Valdosta State will field women's soccer as an intercollegiate sport beginning in 2011, according to an announcement made by VSU President Patrick Schloss and Athletic Director Herb Reinhard during a press conference at the University Center Wednesday.
"I am pleased to announce the addition of women's soccer as the 12th intercollegiate and sixth women's sport at Valdosta State," said Schloss in making the announcement. "We will join the Gulf South Conference as one of nine schools to sponsor this sport. We feel that we are well positioned geographically to become a power in this sport and look forward to seeing this new team uphold the proud tradition that is Valdosta State Athletics."
Reinhard indicated that a national coaching search will begin within the next 3 weeks and that the University planned on having its newest coach in place during the later winter or early spring months of 2010.
"Our timeline includes getting a coach in here as quickly as possible," he said. "That will give whoever leads our new program basically all of 2010 and the first half of 2011 to get everything involved with starting a new program, including recruiting, scheduling and buying equipment, completed."
Both Schloss and Reinhard pointed to the support of the Valdosta State campus and Valdosta community as a major factor in choosing VSU's newest Division II program.
"I would like to say that we really appreciate the Student Government Association for their support and input as we have moved forward with adding another sport at Valdosta State," Schloss added. "Likewise, the support from our community, which has already stepped forward with offers of funding, has been unbelievable. The response from all parties has been positive and shows that they believe in this move and how it will benefit the University as a whole."
Reinhard also added that much of the infrastructure for the new program has already been put in place, making the decision to add women's soccer easier.
"We planned ahead when building the new Athletic Fieldhouse," he concluded. "The infrastructure, including locker rooms and coaches offices, was included with the new Fieldhouse. Additionally, we have the space behind that building to build a playing surface, along with two football practice fields."
Women's soccer will be the first sport Valdosta State has added since the school began women's volleyball in 1995. In addition to becoming the ninth GSC school to sponsor the sport, VSU will become the 21st NCAA institution to participate in the sport in the state of Georgia, including the seventh Division II program. One of the nation's fastest growing sports among females, girls soccer is currently sponsored by 310 high schools in the state of Georgia.
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Friday, September 25, 2009
Valdosta State University to Add Women's Soccer in 2011
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Mercer Athletics to Add Lacrosse to its Division I Program
Mercer University will add men’s NCAA Division I lacrosse to its intercollegiate athletic program during the 2010-2011 academic year and will add a Division I women’s team in 2011-2012, Athletic Director Bobby Pope announced today. Mercer is the first NCAA Division I institution in the state to announce the addition of lacrosse to its athletic program.
The sport, which originated among Native American tribes in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic before the United States was colonized, has long been popular in those regions and is now the fastest-growing high school sport in Georgia and one of the fastest growing in the country. According to the latest participation survey by U.S. Lacrosse, the sport’s governing body, lacrosse is the fastest-growing high school sport for girls over the last 10 years and the second-fastest growing sport among boys. At the collegiate level, men’s lacrosse has been the fastest-growing sport over the past decade, while women’s has been the second-fastest-growing sport.
“Lacrosse is becoming a very popular sport in the Southeast,” Pope said. “We will be the first NCAA Division I program in Georgia, so this will be a great opportunity for Mercer to set the bar high for this sport in our state.”
The University added men’s lacrosse as a club sport in 2007-2008 and plans to add women’s club lacrosse for 2010-2011. The teams will then make the transition to Division I status in 2010-2011 and 2011-2012, respectively. The men’s club lacrosse team has participated as a probationary member of the Southeastern Lacrosse Conference, a club league. The team has played games against the University of Alabama, Southern Virginia University, Emory University, Palm Beach Atlantic and Kennesaw State University.
Mercer will also be one of the few programs in the Southeast, joining Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and newly established programs at Presbyterian College and fellow Atlantic Sun Conference member Jacksonville University. Currently, there are 64 NCAA Division I men’s lacrosse programs and 89 Division I women’s programs in the nation.
Pope said that the University plans to hire its first full-time lacrosse coach later this year to begin recruiting student-athletes for the teams.
