Metro State's fall intercollegiate sports season gets under way this weekend. With a number of new faces in volleyball and women's soccer, the Roadrunners nevertheless expect to field competitive teams and match their performances last year in which both teams made the NCAA tournament. In men's soccer, the team hopes to improve on last year's performance and make the NCAA regional tournament.

Women's Soccer
With the loss of two all-American players to graduation, coach Danny Sanchez has some big shoes to fill. Last year's team, ranked first in the nation much of the season, suffered its first and only loss in the NCAA Division II quarterfinal game.

"This year we're looking for some of our returning players to step up," said Sanchez, last year's Midwest region coach of the year. "This is definitely the deepest team from top to bottom but we have quite a few new faces.

"Headlining the list of returning players are junior forward Amy Leichliter, an all-American last year; senior midfielder Adrianne Almaraz and senior Elin Otter, a fourth-year starter.

Looking to make a return to the Final Four, the Roadrunners open their season at home against a participant from last year's national tournament, the University of Nebraska-Omaha. The season begins Friday at 5 p.m.

Volleyball
With five returning players and nine new players, head coach Debbie Hendricks is still in the process of laying the foundation for this year. "We're sorting through our strengths and developing the team chemistry," she said. "But we'll definitely be an exciting team to watch."

Last year the team finished 27-6, winning the RMAC regular season and tournament and making it to the second round of the NCAA tournament.

"I don't have any question in my mind that we'll have success as a team," Hendricks says.

Among the players to watch this year are junior Renee Hazelwood, sophomore Stefanie Allison, and freshmen Andra Pedersen and Gabrielle Curtis.

The Roadrunners open their season this weekend at the West Texas A&M tournament, facing Western New Mexico on Friday to start the tournament.

Men's Soccer
The men's team hopes to repeat as RMAC tournament champs and extend their success to the NCAA regional tournament. Women's coach Sanchez is now soccer director, overseeing the men's team along with new associate soccer coach Ken Parsons, whom he recruited from Mesa Community College.

"They're a talented team," Sanchez said of the men's team, which last year finished with a 13-7-2 record. "Last year they started slow but then turned it on. This year they have even more potential," he said.

Leading the team is senior Danny Bills, who will anchor the defense, sophomore Tony Porras, who last year led the team in scoring, and sophomore Preston Borrego.

The men open their season at 3 p.m. Sept. 1 at home against Johnson and Wales University.

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