Homecoming Weekend | What is happening in Chapman sports?
Courtesy of Larry Newman; Collage by Emily Paris
One of the most important weekends of the Chapman fall sports calendar is here. In a busy weekend full of showcases, panels and trips to The Circle to get a free meal off of parents, four different teams will be competing on campus during Homecoming festivities.
Starting on Friday Oct. 4, volleyball will be hosting Redlands University in Hutton Sports Center at 7 p.m. as their Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) play rages on.
Junior transfer Olivia Harrison, a psychology major who plays middle blocker, has been a standout in the early season. She made the all-tournament team for the Cal Lu Fornia Invitational tournament and has carved out an important role in the team. Fans should also keep an eye out for junior outside-hitter Brooke Leslie, a public relations and advertising major, who leads the team in both kills and points so far. Her influence is unmatched.
There is a full course of games all day on Saturday Oct. 5, where both men’s and women’s soccer, as well as football, will be playing on Wilson Field.
The action begins bright and early in the morning, as women’s soccer will match up against University of California, Santa Cruz at 9 a.m. in a rare non-SCIAC game. Junior forward Jenna Urrabazo, a strategic and corporate communication major, is the key to unlocking opposing defenses for the Panthers. She has been the top scorer for the team since she got to Chapman and her talent opens up space for others. Graduate student Emma Harper, a computer science major, anchors the defense for Chapman. Her no-nonsense style and leadership on the pitch can set the tone in this contest. She also has scored a couple of headers off of Urrabazo corners so far this season, and their connection is a big weapon for the team’s attack.
Men’s soccer will start at 11:30 a.m., right after the conclusion of the women’s game, and they will also be playing UC Santa Cruz. It has been a difficult season so far, but this weekend could be an important turning point as Chapman gets a break from SCIAC play. Look out for sophomore forward Leo Wells, a business finance and accounting double major. His penchant for scoring important goals is noteworthy. He has a tendency to float throughout the field, trying to find any spaces where he can exert his talent into the match.
Last on the platter for the weekend is the Homecoming football game. At 7 p.m. Chapman will be facing California Lutheran University. After winning the SCIAC Championship last season the team will be trying to rewrite the script after losing their previous three Homecoming games, their last win being over Whittier University in 2019. With the stands expected to be packed, big plays from senior quarterback Luke Peterman and senior wide receiver Amir Adams could ignite the crowd. Peterman, a political science major, has had a promising start to the season winning SCIAC Offensive Athlete of the Week after Chapman’s week one win. His connection with Adams, a psychology major, is nothing short of otherworldly and the two stars can end the weekend with a bang for the Panthers.
There are four chances to see exciting and tightly contested games throughout Homecoming Weekend, as Chapman fall athletics head into the meat of their regular season schedules.
