Monthly Archives: July 2015

Jennings cleared to play

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Wide receiver Adonis Jennings has been cleared to play for Temple this season, a university spokesperson confirmed this afternoon.

The news was first reported by Owlscoop.com earlier today.

Jennings, who was a four-star recruit and the 38th best wide receiver in the 2014 class according to Rivals.com, transferred to Temple in March from the University of Pittsburgh.

He was trying to receive a hardship waiver from the NCAA in order to play this season.

Last season with the Panthers, Jennings saw action in six games, catching six passes for 55 yards.

In his senior year at Timber Creek High School in 2014, the Sicklerville, New Jersey native caught 64 passes for 1,153 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Jennings is the second wideout added for the Owls this offseason. Last month, Robby Anderson rejoined the team after being dismissed from the university due to academic reasons.

Anderson tallied 791 yards and nine touchdowns for Temple in 2013.

Owls announce non-conference schedule

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On Thursday, the men’s basketball team announced its non-conference schedule for the upcoming season.

Temple, who finished 22-9 last season, will begin non-conference play on Nov. 13 with a trip to Annapolis, Maryland for the Veterans Classic held at the United States Naval Academy. There, the Owls will face the University of North Carolina, who returns its top four scorers from last year’s team that reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.

Six days later, the Owls will travel to San Juan, Puerto Rico for the Puerto Rico Tip-Off, which takes place on Nov. 19, 20 and 22.

In Puerto Rico, Temple will be joined by Butler University, the University of Miami, the University of Minnesota, Mississippi State University, Missouri State University, Texas Tech University and the University of Utah.

Up next, Temple will host Fairleigh Dickinson University and the University of Delaware on Nov. 29 and Dec. 2, respectively.

After the two-game home stand, the Owls will travel to Madison, Wisconsin on Dec. 5 to face the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who appeared in two straight Final Fours and is returning two of its top four scorers.

The Owls will finish the month of December off with a trip to the University of Pennsylvania on Dec. 9 and back-to-back home games against St. Joseph’s University on Dec. 13 and Delaware State University on Dec. 19.

The Owls will open the new calendar year on Jan. 20 with a trip to The Palestra to face Big 5 rival La Salle University. The team will finish its non-conference play with a home game against Big 5 rival and defending Big East conference champion, Villanova University on Feb. 17.

Ex-Owls to compete in $1-million basketball tournament

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A number of former Owls will take the floor together once again this Friday at Philadelphia University.

Playing as the North Broad Street Bullies, Temple alumni Khalif Wyatt, Dalton Pepper, Rhalir Hollis-Jefferson, Ramone Moore, T.J. DiLeo and Jacob Godino as well as a handful of other former college players will compete in the first round of The Basketball Tournament.

The Basketball Tournament, is a nation-wide, free-entry, single-elimination tournament. Rosters are composed of all kinds of players including a few ex-NBA talents. The winner of the tournament will take home a $1 million prize.

In their first round match-up of the tournament’s Northeast Regional, the North Broad Street Bullies will take on Friar Nation, a team composed of former players from St. Anthony High School in New Jersey.

The Northeast Regional takes place at Philadelphia University from Friday to Sunday. If the North Broad Street Bullies can win three games they will advance to the Super 17 in Chicago on July 23.

Last season the North Broad Street Bullies advanced to the quarterfinals of the tournament.

 

Owls to play in Big 5 doubleheader

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For the first time since 2004, the Palestra will host a Philadelphia Big 5 doubleheader. On Jan. 20, 2016, Temple will take on La Salle in the first game of the day followed by a match-up between Penn and St. Joseph’s to honor The Big 5’s 60th anniversary.

“The Athletics Directors wanted to do something very special to celebrate this unique achievement,” said Steve Bilsky, Executive Director of The Big 5, in a university-issued statement. “We thought nothing would capture its history better than a competition to be held in the famed Cathedral of Basketball. The fact that we were able to pull it off in a very challenging college basketball scheduling environment is a credit to the AD’s, coaches, and conference commissioners, all of whom displayed tremendous perseverance and flexibility.”

Temple, La Salle, Penn, St. Joseph’s and Villanova have been squaring off against each other every year since the mid 1950’s.

The Owls defeated Villanova 53-52 the last time a Big 5 doubleheader took place in 2004.

Coach Fran Dunphy has taken part in the rivalry both with the Owls and as the coach at Penn.

