Elon Athletics Weekly Update

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.

Cross Country
Elon Invitational, Saturday, Sept. 13, at 9 a.m., Elon Cross Country Course

• The Elon cross county programs host their sixth annual Elon Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 13, at the Elon Cross Country Course.
• Last season, the Phoenix men won the meet for the second consecutive year. Senior Luis Vargas won the men’s individual 8K race at that meet – becoming the first Elon male runner to win medalist honors in eight years.
• Elon opened its 2014 campaign with a sweep of UNCG in its dual meet versus the Spartans on Aug. 30 at the Elon Cross Country Course. Senior Jenny Gallagher won the women’s 5K race with a time of 18:26.87, while freshman Sam Geha was the men’s winner in its 5K run with a time of 16:20.85.
• First-year head cross country coach Nick Polk will make an appearance on the radio this Thursday, Sept. 11, at 9:30 a.m. as part of the Elon Spotlight on 95.1 FM/ 920 AM WPCM.

Football (0-1)
Inside the Huddle Luncheon, Monday, Sept. 8, at 12 p.m., Best Western Plus, Burlington, N.C.
Elon Football Live Radio Show, Thursday, Sept. 11, at 7 p.m., Fat Frogg Bar & Grill, Elon, N.C.
Elon vs. North Carolina A&T, Saturday, Sept. 13, at 6 p.m., Rhodes Stadium

• Following its bye week, the Phoenix will play the first of six home games this Saturday as the Aggies of North Carolina A&T visit Rhodes Stadium.
• Elon and A&T have met nine times before with the maroon and gold claiming four victories.
• Since joining the Division I ranks, Elon has gone 7-7 in its first game after a bye.
• At halftime, the three newest members of the Elon Sports Hall of Fame class will be recognized. In a 1:30 p.m. ceremony at Whitley Auditorium on Saturday, former football and track standout Tony DiPietro ’89, former men’s golfer Chris Dockrill ’86 and former women’s golfer Beth Frace Heinzelmann ’01 will be formally inducted into the Hall of Fame. The ceremony is free and open to the public.

Men’s Golf
Elon at Tar Heel Intercollegiate, Friday-Sunday, Sept. 12-14, Chapel Hill, N.C.

• The Phoenix men’s golf team will open its 2014-15 season this weekend at the 18-team Tar Heel Intercollegiate hosted by North Carolina.
• The event will be played at the par-72 UNC Finley Golf Course beginning on Friday. Tee times will begin at 8 a.m. each day.
• Elon’s roster features just one senior in Will DiIanni along with five juniors, two sophomores, a red-shirt freshman and one true freshman.
• This will be the second season for the squad under head coach Don Hill.

Men’s Soccer (2-2)
Elon vs. Florida International, Wednesday, Sept. 10, at 7 p.m., Rudd Field
Elon vs. West Virginia, Sunday, Sept. 14, at 7 p.m., Rudd Field

• The Elon men’s soccer team returns to the home confines of Rudd Field for the first time this season with a pair of matches this week. The Phoenix hosts Florida International on Wednesday in its home opener before taking on West Virginia on Sunday.
• The Phoenix split both its matches at the UNC Wilmington Courtyard Wilmington/Wrightsville Beach Classic last weekend. Elon prevailed with a 1-0 victory over Winthrop to open the tournament before suffering a 1-0 setback in overtime to Ohio State in its finale.
• Senior goalkeeper Nathan Dean recorded his 18th career shutout against Winthrop on Friday, Sept. 5, moving him one shy of second-place all-time in school history in career clean sheets. Kip Rackley (1984-87) ranks just ahead of Dean with 19 shutouts in second place at Elon with current Colorado Rapids keeper Clint Irwin (2007-10) sitting atop the the school-record books with 22 career clean sheets.

Volleyball (2-4)
Elon vs. High Point, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 7 p.m., Alumni Gym
Hampton Inn & Suites of Holly Springs Invitational
Elon vs, North Florida, Friday, Sept. 12, at 4:30 p.m., Buies Creek, N.C.
Elon vs. South Carolina, Saturday, Sept. 12, at 10 a.m., Buies Creek, N.C.
Elon at Campbell Saturday, Sept. 13, at 7 p.m., Buies Creek, N.C.

• The Phoenix went 1-2 on the weekend at the Kennesaw State Owls Invitational, defeating host KSU in a five-set match before falling to No. 7 Purdue and UNC Asheville. The match against the Boilermakers was the first against a ranked opponent in the program’s Division I history.
• Elon continues its rivalry with High Point on Wednesday with a 7 p.m. match in Alumni Gym. While the Panthers have won the last two meetings, the Phoenix is 7-4 in under head coach Mary Tendler against HPU.
• The maroon and gold continues non-conference play in the Hampton Inn & Suites of Holly Springs Invitational this weekend in Buies Creek, N.C. Elon will play host Campbell, South Carolina and North Flordia. The Phoenix last played the Gamecocks in 2011 and UNF in 1994, while it’s the fourth time in the last five seasons the Phoenix will face the Camels.

Women’s Golf
Elon at W&M Invitational, Sunday-Tuesday, Sept. 14-16, Williamsburg, Va.

• Elon’s women’s golf program begins its 2014-15 campaign at the W&M Invitational hosted by fellow CAA school William & Mary.
• The tournament will take place at the par-72 Plantation Course at the Kingsmill Resort.
• The Phoenix roster has just one senior, Kristi Ingram. The squad also features four juniors, two sophomores and three freshmen.

Women’s Soccer (1-4)
Elon vs. Coastal Carolina, Friday, Sept. 12, at 5 p.m., Wilmington, N.C.
Elon vs. Francis Marion, Sunday, Sept. 14, at 12 p.m., Wilmington, N.C.

• Elon concluded a five-match road swing this weekend at the UNCW Hilton Garden Inn Mayfaire Invitational in Wilmington, N.C. The Phoenix takes on Coastal Carolina on Friday, Sept. 12, before wrapping up the two-game tournament against Francis Marion.
• Elon topped both Coastal Carolina and Francis Marion during the regular season last year, winning by a combined score of 8-1.
• The Phoenix played just one match this past week, falling 3-0 at High Point on Sept. 5. Elon’s match on Sept. 7 at East Carolina was cancelled due to severe weather.