Newfield High School students at trip to Boston. Photo courtesy MCCSD
Newfield High School students at trip to Boston. Photo courtesy MCCSD
Newfield High School students viewing the solar eclipse during their Boston Duck Tour. Photo courtesy MCCSD
Newfield High School students viewing the solar eclipse during their Boston Duck Tour. Photo courtesy MCCSD
Newfield High School students viewing the solar eclipse during their Boston Duck Tour. Photo courtesy MCCSD
Newfield High School students at trip to Boston. Photo courtesy MCCSD
Over 100 music students from Newfield High School embarked on an enriching field trip to Boston, Massachusetts, marking a memorable chapter in their academic journey.
The exploration of Boston’s cultural treasures continued with a visit to the New England Aquarium, where students marveled at the diverse marine life and engaged in hands-on learning experiences. Adding their artistic flair to the trip, students were able to perform at the famous Quincy Market showcasing their musical talents.
Students delved into a whirlwind of cultural and educational experiences, exploring the vibrant city and immersing themselves in its rich history and artistic offerings. The highlight of the trip was undoubtedly the mesmerizing performance by the world-renowned Blue Man Group. Students were captivated by the innovative blend of music, comedy, and technology, experiencing an evening of entertainment.
In addition to the Blue Man Group performance, students enjoyed a plethora of recreational activities, including bowling, laser tag, and arcade games, fostering camaraderie and team spirit among classmates.
The excitement continued with a Boston Duck Boat tour, offering panoramic views of the city’s iconic landmarks and historical sites. Additionally, students were even ready to view the solar eclipse with their protective eyewear on the Boston harbor.
Of course, no field trip to Boston would be complete without exploring the city’s world-renowned educational institutions. Students visited the Harvard University Campus, immersing themselves in the prestigious academic atmosphere and gaining insights into higher education opportunities. The educational journey extended to the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum, where students delved into the life and legacy of one of America’s most iconic leaders, deepening their understanding of history and politics.
The field trip provided students with opportunities for personal growth, cultural enrichment, and artistic expression. Through these experiences, they not only enhanced their musical skills but also cultivated a deeper appreciation for the arts and the world around them. As they return to school, these students carry with them cherished memories and newfound inspirations, ready to continue their academic journey with renewed passion and enthusiasm.
For more information regarding the Middle Country Central School District and its students’ many achievements, please visit the District’s website: https://www.mccsd.net/.
L-R LIMEHOF Educator of Note Recipients Alan Schwartz, Susan Weber, Frank Abel and Kim Löwenborg-Coyne.
Five music teachers from across Long Island were recently honored at the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF) in Stony Brook in a special ceremony honoring the organizations most recent Educator of Note Award winners.
“It was wonderful,” said Tom Needham, Tom Needham, Second Vice Chair and Educational Programs Director at LIMEHOF. “When you get all these people together in one room and you hear about the number of students they’ve influenced over the years and the impact they’ve had on music education on Long Island. It’s truly incredible. We’re so excited to have this opportunity to have them all here in the room and to celebrate the good things that they’ve accomplished.”
“We all had and have such meaningful careers that have impacted music education in so many different ways,” said Susan Weber. “Bottom line is that we all love seeing the reaction with our students and former students and as time goes on how music education impacts kids and it was just a very special day.”
“It’s a wonderful opportunity and I’m just so thrilled to be amongst these people here and to have my name with these people, these legends is just one of the biggest honors of my life,” said Alan Schwartz.
“What a wonderful ride… a wonderful journey after 42 years of teaching on this very special day to receive this very special award at the Hall of Fame. We don’t go in teaching for awards but this one right here I’m going to cherish,” said Frank Abel.
Supporting and highlighting musical education and upcoming talent through its education programs is a large part of LIMEHOF’s mission. Each year the Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame presents an Educator of Note Award recognizing outstanding achievement in Long Island music education and normally they present the awards publicly during their galas. LIMEHOF has not held an awards Gala since 2019 in large part due to covid restrictions these award winners were unable to receive their awards in a public ceremony, so LIMEHOF organized this special ceremony for them at their Stony Brook Museum location.
LIMEHOF says it’s important to recognize the music teachers who are top in their field and making a difference by building strong educational programs for students to be able to perform and be evaluated.
