{"id":988,"date":"2019-12-12T19:33:09","date_gmt":"2019-12-12T19:33:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/2019\/12\/12\/2019125through-the-lens-of-a-bobcat-hksnp\/"},"modified":"2020-09-05T19:21:46","modified_gmt":"2020-09-05T19:21:46","slug":"2019125through-the-lens-of-a-bobcat-hksnp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/2019\/12\/12\/2019125through-the-lens-of-a-bobcat-hksnp\/","title":{"rendered":"Quinnipiac athletics: through the lens of a Bobcat"},"content":{"rendered":"<div\n        class=\"\n          image-block-outer-wrapper\n          layout-caption-below\n          design-layout-inline\n          combination-animation-none\n          individual-animation-none\n          individual-text-animation-none\n        \"\n        data-test=\"image-block-inline-outer-wrapper\"\n    ><\/p>\n<figure\n            class=\"\n              sqs-block-image-figure\n              intrinsic\n            \"\n            style=\"max-width:2500.0px;\"\n        ><\/p>\n<div\n              \n                style=\"padding-bottom:66.68000030517578%;\"\n              \n              class=\"\n                image-block-wrapper\n                \n          \n        \n                has-aspect-ratio\n              \"\n              data-animation-role=\"image\"\n              \n  \n\n          ><br \/>\n            <noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/IMG_4280.jpg\" alt=\"Photo by:  Jordan Wolff  (Quinnipiac has two Bobcat statues, this one is located on the York Hill Campus outside of the People\u2019s United Center)\" \/><\/noscript><img class=\"thumb-image\" data-src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/IMG_4280.jpg\" data-image=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/IMG_4280.jpg\" data-image-dimensions=\"2500x1667\" data-image-focal-point=\"0.5,0.5\" alt=\"Photo by:  Jordan Wolff  (Quinnipiac has two Bobcat statues, this one is located on the York Hill Campus outside of the People\u2019s United Center)\" data-load=\"false\" data-image-id=\"5defc8315d6971355c9591e3\" data-type=\"image\" \/>\n          <\/div><figcaption class=\"image-caption-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-caption\">\n<p class=\"\">Photo by:<strong> Jordan Wolff<\/strong> (Quinnipiac has two Bobcat statues, this one is located on the York Hill Campus outside of the People\u2019s United Center)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">The NCAA has 347 Division I schools, and Quinnipiac University is one of them. Quinnipiac started out in the NCAA\u2019s second highest conference known as Division II and has faculty and coaches who can describe what the transition process was like.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">One of those members is Senior Associate Athletic Director Bill Mecca. For the last 41 years, Mecca has served as an assistant men\u2019s basketball coach (1978-91), head tennis coach, assistant director of athletics and head men\u2019s basketball coach (five seasons).<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">The one thing that\u2019s resonated with Mecca is Quinnipiac\u2019s increase in population.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cBack In 1978, Quinnipiac had probably around 1100-1200 students and if you could spell Quinnipiac back in the day, then I probably gave you an academic scholarship,\u201d Mecca said. \u201cIn terms of where we were academically, we weren\u2019t even close to where we are now.\u201d<\/p>\n<div\n        class=\"\n          image-block-outer-wrapper\n          layout-caption-below\n          design-layout-inline\n          combination-animation-none\n          individual-animation-none\n          individual-text-animation-none\n        \"\n        data-test=\"image-block-inline-outer-wrapper\"\n    ><\/p>\n<figure\n            class=\"\n              sqs-block-image-figure\n              intrinsic\n            \"\n            style=\"max-width:1032.0px;\"\n        ><\/p>\n<div\n              \n                style=\"padding-bottom:133.72093200683594%;\"\n              \n              class=\"\n                image-block-wrapper\n                \n          \n        \n                has-aspect-ratio\n              \"\n              data-animation-role=\"image\"\n              \n  \n\n          ><br \/>\n            <noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2019-12-13-at-12.29.16-PM.png\" alt=\"Canva By: Jordan Wolff    Photos Courtesy of Quinnipiac Athletics:  Quinnipiac Athletics five coaches who\u2019ve been a part of the University for over 20 years. Four of them had no previous affiliation with Quinnipiac, except for Dave Clarke who graduated with a Master\u2019s Degree in 2010.