The Blue Marlins have gotten off to a rocky start with a record of 0-3-1. Their preseason was not very difficult with games against George Washington University, Stihl (a men's league team) and The Desperados (club Beach FC). The first tournament of the season was on September 2-3 at Rowan University in New Jersey, where the Marlins were matched in the first round to Plymouth State University out of New Hampshire. The team was not looking their best, but the boards remained scoreless. A few minutes into Sudden Death overtime, Plymouth tapped a ball in over the head of freshman keeper Sean Wheaton to defeat VWC 1-0. This first round game was atypical in that junior Tom Scanlon received a yellow card and senior captain Vinnie Scuillo was given two yellow cards equalling a red card, suspending him for the remainder of the tournament.

Paired with Haverford College from Pennsylvania, the team was feeling the absence of Scuillo and of an injured sophomore Josh Nolz for the second round. There was a problem keeping midfield control and scoring just didn't happen. The one point given was a result of a goal by sophomore Josh Hill, Patrick Bryant assisting. The game resulted in Josh Hill being named to the All-Tournament Team. The final was 2-1 in favor of Haverford College. Assistant coach Ryan Molloy said, "This is the most unlucky weekend in the world." The next tournament was the 15th Annual Blue Marlin Adidas Classic held at our own Foster Field on September 9-10th. Participating teams included Alleghany College, Maryville College and St. Mary's College of Maryland. The Marlins entered the first game versus Alleghany College. The final score was 1-0 in favor of Alleghany.

Playing through frustration from the day before, VWC stepped it up against Maryville College. Going hard the entire game and feeding off of a ice-breaking goal by senior captain Vinnie Scuillo, the Marlins found themselves once again in Sudden Death, but did not fall to Maryville. At the end of two spirited 15-minute periods, both teams came up empty-handed. The end score was tied at 1-1. Scuillo said, "We played our hearts out today, but we just couldn't score." Improvement is being shown by the Marlins as the season progresses. With nine freshmen and only three seniors, the team is deep in talent for years to come. Captains Chas Gorham and Vinnie Sciullo are leading the team well in bringing them together Other strong forces include sophomores Josh Nolz, Josh Hill, Brad Bertolet and Mike Fogg. Promising freshman include Jamie Phelps, Chris Mills, Lawrence Craig and Brandon Mino.

Nolz, though on injured reserve for the last game of the Rowan University Tournament, forcefully came back in the Blue Marlin Classic. Hill is leading the team in shots with 10 and equalling senior captain Vinnie Scuillo with one goal this season. Bertolet has been the source of consistency for the Marlins so far this season. He has a firm grasp on the responsibilities of his position. Fogg has been an emotional player who showed a true desire for the game. Phelps, sent to pair up with Hill in the middle is showing promise and aggressiveness. Mills, Craig and Mino have provided the Marlins with exceptional speed and vitality. Freshman keeper Sean Wheaton has impressed fans with three goals allowed out of 18 shots faced in 301 minutes of playing time.

However, the key to a successful season is not more depth or skill or physical fitness, but unity on the field in play. "We’re just young and need time to come together as a team," said captain Gorham. The Marlins will be traveling September 16 and 17 playing Guilford College and Emory and Henry, respectively. These teams are both members of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, charging VWC to step up their intensity in must-win matches.

There are many new faces on campus this year and not all of them are freshmen. Four new coaches have found their home at Virginia Wesleyan College this year and the athletic department is bustling with excitement. With six new positions filled, these coaches have a heavy load but are confident and ready to start making a name for themselves. The women's soccer program also has been "turned around" this season, senior Jen Norton says. With the additions of head coach Jeff Bowers, who will also be the head women's tennis coach, and assistant coach Mario Hurdle, the women are playing hard and having a lot of fun. Coach Bowers graduated from York College in Pennsylvania in 1994. His senior year he was named captain and the team's Most Valuable Player. He received his master's degree in sports administration from Western Maryland University and went on to help coach at Messiah College in Pennsylvania in '97-'98. In 1999, Bowers returned to his alma mater, York College, to help coach one season before getting offered the job at Virginia Wesleyan. "We're going to have our ups and downs because we still have a lot to learn, but we'll only get better. Our motto is 'the last game we play will be the best game we play,' "Coach Bowers said.