“We celebrate music history here on Long Island and everybody knows we honor people like Billy Joel and John Coltraine and other artists but sometimes people forget that the people who have the biggest impact on Long Island in terms of music are music teachers,” said Needham. “Music teachers have the ability to reach thousands of kids throughout a career.”
The 2024 Educator of Note nomination process is currently open with a deadline of September 30th. For more information about LIMEHOF’s Educator of Note, scholarships and other music education programs, please visit https://www.limusichalloffame.org/educator-of-note/
About LIMEHOF
Founded in 2004, the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the idea that Long Island’s musical and entertainment heritage is an important resource to be celebrated and preserved for future generations. The organization, which encompasses New York State’s Nassau, Suffolk, Queens, and Kings (Brooklyn) Counties, was created as a place of community that inspires and explores Long Island music and entertainment in all its forms. In 2022, LIMEHOF opened its first Hall of Fame building location in Stony Brook, New York. To date, the organization has inducted more than 120 musicians and music industry executives, and offers education programs, scholarships, and awards to Long Island students and educators.
Arrowhead Elementary School fundraised $1,095 to benefit various organizations that support autism awareness. Photo courtesy the TVCSD
Arrowhead Elementary School fundraised $1,095 to benefit various organizations that support autism awareness. Photo courtesy the TVCSD
Arrowhead Elementary School fundraised $1,095 to benefit various organizations that support autism awareness. Photo courtesy the TVCSD
Arrowhead Elementary School fundraised $1,095 to benefit various organizations that support autism awareness. Photo courtesy the TVCSD
The Arrowhead Elementary School community in East Setauket celebrated Autism Acceptance Month throughout April.
The building held a kickoff assembly on April 8 to explain the many events the building would be holding to promote inclusion and raise awareness about autism. Teachers and students led several fundraisers, as well as a spirit week centered around autism acceptance and awareness.
The celebrations culminated with a schoolwide Autism Awareness Walk on April 19. At the walk, teachers presented a $1,095 check from the building’s fundraising efforts. The funds will benefit various organizations supporting autism awareness.
Additionally, the building’s Autism Ambassadors were introduced. One student was selected from each grade level after being nominated by their classroom teacher to share what they’ve learned about autism during April. The afternoon ended with a schoolwide walk for students and staff to come together for the cause.
Three Village Academy, above, is tucked behind a quiet Stony Brook neighborhood. Photo by Mallie Jane Kim
Trustees praise the budget but urge better advanced financial planning
By Mallie Jane Kim
Three Village Central School District will ask voters to decide on a $236.1 million school budget, a 2.27% increase, May 21. The 2024-25 budget, which was adopted at an April 17 school board meeting with five “yes” votes and one abstention, stays within the district’s 2.84% tax levy cap and therefore would pass with a simple majority of the vote.
Support for the budget at the meeting came alongside calls for continued improvements in planning for years ahead.
According to Deputy Superintendent Jeffrey Carlson, the district was able to cut 15 positions through attrition, thanks to 67 staff retirements, and save $250,000 by restructuring administrative positions.
The district planned the budget as though aid from the state would remain flat — a strategy that worked out well since New York State’s budget, which passed over the weekend, walked back Gov. Kathy Hochul’s (D) proposal to cut funding to certain districts, including Three Village, which would have lost about $9 million in state aid. Under the finalized budget, state funding to Three Village remains essentially the same, less some expected changes in building aid the district notified residents it had already accounted for.
District officials and board members have indicated they took the governor’s initial proposal as a warning: Cuts to state aid are likely down the pike, so budget planning should take that likelihood into account.
Budget Advisory Committee representative Shari Fontana praised the administration for making strides toward fiscal stability and prioritizing the educational, social and emotional needs of students.
“We realize that no budget will ever be perfect,” Fontana read, in a statement from the BAC, a committee of board-appointed community members and district stakeholders. “Our district is truly doing the very best they can under the circumstances.”
Fontana added that the committee recommends the BAC convene earlier in the school year and receive an advance copy of the budget with time to ask questions. She also said the committee would prefer to have a multiyear outlook on budget planning rather than advise for a single year.
Trustee David McKinnon abstained from the budget adoption vote, voicing similar concerns. “I remain concerned that without a clear and strict financial plan to represent everybody’s interest, we’re just kicking the can down the road,” McKinnon said. “We know our costs are increasing faster than our revenue. That’s going to be a recipe for a problem, if it’s not already here.”
