As a member of the Ivy League, Dartmouth is a Division I school fielding 34 varsity teams each year. Colloquially referred to as the "Ancient Eight," the Ivy League is the only Division I conference that does not offer merit scholarships.
In preparation for this fall, we sat down with the players and coaches of four Big Green teams expected to excel in the Ivy League or show marked improvement this year.
Football 2012 Record: 6-4, 4-3 Ivy League
Coming off its second-straight season with a winning Ivy-League record, the Big Green will look to continue to improve with a dual-quarterback system and a young defense.
"I think the big thing is consistency," co-captain Bronson Green '14 said. "We've proven we can play well in big games and win big games."
This year, veteran pocket passer Alex Park '14 will lead the offensive unit while scrambling quarterback Dalyn Williams '16 will offer a change of pace.
"I think Alex has a very good understanding of the game," said Green, the team's leading linebacker. "He's intelligent and reads defenses well, and he's very football-savvy. Dalyn is extremely dynamic and can obviously hurt you on his feet, and that's something you have to take into account in terms of what schemes you're running."
Coming off a season in which Dartmouth ran the ball 394 times compared to 294 pass attempts the offense will also rely on co-captain running back Dominick Pierre '14.
On the defensive side, Green and safety Garret Waggoner '13 will lead a unit that has matured over its four years.
"Our scheme has developed to fit the players in our system," Waggoner said. "We've had guys growing through the system, like myself."
Given the season's short schedule, the team's first game against Butler University and subsequent league home opener against Yale University will be critical in establishing a fast start.
"We can't overlook any opponent," Waggoner said. "Each game is important there's so much parity not just in our league but in our schedule."
During the 2008 and 2009 seasons, the Big Green went a combined 2-18, an onus the current senior class bore upon entering the program.
Over the past three years, the team has gone 17-13.
"The mentality of the football team is changing how we prepare for games," Green said. "It becomes infectious."
Men's soccer2012 Record: 9-7, 5-2 Ivy League
Coming off a bitter second-place finish in the Ivy League, the Big Green hopes to improve its record under new head coach Chad Riley.
Riley, who took over as head coach when 12-year veteran Jeff Cook left for a Major League Soccer team, will emphasize transition offense, pressure on the ball and team fitness.
"If you're getting better from the 60th to 90th minute and the other team's getting worse, you'll be able to win some games," Riley said.
Given that many games come down to the wire, Riley said a key component will be how the team deals with adversity.
"Some teams can get in the habit of thinking only bad things happen at the end of games," Riley said. "I think the key in such a compact season that ends with a tournament is the ability to focus on each game."
While eight new freshmen will join the Big Green this fall, a strong senior class and a supporting junior cast will provide the bulk of goals and leadership for the title-driven team.
"They finished second last year and I don't think anyone was happy about that," Riley said.
Women's Field Hockey2012 Record: 11-6, 6-1 Ivy League
After finishing one game behind national champion Princeton University in the Ivy League last year, the Big Green will retain many of their key offensive and defensive players in their quest for the 2013 title.
They will face the Tigers in their first home game of the season.
"It's a big deal to come away with a good match from those guys, even if you don't win, because you know they're going to be in the top 10, if not top five, in the country," head coach Amy Fowler said.
To knock off the Tigers, Dartmouth will need a big performance from Ali Savage '15, who led the team in scoring last year, she said.
"Right now, our whole goal is to be sure we're finding a way to be a bit more consistent," Fowler said. "We pretty much return all of our forwards."
The team will open up the season with a road trip to the West Coast, during which Dartmouth will face off against the University of California, Berkeley and University of California, Davis.
While five freshmen will join the team this year, Fowler expects that older players will receive the majority of playing time.
"All of our field players are pretty refined," she said.
Volleyball2012 Record: 2-22, Ivy League: 1-13
When Erin Lindsey took over as women's head coach three years ago, she sought to change the team's philosophy.
After two strong recruiting classes, Lindsey believes the players and their fast play will boost the team's performance after a disappointing season.
"Most of our goals are going to surround what we do in the Ivy League, because it's more of a level playing field, and what we're competing against when it comes to our resources, and philosophically how the other programs function," Lindsey said.
Using the setter position as the offensive center point, the team hopes to employ a fast-style offense, Lindsey said.
"It takes a lot of work for our setter, because they're our quarterback in being able to read the defense, and it takes a lot of work for our hitters to get into the right timing," she said. "It's definitely a bit of a higher-risk system, but it's very exciting and creates a lot of opportunities for our hitters to be one on one."
To keep the offense in synch, middle blocker Kaira Lujan '16 will need to work in tandem with offensive-minded captain Elisa Scudder '14.
Last year, Scudder was named the team's most valuable player.
"She understands culturally where I'd like the program to go," Lindsey said. "She's done an amazing job in leading the team."
