Zaltsman placed fourth or higher in the 50 free in every dual meet last season and took first or second in the 100 free in each dual meet in which she swam it, as well as a seventh-place finish in the event in the NESCAC Championships. She took first in both events in the season-opening tri-meet against Bates and Trinity as the Cardinals sunk the Bantams for the 20th time in the last 23 meetings and won their sixth straight against Bates. She had a pair of first-places in the six-team Cardinal Invitational (50 and 100 fly) and also took second in the 50 free, 100 back, and 100 free during the meet. In addition to taking seventh in the 100 free, Zaltsman also placed eighth in the 50 fly during the NESCAC Championships. Her time of :53.08 in the preliminaries in the 100 free is a program record.

Zaltsman and the Cardinals begin their quest for their sixth winning campaign in seven years Saturday at Bates, their only dual meet away from Middletown.

Gold pulled down a game-high eight rebounds and poured in eight points in the team’s 2008-09 season opener against Rhode Island College, setting the tone for a strong season. She had a season-high 19 points in a 71-46 win at St. Joseph’s College of Long Island and added 14 in a 67-63 win at Middlebury, the team’s first conference win of the season. She also contributed eight points and eight rebounds in an 86-45 home victory over Williams, Wesleyan’s third straight over the Ephs and the largest Cardinal victory in the 37-year history of the rivalry.

Gold connected on 18 of her 56 three-point attempts last season, the best percentage on the team (.302) among players with at least 15 attempts. She also shot 77.8 percent from the free-throw line, sinking 49 of her 63 attempts from the charity stripe, the second-best mark on the team.

Gold and the Cardinals begin their quest for a tenth straight winning campaign this Friday as they take on Babson College in the Stevens Institute Tournament.

Layne’s best offensive game last winter came against St. Michael’s, against which he had a goal and an assist to help the team to a 2-2 tie. His goal 1:14 into the third period gave the Cardinals a 2-1 lead, and he also assisted on Robinson's first-period goal that gave the squad an early 1-0 lead. Layne also netted the Cardinals' first goal just 4:51 into a 2-0 win at Colby last February, the first in program history against the Mules.

Layne's career totals currently stand at 30 goals and 51 points in 71 total games in the red and black. Layne should be a key factor in the Cardinals’ success on the ice, as they look to improve on last season's 4-17-2 record behind the strength of 13 freshmen and 16 returning lettermen, including the top five scorers from 2008-09.

For the past three years, Fitzsimmons has been a valuable asset to her team both on and off the ice. Passionate about the game and devoted to her teammates, Fitzsimmons is a composed player who sets a great example for the rest of the team. Her enthusiasm, dedication, and optimistic attitude are three essential qualities that will enable her to lead the women’s team in a positive direction throughout this upcoming season.

Although their 2-21-1 record from last season still looms over the team, Fitzsimmons, along with fellow tri-captains Heather Lindgren ’11 and Julia Heffelfinger ’11, will be working to lead their team to a winning season. With 15 solid returning players and six promising newcomers, it seems like this might  be a plausible goal for the team this year.

Wesleyan begins its season Friday, Nov. 20 with a home opener against Amherst. The Lady Cards have not defeated the Lord Jeffs on the ice since the 2003-04 season, but the team is looking to change that statistic this year. All are encouraged to come out and support the women's hockey team and keep an eye out for #16, Erin Fitzsimmons.

Storms finished fourth or better in the 200 free every meet during 2008-09, placing first or second in all but two. During the season-opening meet against Bates and Trinity, Storms placed first in the 100 and 200 free, clocking in 0.14 seconds ahead of Beck in the former, and took second in the 50 free, helping Wesleyan improve to 21-2 all-time against Bates and win its 27th straight against Trinity. He followed that up with a pair of second-place showings in the 100 and 200 free against Amherst and also took second in the 200 free in the six-team Cardinal Invitational.

Storms ended the season with a pair of first-place finishes in the 200 free, the first in a tri-meet against Bowdoin and Colby and the latter in the final dual meet against Coast Guard. He also placed third in the 100 free in both meets.

Storms and the Cardinals will look to build on the success of last year’s 10-5 season, which included a fifth-place finish in the NESCAC Championships, as the season begins this Saturday at Bates.

