Holy Cross Athletics Newsstand: December 2012

Welcome to the Holy Cross Newsstand, a daily listing with links to stories from around the country on the Crusaders. Here are the stories from December of 2012.

Please note that these links take you to pages which are not a part of GoHolyCross.com, and we apologize if the links no longer direct you to the proper page.

Jake Youso finds net at Holy Cross
December 29, 2012 * By Kevin Boneske * International Falls Journal
Jake Youso of International Falls is making his mark in his sophomore season as a Division I forward on the Holy Cross men’s hockey team. Youso, who was back in the Falls for the Christmas break, stopped by The Journal to discuss his experiences having a scholarship to play hockey and attend a university on the East Coast. “We’ve had a great start to the season,” he said. . .

Jaguars' Mark Duffner still bleeds purple
December 23, 2012 * By Jennifer Toland * Worcester Telegram & Gazette
Mark Duffner was 28 years old when he arrived at Holy Cross in 1981, ready and eager to join Rick Carter's first staff and instantly captivated by the campus's charm, the football program's history and his players' passion. “Truthfully,” Duffner said, “I never saw myself leaving.” After 11 seasons, including six illustrious ones as the head coach, Duffner did depart, and although he has been gone from Holy Cross for 21 years now, part of Duffner's heart — a very big part — remains there. . .

McGrath, Nagy blue-line brothers at Holy Cross
December 14, 2012 * By Joe Sager * Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Ryan McGrath and Nilan Nagy grew up about 12 miles apart in suburban Pittsburgh. It took them another 600 miles to become teammates. The two defensemen are key parts of the College of Holy Cross hockey team this season. McGrath, a junior, grew up in Mt. Lebanon, while Nagy, a sophomore, lived in Canonsburg. . .

Bubby Natowich was Ansonia's first football superstar
December 14, 2012 * By Chip Malafronte * New Haven Register
In an era when high school football looked more like rugby, and the odds of a game ending in a scoreless tie were better than average, Andrew “Bubby” Natowich was decades ahead of his time. Natowich, Ansonia’s first football superstar, was considered a radical because he carried the ball with one hand — coaches of the day preached using both to protect the football from swarms of tacklers. . .

Get 'Em While They're Young
December 10, 2012 * By Ladan Nikravan * Diversity Executive
It’s one thing to acknowledge diversity adds value. It’s another thing to tap into and retain a diverse pool of young talent from historically underrepresented groups early in their careers. Northwestern Mutual’s Bryan Walwyn has only had one career. He heard about Northwestern Mutual when the company’s Boston network office invited his college football team to learn about internship opportunities. . .

Shrewsbury's Castan Sommer off to good start on the ice at Holy Cross
December 8, 2012 * By Marvin Pave * Boston Globe
Holy Cross freshman winger Castan Sommer and his family have a special connection to hockey. His father, Roy Sommer, head coach of the Worcester Sharks of the American Hockey League, has spent 15 consecutive seasons behind the bench in the San Jose Sharks organization. His experiences, as both a player and a coach, have given his son a distinctive perspective on the game. . .

Jayne the walk-on wonder
December 1, 2012 * By Dan Guttenplan * Newburyport Daily News
Chris Jayne dreamed of playing Division 1 college basketball for much of his life, but the 5-foot-11 guard didn’t receive a single offer after his senior season at Newburyport High in 2011. The dream didn’t die there for Jayne. After enrolling at the College of Holy Cross in Worcester in the fall of 2011, he reached out to Crusaders basketball coach Milan Brown in hopes of securing a tryout. . .