an open letter to the cua community

April 5, 2001
An Open Letter to the CUA Community:

Today a guest lecturer, Colman McCarthy, conducted my Peace in World Religions class. When voices from the hallway outside the classroom interrupted him, Mr. McCarthy invited the owner of the voice to come into the class. Her name was Catherine; she is a custodial worker here at CUA. Mr. McCarthy asked her how long she had worked at CUA. She told us she has worked here for twenty-two years. When asked how much she earned, her answer was $8.60 per hour. She agreed that she deserved more, and that we should organize. Mr. McCarthy then asked who agreed that Catherine deserved more, by a show of hands. Several of us raised our hands and, because I was the first person his eye fell on, Mr. McCarthy named me chairman of the Committee to Raise Catherine's Wage. After that, Catherine returned to her custodial duties, and we went on with our class.

I write today to say that Catholic University should raise the wage of its custodians. Catherine's wage is, after twenty-two years with the university, $8.60 per hour. I have done the arithmetic-that means that if Catherine works eight hours per day, five day per week, for fifty weeks a year, (generous considering the University's academic schedule) her annual income will be $17,200. I do not know if Catherine is supporting a family, or even if she has a family. I don't know if the government considers her "poor." I do know that she earns her money by sweeping up after all of us, taking out our garbage, and cleaning our toilets. I do know that next year, in my first year as a teacher, I can hope to make twice as much as she does after more than twenty, and that some members of my class will make even more than I will. I know that Catherine deserves a better wage.

I know some will say that I am not being "realistic" about the situation. Those people are right-I am not being realistic. I am being idealistic, and I challenge the University administration, the student body, and the entire CUA community to join me. Let us live up to our ideals, as Christians and as people. I challenge us all to be creative enough to make what should be, what is.

Nicholas Kleinhaus,
Chairman, Committee to Raise Catherine's Wage
Senior, History Major.

(Phone # x1033. Not for publication.)

Steve Schatz Sneaky Campaigning

Its bad enough I encounter bright posters alerting me about tomorrow's prayer meeting every time I leave my room, but when USG elections time comes around poster hanging gets out of hand. Ok, so they can hang their posters obnoxiously all over my hall - fine, I can deal with that. Imagine my suprise, however, when I return at midnight this Sunday from a regatta to notice a new sign placed above my "Steve Rubis for TVP" poster willingly hung on my door. The sign was bright yellow and read "No need to knock, this room is voting for Steve Schatz." Nice, I guess there wasn't any reason to knock on my door to ask me to put the sign up in the first place. Multiple people in Regan Hall had these signs on their doors wihtout any request to use their door as a propaganda machine by Schatz, or his campaigning staff. Schatz crossed the line; there were plenty of spaces to hang posters all over Regan one, but he chose to hang them on our doors. Moreover, he failed to ask our permission. Neither I, nor my roommate gave permission to him to do so. Not cool, Steve. You're LVP, you're posters drape our walls, what more exposure do you need? Someone's overly concerned with winning a student government election if they are willing to sneak around in order to spread their message.

Jamie Lynch

On a young team it’s not unusual for freshmen to get playing time. But this year’s Catholic men’s lacrosse team has more than just a contributor in freshman Jamie Lynch. Accompanied by two sophomores (Matt Lambert and Ryan Welsh) on the front line, Lynch has had to supplant the scoring of several key departed seniors this year.

But he’s lived up to that task and provided coach Brooks Singer with some much-needed inside talent and surprising leadership. The attackman out of LaSalle High School (PA) has already used his 6’2, 200 pound frame to rack up 12 goals and 15 assists just nine games into his first season of collegiate play.

“He plays very maturely as a freshman,” remarked junior teammate Jimmy Nalls. “With a young team like ours, it’s understood that some freshmen have to step up. We’re lucky when guys like Jamie can step in right away and be a leader.”

Despite his early success, which might make some freshmen arrogant, Lynch remains grounded. “I’ll do whatever it takes to help the team,” he remarked. “I’ll play any role [the coaches] want me to play.”

And his goals for his career at Catholic are team-oriented. “I just want to help us become a contender in the conference and put together as many winning seasons as possible.”

As freshman defenseman Morgan Tremper put it, “{Lynch} has got a lot of heart… and intensity. He’s very unselfish and is willing to do whatever he needs to do to help the team win.”

With a 4-5 record, CUA lacrosse is still working to get to the level of Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) rivals like nationally ranked Salisbury State. However, the young program has built a foundation for a bright future. And with young stars like Lynch already making an impact, that future seems to be closer than anticipated.

