The Behrend Beacon
QErA: Who's Behind the Scenes?
Director of athletics Brian . Streeter:
iaemanding job - , but well worth the hours
by Kate Levdansky Petrikis
••• assistant sports editor
Brian Streeter received a bachelor's
of science degree from Texas A & M
University with a master's degree
from Ithaca College.
Streeter has worked at Penn State
Behrend for five years as the director
of athletics
Prior to coming to Penn State
Behrencl, he was the assistant athletic
director, head basketball coach, and
summer programs director at Hobart
College for 15 years.
Beacon: Did you have a mentor
who helped you pick this profession?
Streeter: All my high school
coaches were influential in my
choosing this profession. I was
fortunate to have excellent role
models who directed me towards
teaching, coaching and volunteering.
Beacon: When and how did you
know you wanted to be an athletic
director?
Streeter: Once I started teaching,
hack in 1980, I knew I wanted to
someday oversee an athletic program.
Beacon: Does your job require you
to be in good physical shape?
Streeter: I wish that was a
requirement. I never seem to find time
to stay in ereat shape. With all the
running around I do, I seem to stay in
just enough shape to survive. I wish
sleep was one of the requirements for
this job. Boy, could I use some.
Beacon: What are your duties as
the athletic director?
Streeter: As the director of
athletics at Penn State Behrend, you
are involved with the daily tasks of
running an athletic program, which
involves trying to meet the needs of
the student-athletes involved with
your program. Here at PSB, we have
21 sports along with the dance team,
cheerleaders, and a number of clubs
which involves overseeing the
scheduling, travel arrangements, meal
needs. Dame officials, crowd
control, maintenance, parking,
marketing of the games, etc. etc. The
job never ends. Some days the only
break you get is when the game is
being played. But then again, there is
always something someone needs
that keeps you going until the final
out or the doors of the gym are locked.
Another aspect of the job involves
Softball finishes rough first season on new fiel
The competition was tough, and the Penn State Behrend
softball team pulled out with a respectable mark, but far
from satisfying. Overall, the Lions are 8-27 on the season
and 6-6 in conference play. Last weekend, the Lions trav
eled to La Roche to compete in the 2002 Allegheny Moun
tain Collegiate Conference tournament. Following the ac
tion at the conference, the Lions traveled to play Bethany
on Tuesday, losing both games (4-0, 6-0).
In the first round of action on April 19 at the AMCC
Championships, the Lions took on La Roche and lost 3-0.
The Blue and White then went on to challenge the No. 3
seed, Pitt-Bradford, which lost to the No. 2 seed Penn
State Altoona in the first round. This game was equally as
challenging as Behrend lost by a tight 3-2 score.
The AMCC finals took place last Saturday with the No.
1 seed La Roche taking on Penn State Altoona. With two
very close and physically demanding games, La Roche
pulled out as AMCC tournament champions with a 1-0
win in the first game and a 3-2 win in the second.
Finding it difficult to pick the pace back up after a dis
appointing result in the AMCCs, the Lions had to look to
their strong players to outplay Bethany. However, the Blue
and White were unable to push any runs across the plate
against the Bisons. In the first game, Cheryl Peterson and
Becky Corbin had the team's only hits. Jennifer Miller
pitched the entire game, giving up seven hits and three
earned runs, with no strikeouts or walks.
In the second game, Peterson had a single and a double,
but Corbin had the only other hit as again the Lions failed
to produce at the plate. Corbin also took the loss for the
Lions, allowing six hits, four earned runs, two walks and
striking out one
On the mound this season, sophomore Stephanie Co
vert has pitched 74 2/3 innings, giving up 60 earned runs
and 120 hits and striking out 20. Covert's record for the
season is 4-9 with a 5.63 ERA. Following Covert is sopho
more Becky Corbin, who has pitched 51 1/3 innings, al
lowing 39 earned runs with 84 hits and 26 strikeouts. On
the season, Corbin is 3-7 and has a 5.32 ERA. Next up is
freshman Jennifer Miller, who pitched 60 innings, giving
up 55 earned runs with 103 hits and 23 strikeouts. Miller
is 1-9 for the season and has a 6.41 ERA.
As for the rest of the players, Lindsay Patton leads the
with marketing and fund-raising efforts
to support the needs of our department.
Beacon: What has been the most
rewarding part of your job?
