Category: SPORTS

How Vegas hotels inspire loyalty among patrons

(Gloucestercitynews.net)(Dec. 10, 2019)–The customer, like all businesses, is the most important person in both the hotel and casino industry and by extension, their loyalty is vital to their success.

Loyalty schemes and bonuses aren’t anything new – just about every business offering a product or service utilizes them. Pick up a coffee at any local shop and you’ll fill another space on the loyalty card, log on to an online casino and you’ll be able to claim comp points for the games that you play.

Loyalty schemes and rewards aren’t anything new, but how effective each method is is still up for debate. But those discussing will struggle to argue that the Vegas hotels and casinos are at the forefront of the loyalty business.

There are

so

many different hotels in Vegas and with each one competing for the same customers, it’s hardly a surprise that loyalty is a serious business. So, how exactly do hotels inspire loyalty among patrons?

The brand itself

The single most important marketing consideration that any business faces is the brand itself and, done correctly, this is enough to make for strong loyalty.

By marketing the hotel for the correct audience and selling the lifestyle rather than the hotel itself, businesses are much more likely to receive new customers that they may otherwise fail to have caught. This can be done in a number of different ways, perhaps the most interesting in recent times being

digital and social media marketing

.

Branding is particularly important through the hotel itself too with the decor, feel and staff all linking to the lifestyle that the brand portrays. In the era in which the everyday person chooses to share their life online – everything matters and the good (and bad) will be shared.

Traditional loyalty schemes

A traditional loyalty scheme structure seems to be the preferred way for the Vegas hard-hitters to instill loyalty and create a loyal fanbase.

From offers and discounts on rooms, the chance to bag tickets to events before the rest of the crowds and VIP treatment wherever you go – it does a very good job of keeping customers happy. But this doesn’t tend to come easily and there’s a price to pay before the benefits can be reaped, often in the form of

tier credits

. The more tier credits earned, the better the benefits that can be claimed.

The best we to run through this to give you an idea of what to expect is to have a look through a case study and get to grips with the loyalty offered.

Case study: MGM Resorts – M Life Program

Maybe the

best example of hotel loyalty

schemes comes from the bosses at MGM Resorts and their loyalty program “M Life” consistent across all hotels owned (MGM Grand, Bellagio, Mirage, etc.).

The company uses a five-tier system with each tier offering bigger and better benefits for those staying at any of the MGM resorts.

A certain number of tier credits is required before the next level can be reached which are earned with spending on gaming activities, hotel rooms, dining, entertainment, etc. If you’re spending money at the resort, chances are that

you’re collecting tier points

in doing so.

Sapphire

The first loyalty level that all guests will receive is the Sapphire status – the level received for simply signing up for the rewards scheme.

Members will receive a 10% discount on rooms at valid MGM properties with an additional 5% discount at the participating shops found at the resort. There’s even the chance to earn early access to tickets for events at MGM resorts around the globe.

Pearl

Next up is pearl, the status reached when earning 35,000 tier credits inside a program year.

Alongside the benefits earned from Sapphire, members will find themselves with a 10% points-earning from slot play and an additional six months of expiration time. There’s the chance to be invited to members-only events and the shopping discount is bumped up to 10% at those stores participating.

Gold

Gold follows Pearl and requires members to earn 75,000 tier credits per program year to qualify.

The benefits of Pearl will still stand, but there’s a 20% bonus on slot play and express comps, the availability of priority check-in lines and room upgrades for hotel stays. Gold members will also be able to make priority reservations at restaurants as well as VIP lines in both buffets and select nightclubs.

Platinum

A huge 200,000 tier credits inside a singe program year are required to reach the Platinum level and the benefits that come with it.

Those at the Platinum level are entitled to one free cruise per program year on either Royal Caribbean of Celebrity in either the Bahamas or the Caribbean for 3, 4 or 5 nights depending on gambling history. That’s just the start and Platinum members should also be able to earn 30% on slots and express comps alongside a 15% discount at shops.

Noir

The highest tier available in the M Life Program is Noir, an invitation-only program that’s rumored to only be available for those spending $250,000 or more per year in MGM casinos.

