The Hoya: Fall Sports Preview: September 9, 2016

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

B2

THE HOYA

FALL SPORTS PREVIEW

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

TABLE OF CONTENTS Fall Sports Team Rosters. . . . . B3 Men’s Soccer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . B4 Women’s Soccer. . . . . . . . . . . B5 Football . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B6 Cross Country . . . . . . . . . . . . . B7 Field Hockey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B7 Volleyball. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B8 Women’s Golf . . . . . . . . . . . . . B8 Chris Grosse. . . . . . . . . . . . . . B9

FILE PHOTO: DANIEL SMITH/THE HOYA

PRODUCTION STAFF

JESS KELHAM-HOHLER PAOLO SANTAMARIA Editor-in-Chief Sports Editor TOBY HUNG Executive Editor

MATTHEW TRUNKO Managing Editor

JESUS RODRIGUEZ Layout Editor

JEANINE SANTUCCI Copy Chief

NAAZ MODAN Photo Editor

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS Madeline Auerbach, Kara Avanceña, Nick Bailey, Dan Baldwin, Chris Balthazard, Caroline Borzilleri, Elizabeth Cavacos, Jinwoo Chong, Aidan Curran, Emily Dalton, Cleopatra Fan, Sean Hoffman, Darius Iraj, Charlotte Kelly, Yuri Kim, Andrew May, Ryan McCoy, Tyler Park, Alyssa Volivar, Emma Wenzinger, Danielle Wyerman

