Sports
Heightland, Olsen, McAndrews Selected As Ohio Ultimate Captains
By: Erick Starkey
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The Ohio Ultimate team met on April 23 and voted on new captains to head up the team for the 2014-2015 season.
Of the five candidates, the team elected three captains including senior Cameron Heightland, sophomore Matt Olsen, and sophomore Kelley McAndrews, who was captain for the 2013-2014 season.
In their speeches, the three echoed the need for more organization and intensity in the year to come as they hope to improve on this year, which seems to be a loss compared to years past. The team has finished 17th in the nation in 2012 and 2013 but this year, that goal seems unattainable.
Each of the captains hopes to improve their team by encouraging a more focused attitude on their quest to become better.
The newly elected captains also hope to increase recruitment in order to have a full A and B squad to not only improve next year's outcome, but to build a better outcome for the next few years.
Heightland will be playing as a fifth year senior for next season but it will only be his fourth year playing for Ohio as he transferred from Ohio Northern, where he also played ultimate. He is a defensive-line handler for the Bobcats and hopes to lead the team to a better outcome for next year.
"I'm excited to take a leadership role next year," Heightland said, "I am hoping to lead our team to Nationals next year."
Matt Olsen is going to be a junior in the fall and is coming off a season ending injury. He tore his ACL and meniscus on Feb. 8 at the Queen City Tune-Up and will still be out of action for another 4-6 months. As the season begins, Olsen expects to take on a coaching role as he continues to heal but once he is back on the field, he is expected to make a contribution as a handler and an on field leader.
"I am looking forward to being a captain next year," Olsen said, "I like the guys I am going to be captain with and it is going to be a fun year."
Kelley McAndrews is going to be a junior in the fall and will be entering his second year as a team captain. He is a defensive-line handler, along with Heightland, and he hopes to be able to use the leadership skills that he learned as a captain this year, in leading the team for next season.
"We are going to be a smarter team," McAndrews said, "And as a result, a more successful team."
These three newly elected captains are hoping to take the 'Cats to new heights as they look to improve on what the team has accomplished in previous years. The captains seem to be a cohesive group that will be able to unite the Bobcats behind one goal for the whole season.