Q+A With Ithaca Bombers Assistant Men's Soccer Coach Braden Studelska

(Article originally appeared in The Ithacan)

Following former head men’s soccer coach Andy Byrne’s retirement after 31 years at the helm of the program on Feb. 17, assistant coach and former captain Patrick Ouckama ’05 was appointed as the new head coach. This created a vacancy in Ouckama’s former role, and this past summer, Braden Studelska was called upon to fill that responsibility. 

Staff Writer Alex Wong spoke with Studelska to discuss his coaching background, how he pursued the position, what he brings to the Bomber program and what he thinks of the future of the program.

Alex Wong: What is your coaching background?

Braden Studelska: I was a student–athlete at Buena Vista University for four years, and after that I was doing some small coaching during that time, with the local high school and some of the youth programs. Then I took a teaching job and was the head boy’s coach at a small Catholic high school for two years. And then the opportunity came to join the staff back where I had played. They had created a full-time assistant position, so I went back there and was there for two years. After my second year I was looking for something different, and this job came along. It was a good fit for me personally, and I think it’s a good fit the other way as well, as far as what I bring to the program.

AW: How has the transition between schools been going? Has it been relatively smooth, or have there been any road bumps along the way?

BS: It’s been fairly smooth. It was a hectic summer getting everything done and getting moved out here, but beyond that it’s been super easy to jump in with Coach Ouckama and the guys. He’s brought me full on with everything going on with the program, and we’ve seen good results with our guys. There’s a lot of excitement going forward with the group of returners we have, and the incoming players as well have shown well. It’s been pretty smooth as far as the soccer side goes.

AW: Have you noticed any similarities or differences between the schools?

BS: The big difference is the size. The school I was coming from is much smaller. When I was a student there it was about 1,200 undergrad, and by the time I left it was sub-900 in terms of undergraduate enrollment on campus. So just the size of the campus and the number of students is really a big difference. I wouldn’t say there is anything good or bad, it’s just different. Things tend to be much more orderly at a big school with set procedures, whereas at a small school it can be much easier to get things done quickly because there wasn’t those set procedures in place because their volume of work they were doing was much smaller. But there’s definitely still a small college feel here, especially with athletics. I get to see all the different coaches at staff meetings and stuff like that, so that culture is still here, so that’s nice as well. 

AW: Was the position here something you actively sought out and pursued, or was it something that was presented to you?

BS: It was definitely something I pursued. I was fairly selective about the type of school I was looking at and what type of environment I wanted to join. I applied kind of all over, but after doing some initial research about Ithaca College and looking more into it, it was really a place I could see myself doing well and thriving.

AW: What do you think you can bring to the table as a member of the coaching staff?

BS: A lot of it is just a second pair of eyes. I think Coach Ouckama and myself are relatively similar in how we want to play the game and the ideal of what we want to do, but at the same time we have some differences as well, which is good. We see different things — different things stand out to us. Unity in vision, but a diversity of talents. We both have similar goals in mind and broad ideas of how we’re going to get there, but different things stand out to us that way. I also think I bring some experience. The conference I’m coming from, while probably not as competitive top to bottom as the Empire 8, the top three teams are very talented. Usually, three of them are ranked in the top-25 in the nation, and usually we send two, maybe three teams, to the national tournament. So I think having been exposed to that level of play has been beneficial in how I prepare for teams.

AW: What have you seen so far out of the players, or the program as a whole, that you have liked?

BS: One of the things that stands out to me is the history and the culture. There’s high expectations. There’s that cultural excellence built up over the years through the program. Seeing the way the guys had come into the preseason, the commitment they have to their fitness and technical work during the offseason really bodes well and shows it’s important to them to live up to that standard. They want to do credit to the name on the front of the jersey.  They want to be part of that legacy, I think. And hearing the guys talking about it, that’s something special that is hard to build up in certain places, so that’s been really good to see and something I’m excited to be a part of and continue to cultivate with them.

