Author Archives | Emily Dykstra

Norton looks to raise bar in sophomore campaign

In sitting down with Noah Norton, a sophomore on the Tech golf team, it quickly became evident that he is one of the most competitive student athletes to grace Tech’s campus.

The top ranked amateur of the Jackets hails from Chico, California and brought significant talent to the table in his first year under the direction of head coach Bruce Heppler. Before coming to Atlanta, Norton won two matches in the 2017 U.S. Amateur, advanced to match play at the U.S. Junior Amateur, and advanced to the finals of the California Amateur among other accomplishments.

When asked about last year’s performances, Norton mentioned that he and the team overall had a strong showing, but acknowledged that there is always room for improvement. As a freshman, he led the Jackets with four top-10 finishes and ranked second with a 71.43 stroke average, courtesy of ramblinwreck.com.

The Jackets did not qualify for the NCAA Finals after missing out by just one stroke this past season, which Norton will chase with his team this year. He was the only freshman named to the NCAA Regionals starting team last season, along with graduate Chris Petefish and current juniors Andy Ogletree, Luke Schniederjans, and Tyler Strafaci, an experienced bunch.

His remarkable resume is matched by his passion for golf, a sport in which he says he was not always so talented. Norton first picked up a club at age five when his grandfather, an avid golfer himself, introduced him to the sport. It took him about seven years to find his groove, as one might expect from a child, but he remembers making the decision at age 12 to pursue the life and career of a professional golfer. He came across the realization that his hard work could outwork someone else’s talent at an early age. That philosophy has clearly served him well, as he continues to compete at an elite level with the Jackets.

As he reached high school, the stages got bigger, and stakes have continued to increase in college. The transition from his high school team to that which he finds at Tech was “a lot smoother than expected,” Norton said. He attributed the ease which he found to the fact that he had the opportunities to participate in high-level competitions before joining the Jackets. Of course, the collegiate competitions have slight variances and offer a different mindset than that of competing as an individual, but the layout and amount of pressure is comparable to that found at the elite amateur tournaments, he adds.

Norton faced a tough summer after sustaining a back injury towards the end of his freshman year, but his resolve has not waned. The Jackets face a tough schedule, but Norton expects them to continue to rise in the ranks as a team. Although he acknowledges that “everyone is going to say they’re better than last year,” he believes that the team as a whole has gained expertise. Specifically those that are returning and played last year such as Andy Ogletree, Tyler Strafaci and Luke Schniederjans have improved their yardage and putting precision in the eyes of Norton.

He highlighted the talents of each of the three incoming freshman, a spot that he was in just a year ago. The freshmen will push the rest of the team to strive for the NCAA Championship. Connor Howe is a “consistent, hard worker” who brings quite a few different accolades into the program, such as a top-50 national ranking and four years of all-state honors from Utah. Luka Karaulic, a native of Georgia, has “athletic moves” that Norton thinks will serve him well in his collegiate endeavors. Last, but not least, Bartley Forrester is a walk on from Gainesville, Ga. that Norton says will be able to hone in on his mechanics to progress his current skills and add depth to the roster.

“I believe that I am good enough,” Norton says when asked if he believes he has the material to become the best in his sport. While most collegiate athletes would say the same, one can tell that Norton stands behind his words with an unmatchable level of intensity. He will no doubt be a major contributor in determining the team’s trajectory this season.

Posted in UncategorizedComments Off on Norton looks to raise bar in sophomore campaign

Tech kicks off season against Alcorn State

Tech fans can rejoice; the first football game of the season is right around the corner. The home game will feature the Alcorn State Braves at Bobby Dodd in a competition that will provide the long-awaited unveiling of Nate Woody’s new defensive scheme. Furthermore, the non-conference game will be the first time that the Jackets will play in the new Adidas uniforms. 

The last time the Jackets and Braves competed was in 2015, where the Jackets won handily at home, 69-6. The Jackets have never lost to an FCS opponent and it seems unlikely that they would break that trend this year, even with the changes to the defensive formation and coaching staff. These changes will most likely make a bigger visible impact down the road for the Jackets when facing conference rivals, as well as the school down the road, but the Braves are not to be overlooked. 