This season, he won’t be able to sneak up on anyone.  In coach Joe Reilly’s second year, Mendell will again be the featured player in crunch time and he is more than up to the challenge.  His sweet shooting stroke is reminiscent of the New York Knicks’ Danilo Gallinari, Mendell’s favorite player.  But even Mendell knows that it won’t be all up to him this year.  Nine freshmen are on the roster, and they can all shoot from long range and run the court, both of which Reilly emphasizes daily in practice.  According to Mendell, the team’s game plan will frequently be to “push the ball upcourt.”

“ We’re going to play fast and it’ll be exciting,” he said.

Look for an improved record out of the Cardinal men this year, starting with the Inn at Middletown Tournament this weekend.  Their first opponent will be Johnson State College, this Friday night at 6 P.M. in Silloway Gymnasium.

1. Kansas

Despite losing in the Sweet 16 last year to eventual runner-up Michigan State, Kansas returns four of its five starters and adds super freshman Xavier Henry to its lineup. With two Player of the Year candidates in point guard Sherron Collins and center Cole Aldrich, anything less than a Final Four will be a disappointment this year for coach Bill Self’s squad.

2. Michigan State

The Spartans were embarrassed in the championship game by North Carolina, but they too return four of five starters. These include outstanding, lightning-fast point guard Kalin Lucas and powerful forward Raymar Morgan, each of whom has a chance for an All-American season.

3. Texas

Coach Rick Barnes has had a squad loaded with talent for the last five or six years, but hasn’t advanced past the Elite Eight since 2003. Look for that to change this year, with Texas boasting perhaps the best front line in the nation. Big men Damion James and Dexter Pittman are both seniors who could have been first-round draft picks last year but chose to stay in Austin to play with top-ranked freshman Avery Bradley and chase a title.

4. North Carolina

The Tar Heels lost four starters from their dominating championship run last year, but the well is far from dry. Roy Williams has put together one of the best recruiting classes in the nation, and Carolina should have the best frontcourt rotation in the country, with six big men likely to be first round draft picks at some point. After UNC’s last championship in 2005, no one picked them to even make the NCAA tournament. But behind talented freshmen, including eventual National Player of the Year Tyler Hansbrough, they finished in the top 15 and made it to the second round. Look for a much better finish than that this season.

5. Villanova

Shooting guard Scottie Reynolds returns for what seems like his ninth season at Villanova for coach Jay Wright. Wright has always had guard-heavy, overachieving lineups, and this year promises to be the same. He’ll probably start three guards and the team has a great chance to go to a second straight Final Four. The Wildcats have only missed the Sweet 16 once since 2005, and don’t expect that to change this year.

6. Kentucky

Big Blue was just decent last year, finishing tied for fourth in the weak SEC, and was not selected for the NCAA tournament. So they ousted second-year head coach Billy Gillispie and hired John Calipari, who had taken Memphis to at least the Sweet 16 for four straight years and lost the national title game in overtime to Kansas in 2008. Calipari immediately put together the best recruiting class to come to Lexington in years, including John Wall, whom many project to be the top NBA draft pick in 2010, and DeMarcus Cousins, one of the best forward prospects out there. Kentucky will make a legitimate run at the Final Four this year if each player lives up to the hype.

7. Duke

Mike Krzyzewski and Co. have been a top-10 program for as long as anyone can remember, but they’ve been overshadowed by rival North Carolina for the last several years. Even with four returning starters and some long-awaited frontcourt depth arriving this year in the form of McDonald’s All-American forwards Mason Plumlee and Ryan Kelly and guard Andre Dawkins, the Blue Devils should finish behind UNC in the ACC yet again, but they should be able to make a run at the Final Four if they stay healthy.

8. Connecticut

The Huskies lost almost as much firepower as the champion Tar Heels from last season’s squad, including top 5 pick Hasheem Thabeet. But returning stars Kemba Walker, Jerome Dyson, and Stanley Robinson will have a lot to say about UConn refusing to fall off for coach Jim Calhoun.

9. Purdue

The Boilermakers may have two of the best players you’ve never heard of in juniors Robbie Hummel and E’Twaun Moore. They also return all of their starters and most of their key reserves and will almost definitely improve on their Sweet 16 finish last year. But Hummel has had problems with keeping his lower back healthy, and Purdue’s success will hinge on how well he holds up.

10. Ohio State

Evan Turner may be the best all-around player in college basketball. Last season, he averaged 17.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 0.8 blocks per game. This season, he will get lots of help from fellow juniors Jon Diebler and David Lighty (who missed all but seven games in 2008-09). Coach Thad Matta will look to return the Buckeyes to their Final Four form of 2007.

