SLAMMING SAM: Princeton University women’s squash player Sam Chai follows through on a shot in recent action. Senior Chai has starred at No. 5, helping the Tigers go 9-0 overall and 2-0 Ivy League. Princeton, currently ranked No. 1 in the Dunlop Women’s College Squash Association Team Rankings, hosts No. 5 Penn on January 30, No. 2 Harvard on February 2, and No. 9 Dartmouth on February 3. (Photo provided courtesy of Princeton’s office of Athletic Communications)

By Bill Alden

With her Princeton University women’s squash team lineup containing three freshmen and three sophomores in the top nine, Gail Ramsay wasn’t sure what to expect coming into the winter.

It didn’t take long for longtime Princeton head coach Ramsay to realize that her young squad could be something special this season.

Facing No. 4 Stanford on November 17 in its second match of the season, Princeton cruised to a 7-2 victory, making an early statement.

“They were a top 5 team, they are strong at the top,” said Ramsay, who is in her 25th season at the helm of the Tiger program. “I was really concerned.” more

RYAN’S HOPE: Princeton University men’s basketball player Ryan Schwieger puts on the defensive pressure in a game last year. This past Sunday, sophomore guard Schwieger scored a career-high 15 points, going 6-of-6 from the floor, as Princeton defeated Division III foe Wesley 91-62 in returning from a 15-day hiatus for exams. The Tigers, now 10-5 overall, resume Ivy League play with games at Columbia on February 1 and at Cornell on February 2. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Even though the Princeton University men’s basketball team was on a 15-day hiatus for exams starting in mid-January, Ryan Schwieger managed to get his reps in.

“I have been working hard; I didn’t have that many exams so I was in the gym a lot, working with the guys,” said Schweiger. “We all got better over this little break.”

Schwieger’s hard work paid dividends as the Tigers returned to action last Sunday by hosting Division III foe Wesley. He tallied a career-high 15 points, going 6-of-6 from the floor, helping Princeton roll to a 91-62 win, improving to 10-5 overall. more

EVIDENTLY GOOD: Princeton High boys’ basketball player Tim Evidente puts up a shot in recent action. Last Friday, sophomore guard Evidente scored four points as PHS fell 68-55 to visiting Allentown. The Little Tigers, who moved to 6-6 with the setback, were slated to play at Princeton Day School on January 23, host Hamilton on January 25 and then play at Trenton Central on January 29. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

The pressure was on Tim Evidente as he stepped to the foul line for the Princeton High boys’ basketball team in the waning seconds of regulation last week against visiting WW/P-South last week.

PHS was clinging to a 38-36 lead over the Pirates in the January 15 contest and sophomore guard Evidente earned a one-and-one opportunity after getting fouled in the backcourt. more

BOUND FOR GLORY: Princeton University men’s basketball player Myles Stephens, left, snags a rebound last Saturday against Penn. Senior star Stephens grabbed a career-high boards and scored 11 points to help Princeton edge the Quakers 68-65 in overtime in the Ivy League opener for both teams. The Tigers, now 8-5 overall, will have a rematch against Penn on January 12 in Philadelphia at The Palestra. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Myles Stephens has been battling an injured knee in recent weeks, but he was determined to block out the pain as the Princeton University men’s basketball team hosted Penn last Saturday in the Ivy League opener.

“I haven’t played much this past week, trying to get it better,” said senior guard Stephens, a native of nearby  Lawrenceville. “It is Penn, so ‘by any means necessary’ is what we say.”

The 6’5, 210-pound Stephens displayed a mean game in the paint against the Quakers, pulling down a career-high 16 rebounds and chipping in 11 points to help Princeton pull out a 68-65 overtime nail-biter in front of a throng of 4,212 packing Jadwin Gym. more

FINAL PUSH: Princeton University women’s hockey player Stephanie Sucharda fires the puck in recent action. Last weekend, senior defenseman and team captain Sucharda starred as Princeton defeated Harvard 4-1 on Friday and Dartmouth 5-2 on Saturday. Sucharda tallied an assist against the Crimson and added a goal a day later to help the fifth-ranked Tigers extend their program-record unbeaten streak to 16. Princeton, now 12-2-4 overall and 10-0-2 ECAC Hockey, plays at Cornell on January 11 and at Colgate on January 12. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

When the Princeton University women’s hockey team hosted Merrimack for a two-game set in its first action after the holiday break, Stephanie Sucharda realized that the clock is ticking on her college career.

For senior defenseman and team captain Sucharda, the holidays drove home the fact that she only has weeks left with the Tigers.

“It is kind of sad, coming back from Christmas break, you realize that you are halfway done the season,” said Sucharda, a  5’8 native of Mississauga, Ontario.  more

By Bill Alden

Having emerged as a key defenseman for the Princeton University men’s hockey team in his first two years with the program, Derek Topatigh was ready to shoulder more responsibility in his junior campaign.

“We have a lot of young defense, me and [Josh] Teves, we really have to try and step and be leaders this year,” said Topatigh,  “It has been a learning process for the young guys.”

As Princeton returned from its holiday break to host a two-game set against Maine in the last weekend of December, Topatigh and his teammates were primed to get back on the winning track.

“We have been on a bit of a skid before this weekend; we all came back from Christmas break mentally prepared and ready to go,” said Topatigh, a 5’11, 185-pound native of Mississauga, Ontario. more

THOM CRUISE: Princeton University men’s hockey player Matthew Thom glides on the ice in recent action. Last Friday, sophomore defenseman Thom contributed a goal and an assist as Princeton lost 3-2 to visiting Cornell. A night later Thom and the Tigers fell 4-3 to Colgate. Princeton, now 5-10-2 overall and 3-6-1 ECAC Hockey, will look to get in the winning track when they host Harvard on January 11 and Dartmouth in January 12. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Since getting off to a 3-1-1 start, inconsistency has become the constant for the Princeton University men’s hockey team since mid-November.

