By: Katie Zigelman, News Staff
Last year Northeastern experienced multiple athletic accomplishments both for individuals and entire teams. Here is a look at some of the student-athletes who helped make that happen and are worth keeping an eye on this year.
Mike McLaughlin – men’s hockey
Last season, senior forward Mike McLaughlin, now the team’s captain, made a career-high 11 goals, three of which were power-play goals, 15 points and 63 shots. He tied for third on the team with the highest number of goals scored and earned the best shooting percentage, .175.
McLaughlin is also the team’s only senior, a title which he said puts extra stress on him.
“It puts a lot of burden on my shoulders in terms of leadership,” McLaughlin said. “I have to lead by example. Just take the reins and show the guys the way.”
New head coach Jim Madigan talked about his first impression of McLaughlin and the skills the veteran forward brings to the team.
“When I first started everyone was extremely positive about his character, leadership skills, maturity and focus level,” Madigan said.
Madigan said he is expecting to see McLaughlin’s leadership skills both on and off the ice.
“He is a great representation of this institution and of his team,” Madigan said. “He is a quiet leader who leads by actions. He did great last year and will continue that this year.”
McLaughlin is looking to improve upon last season’s finish, where they lost to Boston College in the Hockey East semi-finals.
“He is a great representation of this institution and of his team,” Madigan said. “He is a quiet leader who leads by actions. He did great last year and will continue that this year.”
McLaughlin is looking to improve upon last season’s finish, where they lost to Boston College in the Hockey East semi-finals.
“We’re coming off a lot of success from last year and we have a new coach and new opportunities,” McLaughlin said.
Crystal Poland – field hockey
In the first four games of the 2011 season, junior forward Crystal Poland scored nine goals and assisted on two more. In two games alone, she notched hat tricks – against Providence and No. 13 Michigan State, respectively.
Head coach Cheryl Murtagh said Poland is off to a great start so far this season.
“She really helped to get our attack started,” Murtagh said.
The team is undefeated and just moved up to 18th in the national poll.
“The team is off to a really good start,” Poland said. “It’s great to be a part of it.”
Last year, Poland earned second team All-American honors and was named to three different teams; the National Field Hockey Coaches Association All-Northeast Region first team, the All-Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) first team and the CAA All-Tournament team. She scored 11 goals and had six assists for a total of 58 points in her sophomore campaign.
“She is very explosive and has great skills,” Murtagh said. “She really picks up the pace of our attack.”
Poland said she is hoping to see her team finish first in its conference in order host and ideally win the CAA tournament.
Joel Smith – men’s basketball
In the 2010-11 men’s basketball season, junior guard Joel Smith made a total of 378 points ranking him 18th out of all the players in the CAA. He scored an average of 12.2 points per game, which put him at second on his team.
He is fifth in the CAA for his three-point percentage rate (.425) and third for number of three pointers made (77).
Smith said he is looking forward to the beginning of the 2011-12 basketball season.
“I am so excited, I can’t wait for it to start,” he said. “We have a lot of competitive games. We’re a competitive team and our coach wants us to compete.”
Others to look out for:
Kashaia Cannon – women’s basketball
Kashaia Cannon – women’s basketball
Senior guard Kashaia Cannon played in 29 of 30 basketball games last season, starting 27 of them. She earned a spot as second on the team in scoring with an average of 10.7 points per game. This average placed her at 23rd in the conference.
Cannon was also ranked 13th in the CAA for her 47 steals throughout the season and ninth for her 48 three pointers made.
Cannon was also ranked 13th in the CAA for her 47 steals throughout the season and ninth for her 48 three pointers made.
Janelle Tucker – volleyball
As a sophomore, Janelle Tucker was named to the Preseason All-CAA First Team this season. In the season opener against Fairleigh Dickinson she led the team with 11 kills and 14 digs for a double-double. She earned another double-double in the team’s game against Central Connecticut on August 27, when she made 13 kills and 12 digs.
During the 2010 season Tucker started all 30 of the team’s games and ranked second on the team with 348 kills, 320 digs and 24 service aces. She registered a total of nine double-doubles throughout the season and was named CAA Co-Rookie of the Year. She was also named to the CAA All-Rookie Team and to the All-CAA Third Team.
Eric Jenkins – track and field
While he may only be a sophomore, distance runner Eric Jenkins is a force to be reckoned with on the track. He won his first ever collegiate race last year at the Bryant Invitational and did not stop there.
He was named CAA Runner of the Week two times in just three weeks during the indoor season, during which he qualified for the Intercollegiate Association of Amateur Athletes of America Championship meet.
He was named CAA Runner of the Week two times in just three weeks during the indoor season, during which he qualified for the Intercollegiate Association of Amateur Athletes of America Championship meet.
During the outdoor season, Jenkins recorded the best 5,000-meter time for a Northeastern freshman ever with a time of 14:09.67 at the Stanford invitational and became the first Husky to win the 5,000-meter run at the CAA Championship meet. He competed in both the 5,000-meter run and the 1,500-meter run at the NCAA East Regional and was the only freshman to make it all the way to the national semi-finals in the 1,500.
