2009-2010 Men's Basketball Season in Review

The Elmira College Men’s Basketball team finished the 2009-10 season with a 4–21 record under second year Head Coach Randie Torgalski. Despite having a balance of youth and experience the Soaring Eagles could not get over the hump this season in the tough Empire 8 Conference.

The Soaring Eagles found success early in the season against out-of conference opponents, upsetting Fredonia 83-77 at home in the first game of the season, while also defeating Clarkson University at home 84-66. In Empire contests, Elmira defeated Alfred University 75-71, and won at Utica College 72-58.

Elmira College was led by a core group of 4th year players who provided veteran leadership and a determined attitude during the 2009-10 season. Bryan Mathews ’10 (Horseheads, NY -- Horseheads), Jon Adamson ’10 (Little Falls, NY -- Herkimer), David Nelson ’10 (Bainbridge, NY -- Bainbridge-Guilford), Chris Henderson ’10 (West Bridgewater, MA -- Coyle Cassidy), and Palen Andreozzi ’10 (Albany, NY -- Christian Brothers Academy) appeared in all 25 games this season, while Nick Woitach ’10 (Vestal, NY -- Vestal Senior) appeared in 21 games for the Soaring Eagles.

Mathews started in 17 games averaging 22.2 minutes, while shooting 40.7% from the field. He acted as the main distributor for the second straight year tallying 79 assists, and ends his career 10th all time in Elmira College Men’s Basketball history with 260 assists. In his final campaign the vocal leader averaged 4.9 points per game, was second on the team with 21 steals, and also grabbed 73 rebounds from the point guard position.

Adamson led the Soaring Eagles in rebounding this past season, snatching 6.0 rebounds a game, finishing his career 7th all time in Elmira College history with just over 500 rebounds. In his 4th year Adamson started 17 games, playing 25.4 minutes per game, while dropping in 8.6 points per game with a 42.9% shooting percentage. Adamson also totaled 24 assists and 15 steals.

During his four year career Nelson was a sharpshooter from the charity stripe and from beyond the arc. Nelson finished his time with the purple and gold 1st all time in Elmira College Men’s Basketball history in free throw percentage hitting 85.5% of his free throws and finished 5th all time in three point field goals made with 128. In 2009-10, he started 17 games, averaged 7.3 points per game, bringing down 48 boards, and recorded 7 blocks.

Starting in 16 games, Henderson did the little things for Elmira, playing 14.6 minutes per game, tearing down 58 boards, while ripping away 14 steals from opponents. He averaged 1.9 points a game and contributed 15 assists. Joining him in the front court was Elmira’s representative for Empire 8 Sportsman of the year Palen Andreozzi, who averaged 9.1 minutes per game, 2.6 points per game, and notched 40 rebounds, and 8 blocks.

Fellow 4th year player Nick Woitach provided great leadership and came on strong late in the season with quality minutes off the bench. Woitach led the team in scoring in the final contest of the year off the bench netting 11 points at Stevens Institute of Technology and was the third highest scorer dropping 9 points at RIT. He finished the season averaging 7.6 minutes a game, 1.8 points per game, while grabbing 17 boards and dishing 13 assists.

Losing six players to graduation, the third year players for Elmira College will be relied upon heavily to fill their shoes both on the court and off the court. Bobby DiPiazza ’11 (Wyckoff, NJ -- Bergen Catholic) had another solid season, starting in 18 of the 25 games he appeared. DiPiazza averaged a team high in minutes per game with 29.7 and points per game with 13.8, while averaging 4.2 rebounds, 1.88 assists, and 1.16 steals per game. He will be looked to continue to become a complete player for the Soaring Eagles in 2010-11.

Zach Simpson ’11 (Savona, NY -- Campbell-Savona) made great strides in becoming a physical presence and force down low for Elmira, starting 18 games playing 19.8 minutes per game. Simpson averaged 5.8 points per game, tallied 4.5 rebounds per game, 20 blocks, and shot 40.1% from the field.

Providing sparks off the bench were Noah Zazulia ’11 (Palm City, FL – Jensen Beach), Chris McGowan ’11 (Maypearl, TX – Maypearl), Bobby Thomas ’13 (Wantagh, NY - MacArthur), and Brandon DiPaola ’13 (Coventry, RI – Coventry). Zazulia played all 25 games for Elmira while fighting injuries. He played 19.5 minutes a game, netted 4.0 points per game, grabbed 75 rebounds, and had 19 assists and 12 takeaways. McGowan appeared in 19 games, averaging 4.1 points in 13.3 minutes per game, totaling 26 rebounds and 11 assists. Thomas averaged 16.7 minutes a game in his 21 games played. He averaged 3.9 points per game, accumulating 30 assists, scooping up 23 rebounds, and 10 steals. DiPaola started 9 of 20 games played, averaging 9.5 minutes and 1.9 points per game. He added 11 assists and 9 boards.

With the departure of the 4th year players, Ryan Patterson ’11 (Brattleboro, VT -- Brattleboro Union), TJ Woitach ’11 (Vestal, NY -- Vestal Senior), and Matt Willard ’13 (Coventry, RI – Coventry) will be looked to step up and play extended roles in the Soaring Eagles 2010-11 campaign. Patterson appeared in 16 games, playing 3.2 minutes per game, dropping in 9 points, while grabbing 12 boards. Woitach played in 14 games, average 3.1 minutes per game and averaged 1.2 points per game. Willard averaged 2.4 minutes in his 13 appearances and scored 8 points on the year.

The 2010-11 Elmira College Men’s Basketball team will have a new look losing six players to graduation. In his 3rd year, Coach Torgalski will look to find the right combination of experience and youth in order to achieve success next season.