Streeter: Working with the excellent
coaches, staff, and wonderful student
athletes is the rewarding part of the job.
There is never a day that I don't have
the opportunity to help someone. Over
the past five years, being a part of
changing the SPIRIT on campus has
been a challenge. The addition of a
much improved cheerleaders squad, the
addition of a terrific dance team, and
the formation of the best PEP BAND
in Division 111 (my opinion) has truly
been [some] of the best things that
[have] added to the spirit on campus.
Beacon: Is there a specific aspect of
your job that you enjoy most?
Streeter: Working with students has
always been important to me. Being in
the field I am in has also allowed me to
meet others and become involved in a
number of volunteer opportunities. I
believe in helping the community you
live in. As a member of the local Red
Cross Board, [and] involvement with
Image Sports, [they have] allowed me
to meet others in the community to help
better our community. Just recently, the
college community here at Penn State
Behrend hosted the annual Special
Olympics Track Meet. Just seeing the
tremendous support from staff,
coaches, faculty, and most importantly,
the students here at the college
reinforced why I work at Behrend. [The
ways I would want to be treated is
important in my daily approach to my
job. Some people believe a director of
athletics job is important. But I have
always followed the phrase, "It is nice
to be important, but it's more important
to be NICE."
Beacon: Is there a sport that you
prefer to work on more than another?
Streeter: I enjoy all the sports we
offer here at Penn State Behrend. Yes,
I have spent a third of my life invoked
with the sport of basketball, but I have
truly tried to get to know, as well as
show support for, all the sports we offer
here at Penn State Behrend. My current
involvement as a member of the NCAA
National Men's Water Polo Committee
has been a tremendous experience for
me. I not only have learned more about
the sport, but also am involved with the
rules and operation of the sport on the
national level.
by Zoe Rose
staff writer
Brian Streeter has many responsibilities as director of athletics,
but working with student-athletes is his favorite part of the job.
Beacon: Did you play any sports?
Streeter: I have played football,
basketball, baseball, and track and field.
I was recruited as a football and
basketball player when I went to
college, but chose to run track and field
while enrolled in college. I have had
the opportunity to coach football,
basketball, track and field, cross
country, softball, men's and women's
tennis. and golf over my 22 years in
education. I have also taught classes
both on the high school and collegiate
levels.
Beacon: Is your job at Behrend a
permanent position, or do you want to
take it to the next level? What is the
next level?
Streeter: I hope my job is permanent
here. I have never really looked at this
job as a Division 111 level position. I
truly believe it is a lot harder to be at
the Division 111 level, mainly because
you do not have the number of staff
members as you would at the Division
I level. We are fortunate here at Penn
State Behrend to have the support of
Dr. Burke and the rest of his senior staff
for allowing me to put together a quality
staff of coaches and support personnel.
[They I have benefited not only our
student-athletes and coaches, but also
the local community in general. People
tend to forget that the number of players
stays the same whether it's a Division I
• PHOTO BY JEFF HANKEY / BEHREND BEACON
Catcher Cheryl Peterson was one of the few
bright spots for the Lions this year, as the junior
was named to the all conference first team as a
DH and to the second team as a catcher
Lions in batting average at .545, although she only has 11
at bats. Junior Cheryl Peterson follows with an impres
sive .404 average in 99 at bats, scoring 22 runs and knock
ing in 24. Peterson made the All-Conference first and sec
ond teams, as a designated hitter for the first and a catcher
for the second. After her last AMCC tournament, senior
Kelly Woods has a .304 batting average with 79 at bats,
10 runs, and 17 RBIs. Close behind is sophomore Brandy
Polinick with a .300 average in 80 at bats, with 15 runs
and 13 RBIs.
Several freshmen contributed to the team, and now have
one year under their belt. Leading the first-year players
after Patton is Aleigha Powder, who is 1-for-4 this season
with one run scored and three RBIs. Close behind is Jen
nifer Osborne with a .196 batting average in 46 at bats,
with six runs and five RBIs. Roberta Baker has a .181
average in 83 at bats, with 10 runs, and seven RBIs.
With the 2002 season almost over - Behrend plays at
Frostburg Saturday - the Lions can soon get a breather
and start looking forward to next year's action. With all
but one player coming back, the Lions know a good off
season can mean improved results in 2003.