\" \/><\/noscript><img class=\"thumb-image\" data-src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2019-12-13-at-12.29.16-PM.png\" data-image=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2019-12-13-at-12.29.16-PM.png\" data-image-dimensions=\"1032x1380\" data-image-focal-point=\"0.5,0.5\" alt=\"Canva By: Jordan Wolff    Photos Courtesy of Quinnipiac Athletics:  Quinnipiac Athletics five coaches who\u2019ve been a part of the University for over 20 years. Four of them had no previous affiliation with Quinnipiac, except for Dave Clarke who graduated with a Master\u2019s Degree in 2010.\" data-load=\"false\" data-image-id=\"5df3caa6eeaf93748a364568\" data-type=\"image\" \/>\n          <\/div><figcaption class=\"image-caption-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-caption\">\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Canva By: Jordan Wolff<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Photos Courtesy of Quinnipiac Athletics: <\/strong>Quinnipiac Athletics five coaches who\u2019ve been a part of the University for over 20 years. Four of them had no previous affiliation with Quinnipiac, except for Dave Clarke who graduated with a Master\u2019s Degree in 2010.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"\" data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">In 2019, Quinnipiac has 21 Division I athletic programs, five coaches who have 20-year tenures, and a staff of 38 members. It has a soccer, field hockey and lacrosse complex built in 2017 and a rugby team that plays on campus. The York Hill campus has a re-named People\u2019s United Center (from TD Bank) dedicated to hockey and basketball.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div\n        class=\"\n          image-block-outer-wrapper\n          layout-caption-below\n          design-layout-inline\n          combination-animation-none\n          individual-animation-none\n          individual-text-animation-none\n        \"\n        data-test=\"image-block-inline-outer-wrapper\"\n    ><\/p>\n<figure\n            class=\"\n              sqs-block-image-figure\n              intrinsic\n            \"\n            style=\"max-width:2500.0px;\"\n        ><\/p>\n<div\n              \n                style=\"padding-bottom:70.56000518798828%;\"\n              \n              class=\"\n                image-block-wrapper\n                \n          \n        \n                has-aspect-ratio\n              \"\n              data-animation-role=\"image\"\n              \n  \n\n          ><br \/>\n            <noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/gallery_image-%281%29.jpg\" alt=\"Courtesy of Quinnipiac Athletics: Athletic Director Greg Amodio is speaking at the inaugural reception of the new Soccer, Field Hockey and Lacrosse complex opened in the fall of 2017.\" \/><\/noscript><img class=\"thumb-image\" data-src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/gallery_image-%281%29.jpg\" data-image=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/gallery_image-%281%29.jpg\" data-image-dimensions=\"2500x1764\" data-image-focal-point=\"0.5,0.5\" alt=\"Courtesy of Quinnipiac Athletics: Athletic Director Greg Amodio is speaking at the inaugural reception of the new Soccer, Field Hockey and Lacrosse complex opened in the fall of 2017.\" data-load=\"false\" data-image-id=\"5defc8315d6971355c9591e9\" data-type=\"image\" \/>\n          <\/div><figcaption class=\"image-caption-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-caption\">\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Courtesy of Quinnipiac Athletics: Athletic Director Greg Amodio is speaking at the inaugural reception of the new Soccer, Field Hockey and Lacrosse complex opened in the fall of 2017.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"\" data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">The gradual transition started in the mid-1990s.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">In 1995, Quinnipiac programs were in Division II athletics. The school was known as Quinnipiac College, and the mascot was the Braves.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Quinnipiac College took a chance, as they hired Fairfield Stags alum Tricia Fabbri as their first full-time female head coach.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div\n        class=\"\n          image-block-outer-wrapper\n          layout-caption-below\n          design-layout-inline\n          combination-animation-none\n          individual-animation-none\n          individual-text-animation-none\n        \"\n        data-test=\"image-block-inline-outer-wrapper\"\n    ><\/p>\n<figure\n            class=\"\n              sqs-block-image-figure\n              intrinsic\n            \"\n            style=\"max-width:2500.0px;\"\n        ><\/p>\n<div\n              \n                style=\"padding-bottom:66.55999755859375%;\"\n              \n              class=\"\n                image-block-wrapper\n                \n          \n        \n                has-aspect-ratio\n              \"\n              data-animation-role=\"image\"\n              \n  \n\n          ><br \/>\n            <noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/gallery_image.jpg\" alt=\"Courtesy of Quinnipiac Athletics:  Tricia Fabbri, then Patricia Sacca was hired from Fairfield University in 1995. She was inducted to the Fairfield University Hall of Fame in 1998.