SAGE STUDENT-ATHLETES READY TO CELEBRATE D3 WEEK WITH A NUMBER OF ACTIVIES
Albany, NY - The student-athletes at The Sage Colleges' will be very busy during the seventh annual celebration of D3 Week. This year's celebration for D3 Week will take place April 2-8, 2018.
WHAT IS DIVISION III WEEK?
April 2-8 marked the seventh annual celebration of the NCAA's D3 Week. In conjunction with the week, which commemorated the true essence of Division III athletics, which involves the full integration of our student-athletes into the campus culture. Sage's student-athletes are committed to the guiding principals of Division III, Discover, Develop, Dedicate. Division III is a place where student-athletes can "follow your passions and develop your potential," through an approach that combines rigorous academics, competitive athletics and an opportunity to pursue other interests.
Sage's 2018 Division III Week Activites
The Sage Colleges' community will be helping to raise funds as the Empire 8 and the Liberty League will square off in their annual change wars. Sage will be collecting spare change throughout Division III week around campus and at home athletic events as we help to combine forces with other Empire 8 teams to beat Liberty League members in the collection of change. All proceeds from the Change Wars will benefit NY Special Olympics.
For the second straight year, Sage will also be holding a Yards for Yeardley Event on Tuesday, April 3, 2018. The event will take place in the Armory at Sage from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sage student-athletes in conjunction as well as the Sage Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and members of Sage's community are asked to participate in the event. Last year, Sage had a goal to run and or walk 1,000,000 yards to raise awareness of domestic violence. The Sage community combined to nearly walk three times as many yards as planned as Sage's participants walked 2,906,371 yards last month. The kickoff event on April 6 was attended by 136 Sage student-athletes, while the event had nearly 200 community members participate throughout the month of April.
This year, the goal is even more ambitious as the Gators would like to strive for 3,000,000 yards and raise funds and awareness as April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
In 2010, just weeks before graduation, University of Virginia student-athlete Yeardley Love was killed in her residence hall by her former boyfriend. The OneLove Foundation, founded by Yeardley's mother, was created to raise awareness about the signs of relationship violence and to empower bystanders to intervene.
Three years ago, Sage invited the The OneLove Foundation to campus, where they presented the "Escalation Workshop". It was powerful and moving and motivated Sage to do more to bring this topic out of the shadows. In the Fall of 2016, Sage's SAAC created an "It's On Us" video, a reminder that each of us can play a role in preventing sexual assault.
On Thursday, April 5, Sage's women's lacrosse team will host SUNY-Canton at Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Athletic Complex. The Gators will hold their Sexual Assault Awareness Game in conjunction with the contest which starts at 4 p.m. that day. On Saturday, April 7 Sage's men's volleyball team will be in action in a tri-match in Kahl Gym and the Gator men's volleyball team will also bring awareness to the issue of Sexual Assault. Sunday's activities wrap with the Sage softball team hosting Stevens in a 1 p.m. Empire 8 doubleheader at Robison Field in Troy. All of these event will be Sage Sexual Awareness Games.
Sage's Director of Title IX & EEO Compliance, Dishpaul S. Dhuga, J.D. will be in attendance at the contests and can assist with any questions concerning the program. In his role at Sage, he is charged with making sure that the college is in compliance with Title IX and NYS Enough is Enough laws, conducts investigations, and provides training and awareness around campus about sexual assault prevention.
In addition to Yards for Yeardley, Sage will also be holding a Project Linus event. Sage has received donations of fabric to complete 30 blankets that will be donated to children in need. Project Linus is a national volunteer organization providing a sense of security and comfort to children in need through gifts of new handmade blankets. The project hits close to home as Sonny Moschello (Staten Island, NY) is the grandfather of Sage's women's soccer player Samantha Trimblett (Monroe, NY/Monroe Woddbury). Moschello was a longshoreman for 50 years and since retiring, he has been an active volunteer for the organization. He spent hours gathering donations and will provide Sage with the fabric and supplies to make 30 blankets which will take place on April 3 in conjunction with the Yards for Yeardley Event.
On April 4, several Sage student-athletes will visit the Albany Ronald McDonald House and will be making breakfast for the residents. Albany's Ronald McDonald House provides a haven of comfort, love, hope and support, free of charge, for critically ill children and their families.
On April 5, Sage will also be holding an event featuring Dr. Nancy Kaplan of St. John's University. She will lead a discussion on Diversity and Inclusion in Athletics. The talk will take place in the Sage Armory at 7 p.m. and is free to attend.