Alex Urquhart
With the NCAA season starting right around the corner we take a look at two teams, the University of Virginia and the University of Michigan. The Virginia Cavaliers made it to the ACC finals last year but missed out on making it to the NCAA Tournament. The Michigan Wolverines, in their second season, went 1-13, but looked immensely better from their first season in 2012.
The Cavs have shown in the past that after a down year they have always come back to have a very, very strong season. The Last time the Cavs had a “down” season was 2004 when the team went 5-8. After that season Virginia went on eight winning seasons, an undefeated season in 2006 and made three NCAA finals appearances.
The Cavs this year are returning a good group of players from last year’s team. Players like Owen Van Arsdale, James Pannell, and Rob Emery. Van Arsdale was fifth on the team in points with 25 (11 G, 14 A) and will be among the players coach Dom Starsia looks to carry the offense. Pannell was used sparingly in his freshman year due to the Cavs veteran lineup at attack, but he did finish the season with 12 points (7 G, 5 A), look for Pannell to become a much more involved attackman in his Sophomore year. Senior Rob Emery is back for more, the man seems to never graduate. Emery will be a huge factor through the midfield and in the locker room where the team only has 10 seniors and only about half with big time game time under their belts.
Virginia will be a force to be reckoned with in the ACC this year, along with Duke, Maryland, and North Carolina. The big games to watch this season will be Johns Hopkins on March 22, Maryland on March 30, and Duke on May 11.
Michigan is going into its third year as Varsity program. The humble beginnings of the team come from my neck of the woods, the MCLA. The team has had a hard time getting wins under their belt, only going 2-26 in the first two seasons. Now the Wolverines have improved their play over the last two seasons.
The Wolverines will be looking to their young guys to bring up the play and the intensity this season. Coach John Paul went on a recruiting tear in the offseason are was able to recruit most of the Midwest and the Central United States and come away with most of the D1 recruits in those areas. Although the team will need their upper classmen to step up and lead the team, players like Kyle Jackson and Mike Hernandez.
Michigan is looking to finish out their stay in the ECAC on a good note, prior to join the newly formed Big 10 conference in 2015. The big games for the Wolverines are Penn St. on February 8, Johns Hopkins on February 22, Maryland on March 8 and Ohio St. on April 12.
