Post by CrimsonPhantom on Aug 3, 2012 8:38:13 GMT -7
NMSU enters fourth season
The New Mexico State soccer program entered its fourth year when the team began practice for the 2012 season Wednesday, Aug. 1.
The Aggies have 22 returning players on the roster including nine starters, and they welcome five newcomers to a squad that won a school-record 10 matches in 2011. NMSU returns to the field after making its second WAC Tournament appearance in three years and winning its first postseason contest last year.
Head coach Blair Quinn said he is eager to begin his second season with the Aggies after a successful inaugural campaign.
“I’m excited for it,” Quinn said. “We lost only a couple of players from last year’s team, and we are bringing in five new players. I think preseason will go a little bit quicker in terms of the teaching aspect. We are only teaching five new players, and we have the entire team to help us teach that as opposed to us teaching all of the players.”
Following a successful 2011 season, Quinn said he believes the team is taking expectations for the season to a new level.
“This is a unique senior class for most of the country, in that they started a program as freshmen,” he said. “This is a chance for them to have all that hard work and effort and growth come to fruition and have a fantastic senior year. We broke records last year, but there are a lot of records to break or things we haven’t done as a program that they want to do. I think that first and foremost they want to win the WAC and go to the NCAA Tournament.”
The Aggies have two experienced goalkeepers returning to anchor the defense. Junior Jessica Schutter started seven games last year and recorded a pair of shutouts, while redshirt sophomore Mikaela Bitner is back after missing the 2011 season due to an injury. Bitner started in 11 contests in 2010.
The Aggie defenders are a veteran core with seniors Courtney Irwin, Vanessa Thomas, Megan Hendler and junior Mickey Giles. Sophomores Alexys Brownell and Katelyn Smith and freshmen Mikaela Haley and Tatiana Raygoza could also contribute.
“The back line is pretty solid,” Quinn said.“I don’t anticipate many changes from last year. I think there are a couple more people in the mix to play more, which is exciting for me.
“We made a swap at the center back position with Elise Nordin and Amber Harrington. We think their qualities were better served to switch them, individually speaking, (based on) what they bring. But Amber started with an injury in the spring and wasn’t able to get on the field with us, and so she’s going to have to pick that up very quickly to make that work.”
Quinn said he believes the Aggies’ depth at midfielder is significant this season with Nordin, senior Lauren Cope, juniors Daisy Hernandez, Mary Kate Koziol and Olivia Sierra along with freshmen Miranda Valdez and Cat Acosta.
“I think our midfield spot is really our deepest and most talented spot overall,” he said. “Daisy can play the holding mid spot that Elise plays, plus she is a great attacking mid. Katie Smith is a very, very technical and talent attacking center mid. Mary Kate Koziol is a great attacking threat. I think Miranda Valdez is a freshman that is competing for minutes. She is a very technical and talented player. Lauren Cope is a senior that probably is pound for pound the most hard-nosed on the team.”
Senior Yolanda McMillion leads the returning NMSU forwards after a second team All-WAC selection in 2011.
“We bring back, I think, one of the most dangerous players in the conference in Yolanda McMillion,” Quinn said. “She has great pace.”
The forwards also have returning goal-scorers in senior Cassie De Leon and sophomores Bree Luhrsen, Jennae Cambra, Layla Todd, Katelynn Tupponce and Meghan Gerry along with freshman Samantha Sandoval.
From- www.lascrucesbulletin.com/ee/lascrucesbulletin/default.php?pSetup=lascrucesbulletin
The New Mexico State soccer program entered its fourth year when the team began practice for the 2012 season Wednesday, Aug. 1.
The Aggies have 22 returning players on the roster including nine starters, and they welcome five newcomers to a squad that won a school-record 10 matches in 2011. NMSU returns to the field after making its second WAC Tournament appearance in three years and winning its first postseason contest last year.
Head coach Blair Quinn said he is eager to begin his second season with the Aggies after a successful inaugural campaign.
“I’m excited for it,” Quinn said. “We lost only a couple of players from last year’s team, and we are bringing in five new players. I think preseason will go a little bit quicker in terms of the teaching aspect. We are only teaching five new players, and we have the entire team to help us teach that as opposed to us teaching all of the players.”
Following a successful 2011 season, Quinn said he believes the team is taking expectations for the season to a new level.
“This is a unique senior class for most of the country, in that they started a program as freshmen,” he said. “This is a chance for them to have all that hard work and effort and growth come to fruition and have a fantastic senior year. We broke records last year, but there are a lot of records to break or things we haven’t done as a program that they want to do. I think that first and foremost they want to win the WAC and go to the NCAA Tournament.”
The Aggies have two experienced goalkeepers returning to anchor the defense. Junior Jessica Schutter started seven games last year and recorded a pair of shutouts, while redshirt sophomore Mikaela Bitner is back after missing the 2011 season due to an injury. Bitner started in 11 contests in 2010.
The Aggie defenders are a veteran core with seniors Courtney Irwin, Vanessa Thomas, Megan Hendler and junior Mickey Giles. Sophomores Alexys Brownell and Katelyn Smith and freshmen Mikaela Haley and Tatiana Raygoza could also contribute.
“The back line is pretty solid,” Quinn said.“I don’t anticipate many changes from last year. I think there are a couple more people in the mix to play more, which is exciting for me.
“We made a swap at the center back position with Elise Nordin and Amber Harrington. We think their qualities were better served to switch them, individually speaking, (based on) what they bring. But Amber started with an injury in the spring and wasn’t able to get on the field with us, and so she’s going to have to pick that up very quickly to make that work.”
Quinn said he believes the Aggies’ depth at midfielder is significant this season with Nordin, senior Lauren Cope, juniors Daisy Hernandez, Mary Kate Koziol and Olivia Sierra along with freshmen Miranda Valdez and Cat Acosta.
“I think our midfield spot is really our deepest and most talented spot overall,” he said. “Daisy can play the holding mid spot that Elise plays, plus she is a great attacking mid. Katie Smith is a very, very technical and talent attacking center mid. Mary Kate Koziol is a great attacking threat. I think Miranda Valdez is a freshman that is competing for minutes. She is a very technical and talented player. Lauren Cope is a senior that probably is pound for pound the most hard-nosed on the team.”
Senior Yolanda McMillion leads the returning NMSU forwards after a second team All-WAC selection in 2011.
“We bring back, I think, one of the most dangerous players in the conference in Yolanda McMillion,” Quinn said. “She has great pace.”
The forwards also have returning goal-scorers in senior Cassie De Leon and sophomores Bree Luhrsen, Jennae Cambra, Layla Todd, Katelynn Tupponce and Meghan Gerry along with freshman Samantha Sandoval.
From- www.lascrucesbulletin.com/ee/lascrucesbulletin/default.php?pSetup=lascrucesbulletin