Friday, April 26, 2002
,
Altz
PHOTO BY MIKE BELLO / BEHREND BEACON
or 111 sports team in all sports but ••
football. However, when comparing •.
personnel the Division I level tends •
to have four to five times the number •.
of staff members compared to the •
Division 111 level. •
Beacon: Does the athletic program
have a promising future? •
Streeter: The future of the athletic •
program has a tremendous
future. Within the next two years all
our teams will [have] the opportunity •
to participate in the NCAA
Championships by earning automatic
berths thru league championship •
play. For the second year in a row,
Penn State Behrend has earned the ••
AMCC President's Cup, recognizing •
the top athletic program within the .
Allegheny Mountain Collegiate
Conference. All our teams strive to •.
not only win the AMCC .
championships, but also to reach
postseason tournaments in the ECAC .•
and NCAA conferences. Currently. •
over a dozen of our track and field
athletes have qualified for the
.•
upcoming ECAC Championships •
and one athlete has qualified for the
NCAA Division 111 National Track
and Field Meet. •
Every week, the Beacon will:
engage in a little 'ask and re-:
spond" with someone who.
doesn't make the headlines.
Softball All-Conference
First Team
Cassie Byerly La Roche 1
Raelee Casazza Frostburg
Rachel Zielinksi La Roche
Richelle Foor Frostburg
Jess Porter
Krissy Jackson
Amanda Rourke
Amy Kunz
Autumn Dosser
Kristy Phister
Christy Byerly
Cheryl Peterson
Julie Keane
Jess Vardian
Nicole Flynn
Erin Heningin
Cheryl Peterson
Heather Nelson
Nikki Kres
Sarah Kokanovich
Mandy Kirll
Lindsay Wagner
Honorable Mention
Becky Corbin Behrend
Rachel Dye Greensburg
Jenn Patishnock Altoona
Jamie Strattnaus La Roche
Stacey Detwiler Altoona
Nichole Spindler Bradford
Raelee Casazza Frostburg
Amber Blackmire Frostburg
Toni Boscasno Altoona
Kelly Woods Behrend
Melissa Davis Altoona
Ashley Morgan La Roche
Newcomer of the Year
Nikki Kress La Roche
Most Valuable Player
Ktissy Jackson Frostburg
Coach of the Year
Orie Gentile La Roche
les a
•
4
•* ; •
Bradford
Frostburg
Altoona
La Roche
Bradford
La Roche
La Roche
Behrend
Second Team
Bradford
Altoona
La Roche
Altoona
Behrend
Bradford
La Roche
Bradford
Bradford
Bradford
Lions finish
sophomore season
by Kate Levdansky Petrikis
assistant sports editor
The Behrend women's water polo
team participated in the Southern
Division Championships last
Saturday and Sunday at Villanova in
its last games of the season. The Lions
lost their first two games to
experienced competition, then
bounced back to heat Washington &
Jefferson before dropping a close
match to Grove City to finish in ninth
place out of 12 teams.
The Lions lost to Division I
Michigan 20-2, with a game time of
8:30 a.m. Amanda Brown and
Christine Williams scored the only
goals for Behrend. The Wolverines
(21-11), ranked 15th in the nation,
won the championship with a 10-9
win over Princeton.
"There is not much to say about the
first game against Michigan," said
coach Josh Heynes. "They pulled no
punches. They came out blazing, and
just racked up the stats on us.
"We fared better against Slippery
Rock," he continued. "We started
playing as a team. and seeing things
more clearly. -
Behrend lost that Saturday
afternoon game 18-5, though.
Williams continued to shine for
Behrend, scoring three goals. Tara
Braden and Hollie Stash added one
goal each.
Behrend then rebounded to beat
Washington & Jefferson 8-7 on
Sunday. Stash and Williams had an
outstanding game with four goals
each. It was a hard-fought game all
the way through. Goalie Lauren
Packer almost got her nose broken,
and Heynes was yellow carded for
the game. But, the women really dug
down against all adversity to pull out
a double-overtime win.
"It was a great accomplishment to
get the W & J monkey off our back?'
said Hennes. "We have been so close
t 2 Nating them in the past, but we
always lost in the last few minutes.
Behrend wins President's Cup
by Mike Bello
sports editor
Penn State Behrend captured the
2001-2002 President's Cup for the
second straight year after winning two
AMCC titles and five runner-up titles.