McKinnon also lamented the fact that the board has not yet committed to making secondary start times later in conjunction with the plan to restructure schools in fall 2025. If a time change is not solidified, sixth and ninth graders that year would have to start school even earlier than they would have done if those grades had not moved up to the junior high and high school, respectively.
Yet he acknowledged the 2024-25 budget plan, which increases district spending just over $5 million from the current year, is an improvement. “I agree that we’re headed in the right direction,” he said. “I know how hard everybody works here.”
Trustee Karen Roughley, who has also pushed for more advanced planning, praised the district for the budget effort, especially in light of increasing expenses that are outside of district control, such as staff contracts and vendor agreements. “To be able to present a balanced budget that takes all that into account while not excessing any staff or cutting any programs is pretty impressive to me,” she said. “Do I think things can be tweaked over the next couple years? Absolutely. But this is a great start.”
Voting takes place at Ward Melville High School on May 21 from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., and this is the first year voters can opt to vote early by mail. Information on early and absentee voting is located on the district’s website by clicking on the Board of Education drop-down menu and selecting Budget Information.
In March 2024, Izabela Kalinowska-Blackwood, associate professor in the Department of English and affiliated faculty in the Department of Languages and Cultural Studies at Stony Brook University, was awarded a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program teaching grant for the 2024-2025 academic year. She will engage in teaching and research at the Centre for East European Studies at the University of Warsaw, a leading institution known for its significant contributions to regional academic discussions and for its journal publications.
Each year, the Fulbright Scholar Program, the United States’ flagship program of international educational and cultural exchange, awards more than 1,700 fellowships, including 800 U.S. Scholars who travel abroad as part of the educational exchange program. The Fulbright Program provides opportunities for participants to engage in a cultural and educational exchange in a country abroad, bridging host countries and scholars that facilitate international dialogue and foster connections while researching and teaching in a field of the scholar’s choosing.
“This is a highly prestigious award, sponsoring research on some urgent issues, and we are proud of Professor Kalinowska-Blackwood for this achievement,” said Benedict Robinson, professor and chair of the Department of English in the College of Arts and Sciences at Stony Brook. “It’s also a significant boost for the international visibility of humanities research coming out of Stony Brook. This is not only great news for Professor Kalinowska-Blackwood, but also for the Department of English and for Stony Brook University as a whole.”
As a Fulbright Scholar, Kalinowska-Blackwood will represent Stony Brook University and the United States in a collaborative role abroad as a researcher and teacher. While in Poland, she will focus on post-coloniality and decolonization in her teaching and research activities. Additionally, Kalinowska-Blackwood is co-authoring a book titled, “Conversations about Poland and Ukraine after February 2022,” aiming to shed light on the wave of migrations to Poland in the wake of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
“I am honored and I greatly appreciate this opportunity to be affiliated with the Centre for East European Studies,” Kalinowska-Blackwood said. “Fostering academic collaborations between the United States and Poland is particularly important today, at a time of growing political tensions in the region. Humanities and social sciences can play a vital role in helping the public understand complex cultural and political issues and in facilitating informed dialogues.”
At Stony Brook University, Kalinowska-Blackwood is focused on research in Comparative Slavic studies, including interests in Polish and Soviet/Russian cinema, gendered notions of identity, nationalism, colonial and post-colonial studies, Orientalist discourses, as well as Polish and Russian travel to the East.
She received her MA in English Philology from the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, Poland, continued her studies at the Freie Universität Berlin as a graduate student at the Kennedy Institute, and completed her PhD in comparative Slavic literature at Yale University. Kalinowska-Blackwood has been a professor at Stony Brook University since 1998.
Nine Suffolk County Community College students have been honored for their academic achievements by three prestigious organizations that recognize academic achievement, excellence and leadership. Several of the students have earned multiple awards.
Seven students were awarded The State University of New York’s (SUNY) highest honor, The Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence; eight are Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) All-State recipients, and three are Coca-Cola scholars.
“We take immense pride in the remarkable accomplishments of these outstanding students,” said Dr. Edward Bonahue, President of Suffolk County Community College. “These are students who are engaged in their home and college communities; they innovate, dream, and achieve. Their dedication and exceptional efforts underscore their extraordinary potential.