\" \/><\/noscript><img class=\"thumb-image\" data-src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/gallery_image.jpg\" data-image=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/gallery_image.jpg\" data-image-dimensions=\"2500x1664\" data-image-focal-point=\"0.5,0.5\" alt=\"Courtesy of Quinnipiac Athletics:  Tricia Fabbri, then Patricia Sacca was hired from Fairfield University in 1995. She was inducted to the Fairfield University Hall of Fame in 1998.\" data-load=\"false\" data-image-id=\"5defc8315d6971355c9591ec\" data-type=\"image\" \/>\n          <\/div><figcaption class=\"image-caption-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-caption\">\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Courtesy of Quinnipiac Athletics: <\/strong>Tricia Fabbri, then Patricia Sacca was hired from Fairfield University in 1995. She was inducted to the Fairfield University Hall of Fame in 1998.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cIt was different back then because there were very few full-time coaches and administrators that made up the athletics department,\u201d Fabbri said. \u201cIt was small, but I was really excited to put a program together because I was the first full-time female coach hired.\u201d<\/p>\n<div\n        class=\"\n          image-block-outer-wrapper\n          layout-caption-below\n          design-layout-inline\n          combination-animation-none\n          individual-animation-none\n          individual-text-animation-none\n        \"\n        data-test=\"image-block-inline-outer-wrapper\"\n    ><\/p>\n<figure\n            class=\"\n              sqs-block-image-figure\n              intrinsic\n            \"\n            style=\"max-width:728.0px;\"\n        ><\/p>\n<div\n              \n                style=\"padding-bottom:247.25274658203125%;\"\n              \n              class=\"\n                image-block-wrapper\n                \n          \n        \n                has-aspect-ratio\n              \"\n              data-animation-role=\"image\"\n              \n  \n\n          ><br \/>\n            <noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2019-12-12-at-1.25.18-PM.png\" alt=\"Canva by: Jordan Wolff   The men\u2019s programs remained the same throughout the history of Quinnipiac Athletics. The number women\u2019s programs increased significantly, adding Indoor Track, Outdoor Track, Ice Hockey, Rugby, and Acrobatics and Tumbling.\" \/><\/noscript><img class=\"thumb-image\" data-src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2019-12-12-at-1.25.18-PM.png\" data-image=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2019-12-12-at-1.25.18-PM.png\" data-image-dimensions=\"728x1800\" data-image-focal-point=\"0.5,0.5\" alt=\"Canva by: Jordan Wolff   The men\u2019s programs remained the same throughout the history of Quinnipiac Athletics. The number women\u2019s programs increased significantly, adding Indoor Track, Outdoor Track, Ice Hockey, Rugby, and Acrobatics and Tumbling.\" data-load=\"false\" data-image-id=\"5df286594e0d57635d0cce29\" data-type=\"image\" \/>\n          <\/div><figcaption class=\"image-caption-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-caption\">\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Canva by: Jordan Wolff<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"\">The men\u2019s programs remained the same throughout the history of Quinnipiac Athletics. The number women\u2019s programs increased significantly, adding Indoor Track, Outdoor Track, Ice Hockey, Rugby, and Acrobatics and Tumbling.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">In Fabbri\u2019s first season, the Braves went 2-23 overall, 1-15 in conference and 1-13 at home. The Braves were also in the Northeast Conference (NEC) in which Fabbri details how difficult it was to navigate.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cThe level when I initially started was not as competitive as it needed to be at that time,\u201d Fabbri said. \u201cI didn\u2019t get out and start recruiting and we had a lot of ground to make-up, and not a lot of time to do it. There was a lot of catch-up to be done to get competitive in terms of resources from Division II to Division I to get in place.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Besides the competitiveness, Mecca explained that Quinnipiac athletics didn\u2019t have much exposure in Division II athletics.