By Erica Pitman
A season of high expectations is on tap for the Aggie Soccer team this year. Not only are the Aggies ranked number eight in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America top 25 poll, but they are also predicted to come out on top in the Big 12.
The high ranking in both the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and Big 12 can be attributed to the strength of the returning players. The Aggies have 11 starters and a total of 19 letterwinners returning.
At the start of the 2009 season, the relatively young team took a big hit. Due to injuries, Amber Gnatzig, Beth West and Raven Tatum, three midfield starters, were sidelined for the season.
However, the Aggies proved resilient, and leaders like Rachel Shipley and Alyssa Mautz stepped up and took control. Now with injuries healed, and a new confidence gained through experience, the Aggies could be considered one of the best teams in a few years.
Ready to join the action are newcomers Merritt Mathias and Rachel Lenz. Mathias, a forward transfer from North Carolina, comes with extensive experience at the collegiate level as she was apart of the back-to-back national champion team, the North Carolina Tar Heels.
“We are very excited to have Merritt join our Aggie soccer family,” said Head Coach G Guerrieri. “Merritt brings a resume filled with great personal and team accomplishments on the national, international and collegiate levels. I’m thrilled about how those experiences can help our squad. I think she has the ability to make an immediate, positive impact on our team’s success.”
Lenz joins the Aggie squad as a freshman, however, a rookie, she is not. She graduated high school a semester early to participate in spring training, and in doing so gained vital colligate experience. No acclamation period will be necessary as she is ready to step in to fill the hole left by the graduated Emily Peterson.
“We are all very excited to have Rachel join us at Texas A&M,” said Guerrieri. “She is an incredible young lady and is going to have a wonderful impact on our team’s success. We rate her as the top defender in the state and the southern United States, and as one of the very best defenders in the nation in her age group. She is fast, fearless, smart, dominant in air battles, skillful and has always been an excellent teammate. She is a great addition to our team.”
With a high preseason ranking, veteran leaders ready to take charge and valuable new additions, things look promising for Aggie Soccer.