The recent report of the Special Oversight Committee on Sexual Misconduct at Amherst contains some good suggestions on how to improve the disciplinary system and the delivery of psychological and medical care to victims of rape, recommendations that are already being implemented. But in one important respect, the report is seriously flawed.
After four years at Amherst, most students leave campus with an education, enduring friendships and an inordinate amount of purple clothing. It’s decidedly less common for a recent graduate to leave with a new sibling — but that’s exactly what Jack Angiolillo ’08 did. During his first year at Amherst, Angiolillo became a Big Brother in the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire County Program. By the time he left the College, however, it was clear his relationship with his “little brother,” Joe, was only beginning.
The Lady Jeffs started their season off right with three consecutive 3-0 victories as they prepare to enter NESCAC play.
Saturday, Sept. 8, saw the Lady Jeffs record wins over the Univ. of St. Joseph and Mt. Holyoke, extending their winning streak in season-opening matches to nine.
Playing at Mt. Holyoke, the Amherst squad cruised to wins in both matches, sweeping all six sets on the day and never allowing more than 17 points in a single set. Against St. Joseph, the Jeffs surrendered only 22 total points, dropping the Blue Jays to 1-5 on the season.
The men’s soccer team opened its season on the right foot last weekend, collecting a pair of shutout wins over Colby-Sawyer (6-0 score) and Bridgewater State (2-0). The Jeffs, ranked No. 5 in the country, will travel to Bates this weekend to begin their NESCAC title defense.
In 2011, the Jeffs also started their season against Colby-Sawyer and Bridgewater State, winning both matches by combined 5-1 score (3-0 against CS, 2-1 vs. Bridgewater). This year, however, the Jeffs won more convincingly.
In sports, especially in Major League Baseball, there is often a battle raging in the minds of every front office and in the fans that follow their teams closely: Should sports decisions be made with your head or your heart? From a purely rational point of view, it seems ridiculous that men and women whose jobs center around constructing the best team possible would potentially jeopardize the interests of the team for the sake of emotions. I mean, isn’t the mantra of father figures and Little League coaches everywhere that there’s no crying in baseball?
Field hockey started their season off strong with two victories, the first coming in a convincing 3-1 win over Keene State. Krista Zsitvay ’14 scored twice, and the Lady Jeffs got strong performances across the board in a victory that wasn’t as close as the final score suggests.
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The Amherst cross-country program seems primed to make a leap forward this year, as both the men and women look to build on successful 2011 campaigns to achieve new heights in 2012.
The men’s squad exceeded all expectations last season, shedding the ‘rebuilding’ label that had been attached to them after the loss of two consecutive senior classes, which included the remaining Jeffs who raced in the 2009 NCAA Championship.