Benefits include a complimentary week-long cruise, a 40% bonus on slots play and express comps, VIP check-in services, private lounge access, guaranteed hotel and restaurant reservations, complimentary limo service from the airport to the hotel and the list goes on…

To cut a long story short

To cut a long story short, there’s a huge number of ways that Vegas hotels

could

inspire loyalty among patrons, but, as our case study points out, it’s the traditional loyalty scheme that proves popular with the Vegas hard-hitters.

By introducing a tier-system, customers have the incentive to try and earn tier points and move up the levels to gain access to improved benefits and amenities. With cruises, slot and express comp bonuses, shop discounts and even limo service all available and working with the brand itself, it’s not difficult to see why the

loyalty schemes are so effective

.

images courtesy of unsplash.com

Big second half lifts Baruch men past Raptors

​

CAMDEN

, N.J

. (

Dec. 9

, 201

9

) –

Baruch College junior guard Adnan Bajrami scored 25 of his game-high 30 points in the second half to rally the Bearcats past Rutgers University-Camden, 71-59, in a non-conference

men’s basketball game here Monday night.

Baruch improves to 5-2 with its second straight victory, while Rutgers-Camden falls to 3-5 with its fourth consecutive loss.

The Bearcats and Scarlet Raptors have played

a non-conference game for

three straight

seasons, with Baruch winning

all three games.

Behind six points from sophomore forward

Jake Petrik,

the Scarlet Raptors raced to a quick 12-3 lead to open the game. They led by as many as 10 points (15-5) before the Bearcats whittled the lead down to one on two occasions in the opening half (25-24 and 30-29).

Rutgers-Camden took a 32-29 lead into the break, but Baruch came out in the second half and scored the first four points on a layup by Bajrami and a layup by freshman guard Sean Donnellan. That gave the Bearcats their first lead of the night, 33-32. The lead changed hands four more times and the score was tied twice

before a three-pointer by Bajrami gave Baruch the lead for good, 49-46, and sparked a seven-point Bearcat run. Bajrami had five points in that sequence.

Baruch took a double-digit lead at 61-50 on a layup by Donnellan and kept the margin in double figures the rest of the way, with the biggest margin coming at 71-56.

Bajrami shot 12-for-17 from the floor, including 4-for-8 from three-point range, and also led the Bearcats with seven rebounds and a game-high five steals. Donnellan added 14 points for the visitors.

Senior forward

Isaac Destin

paced the Scarlet Raptors with 17 points and a game-high 11 rebounds for a double-double. He also added six assists to tie teammate

Arian Azemi,

a junior guard, for game-high honors.

Azemi finished with 16 points and nine boards, while

Petrik

had 12 points on 4-for-8 shooting from three-point range.

Baruch shot 25-for-55 from the floor (45.5 percent), while Rutgers-Camden shot 20-for-48 (41.7). Although the Scarlet Raptors had a 35-30 edge off the boards, they also made 30 turnovers to the Bearcats’ 20.

The Scarlet Raptors

play one more game before the holiday break. They host Kean University Saturday at 3 p.m. in a New Jersey Athletic Conference contest.

Hilt sets two program marks as Raptors open indoor track season

STATEN ISLAND

, N.Y

.

(

Dec. 6

, 2019

) –

Sophomore

Emily Hilt (photo)

had

a record-setting debut as a member of the Rutgers University-Camden women’s indoor track team as the Scarlet Raptor men and women opened their season at the Fastrack Season Opener

Friday at the

Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex

.

Hilt, a transfer from Rowan College at Gloucester County, broke the Rutgers-Camden

women’s

indoor records in both the

shot put (11.58 meters) and the weight throw (

14.43

meters) to lead a strong opening-day performance. Hilt, an All-American at RCGC who set the Roadrunners’ indoor program record with a shot put of 13.12 meters,

finished fourth out of 29

athletes

in Friday’s shot put competition. She broke the old Scarlet Raptor mark of 11.51 meters, set by Mariah Brown on Feb. 24, 2012 at the New Jersey Athletic Conference Championships.

