2009 Women's Soccer Preview

The Lady Crusaders will take the field in 2009 looking to build on an exciting 2008 campaign with the return of 10 letter winners and seven starters. Among the returnees are 2008 Co-MVP and AD3I second team goalkeeper and senior Jennifer Boryca (Piqua, OH/Piqua H.S.). The Lady Crusaders will also return junior midfielder and AD3I third team selection Hannah Langsfeld (Albuquerque, NM/Albuquerque Academy) who tied for the 2008 team lead in goals and points as well as junior midfielder/defender Mary Gaffney (Cascade, CO/Manitou Springs H.S.) who tied for the team high in assists and led in shots.

In addition to the experience yielded by a strong returning core the Lady Crusaders boast a strong recruiting class consisting of 11 freshman and five upperclass newcomers. The freshman include midfielder Alejandra Hernandez (Wichita, KS/Kapaun Mt. Carmel), forward Melissa Carpenter (Sugar Land, TX/Stephen F. Austin H.S.), forward/midfielder Emma Dugan (Wayzata, MN/Providence Academy), defender Kelley Grant(Dallas, TX/Seton Home School), midfielder Kelly Knorr (Arlington Heights, IL/Willows Academy), midfielder Marie Meagher (Grand Forks, ND/Red River H.S.), forward Summer Northern (Castle Rock, CO/Douglas H.S.), defender/midfielder Casey Regian (Friendswood, TX/Friendswood H.S.), defender/midfielder Alicia Schnoebelen (Iowa City, IA/Home School), midfielder/forward Leslie Solis (Irving, TX/Irving H.S.), and midfielder Briana Gomez (Wichita, KS/Kapaun Mt. Carmel).

UD will also welcome to the squad sophomore goalkeeper Emily Pelech (Plainfield, IL/Joliet Catholic Academy), sophomore defender/midfielder Dana Thompson (Searcy, AR/Seton Home School), junior defender/midfielder Natalie Weisse (Morgantown, WV/Morgantown H.S.), sophomore defender Sarah Willingham (Ventura, CA/Ventura H.S.), and sophomore Ana Cristina Barrera (Houston, TX/Second Baptist Upper School).

The team will start the 2009 campaign on September 1 on the road against East Texas Baptist University at 7:00pm. Their first home game of the season is scheduled on September 4 against the University of Mary Hardin Baylor at 5:00pm. They will wrap up their season at noon on November 8 when they meet Millsaps College in Jackson, MS.