#CUWStatsInfo: Fall sports open competition this weekend
MEQUON, Wis. – It has been 104 days since the Concordia University Wisconsin Women's Golf team wrapped up play at the 2014 NCAA Division III Championships, concluding the 2013-14 CUW Falcons athletics season. On Friday, August 29 three CUW teams will end that drought as the 2014-15 season gets underway.
The Falcons Volleyball team opens the 2014 season with a 1:00 p.m. game against Finlandia University in Ann Arbor, Mich., while Men's Soccer and Women's Tennis also begin play on Friday. On Saturday all three of those teams will be in action again, as well as the Men's and Women's Cross Country squads and the Women's Soccer team.
Here is a look at some numbers to know heading into the opening weekend of Falcons athletics.
Volleyball: 17 – The Falcons open the 2014 campaign with a roster of 17 student-athletes, nine of those being newcomers to the team. CUW, which finished 14-19 a season ago, is predicted to take fourth in the NACC this upcoming season.
222 – One of the experienced players coming back to the Falcons in 2014 is senior Britta Duchow (Potter, Wis.). Duchow, one of the team captains, enters the year with 222 blocks, ranking 30th in NACC history.
Women's Tennis: 2 – The Falcons were predicted to take second in the NACC this fall thanks to a talented roster featuring several returners, but also a host of talented newcomers.
13 – CUW won 13 matches last fall, finishing with a 13-12 record. The Falcons posted a 9-2 mark in conference play, and defeated both of Saturday's opponents, Benedictine University and Aurora University, by 5-4 scores last season.
Men's Soccer: 22 – CUW returns its leading scorer from a season ago in junior Keegan Van Dusseldorp (Burlington, Wis.). Van Dusseldorp finished his sophomore year with 22 points, scoring 10 goals and adding two assists. He was named one of the team's three captains this fall, along with seniors Diego Campos (Milwaukee, Wis.) and Paul Stuebs (Neenah, Wis.).
21 – The Falcons have proved to be a model of consistency under head coach Tom Saleska. Saleska, now in his 22nd year leading the team, has led CUW to 21 consecutive seasons of 10 or more wins.
Men's Cross Country: 4 – CUW finished fourth at the NACC Championships a season ago, but will have to replace a few talented runners from that squad. Three freshmen join a roster of 13 as head coach Russ DeLap and his team begins this weekend in a dual against Maranatha.
28:12.0 – Junior Alex Rosenau (Van Dyne, Wis.) is the top returning Falcon based on times from last year's NACC Championships. Rosenau finished 20th at the meet, clocking in at 28:12.
Women's Cross Country: 2 – The Falcons bring back a pair of All-NACC runners from last season in sophomores Jennifer Goeman (Florence, Wis.) and Ashley Scheele (Kohler, Wis.). The duo placed 14th and 15th, respectively, at the NACC Championships last fall and were consistently the top two runners for CUW during their freshman campaigns.
3 – As a team CUW finished third at the NACC Championships. The Falcons had 95 points at the meet, finishing just shy of runner-up Edgewood College. Aurora University placed five runners in the top 10 to capture the conference championship.
Women's Soccer: .858 – CUW brings back a wealth of talent this fall as 85.8 percent of the team's scoring returns. Add in a pair of returning defenders who missed last season in Ashely Apazeller (Jackson, Wis.) and Faith Palmreutuer (Frankenmuth, Mich.) and CUW should have a talented, experienced team in 2014.
32 – Perhaps the most important stat for the Falcons over the past few seasons has been scoring first. The last 32 times CUW has struck first, they have wound up on the winning side of things at the end of the match. Conversely, CUW was 0-8-0 last season when its opponent scored first.