Hilt finished

third

out of

24

athletes in the weight throw while

shatter

ing the old Raptor mark of 12.93, set by Brianna Kearse on Jan. 15, 2016 at the Golden Bear Invitational.

Another former RCGC All-American, junior

Jude Misko,

also had a strong start to his season, finishing fourth of 29 in the weight throw. Misko, who set Rutgers-Camden’s indoor weight throw mark of 15.80 last season in his first year at the school, had a throw of 15.08 on Friday.

Freshman

Emmanuel Lewis

finished 11th in the weight throw (12.73 meters) and 20th of 35 in the shot put (11.48 meters) in his Rutgers-Camden debut. On the women’s side, senior captain

Nicole DeMarco

joined Hilt with a stellar performance in the shot put, finishing eighth (9.95).

Sophomore

Kirstin Slater

had a pair of strong finishes, placing 19th of 33 in the mile run (5:52.35) and 10th of 16 in the 1,000-meter event (3:35.05), while sophomore

Kayana Clue

and freshman

Imani Johnson-Young

led the women’s sprinters. Clue finished 31st of 55 in the 200-meter dash (28.23), followed by Johnson-Young in 32nd place (28.49). In the 63-athlete 60-meter dash competition, Johnson-Young was 43rd (8.42) and Clue was 46th (8.46).

On the men’s side, sophomore

Desmond Howell

finished 23rd of 75 in the 200-meter dash (23.03) and 12th of 55 in the 400-meter dash (51.09). Junior

Vinny Maine

finished 21st in the 400-meter event (52.05).

In the 48-man competition of the mile run, freshman

David Morrow

finished 30th in a time of 4:57.96.

Rutgers-Camden returns to the Ocean Breeze facility on Friday, Dec. 13, to compete in the Wagner College Shootout.

Fri.

6

​

Fastrack Season Opener

​​

​

(at

Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex, Staten Island

, NY

)

MEN:

No Team Scoring

WOMEN:

No Team Scoring

Rutgers-Camden School Records:

* Women’s Shot Put, Emily Hilt, 11.58 M (Old: 11.51 M by Mariah Brown, Feb. 24, 2012 at the New Jersey Athletic Conference Championships)

* Women’s Weight Throw, Emily Hilt,

14.43

M (Old: 12.93 M by Brianna Kearse, Jan. 15, 2016

at the Golden Bear Invitational)

Bill to Allow College Athletes to Earn Endorsement Compensation Clears Assembly Panel

(TRENTON) –

College athletics bring in profits for higher education institutions, media outlets, sponsors and others, but the players themselves across much of the nation are prohibited from earning a piece of the revenue.

Legislation sponsored by Assembly Democrats Lisa Swain and Chris Tully (both D-Bergen, Passaic) seeks to eliminate this disparity by allowing college athletes to earn compensation for use of their name, image or likeness. The bill (

A-5863

), known as the “New Jersey Fair Play Act,” was approved Thursday by the Assembly

Higher Education Committee.

“Athletes are the faces of the industry. They are the ones out there on the field, putting in the work that will attract spectators and create opportunities for businesses to profit,” said Swain. “It’s only fair that they have the right to earn compensation for their work.”

Under the bill, a four-year institution of higher education would be prohibited from upholding any rule, requirement, standard or other limitation that prevents college athletes from earning compensation from their name, image or likeness. Earning such compensation would not affect the student’s scholarship eligibility.

California recently passed similar legislation, and New Jersey is the 16

th

state to introduce such a measure. Since California approved its legislation, the National Collegiate Athletic Association announced it would adopt a policy allowing college athletes to benefit from their name, image and likeness within the two years. However, critics of the plan say it lacks specifics and may be too restrictive on athletes.

“Every day, student athletes generate massive amounts of value for their schools, leagues, the NCAA, and their for-profit partners. But the group that works and sacrifices the most to generate that value – the student athletes themselves- do not see a single penny,” said Tully. “The New Jersey Fair Play Act finally corrects the fundamental imbalances that have existed in collegiate athletics for far too long.”

