Intercollegiate and Intramural Sports

Intercollegiate and Intramural Sports

Paul Smith's College is excited to belong to the Yankee Small College Conference (YSCC) of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA). There are currently fifteen members of the YSCC, including both two-year and four-yearcolleges; most of which are located in New England. Paul Smith’s College participates in the following YSCC pursuits: golf, soccer, cross country, women’s volleyball, men’s and women's basketball, and bowling. The 2011-12 season marked the first season of full membership into the YSCC for many of the Bobcat teams.

In addition to the information below, visit the Athletics & Recreation website for year-round updates on athletic events and offerings.

Soccer

Both soccer teams have advanced to the YSCC Final Four in each year since joining the conference, with the women's team winning the YSCC Tournament in 2013 and advancing to the USCAA National Tournament in Charleston, West Virginia.

The men’s team advanced to the championship game in 2011, while the women’s team advanced to the finals in 2012. The men’s team won the western division of the YSCC regular season in 2011, while the women’s team earned a #3 national ranking in the USCAA in 2012, and earned an automatic berth to the National Tournament in Asheville, North Carolina.

In 2013, the men’s team won the Barkeater Cup over rival SUNY – ESF at home in 2013, and won 11 games, earning a spot in the YSCC Final Four.

Cross Country

The men’s cross country team has been quite successful, having won the Sunrise Conference championship (2006 – 2009), and then winning the YSCC Championship in 2010, 2011, and 2014. The women’s team placed second from 2007 – 2009; and then won for the first time in 2010. The women’s team won the YSCC Championship again in 2013 and 2014. Both teams represented Paul Smith’s College at the USCAA Nationals in 2010; where the men finished third and the women placed fourth. Paul Smith’s College hosted USCAA Nationals in 2011 and again in 2012. Both the men and women’s teams placed fourth in 2011, and the men’s team followed this up with another fourth place finish in 2012.

In the past four seasons, the cross country teams have had four individuals earn First Team All American honors.

Bowling

The collegiate bowling team won the 2012 YSCC championships in the team’s inaugural season. The team practices locally in Saranac Lake, and participates in tournaments regionally, while also competing against other collegiate teams in preparation for the conference tournament. In 2014 and 2015, the team dominated the YSCC Championships, with two teams from Paul Smith’s winning their brackets and faced one another in the championships.

Volleyball

The women’s volleyball plays over 20 matches during the fall semester, and participates in tournaments in Vermont, New Hampshire and New York as they prepare for the Yankee Small College Conference Tournament. The volleyball team finished the 2013 season ranked fourth in the conference. The volleyball team won the YSCC tournament in exciting fashion coming from behind to defeat tournament host and #1 see Unity College for their first conference championship victory

Golf

Paul Smith's College is excited to bring collegiate golf to the slate of athletic offerings for the fall of 2015. The team will compete in some regional invitationals as well as the Yankee Small College Conference matches and tournament.

Basketball

The college will be bringing back men's and women's basketball on a club level in 2015 with plans to elevate both programs to full varsity status for the following year. The teams will be competing in the Western Division of the Yankee Small College Conference (YSCC) in 2016, with out of conference contests with regional colleges and universities.

Nordic Skiing

The Nordic Ski Team was re-established in the 2006-2007 season, and the men’s program was quite successful at the Northeast Regionals, qualifying for Nationals in 2008 – ‘12. Recent Nordic Coach, Stefan Bibb became the first Nordic Skier from the college to earn All-American status in the United States Collegiate Skiing Association (USCSA), with both third and fourth place finishes in 2008. The men’s team placed third in the 3 X 5 K relay at nationals in Colorado in 2009. The team annually competes in the United States and Canada as well as in regional collegiate races.

Timbersports

The Woodsmen’s Team has re-established itself as one of the premier timbersports team in the north-eastern United States, as the team won the annual spring meet in 2003 for the first time in over 19 years. Both the Men’s and Women’s Team won the combined titles in 2006, while the men’s team won the men’s division in 2007. The annual Spring Meet is the collegiate championships for timbersports. The Women’s Team won the team title in 2009 and 2010 at the Spring Meet.

The men's team had a great season in 2014-15 winning nearly all of the invitationals throughout the season, and culminating with a win at the Spring meet at Dartmouth College.

Four of the past seven Stihl Timbersports National Individual Collegiate Champions have come from Paul Smith's College, with many heading into the professional ranks upon graduation.

Rugby

The Men’s Rugby team belongs to the National Small College Rugby Organization and plays in the Upstate Small College Rugby Conference. The NSCRO replaces USA Rugby - Collegiate and the USCRC replaces the New York State Excelsior East Division III in the New York State Collegiate Rugby Association.

During a typical season, the Paul Smith's College rugby team is quite competitive, and generally makes the playoffs. The Bobcat Rugby Team finished in the top four in the state tournament in 2009 - 2011; losing in the championship game in 2009. The men's team practices during the winter months with an estimated four spring matches against other collegiate and club teams in the North Country as they prepare for the fall collegiate season.

The college features additional sports that are indigenous for the region, and the programs are quite successful.

