Sports | Town Topics

August 17, 2016

With JAG Physical Therapy’s Princeton Office Thriving, Gallucci Aiming to Make Impact with N.J. Fitness Council

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PROFESSIONAL APPROACH: John Gallucci, the president and CEO of JAG Physical Therapy, administers to a New York Red Bulls player. Gallucci, whose company recently expanded its Princeton office, has been named as the Chair of the New Jersey Council on Physical Fitness and Sport. Gallucci also serves as the medical coordinator of Major League Soccer. (Photo Courtesy of Steinlight Media)

As John Gallucci, Jr. looked to expand his JAG Physical Therapy business, some personal history led him to consider the Princeton area.

“I have a close relationship in the area because my uncle taught for years at the Hun School,” said Gallucci, the president and CEO of JAG, which he founded in 2005.

“I have many colleagues in the sports medicine division at Princeton University. I thought based on the quality of care we were giving, that Princeton would be an ideal location for growth.”

MAKING HIS MARK: Chris Harla controls the ball and thwarts a foe in action last fall during his senior season for the Princeton High boys’ soccer team. Earlier this summer, star defender Harla helped the Princeton Football Club (PFC) U-19 United travel team win the New Jersey State Cup. This week, Harla is heading to Carnegie Mellon University to start preseason training for his freshman season with the men’s soccer program. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

As Chris Harla and his teammates on the Princeton Football Club (PFC) U-19 United travel soccer team went though the 2015-16 season, they savored their time together.

“About half the team is going to be playing in college next year so it was the last year for a lot of us; it was a fun thing to play around,” said Harla, a star defender for the Princeton High boys’ soccer team who graduated in June.

“It wasn’t as much about winning, it was more about having fun and enjoying our last year.”

Enjoying a Memorable Experience On and Off the Field, PHS Lax Star Hamit Helps Australia to 4th at U-19 Worlds

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AUSTRALIAN OPEN: Oliver Hamit heads upfield in action this spring during his junior season for the Princeton High boys’ lacrosse team. This summer, Hamit competed for Australia in the FIL (Federation of International Lacrosse) 2016 U-19 Men’s World Championships in British Columbia. Playing in the midfield and on defense, Hamit helped Australia take fourth in the competition. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

While Oliver Hamit was sidelined by a shoulder injury for much of this spring in his junior season on the Princeton High boys’ lacrosse team, he wasn’t about to miss his shot to play for Australia in the FIL (Federation of International Lacrosse) 2016 U-19 Men’s World Championships in British Columbia this summer.

“I was going through rehab, seeing doctors and doing physical therapy all of the time,” said Hamit, who hails from Melbourne and moved to Princeton in 2005.

PU Alum Stone Earns Silver in Olympic Single Sculls, Other Tigers Still in Medal Hunt at Rio Summer Games

SILVER LINING: Gevvie Stone powers to the finish line in a single sculls race this season. Stone, a former Princeton University star who took seventh in the women’s single sculls in the 2012 Summer Olympics, made it to the podium in the 2016 Rio Summer games, taking second in the single sculls final last Saturday to earn a silver medal. Stone, 31, became the 20th Princeton rower to win an Olympic medal, and the second to win one in the women’s single sculls; Anne Marden ’81 also won a silver medal for Team USA in the 1988 Olympics. (Photo provided by USRowing)

When Gevvie Stone decided to resume her rowing career after initially retiring in the wake of taking seventh in the women’s single sculls at the 2012 London Summer Games, the former Princeton University standout sensed that she had untapped potential that could result in an Olympic medal.

Juggling her studies at Tufts University medical school, where she earned her MD in 2014, with her training on the Charles River in Boston, Stone’s intuition proved correct.

Incoming PU Men’s Lax Player Sowers Stars As U.S. Prevails at U-19 World Championships

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ALL WORLD: Michael Sowers controls the ball in action for the U.S. team at the FIL (Federation of International Lacrosse) 2016 U-19 Men’s World Championships in British Columbia last month. Incoming Princeton University freshman Sowers starred for the U.S. scoring 22 points on 11 goals and 11 assists as the American squad edged Canada 13-12 in the finals to win the championship. Sowers was one of three attackmen named to the All-World team at the conclusion of the competition.

When Michael Sowers took the field last summer in the opening tryout for the U.S. team that was being picked to go to the 2016 U19 World Lacrosse Championships, he didn’t have great expectations.

“My goal going in was to get to the first camp and just show well,” said Sowers, an incoming Princeton University freshman attackman who enjoyed a record-setting career at Upper Dublin High in Fort Washington, Pa. where he became one of the all-time leading scorers in the history of U.S. high school lacrosse.