<\/p>\n<div\n        class=\"\n          image-block-outer-wrapper\n          layout-caption-below\n          design-layout-inline\n          combination-animation-none\n          individual-animation-none\n          individual-text-animation-none\n        \"\n        data-test=\"image-block-inline-outer-wrapper\"\n    ><\/p>\n<figure\n            class=\"\n              sqs-block-image-figure\n              intrinsic\n            \"\n            style=\"max-width:1435.0px;\"\n        ><\/p>\n<div\n              \n                style=\"padding-bottom:132.7526092529297%;\"\n              \n              class=\"\n                image-block-wrapper\n                \n          \n        \n                has-aspect-ratio\n              \"\n              data-animation-role=\"image\"\n              \n  \n\n          ><br \/>\n            <noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/meccaweb2.jpg\" alt=\"Courtesy of Quinnipiac Chronicle:  Mecca currently provides color commentary for Quinnipiac Athletics, along with hosting an annual Golf tournament named after him.\" \/><\/noscript><img class=\"thumb-image\" data-src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/meccaweb2.jpg\" data-image=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/meccaweb2.jpg\" data-image-dimensions=\"1435x1905\" data-image-focal-point=\"0.5,0.5\" alt=\"Courtesy of Quinnipiac Chronicle:  Mecca currently provides color commentary for Quinnipiac Athletics, along with hosting an annual Golf tournament named after him.\" data-load=\"false\" data-image-id=\"5defc8315d6971355c9591ef\" data-type=\"image\" \/>\n          <\/div><figcaption class=\"image-caption-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-caption\">\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Courtesy of Quinnipiac Chronicle: <\/strong>Mecca currently provides color commentary for Quinnipiac Athletics, along with hosting an annual Golf tournament named after him.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cDivision II is one of those places in college athletics, where in my opinion you\u2019re in no man\u2019s land.\u201d Mecca said. \u201cMy philosophy is either go Division III, where you\u2019re focusing on the wellness of the athletes and the student-body. Or, go Division I where there is a commitment to go to the next-level.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Division II was a place where Quinnipiac could still offer scholarships to athletes, but weren\u2019t funded enough to be in the NCAA\u2019s highest conference. <\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">A part of going to that next level was Jack McDonald. McDonald was hired as the new athletic director in August of 1995, and had a chance to sit down with former Quinnipiac president John Lahey. In that discussion, McDonald was very candid on what direction the college needed to take.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cHe thought that Quinnipiac\u2019s academic reputation was national Division I-caliber and he\u2019d like the athletic department to catch up to the academic reputation of the school,\u201d McDonald said. \u201cI thought that Quinnipiac would be a great Division I school.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Maybe not the upper echelon of Division I schools, but at the time there was about 321 Division I schools and Quinnipiac would easily fit among those group of schools.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">The men\u2019s and women\u2019s tennis teams each made their mark in 1996-97 (last year in Division II). The men\u2019s team finished 18-1, and went 9-0 in conference play. They were inducted into Quinnipiac\u2019s Hall of Fame in 2014.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">The women\u2019s team went 16-2 and also went 9-0 in conference play. They were also inducted into Quinnipiac\u2019s Hall of Fame in 2014.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">In 1998, Quinnipiac declared its intent for Division I athletics. McDonald still had some groundwork in front of him. He first had to see which conference Quinnipiac could start in.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">McDonald said how Quinnipiac put out multiple applications, but it was ultimately accepted into the Northeast Conference. Another step was trying to elevate the Men\u2019s Ice Hockey Program.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">In 1998, McDonald founded a whole new league called the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Hockey League. The MAAC was the men\u2019s ice hockey team\u2019s first Division I hockey conference and it included AIC, Army, Bentley University, Canisius College, UCONN, Fairfield University, Holy Cross, Iona College, Mercyhurst University and Sacred Heart University. The Braves went 22-4-2 in its first season in the MAAC and lost in the semi-finals to Canisius College 5-2.