Dempsey '09 and Coach Trivigno Face Olympians: Winter Athletics Update

It’s not often a Rivers alumna has the opportunity to face off against Olympic competitors, even less likely both a Rivers alum AND a Rivers coach will do so together on the same team at the same time. But Jillian Dempsey ’09 and Boston Pride teammate and Rivers head varsity coach Dana Trivigno have been chosen to represent the National Women’s Hockey League in exhibition games against the U.S. Olympic Team this weekend. They will travel to Wesley Chapel, Florida to play for Team NWHL as forwards against Team USA.
 
Dempsey, who had 5 goals and 10 assists for 15 points last season– finishing fourth on the Pride in scoring- has 4 goals and 3 assists in 10 games so far this year, while Trivigno has 2 goals and 2 assists in 5 games to date.
 
Dempsey had a distinguished collegiate playing career at Harvard where she captained the team her senior year. As a junior, she was a nominee for 2012 Patty Kazmaier Award as the best player in women’s hockey, a finalist for the ECAC Player of the Year Award, and a unanimous first team All-Ivy League selection. In her senior year, she was a unanimous first-team All-ECAC choice, a first-team All-Ivy choice, and a 2013 finalist for the Kazmaier. She also helped the U.S. Women’s National Team to a goal medal at the 2011 Four Nations Cup in November 2011.  
 
During winter break, a number of alumni athletes returned to Rivers to join current hockey and basketball players for practice sessions, lunch, and a chance to reconnect with each other. The camaraderie generated on Rivers teams clearly transcends time and place. Here’s a recap of who’s playing where.
 
Women’s Hockey
Other Rivers alumnae playing collegiate hockey include team captain Melissa Maffeo ’14 at Trinity College. Last year Maffeo led the team in assists and was second on the team in goals and scoring and sixth in NESCAC. Also on the ice are: Ellie DeCaprio ’14, Colgate University; Erin Connolly ’15,  Boston College; Jordan Cross ’15, Connecticut College; Ellie Branka ’16, Connecticut College; Sammi Estes ’16, Connecticut College; and Missy Segall ’17, Hamilton College.
 
Men’s Basketball
Azar Swain ’17 is off to a great start at Yale University where he has played in all 16 games this season and is averaging 8 points per game. Swain finished his Rivers career with a record-breaking 2185 points and a string of awards including ISL Co-Player of the Year, NEPSAC Class B Player of the Year, and Gatorade Massachusetts State Player of the Year. Teammate and fellow award winner Jermaine Samuels ’17 is playing for Villanova, while Connor MacIsaac’16 is at Washington & Lee and Ross Carter '16 is at Cal Tech.
 
Women’s Basketball
Jen Berkowitz ’14 is also dominating play at Yale University, having played in all 13 games this season and averaging 14.9 points per game. Last year she was All-Ivy Honorable Mention and received Ivy League Player of the Week honors twice. She led the Bulldogs and finished 6th in the Ivy League with 13.4 points per game, was 1st  in the Ivy League with a .508 shooting percentage, 9th in Ivy League with 6.9 rebounds per game, and finished the season with four double-doubles.
 
Others playing at the college level are: Kristen Daley ’15, University of Pennsylvania; Vanessa Edgehill ’16, Boston University; Julia Thissell ’16, St. Anselm College; and Emma Roush ’17, Wesleyan University.
 
Men’s Ice Hockey
Rivers is more than well-represented on the boards with Miles Gendron ’14 leading the pack with 7 points in 22 games at UConn so far this season. Other players include: Pat Daley ’15, Colby College; Matt Lombardozzi ’15, Bentley University; Joe Sacco ’15, UNH; Frank Boie '16, College of the Holy Cross; Christian Capello ’16, Bowdoin College; Frank Ferrara '17, St. Anselm College; Brendan Hamblet ’17, Bentley University; Charlie Lawrence ’17, Middlebury College; Charlie Parsons ’17, Middlebury College; and Thomas Tresca ‘17, Tufts University. Michael Young ’17 is currently playing for the Vernon Vipers in the BCHL.
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