Snowshoe Racing

The Paul Smith's College Striders have dominated the International Snowshoe Championships through the 21st Century, having won this title in 2002, 2004 – 2006, and again from 2008 - 2015. The Striders compete throughout New England, New York, and northeast Canada, with an occasional trek to the western United States. Three members have competed in La Ciaspolada in Italy, a snowshoe race that annually attracts well over 5,000 runners. Nearly a dozen members of the Striders have been competing at the US Snowshoe Nationals, with four students earning National Team honors in 2011-2015. Paul Smith’s College has featured national championship relay teams in the men’s, women’s, and co-ed divisions since 2011.

With our abundance snowfall and proximity to Lake Placid, the Striders annually host the Empire State Games sprint snowshoe events, featuring over 100 athletes. The coach of the program is an active official nationally and internationally, having worked as the Head Referee for the World Winter Special Olympics in Idaho in 2009, and more recently in PyeongChang, South Korea, where over 300 athletes from over 60 nations competed in snowshoeing on the world stage.

Rock Climbing

The rock climbing team competes regionally in climbing competitions held at other regional colleges and universities as well as at private climbing gyms. Our collegiate climbers have continued to compete at the national level after graduation.

Canoe Racing

The College’s Marathon Canoe Team features a mix of faculty, staff, students and alumni, who train and compete in flatwater canoe races throughout the Northeast. The racing season begins in mid-April, and usually ends in the fall with the 90-mileAdirondack Canoe Classic. The team has a great stable of canoes, featuring one person, two, and four person canoes, for a myriad of racing categories to suit the range of skills of our paddlers. The College’s canoe team has met with incredibly success since the program’s inception in 1996, as the paddlers garner dozens of top three finishes in races throughout a given season. Two of the program’s paddlers have competed in the Thailand International Swanboat Races representing the United States in 2000 and again in 2003. Three of the program’s paddlers competed in the Yukon River Quest in June 2008, a 400(+) mile race. This was an exciting challenge as they competed in the longest canoe race in the world.

Facilities and Equipment

Saunders Sports Complex

With the newly completed Saunders Sports Complex and the renovation of the Buxton Gymnasium, the intramural and inter- collegiate programs have two inter-connected gymnasiums to utilize. Intramural sports include indoor soccer, dodgeball, basketball, and Ultimate Frisbee. Other sports are added upon request. Special one-day tournaments in the spring are also offered. Contact the Recreation and Intramural Coordinator for additional information.

The Recreation offerings include Wilderness First Aid and Wilderness First Responder through SOLO, and a variety of American Red Cross programs in first aid and safety training, including CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer and Lifeguard Training. We also annually provide NYS – DEC certification in Basic Search and Rescue as well as the Federal Wildland Fire Suppression courses, S-130 and S-190. These programs, although not credit bearing, all prepare students for their careers in the outdoor professions. Open Water Scuba Diving classes are offered both spring and fall, and are open to any students.

The completion of the dance room in the Saunders Sports Complex has enabled the college to provide programs in Irish Step Dancing, Hip Hop Aerobics, Step Aerobics, Ballroom Dancing, Yoga, Pilates, and Caribbean Dance. The nearly half million-dollar renovation of the Bobcat Fitness Center doubled the square footage of this center, with all brand new cardio-equipment as well as new free weight and cable assisted stations throughout. The state-of-the-art Cybex Eagle equipment as well as the personal media centers on the ellipticals, treadmills, stationary steppers and bikes enables users to catch up on the news of the day, listen to music, or watch their favorite television shows while working out. The center is open over 100 hours per week while the college is in session.

Climbing Facility

The indoor climbing facility is in the entrance to the Buxton Gymnasium Annex, and includes 29 vertical feet, over two parallel 26-foot-long walls. This dedicated space provides both bouldering and rope assisted climbing, and is supervised by student facilitators. Regular practices for the Climbing Team are held there and open to all academically eligible students. The collegiate Rock Climbing Team has been regionally recognized as among the top in the Northeast since the program’s inception in 2011.

Aquatics

Athletics, Recreation, and Intramurals also provides over 30-hours of pool time weekly, including lap swimming, kayak training, log rolling (Woodsmen’s Team), scuba diving, swim lessons for area youths. General recreational swimming is available every day school is in session. American Red Cross lifeguard certification is offered annually through the Recreation Department. The college’s swim team trains in the facility beginning in the fall, and began collegiate competition in 2012.

Nordic Ski Rental

Nordic (cross country) skis are available for free student use during the winter months. Trails are maintained throughout the campus and surrounding area, with ready access to the nearby Jackrabbit Ski Trail, maintained by the Adirondack Ski Touring Council. Students can ski on the groomed and well maintained Visitor’s Interpretive Center’s trails adjacent to the campus, or head across Route 30 and jump onto the Jackrabbit for an hour or a few days of Nordic skiing pleasure. We also maintain sixteen canoes for general recreation use for students. All students must complete the Canoe Safety Training prior to using the canoes for recreational use, and this training is readily available during orientation as well as at the beginning of both spring and fall semesters.

Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation

Lake Placid Sports Medicine provides the Athletic training and rehabilitation needs for the Paul Smith’s College student athletes. This valuable service enables our students to return to the athletic fields and competition as soon as possible, while also helping the students learn how to prevent injuries from re-occurring, or better yet, happening in the first place.

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