FALL SPORTS PREVIEW

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

THE HOYA

B3

FALL 2016 TEAM ROSTERS

For football roster, see B6

MEN’S AND WOMEN’S SOCCER JT MARCINKOWSKI, 1

Sophomore Goalkeeper

PETER SCHROPP, 3

FILE PHOTO: NAAZ MODAN/THE HOYA

MATT LEDDER, 11

PJ KOSCHER, 21 Senior Defender

Freshman Defender

Junior Midfielder

SARAH TRISSEL, 2

P. GERMINO-WATNICK, 11

CASEY RICHARDS, 20

Freshman Forward

Freshman Forward

Sophomore Defender

Freshman Midfielder

DYLAN NEALIS, 12

JON AZZINNARI, 22

DREW TOPOR, 3 Junior Defender

Senior Midfielder

ZOE PARK, 12

GRACE DAMASKA, 21

ACHARA, 4

RILEY STRASSNER, 13 Freshman Defender

MASON DEEDS, 23

Freshman Defender

ELIZABETH WENGER, 4

TAYLOR PAK, 13

DREW KESTERMAN, 22

ESTEBAN HIDALGO, 5

BRENDAN MCDONOUGH, 14

ANDERSON DE ANDRADE, 24 Senior Goalkpeer

MARINA PAUL, 5

Graduate Student Defender

CHLOE KNOTT, 14

MEAGHAN NALLY, 23

JORGE BURKE, 6

Freshman Midfielder

KYLE ZAJEC, 15

Sophomore Midfielder

ZACH KNUDSON, 27 Junior Forward

KAITLIN MAYER, 6

Sophomore Midfielder

MEGHAN SHAVER, 15

Sophomore Midfielder

LEAH MCCULLOUGH, 24

ARUN BASULJEVIC, 7

DAVEY MASON, 16

MITCHELL AUER, 30

AMANDA CAROLAN, 7

CARSON NIZIALEK, 16

JENNA STAUDT, 25

Freshman Forward Freshman Defender

Junior Midfielder

CHRISTOPHER LEMA, 8 Junior Midfielder

DECLAN MCCABE, 9

Sophomore Midfielder

Freshman Forward

Senior Midfielder

Senior Goalkeeper

ETHAN LOCHNER, 17

HEATHER ROLLS, 0

Sophomore Midfielder

Junior Goalkeeper

Junior Defender

Sophomore Forward

COREY DELANEY, 8

Senior Forward

Junior Defender

Freshman Forward

Junior Midfielder

Freshman Defender

Freshman Midfielder

ALYSSA CRONIN, 17

Graduate Student Forward

Sophomore Forward

Junior Midfielder

Freshman Midfielder

JB FISCHER, 19

LAUREN GALLAGHER, 00 Freshman Goalkeeper

Graduate Student Forward

CRYSTAL THOMAS, 9

CAITLIN FARRELL, 18

BRETT CAMPBELL, 10

BAKIE GOODMAN, 20

ARIELLE SCHECHTMAN, 1

RACHEL CORBOZ, 10

VASHTI WILLIAMS, 19

Senior Forward

Senior Midfielder

Sophomore Goalkeeper

Junior Midfielder

Sophomore Forward Freshman Defender

MEN’S AND WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY

Junior Forward

Sophomore Defender

ALI LONNER, 29

Junior Goalkeeper

BRIAN WIESE

Men’s Head Coach

DAVE NOLAN

Women’s Head Coach

FILE PHOTO: NAAZ MODAN/THE HOYA

CHRISTIAN ALVARADO

SCOTT CARPENTER

JONATHAN GREEN

HENRY SMITHERS

KATE GOBI

ANDREA KEKLAK

Junior

Senior

Senior

Sophomore

Freshman

Graduate Student Graduate Student

DANIEL ANDERSON

JOHNATHAN CHAVEZ

KENT HALL

NICK SULLIVAN

KAYLA GRAHN

Senior

Freshman

Freshman

Junior

Sophomore

KENNETH ARMSTRONG

MICHAEL CLEVENGER

CHARLIE KING

JACK VAN SCOTER

PAIGE HOFSTAD

Senior

Graduate Student

Junior

Freshman

Freshman

ADAM BARNARD Sophomore

CHARLES COOPER

MICHAEL LEDERHOUSE

NICK WAREHAM

Junior

Graduate Student

Sophomore

AMOS BARTELSMEYER

MICHAEL CROZIER

Senior

Graduate Student

Freshman

Graduate Student

JOSHUA BELL REILLY BLOOMER Sophomore

MATTHEW BOUTHILLETTE Freshman

SPENCER BROWN Sophomore

DARREN FAHY DYLAN FINE Freshman

TED FOSTER Senior

NICK GOLEBIOWSKI Junior

EION NOHILLY Freshman

RAEHAAN POONJA Freshman

KENNY ROWE Freshman

CAREY CELATA

SABRINA SOUTHERLAND Senior

BOBBIE BURGESS

ALETA LOOKER

Senior

JOE WHITE

Junior

MADELINE PEREZ

Junior

AUTUMN EASTMAN

Junior

QUICEY WILSON

Junior

JOSETTE NORRIS

Freshman

MAEGAN DOODY

Sophomore

AUDREY BELF

Freshman

SARAH SCHMIDT

Sophomore

PIPER DONAGHU

Sophomore

JACK SALISBURY

SARAH COTTON

JOCELYN HUBBARD

Freshman

Graduate Student

Graduate Student

DYLAN SCARSONE Freshman

MARGIE CULLEN Freshman

Junior

KENNEDY WEISNER Junior

MORGAN IRISH

BRANDON BONSEY

JAMES BURKE

NATHANIEL GORDON

CONNOR SHERYAK

HALEY PIERCE

EMMA KEENAN

Freshman

Men’s Head Coach

Sophomore

Senior

Senior

Graduate Student

Senior

Assistant Coach

JULIE CULLEY

FILE PHOTO: STANLEY DAI/THE HOYA

FIELD HOCKEY MICHAELA BRUNO, 1 Freshman Midfielder

MEGAN PARSONS, 2

FILE PHOTO: NAAZ MODAN/THE HOYA

ASHLEY LEVERRETT, 8

HANNAH SARGENT, 15

Freshman Midfielder

Sophomore Forward

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL KENZIE HIGAREDA, 1

Freshman Outside Hitter

SARA FELD, 2

MEGHAN RICHARD, 9

Junior Midfielder

Sophomore Forward

SAM HICKEY, 9

HAILEY VANN, 16 Senior Defender

Freshman Libero

MARIA MCDONALD, 3

DEVIN HOLMES, 10

JORDAN SWEENEY, 18

PAIGE MCKNIGHT, 4

CAMERON ROGERS, 4

MOLLY THOMPSON, 11

AILYAH GRAVES-BROWN, 5

MACKENZIE SCHNEIDER, 12 Junior Midfielder

Sophomore Goalkeeper

Sophomore Outside Hitter

HELENA MASIELLO, 6

JOANNA HAWKINS, 13

RACHEL SKONECKI, 82

JESSICA LAGANO, 7

KATIE MARANSKY, 14

SHANNON SOARES

Senior Midfielder

Freshman Midfielder Senior Forward

Sophomore Forward

Freshman Midfielder

Senior Defender Senior Defender

Junior Midfielder

Sophomore Forward

Freshman Forward

LINDSAY GETZ, 19

Freshman Forward

CHLOE VERWIEL, 33 Senior Goalkeeper Head Coach

FILE PHOTO: NAAZ MODAN/THE HOYA

YEWANDE ILAWOLE, 8

Sophomore Libero

Sophomore Setter

ALEXANDRA RIVERA, 5

Junior Setter

CHARLOTTE KELLY, 10

Freshman Outside Hitter

ALYSSA SINNETTE, 11

MADISON SMITH, 16

Freshman Middle Blocker

EMILY HERRINGTON, 17

Freshman Middle Blocker

MARGO SNIPE, 18

Sophomore Middle Blocker

Sophomore Outside Hitter

Freshman Outside Hitter

LIV KING, 6

CAITLIN BRAUNEIS, 13

ARLISA WILLIAMS

ASHLIE WILLIAMS, 7

SYMONE SPEECH, 14

JUSTIN WONG

Senior Middle Blocker

Senior Setter

Sophomore Middle Blocker

Head Coach

Assistant Coach

GAMES TO ATTEND MEN’S SOCCER

VS. LEHIGH

VS. UCONN

Oct. 15, 2:00 p.m.

VS. XAVIER

Nov. 5, 1:00 p.m.

Sept. 10, 1:00 p.m.

Sept. 24, 1:00 p.m.

MEN’S AND WOMEN’S GOLF

CLAIR MIHM, 15

Freshman Outside Hitter

VS. AMERICAN

Sept. 27, 3:00 p.m.

VS. HOLY CROSS

WOMEN’S SOCCER VS. PROVIDENCE

Sept. 25, 1:00 p.m.

VS. VILLANOVA

FIELD HOCKEY

Sept. 29, 3:00 p.m.

Sept. 9, 1:00 p.m.

Oct. 9, 1:00 p.m.

VS. WILLIAM AND MARY

VS. BUTLER

COLE BERMAN

AUSTIN RENDELL

LAUREN GROS

EDUARDO BLOCHTEIN

HARRISON RHOADES

PAULA HONG

HARDIN COUNCILL

ANDREW RUDY

CHRISTINA PARSELLS

Sept. 25, 1:00 p.m.

KEVIN JACKSON

PENDLETON BOGACHE

ALEXA POPOWITZ

Oct. 2, 1:00 p.m.

Sept. 9, 4:30 p.m.

SAM MADSEN

JACQUELYN ELEEY

CHRISTINE SCHMITT

FOOTBALL

Sept. 10, 9:00 a.m.

JACK MUSGRAVE

KATE EVANKO Freshman

THOMAS HUNTER

Men’s Head Coach

Sept. 24. 1:00 p.m.

Sept. 10, 5:00 p.m.

ANTHONY PERRINO

ASHLEY FITZGIBBONS

KATIE BROPHY

Junior

Freshman Freshman

Sophomore Junior Junior

Sophomore

Senior

Sophomore Senior

Sophomore Junior

Freshman

Junior

Freshman

Sophomore Sophomore Junior

Women’s Head Coach

VS. OLD DOMINION Sept. 23, 1:00 p.m.

VS. LEHIGH

VS. LONGWOOD

VS. COLUMBIA

VS. PRINCETON Oct. 8 1:00 p.m.

VS. DEPAUL

Oct. 23, 1:00 p.m.

VOLLEYBALL VS. TOWSON

VS. PRINCETON VS. MARYLAND VS. MARYLAND

Sept. 20, 6:00 p.m.

B4

Fall Sports Preview

THE HOYA

friDAY, september 9, 2016

Tenured players lEAD men’s soccer team bakie goodman

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brett campbell

ailing from Wallingford, Pa., senior forward Brett Campbell has appeared in 57 games, starting in 20 of them. To go along with six career goals and four career assists, Campbell has been a mainstay in attack, providing the Hoyas with pace up front through his first three years.

FILE PHOTO: NAAZ MODAN/THE HOYA

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akie Goodman, senior midfielder from Sarasota, Fla., has been one of the Hoyas’ most reliable players throughout his entire career — appearing in 64 games and starting in 59 of them over his first three years. Goodman balances scoring with his creative passing ability, notching seven goals and 11 assists across his career.

FILE PHOTO: NAAZ MODAN/THE HOYA

Hoyas stumble early on, remain winless

Darius Iraj

Hoya Staff Writer

The Georgetown men’s soccer team entered the 2016 season with high expectations despite losing eight players from last year’s roster, including all four starting defenders.

Last season, the Blue and Gray completed one of its most successful seasons in program history, finishing the season 16-2-3 overall, which included an 18-game undefeated streak. Six of these players are now with major-league teams, leaving big shoes to fill.

However, many pundits and analysts believe this year’s team can have success despite these losses. The NSCAA Preseason Poll ranked the Hoyas No. 10, and TopDrawerSoccer.com named three players, junior midfielder Arun Basuljevic, sophomore keeper JT Marcinkowski, and freshman forward Achara, to its Preseason Best XI. Marcinkowski is a player with especially exciting potential this season. He spent much of this summer training with the United States Men’s National Team’s U-20 team and was named the Big East Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year. He was named a co-captain this spring, despite being just a sophomore, and has proven to be a great leader.

“He’s a natural-born leader. It’s not easy to do that as a sophomore and he’s em-

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braced it really well,” Head Coach Brian Wiese said. “He’s going to be pretty special by the time it’s all said and done.”

Georgetown also has eight new freshmen and one junior transfer filling the roster this year. Highlighting this freshman class are forward Achara and midfielder Dylan Nealis. Achara, who was born in Nigeria, had a decorated career prior to Georgetown. He moved to the United States for high school, and attended the Berkshire School in Massachusetts, where he was named to the Best 11 at the High School All-American Game and won numerous championships with his club team.

Now, through four games, Achara has been one of the only bright spots, scoring a goal against topranked Maryland. In Bakie Goodman last weekend’s game Senior Midfielder against Virginia Tech, he showed flashes of brilliance with the ball at his feet, and track-like speed on a breakaway in which he nearly scored.

“He’s a player that I think Hoya fans should be really excited to come and watch. He’s a really fun player out there,” Wiese said. “He’s a problem for the teams, but I think we’ll make sure that he’s coming along nice and slow, and he’s part of the bigger picture at the end of the day.”

Additionally, Nealis has proven to be a more than capable replacement on the defensive line that featured four future MLS

Everybody’s going to be big. there’s a lot of promise. a lot of young depth out there.”

players last year. Nealis, whose brother Jimmy defended for Georgetown from 20092012, hails from Massapequa, New York. He was named to the TopDrawerSoccer.com 2015 U18 Development Academy Showcase Best XI. Thus far, he has started three out of the Hoyas’ four games for the defense. His combination of athleticism and technical ability is a handful for opposing teams to deal with.

