DRIVE TIME: Princeton University quarterback Blake Stenstrom fires a pass in a game last year. Last Friday night, senior Stenstrom engineered a 20-play, 81-yard fourth quarter drive against visiting Columbia that related in the game-winning touchdown as Princeton prevailed 10-7. The Tigers, now 2-1 overall and 1-0 Ivy League, host Lafayette (4-1) on October 7. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Princeton University quarterback Blake Stenstrom could have hung his head when he threw a screen pass that was picked off and returned for a touchdown by a Columbia defender last Friday night as Princeton found itself trailing 7-3 in the third quarter.

“That was a tough one because it was kind of a weird play in football, it doesn’t happen very often,” said senior star Stenstrom. “It was so sudden, they were up. All of the offensive coaches always talk about next play mentality so that was the thought right away — next play, just move on.” more

RUNNING INTO TROUBLE: Princeton University running back John Volker races upfield in a 2021 game. Last Saturday against visiting Bryant, junior star Volker rushed for a career-high 149 yards, his first 100-yard game for the Tigers, and one touchdown, but it wasn’t enough as Princeton squandered a late lead in falling 16-13 to the Bulldogs in overtime. The Tigers, now 1-1, host Columbia (1-1) in their Ivy League opener on September 29 under the lights. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

With John Volker rumbling through the rain and wind last Saturday afternoon, the Princeton University football team built a 13-3 lead early in the fourth quarter against Bryant in a soggy Princeton Stadium.

Junior running back Volker ran for a 49-yard touchdown in the second quarter and went over 100 yards rushing for the first time in his career as Princeton appeared on the verge of going 2-0.

“I saw Jalen Travis get a really good block there, I was just following him,” said Volker, reflecting on his TD jaunt late in the second quarter as the Tigers went ahead 6-0. “I made a good read off of his block and then just sprinted to the end zone.” more

TOUGHING IT OUT: Princeton University running back John Volker battles for some extra yardage in a 2022 game. Last Saturday, senior Volker rushed for a game-high 91 yards and a touchdown as Princeton defeated the University of San Diego 23-12 in its season opener. The Tigers are hosting Bryant (1-2) on September 23 in their home opener. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

By some metrics, it would appear that the Princeton University football team endured a long afternoon when it opened its 2023 season by playing at the University of San Diego last Saturday afternoon.

“If I check with the analytics people, we lost the turnover battle 2-0, we lost the penalty battle, I think we had 40 more yards in penalties, and we didn’t finish drives,” said Princeton head coach Bob Surace. “All of those are things the analytics people say you have got to focus on. They would have said we lost the game by 20 points.”

But playing with intensity and executing when it counted, Princeton was able to grind out a 23-12 win over the Toreros before  a crowd of 1,191 at Torero Stadium.

“I was just saying to Mike Willis (Tiger offensive coordinator), ‘If you watch the film, most of the plays were really good,’” said Surace. “That is very encouraging. You watch it play to play and there are so many good things that you would have thought you have won by 20 points.”

Heading to California last week, the Tigers were chomping at the bit to get started after going through an arduous fall camp. more

CALIFORNIA DREAMING: Princeton University quarterback Blake Stenstrom fires a pass in action last fall. Senior star Stenstrom, a second-team All-Ivy League selection in 2022 after passing for 2,742 yards and 16 touchdowns, will be looking to get his final campaign off to a good start when Princeton plays at the University of San Diego on September 16 in its season opener. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

After roaring out to an 8-0 start last fall, the Princeton University football team faltered down the stretch, losing nail biters to Yale and Penn in its final two games to see its Ivy League title hopes dashed.

Looking ahead to the 2023 campaign which starts when the Tigers play at the University of San Diego on September 16, Princeton head coach Bob Surace doesn’t see any hangover from that staggering finish. more

STANDING TALL: Princeton University football star offensive lineman Jalen Travis catches his breath between plays in a game last year. The 6’9, 315-pound Travis has emerged as a force at tackle for Princeton, earning 2022 second-team All-Ivy League honors as a junior and getting named to the 2024 Senior Bowl Watchlist and East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 list heading into this fall. Travis and the Tigers kick off the 2023 campaign by playing at the University of San Diego on September 16. (Photo by Sideline Photos, provided courtesy of Princeton Athletics)

By Bill Alden

As Jalen Travis headed into high school in 2016, it looked like his athletic future would center on basketball.

One of his older brothers, Reid, played hoops at Stanford and Kentucky and is currently playing pro ball overseas while another older brother, Jonah, starred for the Harvard men’s basketball team.

But as Travis went through DeLaSalle High in Minneapolis, Minn., he grew into a standout offensive lineman in football, earning first-team All-State and Minnesota All-Star honors as a senior. That success had Travis turning his focus to someday playing in the NFL.

Attracting attention from major college football programs, including getting an offer from local Big 10 power University of Minnesota, Travis decided that heading to Princeton and the Ivy League was his best option on and off the field.

 more

TORRID START: Princeton University women’s soccer player Pietra Tordin prepares to unload the ball last Sunday against La Salle. Sophomore forward Tordin tallied a goal and two assists in the contest to help the Tigers win 5-0 and improve to 2-0. Tordin, who scored two goals in a 3-0 win over Monmouth in the season opener on Friday, was later named the Ivy League Offensive Player of the Week. In upcoming action, Princeton hosts Rutgers on August 31 and Army West Point on September 2. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Coming off a superb debut season for the Princeton University women’s soccer team which saw her win the Ivy League Rookie of the Year, Pietra Tordin is feeling a heightened comfort level on the field this year.

“I already know a lot of the girls very well so I think the chemistry is starting to click in,” said forward Tordin, a 5’6 native of Doral, Fla. “It is just getting to know the personnel of the team and knowing how to work with them and work around their skill sets as much as possible.”

