August 26, 2002
Soccer
The 2002 Women’s and Men’s soccer seasons begin at home for St. Mary’s on
Saturday, Aug. 31 as the Rattler women host Texas A&M Commerce and the
Rattler men take on Savannah College. Both Rattler squads finished second
in the Heartland Conference in 2001; both teams have made winning the
confernce in 2002 their goal.
The Rattler women finished last season with a 10-6-2 record and were ranked
23rd in the nation at one point in the season – finishing just outside the
Top 25 at season’s end. Seniors Stacy Chaput (DEF), Michelle Martinez (F)
and Anglea Molock (DEF) and juniors Natalie Moore (MF) and Tara Smith (F)
are expected to be the team’s leaders in 2002. Martinez and Moore were
named to the 2001 All-Heartland Conference team and Chaput was a
second-team All-Heartland selectee.
The Rattler men finished last season with a 10-10 record. Juniors Horacio
Leal (MF), Jeremy Koontz (MF) and Kirk Hopkins (F) and sophomores Stephen
Kilpatrick (F) and Christopher Alvarado (GK) are expected to lead the St.
Mary’s men in 2002. Hopkins and Leal were named to the 2001 All-Heartland
Conference team and Alvarado, Koontz, Kilpatrick – along with returning
player Juan Diego Vidalon – were all All-Heartland Second Team honorees.
Volleyball
The 2002 volleyball season will soon be underway. The Rattlers get things
started at the end of August by hosting the St. Mary’s National
Invitational, Friday-Saturday, Aug. 30-11.
The St. Mary’s lineup includes eight returning players, lead by 2001 All
Heartland Conference selectees Breann Alexander, Misti Fischnar and
Kristelle Rodriguez. The Rattlers are coached by Todd Caughlin, who is in
his second year. Caughlin is joined by assistants Brad Bulycz, Andy Salazar
and Joella Zubia.
The Rattlers will take on squads from the the University of South Dakota,
Metro State, Alaska-Anchorage and Chaminade. The Rattlers will take-up
host’s duties again with the Alamo Classic on Oct. 17-19, when teams from
Cameron University, Texas A&M Commerce and West Texas A&M come to visit
Bill Greehey Arena. Road trips for St. Mary’s this fall include the Rollins
College Invitational, the Cameron University Classic and St. Edward’s
Powerade Classic.
A new element to the Heartland Conference Schedual this year is the
introduction of two “crossover” weekends, which allow all of the
conference’s Texas and Missouri teams to face each other twice during the
regular season. The crossovers will be in Dallas on Oct. 4-5 and in Kansas
City on Oct. 25-26. Postseason play will begin with the Heartland
Conference Tournament, Nov. 15-16 in Austin.
The Rattlers are led by second-year head coach Todd Caughlin. Caughlin is
joined by assistants Brad Bulycz, Andy Salazar and Joella Zubia.