–Cory Willey

Kate Vincent

Catholic University is a long way from Billings, Montana. For sophomore Kate Vincent, two reasons make the long trip worthwhile: academics and athletics. Vincent explained her college decision clearly, saying, “being able to play softball at this level and knowing I could still do architecture,” made it clear.

Vincent admitted that the stress level of this combination is always challenging. She explained “the hardest thing is trying to fit it all in and do it all well.” Yet sophomore teammate Kristen Werdann praises her ability to manage a tight schedule. Werdann called Vincent “a great team player, she will do anything for the team. It’s very hard for her to make the commitment that she does, and she gives 120 percent every time.”

With a current record of 6-6, CUA boasts a young team comprised mostly of freshmen and sophomores with a tremendous amount of potential. Vincent, one of two starting pitchers, is bringing more variety to her game this season. Werdann explained that Vincent has added more off speed pitches and change-ups to her arsenal, punctuating her normal hard throwing style and catching hitters off guard.

Admitting that she thrives off competition, Vincent said that she navigates her way through the long innings confident in the talent of her teammates. She makes every pitch “knowing that I have a whole team behind me” ready to help make three up, three down the rule, rather than the exception. She called the best part of being a Cardinal “being able to compete with other people who love softball so much.”

When asked to describe Vincent, roommate and fellow sophomore athlete Jennifer Alvarez stated, “She does way beyond what she has to do. I don’t know how she does it… She never stops until the job is done.” With twenty games left in their season, Vincent is exactly the kind of player CUA wants behind the mound.

–Nicky Bhalla

Trotta, McAlarnen Leaders in Softball

The women’s softball team added a win to their record with their victory over Columbia Union last Saturday. The team prevailed with a score of 6-5 in what was a testing game throughout. Sophomore Kristin Werdann pitched for the Cardinals. Freshman second baseman and short stop Julie McAlarnen hit a three-run homer in the top of the seventh inning. This play clinched the game for the Cardinals.

Werdann said, “We definitely stayed mentally tough throughout this game because at given times we were losing and then winning and then losing again. We came back and stayed on top in the seventh inning. Overall, our skills are much better than last season so things are looking good for us right now.”

Coach Dean Ferington said, “We played our best game so far this year. When they were up, we hung around. Our team is young and whichever one of our teams shows up determines how we do.”

The Cardinals traveled to Mary Washington on Wednesday for a double header. Despite a great effort, the team lost 10-2 in the first game. Werdann pitched and also scored a run. Sophomore catcher Nikki Brewer scored the second run. The Cardinals fell behind in the first inning when Mary Washington scored four quick runs. Senior centerfielder Jennifer Trotta had a run batted in (RBI).

In the second game of the afternoon, the team suffered a close defeat in a score of 9-6. Sophomore Kate Vincent pitched. Trotta scored one run while Werdann added two more. Freshman third baseman Jessica Payne scored two runs; sophomore outfielder Emily Sullivan had one run. McAlarnen had three RBIs in this second match-up.

Ferington said, “We came out flat, and it was just one of those games. We had been down five to nothing and then came back and tied it. This team does not quit; we always feel that we are in the game.”

McAlarnen said, “Wednesday’s games were tough for everyone. We had a lot of other circumstances that played a part in our performance. There were some shining moments. Jennifer [Trotta] and Jessica [Payne] had great batting days. We are looking for a turnaround this weekend.”

Ambrosetti Scores 3 Goals in Contest Against Navy Team

The Catholic University women’s lacrosse team picked up two wins in three contests over the duration of the past week. The squad raised their record to 3-4 overall (0-4 Capital Athletic Conference) after picking up wins against Navy on Wednesday, as well as a commanding win over Virginia Wesleyan last Sunday.

Catholic defeated the Naval Academy’s club team by a score of 11-9. Although the team currently has a club status, it plays a primarily Division I schedule; according to Catholic head coach Kristine Manning, the Navy club squad will become a Division I team next season.

“Navy was a great win for us,” said Manning. “It was nice to see us control the game.”

Junior captain Kristi Ambrosetti led the attack by scoring three goals. Adding two goals apiece for the visiting Cardinals were junior attack Hanna Bissell, junior midfielder Kate Abbonizio, and freshman midfielder Colleen Finnerty. This win served as a good rebound to a tough loss against Mary Washington College last Tuesday.

Mary Washington, ranked #9 in the country according to lax.com, defeated Catholic by a score of 17-8. The host Eagles are also the pre-season favorite to win the Capital Athletic Conference (CAC). With the win, Mary Washington improved to a 5-2 overall record. Senior attack Bridget Geiman had five goals and three assists to lead her team past the Cardinals.

A disappointed Manning commented, “Mary Washington is the CAC team favored to make the [National Collegiate Athletic Association] tournament. We had to play to the best of our ability to win, and we did not play our best.”

