Wake Forest Athletics News

This Week at Wake Forest

September 1, 1998

MEN'S SOCCER KICKS OFF 1998 SEASON WITH NIKE-WAKE FOREST CLASSIC
Fifth-year head coach Jay Vidovich and the Wake Forest men's soccer team kick off the 1998 campaign this week as the Demon Deacons host Virginia Tech on Tuesday, Sept. 1, at 7 p.m. at Spry Stadium. In addition, the squad hosts the 10th Annual Nike-Wake Forest Soccer Classic on Friday and Sunday, Sept. 4th and 6th. This year's tournament field features WFU, North Carolina, San Francisco, and St. Bonaventure (NY). (See right for complete tournament schedule).

The Deacons return six starters from last year's team, which finished 10-10 overall after a rollercoaster year. Leading the way for Vidovich's squad is senior midfielder Kyle Bachmier, a native of Winston-Salem, who led the team with nine assists last fall. Also returning are junior goalkeeper Sean Connor, who recorded 7.5 shutouts in 1997, as well as junior defender Chad Evans, who was selected to the second team all-Atlantic Coast Conference squad last year.

The addition of several promising newcomers as well as the return of two talented veterans who missed last season has Vidovich extremely optimistic about his team's chances in 1998.

VOLLEYBALL OPENS 1998 WITH DEACON INVITATIONAL
Volleyball season opens with a fury this weekend as Wake Forest hosts the Deacon Invitational on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 4-5 in Reynolds Gym. The event features five teams - Wake Forest, Oklahoma, Marshall, St. John's and Appalachian State - and 10 matches over two days. (See right for the complete tournament schedule).

Third-year head coach Mary Buczek welcomes back all six starters from last year's squad that finished 8-24 overall. Leading the way is junior outside hitter Katie Horne, who last year broke the school record for kills in a season with 451. Sophomore setter Julie Cowley returns after redshirting in 1997 with a back injury.

Buczek also brings in a talented freshman class to join the 11 returning letterwinners, headlined by outside hitter Trina Maso de Moya, who has been impressive in preseason practice.

WOMEN'S SOCCER VISITS CHARLESTON & S. CAROLINA
The Wake Forest women's soccer team gets its season underway this week with two road matches. The Demon Deacons will visit College of Charleston on Wednesday, Sept. 2 at 7 p.m. and then travel to South Carolina for a match on Friday, Sept. 5 at 7 p.m.

Under the direction of second-year head coach Tony da Luz, the Deacs welcome back eight starters and 18 letterwinners from last season's squad that finished 11-8-2 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season. Leading the way is senior midfielder Stefanie Mathews, who earned second team all-Atlantic Coast Conference honors last season with eight goals and six assists, as well as junior midfielder Anne Shropshire, who led the squad with seven assists in 1997.

Da Luz also ushers in a talented freshman class that was ranked among the top recruiting classes in the country. All five freshmen will have an immediate impact, including forward Emily Taggart and midfielders Sarah Kate Noftsinger and Stacy Roeck, who all won starting jobs in preseason practice.

MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY BEGINS AT CHARLOTTE CROSS COUNTRY RELAYS
The Wake Forest men's cross country squad, under the direction of 15th-year head coach John Goodridge, gets the 1998 season underway at the Charlotte Cross Country Relays on Saturday, Sept. 5.

The meet will give Goodridge his first look at the 1998 squad, which will feature a number of new faces. Wake's top returnees are senior Matt Shady, a three-year veteran of the program, as well as sophomore Stephan Pro, the lone returnee from the top five cross country runners last fall.

Wake Forest will be looking to continue an impressive string of success in cross country, having finished either first of second at the ACC Championship in each of the last 10 years. The Deacs own four ACC titles under Goodridge.

FIELD HOCKEY OPENS 1998 SEASON WITH ACC/BIG TEN CHALLENGE
The 1998 Wake Forest field hockey team opens its 1998 season this weekend in St. Louis, Mo., at the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The Demon Deacons will take on Northwestern on Saturday, Sept. 5, and then battle #11 and defending Big Ten champion Michigan on Monday, Sept. 7.

The Deacons return eight starters from last season's team, including the leading scorer in sophomore Jenny Everett. Head coach Jennifer Averill welcomes back a total of 14 letterwinners, including five seniors from last year's 8-11 squad. Among them are second-team All-South Region Amy Marchell, Lisa Andries and Kelly Simon. Junior Kelly Malinoski, also an All-South Region pick, returns for her third season of competition.

Add three extremely talented freshmen to the mix and that equals to a promising outlook for the 1998 campaign.

WOMEN'S HARRIERS START SEASON AT APPALACHIAN STATE INVITATIONAL
The Wake Forest women's cross country team, led by head coach Francie Goodridge, opens the 1998 season with high expectations at the Appalachian State Invitational in Blowing Rock, N.C., this Saturday, Sept. 5.

The Demon Deacons return each of their top seven runners from last season, including junior Janelle Kraus, who was the 1997 ACC Cross Country Champion and earned All-America honors after winning four individual titles during the season. Sophomore Kelly Brady also returns after earning all-ACC honors in her rookie season.

The Deacs are coming off one of their most successful seasons in recent memory, finished second at both the ACC Championship and the NCAA Southeast Regional and finishing 17th at the NCAA Championships. With the entire squad returning for 1998 nearly intact, Goodridge is looking for even more success this fall.

MEN'S GOLF OPENS 1998 CAMPAIGN AT JORDAN INTERCOLLEGIATE
The Demon Deacons swing into action this weekend with their first fall tournament, the G. Gunby Jordan Intercollegiate, held Sept. 5-6 at Calloway Gardens in Columbus, GA.

Second-year head coach Jerry Haas lost three starters to graduation and will look to seniors Michael Capone, Juan Vizcaya, and Oscar Sanchez to lead the charge this year. In addition to the three seniors, junior Jamie Gallacher and freshman Jay Morgan will play for the Deacs this weekend. Wake finished 14th at the NCAA East Regional last spring, missing the NCAA Championships cut for the first time since 1990.

Men's Soccer:
Tues.  VIRGINIA TECH            7 p.m.
Nike/Wake Forest Classic
Fri.   UNC vs. St. Bonaventure  6 p.m.
Fri.   WF vs. San Francisco     8 p.m.
Sun.   UNC vs. San Francisco   12 p.m.
Sun.   WF vs. St. Bonaventure   2 p.m.

Volleyball: Deacon Invitational Fri. Oklahoma vs. St. John's 11 a.m. Fri. WF vs. MARSHALL 1 p.m. Fri. Oklahoma vs. App. St. 3:30 p.m. Fri. WF vs. ST. JOHN'S 6 p.m. Fri. Marshall vs. App. St. 8 p.m. Sat. Marshall vs. Oklahoma 10 a.m. Sat. St. John's vs. App. St. 12 p.m. Sat. WF vs. OKLAHOMA 2:30 p.m. Sat. Marshall vs. St. John's 5 p.m. Sat. WF vs. APP. ST. 7:30 p.m.

Women's Soccer: Wed. at College of Charleston 7 p.m. Fri. at South Carolina 7 p.m.

Field Hockey: at ACC-Big Ten Challenge, St. Louis, MO Sat. vs. Northwestern 3 p.m. Mon. vs. Michigan 2 p.m.

Men's Cross Country: Sat. at Charlotte C.C. Relays

Women's Cross Country: Sat. at Appalachian State Invitational

Men's Golf: Sat.-Sun. at G. Gunby Jordan Intercollegiate Columbus, Ga.