July 20, 2010
Bronx, N.Y. - As the dog days of summer continue to roll along, today's catch-up focuses on a member of the Fordham golf team, Brody Nieporte, softball pitcher Chelsea Plimpton and water polo head coach Bill Harris. Nieporte finished as the runner-up at the LIGA Amateur Championship, this past weekend; Plimpton will pitch for Western New York in this week's Empire State games; and Harris is raising funds for cancer research this Saturday as a part of Swim Across America.
Golf
Long Island Golf Association Amateur Championship Results | Newsday Article on Nieporte
In a field of 32 players, Fordham sophomore Brody Nieporte played his way into the finals of the Long Island Golf Association (LIGA) Amateur Championship at the Inwood Country Club in Inwood, N.Y., this past weekend.
Nieporte, seeded 13th in the match play tournament, found his way past Gerard Connolly (2 & 1) and Dave Segot (3 & 2) in the opening two rounds of play on July 14th.
In the quarterfinals, Nieporte took on fifth-seeded Joseph Saladino of Huntington Country Club, defeating him by a "1 Up" score, moving Nieporte into the semifinals against the top seed, Bryan Pendrick.
Nieporte was the lowest seeded semifinalist, but once again found a way to win, overcoming the top seed Pendrick by a "1 Up" score, moving Nieporte into the 36-hole final against second-seeded Hunter Semels. However, Nieporte's magical run ran out in the final, as Semels captured the Amateur Championship by a score of 10 & 9.
Congratulations to Brody for a great run at the LIGA Amateur Championship!
Softball
Senior Chelsea Plimpton will represent her hometown of East Amherst, N.Y. as part of the Western New York team for the 2010 Empire State Games held July 21-25 in Buffalo, N.Y. Plimpton will be comfortable playing in front of a familiar crowd at the Amherst Audobon Recreation Complex as the 2010 Western New York team competes against the five other New York State Regions.
Plimpton will face Long Island at 11:30 a.m., followed by Central at 2 p.m. on the opening day of play - Thursday.
Joining Plimpton on the pitching staff is Lindsay Garbacz-Morris, a Lacanster High School alumna. Garbacz-Morris played on four Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship teams at Canisius.
Plimpton will also have the advantage of throwing to a familiar glove behind the plate. The Western New York catcher is Michelle Fridey, another Canisius alumnus and a classmate of Plimpton's from Williamsville South.
The Williamsville South ties are all around as Plimpton will be joined on the team by Buffalo grad Dana Carter at first base, Ashley Bonetto, another Canisus alumna and junior varsity coach at WS who will play shortstop and second baseman Julie Gentner-Murphy, a WS alumna and current assistant coach under her father Gerry for the Billies.
Plimpton and the Western New York squad is coached by Joe Catalano.
Follow the action from Buffalo on the Empire State Games website.
Water Polo
Swim Across America Website
Making it an annual tradition, Fordham water polo coach Bill Harris will once again be participating in Swim Across America which will take place in Westchester County this Saturday, as swimmers will go across Long Island Sound in support of raising funds for cancer research.
Swim Across America is a nationwide program dedicated to raising money and awareness for cancer research, prevention, and treatment through swimming-related events.
Last year, this particular event which begins at the Larchmont Yacht Club in Larchmont, N.Y., the "Sound Swim," raised over $880,000 for cancer research, as over 770 swimmers took part. To help the cause and support Coach Harris' efforts on Saturday, you can go to the Swim Across America Long Island Sound Events Website and donate.
Best of luck on Saturday Coach Harris!