Last weekend, Tordin clicked as Princeton opened its 2023 campaign by topping Monmouth 3-0 last Friday and then defeated La Salle 5-0 on Sunday. Tordin scored two goals in the opener and added a goal and two assists in the win over the Explorers. more

HARRY SITUATION: Princeton University men’s soccer player Harry Roberts heads upfield in a game last season. Junior Roberts brings versatility to the Tigers as he can play both forward and defender. Princeton opens its 2023 season by hosting Rutgers on September 1. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

As the Princeton University men’s soccer team heads into the 2023 season, it is facing some stern tests from the get-go.

“I think we have the hardest schedule we have ever had — we have six teams in the preseason Top 20 on our schedule,” said Princeton head coach Jim Barlow, whose team hosts Rutgers on September 1 and Duke on September 4 to get the season underway. “We start off with the defending Big 10 champs and the No 4 team in the country on Monday.”

With the Ivy League holding its inaugural postseason tournament this year that will include the top four finishers in the league standings with victor earning an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, Barlow is hoping that the gauntlet of tough foes will steel his squad for the Ivy League battles ahead. more

SUMMER CAMP: Princeton University women’s hockey player Kate Monihan controls the puck in a 2022 game. Earlier this month, senior defender and team co-captain Monihan skated at the Team USA camp for the U.S. Collegiate Women’s Select Team at the Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid, N.Y., as part of the USA Hockey Women’s National Festival. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

For Kate Monihan, playing for the U.S. U18 women’s team in the 2019 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Women’s World Championship in Japan was a critical step in her hockey development.

“The things I learned there I came home and immediately brought to my high school team (Lawrenceville School),” said Monihan, who helped the U.S. win a silver medal at the competition. “It was things like moving the puck more quickly in the defensive zone from our defenders to our forwards and different strategies. When you are the U18 team, you are coached by college coaches. I had the opportunity to bring college level knowledge and experience to my high school team and that actually ended up being one of our best seasons at Lawrenceville.” more

VIVA LAS VEGAS: Brendan Gorman streaks up the ice last winter in his freshman season for the Princeton University men’s hockey team. Gorman made an immediate impact in his debut campaign, tallying 20 points on five goals and 15 assists to lead all Tiger freshmen in points and tie Ian Murphy for the team lead in assists. This July, Gorman took part in an NHL Development Camp with the Vegas Golden Knights. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

For Brendan Gorman, joining the Princeton University men’s hockey team last winter was something he had been looking forward to for years.

“My dad was throwing on the Princeton jersey and stuff when we were younger,” said Gorman, whose father, Sean ’91, was a star and a captain for the Tigers. “Ever since I was like really young it was my dream to go to Princeton. My brother (Liam) committed to BU first but ended up going to Princeton. That kind of sealed the deal, playing with my brother and going to my dream school.”

The younger Gorman showed his stuff last winter, tallying 20 points on five goals and 15 assists to lead all Tiger freshmen in points and tie Ian Murphy for the team lead in assists. more

CALIFORNIA DREAMING: Skye Ettin shows his joy after helping to coach the Princeton University men’s basketball team to an upset win in the opening weekend of the NCAA tournament in Sacramento, Calif. Ettin, a former Princeton High and The College of New Jersey hoops standout who was on the coaching staff of the Tigers for eight years starting as the director of operations and getting promoted to assistant coach in 2016, recently left the program to take a similar position at the University of California, Santa Barbara. (Photo provided courtesy of Princeton Athletics)

By Bill Alden

Skye Ettin’s basketball life has revolved around the Princeton area.

Growing up in Princeton, Ettin attended Princeton University basketball camps as a kid, honing the skills that would make him a star for the Princeton High boys’ basketball team. After PHS, Ettin played college hoops a few miles from home, enjoying a superb career for The College of New Jersey men’s hoops program.

Upon graduating from TCNJ in 2015, Ettin returned home to join the staff of the Princeton University men’s hoops team as its director of operations. He quickly moved up the ranks, becoming an assistant coach a year later. more

REPEAT PERFORMANCE: Team USA star midfielder and co-captain Tom Schreiber, left, races past a Canadian defender in the 2023 World Lacrosse Men’s Championship in San Diego, Calif. Former Princeton University standout Schreiber ’14 helped the U.S. win its second straight world title as it defeated Canada 10-7 in the gold medal game on July 1. Although Schreiber missed three and a half games in the tournament due to injury, he still tallied five points on three goals and two assists in the competition. (Photo by USA Lacrosse)

By Bill Alden

Coming into the 2023 World Lacrosse Men’s Championship in late June, Tom Schreiber figured to play a leading role in orchestrating the offense for the U.S. squad.

Former Princeton University standout midfielder Schreiber helped the U.S. win the title in the 2019 World Championship, scoring the winning goal in the waning seconds of a 9-8 win over Canada in the gold medal game. Schreiber’s skill, experience, and leadership led him to be named as one of the captains of the U.S. team for this year’s competition. more

RISING STAR: Xaivian Lee heads to the hoop for Team Canada last month in the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) U19 World Cup in Debrecen, Hungary. Princeton University men’s basketball rising sophomore Lee averaged 14.1 points-per-game along with 3.1 assists and 3.3 rebounds to help Canada finish seventh in the competition. Overall, Lee ranked 14th in scoring at the FIBA U19 World Cup. (Photo provided courtesy of Princeton Athletics)

By Bill Alden

As Xaivian Lee got into basketball, he had two main goals.

“Playing for Canada has definitely been one of my dreams and playing in March Madness,” said Lee, who hails from Toronto, Ontario.

“Those were two of the biggest things that I thought about when I was younger.” more