With many teams competing against key NESCAC rivals this weekend, look for these standouts to raise their teams to victory.

Alex Battaglino ’07 – Men’s Cross Country

Battaglino, one of men’s cross country tri-captains, has established himself as one of the team’s top runners this fall. In their last competition at the New England Open at Franklin Park, Massachusetts, Battaglino led the team through the 8k course and finished with a time of 25:32. Battaglino shaved 1:19 of his time in last year’s New England Championships. On Saturday at the Little Threes, Battaglino finished with a time of 27.02.7, fourth best on the team and 18 th out of 87 runners overall. This also represents an 11 second improvement from his time last year at the Little Threes. This weekend, Battaglino hopes to continue his improvement at the NESCAC Tournament at Connecticut College.

Lucia Pier ’08 – Women’s Cross Country

While Ellen Davis ’07 has put up stellar stats this season, Pier has quietly emerged as the team’s second best runner this fall for the women’s cross country team. At the New England Open on Oct. 7, Pier finished in the top half of the total competition as she came in second to Davis in the 5k course with a time of 19:14. At the Wesleyan Invitational last month, Pier finished second in the competition which included runners from Mount Holyoke and Connecticut College with a time of 19:55. On Saturday, Pier finished second on the team and 16th overall out of 62 runners in the Little Three meet at Williams. This weekend, Pier and the cross country team will take part in the NESCAC Tournament, hosted by Connecticut College.

Marcia Whitehead ’08 – Women’s Soccer

Whitehead has been the defensive cornerstone of a Cardinal team all season. The team now finds itself one win away from reaching the NESCAC tournament for the first time this century. A central defender, Whitehead has provided stability and experience to a back line that is tied for second in the NESCAC in shutouts with five and has allowed just 15 goals in 13 games. Compare that to the 27 goals the Cards gave up in 13 games last year and it’s no wonder that Wesleyan is in contention for the first time since this year’s seniors arrived on campus. Facing a must-win match-up with Bowdoin this Saturday, a solid performance from Whitehead and the Cardinal defense could catapult Wesleyan past the Polar Bears in the conference standings and into the NESCAC tourney.

Peter Glidden ’07 – Men’s Soccer

With just two wins in their last six games, the Cards will look to Glidden, their attacking midfielder and tri-captain, to lead them out of their late-season funk. Glidden, who is third on the team in points with four goals and four assists on the season, hopes to spark an offense that managed only one goal in two games last weekend. In a match against Western Connecticut State on Oct. 17, Glidden showed his ability to score in a hurry, pocketing two goals in the first 35 minutes. The Cards could use similar dynamism this weekend when they take on Bowdoin (10-2-1) at home in the regular season finale. A win on Saturday would lessen Wesleyan’s would likely earn them a higher seed in the NESCAC tournament and, in turn, an easier opponent for Sunday’s first round game.

Ellie Healy ’10 – Volleyball

Healy and the volleyball team enter their most important weekend of the season today. If they beat NESCAC rivals Bowdoin, Colby and Bates, the team would earn the number two seed in the NESCAC Tournament. Healy has been a major force for the Cardinals on the floor this season. She is ranked second in the NESCACs in assists with 11.21 a game and is a major reason why the Cards are ranked third in the league in assists, behind only Williams and Bowdoin. Healy and the Cards racked up two impressive victories this past week, sweeping both Coast Guard and Roger Williams, 3-0.

Zach Librizzi ’08 – Football

Librizzi has been a major reason why the football team is enjoying a turnaround season with a 2-3 record. In the team’s 17-14 overtime victory over Bates two weekends ago, Librizzi completed 17 passes for 228 yards. Librizzi was also key component of the running game, rushing for 51 yards on 22 carries and a touchdown. Librizzi struggled to find a rhythm against Amherst’s top ranked defense on homecoming weekend, failing to throw for a touchdown while only compiling 159 yards passing along with an interception. Librizzi, who is second in the NESCAC in passing yards per game, will look to bounce back this weekend at home against Bowdoin (0-5).

Chris Cody ’07 – Men’s Crew

Senior co-captain Cody could not ask for a better start to the fall season. At the team’s main competition of the fall, the Head of the Charles Regatta, Cody and the top varsity boat finished 5th out of 58 teams, second to only Trinity in all of Division III. Cody is no stranger to success in the water, as he has been a member of the top varsity boat since his freshman year. As a member of the varsity 8 boat which won the New England Championships in 2004, Cody hopes his past success can rub off on his teammates in the team’s last race of the fall. On Saturday, Cody and the men’s crew team heads to Saratoga, New York to take place in the Head of the Fish Regatta.

Sofia Warner ’09 – Women’s Crew

At the Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston, Massachusetts on Sunday, Warner and the women’s crew team raced to a finish of 19:01.69, good for 43rd place and ahead of 17 other boats in the competition. Warner, in her second year on the top varsity boat, is a key returning rower who will be counted on to help improve the crew team’s record from a year ago. Earlier in the season, Warner and the top varsity boat finished in sixth place out of 13 teams in a Head of the Housatonic competition. The women’s crew team will finish out its fall season at the Head of the Fish Regatta in Saratoga, New York.

Courtney Tetrault ’07 – Field Hockey

Trailing Bates 1-0 at the half on Oct. 14, the Cardinals offense clicked in the second half and produced a 3-2 victory. Senior co-captain Tetrault was a major reason why. Tetrault got the Cards on the board with a key goal off a pass from Julia Perciasepe ’07, and assisted Andrienne Shea ’08 on the game-winning goal. In the team’s 3-1 loss against Tufts last Tuesday, Tetrault assisted Amanda Nickels ’08 for the team’s only goal. Tetrault, the team leader in assists and total points, and the Cardinals are guaranteed a spot in the NESCAC Tournament despite a 2-1 overtime loss to Amherst this past Saturday.