Cross Country
The women’s cross country team officially opened their season on Saturday, Aug. 31, taking part in the Cross Country Jamboree at Berea College. Next, on Sept. 14, they’ll travel to Hanover College in Indiana for the Hanover College Invitational. After finishing third in the NCCAA National Championship last year, the unit will try to build on that momentum in the early stages of a new season.
The men’s group, which finished sixth in the NCCAA National Championship last season, looks to get off on the right foot in the early stages of the new year. The men’s and women’s teams share the same schedule.
Golf
Men’s golf defined a solid last season with one second and two third place finishes. With the Transylvania Fall Invitational under their belts, they’ll travel to Santa Claus, Indiana to take part in the NCCAA Mideast Regional on Sept. 13 and 14.
After the regional, the team has the Stateline Shootout to look forward to in late Sept., before facing down the NCCAA National Championship taking place on Oct. 21-23. They finished in the competition last year.
Soccer
The men’s soccer team finished last season with a positive record of 11-5-4, despite a three game losing streak in the final stretch. Two of those losses were suffered in the NCCAA National Tournament. They open the 2024 season with three straight home games. Of nine matches on home field last season, they were 5-2-2.
Women’s soccer ended last season on a win, finishing with a record of 2-9-4 on the whole. Four of their first five games in the 2024 season are on the road, but with two in-state exhibition games under their belts, the Eagles have a chance to make a statement during a tough road stretch.
Swimming
Both the men’s and women’s swimming team open their season on the road at Campbellsville University on Oct. 19, one week after an alumni meet at home. Each team is coming into the season with something to prove as they work towards the Liberal Arts Conference Championship at the end of the season.
The men’s team finished fourth place in last year’s championship, scoring 225.5 points in total.
Tennis
Women’s tennis ended last year on a win, capping off a staggering 14-1 season that included a flawless home record. Their only loss came on a neutral court against Piedmont University late in the season.
The men’s team also finished with a positive record at 11-5, winning their lone game at home and staying above .500 in every regard. They look to continue their one-game winning streak from the end of last year at the Transylvania Fall Invite on Sept. 14 and 15.
Volleyball
After wrapping up the year with a win and finishing the last season 10-15, Eagles volleyball benefits from a clean slate to start the 2024 season. Following three straight road matches, they’ll get home court for the first time on Sept. 4 against Kentucky State University, a team they beat in the same gym in 2023. Two of the next three games will be at home as well, giving the Eagles a leg up in the early-season stretch.
Basketball
After piecing together an impressive 21-7 record last season, including a 9-3 resume at home, the men’s basketball program will look to grow on their success heading into the new year. The team ended last season with a 87-83 win over Roberts Wesleyan University in the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) National tournament, following two tough losses. They’ll look to make a name for themselves straight from the tip as new members of the Collegiate Conference of the South (CCS).
On the flip side, the women’s squad finished last year at 19-10, boasting a slightly better record on the road than at home. They suffered the majority of their losses on a neutral floor. Similar to the men’s team, they finished their season with a win in the NCCAA tournament over Redeemer University after losing the previous two games. Their season kicks off with a road exhibition game against Morehead State University on Nov. 4.
Photo courtesy of AU Athletics 2024.