Thriving in Leadership Role for U.S. U-19 Lax Squad, Tiger Standout Sims Helps Americans to World Crown

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CAPTAIN AMERICA: Princeton University men’s lacrosse star Austin Sims, right, and incoming Tiger freshman player Michael Sowers celebrate after helping the U.S. edge Canada 13-12 to win the championship at the FIL (Federation of International Lacrosse) 2016 U-19 Men’s World Championships in British Columbia last month. Rising junior midfielder Sims, who served as a co-captain of the U.S. squad, finished with a goal and four assists in the competition.

For Austin Sims, playing on the U.S. squad for the 2016 U-19 Men’s World Lacrosse Championships is something that has been on his to-do list for years.

“In 2012 I was on a visit at the University of Virginia and I was checking the updates on Twitter and saw that they won,” said Sims, a rising junior midfielder for the Princeton University men’s lax team.

August 10, 2016

With Methodical Approach Yielding Dividends, PU Alum Cabral Primed for Olympic Steeplechase

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MEDAL CHASE: Donn Cabral clears a hurdle in the steeplechase at a recent meet. Former Princeton University track star Cabral ’12 will be competing for the U.S. in the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase in the 2016 Summer Games. His first round race in Rio is scheduled for August 15 with final slated for August 17. This is Cabral’s second trip to the Olympics as he placed eighth in the steeplechase at the 2012 London Summer Games. (Photo Courtesy of USA Track)

Donn Cabral is methodical when it comes to preparing for competition.

As a senior at Princeton University in 2012, the distance running star was known for training like a metronome on the track, flying through one repeat after another. He also slept in an oxygen tent to help replicate the advantages of being at a higher altitude. more

After Getting Edged at Individual Epee at Rio Games, Tiger Fencing Star Holmes Focused on Team Medal

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DUELING IN RIO: Princeton University fencing star Katharine Holmes ’17 takes a break from a workout in the Tiger fencing room at Jadwin Gym. Holmes is competing in the epee for the U.S. at the 2016 Summer Olympics. Last Saturday, she fell 5-4 in overtime to Erika Kurpu of Estonia in the Round of 32 in the individual epee competition. Holmes has another shot at Olympic glory as she will be competing in the team epee finals on August 11 along with the Hurley sisters, Courtney and Kelley, both former Notre Dame standouts. (Photo Courtesy of Princeton’s Office of Athletic Communications)

As Katharine Holmes looked ahead to making her Olympic debut in the women’s epee last week at the Rio Summer Games, she was bringing a peace of mind into the competition rather than nerves. more

Princeton Athletes Make Splash at Summer Olympics As Rowers, Field Hockey Players Produce Good Starts

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SHINING LIGHT: Robin Prendes competes for the U.S. lightweight men’s four in recent action. Former Princeton University standout Prendes ’11 and another former Tiger, Tyler Nase ’13, helped the U.S. take fourth in the semifinals of its competition at the 2016 Summer Olympics on August 9. Prendes and Nase will compete in the B final on August 11. A victory in that final would give the U.S. lightweight four boat its best Olympic finish since 2000; with Prendes aboard, the boat took eighth overall at the 2012 Summer Olympics. (Photo Courtesy of USRowing)

As the competition heated up on the first full day of action at the 2016 Summer Olympics last Saturday, Princeton University athletes rose to the occasion. more

Feeling at Home With Michigan Women’s Lacrosse, Former PHS Star Shane Enjoys Solid Debut Season

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NET GAIN: Mira Shane guards the net this spring during her freshman season with University of Michigan women’s lacrosse team. The former Princeton High standout produced a solid debut campaign, playing in 17 games with four starts and posting a goals against average of 8.99 with 67 saves. (Photo Courtesy of University of Michigan Athletics Communications)

Initially, Mira Shane focused on Ivy League schools as she looked at college women’s lacrosse programs. more

PDS Soccer Star Barbara Excels on Big Stage, Helping Gunners Earn National U16 Club Title

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AMAZING GRACE: Princeton Day School girls’ soccer star goalie Grace Barbara cradles the trophy earned by her club team, the PDA Gunners, for winning the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) U16 national championship last month in Oceanside, Calif. Rising PDS junior Barbara, who recently committed to attend Princeton University and play for its women’s soccer program, helped the Gunners post an overall record of 41-0-4 in their title run.