A student athlete under the bill would not be allowed to earn compensation in connection with certain products, including adult entertainment, alcohol, casinos, gambling, sports betting, the lottery, video and online game betting, tobacco and electronic smoking products, pharmaceuticals, controlled dangerous substances, and weapons such as firearms and ammunition.

Under the measure, a four-year institution would be prohibited from joining the National Collegiate Athletic Association or any athletic association, conference, or other group or organization with control over intercollegiate athletics that:

prohibits a student athlete from earning compensation as a result of the use of the student’s name, image, or likeness

prohibits an institution of higher education from participating in intercollegiate athletics as a result of the compensation of a student athlete for the use of the student’s name, image, or likeness

provides a prospective student-athlete with compensation in relation to the student-athlete’s name, image, or likeness; or

prevents a New Jersey student participating in intercollegiate athletics from obtaining professional representation in relation to contracts or legal matters including, but not limited to, representation provided by athlete agents or legal representation provided by attorneys

Additionally, a student athlete who enters a contract to earn compensation would be required to disclose the contract to a college official. An institutional team contract would not prevent a collegiate player from using their name, image or likeness for commercial purposes when they are not engaged in official team activities.

The bill would take effect immediately and first be applicable in the fifth academic year following enactment.

HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS CELEBRATE WORLD TRICK SHOT DAY

WITH FIRST-EVER “SKYDIVING TRICK SHOT”

Globetrotter Star Hammer Harrison dunks following 13,000-foot skydive to pull off ultimate trick shot

The world famous

Harlem Globetrotters

, who have made seemingly impossible trick shots part of their everyday repertoire, have once again put their shot-making expertise on center stage today to help celebrate the fourth annual World Trick Shot Day.

In celebration of this year’s World Trick Shot Day, Globetrotter star

Hammer Harrison

successfully completed the highest slam dunk ever attempted, skydiving from 13,000 feet at Skydive Arizona in Eloy, Ariz., before successfully slamming home a dunk just before landing. The shot can be seen here:

World Trick Shot Day was created by the Globetrotters in order to give fans around the world a chance to celebrate what they can do with a basketball, a hoop and some creativity. Three years ago, the Registrar at National Day Calendar officially declared “World Trick Shot Day,” which is celebrated on the first Tuesday of every December.

This is the second straight year Hammer has successfully completed an amazing shot for World Trick Shot Day. Last year, he dunked off the Stratosphere in Las Vegas, a shot of over 850 feet. That shot can be seen here:

.

World Trick Shot Day was created to not only pay homage to the fun and entertaining aspect of the trick shot, but also to invite and engage with fans from all over the world to get in on the act as well. By using the hashtag, #WorldTrickShotDay, trick shot artists everywhere can share their attempts at one-of-a-kind moves across social media. Additionally, the Globetrotters will reward some of the best submissions with tickets to their 2020 “Pushing the Limits” World Tour.

“We work on trick shots every day, though the skydive trick shot is not one of them,” laughed Harrison, who enters his 11th season with the Globetrotters in 2020. “We practice them because it’s such a thrill for us, and for our fans.  Our fans give us such great feedback when we post them. We love getting the chance to see what they can do, too.”

The Globetrotters have made trick shots a staple of their repertoire for much of their 94-year history, beginning with greats such as Goose Tatum, Meadowlark Lemon and Curly Neal, and continuing through with today’s Globetrotter stars, who own 22 current Guinness World Records and just weeks ago set six new marks.

The Globetrotters are currently preparing for 94

th

year of touring with the 2020 “Pushing the Limits” World Tour, during which the team will play in more than 250 North American markets, as well as more than 30 countries worldwide. Tickets are now available at

harlemglobetrotters.com

.

