After a largely successfully 2017 season, the women’s soccer team is preparing to kick off the 2018 campaign against Incarnate Word Aug. 11 in an neutral-site exhibition match.
This year marks the program’s 20th season, a significant milestone for the team. After a tough loss to Coastal Carolina in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament, they look to use this season for redemption.
Texas State finished (10-6-1) overall and (8-2) in SBC play and ranked second in the 2017 conference standings.
At the end of the 2017 regular season, Chandler Cooney, Heather Martin, Rachel Grout, Kaylee Davis, and Kassi Hormuth were all selected to the All-Sun Belt Conference first team and Jordan Kondikoff was named to the second team.
Texas State will face a few big names this year, such as the University of Texas at Austin, University of Texas El Paso, Houston Baptist, University of Texas San Antonio, and Louisiana State University.
This year, the team gained a group of newcomers hungry for success. With the help of veteran players, they plan on staying consistent while building chemistry on and off the field.
Jordan Kondikoff, junior midfielder, hopes to improve her experience on the field as she expresses her excitement for the incoming players while assuming a leadership role.
“I’m honored to have the opportunity to lead such a passionate and hardworking team,” Kondikoff said. “We have a very young team this year with players that are eager to learn and adapt and a lot of room to grow and expand during the preseason and throughout the season as a whole.”
Link Scoggins , assistant coach, returns to the coaching staff this year, a very anticipated move made by Head Coach Kat Conner.
“We are also very excited to have the chance to play under Assistant Coach Scoggins,” Kondikoff said “Especially because he had a lot to do with my classes’ recruitment process.”
Heather Martin, junior goalkeeper, is ready to get back to work with the team and has faith in what they can accomplish.
“I am extremely excited for this coming season and (for two-a-days) so we can get the team back together,” Martin said. “Even though we are young, I can’t wait to work on our team chemistry and get it back to the level we were last year. I’m confident in the unit we can be and the things we can accomplish.”
After coming so close in 2016 for the chance to win a championship, it is the driving force for this coming season.
“What I look forward to most is just to be out there on the field with my girls again chasing after a championship,” Martin said. “The returners already have the hunger after coming so close last year and we’re ready to bring our newcomers along with us.”
The team’s home opener is set Aug. 19 at Bobcat Soccer Complex.