About the awards:
The student recipients of the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence are recognized for their integration of academic excellence with other aspects of their lives including leadership, campus involvement, community service, arts (creative or performing).
Phi Theta Kappa is the first honor society recognizing the academic achievement of students at associate degree-granting colleges and helping them to grow as scholars and leaders. The Society is made up of more than 4.3 million members and nearly 1,300 chapters in 11 countries, with approximately 240,000 active members in the nation’s colleges.
The Coca-Cola Academic Team recognizes high achieving college students who demonstrate academic excellence and intellectual rigor combined with leadership and service that extends their education beyond the classroom to benefit society.
The 2024 Coca-Cola Academic Team Gold Scholars are awarded $1,500 scholarships and Silver Scholar’s receive a $1,250 scholarship. Each scholar also receives a commemorative medallion. Students are nominated for the academic team by their college administrators. Selection is based on academic achievement, leadership, and engagement in college and community service.
Award Recipients:
Sabrina Franco
Sabrina Franco – PTK All-NY State and SUNY Chancellor’s Award
Sabrina Franco, a Music major from Bay Shore, NY has a 3.9 GPA and has earned Dean’s List recognition every semester for the last two years. Sabrina holds the positions of Vice President of Scholarship for PTK’s Alpha Zeta Nu Chapter, Senator of the Student Government Association at the Ammerman Campus, and is a Northwell Community Scholar. She is a member of the Honors Program, the college’s Symphonic Band and PTK’s Community College All-State Academic Team. Sabrina volunteers with New York State Association for Bilingual Education, an organization which addresses the needs of English language and bilingual learning students. She plans to attend Hofstra University and study music.
Joseph Gonzalez
Joseph Gonzalez– PTK All-NY State, PTK All- USA, SUNY Chancellor’s Award
Joseph Gonzalez, a Liberal Arts-History major from West Babylon, NY, excels with a 4.0 GPA and consecutive Dean’s List recognition for the last two years. He holds key leadership positions at the college, including PTK Chapter President, President of Student Veterans of America, Honors Club President, and History Club Vice President. Joseph is a Get There From Here scholar, an EOP Tutor and a member of the prestigious 2024 All-USA Academic Team. He was named New York State’s 2024 New Century Transfer Scholar and was the recipient of the Prestigious David R. Pierce Scholarship. He plans to attend Columbia University and study history.
Ali Jedlicka
Ali Jedlicka – PTK All-NYState, Coca-Cola Gold Scholar, SUNY Chancellor’s Award
Ali Jedlicka, a Liberal Arts Psychology major from East Quogue, NY, holds a 4.0 GPA and consistently earns Dean’s List recognition. As Vice President of Scholarship for Phi Theta Kappa’s Alpha Eta Psi Chapter, she was a keynote speaker at the fall 2023 Induction Ceremony. Ali, a member of the PTK All USA Academic Team, is also a dedicated Peer Mentor and Honors program member. Beyond academics, she volunteers for Bide-a-wee Animal Shelter and Maureen’s Haven Homeless Outreach Program, showcasing her commitment to community service and making a positive impact. She plans to attend St. Joseph’s University and study psychology.
Arshiyan Khan, a Business Administration Honors major from Selden, NY, has an impressive 4.0 Arshiyan Khan, GPA and consistent Dean’s List honors for the past two years. As a Get There From Here Scholar, Arshiyan holds prominent leadership roles, serving as President of the Business and Accounting Club, Vice President of Leadership for PTK’s Alpha Zeta Nu Chapter, and Treasurer of the Student Government Association at the Ammerman Campus. A member of PTK’s Community College All-State Academic Team, Arshiyan is actively involved in the Rotaract Community Service Club and dedicates time as an orientation leader and regular volunteer at the Ammerman Campus Food Pantry. He plans to attend Stony Brook University to study accounting.
Valery Marquez, a Business Administration major from Brentwood, NY has a 3.6 GPA and has earned Dean’s List recognition every semester for the last two years. Valery is a Get There From Here scholar and serves as President of the Student Government Association at the Michael J. Grant Campus, a dedicated Conduct Board Member, and a visionary Founder of the First-Generation Club. A member of PTK’s Community College All-State team, Valery actively volunteer at the campus food pantry and coordinates donors for the campus blood drives. She plans to transfer to Fordham University to pursue a degree in Business Administration and then attend law school, aiming to make a positive impact in public interest and policy law.