“The Big 5 is a special part of the fabric of Philadelphia sports,” Dunphy said in a university-issued statement. “It is held in high regard nationally, and is treasured by Philadelphia college basketball fans locally. We are happy to be taking part in this true Big 5 doubleheader to honor its 60 years of existence.”

The annual match-up between the Owls and the Explorers will take place in the Palestra for the third consecutive season. Temple won last year’s match-up by a score of 58-57.

Foley leaves for Lafayette

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Kristen Foley has been named an assistant coach for the Lafayette College women’s basketball team.

Foley, the former Senior Associate Athletic Director who supervised women’s basketball, crew, rowing and women’s volleyball, is being sued — alongside the university and former track & field coach Eric Mobley — by former athlete, Ebony Moore for $10 million in damages on charges of harassment, sexual harassment and gender-based discrimination.

Moore, competed as a discuss thrower for the women’s track and field team from 2009-2011. During her time with the Owls she claims she was subject to bullying, sexual harassment and neglect which led to a near suicide attempt. These issues were ignored by the administration when Moore brought them to Foley.

A 2014 investigation by The Temple News into the university’s men’s and women’s track & field teams found that Mobley, who coached men’s and women’s track & field until his resignation in June 2014, was accused of verbal abuse, intimidation and dereliction of his coaching duties.

The report also found that Foley was informed of student complaints on multiple occasions, but Mobley remained in his position until June 2014.

Before the allegations, Foley, who coached the women’s basketball team from 1995 to 2000, oversaw the track & field team. But on July 1, 2014, she was removed from the role and was replaced by Senior Associate Athletic Director Joe Giunta as the department’s track & field administrator.

Foley will coach at Lafayette alongside coach Theresa Grentz, who she played for at Rutgers University while leading the Lady Knights to consecutive NCAA Elite Eight appearances in 1986 and 1987.

Following her playing career, Foley was an assistant coach at Rutgers under Grentz for three years.

Jesse Morgan invited to Utah Jazz summer league

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Jesse Morgan will play for the Utah Jazz in the the Utah Jazz Summer League.

The former Owls’ guard averaged 11.9 points per game last season and knocked down a team-high 68 3-pointers.

The Philadelphia, Pennsylvania native sat out the 2013-2014 season due to NCAA transfer rules after transferring from the University of Massachusetts.

Morgan played his first game as an Owl on Dec. 18, 2014 against the University of Delaware, scoring 16 points on 6 of 16 shooting, including 4 of 8 on three-point field goals.

Morgan played high school basketball at Olney High School in Philadelphia and was a first team All-City selection.

The league, which runs from July 6 to 9, will include summer league teams from the San Antonio Spurs, Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers.

Morgan joins his former teammate, Will Cummings — who agreed to terms on a free agent contract with the Houston Rockets on June 26 — in the pursuit of making an NBA roster. The Rockets will be participating in the Las Vegas Summer league, which begins on July 10.

Owls land new coach

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The Owls announced Monday that Roman Bussetti is set to become their new coach, replacing Ryan Frain — who resigned in April.

Bussetti, who is the general manager of the Owls’ home rink, Flyers Skate Zone, already has great knowledge about the program.

“He has seen our team play before,” defenseman and team president Patrick Hanrahan said. “He has coached for years on multiple teams. This is his first time coaching at college though. We know he knows the game and we look forward to putting him behind the bench next year.”

Bussetti played hockey with Council Rock High School from 1989 to 1991, where he won a Flyers Cup and a state championship. He went on to play collegiate hockey at the University of New Hampshire from 1991 to 1993 and West Chester University from 1993 to 1995.

After a two-year hiatus, Bussetti returned to hockey in 1997  as the coach at Upper Darby High School. He would later go on to coach at West Chester East High School from 1999 to 2006, Council Rock High School South from 2006 to 2008 and Archbishop Ryan High School from 2008 to 2011.

He was also an assistant coach for Blazers Youth Hockey, Team Comcast and the Philadelphia Junior Flyers.

A panel of Hanrahan, defenseman Jason Lombardi, alumnus Greg Malinowski, general manager Jerry Roberts and Campus Recreation unanimously agreed on Bussetti taking over the team. The factors were Bussetti’s experience, conduct, and his innovativeness toward some of the team’s past problems.

“I think it was just overall his knowledge,” Hanrahan said. “And where we felt like his commitment level would be there.”