NWSL Final 2015: 6 Takeaways

The 2015 NWSL Final was won by FC Kansas City last night (Oct. 1) by a score of 1-0 over Seattle Reign FC. This was a rematch of the 2014 Final, which KC also won, 2-1. Seattle went into each match as the winners of the Supporter's Shield for best regular season record, but KC showed two years straight that its all about that last game. Here are my takeaways from the match

1. Starpower. Arguably the two most stacked teams in the league. Seattle has USWNT players in Hope Solo and Megan Rapinoe, and add to them with 2014 league MVP Kim Little and Welsh international Jess Fishlock. Beverly Yanez also had a solid season up top for the Reign. But on the other side...

2. FCKC has top tier talent, and lots of it. KC has so much talent its ridiculous. They have four players from the World Cup Winning US roster from this past summer: Amy Rodriguez, who scored the lone goal in this years final, as well as KC's two goals in last year's edition. Lauren Holiday, who is the NWSL's all-time leader in assists (18) and second all-time in goals (22). Becky Sauerbrunn, the only player in the history of the NWSL to win Defensive Player of the Year (she's won three times in the league's three year history). Heather O'Reilly, who was acquired via trade with Seattle following the Championship game last season and provided the assist to A-Rod's goal last night. They also have multiple players with USWNT senior squad experience in goalie Nicole Barnhart, defenders Amy LePeilbet and Leigh Ann Robinson, and midfielders Erika Tymrak and Yael Averbuch. KC has so much talent that last night Averbuch was relegated to the bench before being substituted on late in the second half, and she has some serious skills.

3. Jill Ellis was in attendance. She's always evaluating any player that could help the national team win. And with Lauren Holiday's retirement, there seems to be an opening in the central midfield. Morgan Brian is a surefire starter in the middle in my eyes, but depending on what formation Ellis plays and the personnel she uses, Brian could be paired with Carli Lloyd, or would need a new parter should Lloyd play a more forward role. This dilemma could be a whole separate post, but there were  a few players on the field that fill a central or holding midfielders role when paired with Brian.

4. Erika Tymrak was impressive. She was everywhere and playing with a purpose. Constantly involved and one of the more noticeable players, Tymrak seemed to have drawn what would have been a go-ahead penalty kick when she was taken down in the box, but the referee waved play on. I haven't watched enough of Tymrak to know how consistent she is, but seeing as she is only 24 and has been called into the national team before, I definitely see her getting a call into pre-Olympic camp. While she likely won't make the 18-player Olympic roster, she will most certainly be in the mix through the next cycle. She would be 28 during the next World Cup, which should be her prime years as a player, and with most of the current squad in their mid to late 20's/early 30's right now, young players like Tymrak will be looked at to lead the team.

5. Lauren Holiday goes out in a blaze of glory. As previously mentioned, Lauren Holiday will be retiring from professional soccer following the final USWNT Victory Tour game this year. The 27-year-old is among the most decorated players in US Soccer history. Her accomplishments include: All-Time leader in Assists in NWSL history, 2nd All-Time in goals in NWSL history, 2013 NWSL Golden Boot, 2013 NWSL MVP, 2014 NWSL Finals MVP, 2007 US Soccer Young Female Athlete of the Year, 2014 US Soccer Female Athlete of the Year, Olympic Gold Medalist in 2008 and 2012, Women's World Cup Gold Medalist in 2015, was a 2015 recipient of the Sagamore of the Wabash, and had her #12 jersey retired by FC Kansas City this year, the first player in the league's history to be given that honor.

Representing the United States in international play she has 114 caps and counting, 23 goals and 31 assists.

It is every athlete's dream to win a championship during their final season. Lauren Holiday lived it twice. She will be missed in the soccer community, but at 27 years of age, has a whole lifetime ahead of her. Enjoy retirement #12.

6. HAO and A-Rod want to go to Rio. Heather O'Reilly (HAO, sounds like mayo) and Amy Rodriguez were seldom used during the 2015 World Cup. That didn't mean they weren't still good players, and they've proven it in NWSL and Victory Tour action. HAO has lit up international opponents since the World Cup, netting 5 goals in 3 games. A-Rod has been a rock in the NWSL, having a productive season despite missing time due to the World Cup. She finished 6 chances in 11 games played this year and is one of the more dynamic and unpredictable forwards the US has to offer. Their play following the World Cup to this point, and in the future leading up to Olympic roster selections, has shown, and will have to continue to show, they have had no drop off in form despite getting older and can contribute to the squad moving forward.