Coach Hurdle also brings enthusiasm and knowledge of the game to VWC. He is currently a teacher at Kempsville High School, where for the past three years held the position of head boys' soccer coach. A graduate of Kellam High School, he played college soccer at Old Dominion University and Longwood College. Coach Bowers has found him to be a big help in runningpractices and getting important things done. Kim Fair, a third year player and captain, thinks the two new coaches have already helped the team immensely. "They have been a great inspiration for the team so far," Fair said. The goal has been to make the women believe that they can go to nationals. "His vision for the future is something that we have wanted for a long time. I've always wanted to play for a team that had the drive and the potential to go to nationals," said freshman Robin Smith.

New to the basketball and golf teams, Jeremy Marks will be filling the position of head men's golf coach and assistant men's basketball coach. Marks grew up in Margaretville, New York where he excelled in soccer, basketball, and baseball in highschool. He went on to Hartwick College in Oneonta, New York to play golf and basketball. Here, he helped his team advance to the championship game of the ECAC, and also to the NCAA tournament one year. Marks remains one of the school's top 10 leaders in three point shooting. He comes to Virginia Wesleyan after assistant coaching basketball and head coaching tennis for two years at fellow ODAC school, Lynchburg College. He learned about the new position at VWC by talking with Coach Dave Macedo, the new men's basketball coach. Marks says he chose Virginia Wesleyan because he knew the programs were really going somewhere and that he was ready for a change. "I'm just trying to fit in, set a good example for VWC, and help our team progress to the next level," Marks said. "I'm really fortunate to be a part of this great program."

The players on the team are excited and believe that Marks will be a great addition to their team. "He seems to me to be a hard worker, and that will reflect on us. You can really relate to him and trust that he'll do everything he can to help us capture the ODAC title," senior Damien Burke said. Captain James Wallace believes he has a lot to contribute on and off the court. "I think he'll provide discipline, which our team needs in order for us to be the best." In the spring, spectators will catch a glimpse of the new men's lacrosse coach, Michael Pounds, although he has already begun to work hard in preparation for the season. Coach Pounds is from Mont Clair, New Jersey and attended Springfield College in Massachusetts for his undergraduate degree. In his lacrosse career there, he was named to the all-conference team and played in the NCAA tournament two out of the four years he was there. After graduating, Pounds went on to get his masters degree from The University of Virginia. After this, he began coaching lacrosse at Potsdam College in New York where he stayed for two seasons and eventually received the job of head assistant coach at the University of Pennsylvania in 1991.

Coach Pounds now comes to Virginia Wesleyan after having coached at the State University of New York at Cortland for 8 years. Having brought teams down to this area for years to use the special facilities and even to play against VWC, he is familiar with the area. When Coach Travis called with the offer to coach, he worked it out with his wife and three young boys and decided to accept. He and his players have high hopes for his first year at Virginia Wesleyan. "There are some low spirits on the team because of the coaching changes in the past few years, but I want to come in with a positive attitude and provide some stability. With this positive leadership and the talented players we have, I know we'll be successful. We just have to keep our confidence up," says Coach Pounds. "He's very determined and intense, and intent on making us a winning program," freshmen Dave Mancuso said. "He also shows a lot of concern for our academics, which is important." It appears that with the coaching changes this year the athletic program is ready to make a stronger commitment to winning. New coaches with new philosophies will hopefully spark theseteam sand continue the winning tradition here at Wesleyan.

The VWC women's soccer team is off to a 2-2 start with new head coach Jeff Bowers. The team lost their season home opener to Longwood college 0-4. "It was a tough game," said senior goalkeeper Janine Swanson. " But we played our game and did some things well." Even with the score, Bowers was happy with the result. He says that the team is playing a new style of play and it is going to take most of the season to get it 100% right. With the new style Bowers said that the team has come together and is playing well. On Sept. 6th the Marlins lost to Christopher Newport University. The score was 0-2. Both goals happened when CNU crossed the ball through the middle and an unmarked player came through and hit the shot. "We gave up goals because we were not communicating," said junior captain Kim Fair. "That's one thing we have really been trying to work on." Freshmen Katie Barg and Leah Strarky were the first to score this season, against Eastern Mennonite University on Saturday in the 2-1 win.

On Sunday the Marlins beat Hollins University 6-0. Freshman Joanna Elia scored her first collegiate hat trick, while Megan Bronstein and Janet Naclerio, also freshmen added 2 and 1 goals respectively. On Wednesday the team will face some adversity as Swanson and senior Jen Norton are both out due to red cards they received during the Hollins game. "I am excited to see what the team can do in the face of adversity," said Coach Bowers. Freshman Robin Smith is the back up keeper, and will be taking charge of the net in Swanson's absence. The Marlins are at home again on Saturday against Randolph Macon Women's College.