Other new faces, such as freshman forward Davey Mason and junior forward Zach Knudsen, have made impacts as well. The growth of these players will help to facilitate a good transition to this year’s team after losing so many players.

“This season was going to be a learning experience just because we have a lot of new pieces and we’re playing a completely different style than we have in the past, so it was just kind of transitioning from the past to the new and it’s been tough for the beginning but I feel like we’re starting to come together,” senior midfielder and co-captain Bakie Goodman said. “Everybody’s going to be big. There’s a lot of promise. A lot of young depth out there.”

Despite these promising young players and a high ranking, the Blue and Gray have faltered significantly to start the season. They currently stand at 0-4, losing four straight games by one goal — and that deciding goal has come within the last 10 minutes of the match every time. Although

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the defense has struggled to preserve ties late in games, they have performed well, allowing just five goals this season.

On the other hand, the offense has garnered a lot of criticism. They have scored just one goal in these four games. However, its chance creation has improved — Georgetown shot 14 times in its last game against Virginia Tech — but averaging 0.25 goals per game simply is not good enough.

“It’s been tough. It’s been getting better. I think the first couple games we had like three shots total,” Goodman said. “It’ll come. We’re a little snake-bitten right now. It’ll come. It’s a long season.”

Although the team is indeed a little snakebitten, there is still plenty of reason for optimism. Last year’s historic squad was Brian Wiese also in a similar preHead Coach dicament, opening its season 0-2-1. The team started six underclassmen on Monday, so there is plenty of room for improvement for these young Hoyas.

“I still believe in this group, I think this is a very talented group and I think that we can be right there at the end with where we want to be with getting some post-season runs in us,” Wiese said. “But, we got to figure out a few things, and we got to do it pretty quick.”

The team continues their season Saturday against the University of Connecticut at 1 p.m. on Shaw Field.

I think this is a very talented group and I think that we can be right there at the end.”

FILE PHOTO: NAAZ MODAN/THE HOYA

Sophomore goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski, center, was named the Big East Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year and was named to TopDrawerSoccer.com’s Preseason Top XI. Marcinkowski started in goal in all 21 of Georgetown’s games during the 2015 season as a freshman and made 63 season saves. He has recorded 24 saves so far in 2016.

Fall Sports Preview

friday, september 9, 2016

THE HOYA

B5

gu offense garners national attention Chris Balthazard Hoya Staff Writer

After a series of impressive performances in the past five games, the Georgetown women’s soccer team (4-1) looks prepared to exceed expectations, vaulting into the national conversation.

Junior midfielder Rachel Corboz, who has been named the Big East Offensive Player of the Week twice in the last three weeks, delivered the Hoyas their biggest win of the young season with her overtime 22-yard strike at then-No. 12 Rutgers on Friday night.

The 2-1 victory boosts an NCAA tournament resume, which has further chances to grow with upcoming non-conference matches against No. 3 Virginia (6-0) and at No. 4 West Virginia (5-0-1).

Joining Corboz on a formidable midfield line is senior forward Grace Damaska, who sits joint-third in the country in goals scored and has also earned a Big East Offensive Player of the Week nod this season.

Sophomore forward Caitlin Farrell and graduate student forward Crystal Thomas also provide pace in attacking midfield and have been instrumental in the strong offensive start. Thomas notched four goals and an assist in Sunday’s 6-0 exhibition victory over Papua New Guinea’s U-20 side.

The Hoyas aim to accomplish two feats this year, both of which they have come tantalizingly close to over the past four seasons: to win the Big East and to advance past the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Head Coach Dave Nolan knows he can look to Corboz and other team leaders to navigate one of the most difficult non-conference schedules the Hoyas have ever faced, which includes a 3-0 loss to No. 2 Stanford (5-0).

“I’ve been very blessed over the years here at Georgetown. I’ve been lucky to coach some really, really talented players,” Nolan said. “Soccer is not that difficult to figure out. If you’ve got great players, good things can happen. You just enjoy it while you have them.”

At the other end of the field, sophomore goalkeeper Arielle Schechtman has earned shutouts in 6-0 and 4-0 wins over Towson and Delaware, respectively, and junior defender Elizabeth Wenger earned a Big East Defensive Player of the Week award last weekend.

Although freshman defender Sarah Trissel has stepped into central defense comfortably and admirably through the first four games, a knock from a rough tackle against Rutgers gave graduate student Marina Paul an opportunity to assert her presence on the pitch.

“Rutgers were a particularly dangerous

team on corner kicks,” Nolan said. “Up until the goal against us, four of their last five goals had been corner kicks. So having Marina in there just gave us a little bit more help with that, and that was a big plus for us. I haven’t made up my mind yet what we’re going to do as regards to the matchup on Thursday [against George Mason].”

As outside backs, junior defender Drew Topor and graduate student defender Corey Delaney remain Nolan’s first choice, while junior midfielders Taylor Pak and Chloe Knott sit in front of the central defenders.

Halfway to conference play, Nolan is focusing on the day-to-day ways to reach such lofty goals.

“Keeping everybody healthy. Trying to continue to get better every day,” Nolan said.

“Not looking past the next game, which is always the most important one. And again, just trying to keep the spirit and mood right, which I think we will do because there are so many young players. … We’re where we had hoped we would be.”

The freshmen have quickly adapted to college soccer, with midfielders Paula Germino-Watnick and Casey Richards injecting sparks of energy to the game with their pace and confidence on the ball.

“Freshmen always bring a lot of energy,” Nolan said. “And in some ways it’s infectious, and the older players respond to it.”

Even looking past the winning goal, Corboz was the best player on the field, spurring the Hoyas to dominate the game and create several chances by the end of the second half. All anyone will remember, though, is her moment of overtime brilliance.

“Grace played a good ball across to me,” Corboz said. “I looked up, and no one was in front of me. I don’t know how they left me unmarked, but I was unmarked. … This is definitely the most important goal I’ve scored, just because it was against a ranked team and it was in overtime to give us the win.”

Georgetown women’s soccer has certainly experienced success in recent years, reaching four consecutive NCAA tournaments and always competing to win the Big East.

But the big game win, that next step to catapult the team past the edge of the top 25, has remained just out of reach.

With a big test on Sunday at 1 p.m. against No. 3 Virginia, the Hoyas will look to learn from the Stanford game and finally reach that next level.

“Each game we’re getting better and better, and we’re getting to know each other a lot better,” Corboz said. “So after that loss against Stanford, we knew that we never wanted to feel that way, never wanted to lose like that again … We know we can compete with teams like that.”

FILE PHOTOS: ELIZA MINEAUX AND JULIA HENNRIKUS/THE HOYA

Senior forward Grace Damaska, top, and junior midfielder Rachel Corboz are second and first on the team in points with 13 and 17, with each also scoring six goals this season.

Paul Exemplifies Resilience

graduate student’s journey through adversity redefined her career Chris Balthazard Hoya Staff Writer

For the second time in 10 months, graduate student defender Marina Paul lay down on the field, upset and uncertain.

“I still remember that moment,” Paul said. “I still have replays of that moment in my head. … I felt like everything that I had worked for in college was shattered in that moment.”

It was a practice in early September 2015, and Paul had reinjured her knee, the same right knee that she had torn up in the 12th minute of the previous season’s Big East championship game. Except this time, she was a senior. And her season was over.

But Paul’s competitive spirit would not let her quit. And now, the three-time captain is back, intent on taking a fifth shot at an elusive title. *** Four years ago, Paul arrived at an up-andcoming Georgetown program, one that had seen a dream run to the quarterfinals of the NCAA tournament just two years prior and a pattern of relative success under Head Coach Dave Nolan. That same year, Paul found herself on then-North Kehoe Field a bit nervous, the only true freshman in the starting lineup taking on local rival The George Washington University on a hot mid-August opening day.

