After three Patriot League regular season championships and one tournament title in 2011, here’s a look at how AU’s fall sports teams shape up in 2012.
Women’s Soccer
Last season: 6-11-2 (2-4-1 Patriot League). The Eagles missed the conference tournament for the second consecutive year after reaching the PL Championship in 2009. The team dropped its first three conference games by one goal each, putting itself in a hole too deep to climb out of.
Key losses: Kimberly Kroll and Jenna Stasiewicz each started all 19 games on AU’s back line a season ago, and both logged 90 or more minutes in over half of the team’s matches.
Top returners: The good news is that each player who tallied at least one goal in 2011 is back in 2012, including senior midfielder Michelle Montilio, who was named to the All-Patriot League First Team last season.
Men’s Soccer
Last season: 7-12-2 (5-2 PL). It was another heartbreaking end to the season for men’s soccer, with the team falling in the finals of the PL Tournament for the third straight year. The Eagles entered the tournament as the No. 1 seed but lost 2-0 to Colgate in the championship.
Key losses: Matt Makowski was a fixture in goal the past few years, as was Alex Tilatti on the back line. Jack Scott, who tallied three goals (two game winners), was also lost to graduation.
Top returners: Adem Gokturk, Seth Goldman, Alassane Kane, Ryan Morales and Colin Seigfreid are all back, as the Eagles look to make another run at the league championship.
Volleyball
Last season: 23-11 (13-1 PL). It was another dominant season for AU volleyball, as the team won both the PL Tournament and regular season crown for the 10th time in the past 11 years. After dropping only two sets in the conference tournament, the Eagles saw their season end against Delaware in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Key losses: Alexandra Hammer helped pace the offensive attack, finishing with 623 assists in 2011.
Top returners: The Eagles are loaded entering the fall, led by sophomore Sara Rishell and junior Juliana Crum. Rishell was named Patriot League Player of the Year as a freshman, while Crum earned a spot on the All-Patriot League First Team.
Field Hockey
Last season: 9-8 (4-1 PL). Bucknell’s 3-2 upset victory over top-seeded AU in the Patriot League Semifinals broke a string of eight consecutive seasons in which the field hockey team won both the regular season and tournament titles.
Key losses: Tatum Dyer wrapped up her strong career by earning 2011 Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year honors. Meanwhile, Melissa Casale tallied four goals and was an All-Patriot League Second Team selection.
Top returners: Jenn Bradley and Gina Hofmann form a solid duo with plenty of experience. Following a strong sophomore campaign (8 goals, 18 points), Alex McMackin will be another player to watch.
Cross-Country
Last season: The men’s and women’s teams jumped out to a great start by sweeping the Mount St. Mary’s 5K Duals. At the Patriot League Championships, the men recorded a second-place finish and the women came in sixth.
Key losses: Josh Olsen and Ryan Williams both earned All-Patriot League First Team honors in 2011. Octavia Rinehardt became the third woman in program history to compete in the NCAA National Cross Country Championships her junior year and was an All-Patriot League Second Team selection as a senior.
Top returners: Mark Allen enters the year as the top runner for the men’s team, while Carly Birkhold, Julia Sullivan and Alexandra Tyburski will be looking to post breakout performances on the women’s side.
ttomea@theeagleonline.com
