'ALL IN THE FAMILY' AT BRIDGEWATER STATE 

At Bridgewater State College, emphasis on family is paramount. In no place is this practice more
important than in the athletics program here at Bridgewater. From twins, brothers, sisters, fathers,daughters, and sons, family is an integral aspect of the athletic teams.

            Dom and Steve Sciara have played soccer together their entire lives. They also happen to be twins. They played with each other all the way through high school and when it came time to make a college choice, it was an easy decision. "We knew we were both going to the same school."  Dom Sciara said. They eventually decided on Bridgewater State because of its close location to home and they knew they would be able to continue their soccer careers together here. They have had their disagreements, just as any set of siblings do, but they are able to get past them and believe they are instrumental in each other's success. Dom went on to say, "We both know each others strengths and weaknesses... he is part of my success and development and I'm sure I have played a big role in his success and development as a player." It clearly is working, as the Sciara's were two crucial players on the Men's Soccer team that won the MASCAC crown and qualified for the NCAA Tournament.

            The women's field hockey team also has a successful set of siblings who were major contributors to their ECAC Championship. Kelly Downs, a sophomore, and Nicole Downs, a senior, have thoroughly enjoyed playing with each, both in high school and at Bridgewater State. The sister's would not trade their experiences playing together for anything, "It was a lot of fun playing with her and if I could do it again, I would, no doubt about it." Kelly Downs said. Both on and off the field, the Downs' sisters are always there for each other. "One of the best things about being on her team is you know there's always someone there to support you." Downs said. On the field, Kelly has developed into one of the top defenders in the MASCAC and Little East conferences and was named first team All-MASCAC, while Nicole posted a solid 1.31 goals against average this past season. There were other benefits to having a sister on the team as well, "It was good that our positions were so close because after a game we were usually the first to congratulate each other." With the success they had on the field this year, there was no doubt a lot of that.

            The Farroba family has been a pillar of the Bridgewater State Athletics program for the last 15 years. Coach Farroba has led the Bears to 5 postseason berths and 151 victories in the last 12 seasons, making him the school's leader in career wins. However, he is not the only Farroba having success here at Bridgewater. His daughter, Justine, is a senior member of the women's basketball team. She is a four-year player, who is averaging 8 points a game this year and set her season high with 16 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 steals against Rhode Island College. Coach Farroba talked about how Justine has always been on the court, "When she was little and we had a practice, I would bring her and let her dribble around in her walker. She was always on the court with me." Also, coach's son John, is a member of the football team. As a true freshman, John was a standout on special teams who will likely see time with the first team defense next year. At North Attleboro High School, John was a star basketball player as well. When asked whether he wished he had the opportunity to coach his son at Bridgewater, Coach Farroba said, "Yes, a little bit. But I'm proud of him and he is playing the sport that he truly loves and that is what matters."  

On the team with Justine, are Caitlin and Colleen Feeney. Colleen is averaging over 19 points a game, none more dramatic than her game-winning basket with 6 seconds left against Babson. Caitlin is the Bears second leading scorer at 15.8 points a game. In addition, Corey Cuddihy has been making an impact on the team averaging almost 5 points a game as a true freshman while her brother, Tom, is a member of the Bears' exclusive 1,000-point club and has been a dominant player for Bridgewater for the past 4 seasons.

            The football team had two sets of twins and two other sets of siblings on their team this past season. Sophomores Joel and Dan Nunes and Freshman Allen and Adam Schaen were key contributors for the Bears successful season. In addition, Sam Howe is a freshman safety who is coached by his brother Adam, the defensive backs coach on the team. Doug Borsari, in his second season as the linebackers coach, is joined on the football team by his brother Greg, who had 437 total yards combined with 2 passing touchdowns on the season. Meanwhile, Daniel and Steven Slyne are a set of twins who are runners on the cross-country team that placed 5^th at the MASCAC Championships. Travis Anza is a freshman on the wrestling team while his sister Heather, a junior, is a member of the women's lacrosse team.

BSC Bears Sports Teams are truly "All in the Family"