Athletics

Steve Yianoukos
'72

Yianoukos named Clarkson Athletic Director
Steve Yianoukos '72 (Mgt) became Clarkson University's eighth Director of Athletics this past August. The Potsdam, N.Y., native, had been associate director of athletics since 1997 and was executive officer of the physical education/recreation department for 13 years prior to that.

"Steve has played a key role in the Department of Athletics' many successful initiatives and I am confident that under his leadership the department will continue to progress," said Clarkson President Tony Collins.

Yianoukos has overseen Clarkson's Division III athletics programs, managed all home Division III athletic contests, monitored NCAA/Liberty League institutional policies and sports guidelines, and led fund-raising initiatives for the department, including the Green and Gold Club, Athletic Annual Fund, Athletic Hall of Fame, and the Athletic Alumni Council.

"I am excited for the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead," Yianoukos said. "I am fortunate to have inherited such an excellent and experienced staff and under the leadership of President Collins, with the support of alumni, and student-athletes, I am confident we will forge ahead and bring new found excellence that the department and the University can be proud of."

Yianoukos graduated from Clarkson in 1972 with a bachelor's degree in industrial management. He is involved in numerous local, professional and civic organizations. Yianoukos and his wife, Joyce, are longtime residents in the Potsdam community and have two grown children, Fia and John.

Clarkson names two new head coaches
Clarkson women's basketball and volleyball programs have new coaches this season. Andrea Preston will coach women's basketball, while Carol Munger will take charge of the volleyball program.

Preston , who replaces Ann Parks, spent 2004-05 in an administrative position with the Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA. Prior to that, she was an assistant coach with the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse for two seasons and at Earlham College for one year. She was a four-year letter-winner at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.

Munger was a four-year letterwinner for the Division I Syracuse Orange, where she also worked as an assistant coach for a year. She moved to France in 2003 to compete in the National French League. A native of Canandaigua, N.Y., Munger also was a three-time Big East Academic All-Star.

Volleyball senior sets kills mark
Senior Stephanie Thornton (Corning , N.Y.) became just the third player over the past decade to record 1,000 career kills for the Clarkson University volleyball team. Thornton is also just one of two players in the history of the program to surpass 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs in a career. Through October 1, 2005 , Thornton had amassed 1,119 kills, 1,449 digs, and a school-record 253 aces.

Through the first five weeks of the season, sophomore transfer Katie Benson (Ashton, Md.) has made it clear she is one of the top players in the Liberty League. Benson, a libero for the Clarkson volleyball team, earned Liberty League Rookie of the Week honors for four consecutive weeks. Benson transferred from Florida State this past season after not participating athletically at the Division I power.

The Clarkson women's
hockey team celebrates a
goal. The women made it to
the ECAC playoffs in their
first season in the league.

Women's Hockey still young
By qualifying for the Eastern College Athletic Conference Hockey League (ECAC) playoffs in its first year as a member of the 11-team league, Clarkson's women's hockey proved to be a program on the rise in the NCAA Division I ranks.

Head coach Rick Seeley and assistant coaches Shannon Smith and Laura Hays guided the youngest team in college hockey to a respectable 13-17-6 record last year, and those losses include seven one-goal games. The Green and Gold earned the final league postseason berth.

"Last year was a great experience for us," stated Seeley. "We are very pleased with our progress. We had some nice wins." Clarkson swept league foes Cornell, Union and Vermont and knocked off perennial ECACHL power Brown (3-2).

Although still relatively young with no seniors on the roster, Clarkson returns 18 letterwinners. For the third consecutive season, junior Lindsay Williams (Mississauga, ONT) will lead the way as team captain. Junior Jill Nolan (Labrador, NF) returns as the Knights' leading scorer after a 21-point season, including a team-high 14 goals.

The Golden Knights will face a challenging start to the 2005-06 campaign with 15 of their first 20 games on the road. Clarkson opened the 34-game season at Vermont, with the home opener October 14 against NCAA Tournament participant Mercyhurst.

George Roll begins his third season
behind the bench, hoping to get the
Golden Knights back on the winning
track.

Roll starts third season at hockey helm
George Roll will have 19 lettermen return this year, hoping that experience, and a talented group of freshmen, will turn around the Golden Knights fortunes this season.

Roll, who enters his third year as head hockey coach, suffered through a 13-23-3 overall and
7-13-1 ECAC season last year. He is confident that the leadership of senior defenseman and captain, Chris Brekelmans, the returning letterwinners, and a promising group of recruits will pay off this year.

For the third straight season, Roll, along with Associate Coach Greg Drechsel and Assistant Coach Jean-Francois Houle '97 (BA) have brought in a promising group of recruits who are ranked among the best incoming classes in the country. The past three classes have generated nine NHL Draft picks, including three selected this summer.

"We have to start making some strides," stated Roll. "Last year the talent was there to be a top four (ECAC) team and we proved that at junctures throughout the year, but we did not have the overall consistency and level of commitment that we needed."

Clarkson opened its season October 7 at Niagara and plays 12 games at Cheel Arena in October and November.

"We have to be good out of the gate early," stated Roll. "Because of the way the ECAC is set up this year we have a very unbalanced schedule. We have a lot of home games early and then we are on the road for most of the second half of the season. We need to make the most of our games at Cheel in October and November to give us momentum."

For up-to-date scores and records, plus detailed information about the team, go to www.clarksonathletics.com.