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2013 WAC Women's Soccer Preview

2013 WAC Women's Soccer Preview

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2013 WAC Women's Soccer Preview

Bakersfield Roadrunners

Head Coach: Melissa Phillips (Cal State Stanislaus, ‘09)                     Roadrunner Links
2012 Record: 6-11-2 Complete Schedule
Starters Returning/Lost: 7/4 Roster

Notes
  • The Roadrunners are comprised of 25 players from five different states and five different countries. Bakersfield has only two seniors on the roster.

  • The Roadrunners are playing a school Division I record 11 home matches this season.
     
  • Sarah Cook earned a spot on the Philippine National Team and played in AFC (Asian Football Confederation) qualifying matches for a spot in the 2015 World Cup during the Summer of 2013. 

  • Erica Shelton played in 1,644 of a possible 1,779 minutes last season for Bakersfield, the most by a position player on the team. Shelton, a Bakersfield native, scored four goals in her first season with the Roadrunners after transferring from UC Santa Barbara.

  • Emily Noethe is Bakersfield’s returning leading scorer. In 2012, Noethe tied with Sam Peña and reset the school Division I mark for shots in a season (47). She also tied Peña for a new school Division I record for most goals in a season with six.

  • Senior Taylor Jordan has played in all 55 matches since joining the program in 2010 as a freshman.

Grand Canyon Antelopes

Head Coach: Stevie Gill (Grand Canyon, ‘00)                     Antelope Links
2012 Record: 9-7-2 Complete Schedule
Starters Returning/Lost: 7/4 Roster

Notes

  • Grand Canyon joins the WAC this season as they make the jump to Division I from Division II. The ‘Lopes were members of Division II’s Pacific West Conference last season, where they finished in fifth place with an 8-4-2 league mark. 

  • Gabriella Zavala de Rojas returns to the team for her junior year after leading the ‘Lopes with 12 points (five goals and two assists) last season. Samantha Bush also returns to the team for her senior campaign after putting five goals into the back of the net last year.

  • Cat Lena returns for her senior season with the ‘Lopes after leading the team in goal with 79 saves, nine wins and five shutouts last year.

  • Over the past three seasons, Grand Canyon has posted a 29-18-6 overall record and has won at least nine games in four straight seasons.

  • GCU made its first-ever NCAA postseason appearance in the 16-year history of the program in 2011, earning a trip to the NCAA Division II tournament.

  • The Antelopes had four players earn Pacific West Conference honors last season.

  • Grand Canyon set a school record with 13 wins in 2005.

Idaho Vandals

Head Coach: Pete Showler (Sunderland, ‘94)                     Vandal Links
2012 Record: 6-14-1 Complete Schedule
Starters Returning/Lost: 4/7 Roster

Notes
  • The Vandals lost 12 players from last year’s team, including 10 seniors, and will rebuild with a class of 13 newcomers this fall.

  • Idaho junior midfielder Katie Baran earned the team’s Players’ Player award in 2012, as voted on by the team.

  • After its first bid in 2010, Idaho has now reached the WAC tournament in three consecutive seasons and advanced to the WAC semifinals in 2011.

  • The Vandals have a European connection when it comes to goalkeepers in 2013. Sophomore keeper Marina Siegl reigns from Uffing Germany, while incoming freshman keeper Kimberly Jaderlund is from Moro, Sweeden. First-year goalkeepers coach Laura Jackson is a native of London, England.

  • While the Vandals return just four starters from the 2012 season, those four make up Idaho’s entire starting back line. They are senior defenders Nitalia Zuniga, Chelsie Breen, Emma Caringello along with junior Emily Ngan.

  • Two of Idaho’s incoming freshmen come from top-30 nationally-ranked high school teams. Goalkeeper Torrell Stewart was the Defensive MVP for Mountain Vista High School, the No. 2 ranked team in the country by MaxPreps.com, while Gabby Leong comes from Upland High School, ranked No. 27 in the nation.

Kansas City Kangaroos

Head Coach: Chris Cissell (William Jewell, ‘94)                     Kangaroo Links
2012 Record: 6-9-4 Complete Schedule
Starters Returning/Lost: 11/6 Roster

Notes

  • Kansas City has 11 starters returning to the team this season, including All-Summit League honoree defender Sarah Todd (Second Team).

