Fall sports look onward to post-season action

As the seasons begin to change and leaves of green turn into reddish, orange brown colors, the fall season of Sycamore athletics exits their regular seasons and look onward toward a fruitful post-season. 

Sycamore athletic teams continue to march on and challenge the best in the nation, bringing pride to our little institution.  In past weeks, teams have sweat on the court, field, pitch, course and green with the opportunity of post-season play and, more importantly, post-season victories in sight.

The men's and women's cross country teams completed another Missouri Valley Conference meet this past Sunday at the LaVern Gibson Cross Country Course. 

The men's cross country came away this past weekend with their third Missouri Valley Conference title.  A feat that has only happened one other time in the history of the team. 

As significant as this victory is, the team's journey is not at an end as they move on to the Great Lakes Regional Meet to take on some of the greatest runners in the nation.  Similarly, the women's team has another opportunity to show their potential. 

The conference meet was not an indication of what the team is capable of, and they have yet another opportunity to show their potential at the regional meet.  Those following the team back to the first meet in Evansville understand this.  ISU women's head coach John Gartland said the lady Sycamores need to run with more courage if they are hoping to show their full potential this season. 

Beyond the regional meet is the NCAA Division I Cross Country Nationals.  This national meet  will be hosted here in our very own city of Terre Haute, Ind.  once again.  Many runners express their desire to be able to run in such a meet especially on their home turf.  This is indeed a possibility whether it be an individual runner, as in the case of former Sycamore Eric Schulz in 2009, or hopefully the entire team.

There has been much discussion recently about the turnaround ISU football program had in the past two years.   A story worthy of motion pictures, the ISU football team has reinvented themselves in just a short time period.   This weekend, the team gears up for a battle at home against North Dakota State University, the number one nationally ranked team in the Football Championships Subdivision (FCS). 

Will we see history as ISU takes on and defeats a number one ranked team?  As our boys prepare let's not grow lax as fans and supporters.  Saturday, we will shout and scream letting them know we have their backs. 

This is the advantage of being home, let's use it to our fullest.  As one player said in an interview, when at home, the first place the team looks when they exit the tunnel is towards the student section of the stands.  What will they see on Saturday? 

On the court, we move to the ladies of the women's volleyball team.  Against tough opponents in the Missouri Valley Conference, this relatively young team continues to make strides and keeps the hopes of a post-season alive. 

Despite trouble with injuries, such as junior outside hitter Morgan Dall's foot and earlier in the season sophomore middle blocker Shea Doran's finger, the team continues to fight on.  This weekend they finish up their away games for the season before returning to the ISU Arena for the final games of the regular season. 

If any chance at post-season action is a possibility, according to the atheltic media relations website, the team must win.  They are currently tied with the Illinois State University Redbirds and the Univeristy of Evansville Purple Aces in number of wins in the Missouri Valley Conference and are two games behind the Drake University Bulldogs.    The team is looking to make their first post-season appearence in the Missouri Valley Conferecne Tournanment since the last time in 2004.

As teams continue to get busy prepearing for the post-season action don't let our support lax as fans.  When teams are home, let's fill the stands with blue and white, let our screams echo and let our presence be felt.  If teams are traveling that weekend, wish them all the best when you see a player walking by in the Commons, in your class, wherever you see them on campus. 

Let's continue to support Sycamore athletics as they continue to bear our name with pride on their respective field of play.