However, Ambrosetti expressed optimism, saying, “We have the talent to beat them, yet we let them dominate. I am looking forward to the playoffs. By that time, our team will be so strong and we will be unstoppable.”

The loss came after an 18-10 defeat of Virginia Wesleyan at home last Sunday. Abbonizio led Catholic, scoring seven points on four goals and three assists. Bissell added four goals as well, while Ambrosetti tallied three.

“We controlled the game, yet we made mistakes, and fortunately we did not let them respond,” said Manning.

Manning also lauded the exceptional play of junior goalie Amanda Lewis this season. About Lewis, Manning added, “She is the outspoken leader of our team, and her voice and presence has been huge for our team.”

Manning continued by saying, “Our focus this year is getting to the CAC Championship game and winning. We must continue to not look back, and look forward.”

Today, the Cardinals will face Guilford College at home, before facing #11 Salisbury State on Tuesday. Salisbury is the defending CAC Champion, and fields the top scorers in the CAC.

Men's Lax Defeats D-II Team

As the whistle sounded to end the third quarter of Wednesday’s home game against Lees-McRae College, a pushing match erupted between members of both men’s lacrosse teams. It had been a physical game so far, and the frustrations of the afternoon were evident. Two players from each team were ejected, and the physical, rough play continued through the fourth quarter.

Yet, the Catholic men’s lacrosse team was able to hold off a late charge in the final quarter by the Bobcats, who scored three goals in the span of 75 seconds to cut their deficit to one. Catholic responded when sophomore midfielder Dan Lavoie took a pass from junior midfielder Jimmy Nalls and found the back of the net for an insurance goal. The Cardinals led 12-10 with 1:22 remaining. They held on to win, posting their second straight victory.

At halftime of the match, the Cardinals held a 7-4 advantage over their Division II rivals from Lees-McRae. The Cards got goals from freshman midfielder Spencer Moysey and freshman attacker Andrew Donnelly to push their lead to 9-5.

In the opening five minutes of the fourth quarter, Catholic got a pair of goals from sophomore attacker Matt Lambert, extending their lead to 11-6. The Bobcats responded, getting four unanswered goals over a three minute span. Catholic was able to stem the tide of the Bobcat comeback, getting the goal from Lavoie to ice the game.

“This was a good team we beat,” said head coach Brooks Singer. “They have lots of talent.” With the victory, Catholic improved their season record to 4-6.

Singer seemed pleased with the effort from his team. “Today was the first time we’ve put it together as a team to pull out a close game,” he said. “We really needed this win; it would have been tough to lose another close game.”

Freshman attacker Jamie Lynch said, “It was a very physical game and a tough win. I was glad that we were able to pull it out in the end.”

Eric Slagle, a sophomore attackman and midfielder, called the game against Lees-McRae College “definitely the most exciting game we had all season. We played as a team. We fought hard in that game and came through for the win,” he said.

Last Saturday, Catholic hosted Marietta College of Ohio in an afternoon match. The Cardinals rolled, manhandling Marietta by a score of 17-4. Nalls led the way with six Cardinal goals, a double hat trick. Lambert, Moysey, sophomore midfielder Kevin Coyle, Lynch, and freshman midfielder Justin Kelly all scored for the Cards.

About the win over Marietta, Slagle said, “The defense was dominant. And our offense continued to improve greatly by putting up 17 goals.”

This weekend, the Cardinals head north for two road games. Saturday, Catholic will battle Centenary College in Hackettston, NJ. Sunday, they will visit the Bronx to face the N.Y. Maritime Academy.

Other D.C. Area Schools, Besides CUA, Struggle To Field Female Athletes

Director of Athletics Robert Talbot has called the lack of women in CUA athletics a “perplexing problem.” And although he “can’t put [his] finger” on the exact problem, Talbot said, “I don’t think we’re alone in it.”

Out of the Washington, D.C. area’s local universities, only George Washington (a Division I school) has a higher percentage of female to male athletes, 52.4 percent to 47.6 percent.

Johns Hopkins University, a Division III school like Catholic, has a 50-50 ratio of men to women in its undergraduate population. Yet, like CUA, only 36.3 percent of their athletes are women.

In 1999-2000, 36.7 percent of athletes at CUA were women. Division I Georgetown University, with 46 percent male undergraduates and 54 percent female undergraduates, has a closer male to female ratio in their 26 varsity sports. Male athletes account for 57.8 percent, while female athletes make up 42.2 percent.

Nationally, the male to female ratio of Division III athletes is lopsided as well. According to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Participation Rates for 1998-1999 (the most recent numbers used by the NCAA), Division III women’s basketball, softball, soccer, lacrosse, and track teams are greater in number but not in athletes.

