PHOENIX SPORTS
Preparing for the transition
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n 1999 Elon completed the transition to NCAA Division I athletics as a member of the Big South Conference. In 2004 the Phoenix joined the Southern Conference and this fall, the university will make another big move when it joins the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA for short). Dave Blank, director of athletics, talked with The Magazine of Elon about preparations and changes fans can expect.
What is the university doing to prepare for the transition to the CAA? The first thing we did was address recruiting strategies with our coaches. In addition the communications team began marketing efforts this spring to educate our fans about the transition and the teams against which we will be competing. Our fundraising goals will also become even more important and the Phoenix Club will be active in the CAA markets.
How are Elon athletes and coaches feeling about the upcoming transition? Our student-athletes see the CAA as a high level of competition and are really excited about who their new competition will be. Feedback from the coaches has been very positive as well. They understand the challenges and want to make sure we are financially ready and that we minimize how often athletes miss class while competing for championships in our new league.
In which cities will Phoenix teams compete next year? We’re really excited to compete on the East Coast on a more regular basis and it all starts in September with our fall sports. We will be visiting Boston, New York, Philadelphia and the Baltimore/Washington, D.C., area. Keep an eye out this summer for information about events at away games. We’ll also still have the chance to compete close to home against schools like UNC-Wilmington, College of Charleston and William & Mary.
Most full-time members of the CAA are located farther away than members of the SoCon. How will this affect both studentathletes and Elon’s fan base? We will be flying to games more often rather than taking bus trips. The great thing is, we are going into areas where we already have great alumni and parent networks and we expect that to translate into a strong fan base. Since an overwhelming number of Elon student-athletes hail from CAA cities and surrounding areas, they’ll have the chance to
BY NATALIE BRUBAKER ’16
compete closer to home. We also plan to create opportunities for our local fans to travel to see our teams compete in these new markets. The CAA provides extensive media coverage. How will Elon adapt? We hope to provide more live Web streaming with the launch of the CAA Digital Network. In addition more games will be televised here in the Carolinas and throughout the Eastern Seaboard given the CAA’s contract with Comcast and NBC Sports. What major changes can Elon fans expect to see from the move to the CAA? We expect new partnerships in terms of the different schools we compete with, a national appeal relative to our media coverage and a sense of a higher level of competition. The type of heightened atmosphere that has happened when Elon plays Appalachian State in football or Davidson in basketball is the type of atmosphere we anticipate will happen at many more CAA contests.
Kickin’ It With Colie Teammates and coaches of a star Phoenix women’s soccer player have raised more than $35,000 to assist the sophomore and her family as she seeks cancer treatment. Nicole “Colie” Dennion, the fall Southern Conference Player of the Year, was diagnosed this winter with Ewing’s sarcoma, a cancer that affects bone or the soft tissue surrounding bone. She has withdrawn from classes and returned home to New Jersey for medical care. Friends, led by women’s soccer head coach Chris Neal, started a fundraiser to assist with medical expenses. The effort, dubbed “Kickin’ It With Colie!,” spread through social media and has already surpassed the initial goal of $20,000. For more on the campaign, visit gofundme.com/7caql8.
HISTORIC WIN The Elon women’s lacrosse team claimed its first win in program history with a 16-7 victory over Saint Francis during its first home game on March 1 at Rhodes Stadium. The team is competing in its inaugural season under head coach Josh Hexter and assistant coach Virginia Crotty. spring 2014 13