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 at CAA Cross Country Championships, Saturday, Oct. 29, Newark, Del.

• The Phoenix heads to the Colonial Athletic Association Cross Country Championships this Saturday at the White Clay Creek State Park hosted by the University of Delaware.
• Last season, Nick Ciolkowski became the second straight Phoenix male runner to claim a CAA cross country individual title. The Fairport, N.Y., native edged out a runner from William & Mary during the final stretch and was named the CAA Most Outstanding Performer at the Meet and the first runner to earn both the CAA Male Runner and Rookie of the Year awards.
• Ciolkowski received his third CAA weekly award after he earned a top-three finish at the NCAA Pre-Nationals on Oct. 15. The sophomore clocked a time of 24:48.1 in the men’s 8K white race at the highly competitive meet featuring some of the top athletes in the country.

Football (2-5, 1-3)
Inside the Huddle Luncheon, Monday, Oct. 24, at noon, Best Western Plus
Elon Football Live Radio Show, Thursday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m., The Fat Frogg
Elon at Albany, Saturday, Oct. 29, at noon, Albany, N.Y. (American Sports Network)

• Including a season-best 77 yards by De’Sean McNair, Elon ran for 156 yards on Saturday against Richmond. That marked Elon’s second-highest rushing total in a game under Rich Skrosky.
• Linebacker John Silas’ eight tackles against the Spiders upped his career total to 331, good enough for seventh place on the program’s all-time list.
• Elon will make its final television appearance of the year when the maroon and gold takes on the Albany Great Danes on Saturday at noon. The first-ever meeting between the two programs will air on the American Sports Network.

Men’s Basketball
CAA Media Day (ESPN3), Tuesday, Oct. 25, Key Bridge Marriott, Arlington, Va.

• The Colonial Athletic Association tips off the 2016-17 basketball season with the league’s annual Media Day on Tuesday, Oct. 25, from the Key Bridge Marriott.
• Elon head coach Matt Matheny will be joined by seniors Luke Eddy and Christian Hairston at the event.
• Coverage of the event is headlined by Media Day Live, which will be broadcast across the nation on ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app beginning at 10 a.m. EST.

Men’s Golf
Not in competition this week

• Jake Leavitt finished tied for first individually and the Phoenix finished third at the second-annual Elon Phoenix Invitational, Oct. 17-18, at Alamance Country Club. Elon’s third-place finish marked its best team result since a second-place finish at the Pinehurst Intercollegiate in March.
• Leavitt closed with a 1-under par round of 70 on the final day after carding a 67 and a career-low 66 in the first two rounds. He finished tied with two other players in first place at 10-under par and earned his first-career CAA Men’s Golfer of the Week honor on Oct. 19.
• The Phoenix returns to the links in Cashiers, N.C., for the Hummingbird Invitational hosted by Western Carolina, Oct. 31 – Nov. 1.

Men’s Soccer (7-3-3, 3-1-2)
Elon vs. Duke, Tuesday, Oct. 25, at 7 p.m., Rudd Field
Elon vs. Hofstra, Saturday, Oct. 29, at 7 p.m., Rudd Field

• Elon hosts two games this week with a match against Atlantic Coast Conference and in-state foe Duke on Tuesday and a meeting with Colonial Athletic Association opponent Hofstra on Saturday.
• The Phoenix suffered a tough setback last Saturday against league opponent Delaware. Despite holding a 2-1 advantage at the half and late into the second stanza, the Blue Hens were able to rally to earn a 3-2 victory in the team’s first defeat at home this season.
• Elijah Agu scored a pair of goals in the contest against Delaware on Saturday, giving him his fourth multi-goal performance on the season. He now has 11 goals this season, which is the most in a single season for the Phoenix since 2013.

Volleyball (15-10, 2-7)
Elon at William & Mary, Monday, Oct. 24, at 7 p.m., Williamsburg, Va.
Elon vs. Towson, Friday, Oct. 28, at 7 p.m., Alumni Gym
Elon vs. Delaware, Sunday, Oct. 30, at 2 p.m. Alumni Gym (Pink Match)

• Despite claiming the first set, the Phoenix fell 3-1 in its lone match of the week on Saturday at James Madison. Ebony Scott led the team with a four-set career-high 20 kills and hit .417.
• Elon continues on the road with a match at William & Mary tonight at 7 p.m. The Phoenix claimed a 3-0 victory against the Tribe last month in Alumni Gym.
• The maroon and gold is back home in Alumni Gym this weekend to host Towson and Delaware. Sunday’s match against the Blue Hens marks the team’s annual Pink Match. All fans are encouraged to wear pink to the match against UD.

Women’s Basketball
CAA Media Day (ESPN3), Tuesday, Oct. 25, Key Bridge Marriott, Arlington, Va.
Elon vs. Wingate, Saturday, Oct. 29, at 3 p.m., Alumni Gym (exhibition)

• The Elon women’s basketball team unofficially begins its 2016-17 campaign on Saturday with an exhibition against Wingate in Alumni Gym.
• The Phoenix returns seven experienced players this year, including four starters, while welcoming five newcomers.
• Head coach Charlotte Smith and senior Lauren Brown will both participate in CAA Basketball Media Day on Tuesday, Oct. 25, at the Key Bridge Marriott in Arlington, Va. Fans can watch coverage of the event on Media Day Live, which will be broadcast across the nation on ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app beginning at 10 a.m.

Women’s Golf
Kiawah Island Intercollegiate, Sunday – Tuesday, Oct. 23 – 25, Kiawah Island, S.C.

• The Phoenix continues play at the Kiawah Island Intercollegiate on with the second round today and the final round on Tuesday.
• Aurelia Hamm and Kelsey Badmaev led the way after day one, which included a one-under par 71 from Hamm, a 18-hole career low. Hamm is tied for fourth and Badmaev is right behind in a tie for fifth.
• Heather Munro is tied for 53rd and Katherine Reilly is tied for 78th. In a tie for 86th is Hilda Kristjansdottir.

Women’s Tennis
Not in competition this week

• The Phoenix wrapped up its weekend of competition at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Carolina Regionals.
• Maria Paraja impressed by winning a pair of qualifying matches to earn a spot in the main singles draw. Elon also had a pair of doubles team win two matches in the main doubles draw.
• The doubles team of Paraja and Natalia Janowicz, as well as the duo of Erica Braschi and Kirsten Ward, went 2-1 to advance to the round of 16.