Top 5 VCU women’s soccer games to look forward to this season

ARRICK WILSON Sports Editor

THE WOMEN’S SOCCER PROGRAM MADE it to the Atlantic 10 postseason tournament last season, with the A-10 regular season championship. The 13-win season concluded after VCU took an upset loss in the first round of the tournament to Saint Joseph’s University.

Along with the upcoming games, Ram fans should also look for the return of players graduate student Amber DiOrio and redshirt junior midfielder Anna Bagley. Both players were picked by the league’s head coaches for the preseason All-A-10 team, according to the A-10 website.

Atlantic 10 — VCU at University of Richmond Spiders: Oct. 2 at 3 p.m.

The VCU and Richmond rivalry matchup holds considerable weight each season in each different sport. The black and gold rivalry with the Spiders still lives on to this day.

The Rams currently have a two-game winning streak against the Spiders, according to VCU Athletics. The Rams can hope to keep their lead in the rivalry in an anticipated match in Richmond, Virginia.

THAILON WILSON Contributing Writer

CU’S HOME RUN HITTER, FORmer redshirt sophomore, Tyler Locklear was drafted to MLB team the Seattle Mariners in the second round of the Draft.

Last year, Locklear had a record-breaking season where he put up 20 home runs and 78 RBIs, or runs batted in, according to VCU Athletics.

Five players also transferred to different schools after tenured head coach Shawn Stiffler took the job at Notre Dame University. Redshirt sophomore pitcher Jack Masloff also joined Locklear in the MLB after signing with the Detroit Tigers.

After Stiffler took the job as the new head coach of the Fighting Irish, the black and gold hired longtime Clemson assistant coach Bradley LeCroy.

Locklear was a major contributor to the Rams winning back-to-back Atlantic 10 championships that were won during his tenure.

Black and gold fans should not be worried about the hole that is left behind by Locklear’s absence.

Rams have brought in three top No. 100 Virginia recruits, according to baseball recruiting website, Perfect Game. Perfect Game is a baseball recruiting website that ranks different recruits, according to their website. Those recruits are Ethan Serrano, Ethan Brooks and Benjamin “Macho” Santiago.

Brooks is a capable hitter and defender who has a decent hitting speed and pow-

Atlantic 10 — VCU at Saint Louis University Billikens: Oct. 20 at 8 p.m.

Saint Louis University has won the A-10 championship four straight times and was voted to win it again this season by the league’s head coaches, according to the A-10 website.

The Billikens return a plethora of A-10 first-team selections including senior midfielder Abbie Miller, senior midfielder Brionna Halverson and A-10 Rookie of the Year, sophomore forward Emily Puricelli, according to the A-10 website.

With the Billikens’ league dominance, this game could be a chance for the Rams to upset the Billikens. This is not far-fetched as the Rams defeated the Billikens last season, according to VCU Athletics.

Atlantic 10 Conference Opener — VCU vs. University of Massachusetts Minutewomen: Sept. 15 at 7 p.m.

This game will open the A-10 conference play for the Rams. Last season, the Rams only lost one match to A-10 opponents, garnering a record of nine wins out of 10 matches.

The Rams could use this as a reintroduction of to A-10 conference teams, as it can set the tone for the rest of the conference schedule. The Rams have defeated the University of Massachusetts three straight times in the past three years, according to VCU Athletics. bers with top No. 500 national recruit freshman outfielder Aden Hill. er, according to recruiting website Prep Baseball Report, or PBR.

VCU at No. 2 University of Virginia Cavaliers: Sept. 11 at 2 p.m.

Listed as the last non-conference game on the Ram’s schedule, the black and gold look to face the Cavaliers.

Last season, the Cavaliers earned the No. 1 seed in the 2021 NCAA Tournament, advancing to the semifinal before falling to Brigham Young University, according to VCU Athletics. The Cavaliers are currently ranked as the No. 1 team in the country by the national recruiting soccer website, Topdrawersoccer.

This game could be a chance for the Rams to upset not only a nationally ranked team, but also an interstate university.

Atlantic 10 — VCU at University of Dayton Flyers: Oct. 9 at 1 p.m.

The University of Dayton was picked second to win this season’s A-10 championship by the league’s head coaches, according to the A-10 website.

The Flyers return junior forward Itala Gemelli, who is the reigning A-10 Offensive Player of the Year, according to the A-10 website. Last season, the black and gold defeated the Flyers 3-1, continuing a three-game winning streak.

This season will be interesting for the Rams, as they will play in the Sports Backers Stadium again this season. This season, the Rams will attempt to bring home an A-10 championship for the first time, according to VCU Athletics.

The Rams will play a home game against the University of North Carolina Wilmington Seahawks on Aug. 26 at 7 p.m., at the Sports Backers Stadium. For ticket information, visit vcuathletics.com.

Hill is an athletic outfielder and a decent defender — who can knock it out of the park when given the chance.

Along with these capable freshmen, the veteran Rams players knocked another year of experience under their belt and showed great promise to continue working towards a third consecutive A-10 championship.

Players like junior infielder Will Carlone, junior outfielder Cooper Benzin, graduate catcher Jacob Selden and senior outfielder AJ Mathis were key contributors to last year’s championship, as well as the deep push to the NCAA regional championship.

Carlone was a designated hitter who seemed to hit a home run at the exact right moment and was crucial in making up for the home run loss by Locklear’s departure.

Richmond Scouting Coordinator Jason Burton labeled Brooks as one of the best middle infielders in the Mid-Atlantic after his performance at the PBR showcase.

“Where Brooks stands out the most is his defensive ability. He is one of the best middle infielders in the Mid-Atlantic regardless of class,” Burton stated.

At the PBR showcase, Serrano showed extensive offensive and defensive capabilities with an 85 mph infield throwing speed and a strong hitting average.

Serrano and Brooks will fill the role of the players we lost in the infield to the MLB and transfer portal, but the Rams have also added to their outfielder num-

Mathis is an athletic runner and contact hitter who somehow seems to get on base most of the time prepared to be a RBI counterpart for a big power hitter.

Benzin is a hitter in his own right, as well as a capable outfielder who caught many outs in fashion to finish innings.

Selden is a strong presence for VCU who partners up with pitchers well, throws fast and hits hard. His experience will be great for incoming freshmen and for the team as a whole.

VCU fans will miss hearing Locklear hit home runs at The Diamond Stadium. However, they should look forward to what is to come with the amount of talent that is coming to this team.