For example, there are 408 Division III women’s basketball teams and a total of 5,855 players. There are only 379 men’s basketball teams, yet there are 6,579 players. Likewise, while there are 355 softball teams posting a sum total of 6,074 players, there are 336 baseball teams made up of 9,233 players.

However, on the flip side, there are 217 Division III women’s swim teams as opposed to 177 men’s swim teams. Female swimmers compose 4,297 Division III athletes; there are only 2,896 male swimmers.

Talbot also said, “Strictly using my own theories, I think we have to go through another generation of female athletes” to raise the number of females participating in sports. “I’m looking for answers,” he said. “I’d just like to see the numbers and the kids enjoying it.”

Dowd concluded, “It all boils down to numbers and the commitment women are willing to make.” Dowd also stressed the benefits of being on a team as well as the last opportunity for some women to participate in a team atmosphere before life after college. Dowd said, “If you have any interest or talent, don’t hesitate to go out for a team.”

Rue, Peregoy Leave Opponents in Dust

The men’s baseball team had a solid weekend on the diamond. Although the Saturday double-header against Gettysburg started off with a loss of 7-4, the Cards finished it off with a 6-1 victory in the second game. Coach Ross Natoli said, “We had the opportunity to win the first game; it was 4-3 going into the seventh inning, but they scored four runs in the seventh. We also had two errors in the last inning and the pitching wasn’t that great.”

Of the second game Natoli said, “[Sophomore] Doug Sherry pitched a great game and [sophomore third baseman] Andrew Burns had a few clutch hits that drove in some runs.”

Catholic came out on top against Johns Hopkins 12-10 on Sunday for a huge win. Sophomore Adam Weiss started and junior Brandon Bowron came in as the relief pitcher and took home the win. Bowron held Johns Hopkins to two runs in the last four innings. According to Natoli, sophomore shortstop Chris Peregoy had a great game with a double and a triple; he went four for five in the game.

Peregoy said, “Johns Hopkins was the best game we have played as a team all year. All the way down the line, one through nine, everyone hit and we were definitely solid without any errors.”

Natoli continued, “[Senior infielder] Brian DiCiurcio had a huge double-header along with [sophomore third baseman/outfielder] Andrew Burns who had a big hit that drove in a run, too.”

Wednesday, the men took on Gallaudet University and brought home another victory, with a 17-5 score. Freshman pitcher Dan Conway said, “I didn’t have the best start, but I had a great team behind me and that makes all the difference.” Conway held Gallaudet for only two runs in the first three innings. There was a combined effort on the part of the pitching staff; sophomore Eric Cortina had two shut-out innings. He was followed by sophomore Todd Michalak, junior Terence O’Rourke, freshman Bernie Dennis, and junior Doug Smith on the mound. Natoli said, “Offensively, [sophomore catcher/third baseman] Bill Rue had the best game. He drove in three runs with three hits.”

Natoli said, “We are playing good baseball! The team is 7-3 for the last 10 games and hopefully the best baseball playing will be coming up. If we play [the conference games] right then we will be right in the thicket to win the conference.”

The Bleacher Beat

What do you know about grit? I’m talking about determination and stamina. I’m talking about resolution. And I’m thinking that this school’s athletes are perfect examples of grit. You see, CUA sports are on a roll. Not only has the basketball team brought home the 2001 Division III National Championship title, but the rugby team recently defeated Division I Notre Dame. And before that conquest, senior thrower Matt Quinn qualified provisionally for nationals. Before you start singing “We Are the Champions,” read on for a taste of true grit.

This past weekend, 28 members of the rugby club team traveled to Notre Dame to take on the Fighting Irish. Although the team was down 7-3 early on in the first half, they managed to come out with a 10-7 lead.

About the second half, senior Colin McCarthy said, “The last 20 minutes [of the game] were brutal, bloody, and fast.” Senior Steve Tanghe “opened Notre Dame’s defense, cutting past three opposition backs to touchdown under the posts,” continued McCarthy. The team converted and went up 17-7 to win the game. Celebrating in style, the team shouted out, “It sho feels good to be a gangsta!”

At the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) Indoor Championships at Boston University on March 3, Matt Quinn qualified provisionally for the Division III National Indoor Track and Field Championships in the weight. Breaking his own school record for the third time this season, he threw 54.3” and took fourth overall. His original record in the weight was 51.2”.

Although the mark did qualify Quinn provisionally for nationals, only the top 14 throwers in the country were invited to attend. Quinn was 17th. He said, “I was glad to finish off my senior year scoring at the regional meet, which I’ve never done before. And it was the first time that somebody’s qualified provisionally from Catholic in several years.”

Now that’s some good grit.

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