Sports shorts

Winter teams are off and running

As Princeton's winter teams began competition in November and December, men's hockey was the clear headliner, winning nine of its first 11 games and climbing as high as No. 7 in the national polls. The high-scoring Tigers averaged more than three goals per game through Nov. 29.

Women's hockey topped Quinnipiac Dec. 2 to creep closer to .500. The Tigers (5-6-1) scored an impressive upset against No. 4 St. Lawrence Nov. 21.

Women's basketball opened 3-2, thanks in part to scoring-leader Addie Micir ’11's 12.8 points per game. The Tigers will travel to California for a two-game set at the Collier's International Classic Dec. 6 and 7.

Men's basketball lost close games to Central Michigan and Maine before rebounding with strong wins over Army and Fordham. The Tigers dropped to 2-3 with a loss to South Carolina Dec. 2. Freshman Doug Davis has been the story of the season so far. The 5-foot, 10-inch, 155-pound guard scored 25 points in his first collegiate game and has averaged 16.4 points in his first five appearances.

Other winter sports are just getting under way. Men's swimming and diving, ranked No. 22 in the nation, swept Penn and Cornell in its first Ivy meet Nov. 22. The Princeton women swimmers also topped Penn and Cornell to open the Ivy season. In wrestling, the Tigers dropped early dual meets to Penn and Lehigh. The fencing and squash teams were solid in early competition. Both sports play the bulk of their Ivy schedules after the January break for fall semester exams.

Above, Krystal Hill ’11 drives to the basket in Princeton's 62-47 win over Farleigh Dickinson Nov. 25. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

’Tis the season for singing

Songs by the Princeton University Chapel Choir, the Princeton Tigerlilies, and Princeton Tigertones are featured on a new CD of Princeton-based choirs, "A Princeton Christmas: For the Children of Africa Vol. 2," whose proceeds will be donated to the UN World Food Program to feed hungry students in Africa.

The Chapel Choir, conducted by Penna Rose and comprised of Princeton undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty members, sings "A Welsh Lullaby," "Spaseniye Sodelal," and "Saints Bound for Heaven." The Tigerlilies contributed "On This Day Earth Shall Ring," and the Tigertones provided "Gabriel's Message." The Princeton musicians donated their time for the effort. Last year, the first volume of the CD collection raised more than $40,000 and provided more than 160,000 meals to students in Africa, said Thomas Meagher, a resident of Lawrenceville, N.J., who spearheaded the project. The CD is available at the Princeton University Store and online at Amazon.com and iTunes.

Many of the Princeton singers will share their talents on TV this month. The CBS Early Show plans to feature the Tigertones and the Tigerlilies on Dec. 6, Meagher said, and the Chapel Choir will appear on "Toni on the Holidays," a New York-area special hosted by Toni Senecal that will air Dec. 12 at 10:30 p.m. on Fox 5-WNYW and Dec. 20 at 10:30 p.m. on My 9-WWOR. By Katherine Federici Greenwood

Names in the news

Author Michael Lewis ’82, whose books include Liar's Poker, told NPR Nov. 25 that there may be a silver lining to the financial crisis: college students "who thought they were going to be financiers are having to rethink the premise, and that's a very good thing." Lewis spoke with several Princeton students this fall. ... The resurgence of the single-wing offense in pro and college football has brought attention to Princeton's glory days on the gridiron in the 1950s and ’60s. A Dec. 1 Sports Illustrated feature mentioned Heisman Trophy winner Dick Kazmaier ’52, All-American Cosmo Iacavazzi ’65, and the late Ken Keuffel ’46, author of Winning Single-Wing Football. ... A New York Times review of Professor James McPherson's latest book included scenes from a recent battlefield trip with the Princeton Class of 1972. ... The Centre Daily Times (State College, Pa.) charted the remarkable career of mathematician Terence Tao *96 in a Nov. 20 story. ... The New York Times profiled two recent additions to the incoming Obama administration, cabinet secretary Christopher Lu ’88 and Office of Management and Budget director Peter Orszag ’91. ... Politico.com listed television writer Crystal Nix Hines ’85 as one of "Obama's real friends in Hollywood." Hines, a former University trustee, was a Harvard Law classmate of Barack Obama and an undergraduate classmate of Michelle Obama at Princeton.