Mercer is the only private NCAA Division I institution in Georgia and currently fields 14 intercollegiate teams, including men’s baseball, basketball, cross-country, golf, soccer and tennis, and women’s basketball, cross-country, golf, soccer, tennis, volleyball and softball. The University also fields a co-ed rifle team.
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Friday, May 15, 2009
Play Ball with the Braves June 6 at Ladies-Only Baseball 101 Clinic, Presented by Publix Super Markets
Women who want to learn more about America's favorite national pastime and hone their baseball skills can register now for Baseball 101 presented by Publix Super Markets. The clinic will take place on Saturday, June 6 at Turner Field, and ladies 18 years of age and up can sign up online at www.braves.com/baseball101 or contact the Braves Community Affairs Department at (404) 614-1435 by June 1.
Baseball 101 offers women the opportunity to learn batting, fielding, and pitching skills from Braves players and coaches. In addition to the on-field clinic, a variety of Braves "guest professors" will host a panel discussion on topics such as scouting, player development, the nuances of baseball, nutrition, and fitness. The clinic will end with an exclusive behind the scenes tour of Turner Field.
Women are encouraged to register soon as space is limited. Registration, which includes two tickets to that night's 7:00 p.m. game vs. the Milwaukee Brewers, is $80 for the Upper Box Package and $110 for the Outfield Package with proceeds benefiting the Atlanta Braves Foundation and the Doris Shaheen Breast Health Center at Piedmont Hospital. In addition to the on-field clinic with Braves players and coaches and two tickets to that night's game, the registration fee includes lunch, a Baseball 101 t-shirt, and a Braves gift bag with an autographed item.
The Atlanta Braves Foundation is the non-profit arm of the Atlanta Braves that actively supports community organizations and their programs within the metro Atlanta area. Since its inception in 1992, the Atlanta Braves Foundation has provided support to thousands of metro Atlanta based organizations and has contributed more than $3 million dollars in financial assistance to the community. Through the generous support of Braves players, employees, sponsors and fans, the Atlanta Braves Foundation continuously strives to improve the quality of life for our youth.
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Monday, May 4, 2009
UGA Women’s Club Volleyball Team wins national championship
The 2009 University of Georgia Women’s Club Volleyball Team recently won the National Volleyball Championships by defeating Ohio University in the Division II finals.
“Opportunities for regional and/or national competition for club sports are sometimes difficult to find, or when available, difficult to fund,” said Kent J. Blumenthal, executive director of the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association. “We appreciate the dedication of the University of Georgia… and the support of the Department of Recreational Sports.”
Members of this year’s championship team are: Elise Cashman, Marietta; Alex Condy, Mt. Pleasant, S.C.; Amanda Crawford and Danielle Crawford, Moreland; Lisa DeCarolis and Bethany Houser, Roswell; Anna Ewing and Kathryn Ewing, Marietta; Lauren Ford, Decatur; Katherine Poss, Newnan; Casey Stoll, Kennesaw; and Valana Vannoy, Stone Mountain.
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Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Shorter Lady Hawks Basketball Enter NAIA Top 25 Poll
Fueled by the 70-63 win over conference foe and nationally-ranked Lee University, Shorter College broke into the NAIA Women's Basketball Top 25 Coaches' Poll at No. 24, the NAIA announced Monday.
This is the fifth regular-season edition of the Coaches' Poll, and the first time Shorter has been ranked after receiving votes in last week's poll.
Shorter (12-5, 7-1) beat the nationally-ranked then-#5 Lee University Lady Flames on the road, 70-63, to gain sole possession of first place in the tough Southern States Athletic Conference.
Nicole Frechette had 18 points (and a team-leading 10 rebounds) in the win was awarded SSAC Women's Basketball Player of the Week earlier in the day.
The road game was the fourth straight for the Lady Hawks as they head into their game next Thursday at cross-town rival Berry College. Tip-off is at 6 p.m. at Berry's Cage Center.
From the NAIA:
For the second straight week Union (Tenn.) received all first place votes to stay No. 1 the NAIA Division I Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll. The Lady Bulldogs earned 312 total points and were a unanimous pick for the fourth time this season.
