Posted: Aug 27, 2007
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — The 2007 fall sports season opens for Wittenberg intercollegiate teams on Friday, Aug. 31, when the nationally ranked Tiger volleyball squad hosts the Wittenberg Invitational. The next day, five of the other six teams kick things off, literally in the case of the Tiger men's soccer team, which is scheduled to host its annual Wittenberg Invitational on Saturday and Sunday at Edwards-Maurer Field in Springfield.
What follows is a team-by-team look at the 2007 fall season, including links to season outlooks and North Coast Athletic Conference preseason polls:
Men's and Women's Cross Country
|
With nearly 40 runners in the program, things are
looking up for the Wittenberg men's and women's cross country
teams. Both teams have a solid mix of experience and youthful
talent, including top women's returner Katie
McIlvain (pictured). |
Field Hockey
|
Riding a streak of 25 consecutive winning seasons
and owners of three North Coast Athletic Conference titles since
2000, the Wittenberg Tiger field hockey program looks to re-load in
2007. A roster stocked with quality upperclassmen, including senior
midfielder Sadie Mummert (pictured), and infused with
a talented freshman class should translate into a bid for another
conference crown. |
Football
|
With the most wins in NCAA Division III history -
and coming off the eighth North Coast Athletic Conference title in
17 years as a league member - the Tiger football team is no
stranger to success. While there a lot of holes to be filled in
2007, returnees like senior offensive lineman Dan
Smith (pictured) buoy hopes that a 50th winning
season since 1955 is in the cards. |
Men's Soccer
|
After two straight years of close calls and near
misses, perhaps this is the year that the Wittenberg men's soccer
program climbs back to the top of the North Coast Athletic
Conference mountain. With eight starters returning, including
senior goalkeeper Ben McAnnis-Entenman (pictured),
and a quality recruiting class building up the team's depth and
talent level, the Tigers may well be poised to make such a
precipitous climb. |
Women's Soccer
|
A breakout 2006 season, which included the first
North Coast Athletic Conference title and NCAA Division III
Tournament win in school history, has the Wittenberg women's soccer
team hungry for bigger and even better things this time around. A
program that is deep at every position on the field, led by
stalwarts like junior midfielder Suzanne
Medwid (pictured), hopes to send the most
accomplished senior class in school history out on a high note in
2007. |
Volleyball
|
After back-to-back NCAA Division III Tournament
runs to the national semifinals, the Wittenberg Tigers return their
entire starting lineup in 2007. As a result, the Tigers, ranked No.
2 nationally to start the season, have the tallest trophy of all
squarely in their sights this year. Junior libero Laura
Fender(pictured) is among the talented Tigers hoping
to bring it home. |