College roundup: Syracuse zeroes in on defensive coordinator; St. Lawrence announces Division III facility plan

Dec. 17—The Syracuse University football defense continued a whirlwind week of turnover from the top down on Friday.

Syracuse is expected to fill its defensive coordinator vacancy by hiring Rocky Long, according to a Friday morning report from ESPN Radio Albuquerque.

Syracuse has not confirmed the hire.

The Orange also received a commitment from Notre Dame defensive back transfer Jayden Bellamy while a 247Sports report on Thursday night cited SU safety Ja'Had Carter entering the transfer portal.

Bellamy, a former four-star prospect from New Jersey, posted to social media Friday afternoon while Carter had yet to publicize his reported plans.

Long has been defensive coordinator at New Mexico the past three seasons after serving as their head coach from 1999-2008.

The 72-year-old is considered the founder of the 3-3-5 defense that SU has utilized the past three seasons under Tony White, a former Long pupil who left SU to take the 'DC' opening at Nebraska last week.

The report indicated that Long would guide the defense when SU (7-5 overall, 4-4 ACC) faces Minnesota (8-4, 5-4 Big Ten) in the Pinstripe Bowl on Dec. 29 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.

Long is a veteran of nearly 50 years with head coaching stints at New Mexico and San Diego State (2011-19).

He coordinated defenses at both spots along with UCLA (1996-97), Oregon State (1991-95), and Wyoming (1981-85).

Long's addition would allow SU coach Dino Babers to keep the 3-3-5 scheme intact as he has displayed a preference for in past years.

Bellamy is set to enter with four years of eligibility remaining and was teammates with fellow transfer DB commit, Jaeden Gould from Nebraska, at Bergen Catholic High School in N.J.

They should help offset the losses earlier this week of SU starting cornerbacks Duce Chestnut to the transfer portal and Garrett Williams to the NFL Draft.

Carter would represent another damaging loss to the secondary as a three-year starter who tallied three of his five career interceptions this year. Carter tallied 138 tackles in 31 career games over his three seasons at SU.

SLU ANNOUNCES FACILITY PLAN

St. Lawrence University announced plans this week to officially begin building the George W. Karpus '68 Athletic Center, which will be the home of the campus' NCAA Division III programs.

The center is part of the previously announced athletic facility rennovation project that began with the upgrading of Appleton Arena in 2019-20. The second phase of the project, which will benefit the Saints' men's and women's lacrosse, field hockey, softball and rowing teams, was waiting on additional funding, which the university announced it had received in the form of a $2 million gift from Tom Dolan (1974) and the Dolan Family foundation, as well as a $1 million gift from Karpus and a pair of $500,000 gifts from anonymous donors.

"Their combined philanthrophy will impact thousands of Saints athletes for generations to come," said SLU President Kathryn A. Morris.

The total $11.5 million project includes expansion of the Michael Cornacchia '74 Strength and Conditioning Center for all Saints' NCAA Division III athletes as well as a new locker room and team facilities for the teams. An athletic training and treatment center, strategy room, players lounge and video/media room are also planned.

The university will also revamp the strength-and-conditioning space in the Stafford Fitness Center in Newell Fieldhouse.

Construction is planned to begin in the spring of 2023 with completion targeted for the fall of 2024.

CLARKSON SWEEPS HOOP HONORS

Clarkson men's basketball player Jack Dalgety and women's basketball player Cassidy Dumont won the respective Liberty League Performers of the Week for their sport.

Dalgety, from Syracuse, averaged 19.5 points and 11.0 rebounds over two victories for the Golden Knights. Dalgety recorded 21 points and 15 rebounds in Clarkson's win over rival St. Lawrence. He added 18 points in a victory over NVU-Lyndon. He's averaging 11.1 points per game.

Dumont scored 20 points and added six rebounds in a game against St. Lawrence then added 18 points and five rebounds against St. John Fisher. Dumont, from Norway, Maine, is fourth in the league in scoring at 15.1 points per game.

CONTRIBUTING ROLE

Former South Jefferson standout Jackie Piddock is the top player off the bench for the Division I Marist women's basketball in her first season with the team.

Piddock appeared in all nine games and has averaged 19.6 minutes per game for the Red Foxes (4-5). She's averaging 3.7 points per game and 2.4 rebounds a game.