Georgetown needed to win and probably deserved to, outshooting GWU 18-5 that day. But a 1-0 Hoya lead felt tenuous until Paul latched onto a cross from forward Colleen Dinn and slotted the team’s second goal past the keeper with her left foot. Just 65 minutes into her Georgetown career, Paul had scored.

And she kept going. Paul played in every

game her freshman year on the way to a Big East All-Rookie Team award, and the team reached the Big East tournament final before losing 1-0 to Marquette on a goal fewer than three minutes from the end of regulation.

That game was the closest Paul would get in four years to lifting a trophy.

Georgetown women’s soccer continued to experience success, vaulting into constant competition for the top 25 rankings week in and week out as it reached two Big East semifinals and one final in the following three seasons. For the first time ever in program history, the team earned four straight bids to the NCAA Tournament.

Paul became the team’s leader as co-captain in 2014 with Daphne Corboz and as the lone captain in the two years since.

But without a Big East postseason title, the feeling lingered that Georgetown was still somehow almost there, but not quite. For the incredibly competitive Marina, a trophy would be a dream realized. *** Paul talks to her brother, Chris, who plays for the Fort Myers Miracle in the Minnesota Twins farm system, almost every day. When he played for California, she watched all of his games on GameTracker.

“He’s one of the most supportive people in my life, with anything,” Paul said. “Obviously I look up to him because he’s older, but also because he’s one of the best guys I know, just in terms of his character on and off the field. He sets a really great example for me.”

Sports run in the Paul family. Mara was almost a tennis player in college and continues to run marathons. Ron was almost

FILE PHOTO: JULIA HENNRIKUS/THE HOYA

Graduate student defender Marina Paul was a preseason All-Big East selection last season and started the first four games before suffering a season-ending knee injury.

a soccer player. Both decided to live and go to school on the beach instead. After her injury, Paul recalls a moment of clarity when talking about the difficult decision: to stay and play another year, or to move on with her parents. She remembers realizing that she only had so many opportunities to be a college athlete.

“When am I going to have a chance later in life to be this competitive again? I have the opportunity right now,” Paul said.

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injury may have been even tougher.

“I took it extremely personally. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m not athletic anymore if I tore my ACL again …’ I had some big goals set for myself. And just knowing that I wouldn’t be able to complete those was pretty defeating,” Paul said.

Paul’s identity was soccer, and in a single moment soccer had been taken away, at least for a while. She decided to intern at Bluemercury, a cosmetics company, to Marina Paul discover what else she was graduate Student Defender good at and to potentially pursue other passions.

In deciding to come back and setting soccer goals again, Paul has lived up to the captain position. Her big-game experience, as well as vocal leadership on the field, provide an invaluable boost to the team.

“She manages to connect with all the girls on the team in a positive way,” Nolan said. “Not every person can lead all varieties and connect with all players.”

Junior defender Liz Wenger, who partners with Paul in central defense, always goes to Paul for makeup and skin care advice and more.

“She is a lot of fun. She’s been there when I’ve needed her,” Wenger said. “Through that relationship with her freshman year, rooming with her on away trips, we’ve gotten really close. And when you need her she’s definitely there for you.”

Due to injury, it has been 20 months since Paul has played regularly, and through five games in 2016 she has not yet started. Of course, this does not sit well with such a competitive athlete. Nevertheless, she has found a way to lead.

“I always expect things to go the way I want them to,” Paul said. “And they have and they haven’t this year, and the maturity that I can bring knowing that there are higher goals, higher team goals, we want to achieve.”

Given an opportunity in the Hoyas’ overtime win over then-No. 12 Rutgers, Paul impressed with her ability in the air and gave Nolan a tough personnel decision to make heading into an important weekend.

“She’s a good example for the other kids, because as she’s tried to overcome her hurdles to get back, she’s had to accept that she has a responsibility to show others how to overcome their hurdles, whether they be injury or lack of playing time or whatever they may be,” Nolan said. “And she’s managed to do that well.”

Sometimes Paul will surprise you. Sometimes she will strike a thunderous 25-yard volley into the top corner, as she did against Delaware. But the rest of the time, as is her responsibility, she will be the rock of the defense, the ever-competitive leader, and the captain, striving one more time for the Big East title.

When am i going to have a chance later in life to be this competitive?”

*** The first time, Paul chose Georgetown the way many Hoyas do: She wanted to get away from home — Aliso Vieja, Calif. — wanted a big sport to cheer for — men’s basketball — and upon visiting she fell in love with the campus.

Since then, she has experienced D.C.’s character for herself. One summer, she had to take the bus everywhere she went and found herself loving her interactions with the locals. She also works at men’s basketball games with Georgetown Sports Information. The second time around, despite her love for D.C., the decision did not come easily.

“I definitely wrestled with it,” Paul said. “It’s your senior year, and all the girls you’ve grown up playing with, all the girls in my year, they’ll all be gone in the real world. I see them all go, see my friends go, and it’s hard.”

Ultimately, though, as captain, she understood her commitment to the team to push through tough times and to lead.

“I don’t think Dave would have selected me as a captain if I couldn’t get through things like this,” Paul said. “And showing younger girls on the team that when hardship hits, it sucks, but you can get through it.” *** When asked about her future after Georgetown, Paul reacts as would many an undergraduate senior — that is, awkwardly at first, then with a growing smile, by confidently describing the dream.

Her program studying Integrated Marketing Communications at the School of Continuing Studies, taking downtown classes, ends next fall. From there, taking inspiration from Daphne Corboz at Manchester City and Sarah Adams at FF Lugano, she hopes to travel and continue competing.

“I would love to play abroad,” Paul said. “God willing, my body holds up. But I would love to do something abroad, and to have international experience would be incredible. Just to see the world, and be able to play with different players from around the world, would be a really great experience.” *** The initial injury was not easy for Paul, as she had to watch Depaul defeat Georgetown for the 2014 Big East title from the sidelines. The second

B6

Fall Sports Preview

THE HOYA

Friday, September 9, 2016

Football Roster Hunter Kiselick, 1 Senior Defensive Lineman Ty Williams, 2 Senior Linebacker Jelani Williamson, 3 Junior Defensive Back Matthew Buckman, 4 Senior Tight End Justin Hill, 5 Senior Wide Receiver Alex Valles, 6 Junior Running Back Justin Harrell, 7 Junior Wide Receiver Leo Loughrey, 8 Senior Linebacker Myles Braxton-Johnson, 9 Senior Wide Receiver Matt Zebrowski, 10 Freshman Tight End Tommy Jesson, 11 Senior Wide Receiver Jowan Watson, 12 Sophomore Quarterback Clay Norris, 13 Sophomore Quarterback Brock Johnson, 14 Freshman Quarterback Jake Johnson, 15 Junior Defensive Back Patrick Finnegan, 16 Senior Wide Receiver Blaise Brown, 17 Sophomore Defensive Back Isaac Schley, 18 Freshman Quarterback Daniel Yankovich, 19 Junior Linebacker Winston Jackson Jr., 20 Sophomore Wide Receiver Jarrod Kelley, 21 Freshman Defensive Back Carl Thomas, 22 Sophomore Running Back Isaac Ellsworth, 23 Junior Running Back Larenz Griggs, 24 Junior Defensive Back Ramon Lyons, 25 Sophomore Defensive Back Jethro Francois, 26 Sophomore Defensive Back Leon Agee, 27 Freshman Defensive Back