The Braves averaged 30 points per game on offense last season and will be returning quarterback Noah Johnson, who has appeared in 17 games thus far in his career. Johnson’s backup, Felix Harper, also saw a small amount of playing time last year, getting to throw for three games. Although the quarterbacks are experienced, their receivers only returned one of the top five, making Johnson’s targets slightly unpredictable. Johnson has also thrown nine interceptions in his 17 games, so it would not be surprising if the Jackets caught a few. 

Look for returning player P.J. Simmons to lead the way in rushing yards for Alcorn, but there is not a clear second option behind him. Three of the six running backs are freshmen, creating a great position for growth in the team behind Simmons, who finished last year with 687 yards and seven touchdowns to his name. Another player to keep an eye on will be wide receiver Chris Blair, who transferred in from Hinds Community College and had an offer to play at Mississippi State, an SEC program, before joining the Braves. 

The Jackets have greater depth than the Braves do, but the opposing team will test their work over the summer installing a new defensive scheme. After last season, the Jackets can rely on quarterback TaQuon Marshall to lead the team, but his backup position remains up in the air. Lucas Johnson, the assumed backup quarterback at the beginning of the summer, is out due to a non-contact injury suffered during camp. 

Behind Marshall and Johnson are Tobias Oliver, James Graham, and Ryan Lantz. Oliver made fierce competition for Johnson in regards to the backup quarterback position, so it seems that he will be a shoo-in now with Johnson out of the picture. 

Graham and Lantz are both freshmen who will probably not play in this game, but will likely add loads of talent to the roster in the coming years. Marshall focused on his passing game, a point of weakness for the starter, over the past spring and summer months and will be a dual threat.

Including Marshall, nine starters return for the offensive line including play making running backs Qua Searcy, KirVonte Benson, and Clinton Lynch. Lynch is back after an injury that kept him from seeing much time on the field last year, while Benson will likely lead the way in yards after a phenomenal 1,053 yards alongside six touchdowns last season. The Jackets finished last season ranked fifth in rushing yards, averaging 307 yards per game, owing significant thanks to Benson’s play.

Head coach Paul Johnson is returning for his eleventh year with the Jackets but faces the challenge of acclimating the team to the new defensive formation under defensive coordinator Nate Woody. 

Woody’s 3-4 formation will be a welcome change for Tech fans who watched the defensive line struggle last year. There is plenty of talent on the Jackets defensive line, but it is up to Woody as to how he will position each player. Team captain Brant Mitchell will man the middle linebacker spot, with bigger athletes such as Brentavious Glanton and Desmond Branch expected to play on the ends of the line. 

Last year, linebacker Victor Alexander led the defensive group with 60 tackles and two sacks, but his position is changing to one more on the outside of the line this year. 

Although the Jackets have their fair share of injuries in supposed-to-be starting lineman Kenny Cooper and Lucas Johnson, the number of returners looks promising. 

The defensive line seems confident in their new formation, but it will truly become clear as to where they stand after this weekend’s game against the Braves. While the game should technically be one of the easier wins for the Jackets and Johnson, it will also serve as a baseline to see where the team is at headed into the season after a grueling summer. 

Tech and Alcorn State last faced each other three years ago, when the 2015 Jackets were coming off an Orange Bowl win and were highly ranked. 

The 2018 Jackets, however, are coming back from a losing campaign. All roads back to national relevence must go through Alcorn. 

Posted in UncategorizedComments Off on Tech kicks off season against Alcorn State

Men’s golf primed and ready to take final step

Tech men’s golf team enters this season just as they entered last season — with a chip on their shoulder. After finishing out the season with its seventeenth ACC Championship win in North Carolina, the ninth title in the past 13 years and the twelfth under current head coach Bruce Heppler, the Jackets lost a spot in the national tournament by one stroke, a bit of deja vu for the team, who the year before had also lost a spot in the event by a single stroke.

Tech will return three All-ACC members this year: Noah Norton, Luke Schniederjans and Tyler Strafaci all received the honor last season and are set to return this season under ACC Coach of the Year Heppler. Chances favor that the Jackets will progress this year to the next level with more experience under their belts and the hunger that comes with an opportunity denied.

Along with the returnees, Heppler has brought in three new athletes for the class of 2018. Connor Howe, Luka Karaulic, and Bartley Forrester all will add serious depth to the roster while learning from those that have been around a little bit longer.

Howe hails from Ogden, Utah and signed his letter of commitment back in November along with Karaulic. Howe was ranked as high as No. 41 in his class and helped his high school team to two state championships. Howe consistently finished in the top 10 of multiple junior golf events in the past year and has his sights set on the PGA Tour in the future.

