Wittenberg University Women's Soccer Team Plans Educational, Athletic European Experience

Emily Hiscar	Melissa Gallion	Lindsay Zigler

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — Wittenberg University women's soccer Head Coach Norm Riker isn't in the construction business, but he's clearly building something very impressive. He isn't a travel agent, either, but he plans to play one every few years, starting in August 2005 when he leads his team on a 10-day trip through Europe.

"This is a chance to play the sport we love in a completely different environment," said Riker, who has a three-year record of 25-26-6 at Wittenberg. "It's a great opportunity for us to build off last year's success and create an even tighter bond amongst our players."

Wittenberg finished 11-4-5 overall in 2004 and 5-3 in the North Coast Athletic Conference regular season, good for third place behind two of the top 15 teams in the nation in the final rankings. The Tigers won the first NCAC Tournament game in school history, upsetting second-seeded Denison on penalty kicks, and lost 1-0 to perennial powerhouse Ohio Wesleyan in the tournament title game three nights later.

They did it with a young team, featuring a starting lineup with nine freshmen or sophomores in it. They did it after nearly a decade of mediocrity, setting a school record with five ties, tying a school-record with 11 shutouts and earning the most wins in a single season since the 1995 team went 15-3 and finished second in the NCAC.

Hence the timing of the trip, which will take 21 players and Riker to Amsterdam, Munich and Venice, and numerous locales in between, from Aug. 4-14. Riker feels he has the start of something great in a women's soccer program on the rise, and he wants these student-athletes to get the most out of their collegiate experience, both athletically and educationally.

"This is part of bringing the program to another level and paving the way for our team to be one of the top in Division III every year," said Riker, a 1992 graduate of Springfield (Mass.) College, where he was a four-year letterwinner in men's lacrosse. "When you return 10 of 11 starters, many of them freshmen, there is an opportunity to build on that experience and hit the ground running for 2005.

"This trip is also a great opportunity to have all of our returning players really come together as a team both on and off the field."

The Tigers will play three games, two against local club teams at the training facility adjacent to their hotel in Rosenhein, Germany, a suburb of Munich, and the other against a squad that is part of the Bayern Munich Professional Soccer Club system. Bayern Munich is one of the most successful professional teams in all of Europe and a member of the German Bonus League, the highest division of German professional soccer.

Riker says he plans to take a trip like this once every three years, the minimum number of years between trips allowed by the NCAA. The goal is to give every student-athlete who makes a four-year commitment to the Wittenberg University women's soccer program the opportunity to experience the best cultural, educational and athletic experiences possible during their collegiate careers.

"By taking this trip now, I'm able to take the rising seniors who came to Wittenberg at the same time I arrived - Melissa Gallion, Emily Hiscar and Lindsay Zigler," Riker said. "Those are three players who have seen the program take a major step forward. It's fitting to reward them with a trip like this after their hard work that has helped us go in the right direction.

"I believe we have an outstanding returning team. I've always wanted to do this, and it makes sense to do it with this group."

To take part in what Riker calls a "once-in-a-lifetime" experience, team members are conducting a variety of fund-raising activities. For more information, contact Riker at (937) 327-6496 or via e-mail at nriker@wittenberg.edu.

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