VIDEO | Tim Boyle Interview
VIDEO | Reese Orman Interview

Wingate, N.C.----Winners of the last three South Atlantic Conference tournament titles, the Wingate University Bulldogs open the 2021 season this weekend, hosting Barton Saturday at 3 p.m. (Watch Live). The Bulldogs are currently ranked 15th in the USILA poll, coming off a 4-2 campaign in the shortened 2020 season.

The Bulldogs have been consistently among the nation's best teams over the past four years, winning every SAC Tournament since head coach Tim Boyle arrived on campus. Wingate has been a mainstay in the USILA top 20, while adding a regular season SAC title to the three tournament champions. The 'Dogs have earned a trip to two of the last three NCAA Tournaments. Wingate is 41-15 since the start of the 2017 season, going 21-4 in league play.

The Bulldogs are eager to return to the field, with the 2020 season coming to an abrupt halt in early March. Wingate's last game was an 18-7 victory over LMU in the SAC opener on March 7, 2020. "It'll be 11 months from the last game to this game," Boyle says. "Obviously the excitement level is high. The anxiousness is even higher, which is something we have to curtail. I love to see the excitement. We weren't always positive the season would happen, but now it's here. We need to curtail the anxiety, increase the excitement level; we don't want guys trying to make up for a full lost season in one play. We understand that they lost a lot, this is something that will take time. It's even more time for our freshman, who haven't played in 21 months with them missing their senior seasons of high school."

Wingate has plenty of solid leadership returning, including fifth-year senior Gary Pierpont along with seniors Reese Orman and Mike DiLegge. "Gary is our fifth-year guy that has been a strong leader for us," Boyle says. "Reese and Mike are solid leaders on the defensive side. There's also Liam Johnson, who has stepped up into a bigger leadership role for us this year. I've been really impressed with how far he has come as a leader."

In a season unlike any other, there will be no certainty for teams getting their seasons underway. "Every coach in the country would say, with the loss of the fall, we hope we're ready, but in the back of the mind we know there was some development that couldn't happen that we're a little nervous about," Boyle says. "We are in a good spot physically and health wise, but everyone is in the same boat, moving on the fly, hoping we can gain momentum as the season continues. We've had a good, strong preseason, the guys have worked hard and I feel like we were able to get things in we needed to. But still you can't help but step back and say, man I wish we had more time."

ATTACK

The attack will be led by a solid trio of Bobby Padden, Adam Vodovnik and Willie Grieco. "These guys were developing good chemistry last year before the season got cut short," Boyle says. "I'm really excited to see that continue."

Padden led the Bulldogs with 23 points in 2020, ranking second on the team with 13 goals and 10 assists while also ranking third on the team with 21 ground balls. The preseason first team All-SAC selection earned honorable mention preseason All-American accolades from the USILA. Grieco led the SAC and ranked fourth in the nation with 3.4 assists per game, handing out 17 assists on the year while adding four goals. Vodovnik collected 14 goals through six games in 2020, needing only 23 shots, ranking fifth nationally in shot percentage.

MIDFIELD

Fifth-year seniors Pierpont and Dominic Piazza will be key parts of the midfield attack, along with Danny Riley, coming off an impressive freshman season. They are joined by a solid group including Collin Fleming, Ronan Stenstrom and Daman Lingasin.

"We moved Dom to midfield and he has really embraced his move from the attack position," Boyle says. "Danny, Gary, Dom and Collin are a solid group. Ronan, another converted attack player, has stepped up while Daman has also made some good progress. I'm pleased with where they are right now and hoping to get some good production."

Riley piled up a team-best 16 goals in his freshman season in 2020, ranking 10th in the SAC. Pierpont has notched 15 goals and seven assists during his Bulldog career. Piazza piled up 29 goals and 17 assists during the 2019 season. 