Karaulic ranked No. 180 in his class and No. 7 in his home state of Georgia. A Lawrenceville native, he may yet draw some local fans to Tech’s matches. His last two years of high school resulted in an all-county selection, as well as showing as a Daily Post Super Six pick. While transitioning to his college career, Karaulic tied for 23rd at the Southeastern Amateur in Columbus, GA over this past summer.  Karualic’s athletic nature runs in his blood — his father, Branislav Karaulic, was a 1988 Olympian for Yugoslavia in the 400-meter hurdles.

Forrester is another Georgia native, traveling down south a little further to Atlanta from Gainesville, who signed his letter of intent last April for the Jackets despite interest from some Ivy League schools. Forrester’s name may sound familiar to Tech golf fans — Bartley Forrester is the nephew of Carlton Forrester, a former Jacket All-American in the same sport. In the younger Forrester’s junior career, he was ranked as high as No. 76 nationally and won multiple championships, including the Hall County Boys Championship, the Coal Mountain Golf Classic, and the Athens Junior Classic.

The three incoming Jackets will add fresh talent to the roster and should be sufficient in replacing the talent of Chris Petefish, an All-American scholar, across the three of them. Although there will be growth and learning to be done, the three can expect to contribute to the team from the get go while growing accustomed to the collegiate playing field.

The Jackets were ranked among the top 10 teams in the nation in the latest polls by Golfstat (No. 6) and the Golfweek/Sagarin Index (No. 8). Over the summer, Strafaci became the first undergraduate Jacket to compete in the U.S. Open in 20 years, while juniors Andy Ogletree and Luke Schniederjans each posted top 10 finishes in the Monroe Invitational and The Dogwood, respectively. Additionally at the Monroe Invitational in New York, Howe and red-shirt freshman Ben Smith tied for No. 31 and No. 58 in the field standings, respectively.

As many Tech students had busy summers abroad and completing internships, golf took full advantage of the break, continuing to compete and conquer over the summer months.

With the loss of a bid to the NCAA national tournament fresh in the returners’ minds, they will surely be after a place in that tournament this season. Heppler will undoubtedly do his best to prepare the team, as he has over the last 23 years, but in the end, it is in the competitors’ hands.

A fourth straight year left out of the cold when the NCAA Tournament rolls around would be a heavy burden for the players and coaches alike, especially given the Jackets’ regular season success. With the influx of new talent and strong new members, however, it seems that this may be the year the streak is broken.

Posted in UncategorizedComments Off on Men’s golf primed and ready to take final step

Incoming volleyball class replaces four graduates

After graduating four seniors that contributed significant statistics and playing time on the court, the Jackets are pulling in yet another phenomenal freshman class. The seniors were Ashley Askin (outside hitter), Gabby Benda (setter), Gabriela Stavnetchei (outside hitter) and Sydney Wilson (middle blocker). Each of the women were key players in different positions and led by setting an example of what a Tech volleyball player should strive to be.

Rising fourth-years Lauren Frerking (middle blocker) and Coral Kazaroff (libero) are alone in age, but the team has enough experience and leadership under its belt to build on the momentum created from last year’s tumultuous season, which saw wins and losses at near random intervals. Kazaroff transferred from the University of Virginia before last season, but has been able to train and help the other liberos, Sam Knapp and Emily Becker, prepare for the competition that she will also hope to personally face this year.

Head coach Michelle Collier, who began coaching the Jackets in March 2014, along with help from the assistant coaches was able to recruit an incoming class which was nationally recognized by PrepVolleyball.com with highest honorable mention. For each senior that departed, two talented freshmen come to add value in their absence. The eight women consist of Mariana Brambilla (outside hitter), Gabi Dolan (outside hitter), Lexi Dorn (setter), Mikaila Dowd (outside hitter), Kayla Kaiser (outside hitter/middle blocker), Matti McKissock (setter), Breland Morrissette (middle blocker), and Maddie Tippett (libero/defensive specialist).Those that play the position of outside hitter, including the eleven returning women, will be asked to step into the shoes of the two seniors that graduated. Similarly, there are spaces to fill for both the position of setter that Benda left behind, as well as Wilson’s middle blocking position, the latter of which will be easy to fill with either Frerking or junior Kodie Comby.