David Akere, 28 Junior Defensive Back Christian Bermudez, 29 Sophomore Running Back AJ Schimmelpfennig, 30 Sophomore Linebacker Matthew Deal, 31 Sophomore Linebacker Zacciah Saltzman, 33 Freshman Running Back J’V’on Butler, 34 Sophomore Linebacker Tim Barnes, 35 Senior Quarterback Mike Taylor III, 36 Sophomore Linebacker Ben Priddy, 37 Senior Kicker Henry Darmstadter, 38 Senior Kicker John Oblachinski, 39 Junior Tight End Joshua Lightburn, 40 Junior Linebacker Jalen Goldwire, 41 Freshman Defensive Back Ryan White-Boyd, 42 Freshman Defensive Back Nathan Avery, 43 Senior Fullback Khristian Tate, 44 Freshman Defensive Lineman Muhammad Wainwright, 45 Junior Defensive Lineman Chase Hawthorne, 46 Freshman Linebacker Chris Gavin, 47 Sophomore Linebacker Cameron Seward, 48 Junior Linebacker Henry Woodrow, 49 Junior Punter Christian Hernandez, 50 Freshman Linebacker Brad Hurst, 51 Freshman Punter/Kicker Casey Kuhns, 54 Senior Linebacker Harry McCollum, 55 Senior Punter Matthew Apuzzi, 56 Junior Linebacker Robert Longwell, 57 Senior Long Snapper

COURTESY GUHOYAS

Senior captain and quarterback Tim Barnes appeared in just five games last season and nine games the previous two seasons. He is this season’s recipient of the No. 35 Joe Eacobacci Memorial Jersey.

Warren Wynn, 58 Junior Long Snapper Dominic Scarangella, 59 Junior Offensive Lineman Tower Menning, 60 Sophomore Offensive Lineman Ryan Jelinek, 61 Freshman Offensive Lineman Justin Wood, 64 Freshman Offensive Lineman Michael McFarlane, 65 Junior Offensive Lineman Jared Horne, 66 Sophomore Offensive Lineman Nick James, 70 Junior Offensive Lineman Randy Crystian, 72 Sophomore Offensive Lineman Kendall Catching 73 Junior Defensive Lineman Stewart Keehner, 74 Freshman Offensive Lineman

Matthew Houpert, 75 Junior Offensive Lineman Micah Smith, 77 Sophomore Offensive Lineman Nick Sweitzer, 78 Freshman Offensive Lineman Brennen Sawicki, 79 Sophomore Defensive Lineman Michael Dereus, 80 Freshman Wide Receiver Luke Morris, 81 Junior Wide Receiver Brandon Williams, 82 Sophomore Wide Receiver Nathan VonderHaar, 83 Sophomore Tight End Jacob Sweitzer, 84 Junior Tight End Zachary Nolan, 85 Freshman Defensive Lineman Jack Graffagnino, 87 Junior Tight End

Jim McLaughlin, 88 Junior Wide Receiver Cole Miller, 89 Freshman Wide Receiver JJ Meilutis, 90 Freshman Defensive Lineman John Groom, Jr., 92 Sophomore Defensive Lineman Patrick Pastore, 94 Sophomore Defensive Lineman Elijah English, 95 Junior Defensive Lineman Marquis Parris, 96 Freshman Defensive Lineman Bryan Jefferson, 97 Senior Defensive Lineman Hugh Masterson, 98 Senior Defensive Lineman Phil Novacki, 99 Senior Defensive Lineman ROB SGARLATA Head Coach

Senior leadership Buoys season outlook gu looks to replace last year’s veteran guidance

Aidan Curran Hoya Staff Writer

Hopes are high for the Georgetown football team under Head Coach Rob Sgarlata. Now in his third season at the helm for the Hoyas, the energetic coach has his team looking to escape the cellar of the Patriot League standings and earn respect from its conference foes. After going 4-7 last season, and 3-8 the year before, Georgetown is looking to reach .500 for the first time in five years.

The team kicked off its season last Saturday with a dominant 38-14 win over the Davidson Wildcats (0-1) at Cooper Field. Senior quarterback Tim Barnes passed for four touchdowns in his first start after taking over for last year’s starting quarterback, Kyle Nolan (MSB ‘16). Nolan was a two-year starter and helped stabilize the most important position for the team.

Until Saturday, Barnes had not started a game since freshman year against Fordham University. The senior from Oradell, N.J., was given the Joe Eacobacci No. 35 Memorial Jersey this year. The jersey is awarded to the student-athlete who best embodies Eacobacci’s spirit and memory.

“Timmy’s one of those guys you want people saying he’s a Georgetown football player on and off the field. He holds himself to an extremely high standard and he’s done a good job of raising the level of the entire offense and the team,” Sgarlata said.

Elsewhere on offense, Georgetown has to fill the voids left by running back Jo’el Kimpela and wide receiver Jake DeCicco, who both graduated. Kimpela, last year’s No. 35 jersey recipient, was the team’s leading rusher, while DeCicco was the team’s No. 2 passcatcher behind then-junior wide receiver Justin Hill. Senior running back Alex Valles from Danvers, Mass. will replace Kimpela as the lead back. At wide receiver, Georgetown will rely on several wideouts to replace DeCicco’s production, including junior receivers Justin Harrell and Jimmy McLaughlin, and sophomore receiver Brandon Williams.

“Lots of young guys have stepped up,” Barnes said. “Young guys step up with guys graduating; and at the skill positions, we have guys like Harrell and [senior tight end Matt] Buckman, so we got a lot of weapons.”

A lot will be asked of Hill, who was named to the All-Patriot League Second Team last season. He scored eight touchdowns last season, and also averaged 13.8 yards per reception.

“I’m hoping to be First Team All-[Patriot]

COURTESY GUHOYAS

Junior captain and defensive back David Akere recorded 20 total tackles and an interception in the 2014-15 season. Akere sat out last season due to injury.

League this year. Doing big things, making big plays, hoping to step up when my number’s called,” Hill said.

On defense, Georgetown graduated AllPatriot League First Team cornerback Ettian Scott and All-Patriot League Second Team linebacker Matt Satchell, along with a few other important players.

In the secondary, junior safety David Akere takes over for Scott as the leader of the group.

“I was speaking to Ettian today, and he talks to me every day, keeping me encouraged and keeping all the guys encouraged. He told us when it’s time to make a play you got to step up and make that play. Just be confident

about it,” Akere said.

Akere, along with Barnes, was named a captain of the team for this season. Georgetown will rely on the hard-hitting ball-hawk from Carrollton, Texas, to help continue the Georgetown defense’s reputation for being aggressive and fast. Junior cornerback Jelani Williamson will fill in for Scott at the outside corner position. Williamson started seven games last season and finished the season with 37 tackles and six pass breakups.

Senior defensive end Hunter Kiselick returns to the team for a fifth year, after being granted another year of eligibility by the NCAA due to an injury earlier in his collegiate

career. Last season, Kiselick served as a team captain and started all 11 games. His return is a huge boost to the team, and he will team up with senior defensive end Phil Novacki to help the Hoyas generate some pressure up front.

Transfer junior linebacker Cameron Seward from Boston College will help offset the loss of Satchell. Seward redshirted his freshman year at BC and will have two years of eligibility on the Hilltop.

“At our linebacker position, we have some new transfer linebackers and we also have our D-line — it’s full of talent, big talent, guys who have high motors and just keep on running,” Akere said.

Junior defensive end Elijah English, sophomore defensive lineman Brennen Sawicki and junior defensive lineman Kendall Catching will be called to the front seven to help make up for the departures of Satchell and defensive lineman Dez Richardson.

“You definitely lose some guys who were big-time players for you. I think as we get three years into this with our recruiting classes, you know hopefully you have guys who are developing behind them and are fighting for time and pushing the competition up,” Sgarlata said.

“Up front on defense, you have two kids vying for the two inside spots. In the past, there wouldn’t be much competition and pressure.”