Krista Padilla – PTK All-NY State
Krista Padilla, a Business Administration major from Bronx, NY has a 3.7 GPA and has earned placement on the Dean’s List. Krista is a member of Phi Theta Kappa.
Melissa Ramos
Melissa Ramos -SUNY Chancellor’s Award
Melissa Ramos, a Political Science Major from Brentwood, NY, maintains a remarkable 3.9 GPA and consistent Dean’s List recognition. Beyond her academics, she chairs the Rotaract Community Service Club, serves on the Brentwood Advisory Board, and is a member of Phi Theta Kappa, Pi Alpha Sigma, and the Art Club. Melissa actively volunteers at Iglesia De Dios El Buen Camino, supporting her church and local charities by selling food to raise funds. Her commitment to academics, leadership, and community service not only exemplifies excellence but also makes a positive impact on both her academic and local communities. She plans to study political science at Hofstra University.
Daisa Reynosa
Daisa Reynosa – PTK All-NY State, Chancellors Award
Daisa Reynosa, a Business Administration major from Westhampton Beach, NY, has a 3.7 GPA, and has earned Dean’s List recognition each semester. Daisa serves as the President of both Alpha Beta Gamma and Alpha Sigma Lambda. She actively contributes to the campus community as a member of the Campus Activities Board and is a member of PTK’s Community College All-State Academic Team. Daisa also serves as an Office Assistant for the Eastern Campus Department of ESL. Her advocacy for ESL students is evident through her dedicated efforts to ensure their inclusion in all campus club activities.
Madonna Rodriguez – PTK All-NY State
Madonna Rodriguez, a Nursing LPN to RN major from Mastic Beach NY, holds a 3.7 GPA, and has earned Dean’s List recognition every semester for the last two years. Madonna serves as a member of Phi Theta Kappa and Pi Alpha Sigma. She plans to work as an LPN at Wellridge Addiction Treatment Facility in Calverton, NY.
About Suffolk County Community College
Suffolk County Community College is the largest community college in the State University of New York (SUNY) system, enrolling approximately 21,000 students at its three campuses in Selden, Brentwood and Riverhead. Suffolk offers the Associate in Arts (A.A.), Associate in Science (A.S.), and Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degrees, as well as a variety of certificate programs. Offering affordable college tuition, a highly respected Honors program, workforce training programs, extensive extracurricular activities, championship athletic teams, and numerous transfer programs, Suffolk is a first-choice college for Long Island students. Visit them online at sunysuffolk.edu.
Port Jefferson Board of Education convened on Tuesday, April 9, to kick off the start to the final quarter of the school year. The meeting highlighted achievements and initiatives, such as academic recognition and community engagement discussions. Updates on student activities were shared alongside discussions on budget and curriculum enhancements, reflecting the district’s focus on educational advancement.
John Ruggero, principal of Earl L. Vandermeulen High School, announced the valedictorian, Eric Chen, and salutatorian, Michelle Wu, for the Class of 2024. Both students were congratulated on their exceptional academic achievements.
Capital projects
Following a few other brief presentations, Sean Leister, deputy superintendent, provided a comprehensive overview of the current status and future plans for capital projects. Leister began by addressing the delays encountered at the state level regarding project approvals, which contributed to the district falling slightly behind schedule.
For the 2022-23 period, Leister highlighted ongoing projects such as the middle school retaining wall and drainage, the high school bleacher project, the elementary pool repair and the completion of a segment of the high school roofing project. He noted that despite initial budget estimates, actual project costs varied with some coming in under budget while others exceeded projections.
Transitioning to the 2023-24 period, Leister outlined projects still under review, including the ADA bathroom and phase one of the windows replacement at the high school, while also mentioning completed projects such as the rear boundary fence at the elementary school and the cancellation of the stop-arm booth project.
Looking ahead to 2024-25, Leister proposed additional projects, including the renovation of the high school orchestra room, further pool maintenance and additional roofing work. He emphasized the importance of maintaining a contingency budget to address unforeseen circumstances, detailing the restrictions and limitations associated with such a budget.
Public comment
During the presentation, community member concerns regarding declining enrollment and long-term planning were raised. Leister acknowledged the importance of addressing these concerns and assured attendees that discussions regarding future plans were ongoing.