The next three spots also remained the same for second consecutive week. No. 2 Vanguard (Calif.) held its spot with 300 points while Oklahoma City remained at No. 3 with 294 points and Trevecca Nazarene (Tenn.) stayed at No. 4 with 283 points.
No. 6 Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) remained in its spot with 256 points. Saint Xavier (Ill.) moved up two spots from last week to No. 7 with 250 points and Oklahoma Baptist jumped to No. 9 from No. 13 with 235 points. Columbia (Mo.) rounded out the top-10 after moving up a spot with 220 points.
No. 24 Shorter (Ga.) and No. 25 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) both made their debut in the top-25 this week.
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Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Emory Women's Volleyball Wins National Championship
The Emory volleyball team capped off its storybook season Saturday evening with a 3-1 win over the University of La Verne in the title match of the NCAA Division III National championship. The Eagles closed out their year with a 35-6 record following the 16-25, 25-21, 25-17, 25-22 win over the No. 4-ranked Leopards who finished out the campaign with a 27-3 won-lost ledger. The match was held at the Shirk Center on the Illinois Wesleyan campus in Bloomington, Illinois.
Emory hit 28.1 percent in the match (56-20—128) while La Verne posted a 22.4 attack percentage (47-19—125). Each team totaled 47 digs while the Eagles finished with a 7-5 edge in total blocks.
Emory had a number of players produce outstanding matches. Senior middle Dani Huffman led a balanced offensive attack with 13 kills while finishing the contest with a 36.0 hitting percentage (13-4—25) along with four blocks. Huffman registered four digs, perhaps none more important than one she came up with in the decisive fourth set that fell into the La Verne side of the court resulting in a kill and giving Emory a 21-20 lead. Sophomore Amelia McCall banged away to the tune of 12 kills while senior Maggie Baird and freshman Alexandra Wright each came up with 11 put-aways. Freshman setter Natalie Schonefeld dished out 47 assists and sophomore Kelsey Krzyston and freshman Brannan O’Neill paced the defensive effort with 11 digs each.
Emory stumbled out of the gate in the first game, hitting just 11.5 percent while La Verne countered with an impressive mark of 34.5 percent. However, in games two and three, the Eagles’ offense got untracked and hit 40.6 and 39.3 percent, respectively, in surging to a 2-1 lead in the match. Holding a 19-18 margin in a hotly contested second game, the Eagles made the most of a pair of La Verne attack errors, along with a kill by Amelia McCall, to take a 22-18 advantage. The Leopards drew to within three points on a couple of occasions, but a pair of McCall terminations helped Emory seal that set.
Emory used a pair of kills by both McCall and Huffman in bolting to an 8-2 lead in the third game. After the Leopards crept to within 11-9, a kill by Wright, combined with a pair of attack errors by La Verne and a service ace by Schonefeld boosted Emory’s lead to 15-9. The Eagles eventually built a 22-13 cushion en route to taking a 2-1 edge in the match.
La Verne led during the early stages in game four before a kill by Wright knotted the set at 9-9. The teams battled back and forth and the game was tied on six occasions as the scored settled into an 18-18 deadlock. Eventually, the Leopards went up by a 22-21 count but Emory closed out the contest with a 4-0 run, the winning point coming on a termination by Baird.
Huffman was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Tournament after compiling 49 kills, a 31.4 hitting percentage and 19 total blocks. Also garnering spots on the team were Schonefeld and Wright.
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Monday, October 27, 2008
Women's Soccer and Serafy Etch Names in Athletic History With Win Over Campbell
A second-half, two-goal salvo earned the Bears a piece of Mercer women’s soccer history, as their 2-0 win over Campbell gives the team its first-ever Atlantic Sun regular season championship. Olivia Tucker once again proved the hero for the Bears, heading in the decisive goal from a Meghan Castlado corner in the 56th minute: her second straight game-winner and third goal in as many matches.
Castaldo would then seal the points with an unstoppable blast in the 66th minute as Mercer stretched its lead in the A-Sun standings to an insurmountable five-point advantage over second-placed Kennesaw State.