This season’s schedule promises to be as tough as last year’s, with Georgetown slated to play three games this year against Ivy League teams. This year’s Homecoming Weekend game will be against the Columbia Lions (0-0) on Sept. 24, then the Hoyas will travel to Cambridge, Mass., to play the Harvard Crimson, a matchup that has been lopsided in favor of the Crimson in the past.

Georgetown closes out with two of its last three games at Cooper Field and will wrap up the season on Nov. 19 at Colgate University.

“This is the most competitive camp we’ve run in maybe the last five or eight years, definitely the most competitive one I’ve run,” Sgarlata said. “It’s a good group. Really high football intelligence group of kids and I’m really excited to see them play.”

It has been a long, slow road back to respectability for the Georgetown football team, but the hope around the team is that this is the year the Hoyas finally turn some heads in the Patriot League.

The team faces Marist College Saturday at 6 p.m. in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

Fall Sports Preview

friday, september 9, 2016

THE HOYA

B7

hoyas look to continue distance dominance

Dan Baldwin Hoya Staff Writer

After finishing first and second at the 2015 Big East championship meet and top 20 at NCAAs, the No. 7 Georgetown men’s and No. 19 Georgetown women’s crosscountry teams look to replicate their success as they open their seasons on Sept. 9 at the Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational in State College, Pa. The Hoyas are prepared despite changes to the coaching staff earlier this summer.

After serving as an assistant coach last season, Brandon Bonsey has been promoted to head coach of the Georgetown men’s cross-country team.

During his time as an assistant coach, Bonsey saw his student athletes capture 22 total Big East titles and 16 student athletes claim 36 All-America honors in nine different events.

Last season, the Hoyas finished the 201516 cross-country season ranked 10th nationally, leaving Bonsey in a position to improve. Senior Jonathan Green looks to build on his accomplishments from last year and lead his team to more post-season success.

In 2015, Green saw his times go down after spending a summer training at altitude, a method of training that exercises the body by sending oxygen to muscles at a faster rate. While the direct effects of training at altitude have not been medically proven, it definitely helped to lower Green’s times.

Green enjoyed a breakout performance during his 2015 campaign, finishing in second place at the Big East championship with a time of 22:40.0 on the 8,000m course. His time helped the Hoyas claim their first Big East championship since the 2008 season.

Green turned in another sensational performance at the 2015 NCAA National championship, placing fifth place overall at 29:49.5 over the 10,000m race course. His impressive showing helped the Hoyas capture a top-10 finish in the National championship.

Senior Amos Bartelsmeyer joins Green as another experienced upperclassman who had a strong finish to last season. At the 2015 NCAA Pre-National meet, Bartelsmeyer crossed the finish line in 71st place with a time of 24:08.9. He showed his

mental fortitude once again at the Big East championship meet, finishing at 23:20.8 on the 8000m race track, scoring a total of eight points. At the Mid-Atlantic Regional championship, Bartelsmeyer, on a 10,000m course, crossed the finish line at 31:00.9, recording eight points for the Hoyas. At the 2016 NCAA National championship, Bartelsmeyer came in 128th place, running a time of 31:00.2. This time he scored 103 points for the Hoyas.

Georgetown will also be looking to graduate student Michael Lederhouse to lead the men this season.

Lederhouse came in sixth place at the Paul Short Invitational with a time of 24:09 on the 8,000m race course. At the Mid-Atlantic Regional championship, Lederhouse was the second Hoya to finish the 10,000m course, coming in at 30:58.2, good enough for seventh place. He also scored 126 points for the Hoyas at the 2016 NCAA National championship, running a time of 31:30.7.

With the presence of Green, Bartelsmeyer and Lederhouse, Bonsey has inherited a talented group of experienced runners who are eager to return to the NCAA National championship.

For the women’s team, the Hoyas will be relying on juniors Piper Donaghu and Autumn Eastman to improve upon their impressive sophomore year campaigns.

In 2015, the dynamic duo burst onto the scene early in the season and never looked back. At the Big East championship meet, Eastman captured seventh place with a time of 20:01.0 on a 6,000m race course.

At the 2015 NCAA championship meet, Donaghu ran a time of 21:34.4 on a 6,000m path.

If Donaghu and Eastman can carry last year’s momentum into the 2016 season, they should each hit new personal records before nationals.

Additionally, sophomore Audrey Belf enjoyed a very promising freshman season for the Hoyas. At the 2015 NCAA Pre-National meet, Belf came in 51st place, finishing with a time of 20:46.3. At the Big East championship, Belf turned in an impressive performance, crossing the finish line at 20:10.4 and scoring 11 points for the Hoyas.

Belf, also having a positive impact for the Hoyas in both track seasons, ran primarily

Cross-country is ultimately a team-oriented sport.

PHOTOS COURTESY GUHOYAS

Graduate student Andrea Keklak, bottom right, leads the cross country teams alongside senior Amos Bartelsmeyer, top, and graduate student Michael Lederhouse. longer distances in the winter and spring seasons. Known for her stamina, she appears to be poised to take the next step in her early Georgetown cross-country career.

Although the Hoyas experienced many individual accomplishments this past season, cross-country is ultimately a team-oriented sport. The men scored 33 points to capture first place at the Big East championship while the women took second place with 54 total points. At the 2015 NCAA championship meet, the men came in 10th place overall, recording 352 points, and their female counterparts finished in 20th with 491 points.

The Hoyas face a short schedule this crosscountry season. After their opening meet, they will travel to Bethlehem, Pa., for the Paul Short Invitational on Oct. 1, which the men won last year. On Oct. 14, both teams will compete at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational in Madison, Wis. The Hoyas will then enter championship season, competing in the Big East championship in New York, N.Y,, the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional championships in State College, Pa., and the 2016 NCAA championship in Terre Haute, Ind. Note: Sports Information could not be reached for comment.

stable leadership solidifies team chemistry Veterans aim to lead team to postseason success

FILE PHOTOS: JULIA HENNRIKUS/THE HOYA

Senior forward Aliyah Graves-Brown, left, leads the team in points this season with four, scoring one goal and recording two assists. Senior goalkeeper Rachel Skonecki, No. 82, has started all four games and has a .760 save percentage this season.

EMily Dalton Hoya Staff Writer

With a record of .500 after its first four games, the Georgetown field hockey team (2-2) is looking to build upon the successes of last year’s campaign as it continues into the 2016 season and heads into Big East play next week.

Already, the Hoyas have seen improvements since 2015, beating Davidson (1-2) 3-1 in their season opener. According to Head Coach Shannon Soares, the team has focused on rebuilding its program over the past few years in order to successfully compete with top-caliber opponents.

“As far as a longterm goal goes for us, yes, this is year three of me being at the helm of this program and of us trying to

“

change the culture and have higher expectations for it,” Soares said. “We very much want to succeed in the Big East. We want to compete at a high level, and we understand that that is a process and we are working hard to each year continue to improve in the Big East.”

In terms of transformations, Georgetown has seen some fresh faces in its starting lineup, including freshmen forward Lindsay Getz and midfielder Michaela Bruno, along with a new set of veteran players including two junior midfielders, Joanna Hawkins and Megan Parsons.

Shannon soares “The biggest change Head Coach [since 2015] is clearly our personnel,” Soares said. “Now we’re working with a senior class that has stepped up to the plate from a leadership standpoint and is very much hungry for the

We’re working with a senior class that has stepped up to the plate.”

opportunity to write their own story for this program.”

Despite opening undefeated in their best start since 2010, the Hoyas faced a challenging weekend on the road, dropping games at Rider (2-1) and Monmouth (4-0) by scores of 6-0 and 2-0, respectively.

When asked about bouncing back, Coach Soares emphasized the importance of keeping a positive mentality after a pair of tough losses.