However, concerns raised by Port Jefferson residents during the public comment period shed light on broader community apprehensions.
Village resident Suzette Smookler expressed worries about declining enrollment and long-term planning, emphasizing the need for transparency and proactive measures. She urged the board to consider contingency plans and engage in open dialogue with stakeholders to address these concerns effectively.
“Whether I look at BOCES reports, your reports, Newsday’s reports, we definitely have a significant declining enrollment,” Smookler said of the district’s current enrollment figures.
Smookler asked the board how they plan to address the current enrollment numbers. “What is the plan B?” she asked. Smookler continued advocating for a more inviting conversation from residents. “Openness and communication go a long way,” she said. “I would appreciate it if maybe you [the board] can get a committee, a group together, some people from in town, some who have never had children, some who have put six through the distinct. I think by doing that you will foster less divisiveness and distrust.”
Another resident, Gail Sternberg echoed similar sentiments, posing questions before the board with regard to the district’s current reserve fund status. Sternberg noted the current amount of reserves the district has, at approximately $23 million, though only $1.8 million can be used on an unrestricted basis, as Leister explained.
Board President Ellen Boehm reassured attendees that discussions regarding long-term planning and enrollment were ongoing. Boehm noted the board’s intention to consider the formation of a committee to facilitate dialogue and collaboration among various stakeholders.
Island Federal Credit Union (Island Federal) will award $50,000 in college scholarships to graduating seniors in June 2024. Long Island high school seniors who plan to continue their education at a university, college, community college or recognized vocational school are invited to apply.
The Island Federal Scholarship Program provides scholarships to 11 local high school seniors with 3 recipients receiving $10,000 and 8 receiving $2,500, all selected by random drawing among qualified applicants. There are no essays or transcripts required to enter.
For complete requirements and applications, go to islandfcu.com/scholarship or visit any Island branch. Applications are due no later than Friday, April 19.
“Island Federal’s mission is to enable Long Islanders to achieve their dreams for themselves and their families; that includes helping them afford a college education. Since the launch of the Island Federal Scholarship Program in 1992, Island has given out $855,000 in scholarships to a total of 363 recipients,” said Craig Booth, Interim President/CEO, Island Federal, who continues, “I look forward to presenting the scholarships to the 2024 recipients this spring.”
About Island Federal Credit Union
Island Federal Credit Union, headquartered in Hauppauge, N.Y., is a not-for-profit, full-service financial institution, providing affordable banking products and services to Long Islanders. Founded in 1955, Island has grown to be among the top performing credit unions in New York State with $1.4 billion in assets, serving over 50,000 Members.
For the fifth consecutive year, the NAMM Foundation has honored the Harborfields Central School District with a Best Communities for Music Education designation. Photos courtesy of Harborfields CSD
For the fifth consecutive year, the NAMM Foundation has honored the Harborfields Central School District with a Best Communities for Music Education designation. Photos courtesy of Harborfields CSD
For the fifth consecutive year, the NAMM Foundation has honored the Harborfields Central School District with a Best Communities for Music Education designation.
This recognition is awarded to districts throughout the country that demonstrate outstanding achievement in efforts to provide music education and access to their students.
“We pride ourselves on the quality and accessibility of our programs,” K-12 Music Department coordinator Dan Bilawsky said. “Harborfields is fortunate to have a very supportive community that stands behind the arts and shows a steadfast commitment to music education in particular. The board of education, administration, staff, parents and students all contribute to the success of our programs, and this award speaks clearly to music’s importance in Harborfields.”
“Congratulations to the entire music department,” Superintendent Rory Manning said. “This is a well-deserved recognition for an amazing community of music educators.”
Ashley Langford’s college basketball life is coming full circle.
This time, instead of dishing assists as a guard, she’ll be patrolling the sidelines as head coach.
After three successful years as head coach for Stony Brook University’s women’s basketball team, including the first ever postseason win in the WBIT, Langford is replacing the retiring Lisa Stockton, her former coach at Tulane University. Langford, who was a star guard from 2005 to 2009 at Tulane, will become the seventh head coach of the women’s team and the first African American to lead the team.
“I didn’t even think I’d be coaching,” said Langford in an interview from Tulane just hours after touching down in the Crescent City. Stockton “is the one during my senior year who thought I should start coaching. It’s ironic that I’m now taking over for her.”
