Dear Friends of Tribe Athletics,

It's on! Our first day of classes was yesterday, and 517 student-athletes began what promises to be a great semester.  They come from 30 states and 21 countries. Still, all are united in a common cause—doing their best to bring home championships to W&M. We had a terrific welcome event (photo below) on Tuesday, where I got to meet many of them and I hope that you have an opportunity to get to know them, too.  You will be impressed and excited about the future of the Tribe!

W&M West
Six members of the Cross Country team and three members of Track & Field headed to Colorado this summer to take advantage of training in a cooler climate and at a higher altitude.  Will Griesmer was one of six XC runners who stayed at a house in Longmont, and he was joined by Hayes Trapp, Quinn Green, Amberson Bauer, Henry Anderson and Collin Walsh.  About a half hour's drive away, Jennifer Tsai, Jonathan Kumer and Brendan DiStefano stayed in Boulder, just off the University of Colorado's campus.
 

Forest Braden, the Tribe's XC coach, had nothing to do with their decision or the trip itself, but he loved the idea. "It's one of those things that performance-wise will pay off no matter what," he said. "But investing in yourself like that, it's the process that's truly important about it. They, at the very least, are bonding, creating memories, and having memorable times together."  Read  Tribe Scribe Dave Johnson's article about how the trip prepared them for their upcoming season, which for XC starts Saturday at the Spider Open.

    Notable
            •  Women's Soccer scored a 2-0 victory over Appalachian State for their first win of the season. Ivey Crain provided the Tribe's first goal via an assist from Molly Widderich in the                          second half, while Lindsay Wilson scored the insurance goal.  The women are back in action at JMU tonight and return to Martin Family Stadium for a Senior Day match vs.                               American on Sunday.

             •  Men's Soccer played Navy to a 1-1 draw in Annapolis on Monday to open their season. Navy scored first in the 35th minute, while W&M equalized in the second half via Aidan                            Morrison.  For more on Aidan, check out The Tribe Scribe's story about his incredible stamina, illustrated by the fact that the Tribe played 16 games last season, each lasting 90                        minutes, and Aidan was on the field for every one of them.
            •  Sixteen women's gymnasts were honored as Scholastic All-Americans by the Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association (WCGA): Catherine Bare, Avery Bernier, Caroline                                 Blatchford, Sophie Chandler, Melanie Faulkner, Melissa Gao, Anne Marie Kuebler, Sarah Kuper, Ascha Laird, Katelyn Nels, Michelle Ngo, Summer Penzi, Ashley Ruedy, Brynn Vetrano,                Lily Walker and Sarah Wozniak.
            •  Seventeen men's gymnasts were named College Gymnastics Association (CGA) Academic All-Americans. W&M's first-team honorees include: Alex Grapsas, Connor Barrow, David                   Moroney, Evan Sikra, Gavin Zborowski, Jonathan Irwin, Jared Noyman, Mark Fu, Michael Weiner, Niko Greenly, Will Harrington, and Zachary Patrick. Evan Wilkins, Luke Tully, Matthew                Navarro, Ricky Pizem and Sam Lee garnered second-team distinction. Additionally, W&M placed sixth nationally in the team standings with a combined grade point average of 3.43.
            •  Field Hockey's Josie Mae Gruendel and Emme Schwartz earned Preseason All-CAA honors. The Tribe opens the season by hosting American tomorrow at 5 p.m.

Come Together with the Tribe at UVA
Join Tribe Athletics and the W&M Alumni Association for a pregame celebration on Saturday, Sept. 13, from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m., as W&M Football takes on UVA in Charlottesville. Gather with fellow alumni, fans, and friends near Observatory Hill Dining Hall on the UVA campus and enjoy a delicious breakfast spread featuring sandwiches, bagels, yogurt parfaits, and beverages from W&M alumni-owned breweries and wineries. Tickets are $20 standard, $10 for Young Guarde (Classes of '16–'25) and children 10+, and free for children 9 and under. Don't miss this chance to celebrate with the Tribe before the big game!  Register here!

Welcome to the Tribe!
I am delighted to let you know that Kelley Crisci '94 is joining our team as the Assistant Athletics Director for Advancement!  During her undergraduate years, Kelley was a member and captain of the swim team.  Later, she served as an Assistant Coach for Swimming, and she was instrumental in partnering with donors and volunteers to raise significant funds to support their programs.

You may have met Kelley poolside or at the Lord Botetourt Affair, where she has served as the event's co-chair.  She has also been the Regional President of the WMAF Board of Directors where she was a member of the finance committee.  Kelley has tremendous institutional knowledge and is passionate about the Tribe; we're lucky to have her!
Suit Up!

It's time to ensure your personal Tribe gear is ready to go (find your apparel here).  Starting tonight, these teams are in action through the weekend:  Women's Soccer, Volleyball, Field Hockey, Men's Soccer, Cross Country, and Football.  Whether the game is on campus or away, you can be a part of it, and wearing your favorite W&M polo or hat makes it even more fun!  Check out our calendar to ensure you don't miss any of the action.

Go, Tribe!

Brian D. Mann
Director of Athletics