Stony Brook University

Stony Brook has advanced to the College World Series this year, becoming just the 2nd regional 4th seed to do so since the current NCAA tournament format was adopted. They advanced by defeating LSU in Baton Rouge 2 games to 1 in the Super Regional, outhitting the Tigers 50 to 15 in the process. With Seawolves fever sweeping the college baseball nation, let’s learn a little more about Stony Brook, MegaBracket-style…

Stony Brook University

Location: Stony Brook, NY (population: 13, 727 as of 2000 census)

Founded: 1957

Enrollment: ~24,500

Nickname: Seawolves

Mascot: Wolfie the Seawolf – http://www.goseawolves.org/wolfie/wolfies-world.html

Random Fact #1: The university was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame on October 15, 2006 due to being a long-standing concert site.

Random Fact #2: The Chemistry Department was designed a National Historic Landmark in 2011 by the American Chemical Society for its development of the MRI.

Random Fact #3: A popular event on campus is the annual Roth Pond Regatta. Each year dozens of competitors create boats out of cardboard and tape and race to be the first to cross Roth Pond without sinking. The regatta is also couple with a concert, headlined by Bruno Mars in 2011 and Wiz Khalifa in 2012.

Random Fact #4: The Seawolves competed in Division III until successfully completing the transition to Division I in 1999.

Notable Alumni: Co-host of The View Joy Behar; radio host Laura Schlessinger (Joy Behar and Dr. Laura? – yikes); co-creator of the Macintosh project at Apple, Jef Raksin; Alia Sabur, who became the world’s youngest college professor at the age of 18; Texas Ranger pitcher Joe Nathan; and music promoter Sandy Pearlman, who managed among others, Blue Oyster Cult (one of my Dad’s favorite bands). In the classic Saturday Night Live “More Cowbell” skit, Christopher Walken’s fictional producer Bruce Dickinson would in reality have been Sandy Pearlman (you come through once again MegaBracket!)

Famous Natives and Residents of Stony Brook: The inventor of the wave antenna, Harold Beverage; comedian/actor Kevin James; creator of Marvel Comics Stan Lee; and Dee Snider of Twisted Sister