The Harlem Globetrotters® are legendary worldwide, synonymous with one-of-a-kind family entertainment and great basketball skills for the past 93 years. Throughout their history, the Original Harlem Globetrotters have showcased their iconic talents in 124 countries and territories on six continents, often breaking down cultural and societal barriers while providing fans with their first-ever basketball experience. Proud inductees of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the Globetrotters have entertained hundreds of millions of fans – among them popes, kings, queens, and presidents – over nine thrilling decades. The Ambassadors of Goodwill are sponsored by Baden Sports, the Official Basketball, Champion, the Official Uniform & Apparel provider, Tum-e Yummies, the Official Fruit Flavored Drink, Carnival Cruise Line, Inc., Heelys, and Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Harlem Globetrotters International, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Herschend Enterprises, the largest family-owned themed entertainment company in the U.S. For the latest news and information about the Harlem Globetrotters, visit the Globetrotters\’ official Web site:

www.harlemglobetrotters.com

and follow them on Twitter

@Globies

Liberty National Golf Club Millionaire’s Golf Course is Back

NEW JERSEY SIERRA CLUB OPINION

Liberty National Golf club is back and billionaire Paul Fireman is pushing legislators and lobbying to get his ultra-exclusive golf course expansion onto the Caven Point are of Liberty State Park. Just two weeks ago,

A4903 (Mukherji)/ S3357 (Cunningham),

the Liberty State Park Protection Act, aimed at keeping public parkland open to the public and away from private developers, unanimously passed out of the New Jersey Senate Environment and Energy Committee. Developers are working to be exempt from the legislation to build their golf course.

The opening of the new golf course is a great opportunity for locals who are interested in golf to start playing the sport. In case you want to play golf but are unfamiliar with the gear and other basics of the game, you should start with a simple, inexpensive golf club set.

Callaway Strata Review

explains all the reasons why this set is so popular among beginners. It’s generally agreed that it is one of the best golf club sets for beginners.

“Once again, billionaire Paul Fireman is trying to play games with Liberty State Park. He is trying to expand his golf course in Caven’s Point, which is a wilderness area. This time he is pushing to weaken

A4903 (Mukherji),

that protects LSP, and land that belongs to all of us. Fireman is behind the scenes lobbying and campaigning to weaken the law and put a loophole in the bill big enough to fit a bulldozer, or a golf cart through. Liberty National Golf want to cut down trees and fill in wetlands for their wealthy members just to see the skyline. They will also be using an enormous amount of water, pesticides, and herbicides to maintain the course,”

said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club.

“This land is held in the public trust and belongs to all of us, not just to be for a private club. This billionaire is trying to destroy wilderness and take our public land for millionaires.”

The Caven Point Natural Area of Liberty State Park is a 22-acre peninsula located at the southwestern-most area of the park, accessible by the waterfront walkway. This area is frequently used by birders, and fishermen, and people enjoying nature. Proponents of the golf course proposal argue it is not just a golf \”academy.\”  It is a proven youth development program where life-changing opportunities are offered and fulfilled every day. They claim that if the proposed land swap that will allow the creation of The First Tee Learning Links funded by Liberty National is needlessly blocked, thousands of youth in Jersey City each year will be denied these same life-changing opportunities.

“This is the only wild are in an urban part of New Jersey. Filling in wetlands and cutting down forests here would be a reckless act for greed. Last year, Liberty National Golf Club put out a public relations campaign to try to grab public land that belongs to all of us. The youth-golfing program is a puppet show to own Liberty National Park.  Liberty National Golf Club is trying to take public land from the families of these kids for their private golf course. These families can’t even afford this golf club because membership is over $300,000 a year,”

said Tittel.

“Children are already in nature programs at Caven’s Point. The golf course would deny those children opportunities to explore the environmental benefits and beauty of Caven’s Point.”

In the NJ Statehouse, legislation to protect Liberty State Park is moving forward.  The \”Liberty State Park Protection Act\”,

A4903 (Mukherji),

establishes Liberty State Park Advisory Committee and requirements concerning DEP actions related to Liberty State Park. The bill would prohibit the DEP from considering any proposal to commercialize, develop, or privatize Liberty State Park, except as provided in the bill.  The bill would prohibit any concession, conveyance, or lease within the 235-acre natural restoration area in the interior of Liberty State Park, and at Caven Point Peninsula.

