Fall into the new athletic season

By Dennis O'Donnell

Rochester Sports Information Director

Matt Kelley '05 (No. 91) and Matt Simon '06 (No. 95) will lead a veteran defense for the Yellowjackets this fall.

ead football coach Mark Kreydt '88 has numerous reasons to feel good about the upcoming season. The Yellowjackets have the necessary parts of the puzzle for success: depth, maturity, experience, and skill. Much of Kreydt's optimism stems from the large number of returning players--11 on offense and 13 on defense.

"We are deeper than we've been in my years here," Kreydt says. "We were very young last year. We're not that young this year."

The UCAA has been renamed as the Liberty League with three new members: the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Those three schools join the five charter members: Rochester, Hobart, RPI, Union, and St. Lawrence. The winner of the round-robin schedule earns an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III playoffs.

"This is a great opportunity--and a great challenge--for our players, our program, and our coaching staff," says Kreydt.

Rochester opens the 2004 season on the road at Johns Hopkins University on September 4. The home opener against St. John Fisher College is set for September 11 at 7 p.m. On October 9, during Meliora Weekend, Rochester will play a home game against the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.

Other teams to watch

Men's soccer, which won four straight ECAC championships, plays five home games between September 1 and 11. Opponents will keep a wary eye on All-American forward Nate Micklos '06, who scored 14 goals last season. . . . Women's soccer reached the ECAC championship game in 2003. Three of the top four scorers are back, including Karen Forsythe '05, who had eight assists in 2003. . . . All-State selections Liz Loveless '05 and Susan Johnson '07 lead a number of veterans on the women's volleyball team, which reached the ECAC semifinals last year. . . . The field hockey team, led by regional All-American Erin Charnow, will make a run at a Liberty League playoff spot. . . . Men's and women's cross-country host the UAA championships on October 30. . . . Women's tennis hosts the Liberty League championships on October 9 and 10.

Tune in

WYSL Radio 1040 AM will broadcast all 10 University football games as well as all 19 men's and women's basketball games. The broadcast can be heard over the station's Web site. A link will be placed on the Rochester football and basketball pages at www.rochester.edu/athletics.

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