Brambilla hails from Brazil, just as Collier and Stavnetchei do, bringing vast international competitive experience that will make the transition to collegiate athletics not as much of a challenge. Dolan is from just down the street in Marietta, where she attended The Westminster School and assisted her team to a state championship during her four years at the varsity level. Dorn is unique as a transfer from Purdue University. She has collegiate experience, as well as international experience as a competitor for Croatia during her junior year of high school.

Dowd came to Tech as an early enrollee in January, so she had the chance to form relationships with the women that will be by her side for the next few years. She honed the opportunity to work out with her fellow teammates and train at a higher level. Kaiser has quite a few awards to her name, including Kentucky’s 2017 Ms. Volleyball by the Kentucky Volleyball Coaches Association, as well as several state championships and Region Player of the Year. From her stats alone, it appears that Kaiser will be a heavy contribution to the Jackets, especially with the outside hitter position being short two experienced players at this point in time.

McKissock played at The First Academy in Orlando, finishing up her time there as a captain and receiving the most outstanding player award during her senior year. Morrissette is another middle blocker who brings significant talent to the table, highlighted by her membership of the AAU National Championship 17s squad in 2017. Maddie Tippett served as a varsity player at Saint Pius High School for all four years, while capping off her high school years by serving as a captain.

From the awards and accomplishments that are easy to study as statistics, it is clear that the incoming freshmen class deserves the recognition that they have received thus far. It will be intriguing to see which women step up to the plate during their first year of collegiate athletics. Each player brings her own unique set of talents, but it will be up to the coaches to position the team to provide the best scenarios.

Collier released the schedule for the upcoming season on July 10. The season opens with the annual Gold and White scrimmage, but the first official match will take place at the Hyatt Regency Invitational in late August. Numerous matches will take place on the Jackets territory, giving the team a home court advantage that will serve them well and hopefully result in a record-setting season.

Posted in UncategorizedComments Off on Incoming volleyball class replaces four graduates

2020 initiative gains momentum for the future

On June 7, the Tech athletics department publicly released renderings and ideas of new buildings regarding their Athletics Initiative 2020, along with goals regarding funding and endowments within the department.

The goal of this initiative is to address the needs of the student-athletes while making events and buildings more friendly for spectator events, donor visitations and those coming to examine Tech as a possible future school.

Todd Stansbury, the current Director of Athletics at Tech, has made it his mission to build upon the excellence that the Jackets have worked hard to achieve both in and out of the classroom. He has adopted the term “Everyday Champions” when describing the student-athletes and how he sees the culture of the athletics department. His goals ever since he arrived at Tech in 2016 have involved establishing and refining the culture of Tech athletics in a way that will allow the student-athletes to succeed at the highest level. Stansbury has done this through the creation of new student-athlete-led clubs that allow for a focus on what the student-athletes show specific interest in, such as real estate or medicine, along with increased connections between faculty and the students on a day-to-day basis.

The initiative aims to raise $125 million for facilities, endowments and operations within athletics while addressing needs that have long existed, especially in terms of renovations. The majority of the funding is intended for facilities renovations, including that of the primary athletics Edge/Rice Center building, phase II of the Russ Chandler baseball stadium’s renovation, the completion of the football locker room renovation and an overhaul of both the men’s and women’s basketball locker rooms.

The three pillars of the initiative encompass these improvements along with an emphasis on endowments and gifts to the Athletic Scholarship Fund to support those to come. The athletics department relies not only on the alumni who have risen through the ranks, but also on the future generations of those who enter the athletics association to support a legacy.

The perks of these changes will be visible through the provision of new tools within the athletics department when it comes to building student-athletes and recruiting those that come next.

As of June 14, $28 million had been raised towards the initiative. There are multiple renderings of the various facilities as well as a video of the entire plan.

More details and specific funding numbers can be found at www.gtathl.com/2020/.

Posted in UncategorizedComments Off on 2020 initiative gains momentum for the future

Spring football game predicts future seasons

The annual Spring Game came on the heels of a training season where the Jackets looked to improve the aspects of their game that led to a sub-par regular season. Two new, yet unrelated, aspects that made their mark before the fall season were Nate Woody’s arrival from Appalachian State to take on Ted Roof’s former position of defensive coordinator, along with the first implementation of Tech athletics’ new clear bag policy. The game resulted in a blue team win over the white team with a score of 24-14, as well as a few takeaways to help guide the Jackets and their coaches into the upcoming year.

