Soccer and Volleyball camps open Friday

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Gallaudet University will welcome more student-athletes to campus on Friday, August 21, as the Bison open up three more fall athletic camps. The men's and women's soccer and volleyball seasons will get underway with the start of their respective camps.

"I am extremely excited to kick-off the 2009 soccer season," said GU women's soccer coach Sarah Gumina. "This year we will have a young team, but a lot of talented players. I am looking forward to having competition on the field for all positions. I think the group of ladies we have coming in will set the bar for the future of Gallaudet women's soccer."

The women's soccer program welcomes back seven returning players as 16 new faces enter the program in '09. Junior forward Virginia Keeler and freshman forward Shaquana McDonough will start the season overseas in Taipei as they represent the United States of America in the 2009 Deaflympics. Gallaudet's first game of the '09 season is on the road against Washington Adventist University on Friday, September 4, at 4:30 p.m. The Bison begin their home schedule on Saturday, September 12, with a two-day tournament. GU will face Valley Forge Christian at 5:30 p.m.

Gallaudet's men's soccer team will begin its season on the road for the first two weeks to participate in several weekend tournaments before the Bison return home. The first game of the year is on Friday, September 4, at 7 p.m. on the road at Guilford College. GU opens its home schedule on Wednesday, September 16, against Capital Athletic Conference foe Salisbury University at 4:30 p.m.

The Bison volleyball program brings back six players from last year's team that won 18 matches. Four seniors lead the pack along with two sophomores and eight freshmen. Four Bison volleyball players will also participate in the Deaflympics. Seniors Justine Jeter, Amanda Krieger and Shana Lehmann and sophomore Paige Johnson will represent the United States. Gallaudet begins the season on the road for three weeks. The Bison will play four matches in Gettysburg, Pa., on September 4-5 in the Battlefield Classic hosted by Gettysburg College. GU's first home match will be Thursday, September 24, against Marymount (Va.) University in a Capital Athletic Conference match at 7 p.m. in the Field House.

"This team's confidence is the result of all the hard work each player has put in the off-season to get ready for this season," said GU volleyball coach Lynn Ray Boren. "That confidence will determine our path of achievement. We want to succeed, motivate and continue to inspire."

The men's and women's cross country teams begin camp on Monday, August 24. Gallaudet's football team started camp a week ago on August 13.