The Riverhawks fall sports teams have few returners for the 2023 season.
The men’s and women’s soccer and volleyball squads will start their seasons mostly with first-year players.
“They’re all really going to be kind of resetting and transitioning some new players into some key roles,” Athletic Director Duane Herr said
“Volleyball has two returners,” Herr said. “[Women’s] soccer has three, I’ll say almost four because a lacrosse player is coming in to play soccer. Men’s soccer only has [three or four returners] as well.”
Jim Griffiths, the head coach for women’s soccer, said it’s “nothing new” having only a “handful” of returning players.
“Every year it’s almost starting from scratch,” Griffiths said. “It’s just a matter of how quickly we can blend everybody together.”
Nick Cosentino, the head coach for men’s soccer, said some good players are coming in this season.
“I feel good because the returners we have are all starters,” Cosentino said.
Joselin Bautista, who is starting her second year as the assistant volleyball coach, said her expectations are “up there” this season.
Bautista said she is most excited to coach the women and watch them play this season.
“I think there’s a lot of talent,” Bautista said. “I used to play here [and] … one of my goals has always been to beat Butler.”
Daevon Lionel, a returning soccer player, said he is ready to play again after the summer break.
“My expectations for the season are … just to come out and try to win every game that we can,” said Lionel, a second-year biology and kinesiology student.
Bailey Healy, a second-year transfer studies student and first-time soccer player, said she is curious “just to see how everyone does together.”
Cosentino, who is entering his 24th year as a Riverhawks coach, said he is looking forward to team bonding this semester.
Healy, who also plays lacrosse, said by the end of the lacrosse season last year, all of the players were “really close and that was probably the best part of it.”
Emily Poole, a first-year transfer studies student and volleyball player, said she is “excited and ready to go” for the fall season.
The women’s and men’s soccer teams kicked off their season on Aug. 22 against the Howard Community College Dragons and then faced the Harford Community College Fighting Owls on Aug. 24. They will travel to play the Hagerstown Community College Hawks on Aug. 29.
The volleyball team will start the season at Community College of Allegheny County on Sept. 2.