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SKIING
Winter is rapidly approaching, and Middlebury's ski teams are fired up for the coming season.
Headed by coach Andrew Gardner, the nordic team is looking to improve on the impressive results of last year. The team, said Gardner, "[wants to] continue the momentum we had from last season and capitalize on our carnival win and successful NCAA campaigns." Bolstered by a large class of first-years, the team has good depth this year, losing only two seniors. The team will focus on the Middlebury Carnival and NCAA's this winter. Beyond the college circuit, some of the team will race at US Nationals in Ankorage, AK and qualifiers will head to Europe for U23 & World Junior Championships. Both Gardner and captain Tim Reynolds '09 point to the closeness of the team and a wealth of experiences as strengths.
"Our greatest strength is that we know who we are and what we're doing," asserted Gardner. Predicting a good season, Reynolds said to "look for Panthers at the top on the results page across the board."
The Alpine team, coached by Steve Bartlett, is also looking to build on last year's results in the upcoming season. The team's goals are laid out simply by Bartlett: "win more carnivals [and] strive for a NCAA championship." Despite a lack of depth after graduating nine seniors last year, Bartlett is confident that the underclassmen can fill the gaps.
On the women's side, the skiers to watch are Mattie Ford '09, Tucker Burton '10, Lindsay Kraft '12 and Tasha Woodworth '12, all of whom are major forces in the college circuit. For the men, of particular note is captain Billy Wagner '10, who had three wins last year and is looking for a NCAA individual title. Captain Jon Hunter '11, Jake Lund '11 and Bobby Poehling '12 are also skiers who hope to take top places in carnivals. According to Bartlett, "The Middlebury Carnival is our showcase event and NCAA championships is the event we hope to peak at."
- Martin Breu, Staff Writer
WOMEN'S HOCKEY
As the women of Middlebury hockey retrieve their uniforms from the equipment room and return to the ice at Kenyon Arena this week, they will begin the rigorous training for which the hockey program is known in the hope of regaining their status as one of the top Division-III hockey teams in the country.
After a disappointing end to the 2008 season in which the Panthers experienced early losses in both the NESCAC semifinals and the NCAA quarterfinals, the women look forward to a more successful season built on changes in team mentality.
"There is a lot of great team chemistry going on this year," said goalkeeper Lani Wright '10. The addition of a number of first year athletes has also brought new energy to a team that graduated four key players last spring, and it seems that rejuvenation was a bit overdue.
"The first years suit our team perfectly. They fit in great and that makes a huge difference," said Wright. "They bring a lot of personality to the team, and have very positive attitudes. They will also be vital offensive and defensive players this season."
This positivity will contribute to the team's current focus on taking cues from past weaknesses in team structure to develop and implement necessary changes.
"I think we have learned a lot of lessons from last year, especially about responsibility and positivity," said Wright. "As we are trying out new systems and new positions, players are really stepping into bigger roles and that will make a huge difference."
With reinforced team unity, the Panthers look forward to recovering their reputation as the team to beat in the Northeast.
- Emma Gardner, Sports Editor
MEN'S HOCKEY
Perhaps it is unfair, but given the lofty expectations cultivated by the Middlebury men's hockey program over the last decade and a half, last season can only be described as a disappointment. The Panthers' loss in the NESCAC title game and subsequent lack of bid to the NCAA tournament have left a bitter taste in the mouth of Middlebury's returning players - one that they are all to eager to remove.
"Last year was certainly tough to swallow for the guys that were here," said Mason Graddock '09. "We have a long way to go but the team is more fired up than we have ever been for a great season."
After struggling to score at times last year, Middlebury has decided to scrap its historically effective but unorthodox 2-2-1 offensive-zone set-up. Instead it will use the more traditional 3-2 scheme in an effort to create more offensive opportunities. As the team adjusts to the new scheme, Jamie McKenna '09 and Graddock will be counted on as both playmakers and scorers, while Charlie Townsend '10 will look to build off a breakout offensive season that saw him finish in the top-five on the team in goals despite missing several games due to an injury.
On the back-line, the Panthers should benefit greatly from the returns of Chaz Svoboda '11, Bryan Curran '11 and Michael Kretschmer '11, each of whom had very successful first-year campaigns.
