While the start of the fall quarter is far away for most Drexel students, the fall sports season has just begun for athletes. Drexel’s fall sports, which include men’s and women’s soccer and women’s field hockey, have historically been some of the most successful programs at the university.
Men’s Soccer
The men’s soccer team began the season with many new faces. During the offseason, the team announced nine commitments from freshmen and transfers. This comes as the team graduated seven seniors last season, including CAA first team players Dominick Bachstein and Patrick Short. The team also lost notable players such as Gavin Carmichael, Omar Jallow and Julian Jordheim.
This season looks to be one of transition, as the team lost their first official game to Gardner-Webb 4-0 in Virginia on Thursday.
David Castellanos returns for his second season as head coach. The team’s next game is on Aug. 24 at 12 p.m. vs. Fordham in Virginia. Their first home game at Vidas will be against Northeastern on Aug. 30 at 1 p.m.
Women’s Field Hockey
Expectations are high as the returning CAA champions are looking to defend their title this season. Last season, the team finished with a 6-0 record in CAA play and a #16 NCAA ranking. The team’s top two players, Valentine Val Hellemont and Pili Lemoine are both returning for their third years.
Last season, the team graduated seven seniors, however, during the offseason, eight new players committed. Four players, Anna Castaldo, Natali Foster, Anna Getty and Martina Sanabria, will lead the team as captains. Additionally, head coach Denise Zelenak is returning for her 31st year.
The team’s first game is on Aug. 29 at 4 p.m., where they take on Central Michigan at Buckley Field.
Women’s Soccer
The women’s season is well underway, with the team already playing three games, winning Thursday’s match against Saint Joseph’s 2-0, after seeing draws in their first two matches. The team is looking to improve on last season, where they finished in 12th place in the CAA conference.
The team announced that seniors Elise Duffy and Maggie Hall will be the team captains for the season. Ray Goon is returning for his 29th year as head coach. In addition, eight new players committed to the team over the offseason, while eight seniors graduated.
The team’s next game will take place on Aug. 24 at 6 p.m. at Lafayette. On Aug. 28 at 6 p.m., Drexel will play Penn at Vidas.