The closer we get to Olympic qualifying time is when we can truly start making roster projections for the Rio Games. It may be a pessimistic outlook, but bank on at least one injury to shake up the roster.

USWNT Won the World Cup, So Naturally Fans Are Criticizing Them For Being On Their Victory Tour

So this has become a thing now. The US Women's National Team won the 2015 World Cup and, as has been the case with Olympic wins, have recently begun a victory tour all over the country that will see them play 10 (now 8) games against other countries leading up to 2016 Olympic qualifiers. Some fans see this as a problem considering the National Women's Soccer League is at the end of their season and there is a hotly contested race for the playoffs. Numerous players are on these club teams vying for a spot in the postseason, but have been with the national squad for the first two games of the victory tour and will continue to leave every month or so to play two-game sets with various countries. This may be a small majority, but they're loud. They want all players with their clubs, or at least the ones that have teams in possible playoff positions. Carli Lloyd, Meghan Klingenberg and Morgan Brian of the Houston Dash, as well as Christen Press, Julie Johnston and Lori Chalupny of the Chicago Red Stars have been the most criticized for favoring the national team over their clubs. Fans crying out about how they need to build the NWSL for women soccer instead of being with the USWNT. I don't know any of these people personally so I'm not sure if they're being serious or just trying to spit some hot takes on everyone. But they're wrong. Teams are still selling a huge number of tickets without their national team players. And really, what would draw more viewers: Seattle Reign vs. Boston Breakers with a total of 3 WNT players on the field, or the complete winning roster dropping a healthy, 8-0, American hammer on Costa Rica? Forget the fact that theres only been one NWSL game on TV this year (after the World Cup, featuring Tobin Heath, the consensus face of US Women's Soccer Alex Morgan, and their Portland Thorns against the aforementioned Red Stars) compared to all of the US squads World Cup, Victory Tour and Send Off games, as well as multiple other friendlies. You're getting more viewers with option two. But lets do something here. Throw out TV ratings. You know why the players should be on the victory tour? They earned it. They proved they were the best in the world at what they do and earned the right to celebrate with their fans, new and old, on a cross nation tour to showcase their skills and, in turn, begin tuning up for Olympic qualifiers. You know how many teams have gone for the double in women soccer (Winning the World Cup and Gold Medal at the Olympics back to back)? None. The US ladies can be the first ever, and frankly I would like to see it happen. Representing your country, in any sport or event, is the highest of honors, something those ladies have been dreaming about their entire lives. So just because you keyboard warriors think they're hurting the NWSL by playing games for their country (their dream) on a victory tour (which they earned) after winning the WORLD CUP, doesn't mean you're right. They're still growing the game, just not how you want them to. 

If You Want Hope Solo Suspended, You Hate Winning

It's no secret that USWNT goalkeeper Hope Solo has a shady history in the past few years; frankly "shady" is putting it lightly. Her marriage to former NFL tight end Jerramy Stevens (using "former NFL tight end" VERY lightly here) has been spotty with a few incident where and there, but nothing they, nor the public, couldn't work past. But now with Solo in the spotlight at the Women's World Cup, people are bringing up what happened last year around this time. Basically she was arrested on two counts of domestic violence towards her half-sister and then-17-year-old nephew. She was extremely belligerent when arrested and constantly berated officers while being arrested and booked. The whole story is pretty wild if you want to read it. So basically now people are calling for her to be suspended from the World Cup and beyond. Olbermann is chirping, Dennis and Callahan in Boston are chirping, and I get it; if action was taken against Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson, then Hope Solo should be no exception. I will say that comparing it to Ray Rice's case is insane; Rice is on tape dragging an unconscious woman out of an elevator after rag dolling her, and Hope Solo drunkenly scrapped with a 6'9" 17 year old boy and her sister with no video, just her word against theirs. That said, even if she was the aggressor, thats exactly what I want out of my World Cup keeper. Ruthless attitude and not afraid to hit you square in the teeth if she gets the chance. She has an edge now. Hope Solo has always been a talker, and her play has certainly backed her up considering she's literally one of the best goalies on the planet in either men's or women's soccer. Like I would probably take her at least as Tim Howard's backup right now over Brad Guzan, Nick Rimando, or Bill Hamid. She would easily start for a lot of other countries men's squad. So maybe this street red is what was missing 4 years ago when the USA lost to Japan in the WWC Final. Both goals from the Land of the Rising Sun came from close range; one was a blunder by the USA defense in front of Solo, and the other was form a corner kick. You think those Japanese players go near Solo at all with the ball if they knew she had a rap and spent time in the clink for domestic violence? For sure not. They probably kick that ball straight out of bounds or softly roll it to Solo out of fear. Australia has scored the only goal on the USA in this years World Cup, and it came on a good finish from past the penalty spot, no where near Solo. You think the Aussies wanted any of her up close? No way. Hope Solo is one of the best keepers in the world, she has new found street cred, and she's going to lead the USA to a WWC victory.

