MC Classic to kick of 2005 season for Pioneers

Aug. 31, 2005
MARIETTA, Ohio – The Marietta College men and women’s soccer teams will host the MC Classic this weekend, which kicks off the inaugural season of play on the newly renovated Marietta Field. The Pioneers welcome NCAA Division III teams from Indiana, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

The Lady Pioneers welcome back a slue of letterwinners—15 to be exact—and will be led by seniors Amy Lehosit, Kristin Drain, Bethany Blahnik and Emilee Knowlton, each of whom received post-season recognition from the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) last season. After tying the school record for most wins in a season with 12 in 2004, MC is looking for nothing less than continued success in 2005.

The Marietta men are coming off a 4-9-2 record from last year, and look to showcase 20 of its newcomers this season. Senior Brad Maddox will head the Pioneer charge after leading his team in points (11) and shots (39), while tying for the top spot in goals (4), assists (3) and game-winning goals (2) in 2004.

SUNY-Brockport brings its women’s team back to Ohio for another year at the MC Classic. The Golden Eagles claimed a 9-7-2 record last year, and will rely on their three seniors to highlight the 2005 season.

Newcomers to this year’s event include Kenyon (men), Lakeland (WI) (men and women), Pitt-Greensburg (PA) (men) and St. Mary’s (IN) (women).

Kenyon’s 21 letterwinners return for first-year head coach Chris Brown, who will take over a team that went 3-16-0 last year.

The Lakeland men return 11 players to the lineup after going 8-11-1 in 2004. The Lady Muskies will have a tough time replacing two-time Lake Michigan Conference (LMC) MVP Amanda Smith, but head coach Marc Colwell hopes to see senior honorable mention LMC Ann Lehecka, junior Tracy Bins and sophomore Marie Reynolds take the reigns in 2005.

After losing nine seniors and six starters from last year’s Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) championship team that went 13-6-2 in 2004, Pitt-Greensburg’s eighth-year head coach Ted Wawryniak welcomes back five seniors to the squad this season. One of Coach Wawryniak’s most promising athletes is senior Adam Zeleznick, who was last year’s AMCC “Player of the Year” and All-AMCC first-team honoree. 

Last but not least on this year’s tournament lineup is St. Mary’s (IN). In her second season with the Lady Belles, Caryn Mackenzie will entrust the help of her three seniors to improve on their 2004 record of 10-6.