Update on the Eagles: December Edition

Update on the Eagles: December Edition

By JD Biagioni

Here’s all the news and notes you need to know about Boston College sports from December.

Football:

  • Boston College hired former Ohio State co-defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley to be the team’s next head coach. Hafley stayed with the Buckeyes through their College Football Playoff run, which ended with a 29-23 Fiesta Bowl loss to Clemson.

  • BC was selected to face No. 23 Cincinnati in the Birmingham Bowl. The Eagles enter the game as 7.5-point underdogs. 
  • Wide receivers coach Rich Gunnell will serve as the interim coach for the bowl game. Hafley will be in attendance. 
  • Star running back AJ Dillon announced he would forego his senior season and declare the NFL Draft. 

Men’s Hockey:

  • Only played two games in December, both against Notre Dame.
  • Won both games by a combined score of 10-1. 
  • Currently riding a 9-game winning streak. 
  • Goalie Spencer Knight was selected to Team USA’s roster for the World Junior Championship. Former Eagle Oliver Wahlstrom is also on the team. 

  • Currently ranked No. 5 in the nation. 

Women’s Hockey:

  • Went 0-3 in December, losing 6-0 and 2-1 to Boston University and 7-1 to Harvard. 
  • As of December 9, the team is ranked No. 9 in the USCHO poll. 

Men’s Basketball:

  • Went 4-2 but bookended December with losses. 
  • Opened the month with a loss to Northwestern in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge and closed it with an 88-49 loss at Duke. 
  • The team’s four-game winning streak in the middle of the month included wins over Notre Dame and Cal. 
  • Nik Popovic was injured in the Northwestern game. The back injury kept him out the rest of the month, but it appears he is close to returning. 
  • Jairus Hamilton had a good month shooting the ball, scoring 16 against Albany and 18 against Cal. 

Women’s Basketball:

  • Went 2-3 in December and are now 7-6 on the season and 0-2 in conference. 
  • The women’s team also lost to Northwestern in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge. 
  • The team continues to blow out opponents in victory, beating BU by 31 and Delaware State by 40. 
  • Finished the month with a 72-54 loss to undefeated No. 9 NC State. 

  • Cam Swartz still leads the team, averaging 12.6 points per game. Taylor Soule is a close second at 12.5. 

Baseball:

  • In more sombre news, former BC baseball captain and inspiration behind the Ice Bucket Challenge lost his courageous battle with ALS on December 9 at age 34.