The most notable part of the game was the lineup of players on the field. The majority of the key players that head coach Paul Johnson will look to for leadership were on the sidelines cheering on their respective teams for a variety of reasons ranging from injury and sickness to family events. Some of the players not actively participating included starting quarterback TaQuon Marshall, guard Parker Braun and safety A.J. Gray, the latter of which will have to sit out his last season due to a heart condition. The Jackets will rely on the older players to make key plays during regular season, so thankfully the only player that will miss significant time is center Kenny Cooper following lower body surgery earlier this year.

In order to make the spring game run smoothly, Johnson placed Jahaziel Lee in Cooper’s position as first-string center. Lee typically plays left tackle, but Cooper has not had much backup in the past and could be looking to Lee in the event that his surgery recovery takes longer than expected. Similarly, the rest of the offensive line on both teams lacked depth during the game, relying mostly upon freshmen talent from offensive linemen Hamp Gibbs and Connor Hansen on the white team and Zach Quinney and Charlie Clark on the blue team.

The showdown for second-string quarterback between Lucas Johnson and Tobias Oliver will be something to keep an eye on in the fall. Both players had their fair share of missed throws, but both also have outstanding athletic ability that will serve them well over the next few years as they follow in Marshall’s footsteps.

Senior A-back Clinton Lynch appeared to be back and better than ever after knee surgery about a year ago and an injured hamstring last season, which is good news for the rest of the team. Lynch’s contributions to the blue team consisted of 3 carries for an accumulated 28 yards, along with a reception that resulted in a 33-yard touchdown. The Jackets can count on Lynch to continue to bring a resilient attitude as he strives to top the stats he put up during his freshman and sophomore years.

From a defensive perspective, things looked different for the Jackets as they ran the new “attack-style” 3-4 defensive alignment that Nate Woody favors. The problem with this style is that the current defensive Tech players were recruited with the old 4-2-5 alignment in mind, which means that players will be shifted around to find the position that suits them best with the new defensive coordinator. Several transfers such as defensive back Malik Rivera, long snapper Zach Roberts and offensive lineman Jack DeFoor did not have the chance to play in the game, but will be expected to be active in future games.

Special teams involvement was kept to a minimum as zero kickoffs were performed during the scrimmage, yet punter Pressley Harvin and kicker Brenton King were able to play for both teams and show their skills. Harvin’s best punt had a hang time of 4.6 seconds according to myajc.com, while King was 5-for-5 on extra point attempts.

Overall, the Jackets seemed to be off to a relatively good start after a long season of spring training. The missing players definitely threw the coaching staff for a loop when trying to assign positions and establish leadership for both teams, but the Jackets should be back in full swing by the time regular season rolls around. With a strong senior squad including captains TaQuon Marshall and Brant Mitchell, the younger players will have experienced role models that will expect the team to perform at their best amongst a consistently tough conference.

The Jackets will open their  upcoming 2018–2019 season against a team that lies in another conference, Alcorn State, at home in Bobby Dodd on September 1 before competing against in-conference rivals such as Clemson and Pitt on national television later in the season.

Posted in UncategorizedComments Off on Spring football game predicts future seasons

Swimmers excel at NCAA Championships

The swimming and diving season concludes with championship meets, the highest level of which is the NCAA Championships. The women’s championships are held a week before the men’s, but both competitions often result in new American records and times that shatter previous barriers in the swimming and diving realms. The Jackets had five athletes in total compete at the meets — one woman and four men that already have their names spread across the Tech Swimming and Diving record boards, even as two of them are only freshmen.

After nearly three years of competing for Tech and a near-invitation to the national meet last year, Iris Wang was invited to the 2018 NCAA Championships in Columbus, Ohio specifically for her 100 freestyle, while also having the chance to race in the 50 and 200 freestyle events. After setting multiple school records throughout the regular season, the Chinese Olympian excelled in her sprint freestyle events — the 50, 100, and 200 freestyle — at the postseason meet.

Wang’s history of competition at the highest level not only made her a fitting candidate to be invited to the NCAA, but also likely calmed her nerves. After representing China in the Olympic Games, Columbus was likely less daunting.

Going into the meet, Wang was ranked No. 17 nationally in the 100 free, but ultimately finished in No. 19 overall with a new school record of 48.21 seconds. This race was preceded by her other two races of the week, the 50 free in which she broke her own school record with a time of 22.54, and the 200 free in which she raced to her third-fastest time during the season. Her 50 free placed No. 37 for the Jackets, while her 200 free was awarded No. 32 place overall, both impressive marks at the national level.

