during 2019-20.