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">More change was upon the college two years later.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"><strong>Part Two: Change the Game<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">In 2000, Quinnipiac changed its name from Quinnipiac College to Quinnipiac University. Quinnipiac expanded its programs and were now able to grant master\u2019s degrees. Fabbri felt it was time not just for athletics, but for the entire community.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cI thought it was appropriate,\u201d Fabbri said. \u201cLahey and his administration were growing the graduate programs here, so it was a very paralleled move to keep step in time that we are now broadening what we have to offer our students with moving from college to university.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Some programs saw immediate results. The 2000 women\u2019s soccer team went <a href=\"https:\/\/gobobcats.com\/hof.aspx?hof=145\"><span style=\"text-decoration:underline\">13-6-1<\/span><\/a> and won the NEC tournament, while the Quinnipiac field hockey team went 12-8 overall and 10-2 in the NEC. Both programs respectively made the Quinnipiac hall of fame in 2010 and 2012. The Quinnipiac Hall of Fame is a place where the University honors there most impactful members, clubs, and athletic programs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">The men\u2019s ice hockey program continued its rise in 2001, as they went 20-13-5. They went 15-6 in the MAAC and defeated Mercyhurst 6-4 in the MAAC title game to advance to its first ever NCAA tournament. They were also inducted into the Quinnipiac Hall of Fame in 2012.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">McDonald also started to do some broadcasting duties for the Braves, and discussed how putting hockey games on TV affected the process.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cWe wanted people to turn on NESN looking for a Bruins game and they\u2019d see Quinnipiac playing UConn or Fairfield,\u201d McDonald said. \u201cTelevision was a great way of getting exposure for hockey in Boston and basketball in New York.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Quinnipiac decided to adjust its mascot two years later. In 2002, they officially changed its mascot from the Braves to the Bobcats.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">According to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uscho.com\/2001\/12\/03\/quinnipiac-drops-braves-as-schools-athletic-nickname\/\"><span style=\"text-decoration:underline\">USHCO,<\/span><\/a> this was a suggested move from Lahey as he noticed that Colgate University changed its name from Red Raiders to Raiders. <\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Quinnipiac Vice President of Public Affairs Lynn Bushnell, stated that, \u201cQuinnipiac\u2019s women\u2019s teams were offended by the use of the Lady Braves moniker, and graphic representations-logos and mascots-were similarly burdened,\u201d the release said. \u201cThe institution, out of concern for these sensitivities, had stopped using human representations of Native Americans years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">According to a Quinnipiac Chronicle article by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.quchronicle.com\/2002\/09\/bobcats-new-nickname-for-division-i-athletes\/\"><span style=\"text-decoration:underline\">Viktoria Sundqvist<\/span><\/a>, the university\u2019s main factor of choosing Bobcats was due to how common they are in the New England area.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Fabbri remembers how important this adjustment was for the future of the university.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cI think that was a little bit to go with the sign of the times of being politically correct in what was happening in the landscape of college athletics,\u201d Fabbri said. \u201cIt really fueled a conversation with Lahey and McDonald. I had nothing to do with making the decision, but I was happy with the move of going from Braves to Bobcats.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">The athletics department was also going through transition as they hired Northeastern alum Mike Medina in 2004 as Assistant Athletic Director for intramurals.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<figure\n          class=\"\n            sqs-block-image-figure\n            image-block-outer-wrapper\n            image-block-v2\n            design-layout-card\n            combination-animation-none\n            individual-animation-none\n            individual-text-animation-none\n            image-position-left\n            \n          \"\n          data-scrolled\n          data-test=\"image-block-v2-outer-wrapper\"\n      ><\/p>\n<div class=\"intrinsic\">\n<div\n          \n              \n              class=\"\n                \n                image-inset\n                \n                  content-fit\n                \n              \"\n              data-animation-role=\"image\"\n              data-description=\"\"\n              \n  \n\n          ><br \/>\n            <noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/JH2_7938.jpg\" alt=\" - Courtesy of Quinnipiac Athletics: Medina graduated with a journalism degree from Northeastern University and currently serves as Quinnipiac\u2019s Director of Fitness and Recreation.