With fall and winter sports ending, our Guilford College spring sports teams have been training and preparing for the coming 2014 season.
Here’s a look at what to expect:
Baseball
Head baseball coach Nick Black ‘02 believes there is a different mindset on the team.
“We have a really good group of guys that come out and work hard every day,” said Black.
The team was selected seventh in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference coaches’ preseason poll. They had nine starters return from last year’s squad.
“Macon Smith (and) Corey Wallace both had a really good season last year,” said Black. “Herc Ingles plays really well, and Mike Whitted, a first-year starting senior, should do well.
Softball
The women’s softball team practices year-round, and the results are paying off.
“More unity and more teamwork, that is what you should expect to see,” said senior first baseman Rachel Howard. “We have a better connection this year, and you will see that on the field.”
Their conference is never easy, but they are striving for excellence.
“Cynthia Hays, Casey Snead and Marty Wilcox brought it last year, so I expect them to do the same this year,” said Howard.
Men’s Lacrosse
The men’s lacrosse team was selected seventh in the ODAC preseason coaches’ poll. With a growing team comes more success.
“We have the biggest team we have ever had, so this should help us compete better against the bigger schools,” said senior defender James Hulette.
The men’s lacrosse team is a young team, but they are still a team to watch out for.
Many of the team’s key players, like sophomore attacker Adam Fiore, junior goalkeeper Thomas Deane and junior defenseman Nick Huckins, are returning for the 2014 campaign.
Women’s Lacrosse
The women’s lacrosse team was selected second place in the ODAC preseason poll based on their perfect regular-season 10–0 finish.
“The girls are even hungrier for success coming up this season, especially trying to make the goal of winning (the) ODAC this year,” said head women’s lacrosse coach Sarah Lamphier.
They also have a lot of key players returning, and Lamphier believes that if there is any year to make a deep playoff push, this will be the year.
Highlighted by All-American E’lyena Garcia, six of the seven 2013 All-ODAC performers return this season for the Quakers. This includes senior sisters, Lily and Becca Colley, senior Celine De Perlinghi, junior Nora Keene, sophomore Summer Fowler and sophomore Lizz Carella. They should all stand out again this season.
Tennis
This will be a different season for the Quakers’ tennis team. With new and fresh talent, junior tennis captain Turner Votipka is looking forward to the season ahead.
“We have a bunch of new freshmen,” said Votipka. “Three are starting, so hopefully, the new talent comes in and makes up for the seniors we lost.”
The ODAC coaches’ preseason poll ranked the men’s team fourth and the women’s team seventh. With all the talent, Votipka feels that both teams should be successful.
A few standouts to stay tuned for are Votipka, first-year Levi Bruff, junior Haley Andrews and junior Allison Hewitt.