Having emerged as one of the top goalkeepers in the area during her freshman season for the Princeton Day School girls’ soccer team in 2014, Grace Barbara faced a critical decision the following spring. more

August 7, 2016

Overcoming Skull Fracture That Ended Her PU Career, Reinprecht Returning to Olympics for U.S. Field Hockey

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HEADING BACK: Former Princeton University field hockey star Julia Reinprecht chases down a ball in action for the U.S. national team. Standout defender Reinprecht, a 2014 Princeton grad, has overcome a serious head injury suffered in her final college game to make the U.S. squad for the upcoming 2016 Rio Summer Games. It is Reinprecht’s second trip to the Olympics as she played in the 2012 London Summer Games. Reinprecht’s older sister, Katie, a star midfielder and fellow Princeton standout, will be joining her on the U.S. squad along with another former Tiger, Kat Sharkey. (Photo by Mark Palczewski, Courtesy of USA Field Hockey)

Julia Reinprecht’s heady play and stick skills have made her one of the top defenders in U.S. field hockey. more

August 3, 2016

Motivated by Not Making U.S. Team for London Games, PU Alumna Sharkey Primed for Olympic Field Hockey Debut

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COOL KAT: Star forward Kat Sharkey controls the ball in action for the U.S. national women’s field hockey team. Sharkey, a 2013 Princeton University grad who was one of the last players cut from the U.S. squad that went to the 2012 London Summer Games, will be making her Olympic debut this week in Rio de Janeiro. She will be joined on the U. S. team in Rio by former Princeton teammates Julia Reinprecht and Katie Reinprecht. (Photo by Mark Palczewski, Courtesy of USA Field Hockey)

Kat Sharkey took a hiatus from the Princeton University field hockey team in 2011-12 to train with the U.S. national program in hopes of playing in the London Summer Games. more

After U.S. Field Hockey Faltered at 2012 London Games, PU Grad Reinprecht Excited for Return Trip to Olympics

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ATTACK MODE: Katie Reinprecht prepares to send the ball down the field in action for the U.S. national field hockey team. Star midfielder Reinprecht, a 2013 Princeton grad, is headed back to her second Olympics as she will be competing for the U.S. in the upcoming Rio Summer Games. Reinprecht’s younger sister, Julia, a star defender and fellow Princeton standout, will be joining her on the U.S. squad along with another former Tiger, Kat Sharkey. (Photo by Mark Palczewski, Courtesy of USA Field Hockey)

While Katie Reinprecht was thrilled to compete for the U.S. field hockey team at the 2012 Summer Olympics, she wasn’t happy with how the games went. more

Sparked by Murdock’s Aggressive Backcourt Play, Majeski Foundation Wins Summer Hoops Crown

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SOLID FOUNDATION: Eric Murdock, Jr. of Majeski Foundation, left, passes the ball last Friday at Community Park in game two of the best-of-three championship series in the Princeton Recreation Department Summer Men’s Basketball League. Murdock scored a game-high 19 points to help Majeski to a 62-55 win over King’s Pizzarama as it swept the series 2-0 to earn the title. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

After missing the opening game of the Princeton Recreation Department Summer Men’s Basketball League championship series, Eric Murdock was determined to make an impact when he hit the court for Majeski Foundation in game two last Friday. more

CP Bluefish Swimmers Cap Perfect Season in Style; Utilizing Depth, Talent in Cruising to PASDA Title

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BACK ON TOP: Eric Liu powers through the water in a recent backstroke race for the Community Park Bluefish swimming team. Liu helped the Bluefish go 5-0 in dual meet action this summer as the program enjoyed its second straight undefeated campaign in Princeton Area Swimming and Diving Association (PASDA) Division 1 action. Liu culminated the summer by taking first in the Division 1 boys’ 18-and-under breaststroke at the PASDA championship meet as the host Bluefish rolled to the Division 1 team title at the meet. CP swimmers piled up 3,805 points in winning the meet with Flemington-Raritan second with 2,158. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

With the Community Park Bluefish coming off an undefeated season in 2015, Mike Uchrin was looking forward to seeing what his swimmers could do this summer. more

Displaying Quality, Upbeat Competitive Approach, Nassau Swim Club Surges to 2nd in PASDA Meet

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GAIL FORCE: Becca Adlai-Gail displays her breaststroke form in a race this summer for the Nassau Swim Club Lemmings. Last week, Adlai-Gail won the Division 2 girls’ 18-and-under 100-yard individual medley, took second in the 50 freestyle, and third in the 50 butterfly at the Princeton Area Swimming and Diving Association (PASDA) championship meet. Her performance helped the Lemmings place second in the Division 2 team standings at the meet. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Liz Noles has fond memories of wiling away summer days with the Lenape Swim Club program. more

July 27, 2016

Reconsidering Decision to Retire after London Games, PU Grad Stone Returning to Olympics in Single Sculls

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ROWING TO RIO: Gevvie Stone displays her intensity in a single sculls race this season. Stone, a former Princeton University star who took seventh in the single sculls in the 2012 Summer Olympics, is making a return trip to the Olympics as she will compete at the Rio Summer Games next month. It figures to be the last competition for Stone, a 2014 graduate of Tufts University Medical School, who will be applying for residencies this fall. (Photo provided by USRowing)

After placing seventh in the women’s single sculls at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Genevra “Gevvie” Stone believed that was going to be her last hurrah in rowing.

