Published: August 20, 2008 12:23 am            

FALL SPORTS PREVIEW: Borden adds big addition

Rademacher joins Braves volleyball program

Two big departures, one expected and the other not, looked to be an early season handicap for the Borden volleyball team.

But an even bigger addition could make the Braves a force to deal with this upcoming fall.

After losing senior hitter Maria Kirchgessner to graduation and losing setter Jessye Pearson to a knee injury she suffered last spring playing basketball, Borden coach D.J. Zipp got a boost from the arrival of Scottsburg transfer Andrea Rademacher to his 2008 lineup.

The 6-foot-3 Rademacher, who has committed to play NCAA Division I basketball next season at Indiana State University, will help fill both voids left by Kirchgessner and Pearson in the lineup.

“She’ll be our top attacker on the front line, and she’ll set for us when she’s in the back row,” said Zipp. “Her presence will make a big difference on our team.”

Senior Bethany Burrier brings another athletic presence to the Borden lineup and other returnees to the squad include Jordan Cook and Alexis Mitchell. Freshman Erin Mikel will add a strong defender to the lineup for the Braves as well.

“I think people are expecting some pretty big things out of us,” said Zipp. “We’re going to have tough teams in the conference and sectional to deal with though. We’ve got to get better.”



BOYS’ CROSS COUNTRY

New coach Liz Geltmaker inherits a team that won the 2007 Southern Athletic Conference title and returns five runners this fall.

Senior Pat O’Conner and Zach Hurst are joined by junior Devin Brock and sophomores Hunter Williams and Travis Scott to form the core of the team.

“With the kids back this year that we have, we have the same goals entering this season,” said Geltmaker, who is in her first year with cross country but was an assistant coach with the Braves’ girls’ basketball and track teams last year. “We want to win our conference again and advance out of our sectional.”



Girls’ cross country

The Braves have a limited number of runners available early in the season and could struggle to fill a full roster.

Just four runners are currently in the program, one shy of the five required for a team score in meets.

Of the four runners in the program, juniors Shelby McKinley and Leslie Green and sophomore Emily Lynch are joined by talented freshman McKinna Williams on the roster. Williams won the 2007 SAC middle school championships last fall.

Boys’ tennis coach Ross Shauver was unavailable for comment.

        

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