Whatever happened to playing professional sports for the pride of your city, for the love of the game and most importantly, for the fans? To be honest that idea got flushed down the tubes years ago. We live in an age where the professional athletes, who are watched by people of all ages, especially kids, are classless, overpaid and egocentric. Thus they believe that they can get away with whatever they please. This is a proven fact. It is clear that the commissioners of each respective sport have indeed let too many people off the hook by issuing fines and suspensions. However, if ordinary people committed theses acts they would have been jailed. The first example is obviously drugs. How many times have we seen football and basketball players advertise on television to say no to drugs, only to be fined weeks later on substance abuse charges. The American League in baseball can't stop Daryl Strawberry from being a future hall of famer, but the crack can. Hometown hero, Lawrence Taylor, from Williamsburg is regarded as one of the best linebackers of all time, but he will also go down in the books as one of the top cocaine dealers of inner city New York. The league officials are too lenient on this subject. They should kick substance abusers out of professional sports. If we want our children to grow up right and clean from drugs, then the people they idolize must also go by the same standards. Allen Iverson gets busted for a little dope here and a little dope there. They can fine him all they want, he has the money to pay!

Example two is morality. When God was giving out brains, John Rocker, Mike Tyson and Roberto Alomar all thought he said trains and took the first one out of town. Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion, but what John Rocker did was simply childish. To publicly state what was on his mind shows how much of a grown-up he is. Why would Rocker complain? He has it made in Atlanta. He plays for a playoff contending team, pitches for only one or two innings per night and is a part of one of the classiest organizations in sports. Good work John. Roberto Alomar is another great example. After being called out on strikes, he argues with the umpire. Seeing he is getting absolutely nowhere, he decides to show what a jackass he really is by spitting in the umpire's face. Are you kidding me? If I were the commissioner he would never suit up for a baseball game again. He was fined and suspended of course, and he claims he is sorry. Yeah, he's sorry all right.

MikeTyson. Enough said. Hearing that name makes me want to vomit. He is the epitome of dirt. He is a unique character. Jailed two or three times (who's keeping count at this point?), Mike claims he has devoted his life to his religion. Great idea to get paroled Mike. Since his release he has bitten a chunk of Evander Holyfield's ear off, cheated in several other fights, been banned from boxing in America and last but not least, he threatened to eat Lennox Lewis' children. Hello! How come crazy Mike doesn't spend his days in a padded room? I guess some things are just unexplainable. It is clear that the integrity of professional athletes is questioned day after day.. Why do we continue to support people who live immoral lives? It is time for team owners and commissioners to sacrifice a few ticket sales, one or two shoe endorsements and possibly a win or two to bring some class back to sports. It has gotten to the point where instead of putting up "Got Milk?" signs with Mark McGuire, we should have "Got Weed?" signs with players from the NFL, NBA and MLB, to represent the true players' identities. Something needs to be done other than fining them or giving them suspensions or two day trips to rehab. If the rules become more strict, then I feel that the players will react for the positive. Professional sports needs a policy like, "Clean up or get out." After six or seven players are thrown out of their sport, maybe then the others will wake up. Until then, I will stick to watching the gentleman's game: golf.

The Lady Marlin field hockey team has added several new faces to their team this fall. Having recruited eight freshmen was just what head coach, Michelle Burt needed to do. Burt says that they will be looked upon next season to take over for the upcoming depart of the teams' six seniors. Newcomers this season include freshmen forwards, Jaclyn Baily (Richmond, VA), Katie Bozza (Rochester, NY), Gayla Dalyrymple-Smith (Chesapeake, VA), Jackie Griffin (Glen Gardner, NJ) and Jana Popeleski (Mansfield Center, CT). At midfield, Lindsay Mike (Virginia Beach) and Lauren Pasternak (Moorestown, NJ) will be contributing. Summer Foster (Annandale, VA) will play a major role in anchoring the back line. The teams' season started out with a small disappointment, as the third annual VWC Labor Day tournament had to cancel it's last few games due to rain. The Marlins did get one game in, as they fell to Division II, Catawba College, 3-1. Griffin scored the lone goal for the Marlins.