In a wide ranging interview, Langford, who is Tulane’s career leader in assists, assists per game and minutes per game and was inducted into the school’s athletics Hall of Fame in 2018, reflected on the recent record-setting audiences for the women’s games in March Madness, her time at Stony Brook and her new opportunity as coach at Tulane.
March Madness
While Langford didn’t watch much of the tournament, as she prepared the Seawolves for their postseason games and was contemplating a move back to New Orleans, she did catch the Final Four.
At the end of a Final Four game watched by a record 14.2 million people between the University of Connecticut and Iowa, Connecticut was behind by one point with the ball and seconds left on the clock.
An official called a foul on a moving screen on Connecticut’s Aaliyah Edwards, who was blocking Iowa’s Gabbie Marshall. Numerous prominent basketball pundits thought the call was either incorrect or inappropriate.
“That call has been made all season long,” Langford said. “In my opinion, they call that a moving screen. It’s up to the ref making the best decision in that moment.”
Officials “aren’t supposed to make calls depending on the time of the game,” she added. “To me, they called that all season long.”
Langford thought a final between Iowa and South Carolina expected a more competitive game because she thought Iowa had a deeper team than Connecticut, a perennial powerhouse that had been dealing with injuries.
For the first time ever, the TV audience for the women’s final far outdid the men’s final, with a peak of 24 million viewers for the women’s game on Sunday compared to the 14.82 million for the men.
In the final, Langford was “looking for some good basketball” and thought it was exciting that South Carolina became only the 10th women’s team to finish the season without a loss.
Langford was rooting for the Gamecocks and their coach, Dawn Staley, who was also a standout player before joining the coaching ranks.
Staley has “been a great representative of black women,” Langford said.
Her SB legacy
As for her time at Stony Brook, Langford is pleased with how well the team came together and with the school’s winning culture, which she anticipates continuing.
“I told the team when I departed, ‘No one will be able to take that away from us. This team is etched in Stony Brook history,’” she said. “We have a great group of women who were great in the classroom and on the court. They were able to achieve a lot of success.”
Indeed, Stony Brook finished first in the Colonial Athletic Association, winning the conference with a record of 16-2 and an overall record of 28-5 in Langford’s final season as coach. The team went 13-1 on their home floor.
The Seawolves were one win away from entering March Madness, when they lost 68-60 in the conference championship game to Drexel.
“We played one of our worst games of the season on one of the most important days,” Langford recalled. “There’s shots that we normally make that we didn’t make and there’s shots that they made that they don’t normally make.”
Langford doesn’t want to take anything away from Drexel, as she recognized that they were “the better team that day.”
When she started at Stony Brook, she had several goals. She was thrilled that Gigi Gonzalez earned CAA Player of the Year honors for 2023-2024.
In guiding Stony Brook, Langford was voted 2023-2024 CAA Coach of the Year.
“The only thing that didn’t happen was that we didn’t go dancing” at March Madness, she added. She’s proud of everything the team accomplished.
Tulane approach
As for her start at Tulane, Langford plans to play an uptempo game, encouraging her players to score in the first seven seconds and average around 70 points per game, with about 15 to 20 points coming from transition baskets.
Langford believes games are won on the defensive end of the court.
In balancing between academics and athletics, Langford described her top job as helping the students on her team get a degree, which involves time management.
She encourages players to tap into the academic resources at the school and be proactive as student athletes.
As a head coach, she has learned to be patient.
“I realize I can’t get everything right away,” Langford said. “I’m going to need that patience again as I’m starting a new chapter.”
She needs to chip away each day until she’s helped build and shape the program into a conference champion. In the 2023-2024 season, the Tulane women’s team finished last in the conference, at 3-15, with a 12-20 overall record.
During each halftime, she focuses on statistics, encouraging her team to turn the ball over less or to focus on any rebounding disadvantage.
The game has changed since she played, with considerably more parity across teams. During her heyday as a guard, Tennessee and the University of Connecticut were the powerhouses.
Players are also more versatile, with post players who can shoot three pointers.
Settling back in at Tulane, she feels her most important role is getting to know her current players.
After recovering from a broken ankle earlier this year, she plans to get on the court and work with her players.
“I love getting on the court,” she said. “It’s fun for me.”
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