Every Monday, Phoenix fans can get a look at the week ahead with our “This Week in Elon Athletics” feature when we will preview all of the week’s upcoming events for our fall sports teams.

Football (0-0)
#7 Elon at Duke; Sept. 4 at 7 p.m.; Durham, N.C.

• Elon is coming off of a 9-3 season in which it made its first-ever appearance in the FCS Playoffs.  The Phoenix concluded the 2009 campaign ranked in the top 10 of both The Sports Network and FCS Coaches polls.
• Saturday night’s game at Duke will mark just the third game for Elon against a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent.  The Phoenix played at South Florida in 2007 and at Wake Forest last year.
• While Elon and Duke have met on the gridiron seven times prior to Saturday night, this will be the first meeting between the two programs since 1932.
• Elon quarterback Scott Riddle is one of 20 players on the preseason watch list for the Walter Payton Award and was also selected as the SoCon’s Preseason Offensive Player of the Year.

Men’s Soccer (0-0)
Elon at High Point; Sept. 1 at 7 p.m.; High Point, N.C.
Elon at Charlotte; Sept. 4 at 7 p.m.; Charlotte, N.C.

• The men’s soccer team will open the 2010 season with two road contests, beginning at local rival High Point on Wednesday night. Elon dropped a 1-0 decision to the Panthers in the opener last year. High Point leads the overall series, 26-10-9.
• The Phoenix will be looking for its first victory over the Charlotte 49ers since the 2006 season when Elon defeated the Niners, 3-1. Charlotte took last season’s battle, 2-1, at Rudd Field.
• Elon is coming off a 10-8-2 season that featured an appearance in the Southern Conference Tournament championship game. The Phoenix welcomes back its leading scorer and reigning league freshman of the year, Chris Thomas.

Women’s Soccer (1-1)
Elon at UNC Wilmington Tournament; Wilmington, N.C.
Elon vs. Gardner-Webb; Sept. 3 at 5 p.m.
Elon vs. Coastal Carolina; Sept. 5 at 11 a.m.

• After opening the year with a 2-1 loss to 15th-ranked Virginia Tech, Elon quickly rebounded for its first win of the season with a 1-0 victory against Campbell this past Friday night.
• There are many new faces wearing the maroon and gold as Elon has 10 freshmen on the 2010 squad. Rookie Kimmie Krauss scored the game-winner against the Fighting Camels.
• The Phoenix has never lost to Gardner-Webb, holding a 10-0-0 record against the Bulldogs. Elon is 5-2-1 all-time against Coastal Carolina and has won the last two meetings. 

Volleyball (4-0)
Elon vs. High Point; Aug. 31 at 7 p.m.; Elon, N.C.
Elon at Sacramento State Invitational; Sept. 3-4; Sacramento, Calif.
Elon vs. Cal State Northridge; Sept. 3; 8 p.m.
Elon at Sacramento State; Sept. 4; 5:30 p.m.
Elon vs. Texas San Antonio; Sept. 4; 8 p.m.

• The Elon volleyball team began its 2010 season in dominant fashion last week, going a perfect 4-0 in the Hilton RTP/North Carolina Central University Tournament in Durham, N.C. The Phoenix was the only team in the tournament to finish undefeated, as senior Sarah Schermerhorn was named the tournament’s MVP, while junior Caroline Lemke and sophomore Allison Johnson garnered all-tournament accolades.
• The Phoenix closed the tournament with sweeps of host NCCU and the Bulldogs of Gardner-Webb, capturing all six sets and not allowing either team to score more than 15 points in each set. Elon won eight consecutive sets to close the tournament going back to its 3-1 win over UTEP.
• Five Elon players recorded 30 or more kills in the two-day tournament, with sophomore Allison Johnson leading the way with 41, followed by junior Caroline Lemke (38), junior Traci Stewart (37), senior Lauren Copenhagen (36) and senior Sarah Schermerhorn (31).
• Elon is set for its 2010 home opener Tuesday, Aug. 31, inside Jordan Gymnasium. The Phoenix will take on the High Point University Panthers at 7 p.m.

Cross Country
Elon at Covered Bridge Open; Sept. 3; All Day; Boone, N.C.

• The Elon women’s cross country team was picked to finish second in the SoCon by the league’s head coaches last week.  The Phoenix returns a strong team, which includes four runners who finished in the top-25 last season.  Senior Emily Fournier, a second-team all-conference selection in 2009, and sophomores Morgan Denecke and Sullivan Parkes, who both earned all-freshman honors last season, all return to the team this season.  Junior Allyson Costa, who was a top-25 finisher in the 2009 SoCon championship, also returns for the Phoenix.
• On the men’s side, the Phoenix was picked to finish fifth overall in the league, earning 65 points. The Phoenix returns 12 runners from last year’s squad, including seniors Andrew Garrison, Justin Gianni and Matthew Richardson. The men from Appalachian State University earned top preseason honors with 92 points, including five first-place votes.
• Following an off week next week, the Phoenix prepares to host the Elon Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 18, at the Elon Cross Country Course.