The Golden Knights will battle the Dolphins for the ‘Upstate Challenge’ trophy this year in a series of athletic events
By JACKSON WANG
Sports Editor
 PUBLISHED OCTOBER 18, 2011
At the beginning of this school year, the College of Saint Rose and Le Moyne College began their new rivalry series called ‘Upstate Challenge.’ The two schools will compete head-to-head in 14 sports throughout the school year in regular season match-ups and the Northeast-10 Conference Championship.
“The Upstate Challenge will add another layer of excitement and significance for our teams, fans and alums to what is already a healthy and fierce rivalry between Saint Rose and Le Moyne,” said Saint Rose athletic director Cathy Haker.
The idea for this challenge originated in a discussion between Le Moyne athletic director Matt Bassett and Saint Rose athletic director Cathy Haker.
Senior associate athletics director, Brian Gordon, then informed the coaching staff here at Saint Rose about the ‘Upstate Challenge’ during a staff meeting over the summer.
“I think it’s a great idea,” said head baseball coach Chris Francis. “It’s something to get the students excited about.”
For the point system of the ‘Upstate Challenge,’ if the teams compete once during the year, the team that wins the match-up gets the point. If the teams compete multiple times a year, the team that wins the series will be awarded the point. If a series is split, then one half-point will be awarded to each school.
For Northeast Conference Championships, the school that finishes the highest in the competition will be awarded one point.
The school that earns the most points will win the series and be awarded the first ‘Upstate Challenge’ trophy. The school will have the trophy for the year to display for the public. The trophy will be rotated each year to that year’s winner.
“The Challenge Cup will enhance the game-day experience for everyone associated with each contest,” said Haker.
For the first match-up of the ‘Upstate Challenge’, the Saint Rose women’s soccer took on the Dolphins on September 14. The Golden Knights defeated the Dolphins in an 8-0 rout to get the first point of the challenge.
The Golden Knights got their second point of the season at the NE-10 conference championship for men’s golf. On October 4, women’s volleyball upends Le Moyne 3-0 to get their third point of the challenge.
The Dolphins got their first point of the ‘Upstate Challenge’ on October 6. The Le Moyne men’s soccer defeated the Golden Knights 2-0 in a regular season match-up.
“I think it’s more for a fan environment,” said Francis.
More fans are expected to show up to ‘Upstate Challenge’ events than any other match-ups. At the Saint Rose women’s volleyball game against Le Moyne, more than 700 fans packed the Nolan Gymnasium for this event.
This isn’t the first time the Golden Knights have been in a rivalry. In the 1980s, Saint Rose women’s basketball participated in the Capital District Women’s Basketball Tournament.
This was a two-day tournament that included Saint Rose, UAlbany, Union College and RPI. The winner of this tournament would get bragging rights as the best team in the Capital district for that year.
The next ‘Upstate Challenge’ will be at the NE-10 championship for men’s and women’s cross country in Westfield, Ma on October 23.
For the upcoming winter and spring athletic events, there will be six match-ups in the winter and six match-ups in the spring.
“There will be a little added jolt to the boys,” said Francis, referring to his baseball team, when they take on Le Moyne April 3 for the first of three games during the regular season.
