The fall sports at GCSU have all completed a large portion of their seasons, and the athletes on these teams have put up some impressive performances.
The GCSU’s men’s and women’s cross country teams have had a phenomenal year, with both teams placing in the top three in four separate meets.
“So far, it’s been great,” said Nour Nazim, a freshman cross country runner. “And I know the ups and downs are what we all do in sports. It’s part of the journey.”
In 2023, the cross country teams struggled compared to how they performed in the 2024 season.
“We came in knowing that we had potential,” Nazim said. “They’ve kind of awoken a sleeping giant, and [we] showed everyone.”
Nazim continued by mentioning some freshmen teammates who have stood out this season, such as Jaycob Wagner, Shipley Smith and Reed Glaser. He also mentioned transfer Noah Boyd in his explanation for the men’s team’s performance this year.
“We’re coming after Augusta and Flagler,” Nazim said.
The team is eager to prove their ability, as they have shown in many meets this season, against some of their tougher conference opponents.
Both the men’s and women’s cross-country teams have one final competition on Nov. 9 at the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional in Spartanburg, S.C. With one final opportunity to show off for the season, it will be interesting to see if they can keep their confident spark lit.
“I think we still have time to show them our potential,” said Brooke Roberts, a senior middle blocker. “Camryn Carlton has stood out. She’s had a lot of kills this year and has played well.”
Roberts made sure to mention her teammate, who has been a large part of the team’s success this year, scoring 235.5 points so far this season, and also leading the team in kills with 209.
The volleyball team has had its struggles this season. Beginning the year with a 3-1 start at the Bobcat Classic, it seemed everything would keep on rolling; however, they’ve had their struggles ever since the Lee University Showcase.
The volleyball team is 8-14 this season without a win in their four conference games.
With four Peach Belt Conference games remaining this season against the University of South Carolina Aiken, Lander University and Augusta University, it will be interesting to see if the team can unlock their potential before the end of their season.
No matter what, the team can play against the fourth seed, so there will be Peach Belt Conference playoff volleyball this season. Only time will tell if the team can start heating up.
The 2024 women’s soccer team’s season has had its ups and downs. They’ve had a somewhat streaky season, although they have outscored their opponents 29-21 in the games they’ve played. When they have won, they have outscored their opponents 25-5.
“It was a rocky start with our challenging schedule, but in the four years I have been here, it’s the best soccer I have seen from the group,” said Morgan Amrozowicz, a senior forward/midfielder. “I think everyone on the team has added to our success this year.”
Amrozowicz also mentioned a few players who have also stood out to her on the soccer pitch this year, including her sister Ali Amrozowicz, Ava Martin, Taylor Salvaggio and Adriana Duque.
The soccer team is currently 7-6-3 with a conference record of 3-3-2. They have one final game on Nov. 2 against Georgia Southwestern State, a PBC opponent, before their appearance in the PBC Tournament.
