Four Stony Brook teams have earned an NCAA postseason bid, the most the university has earned in a semester since 2012.
After being projected to finish eighth in the Colonial Athletic Association, the Stony Brook football team earned its first Football Championship Subdivision postseason bid since moving to the CAA. Stony Brook played one of the best seasons in program history, ending the season on a five-game win streak. The Seawolves’ 7-1 conference record allowed the team to secure the No. 2 seed behind the undefeated James Madison. Stony Brook will face Lehigh, the Patriot League champions, on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium.
Junior quarterback Joe Carbone has had a breakout season leading the offense, throwing 20 touchdown passes while completing 59 percent of his passes. Carbone’s highlight play this season happened on Nov. 18 against Maine. In the final seconds of the game, Carbone lobbed a 35-yard “Hail Mary” to graduate wide receiver Harrison Jackson to win the game 20-19.
After going 8-21 overall last season, Athletics hired a new staff to rebuild the volleyball team. Led by head coach Kristin Belzung, the team rebounded to post an 18-12 overall record and a 6-6 record in conference play. The team clinched the No. 4 seed in the America East Tournament along with the opportunity to face No. 1-seeded Albany. The Great Danes ended the regular season on a 10-game winning streak, including two wins against the Seawolves, and were favored to win the championship.
However, Stony Brook swept Albany in three sets and No. 2-seeded Binghamton to win its first America East Championship in team history. The team now awaits the selection process for the NCAA tournament which will air Sunday, Nov. 26 at 9 p.m. on ESPNU.
Women’s Soccer head coach Brendan Faherty helped lead the team to an America East Championship in just his second year with the team, finishing with a 4-4 conference record and the No. 5 seed in the America East Tournament. After topping No. 4-seeded Hartford 2-0 in the quarterfinal, Stony Brook upset No. 1-seeded New Hampshire 1-0 to advance to the conference finals to face Vermont. Two early goals were enough to win the game, sealing the America East Championship. However, they were outmatched in against Penn State in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, losing 7-0.
The men’s cross country team continued to dominate the America East Conference by winning the conference championship on Oct. 28 at Hard’ack Recreation Area in Burlington, Vermont for the second consecutive year. The team finished the race in 2:05.40 and accumulating 40 points.
The team’s catalyst this season was sophomore Cameron Avery, who finished second overall in the conference championship. With a time of 24:41.54, Avery beat his time from last year by seven seconds. Freshman Vann Moffett finished seventh overall with a time of 25:01.78, leading the freshman class.