DEFENSIVE MIDFIELD

The seniors Orman and DiLegge will anchor the long stick midfield. "Having Reese and Mike back, then adding a solid youngster in Matt James, we feel really comfortable with our depth at long stick midfield," Boyle says.

Orman comes in as a preseason first team All-SAC selection, while also picking up preseason honorable mention All-American accolades from the USILA. Orman notched a team-best nine caused turnovers last season, ranking second on the team with 23 ground balls.

The Bulldogs have solid, experienced depth at the short stick midfield position, led by Mark Taccard and AJ Lohmuller, along with Zach Calarco and Seth Behrendt.

"Mark has been at the short stick midfield position for a while now, AJ just moved there in 2019 and was full-time in 2020, so we're excited to see where he can take it," Boyle says. "Zach also moved over to the defensive midfield, along with Seth. We also have a couple newcomers we expect to contribute in Trent Connolly and Robert Kirkland, who are both showing progress."

The Bulldogs led the SAC and ranked 12th nationally in scoring defense last season, holding opponents to a league-best 8.33 goals per game. Only one opponent scored over 10 goals against Wingate, who opened the season by allowing just three goals in the North Greenville victory. The 'Dogs led the SAC and ranked sixth nationally with an 8.71 goals-against average in 2019, while ranking 20th nationally in 2018.

DEFENSE

Seniors Nick Guarino and James Houston look to anchor the defense, along with sophomore Matt Griffin.

"Matt pushed himself into the starting lineup midway through 2020 and is now a full-timer," Boyle says. "His progress has been great. We also have some newcomers showing progress in Creighen Watson, Brody Baker and John Salamone."

GOALIE

The senior Edward Erickson returns after a solid first season with the Bulldogs in 2020.

"Edward started all six games last season and did a good job for us," Boyle says. "KC Carlson has been pushing him well. They make a really good 1-2 punch."

Erickson led the SAC and ranked 10th nationally in goals-against average in 2020, while ranking 16th in the nation in save percentage. He posted a 7.88 goals-against average with a .585 save percentage in his first season at Wingate.

FACE-OFF

The Bulldogs have been strong at face-off the past few years, leading the SAC and ranking eighth nationally in face-off winning percentage in 2020 (.713 percent) after ranking 16th in the nation in 2019.

"Noah Ehinger is back after a great shortened freshman season," Boyle says. "We also have James Kotcamp back for the first time since 2019."

Ehinger led the SAC and ranked seventh in the nation in face-off winning percentage as a freshman in 2020, winning 93-of-126 face-offs. He also led the SAC and ranked fourth in the nation with 10.50 ground balls per game, adding three goals on the year. Kotcamp was solid in 2019, winning 87-of-153 face-offs while adding 35 ground balls.

SCHEDULE

The 2021 schedule will be capped at 13 games this season, but the 'Dogs will still have plenty of challenges. The SAC is as tough as any conference in the nation, with four teams earning preseason top 15 rankings. In addition to the three ranked league opponents Wingate will face, one of the three non-conference contests will come against Mount Olive, checking in at #10 in the USILA poll. The Bulldogs open the season at home against Barton Feb. 13, then host Montevallo the following Saturday before opening SAC play at #6 Limestone.

WINGATE UNIVERSITY

Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a laboratory of difference-making that serves more than 3,600 students in North Carolina. Wingate offers 36 undergraduate majors as well as six master's and four doctoral programs. The University is home to the Cannon College of Arts and Sciences; the Levine College of Health Sciences; the Byrum School of Business; and the College of Professional Studies, which includes the Thayer School of Education and the School of Sport Sciences.
 
Wingate is the leading healthcare education provider in western North Carolina, and nearly one in five Wingate undergraduate students is preparing to be a pharmacist, physician assistant, physical therapist, occupational therapist or nurse. Athletes on Wingate's 23 teams compete in NCAA Division II and have brought home the SAC Echols Athletic Excellence Award for 13 years straight. The University's motto is "Faith, Knowledge, Service." View current news and videos at www.wingate.edu.