ELON, N.C. – Every Monday, Phoenix fans can get a look at the week ahead with our “Elon Athletics Weekly Update” feature when we will preview all the week’s upcoming events for our sports teams. “Follow us” on Twitter at @elonphoenix and @elonscores, “Like” Elon Phoenix on Facebook and continue to check elonphoenix.com to stay current on all things Elon Athletics.
Baseball
Elon vs. Cincinnati, Monday, Feb. 17, at 4:30 p.m., Raleigh, N.C.
Elon vs. NC State, Tuesday, Feb. 18, at 4 p.m., Latham Park
Meet the Phoenix Dinner, Thursday, Feb. 20, at 6:30 p.m., The Cutting Board (Burlington)
Elon vs. Wagner, Friday-Sunday, Feb. 21-23, at 4 / 2 / 1:30 p.m., Latham Park
• After being delayed two days by the recent winter storm, Elon opened the 2014 season with a 6-5, 10-inning victory over Cincinnati at NC State’s Doak Field. Both Casey Jones and Danny Lynch had three hits. Jones hit his first career homer and Lynch drove home the game-winning run with a walk-off double in the 10th inning.
• The maroon and gold improved to 11-7 in season openers under head coach Mike Kennedy with the win.
• The storm also forced the postponement of the Meet the Phoenix Dinner last week. That has been rescheduled for Thursday night at The Cutting Board. To reserve a spot, contact Carl Hairston at ghairston@elon.edu.
Men’s Basketball (15-11, 8-3 SoCon)
Elon Basketball Live, Tuesday, Feb. 18, at 6:30 p.m., Mellow Mushroom (Burlington)
Elon at UNCG, Wednesday, Feb. 19, at 7 p.m., Greensboro, N.C.
Elon at Georgia Southern, Saturday, Feb. 22, at 2 p.m., Statesboro, Ga.
• Winners of five straight, Elon begins a three-game road swing on Wednesday night, Feb. 19, at UNCG. Tip is set for 7 p.m. at the Greensboro Coliseum. Elon has won nine straight against UNCG.
• Elon has just five games remaining in the regular season, as it closes out the year at home against Wofford (Feb. 27) and Davidson (March 1).
• Elon won its lone game last week, claiming an 86-69 decision over Samford on Feb. 15. The Phoenix put five players in double figures, as Lucas Troutman paced the maroon and gold with 16 points and 10 boards. The double-double marked Troutman’s eighth of his career. The senior from Belton, S.C., also recorded three blocked shots, putting him at 200 for his career, good for seventh all-time in Southern Conference history.
Men’s Golf
Elon at Wexford Plantation Intercollegiate, Monday-Tuesday, Feb. 17-18, HIlton Head, S.C.
• The Elon men’s golf team will open the 2014 spring season at the Wexford Plantation Intercollegiate hosted by Francis Marion on Monday and Tuesday.
• The tournament will consist of 36 holes on Monday and 18 holes on Tuesday.
• The 17-team field includes one other Southern Conference program – Wofford.
Men’s Tennis (4-1)
Elon at UNC Wilmington, Friday, Feb. 21, at 1 p.m., Wilmington, N.C.
Elon vs. East Tennessee State, Saturday, Feb. 22, at 12 p.m., Wilmington, N.C.
• Riding a three-game winning streak, the Phoenix treks to the coast for two matches this weekend against UNC Wilmington and future SoCon member, East Tennessee State.
• Elon made quick work of Greensboro College at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center yesterday, Feb. 16, with a 7-0 sweep of the Pride. Elon’s top four players sat out the match, but Elon only conceded four games throughout the entire singles portion of the match. Juan Madrid, Dan Sablik and Chris Geaslen swept their respective singles matches.
• Currently, Elon has three more non-conference matches, including the two in Wilmington this weekend, on the schedule before conference play kicks off Saturday, March 1, at home against Chattanooga. The Phoenix was regular-season champions last year, but couldn’t hold off Samford in the SoCon Tournament finals.
Softball (5-2-1)
Elon at Campbell, Wednesday, Feb. 19, at 5 p.m., Buies Creek, N.C.
Phoenix Opening Tournament
Elon vs. Niagara, Friday, Feb. 21, at 3:30 p.m., Hunt Softball Park at BB&T Field
Elon vs. Saint Joseph’s (Pa.), Saturday, Feb. 22, at 12:15 p.m., Hunt Softball Park at BB&T Field
Elon vs. UMBC, Saturday, Feb. 22, at 2:30 p.m., Hunt Softball Park at BB&T Field
Elon vs. Iona, Sunday, Feb. 23, at 1:45 p.m., Hunt Softball Park at BB&T Field
• Elon travels on the road for a contest at Campbell on Feb. 19 before opening its first home tournament of the season, the Phoenix Opening Tournament, from Feb. 21-23.