Having taken a hiatus from Tufts University Medical School to train for the London Games, former Princeton University standout Stone was determined to finish up her studies. more

Princeton Alum Nase Making Olympic Debut at Rio After Moving Up the Ranks of U.S. Men’s Lightweights

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LIGHTING IT UP: Tyler Nase displays his form for the U.S. lightweight men’s four. Nase, a 2013 Princeton University and former star for the Tigers, will be competing on the lightweight men’s four at the Rio Summer Games next month. It will be Nase’s first appearance in the Olympics. (Photo provided courtesy of USRowing)

Tyler Nase was exposed to international rowing well before he started his career with the Princeton University men’s lightweight crew program. more

Competing in National Playoffs with Club Team, PHS Girls’ Soccer Star Marciano Honed Her Skills

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MAJOR DEVELOPMENT: Colette Marciano boots the ball in action for Players Development Academy (PDA) Splash U15 squad. Marciano, a rising junior at Princeton High, starred in the midfield as the Splash competed in the Elite Clubs National League Playoffs last month in San Diego.

For Colette Marciano, spending a weekend in San Diego in late June should make her a more skilled performer when she starts preseason training next month for her junior campaign on the Princeton High girls’ soccer team.

Marciano headed west with the Players Development Academy (PDA) Splash U15 squad as it competed in the Elite Clubs National League Playoffs. more

Moving to the U.S. Men’s 8 After Taking Bronze in the 4, Ochal Primed for Another Medal Run at Rio Games

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MEDAL HAUL: Glenn Ochal shows his focus in a recent race for U.S. men’s eight. Ochal, a 2008 Princeton University grad, will be competing for the U.S. men’s eight at the Rio Olympics. It is Ochal’s second trip to the Olympics. He earned bronze for the men’s four at the 2012 London Summer Games. (Photo provided courtesy of USRowing)

Glenn Ochal has proven his versatility and skill during his time with the U.S. rowing program.

In 2012, the former Princeton University standout helped the U.S. four win bronze at the London Summer Games. In the intervening years, he has competed in the pair and the eight as well as the four. more

July 24, 2016

Having Dazzled as Goalie for PU Women’s Water Polo, Johnson Aims to Come Up Big for U.S. at Rio Games

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NATIONAL DEFENSE: Ashleigh Johnson makes a save in action for the Princeton University women’s water polo team. Johnson, the program’s career leader in saves who took the 2015-16 school year off to train with the national team, will be competing for the U.S. squad next month at the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Ashleigh Johnson has firmly established herself as the greatest goalie in the history of the Princeton University women’s water polo team. more

July 20, 2016

With Track Record of Excellence Across the Board, Tagliente Excited to Take Helm of PU Field Hockey

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NEW INSPIRATION: Carla Tagliente exhorts her players while serving as the head coach of the University of Massachusetts field hockey team. Tagliente recently took the helm of Princeton University’s field hockey program, succeeding Kristen Holmes-Winn, who stepped down this June after a brilliant 13-year tenure which included the program’s and Ivy League’s first-ever National Championship in 2012. (Photo Courtesy of Princeton’s Office of Athletic Communications)

After producing a stellar career for the University of Maryland field hockey team where she was a three-time All-American forward and earned Academic All-American honors and was a summa cum laude grad as a finance and marketing major, Carla Tagliente set her sights on joining the CIA. more

Making Impact for Penn Women’s Lax Despite Injury, PHS Alumna Lopez-Ona Buoyed by Team Camaraderie

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TOUGH DRAW: Emilia Lopez-Ona handles the ball this spring in her sophomore season with the Penn women’s lacrosse team. Former Princeton High star Lopez-Ona battled through injury to become a top draw specialist for the Quakers, coming up with 39 draws and adding a goal and three assists. Penn ended up going 15-5 in 2016 and advancing to the NCAA quarterfinals. (Photo by Don Felice/Penn Athletics)

Emerging as a standout from the start of her career with the Princeton High girls’ lacrosse team as a freshman in 2011, it didn’t take long for Emilia Lopez-Ona to draw the attention of some of the top college programs in the sport. more

PDS Alum Triolo Getting Into Offensive Rhythm, Emerging as Key Midfielder for Lehigh Men’s Lax

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BALL HAWK: Cody Triolo heads to goal in action this spring during his junior season for the Lehigh University men’s lacrosse team. Former Princeton Day School standout Triolo had two goals and two assists this spring for the Mountain Hawks in a two-way midfield role. (Photo courtesy of Lehigh’s Office of Athletic Communications)

For Cody Triolo, playing tough defense for the Lehigh University men’s lacrosse team helped give him the chance to display his scoring skills. more