With the beginning of a new school year also comes the beginning of a new year for Bellevue College sports. The 09-10 sports season will be the first full year under the Bellevue College banner, but the players are all still Bulldogs.
The golf program, since being brought back in 2006, has been a regional powerhouse, and is expected to continue dominating this year. Later this year, the team will be returning to their home course at Glendale Country Club a few blocks from Bellevue College. Their next competition will be the Skagit Valley League Match on September 27 and 28 in Burlington, where they will play against teams from across the state.
With head coach Kirk Johanson at the helm, the golf unit has looked better and better every year since its reinstatement in 2006.
Both the men’s and women’s soccer teams achieved playoff berths last year, and there is no sign that the programs will slow down any time soon. The men will begin the season with a home game against Treasure Valley, and won’t be playing again at home until September 26 against Walla Walla. The women on the other hand will be back in Bulldog territory on September 12th to play Skagit Valley.
The Bulldog volleyball team is looking particularly strong this year, after losing to the eventual champion in last year’s NWAACC tournament. The club seems to be especially excited about its recruits, having released consistent updates over the summer on the club website celebrating the numerous commitments they have roped from high school graduates around the area.
One unfortunate development over the most recent offseason is the removal of the cross-country program, on which the athletic department hasn’t replied for comment. The removal of sports programs is nothing new for colleges and universities of all levels around the country, and it has been especially prevalent in recent months given the economic climate. However, even without Bellevue Cross Country, there are numerous sports and athletes for students and alumni to get excited about.
As each of our fall sports teams made the playoffs last year, one cannot be blamed for having high expectations. Even though the rain will start to fall and the weather will begin to turn, it seems unlikely that anything will be able to dampen the success of the Bulldogs.