“This is really the culmination of a lot of hard work and dedication by our players,” Mercer head coach Grant Serafy said. “It really means a lot to this team, not only to this current group of players, but also all our former players, parents, and everyone associated with the program. I couldn’t be prouder.”
The victory was also highly significant for Serafy himself, who becomes the all-time winningest coach in program history with his 39th career win, springing him past Ian Hayley in the school’s record books.
Despite his achievement, Serafy was quick to put the focus back on his team. “It’s nice to accomplish this, but for me, it’s about winning a championship,” he said.
Knowing what was on the line, Mercer announced their attacking intentions early, as senior Erin Theobald found space for herself on the left side of the box, though her cracking shot found the netting on the wrong side of the post.
Tucker would then call Campbell keeper Jamie Panfil into action; the holding midfielder eventually getting on the end of a Heather Manting free kick bouncing around in the box. Her sliding shot, however, was straight at Panfil from a tough angle on the left.
A clever flicked header from Meek then put Johnson clean through on goal, only for the Saint Peters, Mo. native to be thwarted by a late offsides flag.
Soon after, the flag stayed down on Johnson, who got in behind the Camels defense again. Running down the left, the sophomore forward attempted to pick out the far post with an outside-of-the-foot flick, but was denied by the fingertips of an advancing Panfil, who did well to collect the rebound as well.
It was backs to the wall stuff for the Camels, as Mercer sent in wave after wave of attack, and the Bears nearly broke through as Raschelle Riley went on a trademark rampaging run up of the left wing. The fullback’s cross found Tucker in the box, who spun past her marker with a deft first touch, only to be closed down by a vital last second tackle.
Mercer’s defense would need to be sharp soon after, however, as the Camels finally got their first shot on target midway through the first half. After some good work at the endline down the right, Olga Ekblom teed the ball up for Jenna Sullivan. Reigning A-Sun Defender of the Week Lizzy Shaughnessy, however, did well to block the shot down without testing Jean Worts.
The half finished with both teams even in possession. Vanessa Breslin and Katheryn Hurst linked up well in the Camels’ box to set up a scoring chance for Sara Elliot, whose left-footed shot was claimed by Panfil at her left-hand post. Worts then had to be alert to tip over a Hanna Salmen corner kick drifting back toward the net, as the first half ended scoreless.
Just after the restart, Castaldo came within inches of duplicating her heroics against Belmont, as she caught Panfil off her line with a well-weighted lob, only to see her shot land harmlessly on the roof of the net.
The breakthrough was coming, though, and it was no surprise who it came from. Tucker, who has scored big goals for the team all season, won a corner after being double-teamed down on the Camels’ endline. Meghan Castaldo whipped in a majestic inswinger from the resulting set piece, and when Pansil couldn’t get a touch as she came out to claim, Tucker was on hand to head home from close range.
It was a clinical finish from the freshman, and the team-best eighth goal in a sparkling first campaign with the Bears, one that surely now must result in first-team all-conference honors for the Peachtree City native.
“Olivia seems to play well when the team really needs it the most,” Serafy said afterwards, “and that’s the mark of a great player.”
Johnson nearly doubled the advantage immediately after, but saw her shot whistle just outside the near post after a mazy run up the left.
The Bears had their hosts on the ropes, however, and just 10 minutes later, Castaldo would seal the deal with a stunner. Latching onto a loose ball on the right hand side of the Camel box, the senior controlled with her first touch before sending a rocket up into the upper–left corner of the net, giving the Campbell keeper no chance.
Kacie Hudson would nearly add a third for the Orange and Black late on, though Panfil saved easily after the center back was unable to get enough power on shot from six yards out.
The only bit of drama remaining would be to see if the Bears would extend their shutout streak to five straight matches, which they did when Worts was on hand to save Caity Brown’s point blank header off a free kick. And as the clock struck zero, the team sprinted out to celebrate its first-ever A-Sun regular season title.
