SALISBURY, Md. — Presenting Roadie Joes Rankings for the third Wednesday in September, featuring strong looks from Salisbury University field hockey, football, and volleyball.
Field Hockey — 2nd (tied) | Penn Monto/NFHCA Division III National Coaches Poll, Sept. 15
Salisbury shared the No. 2 spot with Tufts, both posting 438 points behind No. 1 Christopher Newport (475) and ahead of No. 4 Johns Hopkins (385) and No. 5 Williams (375).
The Sea Gulls (4-0) kept it rolling with two home victories on the week, downing Washington College 2-0 on Wednesday before pulling off a stunner over then-No. 9 Messiah, 3-2 in double overtime, on Saturday. Freshman
Layla Kent was at the center of it, earning State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Offensive Athlete of the Week after netting two goals, including the tying marker off a penalty corner as time expired in regulation against Messiah that set up the overtime winner.
SU stays home this week, hosting No. 4 Johns Hopkins on Wednesday before an idle weekend.
Football — 14th | D3football.com Top 25, Week 2
Salisbury climbed three spots to No. 14 nationally with 248 points, flanked by No. 13 Johns Hopkins (315) and No. 15 Berry (235).
The Sea Gulls (1-0) made a statement in their season opener, shutting out in-state rival McDaniel 31-0 behind a balanced attack. Quarterback
SyRus McGowan was efficient through the air, throwing for 176 yards and two touchdowns to received
Brayden Rogers. On the defensive side,
Dylan Lyerly set the tone with seven tackles and an interception.
SU stays home again this week, hosting Washington & Lee for Joe Rotellini Era weekend on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Volleyball — Receiving Votes | AVCA-Taraflex Division III WVB Poll, Sept. 16
Salisbury drew 25 points, the 11th-most among the receiving-votes tier, sitting between Pacific Lutheran (26) and Puget Sound (15).
The Sea Gulls (5-2) went 1-2 for the week, opening the Tufts Invitational with losses to No. 2 Trinity (Texas) and Bowdoin before pulling off a statement upset over then-No. 21 Tufts, 3-2, to close out the tournament. Junior
Sophia Blaufuss earned her first career Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference (C2C) Defensive Player of the Week after corralling 47 digs (3.92 D/S) in her first action at libero this season.
SU heads back on the road for the Batten Quad in Virginia Beach, taking on Benedictine (Ill.) twice — Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 1 p.m. — before closing out the weekend against the 19th-ranked hosting Marlins at 3 p.m.
Salisbury University is a proud member of NCAA Division III with primary membership in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference, along with affiliate membership in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (football, men's & women's swimming), Coastal Lacrosse Conference (men's lacrosse), State University of New York Athletic Conference (field hockey), and Colonial Women's Golf Conference (women's golf). With over 500 student-athletes in 23 varsity sports, SU is recognized as one of the nation's most competitive intercollegiate athletics programs regardless of division, featuring dedicated coaches and staff that foster excellence on and off the field. The Sea Gulls have won a combined 23 team national championships, 26 individual national championships, and 211 conference championships, and have produced 54 Academic All-Americans.
To Make Tomorrow Yours at Salisbury University, and learn more about Sea Gull Athletics' tradition of excellence, visit SUSeaGulls.com or follow on social media @SUSeaGulls.
