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 Open, Friday, Sept. 4, Elon Cross Country Course

• The Phoenix cross country programs open their 2015 campaign this Friday, Sept. 4, with one of two home meets this year – the Elon Open.
• Second-year head coach Nick Polk returns to lead the Phoenix men’s and women’s cross country teams. Polk helped the maroon and gold women to a runner-up finish in the Colonial Athletic Association Championship meet while the men’s achieved its highest conference finish ever with a third-place standing.
• Senior Elyse Bierut and junior Kimberly Johansen are back for the Phoenix women after earning All-CAA honors last year.

Football
Inside the Huddle Luncheon, Monday, Aug. 31, at 12 p.m., Best Western Plus
Elon Football Live Radio Show, Tuesday, Sept. 1, at 7 p.m., The Fat Frogg
Elon at Wake Forest, Thursday, Sept. 3, at 7 p.m., Winston-Salem, N.C. (ESPN3)

• The first editions of Inside the Huddle football luncheon and the Elon Football Live Radio Show will occur this week. Monday’s luncheon begins at noon at the Best Western Plus on Huffman Mill Road. Cost is $10 per person and includes a lunch catered by Grill 584. The first radio show will come the following night at 7 p.m. at the Fat Frogg. The show will be broadcast live on WSML 104.5 FM and 1200 AM as well as at elonphoenix.com.
• In Thursday’s opener at Wake Forest, the maroon and gold will start either a true freshman or red-shirt freshman at quarterback. The last true freshman to start under center for Elon was Scott Riddle in 2007.
• True freshmen make up 34.7 percent (33 of 95) of Elon’s current roster. When you add in red-shirt freshmen, that percentage rises to 48.4 percent (46 of 95).
• Sophomore defensive back Chris Blair collected preseason All-CAA Football honors after a rookie campaign in which he was third on the team with 98 total tackles. He also had one interception and broke up another three passes.

Men’s Soccer (2-0)
UNCW Classic
Elon vs. Campbell, Friday, Sept. 4, at 5 p.m., Wilmington, N.C.
Elon vs. North Florida, Sunday, Sept. 6, at noon, Wilmington, N.C.

• The Phoenix heads to its second early-season tournament of 2015, the UNCW Classic, next Friday, Sept. 4. Elon opens the tournament against Campbell before ending the weekend against North Florida.
• Elon went undefeated at its the John Rennie/Nike Invitational last week in Durham, N.C. The Phoenix opened with a 4-0 victory over DePaul before hanging on for a 1-0 win over Saint Mary’s.
• Senior Eduardo Alvarez, who scored a goal in each of the Phoenix’s two matches, was named the tournament’s MVP and made the all-tournament team. Sam McBride, Miguel Salazar and Jonathan Coleby also made the all-tournament team.
• The Phoenix is 2-0 for the first time since 2006. Elon has also opened the year with a pair of shutout victories for the first time since 2005.

Volleyball (0-3)
Elon at High Point, Tuesday, Sept. 1, at 7 p.m., High Point, N.C.
Elon Phoenix Classic
Elon vs. Charleston Southern, Friday, Sept. 4, at 7 p.m., Alumni Gym
Elon vs. North Carolina Central, Saturday, Sept. 5, at 12:30 p.m., Alumni Gym
Elon vs. Wake Forest, Saturday, Sept. 5, at 7 p.m., Alumni Gym

• Elon opened the season in the Radford/Virginia Tech Invite over the weekend but was unable to claim a victory, dropping a tough five-set match to Radford in the tournament finale on Saturday night.
• Senior Catherine Head was named to the all-tournament team after nine total blocks to average 0.82 blocks per set and 15 kills to hit .306 in the three matches.
• Tuesday’s match at High Point will mark the 63rd all-time meeting between the two teams. The Phoenix has played the Panthers more than any school in program history.
• On Friday, Sept. 4 – Saturday, Sept. 5, the maroon and gold hosts its annual Elon Phoenix Classic in Alumni Gym. Elon welcomes local teams in North Carolina Central and Wake Forest, as well as Charleston Southern.

Women’s Soccer (2-1)
Elon vs. North Florida, Friday, Sept. 4, at 7 p.m., Rudd Field
Elon at South Carolina State, Sunday, Sept. 6, at 2 p.m., Orangeburg, S.C.

• Elon hosts North Florida for its home opener at Rudd Field on Friday, Sept. 4, at 7 p.m. They follow it up with a road trip to South Carolina State on Sunday, Sept. 6, at 2 p.m.
• The Phoenix split this past weekend opening with a 2-0 loss at NC State on Thursday before bouncing back to defeat Chattanooga, 2-0, on Sunday in Chattanooga, Tenn.
• Junior forward Kelly Siewers scored both goals in the match, the second time in her career that she has scored two goals in one game. She is the top scorer for the Phoenix this season.
• Sophomore goalkeeper Hanna Macaulay now has two shutouts this season after the 2-0 win at Chattanooga.