Cross Country
In their first year of full NCAA Division II eligibility, both the women’s and men’s cross country teams won their respective East Coast Conference titles. Now for an encore, they hope to do it again.
The men lost their top runner in Kevin Brown, but the rest of the top-six returns in senior Justin Bender (17th at Regionals and 6th at the ECC Championships), senior Thomas Rodger (19th at Regionals and 4th at the ECC Championships) and juniors Matthew Watson, Keith Pease and Aaron Bellomo.
The women were “hit hard with the loss of three standout seniors,” according to co-head coach Andrew Door. “Rachel Prutsman, an NCAA Division II All-American in cross country, has exhausted her cross country eligibility and will only be competing in indoor and outdoor track this year. Rachel Hust and Megan Hulton who both earned all-conference and all-region honors last year and both finished in the top 100 at DII Nationals graduated in the spring (also graduated)”.
“The team will rely on three juniors: Elizabeth Valento (82nd at DII Nationals), April Sablan (90th at DII Nationals), and Rachel Hutchinson (180th at DII Nationals). The team will look to fill out its varsity squad with seniors Brittany Ward and Julia Berkowicz, sophomores Emily Betts and Emily Durso, or another team member who steps up.”
This year the NCAA Division II championships will be held in Joplin, MO, but it begins with the ECC Championships October 24 in Brookville, NY and the Division II East Region Championships November 7 – top three teams at the East Region Championships qualify for Nationals.
Women’s Volleyball
First year head coach Doug Porterfield inherits a 16-11 team that finishes last season fourth in the East Coast Conference, and the cupboard is hardly bare despite losing 1,000 career kill All-Americans Jordan Wilson and Kendall Havener to graduation and a trio of players who will likely miss the start of the campaign due to injury.
“The team is excited to get started this year,” Porterfield said via email. “With a new head coach and coaching staff, there will be some changes just because of personalities and preferences. Last season I was able to spend a good deal of time with Jon and Kirsten Meyers and the team prior to their decision to step down. The Meyers’ were instrumental in the transition to NCAA D2 for Roberts Volleyball and they are sorely missed.
“It is a tough conference with a lot of travel for the Roberts Team but they are up for the challenge.”
Senior setter Maggie Concannon is expected to miss the beginning of the season as is senior libeiro Olivia Zureck and outside hitter Alex Tahauri, so depth will be an early challenge.
Sophomore outside hitter Courtney Taylor will be a key on offense after her outstanding freshman season. Sophomore Celeste Hartsough is slotted as a right side attack, but can move to any position on the court. And junior Anjali Thomson will try to fill Havener’s sneakers at the net.
“Sophomore Elisabeth Rivera will be stepping into the primary setter position for 2015 and junior Rebekah Sanchez will be returning in her DS role,” Porterfield said.
Newcomers expected to contribute include senior Katharine Dovi, who has been running Track and Field the last three years but is adding volleyball back into her life. Senior transfer Kathleen Steger (Hilton) started at Roberts but transferred out. She returns as an outside hitter.
Freshmen include Kristina Button at middle hitter, Riley Moll at middle hitter with Churchville native Alison Vannest and Alissa Borlaug expected to be used in utility roles. Kathryn Mansfield, Samantha Ess and Shelby Strausbaugh will supplement the defense.
The schedule includes 12 regular season home matches with the Redhawks opening at Georgian Court’s Lion Invitational September 5-6 before hosting a quad match September 11-12 with Millersville, Saint Rose, and Indiana (Pa.).
Roberts Wesleyan will host Durham (Ont.) in a Homecoming exhibition match on Saturday, September 26 after entertaining Le Moyne on September 25 in a non-conference match.
The team will enjoy a four-match home stand in mid-October, which starts with a rivalry match against Daemen on October 13. They will then host Bridgeport (October 16), Dowling (October 17), and then Mercy (October 24) during that stretch.
Women’s soccer
The Redhawks offense pulses around the foot of junior and Churchville-Chili grad Bella Mitrevski. The NCCAA All-East Region co-Player of the Year and East Coast Conference First Team selection has netted 24 goals with 63 points in 34 games over two years. Second leading scorer Ellie Swan (Churchville-Chili) and third leading scorer Heaven Palamitia are both back for their senior seasons. Palamitia was an NCCAA Second Team pick a year ago.
Sami Moreno and Orla Martin return up front along with senior Brittany Houghton, who missed all of last season with an ACL tear.
