Winter Preview

Rather than urging captains of Big Green winter sports teams to predict the outcomes of their seasons we asked them what discerning observers of the sporting scene want to know: Why should fans tune in, and who are the biggest characters on their teams? (Women's hockey captain Tiffany Hagge '06 passed the puck, er, buck to a teammate she thought would have better answers.)

MEN'S TENNIS

2005: 8-14 (0-7 Ivy) 2006: Captain Dave Waslen '07 will pace a young group of racketeers hungry after a winless conference mark last season. WASLEN: "No matter how cold out it is in Hanover, the mens tennis team still rocks out in short shorts. Our team is unbelievable."

WOMEN'S TENNIS

2005: 13-8 (3-4 Ivy) 2006: Lindsay Winingham '07 and Kerry Snow '07 return from their fall off-term to lead the team.

KATIE JAXHEIMER '06: "As if we don't give our fans enough to enjoy, we may be recruiting Roger Federer to our team. This isn't as unbelievable as it sounds. His lifesize poster is already in our team room. Many of our players and even our assistant coach are slightly obsessed with his fluid movement on the court and charming personality in press conferences. Plus, he might be able to teach us a thing or two about serving."

MEN'S BASKETBALL

2005:10-17 (77 Ivy) 2006: After a renaissance last year under first-year coach Terry Dunn, the team will continue its climb up the Ancient Eight standings.

MIKE LANG '06: "Look at last season: We beat Princeton in the last four minutes of the game by pulling off an 18-1 run in that period. On senior night against Yale guard Steve Callahan '05 hit a buzzer beater. We beat our rival Harvard by three in the closing minutes of that game. I am sure this season will bring even more excitement."

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

2005:17-11 (12-2 Ivy) 2006: Guards Jeannie Cullen '06 and Angie Soriaga '06, center Elise Morrison '07 will pace the defending Ivy champs. SORIAGA: "We're fun to watch, we like to run the break when we can, we have good shooters and we can post you up. We're veryversatile, and I think we will win a lot of games this year. We have a fun group who enjoy each other's chemistry."

MEN'S HOCKEY

2005: 22-13-2 (14-8 ECAC, 6-4 Ivy) 2006: Looking to celebrate team's 100th anniversary by recording its third 20-win season in four years. MIKE OUELLETTE '06: "Why battle the harsh conditions of winter when you can embrace the opportunities ice provides for grown men to try to kill each other on skates with large sticks in their hands? Just as scary is Garret Overlock '06, a man's man with enough chest hair to demand respect from anyone who's fortunate enough to see him without a turtleneck on."

WOMEN'S HOCKEY

2005: 27-8-0 (16-4-0 ECAC, 7-3-0 Ivy) 2006: U.S. and Canadian Olympic teams have claimed stars but the team should still be a force to be reckoned with. MEREDITH BATCHELLER '07: "Our goal celebrations are hot. Between fist pumps, Harlem shakes and white tornadoes, they shouldn't be missed. In a word, our team is mellifluous—or inappropriate. We're honey-like and graceful, but we do clear at least 67 percent of whatever frat basement we are in with our off-color sense of humor—in addition to choreographed line dances."

SKIING

2005: 5th in NCAA Championship; 2nd at Eastern Intercollegiate Ski Association (EISA) Championship 2006: Looking to improve upon last winter's NCAA Championship performance. KARL JOHNSON '06: "We're dead sexy."

MEN'S TRACK AND FIELD

2005: 5th at Heptagonals 2006: Much is expected from Mike Carmody '08, 4th in the 800 at the USA Junior Championships last June, and Ben True '08 and Harry Norton '08, who took the top two places in the 1,500 at last springs New England Championships. FATTAH STANLEY '06: "Our motto is 'team eye candy.' And we're entertaining: Jamal Brown '08 is always ready to break out in song and dance. He sings wonderfully and knows over a billion songs. He dances like a star. He charms everyone around him."

WOMEN'S TRACK AND FIELD

2005: 6th at Heptagonals 2006: Captains Matthan Chatterton-Richmond '06, Melanie Schorr '06, Caitlin Corey '06 and Megan Olds '06 lead a squad that was sth in last springs New England Championships.

CHATTERTON-RICHMOND: "You're able to see athletes with a variety of talents and skills who, although they compete independently, work together as a team. Plus indoor Heptagonals are at Dartmouth this winter [February 25-26]!"

MEN'S SQUASH

2005: 8-7 (0-3 at CSA Championships) 2006: Hank Alexander '06 and Adam Slutsky '06 will lead the team; Andrew Boumford '09, the second-ranked junior in Canada, will begin his career in Hanover. SLUTSKY: "The team is made up of extreme individualists. It makes us strong, and also strong-willed. Ultimately, we need to channel it for our own success. Boumford, a sarcastic Canuck with an exaggerated tendency to use the word 'eh' and a questionable Napoleon Dynamite imitation, has already established himself as the team comedian. Hank Alexander '06 could be president someday: Extremely personable and affable. A centrist. Extremely successful."

WOMEN'S SQUASH

2005: 8-4 (2-1 at Howe Cup) 2006: Captains Julia Drury '06, Jessica Tory '06 and Jessica Vyrostko '06—and returning No. 1 player Christina Alexander '08—will try to keep the Big Green near the top of national rankings.

TORY: "Just like tennis, we feature athletic women in short skirts. Unlike tennis, there's none of that unattractive grunting. We have our own comedienne in Becca Loucks 'o 8. She opens her mouth and we laugh in anticipation. Kind of like when Will Ferrell came on-screen for his cameo in Wedding Crashers. You laugh before he even does anything. Becca's like that. Fortunately for her, Becca looks nothing like Will Ferrell."

MEN'S SWIMMING/DIVING

2005: 2-7 (0-7 Ivy) 2006: Looking to continue positive momentum after winning meets against UNH and Middlebury to close out last season. BRANDON PIPER '06: "The Goodyear blimp can't see through our new roof, so you'll have to come watch in person. Thanks to construction, we have only two home meets, so you would have to feel like a jerk if you missed them. Chris Mudd '06 is our candidate for American Idol. Enormous lung capacity, sheer will and determination —and the hunger for the spotlight."

WOMEN'S SWIMMING/DIVING

2005: 2-9 (0-6 Ivy) 2006: Will make waves this winter after a number of school records posted in 2005—and historic season-ending performances from the 400-yard freestyle relay and Lauren Betzing '07 in the 200 butterfly.

MARIAH CUNNICK '06: "We'll be tan from our training trip, we're buff, we're beautiful and we wear next to nothing. Lauren Betzing '07 could definitely be the next American Idol. She has choreographed dance moves for everything, and has been known to regale us with a tune or two at early morning practice, when everybody else is mostly asleep."

QUOTE/UNQUOTE "Our guys really showed a lot of courage to come back the way we did. We threw a lot of numbers forward with 20 minutes to go, knowing that the tying goal was really the winning goal for us." MEN'S SOCCER COACH JEFF COOK, AFTER HIS TEAM CLINCHED A SHARE OF THE IVY LEAGUE TITLE WITH A 2-2 TIE AT BROWN ON NOVEMBER 12