\" \/><\/noscript><br \/>\n            <img data-src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/JH2_7938.jpg\" data-image=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/JH2_7938.jpg\" data-image-dimensions=\"300x388\" data-image-focal-point=\"0.5,0.5\" alt=\"JH2_7938.jpg\"  \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"image-overlay\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div><figcaption class=\"image-card-wrapper\" data-width-ratio>\n<div class=\"image-card sqs-dynamic-text-container\">\n<div class=\"image-subtitle-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-subtitle sqs-dynamic-text\"\n                \n  \n><\/p>\n<p class=\"\">\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Courtesy of Quinnipiac Athletics: <\/strong>Medina graduated with a journalism degree from Northeastern University and currently serves as Quinnipiac\u2019s Director of Fitness and Recreation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Hockey and basketball didn\u2019t have an arena to play in and programs were still participating in the NEC. Programs were able to wear whatever uniform they desired, but Medina shared how that\u2019s no longer the case.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cOne of the things we\u2019ve seen is how the Bobcat has evolved,\u201d Medina said. \u201cWe\u2019ve had a rebrand of some of the athletic marks, in particular with the Adidas contract that has started. Prior to that contract, all of our teams wore whatever uniforms they wanted. We\u2019ve seen the consistency of the Bobcat stay, but we\u2019ve seen these tweaks that\u2019ve enhanced the image of the university.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"><strong>Part Three: blueprint for success<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">In 2006, the Quinnipiac men\u2019s hockey team was admitted into the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference. A year later, approximately $52 Million was spent to design and open the TD Bank Sports Center on Quinnipiac\u2019s York Hill campus.<\/p>\n<div\n        class=\"\n          image-block-outer-wrapper\n          layout-caption-below\n          design-layout-inline\n          combination-animation-none\n          individual-animation-none\n          individual-text-animation-none\n        \"\n        data-test=\"image-block-inline-outer-wrapper\"\n    ><\/p>\n<figure\n            class=\"\n              sqs-block-image-figure\n              intrinsic\n            \"\n            style=\"max-width:2500.0px;\"\n        ><\/p>\n<div\n              \n                style=\"padding-bottom:75.0%;\"\n              \n              class=\"\n                image-block-wrapper\n                \n          \n        \n                has-aspect-ratio\n              \"\n              data-animation-role=\"image\"\n              \n  \n\n          ><br \/>\n            <noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/8D712A07-9292-49C0-B2E5-D36CB8391AEE.jpg\" alt=\"Photo by Jordan Wolff: This was named the TD Bank Sports Center until September of 2017, as TD Bank\u2019s sponsorship came to an end in favor of People\u2019s United Bank.\" \/><\/noscript><img class=\"thumb-image\" data-src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/8D712A07-9292-49C0-B2E5-D36CB8391AEE.jpg\" data-image=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/8D712A07-9292-49C0-B2E5-D36CB8391AEE.jpg\" data-image-dimensions=\"2500x1875\" data-image-focal-point=\"0.5,0.5\" alt=\"Photo by Jordan Wolff: This was named the TD Bank Sports Center until September of 2017, as TD Bank\u2019s sponsorship came to an end in favor of People\u2019s United Bank.\" data-load=\"false\" data-image-id=\"5df1a238c6197a06b53c8859\" data-type=\"image\" \/>\n          <\/div><figcaption class=\"image-caption-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-caption\">\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Photo by Jordan Wolff: This was named the TD Bank Sports Center until September of 2017, as TD Bank\u2019s sponsorship came to an end in favor of People\u2019s United Bank.