UMW spring sports capsules

March 1, 2008 12:16 am

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The University of Mary Washington men's crew team looks to improve on its outstanding 2007 season, when it triumphed in the Petite Final. The Eagles spring season starts March 30.

WOMEN'S LACROSSE Coach: Dana Hall Last year's record: 16-7 Top returners: A Caitlin Erickson (Sr.), A Emily Talbot (Sr.), M Sarah Finney (Sr.), M Amie Bruce (Sr.), M Ashley Scutari (So.), M Julia Milner (Jr.), D Elizabeth Conway (Sr.), G Meredith Deitrick (Sr.) Top newcomers: M Erin Murray (Fr.), M Katie Wallis (Fr.), A Shannon Pashcow (Fr.) Outlook: 2007 proved a banner season as the Eagles advanced to the elite eight of the NCAA tournament before being eliminated by eventual national champion Franklin & Marshall. Despite heavy graduation losses, UMW should again be a factor in the CAC title chase. The Eagles won their opener 15-8 over Villa Julie, then lost to No. 5 Gettysburg, 15-10. Remaining schedule: March 4--vs. Elizabethtown (Fla.); 6--vs. Roanoke (Fla.); 11--Wesley; 15--at Washington and Lee; 20--at Hood; 22--at York; 26--Marymount; 29--at College of New Jersey. April 2--at Catholic; 5--Greensboro; 6--Guilford; 9--Christopher Newport; 12--at St. Mary's; 17--Salisbury; 20, 22, 25--CAC tournament.

MEN'S LACROSSE

Coach: Kurt Glaeser Last year's record: 6-9 Top returners: M Brent Fisk (Jr.), A Charlie White (Jr.), Derek LeComte (So.), MF Matt Weiss (Sr.), A Sean Brown (Jr.), M Scott Fletcher (Sr.), D Travis Floyd (So.), D Peter Lyttle (Jr.), G Eric Everitt (Sr.) Top newcomers: M Evan Weiss (Fr.), G Ryan Kleeman (Fr.) Outlook: Buoyed by a stingy defense and several promising newcomers, the Eagles look to better last season's record. The Eagles hung tough in their 5-2 season-opening loss to Hampden-Sydney then beat Hood 18-7. Remaining schedule: March 1--Neumann; 8--Wesley; 12--at McDaniel; 15--Vila Julie; 18--Goucher; 26--at St. Mary's; 29--Christopher Newport. April 2--Salisbury State; 5--at York; 12--at Marymount; 15, 18, 20--CAC tournament.

SOFTBALL

Coach: Dee Conway Last year's record: 24-18 Top returners: IF Cathy Hull (Jr.), P Kristen Rowell (Jr.), OF Kerri Spaulding (Sr.), 3B Ashley Sifer (Sr.), IF Kaitlyn Petrella (So.), C Sarh Axelson (Sr.), OF Jamie Clevenger (Sr.) Top newcomers: OF Carolyn Hannock (Fr.), P/OF Michelle Wedenmeier (Fr.) Outlook: With an expanded league, the CAC is now assured an NCAA tournament berth for its champions. Off to a 4-2 start, the Eagles could figure in that equation. Remaining schedule: March 12--at Mary Baldwin; 13--Shenandoah; 15--Wesley; 17--Eastern Mennonite; 19--Catholic; 21--at Villa Julie; 26--at Gallaudet; 29--at York. April 2--Hood; 6--Salisbury; 15-20--CAC tournament.

