GolfWhile most of UR’s students will be enjoying their time at tropical spring break locales, the UR golf team will be busy trying to erase a less than desired season finish that tarnished their early season success last fall.”Our fifth-place finish at Washington and Jefferson [College] left us with a bad taste in our mouth over the winter,” Head Coach Richard Johnson said. This spring, the team will be led by sophomore captain Patrick Shanahan and freshman Stephen Goodridge, who led the team in scoring average last fall.However, if the team is to reach its own lofty expectations this spring – qualifying for the NCAA tournament as a top 3 seed – it will be an entire team effort. Johnson stressed the need for more consistent play from sophomores Colin Quillian and Robert Sherman. Major contributions are also expected from sophomore Joe Derrigo and freshman Matt Cairo.The team’s quest for the NCAA tournament officially begins at the Peter C. Rossin Memorial Classic in Pennsylvania, when all the team’s hard work will be put to the test.-Doug Allard
Men’s TennisThis spring, the men’s tennis team is eager to build upon their stellar fall season. In action last semester, senior Partha Bhattacharya was Intercollegiate Tennis Association regional singles champion while freshmen Thanos Kantarelis and Eric Hansen were the ITA doubles champions.Unfortunately for UR, Bhattacharya is injured and will have to miss playing for the entire spring season. Senior Avinash Reddy played in the number two spot last semester, and the team will look to him to lead them in singles competition this season. In addition to having the strong doubles team of Kantarelis and Hansen, the Yellowjackets also have two other talented teams. The teams are comprised of three seniors and a junior, and they are confident that their experience on the court will lead to additional successes this spring. The Yellowjackets will kick off the spring season in Orlando, Florida next week, where they will play against fellow Division III schools, such as Carnegie Mellon University. During spring break, they will also travel to Middlebury College and will play against both Middlebury and Trinity College.-Allison Ogorek
Men’s TrackThe men’s track and field team is coming off an excellent indoor season. Although they were disappointed with the outcome of the State meet, the team’s second-place finish was its best in years. With the indoor season continuing for several more weeks for many members of the team, there is still much to be accomplished before the team looks to the outdoor season. Because of the team’s indoor success, preparation for the outdoor season is starting later than usual for many athletes. When the team does eventually make the transition, they will continue to build on the strengths that have carried them during the past several months. The relay teams that swept the state meet will once again be relied upon to help the team succeed outdoors. Graduate student Andrew Wunder and junior Matt Tierney have dominated their events all winter and will look to continue that trend into the spring. With a number of excellent middle- and long-distance runners, sprinters and throwers, the team is well balanced but still has some holes to fill. If expectations are met, the team will make up the points it failed to achieve at indoor States and win the outdoor State meet, have a strong Eastern College Athletic Conference meet and qualify a number of individuals and relay teams for Nationals. -David Swidler
Women’s TrackThe women’s track and field team got off to a hot start in the indoor season, but came up short in the State meet. A number of athletes will compete in ECACs and Nationals before the indoor season ends, at which point they will move outdoors. The women have a well-balanced but young team that will try to build on its success from early in the indoor season. Senior Katie O’Brien holds the team record in the 800-meter run at 2:12.20, a mark she set as a sophomore. Last spring, senior Grace Kraay marked 11.81 meters in the shot put to break the school record. Both will look to surpass their own marks this spring. As was the case during the indoor season, the team will use the regular season meets to qualify and prepare for the State, ECAC and National Championship meets in hopes of performing well in all three meets. -David Swidler
Women’s TennisYoung, strong and determined, the UR women’s tennis team is revving up for the Spring 2005 season. Coming off a shaky fall season last semester, the women hope that their off-season training and practice will pay off.But it will not be easy. They will make their first road trip of the season to Orlando, Florida during spring break, where they will face a formidable UAA opponent, Carnegie Mellon University. They will later face other teams that they played against in the fall, such as Skidmore, who defeated the Yellowjackets 5-1.On top of that, the players are very young – six of nine are freshmen. They have all been impressive, but lack the experience that their opponents have.As the players enter the spring season, they need to show that they have matured from last season. Let’s hope freshman Colleen Cross, the number one player on the team, leads the team to this state before the season ends.-Alex Lee
BaseballThe Rochester baseball team will look to improve from their 25-10 record last year with six returning starters in the field and six veteran arms back on the mound. Rochester tied for the Liberty league title with a 9-3 conference record – the first Rochester baseball title.Senior right-handed pitcher Mike Zollweg and junior left-handed pitcher Steve Foley will be the leaders on the mound. Sophomores Brady Noon, Hunter Hawkins and Matt Koren will compete with freshmen Peter McEneaney and John Fishback for the remaining starting positions.Senior Cody Martinez returns to the plate after hitting .300 as a junior. The infield returns three starters, led by versatile senior Adam Braveman who can play either second or short. Junior Dan Pfohl hit .293 last year and brings sure hands as the starting shortstop. The experience and talent in the middle of the infield will be a strong point for Yellowjacket defense. Senior Scott Smith returns at third and junior Mark Jackson will play at first.Sophomore Jon Fanning returns to right field after earning Liberty League Rookie of the Year honors in 2004. He led the team in hitting with a .426 average. The other outfielders will come from a combination of freshmen Jim bard, Mike McCormack, and David Kloc and junior Ryan Hazlett.-Mike Rovinsky
SoftballSoftball looks forward to another competitive season this spring. With 10 players returning, the Yellowjackets anticipate a well-balanced group of players will lead the team to victory.At the end of last season, the team won eight of its last nine games to end the 2004 season with a record of 17-20. Returning to the pitching rotation are juniors Nina Long and Jen Moshier. Accompanying them is freshman Alicia Citro and sophomore Sam Carr.Sophomore Jena Robertson will play behind the mound at shortstop, providing strong infield support. She will be playing alongside a team of veterans including sophomore Rachel Ashkin at third base and junior Laura Rubinchuk covering first base. Senior Bridget Baran serves as a striking force in the team’s lineup, having batted .277 last year scoring 15 runs and driving 12 players in. -John Serafini