Three Players to Watch Outside the Top 10:

Luke Harangody, Notre Dame

Even though Harangody was Big East Player of the Year as a sophomore in 2008, he returned for his junior and then his senior seasons, bypassing a possible top-15 draft position each time. With his powerful inside game and improved outside shooting, look for him to lead the Fighting Irish as they try to improve on last year’s NIT berth.

Willie Warren, Oklahoma

Without power forward Blake Griffin, the number 1 overall pick in this summer’s NBA draft, combo guard extraordinaire Warren will assume the spotlight. He can score from anywhere on the floor and is one of the strongest and fastest 6’4” guards in the country.

Derrick Favors, Georgia Tech

Favors is just a freshman, but he will almost certainly be one of the ACC’s best big men. The Yellow Jackets have been picked in numerous preseason top 25 polls almost solely because of Favors’ arrival, even though they went just 12-19 last season. Favors is a 6’10” power forward who is an athletic freak and even has some skills away from the basket and in the open court. Favors will likely win numerous national freshman awards and may even get All-American buzz.

Men’s soccer midfielders Woody Redpath ’10 and Nick Whipple ’10 and goalkeeper Adam Purdy ’13 received first-team all-NESCAC recognition. Whipple, who has played in all 65 games (starting 62) over his four years in Middletown thus far, has tallied eight goals and 10 assists for 26 career points. Redpath has started all 18 contests in 2009 so far as a defensive center midfielder for a Cardinal team that has allowed a NESCAC-low eight goals. Purdy became the first freshman ever to receive first-team all-NESCAC honors, as he has played all but 34 minutes in net for Wesleyan and leads the NESCAC in goals-against average (0.43), save percentage (.906), and shutouts (10). He currently sits fourth in Division III in save percentage and fifth in GAA. Purdy was also honored as NESCAC Rookie of the Year.

Wesleyan also had three players receive second-team all-NESCAC laurels in Asante Brooks ’10, Keisuke Yamashita ’10, and Jacob Mergendoller ’11. Brooks and Yamashita have been starters for three seasons. Yamashita stands at the Cardinals’ leading scorer this year with four goals and five assists for 13 points, has 28 career points (12 goals, five assists). Brooks ranks second on the team in scoring with three goals and three assists; having moved from the back line to the front in 2008, he has tallied four of each in his career. Mergendoller, who moved in the starting lineup in 2009 after playing in 11 games with seven starts last season, helped the Cardinals tie Williams in the season opener with a goal in the 77th minute.

Geoff Wheeler, head coach of the men’s soccer team was named NESCAC Coach of the Year for the second time in five seasons. Wheeler, who took over as the Cardinals’ head coach in 1999, was also received the award in 2005 after the seventh-seeded Cardinals won the NESCAC title. Wesleyan has finished with a winning record seven of the last nine seasons, winning at least nine games in each of those campaigns.

The Cardinals had an additional honoree as defender Jory Kahan ’10 was named second-team CoSIDA/ESPN the Magazine College Division Academic All-American. Kahan, who has twice received NESCAC All-Academic recognition, is the first Wesleyan men’s soccer player to be named to an Academic All-America squad and is the only player from a NESCAC institution to be named to any of the three national teams this season.

The women’s soccer team boasted the NESCAC Rookie of the Year, as leading scorer Laura Kurash ’13 received the honor. Kurash tallied a school-record four goals to complement four assists in the team’s second game of the season, a 7-0 victory over Smith College. After being injured in the next game, against Colby, she returned on Oct. 17 and netted the golden goal to lead the team to a 2-1 victory over Bates. She finished the season with six goals and three assists for 15 points and was the only freshman to receive all-NESCAC laurels, as she was named second-team All-Conference along with midfielder Taylor Stevenson ’10. Stevenson, who also received second-team all-NESCAC honors in 2008, played in 54 of a possible 57 games during her four years in the red and black, starting 53. She contributed two assists while also helping anchor a defense that recorded a school-record seven shutouts.

