After having suffered some lopsided defeats early in the season, NOVA ice hockey coach, Barrett Haga, finally found some time to smile after the second period of the Nov. 20 Sunday morning game against the University of Maryland at the Prince William Ice Center.

The defending Virginia Community College champion men’s basketball team began its season in early November. Duplicating last season’s success, however, is not a given as most of last year’s team is gone. The only holdover players are forward Jonathan Ball and the injured Andre Allen. Jamal Fair returns from the 2009-10 team.

The Northern Virginia Community College women’s volleyball team, with the help of early-season successes, ended its 2011 season with a winning record at 13-12.

The Northern Virginia Community College women’s basketball team led almost the entire game on Dec. 7 at Annandale, easily defeating the Howard Community College Dragons of Columbia, Md., and more than doubling their score.

NOVA’s co-ed ice hockey team began its season on Sept. 16, and has played eight regular games through Nov. 5.

The NOVA men’s soccer team’s chances for a winning season rested on the results of its final game against the Stevenson University JV team in a match on Oct. 23 near Baltimore.

Baha is the oldest of four brothers. He was born in Afghanistan and came to the U.S. with his family 14 years ago….Starting with a tiny room with three machines, he helped to establish a fitness center at the NOVA Alexandria campus.

This year’s Northern Virginia Community College women’s volleyball team carried over three players from last year’s 11-14 squad and added two new sophomores plus five freshmen.

Photos by: Carina Thornton

NOVA Flag Football team practice at Loudoun campus.