TRACK & FIELD

Coach: Stan Soper Last year: Women first, men third at CAC championships. Top returners: Women, Christy Falcone (Sr.), Carly Hambley (Sr.), Ann Tripp (Sr.), Chia Winchester (Jr., Mae Winchester (Jr.), Bridget Dettman (Jr.) Men, Matt Cash (So.), Nate Boyarsky (So), Frank DeVar (So.), Mo Yusuf (So.), Jake Pattyson (So.), Justin German (Jr.) Top newcomers: Women, Hayley Sullivan (Fr.), Colleen Hopkins (Fr.) Men, Daniel Piccolo (Fr.) Outlook: If the can stay relatively healthy and fill some major holes in the throwing events, they could contend for CAC team titles in April. The UMW women have claimed top honors 14 years in a row, but narrowly held off Salisbury in last year's event by four points. Schedule: March 15--at Washington and Lee Invitational; 22--at Lynchburg College Invitational; 28-29--Battleground Relays (3 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. Saturday).

April 4-5--at Duke Invitational; 12--at Messiah Invitational; 19--CAC championships at York; 24-25--Penn Relays at Philadelphia.

May 3--at George Mason Invitational; 12--Tuppeny Twilight Invitational in Philadelphia; 16--at Lynchburg College Last Chance meet.

TENNIS

Coaches: Patrick Catullo (women) and Todd Helbling (men) Current records: Women 4-0, men 3-3. Top returners: Women, Stephanie Kurti (Jr.), Becky Morse-Karzan (Jr.), Natalie Fugate (Sr.), Kate Malpeli (Jr.), Amy Sheetz (Jr.) Men, John James (Jr.), Randy Loden (Jr.), Eddie Carver (Sr.), Jon Pollak (Sr.) Top newcomer: Courtney Goimarac (Fr.) Outlook: With both teams returning a strong nucleus, continued success seems almost assured. The women posted a 22-3 record, reaching the NCAA's third round before falling to Washington and Lee. It was business as usual for the men, won captured an eighth straight CAC crown and advancing to the NCAA playoffs for the same number of years in a row. Women's schedule: March 3--at Occidental; 4--at Pomona-Pitzer; 6--at U. of Redlands; 15--Dennison at Lexington; 16--Wesley, followed by York and Villa Julie; 19--at Washington and Lee; 25--Gustavus Adolphus; 29--Emory at Lexington; 30--Claremont-Mudd-Scripps at Lexington.

April 4--Carnegie Mellon; 5--Elizabethtown; 6--Swarthmore, then Salisbury; 12--at College of N.J. 13--Hood, then Washington (Md.); 14, 17 and 19--CAC tournament; 22--at Johns Hopkins.

Men's schedule: March 3--vs. Wabash, then at Pomona-Pitzer; 5--at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps; 8--at U. of Redlands; 15--(split matches) Villa Julie and at Washington and Lee; 25--Dickinson; 28--Gallaudet, then Johns Hopkins; 29--(split matches) Salisbury and at Wesley.

April 2--(split matches) at Christopher Newport and at St. Mary's; 4--Carnegie Mellon; 5--Swarthmore; 8--(split matches) Washington (Md.) and at Hood; 12--at Haverford; 13--at College of N.J. 15, 18 and 20--CAC tournament.

ROWING

Coach: Phillip Schmehl Top returners: Women, Julie Milam (Jr.), Olivia Cothren, Stephanie Mercurio (Jr.), Dana Maas (So.), Erica Milton (So.), Natassya Bedos (So.), Abby Potter (So., Bealeton), Betsy Bouton (Jr.), Stacy Nathan (So.) Men, Sebastian Watt (Jr.), Daniel Smith (So.), Kelley Wheaton (So., Woodbrige). Outlook: The Eagles achieved several milestones last spring--qualifying for the NCAA championships for the first time in the program's nine-year history, then placing first in the Petite Final, edging out the Coast Guard Academy by less than half a second. Spring schedule: March 30--at Occoquan Sprints. April 5--at Johns Hopkins Invitational; 12-13--Knecht Cup at Camden, N.J.; 26--Mid-Atlantic Div. III Championships at York, Pa. May 4--Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Championships at Occoquan; 9-10--ECAC National Invitational Regatta (TBD).

Editor's note: The baseball team preview appeared Feb. 12.