The volleyball team’s Ruby Hernandez ’11 and Ellie Healy ’10 received all-NESCAC honors. Hernandez, who led the NESCAC in digs per set with 5.47, was named Defensive Player of the Year and received first-team honors. Hernandez was also one of 14 players, and the only libero, named a New England All-Star by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). Healy, a four-year starting setter, was named second-team all-NESCAC as she averaged 9.47 assists per set this season. She sits second on the all-time Wesleyan assists list with 4,079 and is one of just nine players in program history to record 1,000 digs, as she tallied 1,018 in her career. Healy was also chosen to play in the annual New England Women’s Volleyball Association (NEWVA) Senior All-Star Classic, which was held Sunday at UMass Boston.

Four members of the Cardinal football team received all-NESCAC honors, led by first-team selection Pete Sugarbaker ’10. Sugarbaker led the defensive linemen in tackles with 38, 22 of them solo. He also had eight tackles for a loss, including five sacks, both of which are team highs. Sugarbaker was also named a CoSIDA/ESPN the Magazine District I College Division Academic All-American. Linebacker Justin Freres ’11, defensive back Derrick Williams ’12, and offensive lineman Nick Seara ’11 all received second-team honors. Freres collected a team-leading 76 tackles, including 4.5 for a loss, and had a pair of interceptions in 2009, in addition to a defensive two-point conversion in a 43-39 victory at Bowdoin. Williams ranked second on the team in pass breakups with four and also had 35 tackles and an interception to lead the Cardinal secondary. Seara, the team’s starting center, has been a consistent starter on the offensive line during his three years in Middletown.

Ravenna Neville ’10, who placed second in the women’s race in the NESCAC Championships (one second behind the first-place finisher), and Julia Mark ’13, who took fifth in the race, both received first-team all-NESCAC honors. Neville and Mark also received all-New England Division III recognition after finishing second and 25th, respectively, in the New England Division III Championships on Saturday.

Two members of the field hockey team received a pair of regional honors. Leading scorer Morgan McCauley ’12, who led the team with nine goals and four assists for 22 points, was named second-team all-NESCAC, as was goalkeeper Tori Redding ’13. Redding ranked third in the conference in save percentage (.819) and seventh in goals-against average (1.87) as she amassed 131 saves while allowing 29 goals. She reached double-digits in saves in six games, including a career-high 20 in a 2-0 loss at second-seeded Tufts, which went on to win the conference title, in the NESCAC tournament. She also recorded 18 saves as the Cardinals toppled defending national champion Bowdoin 3-2 in penalty strokes. Both players also received second-team All-New England Division III West Region laurels from the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA).

Golfer Pete Taylor ’12, who shot a 75-74-149 in the NESCAC Championship Qualifier Oct. 3-4, earned second-team all-NESCAC laurels for the second straight year. Taylor tied for seventh among 49 players with his seven-over-par score. Over six fall tournaments, Taylor averaged a 75.17 over his 12 rounds of play, ranging from 71 to 79.

Daddario was a versatile athlete during his time as a Cardinal. He lettered three times in both football and baseball, captaining the 1938 football squad. Even now, he is still recognized as one of the best players to hit the gridiron at Wesleyan, leading the football team to three straight winning seasons and a 15-8-1 record over this time. Twice, he received the C. Everett Bacon Award as the team’s MVP. After graduating Daddario went on to play professional football with both the Hartford Blues and the Providence Steamrollers. On the baseball diamond, Daddario played in the infield, and during his senior year, he had a batting average over .500. After his successful Cardinal sports career, Daddario entered the Secret Intelligence division of the military and served in Italy from 1943-1945. When he returned to the United States, he served as Middletown mayor from 1946-1948, a Municipal Court judge from 1948-1950, and a U.S. Representative from Connecticut's 1st congressional district from 1958-1970. From 1950-1952, he served as a Major in the Connecticut National Guard during the Korean War.

Wink Davenport was a prominent basketball player at Wesleyan. He lettered three times and served as team captain during his senior year. During his time as a Cardinal, he broke the record for points in a game with 44, as well as career scoring average with 19.6. He also lettered twice in golf. Davenport continued his sports career after Wesleyan, winning a gold medal with the USA Pan Am volleyball squad in 1967. He also played for the USA Olympic team in 1968, the USA World Cup squad in 1969, and captained the U.S. national championship club team in 1971. After his playing career, Davenport became a official, refereeing at the USA Cup, the World Junior Championships, the World Championships, the World Cup, and the Olympics.

