Letting the dogs out A preview of the top athletes of 2012-’13

Looking back on the 2011-2012 atheltic year for the Bryant Bulldogs there has been plenty to celebrate and cherish.  Many of the teams have met with success and have done so in a variety of ways.

However as the sun sets on this season, a new one is already well on the rise with plenty of talented Bulldogs ready to carve out their piece of Bryant fame.  Here is a list of the top five shining stars of Bulldog Nation to look out for this season.

5.  Nicole Rettinger

Starting off the countdown is junior defenseman Nicole Rettinger of the Women’s Lacrosse team.  Nicole has been nothing short of impressive at the defensive position for the Bulldogs this season, scoring 31 ground balls and an astounding 22 turnovers.

Rettinger is certainly no stranger to the spotlight, having won second team All-NEC honors in both of her first two seasons with the Lacrosse team, and as of April 26th she has once again carved out her share of the limelight taking home her third consecutive Second Team All-NEC honors.

Nicole looks to come into her own in a leadership role as she progresses into her senior year, and especially in a transition year with a new coach for the team her leadership skills will certainly be put to good use.

4.   Kevin McAvoy

Fourth on the list is Freshman starting pitcher Kevin McAvoy.  McAvoy has been a stud right arm since joining the team this season.  Standing at 6’2” Kevin commands a presence worthy of an ace pitcher, and most certainly has the credentials to back it up.

In seven starts McAvoy has gone 4-1 with a 3.30 era.  Kevin’s command of all his pitches has been outstanding this season as well only allowing 16 walks in 11 total appearances while having the stuff to strike out 36 which is fourth on the team.

McAvoy’s signature performance of the season came in last Sunday’s tilt against Fairleigh Dickenson University in which he pitched a career high 8 innings, allowing only one run on five hits while striking out four.

For his efforts this season Kevin has been twice awarded the NEC Rookie of the Week honors.  What is perhaps most concerning for Bryant opponents on the 2013 schedule is that they will have to see him again in 2013, and yet again in 2014.

Kevin and his all-star right arm is certainly a commodity for Bryant Baseball in the years to come, and one all Bulldog sports fans should watch for next season.

3.   Mason Poli

Coming in at number three on the countdown is Junior defenseman Mason Poli.  Mason has enjoyed a stellar season with the Bulldogs in 2012 and is a major piece of the equation as they strive to take home the NEC crown.

Currently he has a total of 19 goals, which is fourth on the team and far and away the top scoring long pole.  To compliment this Poli had 6 assists, 40 ground balls, and 10 turnovers this season making him one of the true stalwart players on the Men’s Lacrosse team.

For his outstanding contributions to the team this season, Poli has been recognized as a nominee for the Tewaaraton Award which recognizes the best Men’s Lacrosse player in the country.  Bryant Alum and lacrosse great Zach Grier was nominated as a finalist in 2009, and this year’s finalists will be announced on May 10th.

Whether or not Poli takes home the honor, he is sure to be an impact player on the field for the Bulldogs in 2012, and Head Coach Mike Pressler no doubt will utilize him in ways that are sure to be devastating to rival offenses in the Northeast Conference.

2.  Aubrey Mable

In the two spot is sophomore shortstop Aubrey Mable. Aubrey may be the most versatile threat on the list with her abilities on offense, defense, as well as on the guitar (which of course is on display to patrons of Parente’s Restaurant on Monday nights).

This season Aubrey has led the team in hits (42), runs (31), home runs (7), RBIs (25) and walks (19). As a journalist who prides himself on having something to say on just about everything, these are certainly some numbers that speak for themselves.

Along with this she has displayed the toughness necessary in a division 1 shortstop, appearing in all 41 tilts for the Bulldogs this season.  Mable’s true talent was on display in the Lady Bulldogs March 24th tilt against Yale.

Over the course of the morning game alone Aubrey hit a pair of homers, driving in a total of eight runs in an absolute showing of pure power.  Aubrey looks forward to improving on these stellar numbers in her 2013 campaign, as well as finely tuning her golden pipes for future performances in the Greater Smithfield Area.

1.  Jordan Harris

Taking the top honor in the countdown is junior wideout number 16 Jordan Harris.  Jordan was a human highlight reel alongside his first name counterpart Jordan Brown in the backfield.  In his junior season Harris caught 42 passes for an impressive 959 yards and 9 trips to pay dirt.

Jordan is by definition a big play wide receiver, which was evident in his 22.8 yards per catch average. Bulldog fans intently watched Harris on Saturday afternoons all season long as he was a threat on every play to bust the top off of the defense and make the play on a Croes/Westerhaus deep ball.

His ability to stretch the field was especially evident in his absolute destruction of the Albany secondary in the game on November 5th, where he had 10 receptions for 224 yards and a pair of touchdowns.  Jordan’s talent was most recently on display at the Annual Black vs. Gold Spring game on Saturday April 21st where he caught 3 balls, had 114 yards and two touchdowns.

The highlight of the day was most definitely Harris’s 65 yard bomb of a catch off of a flea flicker, in which he torched the secondary and ran unabated into the end zone.

Opposing defensive coordinators are sure to be circling number 16 on their game plans when the 2012 season begins, and if they don’t they are sure to be subject to the same burning that had plagued them all last season in the NEC.