This week, as NFL teams shuffled their rosters in a post-lockout frenzy, three former Northeastern players signed rookie free agent contracts with NFL clubs, closing yet another chapter in Northeastern’s football history. David Akkiniyi (DE) signed with the Minnesota Vikings after playing a season at South Carolina, John Griffin (RB) signed with the Cincinnati Bengals after playing his final season at UMass, and Griffin’s teammate last season Greg Niland (OL) was picked up by the Detroit Lions.
From a Northeastern release:
Akinniyi (Carrollton, Texas), a defensive end who signed with Minnesota, was a three-year starter for the Huskies. He played in 34 games, recording 141 tackles, 22 tackles for loss and 12 sacks. While at Northeastern, he was a two-time Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Academic all-conference choice. Griffin (Westminster, Mass.), a running back who signed with Cincinnati, appeared in 29 games over three seasons at Northeastern, totaling 253 carries for 1,217 yards and seven touchdowns, including a 1,009-yard season in 2009. Niland (East Bridgewater, Mass.) also was a three-year starter for the Huskies and has inked a deal with Arizona. While on Huntington Ave., the offensive lineman was named to the CAA Football Academic All-Conference team and in 2009 he blocked for a team that averaged 130.8 rushing yards per game.
http://www.sctimes.com/article/20110728/SPORTS/107280028/Vikings-sign-14-college-free-agents
WRBB Sports Football Alumni, Off the wires
The Houston Aeros announced on Monday that Sebastien Laplante would leave his post at Northeastern to become an assistant coach with the Aeros, the Minnesota Wild AHL affiliate:
Laplante and [Mike] Van Ryn will join the Aeros along with Head Coach John Torchetti, who begins his first season behind the Houston bench when the 2011-12 season kicks off in October.
“Both Sebastien and Mike have a passion for the game that will go a long way in continuing our tradition of winning and developing players,” Mill said.
The announcement explained Laplante’s conspicuous absense from the press conference announcing Jim Madigan as new Northeastern head coach, even though it was known around Northeastern that Laplante would be guaranteed a job within the new coaching regime. Laplante’s decision deals a major blow to the Huskies this season as Madigan will have to work his first season completely fresh to the conference, the day-to-day coaching responsibilities, and challenges at NU.
Madigan is expected to make his first hire sometime later this week, as the Providence Journal reported that Brown assistant coach Jerry Keefe will join the Huskies’ staff. Keefe played his college hockey at Providence College.
WRBB Sports Hockey Alumni, Jim Madigan
Yet again, WRBB Sports is making waves in sportscasting circles. On Sunday, sports director Alex Faust was presented with the Jim Nantz Award, given to the nation’s top collegiate sportscaster. Faust was presented the award at the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association (NSSA) banquet held Sunday evening in Salisbury, N.C.
The award, in its third year, is administered by Sportscasters Talent Agency of America (STAA). From an STAA release:
A crowd of more than 330 people applauded as Faust accepted the award, then watched a video recorded by Nantz, congratulating Faust on his achievement.Faust is the first non-senior to win the Nantz Award. As a sophomore he finished 7th in the 2010 vote, just one spot below All-America honors.
“You know within the first ten seconds Alex is an exceptional sports broadcaster,” says STAA CEO Jon Chelesnik. “His voice, enunciation, energy and pacing are outstanding and he has a good grasp of some of the more advanced play-by-play techniques.”
In addition to the Nantz award, for the second year in a row, a WRBB Sports announcer received consideration for STAA “All-America” status, with Jared Shafran being given honorable mention.
The award continues a long tradition of talented announcers at WRBB Sports. Recent graduates include:
- Keith Lavon (’10), the voice of the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees in the Central Hockey League
- Tom Giles (’09), the sports director of KKCO, the NBC affiliate for Grand Junction, Colorado
- Adam Jones (’08), former weekend host at WBZ-FM (98.5 The Sports Hub) and current host on ESPN Boston Radio
- Josh Heller (’07), the voice of the American Hockey League’s Albany Devils
WRBB Sports The Dog Pound Alumni
>>> Vinny Saponari (who is reportedly joining Northeastern in the fall) and recruit John Gaudreau (who is committed to the Huskies but may or may not join the team in the fall) were both honored as all-USHL selections. Of the 13 on the all-USHL team, 12 will be playing NCAA hockey in the near future. [USHL.com]
>>> Northeastern alumnus David Poile, general manager of the Nashville Predators, is profiled as the team continues its run through the Stanley Cup playoffs. [Vancouver Sun]
>>> Greg Niland, who played football at Northeastern for three seasons, is holding out hope that he might play professionally, but the NFL’s labor situation has complicated things. [Taunton Gazette]
>>> Former Northeastern women’s basketball coach Willette White was hired an assistant coach for the Utah Utes women’s basketball program. While at Northeastern, White compiled a 64-103 record. [UtahUtes.com]
Additional articles:
>>> Jamie Oleksiak is getting some additional attention from NHL scouts as the entry draft approaches. He was invited to the NHL’s scouting combine, and is on the large list of prospects attending. [NHL.com]
WRBB Sports Basketball, Football, Hockey Alumni, NHL Draft, Women's Basketball
>>> Jason Mastrodonato wrote a great story yesterday on Greg Cronin’s reactions to Brodie Reid’s signing with the San Jose Sharks. Cronin didn’t pull any punches, saying bluntly that he did not feel Reid was ready to make the leap to the professional ranks. Cronin’s comments come after over three years of watching Reid’s development from junior hockey all the way to Northeastern this past season:
“I think it’s a bunch of garbage,” Cronin said. “He had about nine points even strength in 37 games and he was invisible the first half of the year. The only visibility he had was on the power play. I told him he should try and find somebody he can trust and the coaching staff [at Northeastern], he can use us as barometers of where he fits. I talked to San Jose [director of scouting] Tim Burke and I told him I thought his assessment of Brodie was inaccurate.”
