Ramapo Magazine

Dick Vitale, nationally known television sportscaster for NCAA Division I men’s basketball, met with Ramapo Women’s Basketball Team members and later sent an autographed picture signed: “Ramapo College is awesome, baby!”

Destination: Phoenix, Arizona

Ramapo College men’s and women’s basketball teams set out for Newark Airport the day after Christmas. Their destination: Phoenix, Arizona.

Scheduled for two separate tournaments in separate parts of the city, the Roadrunner athletes were excited and honored to be the first basketball teams in the program’s history to represent Ramapo far from home.

The men participated in the Cactus Jam Phoenix Hoop Classic, along with NJAC rival William Paterson University. The Roadrunners won the first game of the tournament, defeating Mount Union College, 75-16. Ramapo then suffered two losses after its first round victory, and returned to New Jersey with a fourth place finish.

The women’s team played in the Trip Sports Classic at Grand Canyon University. The Roadrunners dropped their first game to a tough Eastern Connecticut State

University team, 76-60. ECSU eventually went on to win their bracket of the tournament.

Ramapo bounced back the following day, dominating Albright College, 67-60 to claim third place in the tournament. In the game, senior Sidona Schraufnagel recorded a career high 29 rebounds and stands in the number two spot for most rebounds in a game in Ramapo College history.

Ramapo College Women’s Basketball players are united in their dedication to the sport and to their team. Pictured are (l. to r.): Natasha Hernandez, Amy Gordon, Carla Colucci, Tara Larkin, and SeQuita McGill

The action off the court was as memorable as the time played by the women. They watched a Division I game between Arizona State and the top team in the country, Tennessee. Far from a typical basketball contest, this game was played at the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks major league baseball team. A fund-raiser for breast cancer charities, the game was the first-ever college basketball contest played on a baseball field with the “court” set up on the first baseline. Not only were the women impressed by the caliber of athletes, but they were greeted by Dick Vitale, nationally known television sportscaster for NCAA Division I men’s basketball.

Many of the team mothers took the opportunity to combine a vacation with the thrill of watching their daughters play in the tournament. This support of the extended Ramapo community—the parents of our students—doubled the excitment of the team. Other factors that made the trip worthwhile were the opportunity to play teams that wouldn’t normally be on the schedule and time for players to bond with each other and their coaches.

“We became a much closer team. It’s not the same as practicing and playing games here at Ramapo,” said junior Tara Larkin. “We had a chance to really get to know each other—no one was running out the door after practice because they had to be somewhere else. We were barely home two days and we were already talking about what tournament we could play in next year.”

A grant from the Ramapo College Foundation for $9,000 was received by Ramapo College Athletics to sponsor the trip for both the men’s and women’s teams.