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 Greater Louisville Classic, Saturday, Sept. 3, Louisville, Ky.

• After a week off, the Elon University cross country programs are back in action this Saturday in Louisville for the Greater Louisville Classic.
• The Phoenix women’s team last competed at the adidas XC Challenge on Sept. 18 in Cary, N.C. Elon finished third overall at the meet only behind host and nationally ranked NC State and regionally ranked Duke, but edged out fellow in-state rival and nationally ranked North Carolina.
• Senior Elyse Bierut was 13th overall in the women’s 5K race at the meet and was named the Colonial Athletic Association Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Week on Tuesday, Sept. 22. Bierut clocked in a time of 17:30.8 in the race – just five seconds shy of her school record. Junior Shelby Cuddeback established a new personal-record in the race with her time of 17:36.5 and broke into the program’s top-five all-time performance list.

Football (2-2, 1-0 CAA Football)
Inside the Huddle Luncheon, Monday, Sept. 28, at 12 p.m., Best Western Plus
Elon Football Live Radio Show, Thursday, Oct. 1, at 7 p.m., The Fat Frogg
Elon at New Hampshire, Saturday, Oct. 3, at 3:30 p.m., Durham, N.H. (American Sports Network)

• The Phoenix earned its first-ever CAA Football victory on Saturday by downing Towson, 17-13. Elon got touchdowns from Tereak McCray and Brandon Gentry to power the win.
• Linebackers John Silas and Corey Mitchell continued to rack up the tackles as the pair made 16 and 12 stops, respectively. Over the last three games, the duo has accounted for 83 tackles.
• Elon will head farther north than it has ever before for a football game when the Phoenix travels to New Hampshire for a league game with the Wildcats. Saturday’s 3:30 p.m. kick will be televised on the American Sports Network (check local listings for your channel).

Men’s Golf
Tar Heel Intercollegiate, Oct. 3-4, UNC Finley Golf Course, Chapel Hill, N.C.

• Jonathan DiIanni fired an even-par 72 to finish tied for seventh as Elon finished 10th at the Janney VCU Shootout on Tuesday, Sept. 22.
• DiIanni’s seventh-place finish marks the second-straight tournament that a Phoenix has earned a top-10 finish, after Philip Loeb finished tied for third at the Golfweek Program Challenge.
• The team heads to Chapel Hill, Oct. 3-4, to take part in the Tar Hill Intercollegiate.

Men’s Soccer (8-1, 2-0 CAA)
Elon at William & Mary, Wednesday, Sept. 30, at 7 p.m., Williamsburg, Va.
Elon vs. Northeastern, Saturday, Oct. 3, at 7 p.m., Rudd Field

• The Phoenix soared to its highest national rankings ever in a few of the major soccer polls last week. Elon was placed at No. 8 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Top 25 Poll and also sat at No. 11 in TopDrawerSoccer.com’s Top 25 Poll and No. 13 in College Soccer News Top 30 poll.
• Elon improved to 2-0 in Colonial Athletic Association play after earning a 1-0 shutout win at league preseason favorite Delaware on Saturday, Sept. 26. James Brace scored the lone goal in contest for the Phoenix and keeper Matthew Jegier and the maroon and gold defense earned its sixth clean sheet of the season.
• Rookie Nicholas O’Callaghan picked up a pair of individual accolades last week. Last Monday, Sept. 21, the first-year player was selected as the CAA Player and Rookie of the Week and earned a spot on TopDrawerSoccer.com National Team of the Week last Tuesday, Sept. 22.

Men’s Tennis
Elon Invitational, Oct. 2-4, Jimmy Powell Tennis Center

• The Phoenix continues its fall slate this weekend, Oct. 2-4, when it hosts the Elon Invitational at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center.
• The team most recently competed at the Duke James Bonk Invitational Sept. 18-20, with Mario Paccini, Robert Lindgren and Chris Humphreys each picking up multiple victories in the event.
• Lindgren was impressive at the ECU Shootout Sept. 11-13, as the senior was named champion of his singles flight with a perfect 3-0 mark that included wins against James Madison, Richmond and College of Charleston.

Volleyball (3-12, 0-2 CAA)
Elon vs. James Madison, Friday, Oct. 2, at 7 p.m., Alumni Gym
Elon vs. Towson, Sunday, Oct. 4, at 2 p.m., Alumni Gym

• The Phoenix wrapped up its first weekend of Colonial Athletic Association play with a tough five-set loss at reigning CAA champ Hofstra. Elon started the match with a win in the first set and rallied to win the fourth and send the match to a deciding set.
• Middle blocker Ally Karle posted a career-high 11 blocks in Sunday’s match at Hofstra, marking the most blocks by an Elon player since 2006. Her 11 blocks ranks second on the program’s Division I single-match record list.
• Elon hosts its first CAA matches of the season with James Madison visiting on Friday, Oct. 2, followed by Towson on Sunday, Oct. 4. The Phoenix fell just shy of a win against the Dukes last season in Alumni Gym, falling 3-2 with a 15-12 defeat in the fifth set.

Women’s Golf
Lady Pirate Intercollegiate, Sept. 28-29, Greenville, N.C.

• The Phoenix tees off this week at the Lady Pirate Intercollegiate hosted by East Carolina, the first action for the squad since it finished play at the Golfweek Program Challenge in South Carolina on Sept. 8.
• Elon improved each day at the Golfweek Program Challenge, finishing in third place out of 18 teams.
• Emily Brooks heads into this week’s event coming off a fifth-place finish at the Golfweek Program Challenge. The senior carded a final-round 69 while Heather Munro posted a 68 in the final round, the lowest score of the event for the Phoenix.

Women’s Soccer (7-2-2, 0-1-1 CAA)
Elon vs. William & Mary, Friday, Oct. 2, at 7 p.m., Rudd Field
Elon at Francis Marion, Monday, Oct. 5, at 7 p.m., Florence, S.C.

• The Phoenix earned a solid 0-0 draw on Friday against the two-time reigning CAA Champions Northeastern, but lost for the first time since Aug. 27 to Hofstra, with a 2-0 defeat on Sunday.
• The loss for Elon snapped a seven-match unbeaten streak and it was only the second time the Phoenix have given up more than one goal in a match this season.
• Elon hosts William & Mary on Friday, Oct. 2, at 7 p.m. for a CAA matchup at Rudd Field. They will hit the road on Monday, Oct. 5, to take on Francis Marion at 7 p.m.