• The Phoenix split its games this past weekend at the Hatter Invitational in DeLand, Fla. Elon won both its contests versus Bethune-Cookman, including a come-from-behind 8-7 win in its tournament finale. Freshman Alaina Hall provided the walk-off two-RBI double in the bottom of the eighth to give the maroon and gold its fifth win of the year and head coach Kathy Bocock her 50th at Elon.
• Sophomore Emily Cameron was named the Southern Conference’s Player of the Week on Monday last week after a great opening weekend at the Charleston Southern Tournament. The Kennesaw, Ga., native has a team-best five home runs on the season after hitting only one the previous year as a freshman.
• Elon opens at home for the first time this season as the Phoenix welcomes Niagara, Saint Joseph’s, UMBC and Iona to Hunt Softball Park at BB&T Field for the Phoenix Opening Tournament beginning Friday, Feb. 21.
Women’s Basketball (11-12, 7-5 SoCon)
Elon at Appalachian State, Monday, Feb. 17, at 6 p.m., Boone, N.C.
Elon Basketball Live, Tuesday, Feb. 18, at 6:30 p.m., Mellow Mushroom (Burlington)
Elon vs. Wofford, Saturday, Feb. 22, at 4 p.m., Alumni Gym
• Elon won its fourth straight game in the form of a 65-61 final at Western Carolina Saturday. The Catamounts pulled within two points with 10 seconds remaining, but the Phoenix held on as Sam Coffer made two clutch free throws for the four-point victory.
• The Phoenix will play tonight at Appalachian State at 6 p.m. and is looking for its first win in Boone since 2009. Elon won the meeting earlier this year in Alumni Gym, 66-54.
• Elon returns home this weekend for its final home games of the season. The Phoenix will host Wofford on Saturday on Senior Day before its last home game Monday, Feb. 24, against Furman.
• Senior Kelsey Harris is just 20 points shy of reaching the elusive 1,000-point club. The Gastonia, N.C., native is looking to become the 20th player in Elon women’s basketball history to reach this career mark.
Women’s Lacrosse (0-1)
Elon at Liberty, Friday, Feb. 21, at 4 p.m., Lynchburg, Va.
Elon at Virginia Tech, Sunday, Feb. 23, at noon, Blacksburg, Va.
• Elon’s scheduled first home game was Friday, Feb. 14, but that was postponed due to all the inclement winter weather in the area. A make-up date as not been announced yet.
• The Phoenix will travel to Virginia this weekend for a pair of games. First up is Liberty on Friday in Lynchburg, Va. Followed by a trip to Blacksburg, Va., to face its second ACC opponent of the season in Virginia Tech.
• The first home game for the Phoenix will now be Saturday, March 1, when Elon hosts St. Francis at 2 p.m. in Rhodes Stadium.
Women’s Tennis (1-4)
Elon vs. UNC Wilmington, Monday, Feb. 17, at 2:30 p.m., Jimmy Powell Tennis Center
Elon vs. North Carolina A&T, Saturday, Feb. 22, at 10 a.m., Jimmy Powell Tennis Center
Elon vs. Radford, Saturday, Feb. 22, at 2 p.m., Jimmy Powell Tennis Center
• Coming off its first win of the season Feb. 8 against North Carolina Central, Elon welcomes three opponents to the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center this week looking to get its season back on track.
• Today’s match against the Seahawks was originally scheduled for last Friday, Feb. 14. Because of snow and ice from the winter storm that moved through the region last week, the match had to be postponed. UNC Wilmington will be playing its third straight SoCon team having matched up with Furman on Feb. 9 and UNC Greensboro yesterday, Feb. 16.
• Elon is in the midst of its longest home stand of the season. Following this week’s three home matches, the Phoenix stays home for two more contests before hitting the road again March 6 in Greenville, N.C., against the East Carolina Pirates.
Women’s Track and Field
Elon at Liberty Quad, Monday, Feb. 17, Lynchburg, Va.
Elon at Virginia Tech Challenge, Friday-Saturday, Feb. 21-22, Blacksburg, Va.
• The Phoenix travels to Lynchburg, Va., for the Liberty Quad on Monday, Feb. 17, after the meet was rescheduled due to heavy snowfall in the area last weekend.
• Elon then makes the trek to Blacksburg, Va., for its final regular-season indoor meet of the year, the Virginia Tech Challenge, on Feb. 21-22.
• Five distance members of the team competed on Saturday, Feb. 15, at the UCS Invitational at the JDL Fast Track Complex in Winston-Salem, N.C. Senior Allyson Oram set a new school-record in the one-mile race with a time of 4:55.95, breaking a seven-year program-mark. Freshman Kimberly Johansen became the second-fastest performer in the event in school history with a time of 4:58.1 while Elyse Bierut joined them in as the top-five all-time performers list at Elon after she clocked in a time of 5:07.50.