Title IX - The Seasons Begin!

So instead of blatantly calling the occasional summation of what's going on in Women's Athletics just that... Title IX makes so much more sense.  Think about what the point of Title IX really was: to give female athletes a fair share of athletics in relation to what male athletes received.  That's exactly what I plan to do here.  Clearly I won't be having a Volleyball or Field Hockey update every day, but I have enjoyed them both when I've gone to matches and games, and I plan on giving them their due time in this space.

So without further ado, here is the first review of the Lady Blue Hens in action:

Volleyball

• Hens voted to repeat at CAA Champions [1. Delaware 72 (5 first-place votes); 2. James Madison 67 (2); 3. Northeastern 62 (1); 4. VCU 60 (1); 5. George Mason 53 (1); 6. Georgia State 45; 7. Towson 32; 7. William & Mary 32; 9. Hofstra 17; 10. UNC Wilmington 10.]
• The team opened the season down in Houston.  It took all five sets for the Hens to top Rice, 3-2.  However, #6 Stanford swept Delaware in straight sets the next day, 3-0.
• Delaware's first home match of the year saw an end to their 17-match home win streak as they fell to #16 Oregon, 3-0.
• MY TAKE: This team is probably still the class of the CAA, returning a good amount of experience to this season.  However, their schedule features a ton of ranked teams early, from #6 Stanford & #16 Oregon that they already faced, to #14 Northern Iowa & #25 Florida State who will both travel to Newark for the Delaware Invitational this weekend.  This should toughen up the Hens for the CAA schedule once it begins at the end of September, but most likely hurt them in the national rankings.  For Delaware to make it back to the NCAA tournament, it looks like a conference title is the only way, but barring injury or major upsets during the season, this scenario is favorable to the Hens.  How they fair in this weekend's tournament should be telling of their chances going beyond just an NCAA appearance.

Field Hockey

• Picked 5th in the CAA Pre-Season Coach's Poll.  [1. Old Dominion 64 (8 first-place votes); 2. Drexel 50 (1); 3. James Madison (47); 4. Northeastern (45); 5. Delaware (33); 6. VCU (31); 7. William & Mary (25); 8. Hofstra (20); 9. Towson (9).]
• Sophomore midfielder Clare O’Malley was named an honorable mention choice on the 2011 Pre-Season All-Colonial Athletic Association Field Hockey team.
• The Blue Hens received votes in the opening Kookaburra / National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division I Preseason Poll. 
• Five First Half Goals Propel Delaware Past Bryant, 7-1, in Season Opener 
• Kasey Prettyman Leads the University of Delaware Field Hockey Comeback over Rutgers, 4-2 
• Freshman Kelsey McKee Tabbed CAA Co-Rookie of the Week after scoring in each of the first two games, including the winner vs. Rutgers.
• MY TAKE: I clearly don't understand field hockey rankings because a team that projected to finish 5th in conference is somehow receiving votes in national polls (their spot is essentially 21st).  Either way, the Hens look strong to start the season as they each of their first two matchups.  That a freshman defender is winning ROTW honors for scoring game-winning goals is a great sign to start the season.  So far so good from Rullo Stadium.

Soccer

• Delaware picked to finish 10th in the CAA [1) James Madison (7 1st place votes) 116 points; 2) Hofstra (2) 108; 3) William & Mary (3) 105; 4) Northeastern 86; 5) George Mason 81; 6) UNC Wilmington 69; 7) Georgia State 64; 8) Old Dominion 40; 8) VCU 40; 10) Delaware 30; 10) Towson 30; 12) Drexel 23]
• Hens fall in their first match of the season to La Salle, 2-0.
• At JMU tournament, Delaware gets their first win vs. Stony Brook, 3-0, then falls to Pittsburgh, 1-0, the two days later.
• MY TAKE: To be completely honest, I know very little about this team.  They don't look that great, which is probably why you rarely hear about them, but they're Hens like the rest of us and worth supporting.  Good to see them get a win away from home against a non-conference opponent, but it seems as if the conference schedule will be a big challenge.  Not much else can be inferred this early in the season, so here's to hoping they are the surprise of the fall and can make a run.