The team lost multi-year starting goalkeeper Marissa Sell (Brockport) to graduation, but either sophomore Alyssa Jim or freshman Mary Kate Eckert will have the luxury of an experienced defense in front of her.
Senior Miranda Colon (Churchville-Chili) and sophomore Shannon Donahue each played in every game last season. Juniors Kiki Luedke and Christina Burke give the team plenty of experience on the back line.
Juniors Courtney Hartnett and Jodi Kester with sophomore Taylor Fletcher (Churchville-Chili) return to anchor the midfield.
“We lost three seniors but have an incoming class of 12 that includes three transfers and we’re looking for an immediate impact from three or four,” second year head coach Bobby McColl said. “We will be deeper from the bench.”
Among that incoming class are Ronja Rimsler via Sweden and Spencerport native and Aquinas grad Adrianna Russell – both at midfield. Holley native Sam Barniak will also try to pry some minutes from the veteran squad.
The Redhawks have nine home games and open the campaign with four of their first five games at home as they will host non-conference opponents Le Moyne (September 3) and Ohio Dominican (September 5). After visiting Saint Rose (September 9), the team will return home for two more non-conference dates by hosting Cedarville (September 12) and Edinboro (September 19). Their East Coast Conference slate starts on the road this season when they visit St. Thomas Aquinas on September 25. Some of the other notable ECC home games include Molloy (October 9), Daemen (October 2), Bridgeport (October 30), and Dowling (November 1).
Men’s soccer
After five years as an assistant to Mark Fish, Scott Reber was appointed in December as the new head coach. Fish leaves the program with 102 career wins, ranking him third in program history.
“I’m excited about the upcoming season as we have a strong returning class and several quality recruits,” Reber said. “The team looks to build on their success last year and take it to the next level.”
That was an NCCAA East Region championship. They lose leading scorer, NCCAA First Team and East Coast Conference Second Team All-American Michael Cunningham leaving a scoring void but have a solid core for 2015.
Senior goalkeeper Michael Scavone was 11-6-3 last year with five shutouts. Junior Malcolm Shaw will be given an opportunity to find the back of the net more frequently up front.
“Our incoming freshman look to contribute and help the time right from the start.” They include Toronto natives Matthew Trasente and Daniel Maxwell, Tom Mousso and Matt Ketzer.
The Redhawks begin their regular season with three home games starting September 5 versus University Pittsburgh at Johnstown before starting their conference schedule with a tough stretch of three straight beginning September 19.
Women’s tennis
The Redhawks made the NCCAA postseason for the third consecutive year, but will be looking for returners to compete against higher seeded opponents and newcomers to contribute right away after losing top singles and doubles player and NCCAA First team All-American Fatima Ouattara to graduation.
Head coach Becky Bonner’s squad will be led by sophomore Natalie Cardona and senior Camilla Linhart. Cardona was 11-12 playing mostly third singles last year and 8-6 as part of the second doubles team. Linhart went 16-6 playing mostly as a fifth singles.
“Redhawks Women’s Tennis looks solid this year with no weak links in the lineup,” Bonner said. “The level is high and across the board … very talented, mentally tough and hard-working team.”
Churchville-Chili’s Alyssa Brault joins the squad as a freshman after she became the first girl’s tennis player to win a sectional title in 2012. Brault managed to win the same title in 2013 and hold the program record with 94 career wins.
Marine Kennel via France and Tiffany Hamdan from Johnson City will also move into the regular lineup right away.
Roberts jumps right into East Coast Conference play on the first weekend with a trip to NYC to play Queens and Molly September 4 and 5. Their home opener is September 16 versus rival Daemen. Their ECC schedule concludes on home court October 16 against LIU Post.
Men’s golf
Placing fifth in the East Region in their first year of eligibility, the Redhawks return having lost just two seniors. Three starters join four incoming freshmen in year two of Division II competition.
“We are poised to utilize our young roster and build upon the 5th place finish last year,” assistant coach Todd Smith said. “Behind captain and 4th year starter, Shane Gleason, 3rd year starter Tom Kolb, and 2nd year starter Caleb Edwards, the team will be looking to some of its new freshmen recruits, including Greece NY native Andrew Fedele, to come right in and compete for starting spots.”
Roberts now calls Ridgemont Country Club home, but opens at Syracuse in the Atlantic/East Region Preview in the first of four events this fall prior to the NCCAA Championships in mid-October in Panama City, Florida. The schedule then resumes in March.