  • Kansas City’s all-time leading scorer, Taylor Bare, also returns to the team this season after earning College Sports Madness First Team All-Summit League honors in 2012. Bare tallied a team-best 13 points in 2012 with six goals and one assist. She also had a team-best 38 shots on the season.

  • The Kangaroos enter their fifth season in program history and play their first year of competition in the WAC.

  • UMKC made its first trip to the conference tournament just two seasons ago in 2011.

  • The Kangaroos recorded the second most wins in school history with six last season.

  • In the classroom, 13 student-athletes were named to The Summit League’s Commissioners List of Academic Excellence last season.

 New Mexico State Aggies

Head Coach: Blair Quinn (Rockhurst, ‘05)                    Aggie Links
2012 Record: 2-14-3 Complete Schedule
Starters Returning/Lost: 6/5 Roster

Notes

  • The Aggies return six starters and nine letterwinners from last year’s 2012 squad.

  • New Mexico State played a record seven overtime matches last season.

  • Mikaela Bitner earned WAC Goalkeeper of the Week honors last season. She returns for her  senior campaign after recording 66 saves for a .795 save percentage last season. She also recorded three shutouts in 2012.

  • Katelynn Tupponce earned second team CoSIDA/Capital One academic all-district honors last season. 15 Aggies received all-WAC academic honors last year.

  • New Mexico State recorded three ties in 2012 and suffered eight one-goal losses.

  • The Aggies played in a new soccer stadium for the first season and averaged over 400 fans per match, despite playing all day games.

  • New Mexico State posted the most wins in school history with 10 in 2011.

  • The Aggies qualified for the WAC Tournament for the second time in program history in 2011.

Seattle U Redhawks

Head Coach: Julie Woodward (Seattle U, '93)                   Redhawk Links
2012 Record: 9-9-2 Complete Schedule
Starters Returning/Lost: 7-4 Roster

Notes

  • Seattle U returns 12 letterwinners and seven starters from the 2012 campaign.

  • In 2012, their first season in the WAC, the Redhawks clinched a No. 5 seed in the WAC Tournament, making it to the semifinals.

  • Stephanie Verdoia returns for her junior season after ranking 52nd in the nation in NCAA Division I game-winning goals and in the top 80 in total goals and goals per game last season.

  • The team received 13 WAC All-Academic honors, the highest number for any team out of Seattle U’s honorees for the fall season. SU has received the NSCAA Team Academic Award for the past two years announced (2010-11 and 2011-12).

  • Verdoia and Melissa Busque were named first team all-WAC, as well as to the WAC All-Tournament team, with Julia Besagno named Second Team in 2012.

  • Busque recorded the team’s first Division I hat trick on Aug. 19 vs. St. Mary’s, receiving WAC Offensive Player of the Week honors, while Taylor Ritzman and Verdoia completed identical feats on Aug. 26 vs. Eastern Washington and Oct. 7 vs. Idaho, respectively.

Utah Valley Wolverines

Head Coach: Brent Anderson (Utah State, '04)                   Wolverine Links
2012 Record: 9-11-1 Complete Schedule
Starters Returning/Lost: 6/5 Roster

Notes

  • Utah Valley was consistently the top program of the Great West Conference, posting a 28-3-1 record during its four seasons in the league.

  • The Wolverines won three of the GWC’s four tournament championships, as well as two regular season titles (2011, 2012) and two division crowns (2009, 2010).

  • In 2012, Utah Valley allowed just one goal in conference play during the regular season, running its goal differential through five league matches to +13.

  • In four seasons with the GWC, UVU produced 28 all-conference performers, not to mention three consecutive Offensive Players of the Year and three straight Defensive Players of the Year.

  • For the 2013 season, Utah Valley returns 2012 GWC Defensive Player of the Year Lauren Sack (GK) as well as first team selections Lexi Robison (M) and Lexi Dunn (D) and second team performer Haley Curtis (M).

  • Senior forward Natalie Young-Baker was named GWC Offensive Player of the Year in 2011.

  • UVU is 7-17 all-time against former and current WAC competition.