(This is meant to be satire)

The Wells Report

This Deflate Gate stuff has seriously spiraled out of control. The world is losing its collective mind over the minute changes in PSI in leather balls. Its lunacy. Its stupid. But its a big issue because its the Patriots. Face it, if this was Carolina, or Houston, or whatever, this would not be as blown out of proportion as it has been. And the rest of the league and fans around the globe can try and say it has nothing to do with the bias against the Patriots; but it does. People want to jump down the throats of this organization and any one associated with it because they're fed up with the constant success. I mean, a lot of the people involved in this have vendettas against the Patriots: Mike Kensil, Bill Polian, etc. I don't even want to get into all the stuff in the report, but there are a few things I have to get out.

So after over 100 days we get a 243 page report that basically says "maybe". Actually, the exact words used are "More Probable Than Not". Brady was "generally aware" of any wrongdoing. And those six words are all it took to have people calling for Tom Brady's head. Look, did he do something shady? Yeah, probably. I would die for TB12, but if the man did something wrong, then I can't possibly defend that. There is no spin zone. But now everyone and their grandmother has a hot take. "Suspend Brady for a game! 2 games! 4! 6, 8, A SEASON!" Give me a break. When Shannon Sharpe says he should be out for 2-4 games, Belichick for THE YEAR (after the Wells Report exonerated him of any wrongdoing, idiot), the Pats should lose 1st round draft picks, and get the maximum fine, I wonder how he's employed to professionally give these opinions. Oh wait he'll tell you he's a Hall of Famer! And then he says Belichick should have known, and Sean Payton was in the same position during the Saints' Cash for Concussions operation. Hey dummy, you're wrong. Goodell didn't say "Sean you should have known", he got Payton FOR KNOWING. He was in meetings when players were demanding their money for inflicting physical injuries on opponents. Ron Borges is saying Brady's Hall of Fame status is affected, and used Ken Stabler as a comparison  Stabler possibly bet on games, oh and he also threw 222 interceptions and only 194 touchdowns in 10 seasons. Brady has 342 TDs and 193 INTs. So maybe stats have to do with Stabler not being in the Hall, just a shot in the dark though Ron. 

Oh and we have Jets and Ravens fans talking about how if Brady gets a fine its just a slap on the wrist. So, say, fining Brady $50k per ball is not harsh enough? You want him to get 4 games for knowing about illegal activity? You suck if you think that. And so, we need to crucify a man based on the text messages of two people. there is no concrete evidence to back up the calls of season long suspensions. Hey, what's going to happen to the ref that pumped a ball up to 16 PSI (2.5 PSI more than the legal limit, for those of you keeping score or don't care because it doesn't incriminate the Patriots) during the Jets game mentioned in the report? 

Now I come to the media coverage. I'm studying journalism at a rather prestigious place (Roy H. Park School of Communications at Ithaca College) I'm not trying to come off as arrogant, just trying to get the point across that I'm being taught about the industry by credible and excellent people who have worked in sports journalism before. The job being done by the media is horrible. As journalists we have to be objective. So does this look objective? 

No. But that's New York. How about this one?

Much better right? Seems more objective. Must be from a pro-Patriot publication if its not sentencing Brady to eternal damnation! Oh, wait, its from ARUBA? And we wonder why journalism is absolutely going down the drain in this country...

I've been saying it since day one. The NFL talks about how this is an issue about the "integrity of the game", yet they ran a sting operation. How about level the playing field, IF anything illegal happened, BEFORE the game instead of trying to say "Gotcha!". I won't even bring up the other items that take away from their precious integrity of the game. Not enough people are taking about how hypocritical that is.

