As the fall and winter sports seasons are winding down, the spring sports look to take their respective places, whether it may be in the Simon Forum, Baldwin Gym or Ranger Stadium. Whether they are seeking to build on last year’s successes or looking for redemption, our athletes have been gearing up for their season openers, as others are getting closer to a chance at playoffs.
The track and basketball teams are wrapping up their seasons with great success and amazing accomplishments.
Owen Browne (‘28) of the men’s track and field team became the first Ranger to ever compete in pole vault. He cleared 4.30 meters, finishing second out of the Division III competitors. The distance medley squad of Matt Ellis (‘28), Jarred Saltz (‘26), Dylan Crain (‘26) and Thomas Edwards (‘27) placed third among six teams with a Drew record of 11:02.87 at the ESU DeSchriver Invitational.
For the women’s team, Sage Hendershot (‘27) recently broke the Landmark Conference record for the long jump and Emily Camlot (‘26) posted a record-breaking performance in the 300-meter dash timed at 41.09 seconds. This performance gives her both a team and Landmark Conference record.
For basketball, the men’s team is going into their last four games of the regular season on a 10-game winning streak, putting themselves in a great position to stake another claim at the coveted Landmark Conference Championship.
The women’s team is having an equally impressive season, clinching victories against conference opponents to ensure that they too make it into the playoffs.
Yet to make their first plays of the 2025 season are lacrosse, baseball and softball.
The men’s lacrosse team is set to begin their season as they take on Neumann University on Feb. 19 at 6 p.m. in Ranger Stadium. Coming off a 10-8 season where they made it to the first round of the Landmark Conference playoffs, this season could prove to be even more successful.
The women’s team is also coming off a similar 2024 season, though a noticeable change lies within their coaching staff. The team welcomed new head coach Stephani Peluso at the end of last season.
Peluso comes to the Forest from Division I Manhattan College, where she served as an assistant coach, offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator for the last two seasons. She was also a Division I lacrosse player at Wagner College, where she was a 100-point scorer.
Coach Peluso’s first game as a Ranger will be on Feb. 15 at 12 p.m. against Montclair State University in Ranger Stadium.
The first pitch of the baseball season is set to begin on Feb. 15 at Kean University and softball will start their season on March 4 at William Paterson University. The team aims to build off last year’s historic campaign in which they reached the Landmark Conference playoffs for the first time in the new era ushered in by 2024 Coach of the Year Brian Eberly.
The 2024-2025 sports seasons have seen stellar performances from our Rangers, and if last season is any indication, this spring season will prove no different.
Gillian Sampson is a graduate student pursuing a masters in education.
