OLYMPIA, Wash. – Having opened fall camp on Monday, the Evergreen Geoducks are working hard to get ready for the fall sports season.
The Evergreen men’s soccer team starts the 2013 season as the favorite to take second place in the Cascade Conference standings this season after earning a trip to the conference title game last season. The Geoducks will be led by 2012 CCC Defensive Player of the Year Brady Espinoza (Pasco, Wash./Walla Walla CC) and 2012 CCC Newcomer of the Year Willie Spurr (Seattle, Wash./Roosevelt HS). The green and white open up the 2013 season on August 17 with a home match against Trinity Lutheran.
The Geoduck women’s soccer team was predicted ninth in the preseason conference poll and will be led by senior midfielder Sophie Krauza (Las Vegas, Nev./Centennial HS), who earned Honorable Mention All-CCC honors as a junior. Also returning will be senior goalkeeper Kaitlin Mackenzie (Lake Stevens, Wash./Shoreline CC) after posting a 2.48 GAA with a .698 save percentage last season. The team opens up the season on Aug. 31 when they play host to Rocky Mountain in an NAIA non-conference match.
A new era in Evergreen volleyball begins this season as Angela Spoja takes over as head coach following a successful run at Tacoma Community College. Selected 10th in the CCC coaches’ poll, the Geoducks will be led by seniors Cassidy Watkins (Tucson, Ariz./Trevecca Nazarene Univ.) and Brittany Covert (Chino Hills, Calif./Northern Michigan Univ.). Watkins averaged 2.95 kills per set in 2012 while Covert put down 1.88 kills per set and secured 0.61 blocks per set as a junior.
The Geoducks will open the 2013 season on Aug. 22, taking on traditional power Carroll (Mont.) as part of the Red Lion Cascade/Frontier Challenge in Spokane, Wash.
While not on campus yet, the Geoduck cross country program looks to rebound this season under head coach Chris Ertman. Aaron Jones (San Bruno, Calif./Capuchino HS) should be the number one runner for the men’s squad while sophomore Jamie Cummins (Lopez, Wash./Lopez HS) will lead the Evergreen women. The Geoducks are set to open the season on Sep. 7 at the Apple Ridge Run in Yakima, Wash.