Between the pipes, Doug Raeder '09 is now the unquestioned starter after splitting time with Ross Cherry '08 for the last three seasons. If he can find the form that helped him lead the Panthers to the NCAA championship during his rookie season, Middlebury will certainly be in good hands.
After last season's disappointment, look for Middlebury to return to top form.
"I think the upperclassmen have all realized what needed to change," said McKenna. "We all addressed that together, starting last spring, and we are taking the team in the direction that we think will lead us back to the success we have had in the past."
- Peter Baumann, Sports Editor
SQUASH
The men's and women's squash teams are looking toward new goals and new successes under head coach John Illig in the upcoming 2008-2009 season.
After the men's squad's first season with varsity status last year, Middlebury is quickly gaining a reputation as a force in college squash. Last year, Middlebury finished with an 11-13 record, earning victories over NESCAC rivals Conn. College, Colby and Wesleyan.
The team is looking to build on its enhanced reputation through a combination of senior leadership from players such as co-captains Jack Lysohir '08.5 and J.P. Sardi '09, and younger talent including returners like Micah Wood '10, who went 3-0 at Nationals last year. A very strong class of first-years will also strengthen the ladder.
"While squash is often considered an individual sport, we are very much a team," said Lysohir. "I think our camraderie and our depth will help when we get into those tough team matches that often come down to a single match, or even a single game."
After a 10-9 season in '07-'08, the women's program is also aiming high.
"We have some strong freshmen and returning players from abroad that make our ladder very deep," said Virginia Shannon '11. Shannon also noted that "we had a few really close matches against big rivals like Amherst and to pull out the close wins this year we are going to have to all contribute at all standings on the ladder."
After a semifinal finish in the Walker Cup, the Panthers are looking for more NESCAC success under the leadership of co-captains Sally Hatfield '09, Brooke Farquhar '08.5 and Caroline Woodworth '09.
On head coach John Illig, Shannon said, "He has done some great things to improve the program. We are just rising up to a high level of competition and that is an exciting prospect for the team."
"There is a very positive atmosphere down at the courts this year, thanks in large part to the leadership and vision of Coach Illig," added Lysohir.
Middlebury students should be sure to catch both the men's and women's teams in action at their home openers against Hamilton on Nov. 16.<
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- Kevin Carpenter, Staff Writer
SWIMMING AND DIVING
The Middlebury men's and women's swimming and diving teams are anxious to begin their season - which kicks off Nov. 22 at Connecticut College, where they will compete against the Conn. College Camels and the Tufts Jumbos.
The men swimmers are looking for strong performances out of many returning competitors, including the national qualifiers John Dillon '10, Kevin O'Rourke '09, Zach Woods '09 and Schuyler Beeman '10. The team did lose some seniors, including Robbie Burton '08, and will also be lacking Patrick Burton '10, who is spending the year studying in Brazil. However, Peter Swanson '09 says he is "sure all of the upper classmen and freshman will step it up" and be able to fill the shoes of the graduated Panther swimmers.
The underclassmen are going to have to contribute much in order for the 400 and 200-meter medley relays to maintain their strength of last season. There are also a number of incoming first-years expected to make their mark this year. One name to watch for is rookie backstroker Will Griffin '12.
The women swimmers are also looking for the returners to spark the success of the 2008-2009 season. The Middlebury women lost some strong swimmers, including Marika Ross '08, who won two straight NCAA titles in the 200 fly, and Pam Chatikavnij '08, a member of the All-American 200 and 400 free relay squads. The team will be looking to Catherine Suppan '09 and Katie Remington '10 to lead the Panthers in the pool this season.
The men's and women's diving team is also excited to begin competing. "We have been one of the strongest diving programs in the NESCAC in recent years," said Brooks Farrar '10, "so we will certainly try to compete well and uphold our reputation amongst the league." The team, since graduating four of its six members last season, is greatly anticipating the addition of two first-years. In particular, the team is excited to see Farrar - diver of the year in 2006-2007 - return to the diving board after taking the 2007-2008 season off.
