It was a busy day for Falcon and Mid-American Conference athletics yesterday. Add all the news from the past couple days and you can tell it’s almost time for the fall sports schedule to take off.
After athletic directors dominating the week’s headlines, the action returns to the field – with preseason rankings, injuries and more.
Falcon volleyball BG’s volleyball team was picked to finish third in the MAC East by coaches in the 2009 preseason poll.
Ohio and Miami are expected to finish one and two in the East while defending champion Western Michigan was picked to win the West and the conference.
Last season, the Falcons finished second in the MAC East but lost three key starters – Chelsey Meek, Meghan Mohr and Kendra Halm. The team has another trio of seniors and begins action tomorrow at the Duquesne/Robert Morris Invitational.
Women’s cross country The MAC released its annual cross country preseason coaches poll yesterday, with the Falcon women ranked eighth of 12.
Miami was picked to repeat as MAC champions on the women’s side.
The Falcons are returning three runners from a squad that finished fifth last season. The team will get its season underway Sept. 4 with a dual meet at Toledo.
Men’s cross country The Falcon men’s cross country team was picked to finish last in the conference in the preseason coaches poll.
Kent State – a team that finished third last season – and their five returners were picked to win the conference.
The men’s team will also open at the same Toledo dual meet on Sept. 4.
Starks sidelined Buffalo’s record-setting running back James Starks will miss the 2009 season.
Starks has a labral tear in his shoulder that will require surgery. He was set to be a fifth-year senior and does not have any college eligibility left.
Pegged as an NFL Draft prospect, Starks holds several UB records including 3,140 yards rushing, 34 touchdowns rushing and 222 points score.
The Bulls were the favorites to win the MAC East this season, and this will undoubtedly be a blow to the team’s offense.
Akron men’s soccer Akron’s men’s soccer team was ranked in the top 5 of another preseason poll, this time grabbing the No. 2 spot in Soccer America’s poll.
The Zips already have earned a No. 1 ranking by Top Drawer Soccer and a No. 3 ranking by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.
Akron lost Steve Zakuani – the No. 1 pick in last season’s MLS Draft – from last year’s squad but do have a pair of preseason College Soccer Network All-Americans in junior midfielder Anthony Ampaipitakwong and sophomore defender Kofi Sarkodie returning.
The Zips advanced to the Sweet 16 in last season’s NCAA Tournament.
EMU scoreboard A video board at Rynearson Stadium – Eastern Michigan’s football home – is nearing completion.
The board is being built into the existing scoreboard. EMU partnered with Daktronics, Inc., for the project – which also includes a new audio system.
See a video of the progress at www.bgnewssports.com.