I almost hope Tom gets suspended for 2 games. Let Jimmy G go out and get us to 2-0. Then Brady starts Week 3 and comes out like a bat out of hell, puts up 66 points and we go 19-0 and get one for the thumb. He needs to turn into the bad guy, not talk to the media (when Marshawn Lynch does it its funny, but Brady? Ban him for life!) and come out of the locker room to the NWO theme music.

There's honestly so much more to talk about but I may have a seizure if I get too worked up about it.

I'll leave this here: Page 228, section 13. " In sum, the data did not provide a basis for us to determine with absolute certainty whether there was or was not tampering as the analysis of such data ultimately is dependent upon assumptions and information that is not certain." 
#BradyLivesMatter #IStandWithTom

Ally Runyon: Junior Attacks Women's Lax Records

When junior attacker Ally Runyon receives a pass from her teammate, she knows she can score. When she’s slicing through defenses on the field, it looks second nature by now, as she tucks the ball into the net with pinpoint accuracy. The statistics do not convey the extent of how she can take over a game.

The women’s lacrosse team’s leading scorer has had an impressive campaign once again for the South Hill squad this season.

As a freshman, Runyon tallied 31 goals, which was second-most on the team, en route to being named the Empire 8 Rookie of the Year in 2013.

She surpassed that number of goals in her second season, scoring 56 on her way to being named to both the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association’s All-Empire Region Team and the Empire 8 All-Conference First Team.

So far in 2015, Runyon has netted 35 goals in only 10 games and is on pace to score 60 for the season. Should Runyon reach that number, she would be close to breaking the school’s single season goal-scoring record of 61 set in 1998 by then-senior Allison Doyle.

Despite the numbers, Runyon said her transition to the college game was not as easy as it seemed coming out of Fairport High School in Fairport, New York.

“The adjustment from high school to college was very difficult,” Runyon said. “The speed of play and the talent level of the team were so much higher than anything that I had been exposed to, so it took some time to adjust to.”

She said she did not necessarily feel unprepared when it came time to make the transition, but she had to get comfortable and build a rapport with her new teammates.

“I did have to work really hard and get used to being a part of a new team, but my teammates were amazing at building our confidence and making each other better players,” Runyon said.

After clearing those initial speed bumps, Runyon was on the fast lane to becoming a true offensive threat, and she said she attributes her goal-scoring prowess to a lack of fear in the field due to an increased trust in her teammates abilities.

“I think that the reason I have become more of a goal scoring threat is that I am not afraid to take as many risks as I have in the past,” she said.

Head coach Shannon McHale said Runyon’s work ethic and athletic ability are also key components to her offensive skills.

“[She is a] superior athlete who is very humble and always works to be better every day,” McHale said.

Runyon’s teammate, junior midfielder Riley Marion, echoed McHale’s sentiments when she said she believes Runyon has the skills of a high-caliber athlete.

“She’s really strong, so not many defenders can stop her,” Marion said. “Al has a really quick first step and is comfortable driving left or right, so that makes her very hard to defend.”

Runyon said she has noticed opponents utilize a defensive tactic called face guarding in order to try and stop her from scoring. Face guarding is described as when a designated defensive player will face a chosen offensive player for the entirety of the attack and not let them out of their sight. This makes it harder for offensively dangerous players, such as Runyon, to impact the game by giving them limited opportunities to have the ball.

Runyon said while the tactic can be successful every so often, it has not affected the team’s ability to score as a whole.

“It can work to get me out of the play, but fortunately we have enough talent on our team so this doesn’t affect our offense too much,” she said. “I have to work harder to get the ball, but we all work together to do whatever our offense needs to do to score goals.”

McHale said she shared Runyon’s feelings about having a talented offense that defenders cannot ignore to focus on the goal-scoring junior.

“You can’t shut Ally Runyon down,” McHale said. “She’s too smart, too athletic and too competitive. She has talented teammates who the defense has to mark as well or they will score as well.”

Marion said the dynamic between Runyon and her is more than just teammates is but one of friendship that translates on the field.