- Molly West, Staff Writer
INDOOR TRACK
The indoor track season looks to be a promising one for the Panthers. Centered on a core of strong distance runners, the team hopes to build on last years performance. Add to the mix a bevy of young athletes, especially the strong first-year class, and the season should be one to behold for the Middlebury College student.
"We lost a lot of really talented runners, jumpers, and throwers," said Abhishek Shripad '11, "but we expect the new crop to be one of the strengths of the team." The new athletes will also help to improve the sprints and hurdles, two areas where the Panthers aim to be much stronger. The indoor season has only four meets, and therefore consistency is going to be a major goal.
"If we want to improve from last year," said Shripad, "I think we'll just have to be more consistent across the board."
The indoor season is also a great opportunity to get into shape and gain momentum going into the outdoor season, which is going to be the real test for the Panthers.
"The measure of a good indoor season isn't necessarily the times," said Shripad, "it's what position the team is going into the outdoor season."
The goal of the team more than anything is to stay healthy and work on building chemistry. With a strong indoor season, the stage is set for an even stronger outdoor season. This is something the team is really looking to put together, so that when the time comes, they can capitalize on it.
- James Schwerdtman, Staff Writer
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
After the success of last season, the women's basketball team hopes to make a return to the playoffs with a focus on defense.
Using a mix of speed and power, the team hopes to "create a tenacious man-to-man defense that will be sure to shake teams," said co-captain Ashley Barron '09.
Barron and fellow co-captain Emily Johnson '09 are the returning starting guards who led the team in scoring last season, both averaging double digits in points per game - the only Panthers to do so.
With their speed at the guard positions and strong play in the post from their forwards, the Panthers have added to their lineup a new offense that the team is excited to see in action.
While the team has a considerable amount of experience, the players look forward to a strong performance from their rookie class. Describing the first-year players as "talented and hard-working," Barron believes they will "largely contribute to the success of the team."
After getting ousted from the championship by a strong Tufts team in the first round of the NESCAC playoffs last year, the Panthers are hoping to make a deeper run this year. They finished the season last year with a record of 13-12, an improvement upon the previous season's losing record.
The season kicks off Nov. 15 with a game against The College of New Jersey in the Stevens Institute tournament, followed by Middlebury's home opener on Nov. 19 against Lyndon State.
- Brian Swenson, Staff Writer
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Last year, the Middlebury men's basketball team reached the NCAA Division-III tournament for the first time in the program's history. Not surprisingly, the team is placing high expectations on itself as it gears up for the 2008-2009 campaign.
"We are excited about the upcoming season," said head coach Jeff Brown, who is beginning his 12th year at the helm. "We have an experienced group of core players and we will look to build on what we accomplished last season."
According to Coach Brown, this year the team enters the season with a balance of strong offense and defense. Captain Ben Rudin '09 will run the up-tempo transition game along with Tim Edwards '09.5, while veteran center Aaron Smith '09 and 6'9'' Andrew Locke '11 will be the focal points of the attack down low.
Perhaps the most exciting part of Middlebury's offense is its multitude of three-point threats, which represented a staple of the team's success last season. Kyle Dudley '09 and Ashton Coghlan '11 can both hit the three with ease; last year, the two guards accounted for 33 percent of the team's total three-point buckets. In addition, Matt Westman '09, Kevin Kelleher '10 and Ryan Wholey '11 can also knock down the trey.
One challenge facing the long-range shooters this year is the expanded three-point arc, which was moved one foot back this season for all divisions of college basketball. Coach Brown, however, believes that all these players are capable shooters who will have no trouble adjusting to the new distance.
The defensive side is looking similarly strong for the Panthers. Last year, Middlebury led the nation in blocked shots (6.2 per game), with Locke and Edwards among the top in the conference. Additionally, the team's overall speed enables it to implement a high-powered full court press, which it will not hesitate to use when looking to increase the tempo of the game.
One area for the team to improve in, according to Coach Brown, is free-throw shooting; the Panthers shot only 66 percent from the line last season.
Overall, the Panthers are in a good position as they look to build upon their historic success last season. According to Coach Brown, "We expect to compete for the regular season title and host the NESCAC tournament."
- Jeff Klein, Sports Editor
Winter Sports Preview
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