The Lions finished the year with 58
points, six ahead of Frostburg State
(52). Schools earn points for each
sport's final rankings in the
conference.
"Our coaches and athletes are
thrilled again to win the AMCC
President's Cup," said Brian Streeter,
director of athletics, in a press
statement. "Winning the AMCC
President's Cup shows the
commitment of excellence by all
those who are involved in our
Lauffer
OF
OF
OF
DH
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
OF
OF
DH
Herb Lauffer
by Mike Bello
sports editor
Herb Lauffer, the longtime soccer
coach and athletic director at Penn
State Behrend who passed away in
January 1997, was inducted into the
Slippery Rock University Hall of
Fame on April 13 as an athletic/
physical education administrator.
Lauffer was one of eight people to
headline the Hall of Fame Class of
2002, the 19th inducted class at
Slippery Rock, which now brings to
125 the total in the Hall of Fame.
At Slippery Rock, Lauffer lettered
four years in soccer and two in tennis
while pursuing a B.S. in health,
physical education and recreation
inducted into SRU Hall of Fame
behrcolls@aol.com
impressive
But this game was different, we went
in excited and knew we could beat
them."
In the last game of the tournament.
Behrend lost a close match again s t
Grove City 5-4. Williams, Brown.
Braden, and Sarah McGarvey all had
one goal. This game was similar to
the W & J game, being hard fought
and intense.
"I think we ended up emptying our
gas tank against W & J, and we had
nothing left for Grove City," said
Heynes. "If we would [have] played
the same way we did earlier we would
[have] crushed Grove City. They won
with a last-second shot again. They
did not earn the win against us, we
gave it to them.-
Erin Troester was the most
improved player from the beginning
of the season. The freshman from
Mercyhurst Prep was new to the sport.
and rode the bench the first fev,
games. She never missed a practice.
though, and worked hard at getting
better. It led to her winning a spot on
the starting team.
"She never complained," said
Heynes. "Instead, she just did what
she had to do to get better.
The goals Heynes set for next
season consist of making Division 111
nationals, beating W & J and Grove
City on a consistent basis, and being
able to run with the Division I and II
schools. That doesn't mean he was
disappointed with this season.
"I never would of thought that we
would miss making nationals by one
point, in our second year," he said.
"With all the adversity we faced this
year, we accomplished much more
than most people gave us credit for.
Next year we will be even better.
"We will only lose two people and
gain a ton of talent. I am proud of the
11 women that made the sacrifices
and put their hearts and souls on the
line when it was needed most. I wish
I could [have) gotten them to
nationals. Next year will be a whole
new story, just wait and see."
programs. The high level of
competitiveness by all our sport teams
throughout the year was great to see.-
Behrend won AMCC titles for the
first time in women's volleyball and
women's cross country back in the
fall. Behrend also captured the silver
in men's and women's soccer, men's
cross country, men's tennis, and
baseball.
Pitt-Bradford finished third with 44
points, followed by Penn State
Altoona (41), La Roche (34), Pitt-
Greensburg (33), and Lake Erie (15).
The Lions won the title last year by
edging out Frostburg 50-46. The
presentation of the President's Cup
will take place May 29-30 at the
annual AMCC meeting.
degree, which he received in 1963.
Lauffer received his masters in
physical education at West Virginia
University in 1968. In between.
Lauffer was an instructor of physical
education and coached tennis, track
and field, and basketball at Iroquois
High School.
Behrend hired Lauffer in July 1968
to lead the young and still developing
men's soccer program. He coached
for 23 seasons and recorded 131 wins.
and was a two-time NAIA (junior
college) Coach of the Year. Lauffei
later coached tennis for six years.
leading the Lions to two undefeated
seasons.
Lauffer also served as athletic
director for 16 years up to his death
in 1997 at the age of 55, after
undergoing heart surgery. He was
instrumental in Behrend moving from
an NAIA status to Division 111 and
becoming a member of the ECAC.
Lauffer also helped create the
Behrend sports Hall of Fame, in
which he will be inducted later this
Lauffer was born in Butler in 1941
and graduated from Slippery Rock
High School in 1959. He directed
many soccer camps and youth
programs throughout his career ;
Lauffer was the founder and president
of the Erie Youth Soccer Association:
the most popular youth organization
in Erie.