HOBOKEN, N.J. (Feb. 1, 2021) – Under the leadership of current Director of Athletics Russell Rogers, who is in his 21st year in the position, the Stevens Institute of Technology Department of Athletics has risen to unprecedented levels of success.

Under Rogers' leadership, Stevens has finished inside the top 45 in the DIII College Directors' Cup standings 11 consecutive years including a program-best 13th-place finish in both 2010-11 and 2015-16. The Ducks also won the Jostens Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) Institution of the Year Award in both 2007-08 and 2012-13, while also finishing as the Collegiate Athletic Administrators of New Jersey DIII Cup Winner in seven of the last 10 years.

The Department of Athletics will look back into the archives to reflect on the development's evolution under Rogers. Each week, key moments will be highlighted that happened "This Week in Stevens History."

The week of February 1-7
Feb. 1, 2015 – Polizzi Becomes Fourth Wrestler in Program History to Amass 100 Career Wins
In a pair of victories in the same day over Muhlenberg and No. 21 Ursinus, 157-pounder Mike Polizzi became the fourth wrestler in program history to reach the 100-win plateau in the dual versus the Bears.

The Ducks started the day with a dominant 35-16 victory over Muhlenberg as Rob Murray, Zach Wilhelm, Polizzi, CJ Castera, AJ Kowal, Kalen Gans and Chris Florek all earned victories, three of which were by technical fall. They then followed it up by defeated the 21st-ranked Bears 31-18 after wins by Ryan Wilson, Polizzi, Castera, Kowal, Ryan Jachim and Florek.

At the time, Polizzi joined Brandon MacWhinnie, current head coach Joe Favia and Ryan Dormann as the only student-athletes in program history to accomplish the feat.

Feb. 1, 2013 – Women's Basketball, Kowalska Set Program Single-Game Records for Blocks in Win Over Utica
In a dominant 58-36 victory over Utica College, the women's basketball team set a new single-game record for blocks with 13 and Maggie Kowalska set a new individual mark for single-game blocks with nine.

Kowalska led the way for the Ducks as she finished just shy of a triple double with 12 points, 11 rebounds and the nine blocked shots. In addition, Dylan Krause was also fantastic in the win as she tallied 12 points, five boards, three steals and two assists.

Both records still stand in the record books today with the 13 blocks only being matched one other time in the 2015-16 season against Old Westbury University.

Feb. 2, 2009 – Men's Basketball Topples No. 21 St. John Fisher in OT as Passalacqua Reaches 1,000-Point Milestone
Led by 27 points from Virgil Gray and 14 more from Anthony Passalacqua, the Stevens men's basketball team topped No. 21 St. John Fisher 64-61 in a thrilling overtime victory.

Heading into the contest, Passalacqua needed 14 points to reach the 1,000-point plateau and scored exactly 14 while going 4 for 10 from the floor to help the Ducks grab the victory. Gray, meanwhile, added five rebounds and three assists to his 27 points to lead the way and hand Fisher its third loss in Empire 8 play.

Feb. 3, 2018 – Men's and Women's Track and Field Programs Set New School Records in 4x200-Meter Relay on Same Day
The women's and men's indoor track and field programs both set new school records in the same event on the same day in 2018 at Ursinus College. Both teams broke the record held in the 4x200-meter relay as the women produced a record time of 1:52.11 and the men finished in a time of 1:32.06.

The women's quartet was composed of Gina Dello Russo, Samantha Pearson, Melissa Barnes and Paige Metzheiser while the men's team consisted of Alex Kainer, Andrew Loth, Nicholas DiMaria and Vincent Russo. Both records were broken in the 2019-20 season as well.

Feb. 3, 2018 – Kaye Becomes Women's Fencing All-Time Wins Leader
Abby Kaye, the lone Stevens fencer to amass 300 career victories, made history in 2018 when she became the program's all-time wins leader by earning 12 victories at the Eric Sollee Invitational. As a team, the Ducks went 4-1 on the day with wins over Brown, Brandeis, MIT and NJIT.

