As the fall sports season has descended on NKU, the student athletes who represent the Norse are practicing week by week to prepare for their respective games and matches.

This fall, the soccer, volleyball, golf and cross country teams begin their second season of competing in Division I athletics and as the competition has gotten higher, so have the intensity and regularity of the practices.

Men’s Soccer

The NKU men’s soccer team is coming off a 7-10-1 record last season and currently sits at 3-2-4 so far this season. Head Coach John Basalyga implements rigorous practice schedules that ensures his players will be at their best come game time.

The men’s soccer team trains from 8-10 am on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. The 2-hour practices consist of sprinting and scrimmages as well as other drills to help the team prepare for games, which usually take place on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Women’s Soccer

For the women’s soccer team, Head Coach Bob Sheehan also believes that fundamentals in practice are vital to the team’s success. The team currently sits at 4-6-1 on the season.

“We try to work on different topics each day,” Sheehan said. “These include flank plays, back line defender passes, movement in the midfield and many other important techniques.”

The team usually trains Tuesdays through Thursdays as well as Saturdays, with an off-day on Mondays. The women’s game days are usually Fridays and Sundays.

Volleyball

The volleyball team, coached by Elizabeth Hart, currently has a record of 5-10 and practices at Regents Hall. Most of the team’s games take place on Fridays and Saturdays.

At the practices, the volleyball team works on fundamentals such as serving and also scrimmages to help develop skills and chemistry on the floor.

Cross Country

The NKU cross country team, coached by Steve Kruse, is also staying in shape this fall and practicing at least 3 days per week in order to be prepared for matches.

“We usually meet on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday morning for practice,” Kruse said. “It depends on our weekend schedule. We also have Monday and Wednesday afternoon workouts.”

The team practices for several hours each day and also runs around 70 miles per week. Kruse also emphasizes the importance of running on different terrain.

“We like to practice on varied surfaces,” Kruse said. “While we normally run around NKU’s campus because it is hilly, we also like to take advantage of local parks in order to run on flatter surfaces as well.”

Golf Team

The golf team is also constantly practicing to improve their skills on the course and lower the team’s scores. Head Coach Daryl Landrum strongly believes that being on the course every day is the key to success in golf.

“Our players play nine holes, practice putting every day, and spend much of their time on the driving range,” Landrum said. “They also have memberships to the World of Golf in Florence and spend time practicing and working out there.”

The team practices four or five times per week and practice times run around three hours. The team’s primary courses are Highlands Country Club and Pendleton Country Club.