Nov. 21, 2014 Sophomore Will Bellamy joined the Johns Hopkins Athletic Communications staff as a student assistant not long after arriving at Homewood in August 2013. An experienced writer, he will bolster the efforts of the office with a preview of each weekend's events (please note that this is not intended to be an exhaustive in-depth preview of every game or event. Rather, it provides a quick overview for fans with key links and things to look for. Key games, especially those against nationally-ranked teams or those with playoff implications, will lead the column each week). Football
Last year, the Johns Hopkins football team lost to Wesley in the opening round of the NCAA Division III playoffs on a last-second touchdown pass. This weekend, the Blue Jays will look to bury the memory of that frustrating defeat by advancing to the second round of the tournament. JHU is slated to face Rowan at Homewood Field on Saturday afternoon.
The game will mark the first-ever meeting between the two teams, both of which have relied heavily on their defenses and running games throughout the year. The Profs (7-3) field an elite running back in Withler Marcelin (1311 rushing yards) and a defense that has held opponents to 13.7 points per game. Similarly, the Blue Jays have looked to their running back duo of Stuart Walters (651 yards) and Brandon Cherry (461 yards) and their swarming defense to lead them to victory.
The game-deciding factor for JHU could be the play of senior quarterback Braden Anderson, who has thrown 2118 yards and 20 touchdowns against only six interceptions so far this year. If Anderson can continue to play well, the Blue Jays may be able to keep the Rowan defense guessing with a balanced offensive attack. Kick off is slated for noon ET.
Live stats & video
Cross Country The Johns Hopkins men's and women's cross country teams head to Mason, OH, this weekend to compete in the NCAA Division III Championships.
The women automatically qualified for the meet with a first-place finish at the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships last weekend. The men earned an at-large bid after finishing third overall at the regional.
On Saturday, the women will look to claim their third straight Division III title and the men will attempt to build on their 11th-place finish last year.
But both teams will have to outperform a number of strong programs from across the country if they are to realize their goals. The men are set to contend with the likes of Emory, Carnegie Mellon, and Mount Union while the women could face stiff competition from MIT, St. Lawrence, and other squads.
The men's race is scheduled to start at 11 a.m. ET and the women's race will follow at 12:30 p.m. ET.
Live video
Women's Soccer
After emerging victorious from the first two rounds of the NCAA Division III tournament, the Johns Hopkins women's soccer team now turns its attention to the Sweet 16.
The Blue Jays (18-3-1) are scheduled to take on the host Carnegie Mellon Tartans (16-2) in Pittsburgh on Saturday afternoon. The Tartans are the top-ranked team in the Great Lakes Region and have held opponents to an average of just .38 goals per game so far this season.
JHU will look to senior Hannah Kronick, who notched goals in both the first and second rounds of the tournament, to lead the way against the Carnegie Mellon defense. Game time is 11 a.m. ET.
Live stats & video
Men's Water Polo
The biggest weekend of the year for the Johns Hopkins men's water polo team has arrived.
The Blue Jays are set to compete in the 2014 Collegiate Water Polo Association Championships, which will run from Friday to Saturday, in Annapolis. JHU, the seventh seed in the tournament, will take on MIT at 11:20 a.m. ET on Friday. Depending on the outcome of the match, JHU will then play again on either Friday or Saturday and then one more time on Sunday. Last season, the Blue Jays took ninth place in the Championships and as a result, finished tied for first in Division III. This time around, JHU will look to senior co-captains Johnny Beal and Wes Hopkins, and its other leaders to take the team even further.
Live stats
Live video
Men's & Women's Basketball
The Johns Hopkins men's and women's basketball teams will face off against their counterparts from Ursinus in a doubleheader in Collegeville, PA, on Saturday afternoon.
Both the men's and the women's teams have started their respective seasons on a high note, each winning two of their first three games. The women also emerged victorious in their Centennial Conference opener on Wednesday at Dickinson.
The two squads will look to continue their strong starts to the year and take another step towards conference titles against the Bears. The women are scheduled to tip off at 1 p.m. ET and the men will follow at 3:00 p.m. ET.
Live stats & video
Fencing
The Johns Hopkins men's and women's fencing teams will compete in the annual Garret Open at Penn State on Saturday.
The meet marks the second competitive event of the year for both teams. Two weeks ago, the men saw three of their fencers, Mark Zimmermann, Glenn Balbus, and John Vingoe, place in the top three of their respective events. The women also had reason to celebrate as sophomore Katherine Couch finished 11th out of 92 challengers in the Epee.
Saturday's Open is expected to last throughout the day.
Wrestling
The Johns Hopkins wrestling team is slated to partake in the Doug Parker Invitational at Springfield College on Saturday afternoon. The Blue Jays are coming off a win against Huntingdon and will look to add to their momentum. The Invitational is scheduled to start at 10:00 a.m. ET.