The Lady Marlins played their first two conference games over the weekend of September 8-9, as they traveled to Eastern Mennonite University and Randolph Macon Women's College. In preparation for the EMU game on turf, Burt had her girls practice inside of "The Bubble" to greaten their stick-work. It certainly paid off and was extremely rewarding for the team [and Burt]. "I was very impressed with the overall play of the entire team," said Burt. "The team has gotten much stronger as they face EMU each season. This is the best that we have ever played against EMU." "This year was a major improvement," said senior co-captain, Danielle Brewer. Despite a 3-0 loss, the Lady Marlins were down by one goal at halftime. "We realized how much potential we have [as a team] after this game," added Brewer. At RMWC, the girls got off to a slow start, according to Burt. "It might have been the adjustment playing back on grass," Burt said. Things picked up for the team in the second half. Griffin scored with twenty-two minutes left in regulation. Senior co-captain, Raye-Jean McMichael tallied the game winner off a penalty corner, assisted by junior, Juli Judge. The team has a tough schedule this season as they have upcoming conference games against Roanoke College and Randolph Macon College. Burt is looking forward to a successful season. "We have a lot of talent on the team," she added. The Lady Marlins will play at home this weekend against Roanoke College on Saturday and Wilson College on Sunday.

The final buzzer sounds .. But for two former Wesleyan athletes their position on the field has changed. Class of 2000 graduates, Charity Gent and Ryan Molloy have been out of school for less then 6 months and already have coaching jobs here at Wesleyan. Gent is the assistant Field Hockey and Lacrosse coach, as well as being the assistant sports information director. Molloy maintains all of the soccer fields and is the assistant men's soccer coach. "I like coaching a team that I know," said Gent. "It makes me take the games to heart more." Gent said that it is hard being a coach because she wants to go out and play and help her team to win. On the other hand she is there helping to make decisions that will influence games such as when and whom to sub and how practices are run. "I thought it would be weird at first," said senior Field Hockey and Lacrosse player Raye Jean McMichael. "But then I realized that she was a good coach, and that I still could talk to her as afriend." Most of the Field Hockey team believes that Gent is doing a good job. They do not find it hard to respect her as a coach, even though some of them played with her just last season.

"We are very fortunate to have a person who has a background in Field Hockey and Lacrosse," said Head Coach Michelle Burt. "And is a graduate of VWC." Burt is excited about recruiting because Gent has been in the athletic program and knows theteachers and the school. According to Burt, Gent sees things a little differently and that helps on and off the field. Molloy's experience at Wesleyan is helping the men's soccer team get off to a good start. "He has a good eye for the game," said Head Coach Sonny Travis. Travis also added that Molloy was a good captain and those leadership qualities have transferred to coaching. Molloy said the hardest thing so far was try-outs. He had to make the decisions on what was best for the team, disregarding anyone's personal feelings. About his relationship with Travis, Molloy said that it is more mature and business like. He gives his ideas and then Travis makes his decision. "I enjoy coaching," said Molloy. "It is as close to the game as I can get with out playing." However both Molloy and Gent were quick to add that whenever they get the opportunity to play, they do. Neither of them are having any problems adjusting to coaching and still being friends with the players that they previously played with. "I think that is what assistant coaching is all about," said Molloy. "Being the players friend."

The men's and women's cross-country teams opened their seasons Saturday, September 2 in Salisbury, MD. Running with six of the nine women runners the lady marlins finished eighth out of the11 teams that raced. Finishing first for VWC was freshman Ginny Mack. She covered the 3.1 mile course in a time of 22:40, finishing the race in 40th place out of 96 women who ran on Saturday. "I was very surprised because I did not expect to do so well," said Mack, about her finish. "I was really nervous before the race, but my goal was to stay with the top runners as long as I could." The men's team ran strong, placing eighth out of 12 teams. Junior Carlos Pena led the men's team with a five mile time of 29:21. With 102 men running Carlos finished in 23rd place. Pena said that he "felt ok, considering there was a lot of heat."

Carlos's goal for this meet was "to just have fun and the be able to look forward to future meets." Both the men's and women's cross-country teams this year are young. In fact, eight of the 15 runners are freshmen. However, the program is expanding every year and in two years the number of runners on the team has doubled. Since both the men and women are running with complete teams this year, the runners seem confident about the first meet and the future meets to come. "For our first meet I think it went very well," said senior Jen Jellig. "Now we are ready to rock out and get prepared for our more competitive ODAC meets."