Kaye's 12 wins on the day gave her 264 in her career and passed Caroleen Chen's career mark of 256 in the meet. Kaye would go on to win 36 more bouts to bring her career total for wins to a round 300.  

Feb. 4, 2012 – Men's and Women's Swimming Defeat Hartwick in Battle of Top-25 Programs
On Senior Day in 2012, both the Stevens men's and women's swim programs face stiff competition and came away with big victories over top-25 opponents.

On the men's side, the Ducks handed No. 18 Hartwick its first loss of the season 160.5-101.5. Stevens took the top spot in 10 total events on the day and went one-two in four of those events.

The women, meanwhile, defeated Hartwick by a blistering score of 163-97 to give the Hawks just their third dual meet loss of the year. Not to be outdone by their male counterparts, the women won 12 total events in the meet, going one-two in three events.

Feb. 4, 2004 – Cruz Sets New Program Record With 11 Steals in Win over Centenary
Aracely Cruz had a historic day in a victory over Centenary University as she set a new program record with 11 total steals as the Ducks knocked off the Cyclones 56-44.

Cruz finished the contest with a modest four points, but her 11 steals helped the Ducks force 24 total turnovers and score 36 of their 56 points off turnovers. The Ducks played stifling defense throughout as well, holding Centenary to just 27.9 percent from the floor.

Feb. 5, 2003 – Men's Volleyball Earns First-Ever AVCA Top-10 Ranking
The Stevens men's volleyball program earned its first of many top-10 rankings in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Poll in 2003 when they climbed to No. 10 in the rankings after winning five of six matches.

From that moment on, the Ducks have found themselves inside the top-10 of the AVCA poll for 218 of 239 total polls over an 18-year span. Additionally, of the 21 total polls Stevens was not inside the top-10, the Ducks still found themselves in the top-15 for 16 of those polls.

Feb. 7, 2015 – Men's Volleyball Sweeps Past No. 1 Juniata, No. 8 Rivier
In a sign of what was to be one of the most historic seasons in the history of Stevens athletics, the men's volleyball team took home victories in straight sets over No. 8 Rivier and No. 1 Juniata in The Clash at Kean.

The Ducks, who were ranked No. 2 at the time, started the day with a convincing 25-17, 25-15, 27-25 win over Rivier that featured 11 kills from David Evans and seven more from Tim Ferriter who hit .538 in the match.

Stevens then followed it up with a 25-18, 25-14, 25-19 win over the top-ranked Eagles. The Ducks hit a whopping .548 in the victory while holding Juniata to just .254 and also racked up five service aces compare to just one from the Eagles. Stevens went on to 

Feb. 7, 2014 – Rojas of Men's Fencing Named to College Fencing Primetime Performers Weekly Honor Roll
Jorge Rojas of the Stevens men's fencing team was recognized for his efforts on the strips in 2014 when he was named to the College Fencing Primetime Performers Weekly Honor Roll.

Rojas earned the award after placing 17th at the 2013 NCAA Mid-Atlantic/South Regional and turning in 13-2 record at the Eric Sollee Invitational, including a sweep of host Brandeis (5-4 vs. 2013 NCAA entrant Julian Cardillo). Rojas also had a winning record vs. the foilist from No. 9 Brown, with a pair of 5-2 wins and a 5-3 loss vs. 2012 NCAA entrant Barrett Weiss.

The games/events noted above are not meant to be a complete listing of Stevens' events on these dates, but a sampling of great moments as determined by the Stevens Department of Athletic Communications.

"This Week From the Pond" Archives:
Sept. 14-20
Sept. 21-27
Sept. 28-Oct. 4
Oct. 5-11
Oct. 12-18
Oct. 19-25
Oct. 26-Nov. 1
Nov. 2-8
Nov. 9-15
Nov. 16-22
Nov. 23-29
Nov. 30-Dec. 6
Dec. 7-13
Dec. 14-20 
Jan. 4-10
Jan. 25-31

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