The Tigers have gone 2-9-1 in that stretch and a frustrating 3-2 loss to Cornell last Friday evening served as a microcosm of that uneven play. Princeton dug a 2-0 hole in the first period and then fought back to tie the game at 2-2 early in the third period only 3-2 on a goal that was originally waved off but hen reinstate after official review. more

PENNED IN: Princeton University women’s basketball player Bella Alarie puts up a shot under duress as the Tigers hosted Penn last Saturday. Junior star Alarie posted a double-double with 21 points and 17 rebounds but it was not enough as Princeton fell 66-60 in the Ivy League opener for both teams. The Tigers, who dropped to 8-8 overall and saw their seven-game winning streak snapped, will now be on hiatus for exam break and return to action when they play at Columbia on February 1. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

With the Princeton University women’s basketball team trailing visiting Penn 37-34 midway through the third quarter last Saturday in the Ivy League opener, Bella Alarie took control of the contest.

Princeton junior star Alarie scored eight points over the last 3:41 of the quarter to help the Tigers forge ahead 44-39.

“We definitely felt like we needed to play off our momentum we took in the third quarter,” said Alarie. “I think this crowd was amazing tonight. The amount of people who showed up and were cheering us on was really special. We played off their energy.” more

LATE RUSH: Princeton University women’s basketball player Gabrielle Rush dribbles past a foe in recent action. Last Saturday, senior guard and co-captain Rush hit a three-pointer in the waning seconds to give Princeton a 60-57 win over visiting Marist and their fourth straight victory. The Tigers, now 5-7, play at St. Francis-Brooklyn on December 19 and at Hartford on December 21. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

As a freshman benchwarmer for the Princeton University women’s basketball team in the winter of 2015-16, Gabrielle Rush would have had trouble imaging the situation she found herself in last Saturday evening.

With Princeton locked in 57-57 tie against visiting Marist in the waning moments of regulation, senior guard and co-captain Rush got the ball at the top of the key with an opportunity to be a hero. She responded by swishing a three-pointer with 28 seconds left that proved to be the difference as Princeton won 60-57 to earn its fourth straight victory and improve to 5-7. more

RISING FORCE: Princeton University men’s basketball player Richmond Aririguzoh heads to the basket in recent action. Junior center Aririguzoh is emerging as an inside force this winter for the Tigers. The former Trenton Catholic Academy standout scored a career-high 14 points in a 92-82 loss to the visiting Saint Joseph’s last Wednesday and then matched that output in an 89-74 loss to St. John’s last Sunday in Madison Square Garden in New York City. Princeton, now 4-4, faces Iona at Atlantic City on December 15 and then plays at No. 2 Duke on December 18. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Richmond Aririguzoh was a definite work in progress offensively in his first two seasons on the Princeton University men’s basketball team.

While the 6’9, 230-pound Aririguzoh, a former star for Trenton Catholic Academy, possessed the size and athleticism to pound the boards and run the floor, his low-post game lacked polish. He averaged 1.5 points a game in 13 appearances as a freshman and 2.7 points in 27 contests last year. more

DEVIL OF A TIME: Princeton University men’s hockey player Alex Riche, right, goes after the puck in recent action. Last Saturday against visiting Arizona State, senior forward Riche contributed an assist in a losing cause as Princeton fell 3-2 to the No. 19 Sun Devils to get swept in the two-game set between the foes, having lost 4-0 a night earlier. The Tigers, who have now suffered seven straight losses to drop to 3-8-1 overall, face No. 9 Penn State (11-5-1 overall) on December 15 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

It didn’t take long for a struggling Princeton University men’s hockey team to dig a hole as it hosted No. 19 Arizona Stare last Friday at Hobey Baker Rink in the opener of of a two-game set between the foes.

Coming into the evening mired in a five-game losing streak, Princeton yielded a goal in the first 15 seconds of the contest and found itself trailing 2-0 by the end of the first period.

“We were very soft in the first period; on the very first shift, we come down in bad coverage,” said Princeton head coach Ron Fogarty. “That is inexcusable, we have to be ready to go from puck drop.” more

JACKED UP: Princeton University men’s hockey player Jackson Cressey controls the puck in a game earlier this season. Last Saturday, junior forward Cressey scored two goals, but it wasn’t enough as Princeton fell 6-3 to Quinnipiac to suffer its fifth straight defeat. The Tigers, now 3-6-1 overall and 3-3-1 ECAC Hockey, will look to get back on the winning track when they host Arizona State for a two-game set on December 7 and 8. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Having been on the road for the last two weeks and losing all four games, Jackson Cressey and his teammates on the Princeton University men’s hockey team were happy to be back at the friendly confines of Hobey Baker Rink.

Hosting Quinnipiac last Saturday evening, Princeton jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first period as junior forward Cressey took A feed from senior defenseman Josh Teves and found the back of the net. more

YES WAY, JOSE: Princeton University men’s basketball player Jose Morales displays his defensive intensity in a game last winter. Junior guard Morales, a former Hun School standout, provided a spark for Princeton as it defeated George Washington 73-52 last Saturday. Morales contributed 13 points, four rebounds, and three steals as the Tigers posted their third straight win and improved to 4-2. Princeton hosts Saint Joseph’s on December 5 before facing St. John’s on December 9  in the Holiday Festival at Madison Square Garden in New York City. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Jose Morales logged just 149 minutes in 28 appearances off the bench in his first two winters on the Princeton University men’s basketball team.

Over the last four games this season, junior guard Morales, a former Hun School standout, has played 120 minutes, emerging as a spark of the Tigers with his scrappy play and fearless drives to the hoop. more