“Thousands of people use Caven’s Point for environmental programs and recreational uses such as fishing and bird watching. It is a critical area because it is the buffer between Liberty Golf Course and Caven’s Point. It is in an environmentally sensitive area that needs to be preserved. Legislation like the LSP Protection Act will help prevent harmful privatization proposals to be built at LSP. That is why it is critical for our New Jersey State Legislators to move forward on passing this bill,”

said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club.

“LSP belongs to all of us and Caven’s Point is an important part of the park. It should be left for people to enjoy. It is not a millionaire’s golf club. We have been fighting for 30 years to protect Liberty State Park from water parks, marinas and we will keep on fighting.”

Joseph Domanico of Haddon Township Named League Runner of the Year

TROY, NY (12/02/2019)– Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) student-athlete Joseph Domanico of Haddon Township 08108 and Haddon Township High School has been named the Liberty League Men\’s Cross Country co-Runner of the Year, the conference has announced. This is the first post-season, year-end award for the senior captain.

Domanico, who shared the honor with Dadley Ogetii of St. Lawrence University, is the fourth consecutive runner from Rensselaer to be recognized. Grant O\’Connor \’19 was chosen Runner of the Year in 2018 and 2017 and Fazio captured the award in 2016.

Joe Domanico: Liberty League Men\’s Cross Country Runner of the Year

Finished 17th at NCAA Championship Meet … Personal-best 8K (24:49.1) … Highest finisher of any Liberty League participant … Second highest finisher from any Northeast school … NCAA All-America … Team finished school record 10th at NCAA Championship … Highest finish of any Liberty League team … Third highest of any Northeast school … Fifth at NCAA Atlantic Regional … Second highest finisher of any Liberty League participant … All-Region … Team finished second … Third at Liberty League Championship … First on team … All-Liberty League First Team … Team finished first … Ran 46th at Connecticut College (team was 3rd) and 58th at Louisville Classic (team was 5th) … Liberty League Performer of the Week once … Liberty League All-Academic … Captain.

Founded in 1824, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is America\’s oldest technological research university. For nearly two centuries, the Institute has been a driving force behind breakthroughs in engineering and science in virtually every arena-from transportation and infrastructure to business, medicine, outer space, and cyberspace.

As it approaches its bicentennial anniversary, the Institute continues to define The New Polytechnic, a new paradigm for teaching, learning, and research that uses advanced technologies to enable fresh collaborations across disciplines, sectors, and regions, in order to answer the global challenges of our day.

Colorado Rapids Ahead of a Busy Offseason

Gloucestercitynews.net (December 2, 2019)–Tim Howard retired and coach Robin Fraser was handed the reins on a permanent basis. The squad made a sluggish start to the 2019 season, but in the end, they were unlucky to miss out on a postseason place after delivering a strong rally. Now it is time for a new chapter to begin and these are the top five reasons for Colorado supporters to feel positive about the franchise’s prospects:

Improving Results

Colorado Rapids endured an 11-game winless streak at the start of the 2019 season. They lost nine and tied two in a dreadful run of form that left them rock bottom of the Western Conference standings.

The top-rated sportsbooks made them huge underdogs in every game and they were given no chance of reaching the playoffs.

Yet they then secured 12 wins and four draws in their final 23 games of the season and they were ultimately unlucky to miss out on a postseason spot. That strong upturn in form should allow them to approach the offseason in a positive fashion, and it gives them something to build upon in 2020.

A Visionary Coach

The team went through three coaches in 2020 and that sort of upheaval is always going to dent results. However, they ultimately settled on former Colorado Rapids player

Robin Fraser

, who guided the team to five wins in their final seven games of the season. The 52-year-old is just the second African American head coach in MLS history, and he arrived with a big reputation. He was part of the coaching staff at Toronto FC during their domestic treble in 2017, while he previously headed up the coaching team at Chivas USA, and he was also an assistant coach at Real Salt Lake and New York Red Bulls. “I consider Colorado to be home, I’ve played here, coached here and I know the soccer community in this state,” said Fraser. I’m committed to the club’s vision and I’m excited to work with this strong group of players and especially the nucleus of young, talented players we have at the club.” He has the tactical nous and dynamism to drive this franchise forward, and he proved that in the final weeks of the season.

