Metro State's fall intercollegiate sports season gets under way at 1 p.m. this Saturday when the women's soccer team takes on the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley in an exhibition contest. In addition to women's soccer, in which the Roadrunners will be looking for a return trip to the NCAA Division II Final Four, Metro State will compete in women's volleyball and men's soccer this fall. The volleyball team again has been picked to finish first in the east division of its conference, and men's soccer is looking forward to a strong, injury-free season.

Women's Soccer

Coming off the team's most successful season ever, coach Danny Sanchez has high expectations. "Our main goal is to defend our RMAC championship and make it into the NCAA tournament," said the second-year coach. Last year, the team did that and more, finishing 19-3-3, making their first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division II Final Four and finishing the season with a No. 4 NSCAA/adidas national ranking. "We snuck up on some people last year and people will be gunning for us this year, but I don't think it will make too much difference. Most teams play to their full potential, no matter who their opponent is."

The Roadrunners will have 10 returning players from last season, including three players who started in all 25 games. Headlining the list of returning players are senior All-American back Colleen Fellin, All-Midwest Region selection Amy Leichliter, juniors JJ Brough and Meisha Pyke and sophomore Jodi McGann.

Volleyball

In just three years at Metro State, head coach Debbie Hendricks has built a Roadrunners program that has earned regional and national recognition. After winning two straight Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference titles (2001-2002) and appearing in three straight Southwest Regional tournaments (2000-2002), the Roadrunners are expected to again be in the hunt for a national title.

In the 2003 RMAC Pre-Season Coaches Poll, Metro State was tabbed to once again repeat as the Eastern Division Champion.

The Roadrunners have seven returning players, five of them starters, including senior setter Devon Herron, who in 2002 broke the school's all-time assists record and was named as a second team All-American selection. Other key returning players include senior Shawna Gilbert (All-Southwest Region and All-RMAC first team), senior Angela Golesh and sophomore Andrea Highstreet.

Men's Soccer

Coming off a tough, injury-plagued year in which the Roadrunners finished 5-11-3, coach Brian Crookham is looking for a stronger finish this year. The team, just returning from a summer trip to Europe in which the Roadrunners played in the Czech Republic and Germany (two wins, one tie), is playing strong, Crookham said. "The outlook is very good. We've added three or four new players and our returning players are healthy."

Leading the team is senior goalkeeper Eric Butler, who became the school's all-time saves leader before being sidelined with an injury last season. Seniors Alex Grecu (All-RMAC second team) and Mike Abeyta also return to the Roadrunners' line-up this season.

For more information go to the Athletics web site, http://www.mscd.edu/~runners/