By: David Chavez & Jenna Wilson
Football 2016
Head Coach: Tim DeRuyter
2015 Record: 3-9
Returners: 32
Predicted Finish: 4th in Mountain West-West Division
Players to Watch: Jamal Ellis (CB), Brandon Hughes (OLB), Chad Olsen (TE), Aaron Peck (WR), Chason Virgil (QB)
First Game: Sept. 3 at Nebraska, 5 p.m.
DeRuyter says: “We’re excited about 2016. We know last year wasn’t up to standard and we are fired up to get back into Bulldog Stadium. We want to show [fans] a brand of Bulldog football that they’re accustomed to seeing- a fast, physical, fanatical style that’s going to get after it and compete for a championship in the Mountain West.”
Volleyball 2016
Head Coach: Lauren Netherby-Sewell
2015 Record: 14-18
Returners: 9
Predicted Finish: 8th in Mountain West
Players to Watch: Aleisha Coates (OH), Maggie Eppright (L), Brooke Legaux (S), Carly Scarbrough (OH), Lauren Torres (MB)
First Game: Aug. 26 vs LIU Brooklyn at Boston Invitational, 4:30 p.m.
Netherby-Sewell says: “We are more mature and have more depth. We’re really strong on the pins, and if our middles are able to come back healthy, we’ll have some depth and talent there too. Our defensive players are more mature, stronger and faster. Everyone got better – significantly better.”
Soccer 2016
Head Coach: Brian Zwaschka
2015 Record: 5-12-1
Returners: 16
Predicted Finish: 9th in Mountain West
Players to Watch: Alex Best (GK), Anna Crawford (MF/D), Myra Delgadillo (F), Maria Gomez (MF), Alyssa Holsworth (MF)
Previous Game Score: FS 2 CSUB 4 (L)
Next Game: Aug. 26 vs Pepperdine, 7 p.m.
Zwaschka says: “We just took one of the favorites in the Big West to double-overtime. We recognize the caliber of that team. It’s as good as any team that we’ll see in our conference. That’s the type of game that we’re trying to play and when we see that we can compete in those games. We even had them on the ropes for a little while. It’s stuff to build on and we’re in a much better place having that kind of competitive level this early in the season compared to the last two seasons.” – Following Friday night’s loss to UCSB 3-2.
Note: All predictions based on Preseason Coaches’ Poll
