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Scholastic Roundup: Groundbreaking sports journalist Rob Parker inducted into Martin Van Buren’s Hall of Fame

May 27, 2022 Andy Furman

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Martin Van Buren High School took care of one of their own this week – Rob Parker was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame.

And it was a no-brainer.

He was the first Black sports columnist at the Detroit Free Press in 1993 and the first Black general sports columnist at Newsday in 1995.

Parker currently co-hosts The Odd Couple on Fox Sports Radio with Chris Broussard. The 58-year-old native New Yorker received a B.S. in journalism from Southern Connecticut State University, and a Master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University. He currently doubles as an adjunct instructor at the Annenberg School of Journalism at the University of Southern California.

He’s been a contributor to FS 1’s Skip and Shannon: Undisputed, teaming up with debate partner Skip Bayless.

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Bishop Loughlin senior A’riel Jackson will continue her basketball career at the University of Cincinnati. “A’riel is a winner,” said Bearcats coach Michelle Clark-Heard in a statement, “and has played at the highest level and comes to UC with an amazing basketball background.”

The 5-foot-9-inch Jackson is the daughter of WNBA legend, Kym Hampton.

“A’riel is a tough and versatile guard that can get to the rim on just about anyone in the country,” said Clark-Heard.

She ranks as 108th nationally and 93 as a freshman recruit ranking in the 2022 class by All Star Girls Report. She’s ranked sixth nationally by the Naismith National Youth All American Report.

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Fontbonne Hall varsity basketball coach Steve Oliver, who won 225 games in 14 years, called it quits. He ends his season guiding the Bonnies to an appearance in the GCHSAA Tier 2 diocesan championship game while winning Brooklyn-Queens Coach of the Year honors.

He won a city title in 2010.

Oliver’s longtime assistant coach, Mike Sammon will take over as varsity coach.

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Xavierian High’s girls’ junior varsity lacrosse team won their first-ever city championship in program history last week. The team is anchored by junior goalie Saraye Jackson – she was joined in the backfield by sophomores Vanessa Aiello, Grace Fountaine, Mia Guglielminetti and Isabella Caragiulo. Help came from freshmen Kristine Lim and Alexa Bencivenga.

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Julia Waldinger, a nationally-ranked volleyball player from Munich, Germany is the newest addition to the St. Francis College roster. Most recently, she played for TSV Unterhaching in German Liga 3. Her team reached the Round of 16 in the German domestic tournament, the DVV Cup, in March 2021, with Waldinger named MVP in the fourth-round match-up against Eiblstadt.

“She brings depth to our outside hitter position,” said Terriers head coach Amable Martinez in a release. “Julia is a sold passer, defender and attacker with lots of enthusiasm and work ethic, which will help our young returning core.

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LIU’s men’s ice hockey coach, Brett Riley has bulked up the Sharks roster for 2022-23 with seven talented incoming transfer students.

Adam Goodsir (Michigan State), Xan Gurney (Western Michigan), Santeri Hartikainen (American International), Noah Kane (Mercyhurst), Chris Pappas (St. Lawrence), Austin Rook (Skidmore) and Anthony Vincent (Holy Cross) are all new Sharks.

The 6-foot-1, 195-pound Goodsir appeared in 131 games with Michigan State scoring six goals, 12 assists and 60 blocked shots. Hartikainen record 10 goals and 15 assists in 61 career games spanning three collegiate seasons with American International and Robert Morris. A 6-foot-2-inch, 190-pound forward, he hails from Helsinki, Finland and played junior hockey with the NAHL’s Corpus Christi IceRays.

Rook, a 6-2, 210-pound defenseman from Shrewsbury, Mass., appeared in 71 games from 2018-19 through 2021-22 with Skidmore College, tallying 21 goals and 41 assists. He earned undergraduate degrees in business and economics from Skidmore.

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Andrew Gefell is the first recruit for the newly-formed men’s fencing team at LIU. “When I first saw Andrew fence,” said coach Ivan Lee in the announcement, “I was impressed with his pure athleticism and physical control. When I got the news about the men’s team, he’s literally the first person I contacted.” The 5-10 Gefell attends Victor (NY) Senior High School. He began fencing a six, and he reached the finals on the NAC circuit for the first time as a Y 14 fencer.

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St. Francis women’s bowling had coach Dawn Gugliaro has announced the addition of Angelia Lubrano (St. Saviour High School), Giana Giampapa (St. Francis Prep), Caly Wu (Bayside High School), Su Denizer (New Dorp High School) for the 2022-23 season.

Tracy McGrady’s Ones Basketball League (OBL), a six-week series of one-on-one tournaments visits Brooklyn’s Major R. Owens Community Center (1561 Bedford Avenue) this Saturday and Sunday, May 28-29. The event will feature 32 top New York area players competing one-on-one, with eight advancing to Sunday’s finals.

Hunter College raised $150,000 at last week’s event for former wrestling coach and Athletic Director, Charles Brown.

The Brooklyn College Department of Athletics is currently looking to fill the vacant head coaching position for the cheerleading program. Interested applicants should email Associate Athletic Director, Alex Lang, [email protected] with their cover letter and resume.

Good news: no complications for Ed Birch, former Lafayette High basketball manager (’71) on his right hip replacement this week.

Andy Furman is a Fox Sports Radio national talk show host. Previously, he was a scholastic sports columnist for the Brooklyn Eagle. He may be reached at: [email protected] Twitter: @AndyFurmanFSR