Catching you up on all Emerson Lions news over the summer break, and getting you ready for the fall season.

Men’s Soccer

Emerson’s men’s soccer team had a busy summer with the departure of its head coach, Javier Mejia, after just two years. Mejia parted with the team and took a job as a volunteer assistant with the women’s soccer program at Division I Syracuse University.

On July 13, Emerson Athletics announced the hiring of its new men’s soccer head coach, Bryan Harkin. Harkin previously served as an assistant at Tufts, which won the Division III national title in 2014, and again last season.

Eight freshmen were added to the roster this season, including James Suvak, the son of Emerson’s women’s soccer team head coach David Suvak.

The Lions opened their season with three consecutive home games against Curry, Emmanuel, and Suffolk. Their record stands at 1-1-1.

Women’s Soccer

While Emerson’s women’s soccer team plays most of its schedule in Massachusetts, this year it kicked the season off on the other side of the country. Whittier College and Chapman University, schools located in southern California, were the Lions’ first two matchups. Their home opener is not until Sept. 16, as their first two games back in the Bay State are on the road. They lost both of their games in the Garden State, 5-1 and 3-0 .

On that California trip were 14 new players, 13 of them freshmen. With a total roster count of 27, over half the players are rookies. Suvak is carrying six more players than he did last season.

Women’s Volleyball

Emerson’s women’s volleyball team is shorthanded this year. Out of 12 underclassmen from last season, four did not return, including then-freshman standout outside hitter Bella Edwards and then-junior libero Sam Harton. Two freshmen joined the squad, adding up to just ten total—seven less than last year.

On June 26, Emerson Athletics announced the hiring of 2017 Lasell College graduate Tristian Davis as an assistant to head coach Ben Read.

Non-Season Team News

• Women’s basketball standout Charlie Boyle’s sister, Sam, has joined the team.
• Women’s basketball had the highest team GPA in Division III last season, announced by the Women’s Basketball College Association. Its cumulative grade point average was a 3.673.

On July 19, Emerson Athletics announced the hiring of Aaron Bergeron as the new men’s and women’s tennis head coach. Former head coach Dan Munsey moved to associate head coach because of a new job at a tennis club.