Spartans Kick Off 2007 Season
York, Pa. – After grueling preseason practices, three-a-days, and countless hours in the gym, York College’s fall sports season begins this weekend. The men’s soccer team will host Albright College, while women’s soccer travels to Bridgewater, Va. for the weekend. Volleyball heads out to McDaniel for their Saturday tournament and field hockey visits Albright on Sunday.
As the lone home match of the weekend, men’s soccer begins their 2007 slate on Saturday at 2:00 pm at Graham Field. Currently ranked second in the nation by d3kicks.com, the Spartans bring back a wealth of experience as nine of 11 starters return from last season’s Capital Athletic Conference Championship team. Combined with a stellar recruiting class, Coach Ludwig’s squad has high expectations for the year. All-American forward Andrew Wheeler (Baltimore, Md. / Patapsco) had a great summer playing in the Premier Development League. Wheeler was named a league All-Star and was one of three finalists for the Most Valuable Player award. Including Wheeler, the Spartans return six CAC all-conference performers. Chris Ports (Baltimore, Md. / John Carroll) will look to cap his incredible York College career as he begins his senior season in the green and white. Ports is a three-time CAC first-team selection and was named a first-team All-American in 2006 by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.
The visiting Lions compiled a 2006 record of 8-8-2 competing in the always difficult Commonwealth Conference. Last season, Albright gave the green and white a tough match, as the Spartans needed overtime to notch the 3-2 victory.
York’s women’s soccer team, ranked 25th in the country by d3kicks.com, open their season with a weekend tournament in Virginia. Taking on Widener in their Saturday match, the Spartans will face McDaniel in their Sunday game. After finishing last season with a mark of 14-4-2, the green and white return five CAC all-league players. Senior first-team selections Erin Kuhn (Turnersville, N.J. / Washington Township), Emily Sullivan (Bowie, Md. / Archbishop Spalding), and Katie Kegerreis (Honey Brook, Pa. / Twin Valley) are set to lead the Spartans to another successful season.
Widener University is coming off a 13-7-1 campaign and is led by defender Sam Baer, a 2006 Commonwealth Conference second team selection.
McDaniel comes into the 2007 season with renewed optimism after a 7-10 record. New Head Coach Bryan Shumaker takes over the reigns for the Green Terror following a successful high school coaching career.
Volleyball begins their 2007 campaign at McDaniel College, playing two games on Saturday. The one-day tournament pits the green and white against Richard Stockton at 12:00 pm and will face either McDaniel or Elizabethtown in their 2:00 pm match-up. Seniors Katie Hertz (Glenville, Pa. / Delone Catholic), Lindsay Crider (Greencastle, Pa. / James Buchanan), Laura Krajewski (Livonia, Mich. / Stevenson), and Amy Livelsberger (Hanover, Pa. / Delone Catholic) look to lead the Spartans to a magnificent year. A strong group of newcomers could provide York with those additional pieces to make a push to the top of the Capital Athletic Conference.
Last season, Richard Stockton compiled a record of 26-11 including a 3-0 defeat of the Spartans on October 20. The Ospreys return three all-league performers as they look to defend their 2006 New Jersey Athletic Conference championship.
McDaniel finished their 2006 campaign with a mark of 18-10 while Elizabethtown went 26-7.
Field hockey travels to Albright as they begin their season Sunday, September 2 at 12:00 pm. The green and white compiled a record of 12-9 during the 2006 campaign. Defender Casey Knauss (St. Michael’s, Md. / Easton) returns for her junior year after being named to the All-CAC Second Team last season. A strong off-season both in the gym and on the recruiting circuit has put the Spartans in good position to join the upper ranks of the CAC.
Albright enters the 2007 season coming off a 6-12 mark last year. Logan Nickerson returns in net for the Lions after a great freshman campaign. Named to the 2006 Commonwealth Conference second-team, Nickerson also captured the league’s Rookie-of-the-Year award.
Complete York College fall sports schedules, scores, and stories can be found at www.ycpspartans.com.