The spring season is a busy time for Emory athletics with teams annually vying for championships at the conference and national levels. This year promises to be no different as a number of talented squads look to turn in memorable campaigns. The following is a capsule of what to expect from Eagle teams who will be competing in their respective sports.
Baseball
The Emory baseball team will enter the 2013 season looking to make its second-straight NCAA Tournament appearance. After a 26-14 record during the 2012 campaign, which included the program's 11th University Athletic Association Championship and 10th trip to the NCAA Regionals, the Eagles will be returning 20 members for the 2013 season. Among the group of returning players is junior outfielder and all-South Region team selection Brandon Hannon, and all-UAA selections in junior catcher Jared Welch and junior outfielder Daniel Iturrey. Sophomore Connor Dillman, the 2012 South Region and UAA Rookie of the Year, will look to lead the Eagles' pitching staff.
Women's Tennis
Emory women's tennis team has its sights set on a run at the NCAA Championship in 2013, following its fourth-straight top-three finish at the 2012 NCAA Championships, and a successful fall campaign. The Eagles will be led by junior Gabrielle Clark, who cemented her standing as the top player in Division III after winning the 2012 NCAA Singles Title and the Fall ITA Small College Nationals. Senior captain Jordan Wylie will be aiming for her third-straight all-America honor in 2013, while freshman Emma Taylor will look to build on an all-America doubles performance in the fall.
Track & Field
The Emory track and field program will be looking for another successful year in 2013. The women's squad will aim to take another step forward after an extremely successful 2012 season that saw the team finish 18th at the NCAA Championships and win its third-straight UAA Title. Among the team's top returners are all-Americans in seniors Kaele Leonard and Theresa Ford and sophomore Debora Adjibaba. With a talented young squad, including returning UAA Champions in sophomore Gui Silva and senior Pat Lanter, the men's team will take aim at the conference title once again in 2013.
Men's Tennis
The Emory men's tennis team returns a number of key performers from last year's team that captured the program's third national title. While head coach John Browning will have to replace All-Americans Dillon Pottish and Chris Goodwin, the sophomore trio of Eric Halpern, Alex Ruderman and Ian Wagner will provide the team solid play after combining for a singles mark of 72-12 last season. Other vets who should be key contributors include senior Elliott Kahler and juniors Nick Szczurek and Jackson Isaacs who teamed to earn All-America acclaim during the fall after capturing the ITA Regional doubles crown.
Softball
Head coach Penny Siqueiros enters her 15th season at the helm of the Eagles' softball team with hopes of securing the program's third straight and 11th overall bid to the NCAA Tournament. Emory returns 10 letter winners from the 2012 club that finished with an overall record of 34-5 that included a third straight University Athletic Association title. Junior second baseman Claire Bailey and first baseman Megan Light are anchors in the infield and are coming off campaigns that saw them earn All-South Region honors. Junior Lena Brottman will head up the pitching staff after compiling a 9-1 won-lost mark a year ago.
Golf
Looking to nail down the program's third straight University Athletic Association title and 11th consecutive berth to the NCAA D-III Championships, head coach Jon Sjoberg and his team eagerly anticipate the spring portion of the schedule. Junior Jonathan Chen, sophomore Alex Wunderlich and senior David Collura are tested competitors who will be looked to for leadership and consistency. Chen entered the year ranked No. 3 on the school's all-time scoring average list while Wunderlich was the UAA Rookie of the Year in 2012. Collura owns the most experience on the roster with 57 career rounds under his belt.
Visit www.emoryathletics.com for schedules, stats and more.