As for Reid, his comments echoed statements made earlier in the week, that the Sharks came calling with a big contract offer, and it was too good to pass up.
>>> Tyler McNeely signed a one-year two-way (AHL/NHL) deal with the New York Islanders, and the move is getting a lot of praise on the Island. Words like “promising newcomer,” “quality player” have been used, and it will be interesting to see how far McNeely goes. Wade Macleod is signed to a one-year contract with Springfield (Columbus AHL affiliate).
>>> There’s speculation today that George Mason head coach Jim Larranaga may head to the University of Miami to take their vacancy. Larranaga’s move would be a surprise given his rejection of his alma mater Providence just three years ago, as well as the high-profile courting of VCU head coach Shaka Smart to lucrative positions around the nation. The Miami Herald’s Michelle Kaufman reports that the two sides are close to a deal:
George Mason athletic director Tom O’Connor granted Larranaga permission to speak to UM officials, according to the school’s spokeswoman, Maureen Nasser, and sources said the two sides were close to reaching a deal on Thursday night. He is scheduled to fly to Miami Friday to meet with UM president Donna Shalala and other school officials. Pending their approval, he will likely be hired.
Alex Faust Basketball, Hockey Alumni, George Mason, Greg Cronin
>>> Ryan Feldman gives out his grades for the Portland Invitational, in which Chaisson Allen was a participant. His assessment of Allen:
Allen was one of the most valuable players on the team that won the championship at the PIT. He constantly made the right plays. He found the open man, shared the ball, knocked down open shots and played defense. There wasn’t much Allen did wrong.
>>> Brian Mull says that some of the teams at the bottom of the CAA this season, including Northeastern, could be surprises next year:
The Huskies have an intriguing mix of shooters and welcome back swingman Alwayne Bigby, who did not play after Dec. 8 due to injury. Plus, Bill Coen can coach. Last season was the Huskies first with a losing CAA record. They improved as the season went on and the schedule softened in 2010-11. All they’re missing is muscle in the paint.
>>> The Boston Globe reports on the induction of Huskies baseball legend Tim Dailey into the university’s athletics hall of fame:
Daley led the Huskies as a junior in batting average (.372), slugging percentage (.702), and set the Northeastern single-season records for home runs (15) and RBI (59). A New England All-Star, he led NU to the 1997 America East Conference championship and the NCAA Regionals at Stanford University.
That’s it for today.
Alex Faust Baseball, Basketball Alumni
At halftime during the Northeastern/URI game at Matthews Arena, WRBB’s Kainani Stevens interviewed Huskies alumnus Matt Janning, who is back in New England after a brief stint with the Phoenix Suns.
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WRBB Sports Basketball, Press Pass Alumni
Adding to our look at former Northeastern football players beginning the season with new teams, running back John Griffin and tight end Conor Gilmartin-Donohue are profiled in separate articles.
Griffin will be playing for the UMass Minutemen this season:
Griffin has moved 13 times in his 21 years, mostly the result of his stepfather’s job. So when the former Northeastern running back decided to transfer to the University of Massachusetts after the Huskies folded their football program after last season, two hours of highway didn’t seem like much.
“It seemed natural,’’ Griffin said. “Almost secondary.’’
UMass coach Kevin Morris is hoping Griffin will make the transition to the Minutemen offense as easily as he has settled into life in Amherst. Griffin’s arrival means UMass will replace one all-conference running back — the graduated Tony Nelson — with another. Morris thinks the duo of Griffin and Jonathan Hernandez will give the Minutemen one of the best running games in the Colonial Athletic Association.
Gilmartin-Donohue made the long journey to North Texas:
If it wasn’t for a lucky set of circumstances, Gilmartin-Donohue might never have ended up at UNT, despite his efforts to contact just about anyone he could in an effort to find a school at which to spend his senior year.
Gilmartin-Donhue sent highlight tapes of his junior season to about 50 schools across the country playing at every level from Division II to FCS to FBS. One of the schools he sent tape to was Division II power North Alabama, where John Pont was an assistant coach.
Pont brought the tape to UNT, where he worked as a graduate assistant coach last spring. The Mean Green’s coaching staff quickly recognized Gilmartin-Donohue.
The article profiling Gilmartin-Donohue has an interesting note about how Northeastern is accommodating players who wish to play their senior year, then return to NU in the spring to finish their degrees:
Northeastern set up a way its seniors could transfer, play their final college season, return in the spring and use the credits they earn at other schools toward graduating from the prestigious private school in Boston.
Gilmartin-Donohue is taking advantage of that opportunity in a part of the country he had never seen before visiting this summer.
WRBB Sports Football Alumni, Off the wires, UMass
After last year’s sudden discontinuation of Northeastern football, several players hit the open market to search for new homes. Several wound up at UMass, while others were scattered around the conference – and the country. Here are some stories about former Huskies, their new homes, and expectations for the new season:
WRBB Sports Football Alumni, Off the wires