“Believing in the process.

That is big for us. That is a huge piece to this. We as a staff always tell our group that Rome wasn’t built in a day. You’re not just going to flip a switch and all of a sudden become a perennial powerhouse,” Soares said. “It takes a lot of hard work, a lot of commitment, a lot of discipline, a lot of accountability, and

“

a lot of leadership in addition to talent to see the changes that we want to see.”

While praising her team’s consistent effort to build a successful program, Soares also acknowledged the obstacles they have faced and certainly did not take them lightly.

“Last weekend was a very tough weekend for us, and it was very evident that we have a lot of work to do, as we always do. But even more so right now, there’s a real tension to needing to make significant changes and adjustments on the field prior to welcoming William & Mary here on Friday,” Soares said.

Regarding specific tactics, Soares hopes to work on getting the little things right, especially when it comes to giving forwards the opportunity to score.

“We just have to do a better job of successfully outletting the ball past our attacking 50 so that we can give our strikers the opportunity to penetrate our opponent’s circle and get some shots on cage. If we can’t get the ball out of our back field, then we don’t get to let those talented strikers that we have go to work, and we want them to go to work,” Soares said.

With only two more games until Big East Conference play opens against Quinnipiac on Sept. 16, the Hoyas will be looking to senior captains Molly Thompson and Devin Holmes, who, according to Soares, “have very much invested a lot of time and energy and leadership into the program.”

“I’ve been very impressed with their ability to communicate directly, to advocate for their teammates, and to serve as an extension of our coaching staff, because that’s exactly what they are,” Soares said. “They’ve really done a fantastic job.”

Additionally, Thompson and Holmes will be working alongside a leadership council consisting of Parsons, sophomore Katie Maransky, and fellow senior midfielders Maria McDonald and goalkeeper Rachel Skonecki.

According to Soares, the leadership council is responsible for meeting with the rest of the players individually, allowing the coaching staff to have a strong handle on the current pulse of the team.

“The responsibility of a leadership council member is one that is very significant and one that both Molly and Devin held in their junior year. [The leadership council] has been a Shannon soares great support system for Head Coach those two as they continue to do their best to lead our program.”

The Hoyas are set to host William & Mary this Friday at 1 p.m.

Note: Sports Information could not be reached for comments from the players.

Believing in the process. That is big for us.

That is a huge piece to this.”

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Fall Sports Preview

THE HOYA

friDAY, september 9, 2016

no injuries, new additions heighten optimism GU volleyball LOoks to Rebound After disappointing season

PHOTOS COURTESY GUHOYAS

Senior middle blocker Ashlie Williams, top right, had a team-high 12 solo blocks last season and was second in total blocks.

Williams was also fourth in kills. Sophomore middle blocker Symone Speech, No. 14, led the team in total blocks last season.

Tyler Park

Hoya Staff Writer

Last season, the Georgetown volleyball team (2-4) had only three returning players. Of the 12 players on the roster, eight were freshmen. As a young and inexperienced team, the Hoyas had an uneven season, finishing 10-21, including a 4-14 record in Big East play.

This season, with nine returning players and a deeper roster that includes 16 players, the Hoyas are hoping to build a stronger team culture and enjoy a more consistent season.

“Last year, we didn’t have as many people to go through the drills and [be] hard- core all the time,” sophomore li-

bero Kenzie Higareda said. “But now that we have a full roster and 16 girls, great girls that try every single day, we are able to do those drills and it makes everyone a lot better.”

So far this season, Georgetown has played two weekend tournaments — the D.C. Challenge and the Stetson/USF Invitational. At each tournament, the Hoyas won one match and lost two. However, Georgetown has won at least one set in five of its six matches, leading Head Coach Arlisa Williams to believe that the team’s defense is one of its main strengths.

“They are all out all the time,” Williams said of her defense. “They’re just going for balls — they don’t let anything drop.

They are working super hard behind the

block, and our block has gotten better and that’s the first line of defense.”

Higareda, who led the Hoyas in digs last year, again leads the team early in the season with 115 digs. Sophomore setter Paige McKnight is also a capable defender — she is second on the team in digs for the second consecutive season. Up front, Georgetown’s block features sophomore middle blocker Symone Speech and senior middle blocker Ashlie Williams, who are currently Georgetown’s first and second leading blockers, also for the second consecutive season.

In addition to their team leaders in digs and blocks returning, the Hoyas also bring back their top four leaders in kills from last season: Speech, Williams and

sophomore outside hitters Liv King and Alyssa Sinette. Georgetown is hoping the increased continuity will bring improved results.

“They understand how each other plays,” Coach Williams said. “They’ve got a very, very good feel for each other.

But they also have a year under their belt playing together, so they are communicating more, they understand how to lift each other up and encourage each other.”

Even with a more experienced roster, Georgetown will need to prove itself with success on the court. In the Big East preseason coaches’ poll, the Hoyas were picked to finish eighth in the conference out of 10 teams. Based on its early performance, however, the team believes it can compete with the top teams in the Big East and has set higher expectations.

“It’s going to go up and down obviously, but I think we’ve been really strong,” Ashlie Williams said. “We’re definitely going to be able to compete against Creighton and some of the big hitters out there.”

McKnight is another of the team’s key players. She stepped in as the team’s starting setter at the start of her freshman season, recording 1,137 assists in her debut season. This year, McKnight has stepped back into her role, notching 234 assists in Georgetown’s first six games — no one else on the team has more than five. Coach Williams thinks highly of both McKnight and junior setter Meghan Richard.

“Our setters are extremely talented, both Paige and Meghan do a good job of putting up balls,” Coach Williams said.

“And so our hitters are doing a phenomenal job — again when we are in system — of just taking some very, very hard [and] very, very smart swings, and our setters are doing a good job getting them the ball.”

In the next two weekends, the Hoyas will play three more tournaments. This weekend, they will play at home in McDonough Arena in the Georgetown Classic, before travelling to Colorado to play in the Air Force Invitational and the Denver Invitational. The team will then move into Big East play, beginning with a home game against St. John’s (6-0).

In the midst of this fast-paced start to the season, Georgetown is confident that it will achieve better results this year.

“Last year we were a completely new team, and so it definitely shows that we’ve been playing together for a while,” Ashlie Williams said. “We’re trusting each other more on the court and things are looking a lot more in flow, so I’m really excited for us to continue to grow as a team.”

Added talent bolsters big east chances hoyas set sights on elusive conference title

ryan mccoy Hoya Staff Writer

After a furious rally at the Big East tournament that came up just short last season, the women’s golf team is back in action and aiming for the crown this time.

The Hoyas finished as runners-up this spring, and for Head Coach Katie Brophy, there is no question that they have the ability to surpass that mark this campaign.

“I’m really excited about this year. We’ve finished as a runner-up in the Big East conference tournament three times now, and I know that on this team, we have a majority of the players that finished second last year coming back. So they’re ready to make sure that we have a different outcome this year,” Brophy said.

In an interview with The Hoya, Coach Brophy shared her outlook on the upcoming season.

“Last season we had three freshmen who came in and immediately started playing for us. Fortunately, they will be in the lineup this first week of competition, as well as one of our new freshmen. So we’re really building on a young team. Everybody that’s in our lineup had really successful and productive summers. … There is a lot of really good mo-

mentum going into this fall season,” Brophy said.

Those freshmen ¬— now sophomores — form the spine of a talented Hoya team.

Alexa Popowitz was named the Big East Freshman of the Year after an impressive debut campaign last year.

Alongside her are Christina Parsells, who qualified for the United States Golf Association Women’s Amateur championship this summer, and Pendleton Bogache.

Additionally, that talented core was strengthened with the recruitment of three new freshmen. Kate Evanko, Ashley Fitzgibbons and Paula Hong all joined Georgetown’s roster this season, and will look to compete for the five team places and one individual place in the Hoyas’ tournament lineup.

