Sports Information Department – 112 Dods Hall
Phone (716) 673-3100 / Fax (716) 673-3136

CONTACT: Jerry Reilly,
Sports Information Director

DATE: Wed., Aug. 30, 2006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Fall Preview

Both soccer teams earn first-place votes

FREDONIA, N.Y. -- Fredonia State soccer teams continue to earn the respect of SUNYAC coaches.

In addition to earning a pre-season ranking in two national polls, the Blue Devil men received four first-place votes and were chosen second by SUNYAC coaches with 85 points.

Plattsburgh, with five first-place votes, is the pre-season No. 1 choice with 90 points.

The Oneonta women garnered 10 of a possible 11 first-place votes in the distaff pre-season SUNYAC poll, with Fredonia State receiving the remaining vote. The Blue Devils are picked No. 4 by SUNYAC coaches.

Fredonia State's other fall teams also will look to move up in the standings.

A string of successful regular seasons has the women’s volleyball team yearning for a SUNYAC championship. Meanwhile, the men’s and women’s cross country teams and the women’s tennis team will look to build on the individual accomplishments that clearly resulted in overall team improvement in 2005.

Each of the teams will have their first regular-season action this weekend. The men's and women's soccer teams have season-opening games Friday vs. Wheaton College at Wheaton's Bob Baptista Tournament. Also Friday, the women's volleyball team has three matches -- beginning at 2 p.m. vs. Skidmore -- in the first round of the 2006 Red Dragon Classic at SUNY Cortland.

On Saturday, the women's tennis team will compete vs. Geneseo, while both cross country teams will take part in a meet at Case Western Reserve.

Here is a brief look at each of the fall teams:

Men's Soccer

Fresh off one of the most impressive seasons in Fredonia State men's soccer history, the Blue Devil men may have even higher expectations of themselves than ever before. When head coach P.J. Gondek addresses his players, he has told them that the 2005 season changes nothing.

"Yes we advanced deep in the NCAAs," he said. "And, yes we have a 3.3 million dollar stadium going up. But every year our goal is the same - win the SUNYAC championship and receive an automatic berth to the tournament.

"Last year we did things the hard way receiving an at-large berth. We had to play well all season, not just for a week in the SUNYACs."

The Blue Devils used the at-large bid as a springboard to one of the more impressive runs by any team in last year's 57-team tournament. Overtime wins over Carnegie-Melon and John Carroll preceded a shootout victory over Calvin College and a spot in the NCAA Elite Eight.

The quest to reach the semifinals ended with a 2-0 loss to Gustavus Adolphus the following afternoon. Still, the Blue Devils had earned enough respect to receive a No. 15 ranking in the final 2005 NCAA D-III men's soccer poll. They authored 19 shutouts in 25 games -- third best in the country.

As a result of last year’s success, national pollsters have taken notice this fall. The Blue Devils open the season ranked No. 15 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Division III poll, and at No. 21 by D3Kicks.com.

Third Team All Region and First Team All SUNYAC forward Matt Mahaffey (Lakeview/Frontier) and Third Team All SUNYAC forward Trevor Ianni (Rochester/Gates Chili) is among several key returning players. Mahaffey is a senior, Ianni a junior. Junior defender Lee Wilson (Fairport/Fairport), a scorer of clutch goals last season, and senior midfielder Alex Parker (Pittsford/Pittsford Mendon) are the team captains. Also back are sophomore defender Matt Smith (Lockport/Lockport), the third-leading scorer in 2005, and several players who earned valuable playing time as underclassmen last season.

First Team All Northeast Region goalkeeper Matt Borchard and First Team All-SUNYAC sweeper and co-captain Bryon Thoin are among the players lost via graduation. The search for their successors will be two early-season storylines.

"I personally believe talent is not the issue," Gondek said. "It could come down to how quickly we can assimilate all these new faces into a cohesive unit that are all on the same page."

Women's Soccer

Danielle Bleecker (Pittsford/Pittsford Mendon) and Linsay Kulas (Rochester/Aquinas Institute) are the top returnees from one of the most successful teams in school history. The Blue Devils posted an 11-7-4 record, including a 6-3-1 mark in the State University of New York Athletic Conference. The 11 wins are second most in school history, while the six conference wins set a new single-season school record. Among the highlights was a first-ever SUNYAC Tournament win and an ECAC Upstate Tournament win.

Bleecker and Kulas were each named to the 2005 National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-Northeast Region Third Team as sophomores. They were also New York State Collegiate Athletic Association all-stars while Bleecker, a defender, was the lone First Team All SUNYAC selection among five Blue Devils cited by conference coaches in 2005. Kulas, a midfielder, and then-freshman goalkeeper Becky Scroger (Spencerport/Spencerport) made the Second Team. Scroger played every minute of every game last season.

“Our defense looks to be pretty solid again this year,” head coach Chris Case said, who returns two of four starters, including captain Jess Poliseno (Lakeview/Frontier). "We have several returnees in the midfield looking for that starting role.”

Key losses include all-time leading scorer Jessica Weiser and Anita Salinas. Both were All SUNYAC honorable mention selections as seniors. They also received honorable mention in 2004, while Salinas was a First Team Choice in 2003.

