Despite the struggles of the women’s basketball team in the second half of the season, the Vikings have benefited from the leadership and steady play of Heather Gurdon. The sophomore guard, who has battled injuries during the season as well as in the off-season, has nevertheless emerged as one of the Lady Vikings' team leaders.  Despite her injuries, Gurdon is always  present at practices and games.  She has also succeeded academically, finishing the fall semester with a 3.66 GPA.  

Head Coach Mike Tenaglia gives Gurdon a lot of credit.  “She is a great example for our team. She is able to manage a challenging academic courseload along with basketball and find success in both.  Her hard work has allowed her to come back from her injuries. She is a player I know I can rely on,” Tenaglia said.

Featured Athlete
Men's Basketball
(Posted 12/5/13)

Michael Douglas
Robbinsville, NJ
Robbinsville High School

Sophomore Michael Douglas has returned to the men’s basketball team after a two-year absence. According to Head Coach Howard Levy, Douglas has picked up where he left off. "Michael has been an integral part of our early success. His knowledge of the game, his versatility and his leadership have been huge factors in the team’s development,” Levy said. The Vikings are currently 5-3 on the season.

Douglas played a key role in Tuesday’s 66-53 win over Region 19 challenger Morris County College. The talented guard finished with 9 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals.  The team will look to Douglas as they continue to take on Region 19 opponents, including Essex CC on Dec. 5 (away), last year's Region 19 champs. Other Region 19 games in December include Manor on Dec. 14 (home) and Salem on Dec. 17 (away).

Featured Athletes
Women's Cross Country
(Posted 11/15/13)

In the NJCAA Division I National Championship Meet in Fort Dodge, Iowa, the Vikings got strong performances from two former Lawrence High School teammates, freshman Marissa Scott and sophomore Karizma Brown. With their contributions to the total, Mercer finish 31st out of 34 scoring teams -- the first time that the young program has competed as a scoring team at nationals.  Freshman Scott battled with injuries during the season, but was the team's fifth finisher at the Region 19 Championship and placed fourth for Mercer at the National Championship.

According to Head Coach Erin Cahill-Wetzel, the course at nationals proved challenging due to high winds, resulting in slower times for all her runners. "Scott finished just seven seconds off the time she ran at regionals, making hers the best Vikings' performance. It was a big finish for us.“

Brown also had a strong performance, finishing as the Vikings’ fifth runner at nationals.  Cahill-Wetzel notes that Brown has been a consistent performer throughout the season.  “ Karizma was one of our top seven finishers in every race. She improved her time in each meet and was a team leader. Her hard work really paid off at the National Championship."

Featured Athletes
Women's Soccer
(Posted 11/8/13)

The women’s soccer team just missed out on the Region 19 title in a 3-2 overtime loss to Essex CC on Nov. 2. Still, the team is proud of its accomplishments and its final record of 10-7-1 (7-2 in the region).

The Vikings' successful season can be attributed to a total team effort, but two women who played on opposite ends of the field were key. Sophomore Rachel Martinez was a leader on offense, while freshman Angelina Buzgo helped anchor the defense. Martinez led the Vikings in some key stats, including 21 total points and 11 goals, along with 5 assists.  She was named the No. 2 Player in Region 19 and was voted the Garden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) Player of the Year for 2013. Buzgo’s outstanding defense in the Region 19 tournament and championship game earned her the Region 19 Defensive Player of the Tournament Award.  Both Buzgo and Martinez were named to the First Team All-Region.

Featured Athletes
Women's Cross Country
(Posted 11/1/13)

According to Head Coach Erin Cahill-Wetzel, runners Cai-Cai Hahn and Rachael Wilson have stepped up late in the season, helping the Vikings finish second at the Region 19 Championship on Oct. 27. Hahn was Mercer’s 2nd finisher in Sunday's race and 5th overall, while Wilson was the team's 4th finisher and 7th overall. The Vikings finished just three points behind Essex County College.

Cahill-Wetzel reports that in her last two races, Hahn has moved up to finish second for the Vikings, closing the gap with teammate Diana Taveras, the squad's top finisher.  Wilson has taken significant time off her earlier races this season and finished as the team's 4th runner in the last two meets. 

"Having these two girls run their best and finish way ahead of where they started the season has been big for us," Cahill-Wetzel said.  Both runners earned All-Region 19 honors for finishing in the top seven at the regional championship. Cahill-Wetzel hopes both runners have one more big race in them as the team prepares to travel to the NJCAA Division I National Championship in Fort Dodge, Iowa next week.

Featured Athlete
Women's Soccer
(Posted 10/25/13)

Samantha Hirthler
Columbus, NJ
Northern Burlington High School

The women’s soccer team will enter the Region 19 Tournament next week as the #2 seed. According to Head Coach Michelle Ogbrorn-Haywood, freshman Samantha Hirthler has been a big part of the Vikings' success this season, showing both great skill as a defender and the ability to be a true team player. Hirthler leads the Vikings in  assists, finishing the regular season with 6. 

Ogborn-Haywood says Hirthler is a player she can count on to play the full 90 minutes and is often the one the Vikings turn to for free kicks and corner kicks. "She has the ability to put the ball exactly where we need it,” her coach says. Hirthler’s efforts have also been recognized by the Garden State Athletic Conference. This week, she was named to the Second Team All-GSAC.

