The Daily Orange

Take your pick. Just about every type of distraction blindsided Syracuse's football team this week. The blizzard of bad news never seemed to stop. In a matter of days, students booed their starting quarterback every time he stepped on the field, the team's star wide receiver abruptly quit, three players were suspended, a key defensive end was forced to have his second season-ending knee injury and, for the cherry on top, cornerback JohnMark Henderson quit the team.

To the Syracuse field hockey team, Providence is starving. The Orange knows that the only thing that will satisfy the Friars' hunger is defeating the Orange at its home field, the field that will be hosting this weekend's Big East tournament. "It's their field, they are going to want to win it," Syracuse senior forward Tracy Deitrick said.

When Mike Williams quit the Syracuse football team Monday, his draft stock took a nosedive. But according to one NFL Draft expert, he should still be selected anywhere within the second and fourth rounds. Despite the star receiver quitting with four games remaining, Scout.

Entering an Oct. 24 matchup against Marquette, the Syracuse volleyball team was in prime position. After winning seven straight games, the Orange was 6-1 in the Big East, near the top of the conference standings, and appeared poised to secure a favorable seed in the Big East tournament.

In practice leading up to the Big East tournament this weekend, Guy Cathro has had a specific job. At times, the Syracuse assistant field hockey coach felt the need to embark from his spot on the sidelines of Coyne Field. Instead of standing idly by, Cathro walked out onto the Astroturf, picked up a field hockey stick, and ran up and down with the team.

Last year, the Syracuse ice hockey team's inaugural season ended in defeat. In the program's first ever playoff game, the Orange suffered a heartbreaking 3-2 loss to Niagara. Players said disappointment and frustration filled the locker room afterward. Syracuse had compiled a 2-0-2 record against the Purple Eagles during the regular season.

When Brittany Maschmeyer notified Paul Flanagan last spring that she was looking to transfer from St. Lawrence, the Syracuse ice hockey head coach advised the then-junior against her decision. After all, Maschmeyer was already established there. She had friends at St.

When Pittsburgh wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin entered the weight room early last spring, he meant business. All year he lifted with linebacker Steve Dell. Though Dell had 20 pounds on Baldwin, lifting with a big guy pushed him to get stronger. The two had a good thing going and formed what Baldwin called "The 300 Club.

PITTSBURGH - Syracuse arrived at Heinz Field Saturday as a depleted team, reeling from star wide receiver Mike Williams' decision to quit the program. His absence, coupled with the subsequent suspensions of three other regular contributors, highlighted the most trying week of Doug Marrone's first year at the helm.

Scoop Jardine pleaded his case to a trio of Syracuse teammates who had visions of professional basketball dancing in their heads. Jardine, a redshirt sophomore, tried to convince Jonny Flynn, Paul Harris and Eric Devendorf to stay for one more season in the frozen tundra of Syracuse.

Wesley Johnson stole away from the media day crowd, a group who'd already pegged him as the afternoon's main attraction. Dressed inconspicuously in his gray hooded sweatshirt, the highly-touted transfer snuck behind the masses and into the Carmelo K. Anthony Basketball Center weight room to bang out some bicep curls before his inevitable date with the bevy of cameras and reporters waiting for him.

Andy Rautins and Arinze Onuaku decided to take the other path. While Jonny Flynn, Paul Harris and Eric Devendorf spent the offseason showcasing their abilities for professional basketball executives, Rautins and Onuaku opted to return to Syracuse for a fifth year in the program - an oddity in major college basketball these days.

The moment Jonny Flynn announced his decision to leave Syracuse and enter the NBA Draft, Scoop Jardine finally saw the opportunity he feared would never arrive. He felt helpless for much of last year, barely a part of the Orange's Sweet 16 squad, doubting the fate of his career.

In Bobby Gonzalez's mind there is "bad pressure," and then there is "good pressure" when it comes to coaching basketball. "Bad pressure" is when a coach is on the hot seat and in desperate need of a winning team. "Good pressure" accompanies a coach whose team is expected to perform well because of previous accomplishments.

LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. - Don't call them underdogs. By now, Siena is sick of that stereotype. "Underdog" means they haven't arrived yet. "Underdog" means they're still a cute subplot, a gimmick. Standing at midcourt of Siena's practice facility, seniors Alex Franklin and Edwin Ubiles cringe at that word.

Over the past three years, almost everything about Nicole Michael's career has been a blur to Quentin Hillsman. She was his first major recruit after he was appointed to head coach in 2006, and since then, has helped him take his first steps toward building a program at Syracuse.

Quentin Hillsman invested four years of his coaching career into recruiting Juanita Ward. From the moment he saw her play at Callaway (Miss.) High School in 2004, Hillsman, then Alabama's assistant coach, fervently sought the 6-foot-2 forward's services. And at last year's media day, Syracuse' head women's basketball coach sauntered into Manley Field House and finally celebrated the culmination of his efforts, offering his blue-chip, JUCO prospect the greatest compliment a coach could give a player.