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"\" data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Prior to that, Mecca revealed how the hockey team practiced at 11 p.m. on Sundays in East Haven. They had an opportunity to join the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference because Vermont decided to switch to the Hockey East conference. Mecca also shared how the university reacted when ECAC representatives came to visit the campus.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cWe had put on emphasis on the fact that whatever we were going to do for the men, we would also do for the women,\u201d Mecca said. \u201cThey brought bulldozers there and parked it on the side of the road. As they were driving people by in the car to show them where we we\u2019re going to build this state-of-the-art facility, there was this bulldozer that wouldn\u2019t start. It was on the side of the hill, signaling that we were ready to go,\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">In 2009, Quinnipiac added a women\u2019s rugby team. They won back-to-back-to-back national championships in their 10-year history.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">The rugby team won its first and the inaugural varsity championship in 2015, defeating Army West Point 24-19. Quinnipiac Assistant Director for Athletic communications Nick Solari was a junior journalism major at the time, and remembers how special it was seeing it in person.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cCoach (Becky) Carlson has done a great job with that group,\u201d Solari said. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t your typical show up to the game and report on what you see. For the longest time, everyone associated men\u2019s ice hockey as the team going to the national championship. They went to two frozen fours when I was a student there. Simultaneously, women\u2019s rugby was competing for national championships too.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure\n          class=\"\n            sqs-block-image-figure\n            image-block-outer-wrapper\n            image-block-v2\n            design-layout-card\n            combination-animation-none\n            individual-animation-none\n            individual-text-animation-none\n            image-position-left\n            \n          \"\n          data-scrolled\n          data-test=\"image-block-v2-outer-wrapper\"\n      ><\/p>\n<div class=\"intrinsic\">\n<div\n          \n              \n              class=\"\n                \n                image-inset\n                \n                  content-fit\n                \n              \"\n              data-animation-role=\"image\"\n              data-description=\"&lt;p class=&quot;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Courtesy of Quinnipiac Athletics: &lt;\/strong&gt;Solari attended Quinnipiac from 2012-16, along with covering sporting events for the Quinnipiac Chronicle.&lt;\/p&gt;\"\n              \n  \n\n          ><br \/>\n            <noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Solari.jpg\" alt=\" - Courtesy of Quinnipiac Athletics: Solari attended Quinnipiac from 2012-16, along with covering sporting events for the Quinnipiac Chronicle.\" \/><\/noscript><br \/>\n            <img data-src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Solari.jpg\" data-image=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Solari.jpg\" data-image-dimensions=\"300x400\" data-image-focal-point=\"0.5,0.5\" alt=\"Solari.jpg\"  \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"image-overlay\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div><figcaption class=\"image-card-wrapper\" data-width-ratio>\n<div class=\"image-card sqs-dynamic-text-container\">\n<div class=\"image-subtitle-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-subtitle sqs-dynamic-text\"\n                \n  \n><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Courtesy of Quinnipiac Athletics: <\/strong>Solari attended Quinnipiac from 2012-16, along with covering sporting events for the Quinnipiac Chronicle.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">How does everything stand today? The Bobcats saw 21 conference championships and 33 NCAA championship appearances in McDonald\u2019s tenure.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Each program elevated to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference in 2013, with the field hockey team joining the Big East conference that includes the #1 UConn Huskies in 2016.