While acknowledging what the team has accomplished thus far, Serafy and the Bears still recognize that there is plenty more silverware to be handed out in 2008. “We probably won’t reflect on this too much,” Serafy said. “We still have a goal in mind, and that is taking the next step with this team and winning the A-Sun tournament.”
The Bears wrap up their 2008 regular season on the road against Kennesaw State on Wednesday. Mercer will then have next weekend off before heading back to Kennesaw for the Atlantic Sun championship, which will be held Nov. 5-8. Having sewn up the top spot, Mercer will get a first round bye, joining the tournament in the semifinal stage.
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Monday, August 11, 2008
Atlanta to Host Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) Team in 2010
PRNewswire/ -- With the 2008 Olympic Games underway and many fans wondering what's next for their favorite female soccer players, Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) announced today that it has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to expand to Atlanta, Ga. in 2010, the League's second year of play.
Atlanta joins Philadelphia as an expected 2010 WPS expansion city, while host cities named to date for the inaugural 2009 season include Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New Jersey/New York, St. Louis, and Washington D.C. Meanwhile, the League continues to explore additional potential franchises for both the 2009 and 2010 seasons.
Atlanta entrepreneur T. Fitz Johnson, former CEO of Eagle Group International, LLC, leads the local WPS ownership group and is slated to serve as the team's managing partner. A member of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), Johnson holds an Advanced National Diploma from the organization and has extensive ties to soccer at the youth, collegiate, amateur and professional levels.
"Atlanta is well-known throughout the country as being a solid soccer city filled with talented players and enthusiastic fans, so we've had our eye on Atlanta as an expansion market for many months," said Tonya Antonucci, WPS commissioner. "The League is fortunate to have Fitz on board, as we will certainly tap his enthusiasm and business savvy during our inaugural season."
Johnson is a 21-year veteran of the U.S. Army and Army reserve, having earned his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Kentucky, College of Law. Prior to serving as CEO of Eagle Group International, he served as the organization's Chief Counsel, V.P. for Human Resources, Executive Vice President, COO, and President.
"WPS has proven itself to be a smart business venture, with a conservative business plan built on realistic numbers and executive leaders that not only know soccer as a sport, but as a business," said Johnson. "Atlanta soccer fans can now watch the world's greatest athletes play in this month's Olympic Games and know that those same premier players will soon put their talent on display in our city as part of WPS."
"As a League, we want owners who have solid operational business experience, a deep-rooted passion for soccer, and a commitment to the community, as well as extensive local connections. Fitz meets and exceeds these requirements and we look forward to the prospect of adding him as our business partner," said Jack Cummins, a Chicago Red Stars owner who has worked on expansion for the league.
From 2001-2003, Atlanta was home to the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA) Atlanta Beat and was the only team in the League to reach the playoffs every season.
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Thursday, July 17, 2008
Emory Women's Basketball Squad Earns Spot on WBCA Academic Top 25 Honor Roll
The 2007-08 Emory University women’s basketball program was recognized for its collective performance in the classroom, earning a spot on the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll for Division III. The awards recognize teams throughout the nation in NCAA Division I, Division II, Division III as well as NAIA and junior colleges that have compiled the highest grade-point averages for the past academic year based upon nominations submitted by WBCA-member coaches.
The Eagles of Head Coach Christy Thomaskutty held down the No. 4 position on the Top 25 list, fashioning a GPA of 3.50 for the ’07-08 school year. The Emory squad had a strong showing during the recently completed spring semester, posting a 3.53 effort on the academic front. The Eagles were the lone representative from the University Athletic Association (UAA) to make the Top 25. Concordia University (WI) claimed the No. 1 ranking among Division III programs with a 3.637 GPA and was followed by Messiah College (3.627).
“Emory is a prestigious institution that challenges its students to be the best that they can be,” Thomaskutty said. “The team doing as well as it did is a testament to the drive and commitment that the players have for all aspects of their lives.”
South Dakota State University and the University of South Dakota were the No. 1 finishers in NCAA Division I and NCAA Division II, respectively. The GPAs were calculated by dividing the total number of quality points earned by each student-athlete on an institution’s roster in the given academic terms by the total number of hours earned by the team.