Featured Athletes
Women's Tennis
(Posted 10/18/13)

According to Head Coach Marc Vecchiolla, when freshmen Miranda Leone and Kelly Runzer came out for the women's tennis team, they were new to the sport and only had a few weeks to work on their game before the start of the season.

Vecchiolla reports that their hard work and positive attitude have truly made a difference. Both players have embraced the game and have continued to improve with each match.

The two women played some of their best tennis this past weekend at the Region 19 Tournament. Leone won her opening match at 6th singles 6-1, 6-0 over her opponent from Bergen CC to give the Vikings one of the four points they scored in the tournament. Leone and Runzer then teamed up at 3rd doubles and almost pulled off a big upset, falling in dramatic fashion in the semifinal 5-7, 6-1, 4-6 against opponents from Ocean CC who had beaten them easily in two matches during the regular in the season. And that, says Vecchiolla, is a win in his book.

Featured Athletes
Men's Soccer
(Posted 10/10/13)

With three mid-season losses, the men’s soccer needed a good home stand over the weekend to get back on the winning track.  The Vikings got that, beating Del Tech Stanton 5-0 on Saturday and Community College of Rhode Island 2-0 on Sunday.

Head Coach Tigana Dalce credits two of his sophomores, forward Nana Osei and midfielder Lorenzo Laurenti, as team leaders who have set the tone on the field throughout the season with their determination and consistency.  Osei is the points leader for the Vikings thus far, collecting 5 assists and 3 goals and remaining an offensive threat in every contest. Laurenti has proven to be a steady force in the midfield, helping to control the game on both offense and defense. 

Currently 7-5-1, the Vikings will count on strong performances by Osei and Laurenti as they step up their game in preparation for the Region 19 Playoffs at the end of October.

Featured Athlete
Women's Soccer
(Posted 10/4/13)

Katelyn Becker
Hamilton, NJ
Steinert High School

Having changed positions this season, sophomore Katelyn Becker is proving just how versatile she is. Mainly a forward during the 2012 season, Becker is now proving a dominant force in the midfield, helping the Vikings control the game on both the offtensive and defensive sides of the ball.

According to Coach Michelle Ogborn-Haywood, Becker is stronger and faster this year. "It has made her an important asset for our team,” she said.  The Vikings hope Becker’s strong play at midfield continues as they enter October and set their sights on the Region 19 playoffs at the end of the month.

Featured Athlete
Women's Tennis
(Posted 9/26/13)

Valerie Gapco
Hamilton, NJ
Nottingham High School

Freshman Valerie Gapco, at no. 1 singles and no. 1 doubles, was the Vikings' top player at the 14-team Mercer Invitational this past weekend. Gapco reached the quarterfinals at no. 1 singles, losing 10-8 in a third-set tiebreak to eventual finalist Allison Dennis of Ocean CC.

Says Head Coach Marc Vecchiolla, “Valerie has a terrific attitude on the court. She is extremely positive and a hard worker who runs for every single ball."

Gapco is currently 8-4 in singles and doubles matches. The Vikings are hoping her strong play can continue to earn them points as they finish their tough regular season schedule and prepare for the Region 19 Tournament.

Featured Athlete
Women's Soccer
(Posted 9/19/13)

Taylor Wright
Yardville, NJ
Steinert High School

Sophomore forward Taylor Wright has played an important role in helping the Vikings win 4 of their last 5 games.  The Vikings' co-captain has 3 goals and 3 assists on the season and continues to be a team leader.  In Mercer’s 4-0 win over Camden last week, Wright had a goal and assist. She matched that effort on Tuesday, adding a goal and an assist in Mercer's 4-2 victory over Harcum. 

According to Coach Michelle Ogborn-Haywood, Wright leads through “her drive and enthusiasm, which helps motivate her teammates.”  The Vikings will count on Wright’s leadership as they face four straight Region 19 opponents during a critical stretch of the season through Oct. 1.

Featured Athlete
Men's Soccer
(Posted 9/12/13)

Thomas Willett
East Windsor, NJ
Hightstown High School

The Vikings had a big 6-0 win Saturday over visiting Globe Institute. Freshman Thomas Willett, who primarily plays defense, showed his offensive skills as well, scoring a hat trick in the victory.

Head Coach Tigana Dalce said, "Thomas took advantage of the opportunities he had and helped us control the game Saturday.  It’s always good to have freshmen step up when they are given the chance.”  The Vikings look forward to Willett's contributions on both sides of the ball as the season progresses.

Mercer is currently 2-1-1. The team plays five more away games before returning to the MCCC Soccer Stadium on Oct. 2.

Featured Athlete
Women's Cross Country
(Posted 9/5/13)

Diana Taveras
East Windsor, NJ
Hightstown High School

The women’s cross country team opened the season with a third place finish at the Delaware Valley College Invitational Saturday. According to Coach Erin Cahill-Wetzel, much of the credit goes to the strong performance by sophomore runner Diana Taveras.  Taveras was the top finisher for the Vikings, taking 7th place overall in the nine-team meet.  Even more impressive is that she ran five minutes faster than the time she posted on the same 6K course last year.

Cahill-Wetzel attributes this early season success toTaveras's hard work in practices.  “In workouts Diana continues to break out and take the lead, just like she did in the meet Saturday. From the beginning of the race she put herself in a good position to place in the top 10 and just looked so comfortable and in control the entire time.” The Vikings hope this is the first of many strong races for Taveras this season.

Diana Taveras