Spring Break: Sunshine Beckons Owl Teams

KEENE, N.H., 3/13/08 - They might be scattering to different locations around the country during Spring Break, but all four Keene State teams will have one thing in common as far as destinations are concerned - they're headed to locales that offer warm weather and sunshine.

Keene State spring teams kept the travel agents busy prior to their departures. Two teams are headed out west: men's lacrosse is going to San Diego and the baseball team is retuning to Phoenix. The other two squads are headed south: the softball team will be making its annual pilgrimage to Fort Myers, Fla., and the women's lacrosse team will train in Hilton Head, S.C.

There's no free lunch involved. The players pick up all or a portion of the expenses depending on how successful their teams raised funds for their respective trip.

The KSC softball team, returning from a 28-9 NCAA season, will be making its 15th consecutive trip to Fort Myers.

Coach Charlie Beach says he likes knowing the lay of the land. "I know where everything is, including the restaurants, the top hotels, and, most importantly, the best routes to the fields," he said.

Beach's biggest priority is finding a pitching partner for senior standout Ashlee Nicholson. He will be auditioning two freshmen pitchers, Katie Bradford and Jessie Williams. "We have to turn them loose and see if they're ready for the big dance," Beach said.

The Owls will play a 10-game schedule against teams Beach rates with varying degrees. With a roster that includes seven seniors, Beach will try to gets his veterans playing time and work his younger players into the lineup. "It's a balancing act because you want to win as many games as you can," he said. "These games count toward our overall record, and if you don't win the conference championship, they can help toward receiving an at-large bid - as it did last year."

After training in Cocoa Beach, Fla., for several seasons, Coach Ken Howe moved his baseball team from the "Grapefruit" league to the "Cactus" league in Phoenix two years ago.

His reasons were twofold: weather and competition. "It's a very dry climate, and the better teams are out there," he said.

Keene State, coming off a program-best 32-15 record and a first-ever trip to the NCAA tournament, will bounce around the area playing its 12 games at six different fields. "The fields look great on the website," Howe said.

Howe also has questions about the makeup of his pitching staff, and he will have to find a replacement for the graduated John Grainger behind the plate.

"No one goes to the NCAAs based on their first 12 games, but it could keep you from going," said Howe. "We're out there to compete and put nine players on the field each game, which gives us an opportunity to win."

Instead of going to Florida, Keene State men's lacrosse coach Mark Theriault is taking his team to San Diego. "Every four years, I try to do something different and give the players a nice experience," Theriault said.

With few Division III teams in the area, Theriault was fortunate to pick up a game with Whittier College. They will also play the University of San Diego club team in a scrimmage.

Nationally ranked following a 16-1 season, the Owls have little to address as far as the makeup of the team is concerned. With a big 9-5 win against Bates already under their belt, Theriault said the trip is more about training and team bonding.

We get a lot accomplished, but the most important part of the trip is team bonding," Theriault said. "It's all about lacrosse 24 hours a day."

Women's lacrosse coach Michelle Mason said not having a spring break trip last season put them behind the ball. She feels this year's trip is coming at the right time.

With her team off to a 1-2 start, the Owls' second-year coach will use the week at Hilton Head to get back to basics.

"We need to break down what we're doing at both ends of the field," Mason said. "It will be one of the first times all season we can practice on a full field with almost our full compliment of players."

The Owls are scheduled to play one game on the island, a midweek contest against Bridgewater College from Virginia.

"I fully expect us to return a better team," said Mason. "The players will have a chance to relax and enjoy themselves, but we also have plenty of work to do."