Spring Break
Successful recruiting could yield an exciting fall
Terry Holland previews fall sports
Kellen Holtzman
Issue date: 7/30/08 Section: Sports
|
Of the nine autumn sports getting set for preseason practices, only two (football and women's golf) made post-season NCAA appearances last season.
As usual, football will attract the most attention and will likely provide the best opportunity for national success.
ECU football always attracts a lot of preseason hype around Greenville but this year the hype has some real credibility behind it. The Pirates are entering the season with a winning streak for the first time since 2001, following a 40-27 Galleryfurniture.com Bowl victory over Texas Tech in 2000.
This year's anticipation demonstrates just how much the Pirate Nation's expectations have changed since Head Coach Skip Holtz and Athletics Director Terry Holland's first preseason in 2005.
"When we scheduled the nine-game Virginia Tech football series, I said that our goal would be to enter the Virginia Tech game in Charlotte with at least some media members believing that ECU might win that game against one of the ACC and nation's premier football programs," Holland said of the football climate change.
Certainly, the "media members" Holland refers to may be sending some praise to the Pirates this season.
ECU's murderous non-conference schedule may have some fans biting their nails, but conquering the difficult schedule could bolt the Pirates into the national spotlight once again; the perception of ECU football around the nation is no doubt under renovation.
"Nobody said it was going to be easy," Holtz said at the annual Conference USA Media Day. "I think the one thing that has been the most positive is having the opportunity to play four BCS teams out of the league…I think it's helped us climb that ladder a little bit quicker than we would have if we weren't playing such a competitive schedule."
The women's golf team enjoyed a successful season last year, finishing 12th at the NCAA East Regional in Athens, Georgia. The team also finished second at the C-USA Women's Golf Championship.
Underclassmen played a huge role in the Pirates NCAA tournament run last season, with freshman Amber Littman and sophomore Abby Bools registering spectacular seasons.
Bools, the reigning C-USA Player of the Year in women's golf, will be counted upon heavily to keep her team in the spotlight.
Be the first to comment on this story