MONDAY,AUGUST 18,2003
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 13B
Preseason high hopes greet women's soccer team
Freshmen soccer recruits bring long list of recognitions, awards
By Nikki Nugent
nnguent@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
The women's soccer team is receiving national recognition and it hasn't even played a game yet.
Soccer Buzz magazine ranked the University of Kansas 31st in its 2003 National Top-100 recruiting class.
This year's juniors placed 25th in the 2001 recruiting class ranking. The combination of the two classes should help the team improve last fall season's record of 11-7-2. Coach Mark Francis said he thought this recruiting class was being recognized because each player could make an immediate impact.
"They can come in and challenge the starters which will make everyone better," Francis said.
Francis said the national recognition and the coaching staff's recognition for its hard work was nice.
"It also helps in future recruiting," he said.
Now coaches will begin evaluating the newcomers' ability to adjust to the speed and intensity of college soccer.
"We know they're all good," Francis said. "I expect them to be able to step in and perform."
The team lost only three starters from last year's team. With 14 letter-winners returning, eight of whom were starters last year, the team looks to improve upon its record.
The freshmen bring with them experience and a number of accolades.
Michelle Rasmussen played on the South Dakota Olympic Development Program team from 1997 to 2000 and was All-State two years. Nicole Alvarez was Kansas
class 6A All-State, All-Region and All-City for the past three seasons. Danika Erickson is a two-time All-State selection and a three-time All-Conference pick from Lakewood, Colo. Holly Gault was an Olympic Development Program team captain five straight years and a five-time Kansas Cup champion from Spring Hill, Kan. Jessica Kilpatrick was a four-year letter-winner and a six-time state champion from Englewood, Colo. Angie Miller was a three-year letter-winner from Sioux Falls, S.D. She played for the Olympic Development Program for four years and won a National Indoor Championship with the semi-pro team Spitfire. Lacey Novak was named All-Sun Country, Sunflower League and Johnson County. Novak was also a 2002 Kansas Cup champion.
Rasmussen, Vermillion, S.D., freshman, said she was excited to get started. She said she didn't feel any pressure to live up to the ranking.
"You come in knowing you have to work hard," she said.
Rasmussen said the team was meshing well. The returning players have welcomed the freshmen and made the adjustment comfortable.
"It's nice to know you're not intimidated by your own team," she said.
Rasmussen said she expected college soccer to be more physical and intense and move at a faster pace, but she said she was ready for the challenge.
The Jayhawks kick off their season at 5:00 p.m. August 29 against Northwestern at SuperTarget field on West 19th Street.
Edited by Neeley Spellmeier
Freshman Nicole Alvarez dribbles during a scrimmage Thursday morning. Alvarez is one of a handful of freshman recruits this year that helped to rank the Jayhawks 31st in the nation.
New mental toughness gives team edge over competition
By Saju Ng'alla
sngalla@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
The women's soccer team at the University of Kansas is determined to prove it is a national power house.
and raising the level of discipline, team members expect stellar performances in the fall season.
Kansas had a disappointing spring season, posting a 3-4-2 record. After reloading this summer with new defensive recruits
Maggie Mason, one of two seniors on the team, said the team trained at an intense level this summer, harder than ever before.
"We are playing with each other more and so we are much more committed to each other and the goals of the team," Mason said.
A consistent performer in the
mindset since her freshman year, Mason said last season's team had a lot of potential but this was the best team she had been on.
She said there were a lot of games last year when the team did not show up mentally.
The team lost games it should have won because the other team set the tone and the Jayhawks were forced to comply. Mason said. She said this season would be different.
The Jayhawks added seven new freshmen to the roster and have 14 letter winners returning, including forward Caroline Smith, last spring's leading scorer with 12 goals.
sign of her commitment.
Sarah Gonzalez, Overland Park
senior, said she was in the best
Whitney Jenkins, the team's assistant strength coach, said most of the players were showing signs of mental toughness.
shape of her college career, and playing with men's club soccer teams benefited some of the players
"We have had hard-fought games with some of the men's teams," Gonzalez said. "They didn't ease up on us and we didn't ease up on them those ropes were very intense."
Jenkins expects the team to do well in the fall.
"There are no reasons why the team should not dominate the
Donna Holyman, assistant coach, said one of the goals for the team was to finish in the top three in the conference. Holyman said she expected the team to be ranked in the Top 25 in the nation.
The first game of the season will be against Northwestern at 5 p.m. on Aug.29 at the SuperTarget Field
Women's soccer coach brings home gold
- Edited by Ehren Meditz
By Nikki Nugent
nugent@kansan.com
Kansan Sportswriter
Kansas women's soccer coach Mark Francis spent his summer traveling and working. He came home with a gold medal.
Francis worked as an assistant coach for the Under-21 National women's soccer team. University of Texas head coach Chris Petrucelli, the National team head coach, selected Francis as an assistant in January.
The team held monthly 10-day training sessions at the U.S. S.C headquarters in Chula Vista.
Calif.,where it also played affiliates of the Women's United Soccer Association.
In May, the team traveled to Brazil to play the Brazilian
Francis
national team and club teams
The team then went to Randers, Denmark, to compete in the Nordic Cup. It opened play with a 1-0 win over Denmark and a 3-0 win over Iceland, which automatically advanced the team to the final because of a tie in another bracket.
In the final game, the team defeated Sweden 2-1, winning the Under-21 team's fifth straight Nordic Cup and a gold medal.
Francis said he gained valuable experience from the opportunity. He said working with Petrucelli helped him learn more about the different aspects of coaching. Francis said his expectations were now higher for his players at Kansas.
"Working with players of that caliber, the best in the country. helped me see what these ladies are capable of," he said.
Francis begins his fifth season at Kansas this year. His
"Working with players of that caliber, the best in the country, helped me see what these ladies are capable of."
Mark Francis
Womens' soccer coach
overall record with the Jayhawks is 39-35-5. Kansas ended last fall season with an 11-7-2 record and finished sixth in the Big 12 Conference.
— Edited by Joey Berlin
WOMENS' SOCCER SCHEDULE FOR AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER
Aug. 29 NORTHWESTERN 5 p.m.
Aug. 31 EVANSVILLE 1 p.m.
Sept. 5 Wisconsin-Milwaukee 4 p.m.
Sept. 7 Wisconsin 1 p.m.
Sept. 9 Southwest Missouri State 7 p.m.
Sept. 12-14 Kansas Tournament
Sept. 12 Central Florida vs. San Diego State ** 2:30 p.m.
FLORIDA STATE vs. Kansas ** 5 p.m.
Sept. 14 San Diego State vs. Florida State ** 9:30 a.m.
CENTRAL FLORIDA vs. Kansas ** Noon
Sept. 19 San Diego 7 p.m.
Sept. 21 Loyola Marymount 1 p.m.
Sept. 26 BAYLOR * 5 p.m.
Sept. 28 Texas Tech * 1 p.m.
Home games are in all capitals
*Denotes Big 12 Conference games
**Denotes Kansas Tournament games**
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