Tying Down Top Centre-Backs

The Rapids have moved quickly during the short transfer window that opened on Monday, signing the talented Lalas Abubakar on a permanent basis and making a move for Philadelphia’s Auston Trustly.

They also signed center-back Drew Moor for the 2020 season

, and that should provide them with a strong blend of youth and experience at the back. Colorado conceded 63 goals last season, the second-highest tally in the conference and the best way to generate an improvement in 2020 is to tighten up at the back. Abubakar will be key to that, as they conceded 1.5 goals per game when he played and 2.4 when he was missing this year. “We’re thrilled to have Lalas back and with us from the very start next year,” said executive vice president Padraig Smith after meeting Columbus Crew’s transfer demands. “I think Lalas himself was pretty open about the fact that he enjoyed his time here, he felt like he integrated into the group very well, this was somewhere he wanted to be and I think that\’s very important.”

Designated Player Spots

The Rapids have three DP slots to play around with during this offseason and that should allow them to add significant talent. These players operate outside of the salary cap, and it provides the franchise with a tantalizing opportunity to recruit the sort of overseas talent that can light up the league. Smith has spent time in South America on a recruitment drive, and we could see some stellar talent move to Dick’s Sporting Goods Park before next season begins.

Cap Space

Smith also has cap space and plenty of Targeted Allocation Money to use as he bids to build a squad that can end a three-year postseason drought. “We’ve brought in some great young players over the last 12-18 months, but we need a little bit of experience in this group,” said Smith in a recent interview. The best teams in MLS history blend youthful exuberance with the steady presence of some veteran pros, and it is good to see Smith recognize this. He is building a strong, enthusiastic group of players and it will surely benefit from a smattering of Latin American talent and a few season professionals to help steady the ship during tough away games. “This is the way we want to do this,” said Smith. “We’re building a young, dynamic, attack-focused team. Being able to add these new DPs will be huge for us.”

image courtesy of unsplash.com

Diggs, Brown earn recognition on USC All-South Atlantic teams

CAMDEN, N.J. (Dec. 2, 2019) – Junior forward

Skyler Diggs (Delran, NJ/Delran)

and senior back

Darnell Brown (Cinnaminson, NJ/Cinnaminson)

continued to pile up honors a month after the Rutgers University-Camden men’s soccer team ended its season.

Darnell Brown

Diggs and Brown, who sparked the Scarlet Raptors to a 13-5-3 season and the third seed in the New Jersey Athletic Conference playoffs, have been named to the United Soccer Coaches Men’s Division III All-South Atlantic Region Teams, released today. Diggs captured South Atlantic Region Second Team honors, while Brown was honored on the South Atlantic Region Third Team.

Skylar Diggs

The honors were the latest in a successful season for both players. Brown was named to the NJAC First Team and was recognized as the NJAC Co-Defender of the Year. Diggs, meanwhile, earned NJAC Second Team honors.

Diggs led the Scarlet Raptors in scoring with 12 goals and one assist for 25 points this season. His six game-winning goals tied for third place for the most single-season game winners in program history, while his 12 goals tied for 12th place on the season charts.

Diggs has been the Raptors’ most dangerous forward throughout his three-year career. As a freshman, he tied for the team lead in goals (7) and finished second in points (15). He led the Raptors in scoring as a sophomore with nine goals and three assists for 21 points.

Diggs has earned NJAC Second Team honors in each of the last two seasons. As a freshman, he earned the NJAC Rookie of the Week on Sept. 4, and captured his first career hat trick, while adding an assist, at Lancaster Bible College on Oct. 19.

Diggs added his second career hat trick this season, scoring all of the Scarlet Raptors’ goals in a 3-2 victory over Penn State-Abington on Oct. 23. He also had both goals in a 2-0 win over Staten Island (Sept. 7), helping him earn honors as the Offensive MVP of the Cialella Soccer Classic (Sept. 7-8). His other game-winning goals this season came in a 1-0 victory over Alvernia University (Sept. 4), a 2-0 win over Immaculata University (Sept. 18), a 2-0 win over No. 19 Montclair State University (Sept. 21) and a 2-0 win over New Jersey City University (Oct. 5). He earned Rutgers-Camden Raptor of the Week honors twice this fall, on Sept. 9 and Oct. 28.