“We’re best friends, and I think that shows sometimes on the field,” Marion said. “One of the strongest parts of our attack is our fast break, and that is a time where we really work together and create opportunities for each other. Ally has a really good game sense and I can rely on her to give me a great feed if I am cutting, or I know she will be able to handle and finish any feed I give her.”

Bomber basketball finding their stride

(Another feature in The Ithacan)

Heading into winter break, the men’s basketball team was looking for answers. With only a 2–5 record to show for the beginning of the season and Empire 8 action on the horizon, the team needed to find its groove.

After a loss to Hamilton College five days after Christmas and another a week later to Elmira College to open conference play, the Bombers were 2–7 and faced with a Utica College squad that had won two of its last three games. The Bombers won that game 97–90, and would go on to win eight of the next 11, including a five-game win streak.

The South Hill squad had seemingly swung its season around. It went from embarrassing losses, such as a 74–48 drubbing at the hands of Trinity College, to dominating wins over its opponents, showcased in its 15-point win over Houghton College.

There was plenty missing in the season’s early stages. One could point to the team’s youth, with seven freshmen and eight new players overall. There was not much familiarity among the team members, and chemistry on the court is vital in smooth team play.

Head coach Jim Mullins said knowing your teammates’ tendencies and preferences could make the difference between an assist on the game tying 3-pointer and throwing the ball out of bounds while thinking your teammate will be there.

Mullins said his goal was to have the team find its identity by the time conference play began.

“With eight new faces on this year’s team and a very tough early schedule, we knew it would take some ‘gelling’ for this team to hit its stride,” he said. “Our hope was that this would occur by the time we got into Empire 8 play, and that’s pretty much what happened.”

Building chemistry was not as hard as originally thought. In fact, it was practically enforced for the team. Members of the athletic teams are, for the most part, the only students who remain on campus over breaks. After a few days at home for holiday celebrations, the basketball team was back on South Hill and among the only people on campus.

Being seemingly isolated on campus and, as coach Mullins said, often living together in any of the dorm options, players grow closer than ever and sometimes all it takes to find cohesion on the court is finding cohesion off of it.

Co-captains Keefe Gitto and Max Masucci are the only seniors on the team, and Gitto said they took it upon themselves to do what it took to right the ship and get the season back on course.

Gitto has averaged 15.7 points per game since returning from break, while Masucci has pitched in with 23 assists in 15 games.

Gitto said the lack of classes or other campus activities meant there was a relaxed environment for players, and some teammates even temporarily moved in together.

“During break there is a lot of downtime that allows the team to get together in a less high-intensity setting,” Gitto said. “A lot of the underclassmen move in with the upperclassmen for the break, and this is where a lot of the off-court relationships are formed.”

Gitto said with practices and games being the only concrete items on their daily schedules, the players had opportunities to come together and partake in activities that would help them increase their chemistry.

“As a team we tried to get together to do something almost every night,” he said. “We went bowling and took trips to the mall, but we would mostly just hang out at someone’s house. Being together without any distractions really helped us all learn more about each other, which in turn translated to building cohesiveness on the court.”

Masucci said chemistry played a role in the team’s play, and that it was the job of upperclassmen to help players that were new to the college game make a smooth transition.

“I think it definitely had something to do with building chemistry,” he said. “I wouldn’t blame it on the younger players though. It’s our duty as upperclassmen to ease them into the college game. We played a very tough out of conference schedule so we could be ready for conference games later in the year.”

Mullins said he seems to have found a preferable starting lineup and bench rotation, but even so, he believes the chemistry aspect of the game is the main cause for the team’s good play as of late.

“While we have settled into a rotation, I still believe that the primary reason we are playing better is that the guys are becoming more familiar with one another, learning each other’s strengths and weaknesses,” he said.

Aside from building chemistry, Gitto said the squad was able to put more attention solely on basketball with no academic responsibilities to attend to over the break.

“During the break the coaching staff really focused on breaking down and simplifying what we were trying to achieve,” Gitto said. “With a young team this really helped our focus and contributed to our success.”

With the players gelling better than ever, pushing the pace of play and getting everyone on the floor touches, Mullins said he thinks the team is one to watch in the final stretch of the season.

“When we’re moving the ball, playing unselfishly, we’re a pretty dangerous team,” he said.