The Binghamton Bearcats are an NCAA Division I athletics program at Binghamton University. They are one of four Division I programs in the SUNY system.

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History

Binghamton has competed in the NCAA since joining the SUNY system in 1950. During the 1946-1950 era, there were no particular affiliations or mascots. When, in fact, they joined SUNY and adopted the new name Harpur College, the school also adopted their first mascot: a donkey named Harpo. In transitioning to SUNY Binghamton, they also developed their athletics program further, adopting the new school mascot: The red white and blue Colonials.

In 2001, Binghamton would step into Division I athletics. The school hired Joel Thirer as the new athletic director to bring the Division III school into Division I, which they completed faster than any other school in history. They became a member of the America East Conference.

More recently, the university has hosted a number of conference championships, including the 2005, 2006 and 2008 men's basketball championships.

Recent accomplishments

• The 2008-09 Men's Basketball team won the America East regular season title. The team has had its best season in history and earned its first post-season berth in history, as well as, after defeating UMBC in the America East Tournament Final 61-51, their first ever NCAA Division I Tournament appearance.
• The 2008 Men's Soccer team drew the nation's (Div. 1) 20th largest average attendance to regular season play.
• Rory Quiller became the first Binghamton athlete to win a Division 1 National Championship in 2008. His pole vault of 18-0 1/2 was good enough to take first place at NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships. He became the first America East athlete to win a National Championship and received his third All- American honors. He is now pursuing 2008 Summer Olympics.
• The Men's Soccer team made it to the 6th consecutive America East championship for the 2008 season.
• Ryan Graham became the first diver from Binghamton to qualify for NCAA Division 1 Zone Championships in 2008.
• Rory Quiller won the 2007 NCAA East Outdoor Track pole vault Championships with a new conference and Binghamton University record (18' 1"). This victory was followed by placing 4th at the NCAA Championships. He was the first Binghamton athlete to earn All-American honors twice.
• Men's Lacrosse knocked off 6th ranked SUNY Albany at home on April 28, 2007. This was the schools largest upset and came on Senior Day.[24]
• Rory Quiller posted a second place finish in the 2007 Indoor Track pole vault Championships (18' 1/2").
• The Men's Soccer team played their first game in the new Bearcat Sports Complex against Cornell. They came to a 3-0 victory in front of a record crowd of over 1,800 people. The success lead to receiving votes in the Adidas national ranking and moving into the 7 spot for all of the Northeast.
• The Men's Soccer team opened the 2007 season with the best record (5-0-0) since 1987. The women's team also played an inaugural game in the new Bearcats Sports Complex (they lost 2-1 in overtime to Syracuse University).
• The Men's Tennis Team has won four of the last six America East titles (2003-2005, 2008)
• The baseball team won back to back regular season championships for the 2007 and 2008 seasons. Since joining the America East Conference they have the best winning percentage of any team and most players who have signed a professional contract.

Binghamton Basketball

• The Binghamton Men's Basketball team has experienced many ups and downs throughout their Div. I history. Perhaps the program's biggest win was against ACC member, University of Miami in the winter of 2006. Incidentally the 2006-2007 season was the program's worst finish in the America East conference. Following a loss to Boston University (BU) in the first round of the 2007 America East Championships, head coach Al Walker (the only coach Binghamton has had in their Div. I history) was forced to step down. As of March 26, Kevin Broadus, assistant coach for Georgetown University was announced to fill Walker's position.
• In his second season as head coach, Kevin Broadus took the Bearcats to their first regular season conference title in school history.
• Binghamton defeated UMBC 61-51 in the America East Tournament Championship Game and made their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament, earning the 15 seed and losing to second-seeded Duke in the first round.
• Coach Broadus has come under attack by the NYTimes numerous times. "The Bearcats have endured several arrests and suspensions since the 2007 hiring of Coach Kevin Broadus. A former Georgetown assistant, he is known for recruiting good players with questionable backgrounds. At least one teacher has said she received so much pressure to change her grading policy for basketball players that it bordered on harassment." ^[1]
• In addition, their first appearance at the NCAA championships was wrought with bad press due to the filing of a sexual harassment claim against Athletics personnel Chris W. Lewis and Jason Siegel: ^[2]

Rivalries

The Binghamton Bearcats' primary rival is the SUNY Albany Great Danes . This is largely because they are both members of the America East Conference, as well as the SUNY system. Their geographic proximity has led to the name, The I-88 Rivalry . Other rivals typically depend on the sport, but include BU, Stony Brook and the University of Vermont

Facilities

Events Center

The Events Center plays host to both men and women basketball games. It has a capacity of nearly ten thousand for non-sporting events and approximately 5,222 for basketball games. With recent capacity issues, the Athletic Department will be looking at various existent options for exapanding capacity in the 2009-2010 season. The facilities has an indoor track where the track and field teams practice and compete, indoor tennis courts for both men and women tennis teams, as well as the primary weight and fitness equipment, sports medicine and uniform issuance facilities. The facility also includes a 150 person private lounge donated by a local fraternity, Tau Alpha Upsilon (TAU). It is known as the TAU Bearcat Clubroom.

Bearcats Sports Complex

Opened in the Fall of 2007, the Bearcat Sports Complex features two artificial turf fields for soccer and lacrosse. One field is intended primarily for competition and the other for practice. Additional features include night lighting, over 2,500 seats for the competition field and 1,000 for the practice field, a concession stand and bathrooms. In 2009, the Tau Alpha Upsilon (TAU) fraternity sponsored the naming of both the press box and the scoreboard. A plaque was dedicated in their honor at the entrance of the new sports complex.

West Gym

The West Gym hosts the weight, practice and competition facilities for the wrestling team. Also, the varsity pool is home to both men and women swim and diving teams. The gymnasium is used for volleyball, basketball practice, and also wrestling matches.

Varsity Field

Home to the varsity baseball team, Varsity field features a diamond with dugouts and bleachers.

East Gym Field

Home to the softball team.

Alumni Stadium

A 2,000 seat stadium, athletic field, outdoor track and field facilities. While it has previously hosted the lacrosse teams, it is primarily used for the track and field teams. The track was resurfaced in 2007.

References

1. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/22/sports/ncaabasketball/22binghamton.html?scp=2&sq=Binghamton%20University&st=cse
2. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/19/sports/ncaabasketball/19binghamton.html?scp=3&sq=Binghamton%20University&st=cse