During her time at Wesleyan, Knight was a member of both the cross-country and track teams, captaining both. She broke school records in the mile with a time of 5:07.3 and the 1500m with a time of 4:43. Since her time as a Cardinal, Knight has run over 40 marathons, with her best finish coming in the Boston Marathon in 1985 with a 17th-place finish among women. Knight also took part in two Olympic Marathon Trials in 1984 and 1988. Now, she annually runs in her two favorite races, the five-mile Backcountry Bushwhack in Greenwich, Conn. and the 5k Chilmark Road Race on Martha’s Vineyard. She currently holds the Connecticut record in the East Lyme Marathon and has represented Team Adidas in marathons around the world. Now, she teaches English at Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor, Conn.

Appenteng started in every men’s soccer game during his four years at Wesleyan. During his senior year, he helped lead the team to an ECAC New England Division III title. He also received all-New England and All-American honors. In track, he ran the 440-yard dash and was part of the New England Division III champion mile relay in his senior year. Before Wesleyan, Appenteng was raised in Ghana and attended school in England. After Wesleyan, he went to Columbia Law School and then became a partner in the New York-based law firm of Thatcher, Proffitt and Word. He is a Wesleyan Trustee Emeritus and chaired the committee that recommended Michael Roth as president. The Wesleyan Alumni Association awarded Appenteng the Baldwin Medal for his service to both the University and to society.

The 1994 Cardinal baseball team was the first Wesleyan athletic squad to play in an NCAA Division III tournament. Led by head coach Peter Kostacopoulos, the team had a school-record 30-win season. The men qualified as the top seed and host of the New England regional, going 3-0 and earning a spot in the NCAA Division III World Series as the New England representative. The Cards won their first two games but lost to the defending national champions, the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, in a winners'-bracket game. In their first elimination game, the Cards beat the University of California-San Diego before playing a rematch against Wisconsin-Oshkosh. The squad lost in the title game, 6-2. Some of the remarkable players included pitcher Craig Brewer ’94, who was named a second-team Division III All-American after posting a 12-0 record and a 2.06 ERA, and co-captain Mark Woodworth '94, the current Wesleyan head coach. Will Brandenburger '95 led the team with a batting average of .402.

These five members will be forever enshrined in the Wesleyan Athletics Hall of Fame. The display is located in the Warren Street Lobby of the Freeman Athletic Center.

Wesleyan struggled to contain the Bantams in the first quarter, as Trinity scored touchdowns on its first two drives. But starting in the second, the Cardinals held Trinity scoreless for a 37-minute span and scored three touchdowns of their own. Two of them came on TD passes by QB Blake DuBois ’12 in the second quarter, the first to Pete Madera ’11, and the other to Dave Brunelli ’12. Both scores were set up by special teams pouncing on the Bantams in the punting game. The first came after Matt Maloney ’11 blocked a Trinity punt and recovered it himself at the Bantam 32-yard line, and the second came following Trevor Rhodes' ’12 recovery of a punt muffed by Trinity, 11 yards from the end zone.

On the opening kickoff of the second half, Joe Byous ’12 forced a fumble by the Trinity returner and recovered the ball at the Bantams’ 26-yard line. Though the Cardinals failed to capitalize on that drive, their defense pinned Trinity near its own goal line and forced a punt that allowed Wes to start in Trinity territory on the next possession. They finally scored on a fourth-and-goal run by Shea Dwyer ’10 for the Cardinals’ third straight touchdown. Each kicker had missed one of his extra point tries, making the score 20-13 as the third quarter ended. Finally, in the fourth quarter, Trinity got back on the board after a 49-yard pass set up a rushing touchdown from inside the five-yard line. Neither team could score again, and the game went to overtime.

While Trinity had first possession Wesleyan performed admirably on defense, holding the Bantams to a 28-yard field goal. When the Cardinals got the ball, they had no more success than Trinity, with Matt Alexander ’12 converting the first field goal of his career in a pressure-packed situation. This set up a second overtime period, in which things went quickly downhill for Wesleyan, as DuBois’ pass of the series was intercepted in the end zone. The defense again did an excellent job, making three stops for no gain, but again, Trinity converted on its field-goal try, this one a 42-yarder for the win.

A win would have made Wesleyan the first team to win at Trinity in 35 games; the Bantams have not lost in Hartford since Week 2 of 2001. It also would have ended Trinity’s win streak against the Cardinals, which has now extended to 10 games.

The loss was a bitter end to a promising season for the Cardinals, who improved their record by two games from last season’s 1-7 struggle. In addition, the team lost two games in overtime by a combined six points, which meant they were that close to being 5-3.