Sports This Week: 8/27-9/1

Cross Country

The cross country team begins its 2018 season this week in the Nicholls Cross Country Invitational Saturday at 8:30 a.m.

Head coach Stefanie Slekis enters her second year as head coach of the Colonels.

The squad will look to be competitive with conference teams and improve individually.

Any students interested in the cross country program can email Slekis at [email protected].

Football

The Colonels start off the 2018 season on the road against the University of Kansas Jayhawks.

Junior quarterback Chase Fourcade said the Jayhawks have a good group of players, and he and his team want to enjoy the ride.

“They’ve got a great team,” Fourcade said. “They’ve got a good defensive tackle, linebacking crew and secondary, and some of those guys are from New Orleans. The atmosphere over there, [as part of the] Big 12, they really come to it every week and play hard. We’re just ready to play, get out there and just enjoy those moments.”

Senior defensive lineman Kenny Dotson said the Colonels are there to win, not just to be there.

“I feel like they have a good group, but we’re a good group, too,” Dotson said. “We’re going to go in there like we’re supposed to be there. We play up to opponents every year.”

Kickoff will take place Saturday at 6 p.m., and fans can watch the game on ESPN+.

The Nicholls Student Programming Association will host a viewing party of the game in Le Bijou Theater starting at 5 p.m. Saturday.

Soccer

The Nicholls women’s soccer team started the 2018 season with two losses, and added two more this weekend.

The Colonels (0-4) lost to the Mississippi State University Delta Devils 3-1 on the road Friday, and the Prairie View A&M University Panthers 1-0 at home Sunday.

The team plays the Jackson State University Tigers Friday at 4 p.m. and the Alcorn State University Braves Sunday at 1 p.m.

Volleyball

The Colonels notched one win in the North Texas Invitational against the Grambling State University Tigers.

Sophomore middle blocker Lydia Frederick said the team likes the road tournaments they play to start the season.

“I think we do well in other teams’ gyms,” Frederick said. “It gives us, not only an opportunity to travel and see other places, but also an opportunity to show our skill on a different level.”

The Colonels (1-3) travel to Lafayette this Friday to play the University of Houston Cougars at noon and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns at 6:30 p.m.

Then, they wrap up the weekend with a game against the Mississippi Valley State University Delta Devils Saturday at 2 p.m.