Wang was the fifth female swimmer to be invited to the NCAA Championships in the 18-year history of Georgia Tech’s Women’s Swimming and Diving program. The Industrial Design major will compete for the Jackets one more year and can be expected to lower her own records while leading the rest of the team as a senior next season.

On the men’s side, the four competitors consisted of one diver (Matt Casillas) and three swimmers (Christian Ferraro, Moises Loschi, and Caio Pumputis). The meet was held in Minneapolis, Minn. the week following the women’s championships so the men knew how high the bar, which Wang had set for them, was. Loschi returned for his third NCAA Championships, while it was a new experience for the rest of the Jackets.

The first day of the meet consisted of the men acclimating themselves to the environment and pool while preparing themselves for the rest of the week. Caio Pumputis and Christian Ferraro, the two freshmen swimmers, took charge on the second day of the meet with the 200 IM, a race that tests all strokes and is acknowledged as one of the most interesting events to watch due to the uncertainty of the winner until the last 25 yards of the race. Pumputis finished No. 36 with a time of 1:45.54, while Ferraro placed No. 45 with a time of 1:48.24. Pumputis was eight tenths off of his career-best time, but had multiple events left to set a new bar.

On the third day of the meet, Pumputis and Loschi competed in the 100 breaststroke, tying for No. 34 place with a time of 53.53. The team record sits at 52.86, which the men will be working to take down over the next year. Ferraro placed No. 35 in the 100 butterfly with a time of 46.67, ranking in the top 10 times by a Jacket in the event.

The final day of swimming was highlighted by top-25 finishes by both Loschi and Ferraro in the 200 breaststroke and 200 butterfly, respectively. Both men placed 21st in their events, while Matt Casillas placed 31st in the men’s platform dive after placing a remarkable sixth place at the Zone B Championships a couple of weeks prior to the NCAA Championships. Unfortunately, Pumputis received a disqualification for his 200 breaststroke performance due to a small butterfly kick towards the end of the race.

Although Wang scored more points at the NCAA Championships than those who competed for the men’s team, the Jackets had a strong showing overall at the meet and are eager to improve going into next year’s championship season. Swimming does not have much of an offseason, so these athletes will be training and competing through the summer and preparing to blow the next season out of the water. The coaching staff was sure to note how proud they were of the athletes, yet how much improvement can still be made moving forwards. The incoming class of athletes will have high expectations considering that two of the five NCAA performers were freshmen this past season.

The goal of Tech’s swim and dive team is to become a top 25 program in the nation on both sides of the team in the near future while achieving in the classroom as well. As a team that is often known for having one of the highest average grade point averages within the Georgia Tech Athletic Association, it is clear that the athletes are well on their way to achieving that goal.

Posted in UncategorizedComments Off on Swimmers excel at NCAA Championships

Softball starts season of renewal, top down

Tech’s softball team will enter the 2017-2018 season with the thrills of mystery and anticipation. A new coaching staff and  young team, including a relatively large group of freshmen, will try to bring the team back to prominence. The 2017 season marked the end of former head coach Shelly Hoerner’s time with the Jackets, as Athletic Director Stansbury announced the decision to choose a new head coach for the team in the upcoming season: Aileen Morales.

Morales, a former student-athlete with the softball team at Tech who had previously acted as the Jackets’ assistant coach after her college career, played and coached during a span in which the team reached four Atlantic Coast Conference championships, four ACC Tournament titles, eight NCAA regionals, and an NCAA Super Regional. She has experience leading a softball team as well, coming from Young Harris College and Radford University, where she served as head coach following her time at Tech. At both universities, Morales saw significant bouts of success, including numerous wins and the turnaround of an NCAA Division I program at Radford. Furthermore, she has international experience as both a player and as a coach with the Puerto Rican national team, which could work out well for a team that has been known to travel outside of the mainland for tournaments.

Joining Morales is a new pitching coach, Alison Owen, as well as Kate Kantor who returns as a volunteer assistant coach and Charisse Mariconda as the Jackets’ hitting and outfield coach. Owen spent time as an assistant coach for the Akron Racers after pitching for the team between 2014 and 2016. Born and raised in Georgia, Owens attended school and played softball at Mississippi State for two years, posting leading stats and helping the team to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances.