Women’s Volleyball

The 2006 Blue Devils look for a fifth straight 20-win season and their first SUNYAC championship. Fredonia State has been one of the more dominant regular season teams in the Northeast region the last few years.

“We need to prepare for the playoffs better,” head coach Geoff Braun said, “by adjusting our focus a little and keeping our value of the team concept, a solid work ethic, and integrity closer to our hearts.”

The team returns its leader in kills from last year in two-time All-SUNYAC player JaHanna Dixon (Hamburg/Frontier). She will be making the move to the middle of the court and should become more of a factor at the net with blocking. Two more of the top five offensive players from last year also return with middle hitter Stephanie Degolier (Cassadaga/Cassadaga Valley) and Amy Bertrando (Westfield/Westfield). Degolier is the lone senior on the roster -- she and Dixon are co-captains -- and is looking to help the team move forward with her strong all-around game in the middle. Bertrando brings excitement to the offense on the outside with her leaping ability and versatility. Sophomore Tonja Royce (Forestville/Forestville) is another returning player looking to contribute offensively.

Defensively, the team returns its core of specialists who all contributed a great deal in 2005. Paula Baire (Lancaster/Nardin) led the team in digs last year and looks to be an integral part of the team along with sophomores Val Grell (Lancaster/Lancaster) and Katie Schaller (Marilla/St. Mary's).

Two of the more decorated players in the history of the program have graduated in middle hitter Elizabeth Schaller and all-time leading setter Traci Pieczynski. With their departure, some of the younger players will look to contribute more. Alyssa Torpy (West Henrietta/Rush-Henrietta) will take over the offense after learning the offense last year as a freshman. She has the ability and the character to lead the team to success.

“I am excited for Alyssa, Braun said. “She really worked hard last year and in the off-season and is eager to get started.”

Men’s Cross Country

Having finished 20th and 10th in the last two NCAA regional meets, the Blue Devils will be looking for their third straight year of improvement led by a trio of seniors. Andy Forma (Elma/St. Francis) is coming off a SUNYAC track and field championship in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, while Kevin Buzzelli (Grand Island/Grand Island) and Jason Smith (Queensbury/Queensbury) have been two of the team’s top five runners the past two years. Sophomores Matthew Wysocki (Clifton Park/Shenendehowa) and Chris Walters (Tonawanda/Sweet Home) were No. 6 and No. 7, respectively, last season.

The key loss via graduation is David Mink, while Michael Pond – fifth at last spring’s New York State Track and Field meet in the 10,000 meters – has transferred to another college. “His loss will be felt,” head coach Nolan Swanson said. “He was the No. 1 or No. 2 man at every meet he ever ran for the Blue Devils.”

Two runners from 2005 Class A state champ Queensbury High School are expected out for the team – freshmen Tom Williams and Jared Newell. Williams was ninth and Newell 33rd at the state meet.

Women’s Cross Country

The return of seniors Ashley Tramp (Buffalo/Kenmore East), Aimee Milks (Binghamton/Chenango Forks), and Rachel McNamara (Lakeview/Nardin) has Swanson feeling the Blue Devils might regain a top five placement in the SUNYAC meet later this fall. All three were contributors to the Blue Devils’ best-ever second-place standing in 2004. The team fell back to fifth last season.

Tramp ran 18:56 for 5,000 meters at Hamilton last season, the fastest time of the year by a Blue Devil woman. Aimee Milks clocked 19:02 on the same course, while McNamara has turned solid times all three seasons she’s competed. Also returning is junior Samantha Ellwood (Hamburg/Hamburg), the No. 5 woman on the 2004 team, and sophomore Trisha Ippolito (Angola/Lake Shore), who lowered her best high school 5K time of 21:51 to 19:59 as a college freshman.

Graduation claimed Alison Morgan and Liz Luebbe, both of whom cracked the top five last season. In their stead, Swanson expects to add a large recruiting class this fall with as many as nine new runners. Among them is Jessica Bennett (Rochester/West Irondequoit), whose best 3,000-meter time last spring at as a high school senior was 10:32. That time would already place her No. 3 on Fredonia State’s all-time track and field performance list.

Women’s Tennis

The Blue Devils are coming off one of their most successful seasons in team history in which they placed fifth in the conference championship tournament, up from a low of 12th place six years ago.

Elise Daigler (North Tonawanda/North Tonawanda) is back for her sophomore season after leading the team in wins and reaching the SUNYAC finals in her division as a freshman. In addition, seventh-year coach Joe Calarco may likely return each of his singles starters from a year ago, led by No. 1 player, junior Brittany Pagano (Silver Creek/Nequa Valley, Ill.), and three-year starter and senior Ellen Engel (Rochester/Irondequoit). Pagano and Engel are co-captains.

In addition, 12 new recruits -- the largest group yet during Calarco’s tenure -- will challenge the veterans for starting positions. “Each year the team has grown stronger and we continue to improve on the court,” Calarco said. "Not only have the players improved in skill and ability, but also mentally and emotionally."

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