With winter slowly coming to an end, a new season of sports are starting up for several McDaniel student-athletes. Basketball shoes are being replaced with baseball cleats, while tennis rackets, lacrosse sticks and golf clubs find their way into Glar after the long off-season. The sports editors from the Free Press have compiled a list of one athlete from each sport to make sure you get out and watch at some point this spring.
Men’s Baseball
Pat Christopher: The Senior batted .367 last year and looks to build off that already impressive average. Christopher led the team in hits, on-base percentage, doubles, triples and stolen bases. He is also approaching several school records, leading to his selection for the men’s baseball player to watch this season.
Women’s Softball
Caroline Brehm: The sophomore sensation returns this season after an amazing rookie season. Brehm lead the all Division III programs with 377 strikeouts last year, which is also a Centennial Conference record. After leading her team to the Conference championship last year, expect Brehm to have another stellar season on the mound.
Men’s Lacrosse
Skippy Clary: After losing three all-conference players due to graduation, look for senior Skippy Clary to raise his game. Coming off a solid season last year, Coach Hatton will look to Clary for leadership and valuable play. This could be a breakout season for the senior midfielder.
Women’s Lacrosse
Paige Messersmith: Once again, senior Paige Messersmith will be looked to as the impact player of the women’s lax team. Messersmith is coming off a first team all-regional season where she scored 40 goals and a team leading 20 assist. The Terror will look for that consistency to continue and have Messersmith finish out her senior year on top.
Men’s Outdoor Track and Field
Carlos Hernandez: Hernandez recently won the gold medal for shot during the Centennial Conference men’s indoor track and field championship, bettering his previous personal best my more than five inches. The senior will look to cap off his McDaniel career with a strong showing in outdoor track and field.
Women’s Outdoor Track and Field
Jasmine McCormick: Junior Jasmine McCormick is coming off a stellar indoor season where she earned the bronze medal at the Centennial Conference championships in the pentathlon. In that event, she recorded a program record in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 9.71 seconds. McCormick will be looking to do more damage in the outdoor season, and expect to see the speedy junior going for gold this spring.
Men’s Tennis
Brian Kron: Junior Brian Kron is looking to have another great season for McDaniel Tennis. He and partner Matt Langsdale will look to lock down the doubles division in the Centennial Conference. Kron will be a strong presence for the entire Green Terror team and will look to continue his success this spring.
Women’s Tennis
Kiersten Patron: Sophomore Kiersten Patron is coming off a great individual season last fall and will look to keep that going into the spring. The last action she saw on the court was at Trinity back in October, where she won her matches 6-0, 6-0. Expect more of the same from the sophomore phenomenon this spring.
Men’s Golf
James Lillie: Lillie is looking to build off the success he established this fall. Lillie has been away from the competitive course since the fall where he finished second at the Mason-Dixon Collegiate Classic, leading the Green Terror to a team victory at the event. Look for Terror to rely on the sophomore’s club to lead them to more victories this time around.
Women’s Golf
Morgan Koopman: Koopman is a senior on the McDaniel women’s golf team this year, and the Terror will look towards her leadership in order to succeed. Koopman was last on the green in early October, leading the Terror to a forth place finish in the Kutztown Fall Invitational. Look for Koopman to have a great spring, and her fellow Terror golfers to follow in her lead.