Kantor joins Morales as a returner to the Flats and former standout player for the Jackets. Her team reached three regular season ACC Championships, as well as three ACC Tournament Championships, while she was twice named All-ACC, All-ACC Tournament, and an All-Region selection. She was an essential member of a team that reached the NCAA Super Regional Tournament for the only time in Tech’s history. Before working as an assistant softball coach at Duke, primarily with catchers, outfielders, and hitters, Kantor was a graduate assistant coach across the Research Triangle at UNC. She also served as the tournament director for several tournaments, including the ACC/Big Ten Challenge in which Tech plays annually.

Mariconda comes directly from the position of assistant coach at Fordham University and is spoken highly of by her colleagues. She played at Virginia Tech during the same time span as Morales, creating an interesting and competitive environment for the two to work within and instill in the players of which they now share oversight. Morales and Mariconda also competed together as players on the Puerto Rican National Team, so the two have quite a bit of history which will hopefully build upon the chemistry of the team itself.

The freshmen have already gotten some collegiate experience under their belts in the classroom, but also will be expected to make an impact on the field. All nine freshmen were four-year letterwinners at their respective high schools and a few also participated in multiple sports during their four years, making the team extremely athletic and versatile.

The team will be led by seniors Malea Bell, Kendall Chadwick, Kelsey Chisholm, Emily Anderson and Draven Sonnon, all of whom are originally from Georgia, barring Chisholm who hails from Jacksonville, Florida. Anderson, Chisholm, and Sonnon all wrapped up the last season with notable stats, while Bell was praised for having a breakout year at third base after starting for all 48 games of the past season. Each of the seniors spent a good amount of time starting in their respective positions last season.

The Jackets announced their 2018 schedule at the end of December, a schedule which features powerhouses within the ACC such as Florida State and North Carolina, as well as non-conference matchups such as Alabama and Georgia. It was also revealed that Mewborn Field will be the home of the 2018 ACC Tournament in early May, an exciting event that the Jackets hope to participate in. Conference action becomes the most prevalent in March and April, with series against North Carolina State, Virginia Tech and other rivals.

The team kicked off its season last week with what was projected to be a four-game series in Gulf Shores, Ala. The Jackets lost two games to Lipscomb and Florida A&M in close but very different matches. In the first game, Tech took Lipscomb all the way to extra innings, and lost 1-0 in eight. In the second, they battled a shootout with the Rattlers, falling 8-6. The 6-0 lead Florida A&M amassed in the top of the third inning was just too much for the Jackets to overcome, despite their best efforts.

Nevertheless, there was plenty of upside. After freshman Naomi Dickerson surrendered 6 earned runs in 2.1 innings, sophomore Brooke Barfield stepped in for the remainder of the game and only surrendered one earned run. If Barfield translates that solid outing into long-term success, she could be the solid starter the pitching staff needs.

Posted in UncategorizedComments Off on Softball starts season of renewal, top down

Golf readies for Amer Ari

Tech men’s golf team consists of a small, yet impactful group of individuals who look to build on the success they experienced in the fall season. Last year, the men finished the season with a national ranking of No. 22 behind schools that included conference foes such as Clemson, Wake Forest and Duke University, with SEC powerhouse Vanderbilt sitting atop the list.

The estimated potential rankings for the upcoming season were listed by Golfstat and included a potential ranking of No. 16 if every single player was one shot better per round. Tech’s reputation only increased from there onwards, placing them at No. 3 nationally in the same rankings by the end of November. After opening the fall season with a win over highly ranked Alabama at the Carpet Capital Collegiate, the depth and experience of the team showed throughout 2017.

Tech’s success starts at the top with head coach Bruce Heppler. He was named an honorary Tech alumnus at the beginning of 2018 and was honored on Jan. 25 as part of the Alumni Association’s Gold and White Honors Gala. Heppler has coached the team to 11 ACC championship appearances in the past, along with sixteen trips to the NCAA finals, but is still in the pursuit of a national title with Tech. Last year, the Jackets did not perform as well as they would have hoped at ACC’s and missed out on a trip to the National Championship by one shot at the regional tournament, which has unfortunately been typical in recent years. Heppler, along with assistant coach Drew McGee and the rest of the team, will strive to better their performances from last year in the hopes of appearing at the national championship this year.