Diggs has appeared in 63 games at Rutgers-Camden, starting 42 and producing 61 points to rank 10th on the program’s career scoring list. He is eighth in career goals (28) and fourth in game-winning goals (11), while adding five career assists.

An All-South Jersey Soccer Coaches Association Third Team member as a senior at Delran High School, Diggs earned five scholastic varsity letters for the Bears, playing both soccer and basketball.

Brown was a defensive standout at Rutgers-Camden throughout his four-year collegiate career. A NJAC First Team performer and the Raptors’ Most Valuable Player as a junior in 2017, he missed the entire 2018 season before returning to NJAC First Team honors as a senior this year. He helped lead a Scarlet Raptor defense that posted a 1.05 goals-against average and nine shutouts, despite numerous injuries and lineup changes in the back. He also added three goals and one assist for seven points, including a pair of goals (one the game winner) in a 3-2 victory over 21st-ranked Haverford College on Sept. 25. He added a goal in a 3-2 win at Rutgers-Newark (Sept. 28) and assisted on Diggs’ winning goal against Staten Island (Sept. 7).

As a freshman, Brown helped the team win its fourth NJAC title in five seasons. He captured NJAC Honorable Mention during his sophomore season in 2016.

During his Rutgers-Camden career, Brown played in 73 games, starting 53. He collected 11 goals and three assists for 25 points, with a pair of game-winning goals. He also contributed to 19 Raptor shutouts.

During his stellar scholastic career at Cinnaminson High School, Brown captured All-State Second Team and Soccer Coaches Association of New Jersey First Team South Sectional All-State recognition for the Pirates. As a senior, he earned All-South Jersey First Team honors from both the

Philadelphia Inquirer

and

Courier-Post

newspapers.

Rutgers-Camden leads wire to wire to beat Gallaudet women, 67-57

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Dec. 1, 2019) – The Rutgers University-Camden women’s basketball team scored the first nine points of the game and never trailed as it defeated Gallaudet University, 67-57, in a non-conference game here Sunday afternoon.

The Scarlet Raptors improve to 5-1, while the Bison fall to 1-3.

Rutgers-Camden took the lead for good, at 2-0, on a layup by freshman center

Kayla Newton

1:05 into the contest. The Scarlet Raptors built their lead to 9-0, aided by four points from senior guard

Fatimah Williams,

a layup by junior guard

Shane Holmes

and a foul shot by Newton, before the Bison scored its first points 3:42 into the first quarter.

Gallaudet fought back to cut its deficit to two points at both 16-14 and 21-19, but never were able to tie the game or take the lead. In the third quarter, Rutgers-Camden opened up leads as big as 19 points (52-33).

Williams paced the Raptor attack with 24 points, while a pair of guard/forwards, freshman

Jalissa Pitts

and sophomore

Tamara Johnson,

both added 12. Freshman guard

Taylor Martin

notched eight points, one game after scoring a career-high 20.

Pitts and Newton each hauled down nine rebounds to help the Scarlet Raptors hold a 41-36 advantage off the boards. Williams added a game-high five steals, while tying for the team lead at four assists with Tamara Johnson. Martin collected two blocked shots to tie for game-high honors with Gallaudet’s Cassidy Perry.

Perry, a freshman guard/forward, led the Bison with 17 points and added nine rebounds, while senior guard Kendall Hudson had 15 points and completed a double-double with a game-high 11 rebounds. Junior guard Jakkisha Smith added 12 points for Gallaudet. Another junior guard, Emelia Beldon, had a game-high nine assists and a team-high three steals.

The Raptors shot 23-for-60 (38.3 percent) from the floor, while the Bison shot 21-for-54 (38.9). Gallaudet made 19 turnovers, while Rutgers-Camden had 17.

The Scarlet Raptors return to action Wednesday when they host Stockton University in a 6 p.m. New Jersey Athletic Conference game.