<\/p>\n<div\n        class=\"\n          image-block-outer-wrapper\n          layout-caption-below\n          design-layout-inline\n          combination-animation-none\n          individual-animation-none\n          individual-text-animation-none\n        \"\n        data-test=\"image-block-inline-outer-wrapper\"\n    ><\/p>\n<figure\n            class=\"\n              sqs-block-image-figure\n              intrinsic\n            \"\n            style=\"max-width:500.0px;\"\n        ><\/p>\n<div\n              \n                style=\"padding-bottom:66.5999984741211%;\"\n              \n              class=\"\n                image-block-wrapper\n                \n          \n        \n                has-aspect-ratio\n              \"\n              data-animation-role=\"image\"\n              \n  \n\n          ><br \/>\n            <noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/DSC_07504-500x333.png\" alt=\"Courtesy of Quinnipiac Chronicle (Photo by Anna Brundage): The Quinnipiac 2012-13 Hockey team\u2019s reaction after loss to Yale\" \/><\/noscript><img class=\"thumb-image\" data-src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/DSC_07504-500x333.png\" data-image=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/DSC_07504-500x333.png\" data-image-dimensions=\"500x333\" data-image-focal-point=\"0.5,0.5\" alt=\"Courtesy of Quinnipiac Chronicle (Photo by Anna Brundage): The Quinnipiac 2012-13 Hockey team\u2019s reaction after loss to Yale\" data-load=\"false\" data-image-id=\"5defc8315d6971355c9591fb\" data-type=\"image\" \/>\n          <\/div><figcaption class=\"image-caption-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-caption\">\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Courtesy of Quinnipiac Chronicle (Photo by Anna Brundage): The Quinnipiac 2012-13 Hockey team\u2019s reaction after loss to Yale<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">The men\u2019s ice hockey team made it to the Frozen Four in 2013. Quinnipiac scored 1:49 into the game and added two more goals in the first period, to make it a 3-0 lead. They held on by a final of 4-1 to advance to its only NCAA championship game.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">They faced their in state rival Yale Bulldogs, and were tied 0-0 entering the second period. Yale\u2019s Christian Bourbonais scored with four seconds left in the period to make it a 1-0 game. Yale scored three unanswered goals to win by a final score of 4-0.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">The women\u2019s basketball program has won 52 straight conference games and had a memorable run in 2017. They advanced to its first NCAA tournament, where they upset the #5 Marquette 68-65 in the first round. They faced #4 Miami in the round of 32, and won 85-78 to make it to the Sweet 16.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">The Quinnipiac baseball team had a historic 2019 season. They faced Fairfield in the MAAC championships and it went to extra innings tied at five. In the bottom of the 13th, junior infielder Evan Vulgamore scored on a wild pitch to send Quinnipiac to its second ever NCAA tournament.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">The Bobcats traveled to Greenville, North Carolina to face the #10 East Carolina Pirates. Quinnipiac got out to a 2-0 lead with a homerun from Vulgamore. East Carolina stormed back to make it a 3-3 game, but the Bobcats senior outfielder Liam Scafariello hit a go-ahead two-run homerun to make it a 5-3 game. Quinnipiac held on to win its first ever NCAA tournament game.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">The numbers show that success has come with athletic expansion, McDonald still wants athletics to continue its aggressive nature.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cOne of my mottos is even if you\u2019re on the right track, if you just stand there you\u2019ll get run over,\u201d McDonald said. \u201cWhenever you\u2019re winning games or having success, you never stop thinking ahead. You can never stop advancing yourself in any phase of life, not just athletics. It\u2019s important to keep moving forward.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p class=\"\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Quinnipiac has 21 Division I programs in 2019. In 1995, Quinnipiac was in Division II athletics and known as Quinnipiac College. Check how four current and one former Bobcat described the transition through their eyes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":101,"featured_media":989,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[66,142,6],"tags":[30,269,4],"class_list":["post-988","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-capstone-projects","category-homepage","category-quinnipiac","tag-athletics","tag-ncaa","tag-quinnipiac"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/988","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/101"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=988"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/988\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1397,"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/988\/revisions\/1397"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=988"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=988"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=988"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}