While the Jackets’ rise through the rankings has been impressive, it has hardly been sudden. It started over the summer, when six of the competitors qualified for the United States Amateur Championship in California, including freshman Noah Norton. The men performed well across the country in the events which they chose to compete. Looking forward, the team has already secured two commitments from the class of 2018, Connor Howe from Utah and Luke Karaulic of Georgia.

The team is led by four seniors in James Clark, Jacob Joiner, Chris Petefish and Michael Pisciotta. Clark will be redshirting this year, but has served as part of the Tech lineup for all but three events in his career.  Joiner qualified for the U.S. Amateur over the summer by winning a qualifier and can be expected to build on his success from last season. Pisciotta advanced out of a U.S. Open local qualified over the summer and has been an essential player since coming to Tech as a top-ranked player in the state of Georgia. Lastly, Petefish also qualified for the U.S. Amateur over the summer and played in numerous events leading up to the season that will bolster his confidence and ability to perform in key situations without losing his nerve.

The season has been off to a good start with the experienced team, including two wins over the course of four tournaments and second and fourth places in the other tournaments. Those top finishes have put Golfstat’s relatively conservative preseason prediction to shame.

This weekend, the team is in sunny Hawaii for the Amer Ari Invitational, the first tournament of the spring season. The Atlantic Coast Championship tournament in late April will be held at Old North State in New London, North Carolina, a familiar ground for Heppler and the rest of the team.

Posted in UncategorizedComments Off on Golf readies for Amer Ari

Women’s basketball readies for season

Coming off a tremendous win over the Union Lady Bulldogs, Tech women’s basketball is prepared to build on the performances that led them to last year’s Women’s National Invitational Tournament finals. Although the official 2017–18 season will not begin until Nov. 10 at Appalachian State, Tech competed abroad in Italy over the summer and has begun preparation for tough competition within the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

The Jackets lost four players after the 2016–17 season — Katarina Vuckovic, Cha’Ron Sweeney, Simina Avram and Chelsea Guimaraes — but are reloading with the talent of powerful freshmen and a star transfer for the new season. As head coach MaChelle Joseph enters her fifteenth season with the Jackets, she begins another season of introducing youngsters to the realm of college ball while building on her history as the all-time winningest women’s basketball coach at Tech.

Four freshmen are on the move to make their mark on the court: guards Taja Cummings and Kierra Fletcher and forwards Lorela Cubaj and Daijah Jefferson were ranked as the twelfth best recruiting class in the country by ProspectsNation.com. The freshmen were praised by Joseph and their teammates for their positive attitudes and bountiful energy, as well as the accomplishments and work ethic that they bring.

Taja Cummings is a 5’6” player from nearby Alpharetta with state championships from her last two years of high school under her belt. She understands that college sports are played at a quicker pace, but she is ready to attack the game along with her teammates.

Kierra Fletcher, who stands at 5’9”, led her high school in Michigan to three district championships and one state championship during her junior year. Coach Joseph sees Fletcher growing into the shoes of senior Imani Tilford next season, after Tilford moves on from Tech.

Lorela Cubaj is a 6’4” guard hailing from Italy with vast international playing experience, including playing time with the Italian National Team. Cubaj was ranked as the second-best international prospect by ProspectsNation.com and makes an impact with the two other Italian women who play the same position — senior Antonia Peresson and sophomore Francesca Pan.

The most versatile of the new faces, Daijah Jefferson hails from Virginia and can be expected to play an essential role in the defensive portion of the Jackets’ game. Like Cubaj, Jefferson was ranked highly amongst her peers and will strive to live up to the expectations her coach and teammates hold.

But Tech is more than its recruiting class. The Jackets are merely reinforcing the foundation that they built up last season in their deep postseason run. Returning for this season is the core of the Jackets’ success last season: Pan, Seniors Zaire O’Neil and Imani Tilford and Junior Kaylan Pugh each averaged nine or more points per game, and O’Neil and Pugh posted five or more rebounds per game. Pan is also the reigning ACC Freshman of the Year and looks to improve on her already stellar 2016–17 campaign.

The exhibition game hosted Sunday, Nov. 5 created a positive feeling for the Jackets moving into the 2017–18 season. While the media anticipates that Tech will finish a modest No. 9 in the conference standings at the end of the season, the team’s fresh talent and cumulative experience could lead to a more impressive season than has been predicted.

Posted in UncategorizedComments Off on Women’s basketball readies for season