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AROUND THE QUADS

Roar Lion Roar

NEW FB COACH: Norries Wilson, former offensive coordinator at Connecticut, was named Columbia’s 18th head football coach on December 11, succeeding Bob Shoop, who was fired after the 2005 season. Shoop compiled a 7–23 record in three seasons, including 2–8 in 2005, when the Lions lost all seven Ivy League games.

“We’re going to set small goals on our way to the ultimate goal, and that is to get to the top of the Ivy League,” said Wilson, who played college football and wrestled at Minnesota. “Are we going to shoot to the top? That would be nice, but first we’ve got to climb out of the cellar. We’ve got to stop the mantra of ‘here we go again.’”

Athletics Director M. Dianne Murphy described Wilson, who is the first African-American head football coach in Ivy League history, as “the right fit for Columbia football. He is a true leader, in every sense of the word. His people skills and his passion, along with his knowledge of the game, will produce the results that we want.”

President Lee C. Bollinger, who attended a news conference to introduce Wilson on December 12, said, “I see no virtue whatsoever in losing. I am determined that whatever programs we have at Columbia will be competitive.”

Wilson, 40, was an assistant at Minnesota, North Carolina Central, Livingstone and Bucknell before going to Connecticut in 1999. His offense ranked eighth in the nation in 2003 with 477.5 yards per game, and in 2004 he was one of five finalists for the Frank Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant coach.

Asked about Columbia’s recent struggles, Wilson said, “I can’t change what’s happened in the past. I’m here to put Columbia on the path to winning. But it’s not just me — it’s going to be a program.”

Murphy echoed that sentiment and said, “We’ve identified a plan to fix Columbia football. I’m not sure Columbia ever has provided its coaches with the infrastructure to be successful.” One element of the plan, Murphy indicated, would be to consolidate all football operations in improved facilities at Baker Field.

HALL OF FAME: The first members of the Columbia Athletics Hall of Fame will be inducted at a ceremony in Low Rotunda on February 18. The inductees include 21 men, seven women, one team — the 1967–68 men’s basketball team — and legendary football coach Lou Little. They were chosen by the vote of a selection committee of the Varsity “C” Letterwinners’ Club from more than 200 nominees submitted by the public.

Inductees were eligible in one of several categories: former male student-athlete–heritage era (1852–1952), former male student-athlete–modern era (1952–present), former female student-athlete, coaches, teams, athletics administrators or special category for individual achievement.

The inaugural class consists of Caitlin “Katy” Bilodeaux ’87 (fencing), Eddie Collins (Class of 1907) (baseball), Tony Corbisiero ’83 (swimming), Dave Galdi ’82E (wrestling), Lou Gehrig ’25 (baseball), Paul Governali ’43 (football), George Gregory ’31 (basketball), Ben Johnson ’38 (track and field), Lou Kusserow ’49 (football), Gene Larkin ’84 (baseball), Sid Luckman ’39 (football), Ula Lysniak ’87 Barnard (basketball), Connie Maniatty ’43 (individual achievement), Devon Martin ’90 (track and field), Jim McMillian ’70 (basketball), Cliff Montgomery ’34 (football), Barry Nix ’82 (soccer), Jon Normile ’89E (fencing), Nat Pendleton ’16 (wrestling), Lisa Piazza ’85 Barnard (fencing), Archie Roberts ’65 (football/baseball), Christina “Tina” Steck ’80 Barnard (diving), Bill Swiacki ’48 (football), Christina Teuscher ’00 (swimming), Marcellus Wiley ’97 (football), John Witkowski ’84 (football), Little (coach) and the 1967–68 men’s basketball team.

CROSS COUNTRY: Caroline Bierbaum ’06 finished second in the NCAA cross-country championships at Terre Haute, Ind., on November 21. Johanna Nilsson of Northern Arizona won in a course-record 19:33.9, with Bierbaum clocking 19:46.0. Lisa Stublic ’06 finished 23rd to gain All-America honors along with Bierbaum, and together they led the Columbia women to a 13th–place finish overall — the third consecutive year that the Lions have placed 13th.

Bierbaum was in sixth place after 4,000 meters, when Nilsson and Stanford’s Arianna Lambie pulled away from the pack. “They made a huge move,” said Bierbaum. “That’s where I realized ... that I wouldn’t win the race. But I moved up to second place between 5K and the end. In the last kilometer I said, ‘This is my last race, just go for it.’” Bierbaum, who finished third a year ago, caught the fading Lambie and several other runners but could not threaten Nilsson.

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