05/20/06
O-State’s Velan arrested for pot
Stamford graduate stays on roster for women’s soccer trip to Italy this week
ONEONTA STATE WOMEN’S SOCCER
By Rob Centorani
Staff Writer
Former Stamford and current Oneonta State soccer standout Mary Velan was arrested May 14 for unlawful possession of marijuana, O-State Lieutenant Tim Jackson said Friday.
Velan, 19, who lives on campus, was arrested at 2:59 a.m., Jackson said.
O-State Police Chief Barton Ingersoll said Velan was sitting outside on campus when an officer who was walking in the area smelled marijuana and approached her to investigate. Ingersoll added Velan was taken into custody and issued a ticket to appear in On[an error occurred while processing this directive]eonta City Court at a later date.
Because he was reached at home Friday night, Ingersoll did not have further specifics on Velan’s arrest.
"I treat all our students equally and fairly," said Ingersoll, who also acts as the college’s associate vice-president for student development. "We try not to show any favoritism to anybody because it’s not fair to the other kids."
Velan’s age, residence, date of arrest and reason for arrest were incorrect in The Daily Star’s police blotter Monday because of a reporter’s error.
O-State’s log of arrests, reviewed by The Daily Star on Friday, correctly identifies Velan as a 19-year-old Stamford resident who was arrested May 14 for possession of marijuana.
"We don’t doctor any records up here," Ingersoll said. "I would not be here tomorrow if we did that."
Oneonta State women’s soccer coach Tracey Ranieri said Friday she was surprised when she heard the news of Velan’s arrest.
"Mary is a tremendous representative of our team," Ranieri said. "She has done something that is not representative of our team. Our school has a code of conduct, and she has broken policy. There will be consequences for those actions."
Ranieri said Velan, who played midfield and forward as a sophomore this past season, will accompany the women’s soccer team on a 10-day trip to Italy. The Red Dragons leave Sunday for Italy, where they’ll play four Italian club teams throughout the country.
"I’m the kind of person who needs time to take a breath," said Ranieri, who guided the Red Dragons to the NCAA Division III championship in 2003. "I’m glad I didn’t go with my initial thoughts. I’m going to look at all the information and make a reasonable, consistent and compassionate decision."
Ranieri said any disciplinary action against Velan likely would come at the beginning of the upcoming season.
"It will impact the 2006 team," she said. "It won’t be life-altering, but it will affect us."
A message left Friday on the home answering machine of Velan’s residence in Stamford was not returned. The Daily Star was unable to obtain Velan’s on-campus phone number as the college’s switchboard was closed Friday night.
Velan was a first-team all-state performer in Class D three times and was a four-time Daily Star First-Team All-Star for Stamford. She finished second in Section Four history in goals with 163 — 10 behind fellow Stamford graduate Liz McGrail.
Velan scored 43 goals in her senior season, one year after winning The Daily Star Player of the Year honor in 2002. That season, Velan scored an area-high 49 goals in leading the Indians to the Section Four Class D championship game. Velan also earned the state’s Class D Player of the Year honor that season.
Velan was named the SUNY Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year in 2004, when she also earned a first-team all-conference honor. She scored a team-high 16 goals and had six assists in helping the Red Dragons to a 21-2-1 record. Her 38 points led O-State, helping her to a third-team selection on the NSCAA/Adidas Division All-America team.
This past season, Velan scored 17 goals and had team highs of 11 assists and 45 points as O-State went 21-2-2. Her 45 points tied O-State’s single-season record, a mark first set by McGrail in 2000. Velan was named to the first-team Northeast All-Region team and again earned a third-team Division III All-American honor.
Velan is also a member of the Red Dragons’ track and field team.
— Sports Editor Dean Russin contributed to this report.
