Deciphering a Decade

Deciphering a Decade

When the ball dropped in Times Square to bring 2009 to a close, it was also quitting time for the opening decade of the new century.

So much had happened in a mere 10 years. The terms Twitter, iPhone and Facebook are now part of nearly everyone's vernacular. American Idol, Survivor and Grey's Anatomy reign on TV. And sadly, the events of Sept. 11, 2001 had changed our world forever.

That 10-year span saw the University of New England Nor'easters storm into the decade and close it with a flurry.

Below is a look back at one observer's 10 most compelling stories of the decade.

10. Field hockey player Taryn Flagg is chosen third team all-America (2009)

After shattering nearly every career and single-season record in the program’s record book, Taryn Flagg ’10 was recognized by Longstreth and the National Field Hockey Coaches Association as a third team all-American. Flagg finished her brilliant career with 51 goals and 22 assists, good for 124 total points – all school records. She piled up a school-record 24 goals in 2009 en route to earning The Commonwealth Coast Conference (TCCC) Player of the Year and first team all-Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) accolades.

9. Four fall student-athletes selected TCCC Senior Scholar-Athletes of the Year (2009)

In span of just a few days this past October, four fall sport student-athletes were recognized as TCCC Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year in their respective sport. Anne Cowles (field hockey), Ryan Tarr (men’s soccer), Ali Trafton (women’s soccer) and Claire Varner (volleyball) were each honored as the gold standard for the term “student-athlete.”

8. UNE announces plans for construction of a synthetic turf field (2009)

As the athletics program has grown by leaps-and-bounds, so has the need for additional space and an upgrade to facilities. Some of those needs will become a reality in the near future when construction of a synthetic turf field commences. The Nor’easters will be one of the few athletics programs in the nation – and the only NCAA Division III institution – sporting blue synthetic turf. The fully-lit facility will be a competition field for field hockey and lacrosse, as well as soccer during inclement weather. It will also provide the student body space for intramural activities in the evening.

7. Field hockey team captures UNE’s first ECAC Championship (2009)

A scoring attack that ranked UNE 17th in the nation. A program-record 16 wins. The Nor’easters’ first ECAC Championship in any sport. Any way you look at it, the 2009 field hockey season was one to remember. After going 13-2 during the regular season and drawing an opening-round bye in the TCCC Tournament, the Nor’easters were upset by Nichols in the semifinal round. Joan Howard’s squad made the most of the ECAC bid it earned, storming thru the bracket to walk away with the title. Few in attendance will ever forget the epic 3-2 overtime victory over Plymouth State in the championship tilt.

6. UNE brings back men’s ice hockey after a 25-year hiatus (2007)

The University expanded its varsity sport offerings from 13 to 14 with the addition of a men’s ice hockey team, bringing back a program that enjoyed a great deal of success in the late 1970’s when UNE was known as St. Francis College. Under the direction of Brad Holt, the Nor’easters competed at a pre-varsity level for the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons before earning membership into the ECAC East, one of the nation’s premier NCAA Division III leagues.

5. Women’s soccer captures a conference championship (2000)

In just its second year as a member of the Commonwealth Coast Conference, the women’s soccer team was better than all the others in the CCC. Under the direction of Doug Biggs, the Nor’easters posted a 10-1-1 regular-season conference mark and outscored their opponent 10-1 during the CCC Championship to win the program’s first conference title since becoming an NCAA Division III member.

4. Cutting down the nets (2001)

Talk about a Cinderella story. After earning a number six seed in the conference tournament by virtue of an 8-4 regular-season record, the women's basketball team won three consecutive playoff games on the road to come away with a CCC title. Perhaps even more impressive than the three road wins was the fashion in which it was done – UNE came away victorious by an average of 13 points, including a 77-60 win over Gordon in the championship game.

3. Slugging their way to a title (2000)

Back-to-back victories over Endicott in the championship round of the CCC Championship gave the softball team the athletics program’s first conference title since becoming a full-fledge member of the NCAA in 1999. David Labbe’s Nor’easters boasted a vaunted offense that averaged nearly nine runs a game as they pounded their way to a 26-10 record. Included in those 26 wins was a 14-game winning streak, as well as a win over St. Joseph’s of Long Island in the opening round of the NCAA Championship – a victory that still stands today as UNE’s lone win in any sport in the NCAA Championship.

2. UNE recognized by the NCAA and USA Today (2003)

UNE’s academic excellence shone thru in 2003 when the University was honored by the NCAA and USA Today for having the highest student-athlete graduation rate in the nation. Former president Sandra Featherman, Ph.D and student-athlete Emily Willoughby traveled to McLean, Va. to accept the prestigious honor at the NCAA’s 2003 Academic Achievement Awards.

1. Creating a buzz while taking home a championship (2009)

A Campus Center record crowd of 1,093 supported the Nor’easters as they won the men’s basketball program’s first-ever The Commonwealth Coast Conference championship when the Nor’easters took down Colby-Sawyer, 90-79. During the regular season, Jason Mulligan’s crew reeled off 19 consecutive wins at one point on their way to racking up 24 wins – a turnaround of 19 wins in a span of two seasons. Buoyed by their faithful following at home, the Nor’easters averaged 372 fans per home contest, including more than 2,400 in attendance at three home playoff contests.