Nick Pelletier ’08, Men’s basketball

As one of three key starters returning from a year ago, Nick Pelletier ’08 has become a key weapon on the offensive end of the floor this winter for the men’s basketball team. A versatile power forward with the ability to score in the post or from the outside, Pelletier’s leads the team with 17.8 points per game. Despite recent losses to Eastern Connecticut, New York City College in overtime and Hamilton College on Tuesday in a nail-biter, Pelletier has been the most consistent offensive threat for the Cards as he put up a total of 50 points in the three losses. Along with Sean Collins ’08, Pelletier is arguably the most improved player on the court this winter for the Cards. Pelletier and the Cards tipped off against Emmanuel last night.

Nikki Maletta ’08, Women’s basketball

Nikki Maletta ’08 has been a consistent force for the woman’s basketball team this winter, as she leads the Cards in minutes per game with 32.2 and ranks behind only Ali Fourney ’09 in scoring, contributing a solid 12.2 points per game. Maletta, a key returning starter from a year ago, also leads the team in three-point percentage with an impressive .353 mark. In a 75-37 drubbing of St. Josephs on November 28, Maletta notched 13 points a game after swishing home a career high 19 points in a seven-point loss to Emmanuel at the Emmanuel College Tip-Off Tournament. Maletta was named to the all tournament team along with Fourney at the invitational tournament.

David Layne ’10, Men’s ice hockey

A rookie, Layne scored two goals against Amherst in his first collegiate game and has been tearing up the NESCAC ever since. With two multiple-goal games already under his belt, Layne leads the team in points with seven goals and three assists. He was instrumental in the team’s 3-3 tie with a strong Hamilton team, netting two goals within in a minute and a half span at the end of the second period. Layne also had a hand in the Cardinals’ 5-4 win over Trinity last month, assisting the game’s first goal and beating the goalie midway through the third period to put the Cards up 4-3. After scoring in each of the season’s first five games, Layne was shutout against UMass-Boston but will surely be hungry to get back on the score sheet this weekend in tilts with Salve Regina and UMass-Dartmouth.

Julia Kazmers ’08, Women’s ice hockey

With just one win in the first seven games of the season, the women’s hockey team will be looking to defenseman Julia Kazmers ’08 for aggressive, solid play in the remaining two-thirds of the season. Kazmers, who has the ability to play both sides of the ice, is in the midst of her third year on the varsity squad. The leading scorer on the team with three goals and three assists, Kazmers scored the game winning goal in the team’s only victory against Trinity in a 3-2 victory. Facing a 2-1 deficit against Hamilton on Dec. 1, Kazmers once again came to the rescue for the Cards as her goal with a minute left in the contest salvaged a 2-2 tie. On Saturday, Kazmers and the Cards face off at home against MIT at 3 p.m.

Dan deLalla ’07, Wrestling

The defending New England champion in the 157 pound weight class, deLalla opened up his 2006/2007 campaign with a second place finish at the Doug Parker Invitational tournament. deLalla enters the season ranked in New England behind rival Mark DeCiccio of Springfield College. Last year deLalla sat out the entire regular season with a broken arm before making his return at the New England Championships. deLalla showed no ill effects from the injury, ripping through the first four rounds to earn a show down with Jake Taylor of Springfield. Taylor entered the final round with one loss in the tournament, meaning he would have to beat deLalla twice to take the title. deLalla took the first match on points before Taylor responded with a pin in the second match, setting up a winner-take-all final match. deLalla emerged victorious with a 3-1 victory. deLalla and the Cards open up their dual-meet season Friday against Rhode Island College.

Robert Broadfoot ’10, Men’s Squash

One of the few early season bright spots for the men’s squash team has been the consistent play of Robert Broadfoot. The lanky rookie from Hong Kong is 2-0 and has the only two wins for the Cardinals thus far. In his first collegiate match, Robert battled from being down two games to one to grab the win by a 3-2 margin. Last weekend, against Connecticut College, he dominated his match three games to zero, while dropping just five points. Broadfoot has been a solid addition to a young squash team with no seniors and four freshmen. Broadfoot and the squash team will resume play on Saturday, Jan. 6 in the Snowflake Tournament at Dartmouth College

Casey Simchik ’10, Women’s squash

Casey Simchik ’10 has provided a tremendous boost to the women’s squash team as just a freshman. Simchik, a standout squash player at Phillips Exeter Academy, occupies the number one spot on a young squash team with no seniors and eight underclassmen. This past weekend, Simchik knocked home a crucial 3-1 victory in the team’s 5-4 downing of Smith College. On the season, Simchik sports a 4-3 record in the top position, with key individual wins coming twice over Wellesley and Northwestern. Simchik and the Cardinal’s (3-4) return to action in January with some of their most important matches still ahead of them, including a February rematch with Smith, the NESCAC Championship and the Howe Cup at Yale.

Dave Wilkinson ’09, Men’s swimming and diving

Hosting Brandeis, Keene St. and M.I.T. for the two-day Cardinal Invitational Sat. & Sun., Dec. 2 and 3, Wesleyan placed second behind Brandeis, with diver Dave Wilkinson ’09 as a large reason why. This past weekend, Wilkinson captured both the 1-meter and 3-meter dives with scores of 243.3 and 185.03 at the meet. Against Amherst on Nov. 20, Wilkinson yet again established himself as a force to be reckoned with in the NESCAC, as he dove to a first place finish in the 1-meter dive, finishing with a score of 248.40, 23 points ahead of Connor Boyd of Amherst. Wilkinson enters this season off a breakthrough performance at the NESCAC Tournament last winter, as he finished fourth in the three-meter and fifth in the four-meter diving events. Wilkinson and the Cards take to the water this weekend, as they host Trinity at 12 p.m. on Saturday.

Kate Krems ’08, Women’s swimming

During a weekend packed with races, Krems placed in the top two in each of her seven events. Sweeping the 50, 100, and 200-yard butterfly events, and placing second in the 100-yard IM, Krems also raced on three relay teams, taking first in the 400-yard medley and second in the 200-yard medley and 400-yard freestyle. A team record holder in five events, Krems is a vital short and mid-distance swimmer, consistently earning points for the Cards and a major reason for their strong showing at last weekend’s Cardinal Invitational. As co-captain, she’ll lead the team against Trinity, who holds the same 1-1 record as Wes, this weekend at home.