by Warren Kozireski
Roberts Wesleyan College announced a switch of their nickname from the Raiders to the Redhawks as it embarks on the move to Division II status. That means a transition period with no postseason eligibility, but conference bragging rights for each sport still on the line.
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
Following a 19 win season, the Redhawks make the move to a new conference with several new players in the mix for regular playing time.
Olivia Zureck from St. Mary’s (Buffalo) will likely compete right away for the starting Libero spot with former high school teammate Maggie Concannon looking to gain the starting setter position. Hilton grad Katie Steger will look for playing time as well up front.
They will be mentored and led by returning First Team All-Conference outside hitter Gisela Ocasio plus two sophomores from last year’s recruiting crop in Kendall Havener and Jordan Wilson – both All-AMC Freshman team middle blockers last year.
“This will be an interesting year as we transition to the East Coast Conference,” said co-head coaches Kristen and Jon Meyers. “It will be a positioning year, as we discover where we fit in with other conference teams. We feel very good about the returning athletes we have, and the newcomers fit very specific needs we have.”
It won’t take long to measure how they stack up with the season-opening Crimson Hawk Invitational August 31 to September 1 in Indiana, Pennsylvania against four teams in two days. The home opener is September 5 against Medaille.
MEN’S TENNIS
Coming off a season where the team made it to the semi-finals of the National Christian College Athletic Association national championships, the bar has been set high for the Redhawks.
Junior Julio Toledo from Mexico leads the unit into the 2012-13 campaign after earning All American status in singles last year. He was 40-25 overall in doubles and singles. Senior Jordan Sadowitz is coming off an undefeated spring and set a school record with 15 consecutive wins while Beka Buchukuri was 33-31 playing first singles and first doubles last season and Argentinean Emanuel Rauchle adds depth in singles and doubles.
Charles Farres arrives from England currently ranked #14 in Under 18’s in that country and Robert Beer joins the squad from the Tennis Canada Collegiate program.
“We are in our second year of NCAA qualification process and will begin play this year in the NCAA DII East Coast Conference,” said head coach Tom Linhart. “Our schedule this year is mostly DI and DII schools with six nationally ranked opponents. That level of competition coupled with the highly competitive DIII programs around Rochester will make for a challenging and exciting year for us.”
MEN’S SOCCER
With an American Mideast Championship in their pocket from last fall and NCCAA East Region Player of the Year Donavan Wilson returning for his senior season and four of the top six scorers from last year also back, the Redhawks are hoping for a repeat performance.
Sophomore Michael Cunningham was second on the squad with six goals in conference games with junior Johnny Loben and sophomore Stephen Stewart both back after solid seasons that featured each scoring ten or more points.
Senior Eric Read and sophomore Michael Scavone will likely split time in net again after each had three conference wins last year.
Brockport graduate and 2011 Monroe County Division I All-County selection Ron Zorn arrives with Spencerport grad Brandon Bianchi.
Zorn led the Brockport Blue Devils in points this past season after scoring 10 goals and notching 13 assists, which led the Monroe County League.
Bianchi, a two-time All-Greater Rochester First Team selection, helped lead the Spencerport Rangers to back to back Section V Class AA titles in 2010 and 2011. He finished third all-time in school history with 88 points (34 goals, 20 assists) as a midfielder while receiving numerous individual honors during his high school career. Most recently, he was selected to the NSCAA High School Boys All-America Team in 2011.
“This is a very exciting signing for the Men’s Soccer Program,” said head coach Mark Fish of Bianchi. “Brandon is without a doubt one of the top high school senior players in New York State and in the country. His high level of play will have an immediate impact this coming. Brandon’s work ethic, willingness to learn and strong character fits well with the College and our program’s environment.”
WOMEN’S SOCCER
After a disappointing 10-10-1 season, the Redhawks return NCCAA All-American and leading scorer Mandi Hochheimer, along with sophomores Ambre Kuzma and Jackie Corbett, to a lineup that will welcome Syracuse transfer and former Spencerport leading scorer Brittany Kinmond along with newcomers Brianna Tata via Division I St. Francis, MCC transfer and second team junior college Division I All-American Annie Terelli (Brockport), Brittany Houghton, two-time All-Monroe County forward Ellie Swan (Churchville-Chili) and Heaven Palamitia.
“This is by far our greatest recruiting class and coming together as a team quickly will determine how well this team does this year,” said head coach Dan Berg. “On paper the talent is there to have a great season. I expect our incoming freshmen and the transfers that we have coming in to make an immediate impact for us this fall. The addition of Kinmond and Tata make our team that much better. They both have played at a high level already and will know what it takes for this team to be successful at the D2 level.”
The team will host the University of Rio Grande (Ohio) and Spring Arbor University for the first Redhawk Classic September 7 and 8 and travel to Mount Vernon, Ohio the following weekend to play in the Lady Cougar Classic as part of the non-conference schedule.
WOMEN’S TENNIS
With their top two singles players returning and a key transfer recruit, the Redhawks look to improve on their 10-11 campaign that finished in April.
Senior Dina Obukhova from Russia and junior Maria Jimenez (Columbia) played first and second singles respectively and combined as a unit in doubles.
Buffalo native Tina Miller arrives via St. Francis after playing at first singles and doubles last year. She was a six year first singles player and a three-time ECIC singles champion (2004, 2005, 2006) and 5 time Section 6 runner up as well as a State Qualifier every year as singles.
Australian twins Emily and Camilla Linhart also join the squad from the Margaret Court Tennis Academy with multiple titles at Victorian Country Championships and Melbourne Showdown in singles and as a doubles team.
“We will play in our new NCAA Division II East Coast Conference this year and expect to be very competitive,” understated head coach Becky Bonner.
The team begins conference play at home September 7 against the University of the District of Columbia.
GOLF
Former Brockport Blue Devil Troy Allen moved on to the collegiate ranks last season and picked up his first tournament win at the Nazareth Invitational – the final event on the 2011-12 RWC schedule.
He is back for the Redhawks along with MCC transfer and Region III Player of the Year Shane Dobesh as well as eastern Monroe County products Shane Gleason and Zack Hicks.
The RW Invitational is September 30 as the only home event.
CROSS COUNTRY
“The women’s team is coming off the best NAIA Championship finish (fourth in the nation) in Roberts Wesleyan College team history and is just as strong this year as last year,” responded head coach Andrew Dorr. “There are also a number of up-and-coming underclassmen who are expected to contribute in the near future and may even mix things up in the top-five this year.
NCCAA All-American and National Championship participant Kim Mills anchors the team and is joined among the upperclassmen by Rachel Prutsman (NAIA National Championship Participant) and Rachel Cannon (NAIA National Championship Participant).
Hannah Gaensler arrives after her Canadian Junior National season.
The men will be led by NCCAA All-American and four-time NAIA National Championship qualifier Matt Hussey with freshmen Justin Bender (2011 Section VI Class A Individual Champion, Thomas Rodger (2012 High School Nationals Participant in Indoor Track), Ryan Brizzolara (2011 Section IV Class B Individual Champion) and Enock Bor from Kenya expected to contribute right away.
The team will host the annual Harry F. Anderson Invitational on September 29.