“We have a very competitive roster right now, and it’s hard to make the lineup … I imagine that probably four players will continuously make the lineup, and we will have pretty serious competitions for the last spot

“

and the individual spot,” Brophy said about the race to make the cut.

However, it is not all rosy for the Georgetown women. Two former influential seniors, Mackenzie Boydston and Patricia Lee, graduated last May. Boydston was also honored with a spot on the Big East All-Tournament Team after an impressive third-place finish last year.

Brophy had a bittersweet view on Boydston and Lee’s departure.

“We lost two seniors.

Both Mackenzie and Patricia played in almost every tournament of their college careers. So we did lose two of Katie Brophy Head Coach our main contributors. However, we gained three new freshmen who look very promising,” Brophy said.

Still, there is reason for optimism. The Hoyas are a talented squad, and their unity is something to behold.

“There’s a lot of really good camaraderie.

Our sophomores are best friends with each other, our freshmen and juniors are all very close. We have really good team chemistry,

We gained three new freshmen who look very promising.”

and everybody just really wants the best for each other,” Brophy said.

Brophy hopes team spirit translates into strong performances from faces old and new. The reshaped squad will be put to the test this weekend, as the Hoyas begin their season at the William and Mary Fall Invitational.

“I expect really good energy. Since we’re such a young team, everyone’s really excited to be back and playing, some of them for the first time,” Brophy said. “The ability to rebound from any adversity, and the ability to go out and shoot some really good golf scores.”

With some luck, Georgetown will be hoping to achieve great things this weekend. More broadly, the focus is squarely on another run at the Big East championship tournament.

“We just need to make sure that all of our players are healthy at the end of the season and that all of our team has a good mindset going into the spring season,” Brophy said in regards to what the team needs to do to achieve its goals.

Brophy and the rest of the Hoyas certainly seem like a team on a mission. Now, only time will tell if they reach their ultimate goal. Their first test comes this weekend in Williamsburg, Va.

PHOTOS COURTESY GUHOYAS

Sophomore Alexa Popowitz, right, took seventh place in the Big East championships last season and was also named the Big East Freshman of the Year. In July, she qualified for the 20th World Maccabiah Games in Israel next summer. Popowitz posted rounds of 77, 77 and 75 in the Maccabi Qualifier near her hometown in Florida.

Fall Sports Preview

friDAY, september 9, 2016

THE HOYA

B9

The man behind GU’s infallible marketing a look into the hoyas’ quietest but most clever promoter

Kara Avanceña Hoya Staff Writer

You might have come across his name as you ogled the T-shirt featuring three Jack the Bulldog faces howling at the moon. You might have even passed by him on campus without realizing he was the man who made the Skater Jack bobblehead a reality — a collector’s item so valuable it sells for as much as $85 on eBay. Or perhaps you have ve never heard of him, but you did stop by a lacrosse game last year to trade in old Villanova gear for a couple of Georgetown T-shirts.

Chris Grosse might blend in on the Hilltop, but don’t let his unassuming Georgetown apparel fool you. Grosse is the mastermind driving Georgetown athletics’ often wacky, hotly debated and nationally covered marketing plans, and he is not stopping anytime soon.

Since Grosse’s arrival on the Hilltop as assistant athletics director of marketing in May 2014, he has exemplified creativity when it comes to athletic promotions — and this year will prove no different.

“We’re always kind of toeing the line a bit,” Grosse said. “We want to make sure we represent Georgetown the right way, but we also want to make sure that we do some fun stuff that will get people engaged a little bit.”

And it begins tomorrow. Hoya fans who attend the Georgetown men’s soccer match against UConn on Saturday afternoon will also to get to participate in Grosse’s latest conception: “The Celebration of the Hot Dog … Sandwich?!”

The event circles around the question of whether a hot dog can be considered a sandwich.

It even spurred one Georgetown alumnus on Twitter to offer his opinion on the matter then promptly announce that he would withhold donations to his alma mater.

The promotion, which is joined by a fun online video well-worth a play, offers free admission to fans named Frank, Nathan, Oscar or Meyer, and features a debate about the classification of hot dogs, among other things.

“On Hot Dog Day on Saturday, I’m going to shoot hot dogs out of a Tshirt gun at midfield at halftime,” Grosse said.

Thatis just the beginning. The first 500 stuCHRIS GROSSE Director of Marketing dents who arrive for the men’s basketball team’s opening game can look forward to receiving-limited edition Allen Iverson bobbleheads. Currently, Grosse is designing a promotional package that would encourage fans to propose to their significant others at a game and give them a refund if they’re turned down — a promotion that is yet to be approved.

When basketball season kicks into high

“On Saturday, I’m going to shoot hot dogs out of a t-shirt gun at halftime.”

gear, expect to hear from the market- thing they’ve ever heard of.”

Since Grosse’s arrival on the Hilltop, ing department, especially surrounding high-profile games against Maryland and Georgetown athletics has enjoyed its fair share of coverage. Wheththe team’s sole game er it was fascination surhosted in McDonough rounding the “EliminaArena against Arkansas tion of the Dad Bod” day State.

Moreover, Grosse anor the successful “Student ticipates that each sport for a Day” package that will get at least one outallowed non-GU students of-the-box promotion for to watch a game from its season. the student section in “We throw around a Verizon Center, Grosse lot of ideas and a lot of has brought attention to the things that I’ve come Georgetown sports and, CHRIS GROSSE Director of Marketing up with, no one ever most importantly, more sees because they’re too fans in seats. ridiculous,” Grosse said.

But if he has to pick a “But really, we’ve kind of favorite, Grosse picks the looked for stuff that will get people talk- most infamous and — in his words — poing about.” larizing one of them all: “Hail to the Kale” Though Georgetown has largely been night. the beneficiary of Grosse’s most innovaThe event, which helped lighten what tive work, the marketing director’s cre- was otherwise a rough year for the women’s ative marketing began in earnest during basketball team that entered “Hail to the his days working as the associate director Kale” night on a nine-game losing streak, for marketing at the United States Naval attracted the attention of news outlets and Academy. political figures across the country with its It was at Navy that Grosse launched a promise of free kale to early attendees. simple promotion that first earned him “It was just so crazy how quickly everywidespread national attention. thing happened with it,” Grosse said. “We “You come to the game, you play the were on the front page of USA Today’s mascot in rock, paper, scissors and if you sports section. Michelle Obama menwin, you get in for free. That was it,” Grosse tioned it.” said.

Grosse teases that he has more ideas in “It wasn’t really a big thing that we had the pipeline, but fans will have to wait to to do; we just had to have a mascot there. hear more. If any of his previous work is And all of a sudden, all these websites — any indication, though, Hoya fans will ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Yahoo — picked surely have much to look forward to this up the story like it was the most amazing fall season.

“We want to make sure we represent georgetown the right way.”

top marketing moves from Chris grosse

From the weather to trendy vegetables, Grosse has done it all

B10

FALL SPORTS PREVIEW

THE HOYA

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

SENIOR STANDOUTS JUSTIN HILL, #5

GRACE DAMASKA, #21

ISABEL BINAMIRA/THE HOYA

CAROLINE KENNEALLY/THE HOYA

FOOTBALL • WIDE RECEIVER PITTSBURGH, PA.

WOMEN’S SOCCER • FORWARD MILTON, GA.

ASHLIE WILLIAMS, #7

JONATHAN GREEN

2016-2017

STANLEY DAI/THE HOYA

VOLLEYBALL • MIDDLE BLOCKER LOS ANGELES, CALIF.

GU HOYAS

CROSS-COUNTRY • DISTANCE RUNNER BERLIN, MASS.