This is the first of a 16-part series, analyzing the fall sports of each school in the Lone Star Conference. Today will feature Abilene Christian.
FOOTBALL
Entering his sixth season as head coach, Chris Thomsen has several talking points to get excited about this year.
Not only did the Wildcats return to the playoffs last year with a 9-4 record, which included eight straight wins to open the year and a No. 1 ranking at one time in the season, but ACU returns 25 seniors and 15 players who received All-LSC recognition last year, including eight first-teamers.
So this should be a huge year for the Wildcats? For Thomsen, the answer to that question is yes, if and only if ACU can find a consistent quarterback to emerge.
A three man-race between Mitchell Gale, who started the second half of the season, Zach Stewart and Clark Harrell will compete for the starting job.
“Going through the spring, I felt like all three of those guys improved, but I still don’t believe anyone separated themselves,” said Thomsen, who is 32-17 overall at ACU. “The first couple of weeks will be critical because whoever performs the best will probably start against Washburn (Sept. 4). It could be any of those three guys.”
Whoever emerges as the quarterback, will have plenty of talent surrounding him.
Three all-conference linemen return, including guard Royland Tubbs. Also back is offensive tackle Trevis Turner and center Matt Webber.
In the backfield, ACU returns a pair of second-team All-LSC backs in Darryl Richardson, who rushed for 961 yards and 16 touchdowns, and Reggie Brown, who had 955 yards and seven scores.
Wide receiver Edmund Gates had 49 grabs for 702 yards last year.
But for all the talent on offense, ACU appears even better defensively, and it starts up front as the entire front seven are back from last year, when the Wildcats led the LSC in total defense, allowing just 291.4 yards per game.
Leading the way is junior defensive end Aston Whiteside, this year’s preseason choice for South Division Defensive Player of the Year.
“Aston is doing a great job on the field and in the classroom as well,” Thomsen said of Whiteside, who led the team with 9 ½ sacks last year.
Just behind him was Fred Thompson, who moves into a defensive end role from linebacker last year. Kevin Washington had a team-high 76 tackles year, and will team up with Eric Edwards and Courtney Lane to form quite a tandem at linebacker.
The holes on defense could come in the secondary, which lost All-LSC safety Tony Harp. But Drew Cuffee and Richard Havins will be asked to take charge.
Overall, its’ a talented and experienced squad for the Wildcats, and one that should be right in the mix once again in the LSC South.
VOLLEYBALL
All the Wildcats can do is keep winning, and maybe at some point they’ll get noticed when it counts the most.
ACU has won 55 games the last two seasons, including a 29-6 record last year, but has not earned a trip to the post-season.
But that won’t stop fifth-year head coach Kellen Mock from having her team ready to make another run. And she’ll have plenty of firepower to do it, led by six returning starters.
Leading the way is senior middle blocker Shawna Hines, last year’s LSC Defensive Player of the Year and a third-team All-American who led the entire nation in blocks with 190.
Senior setter Ijeoma Moronu was a first-team All-LSC pick and ranked third in the league, averaging 10.40 assists per game.
Outside hitters Jordan Schilling and Jennie Hutt return, along with libero Kelsie Edwards.
“We felt like we belonged in that regional tournament field the last two years, but especially last year,” Mock said. “It didn’t happen for us. We know we can’t leave the decision up to a committee to get us in the tournament.”
Each of the last two years, ACU has lost in the LSC Championship final to West Texas A&M, denying them an automatic berth.
WOMEN'S SOCCER
Head coach Casey Wilson is hoping the return of six all-conference players from last year’s squad can help improve on a pair of fifth-place LSC finishes the last two years.
Despite losing some talented players such as Jordan Reese-Harrell and Lyndsey Womack, who was supposed to be the only returning first-team player, but she suffered a season-ending knee injury.
That means senior midfielder Courtney Wilson will be asked to carry the load. Wilson had five goals and two assists, tying with Womack for the team lead with seven points. Four midfielders - sophomore Julie Coppedge, senior Kendall Cooper, junior Alyse Ritchie and senior Bree Craig will all be called upon for leadership as well.
MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
After two years at ACU, cross country coach Sam Burroughs decided to move on to take a job at North Texas. There is plenty of talent left around but there will be a new leader.
While the Wildcats racked up their 19th straight LSC title, it was a disappointing ending to the season, finishing 10th in the regional meet, preventing them from an appearance at nationals.
Amos Sang is easily one of the nation’s top runners and should continue his dominance. Sang was the LSC and Division II South Central Region champion last year. He’ll be joined by LSC Freshman of the Year Colby Delbene and senior Cleophas Tanui, the runner-up at the LSC championships.
Senior Romain Rybicki and Spencer Lynn should provides some adequate depth.
WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
The Wildcats finished eighth in the LSC meet last year, and that followed a fifth-place spot two years ago. But to right the ship for ACU, sophomore Chloe Susset, an All-LSC pick last year and sixth-place finisher at the conference meet, will need another strong season. Anais Belledant should be a strong member of the squad as well.