Defending conference champions picked to repeat
Eastern Washington University head soccer coach Chad Bodnar directs drills as he prepares his team for their season opener Friday at 4 p.m. versus the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
Eastern Washington University's other football team - or futbal to be more precise - is also busy preparing to defend a Big Sky Conference title.
Coming off the most successful season in program history where they won the BSC championship on their home field Nov. 6 over Northern Arizona in a penalty kick finish 4-3, the Eagles are tabbed to be the team to beat in 2017.
That season starts this Friday, Aug. 18, at 4 p.m. against the University of Nebraska at Omaha at the EWU soccer field. They follow that with a visit from the University of South Dakota at 11 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 20.
The Eagles play 10 preseason contests before opening Big Sky play Friday, Sept. 22, hosting Sacramento State.
Eastern returns nine starters, including the all-time leading scorer Chloe Williams, from a team that finished 13-5-4 overall and 5-3-2 in conference play.
"Last year was another step forward in the direction we want to take our program," head coach Chad Bodnar said in a news release.
Williams heads into her senior season as a back-to-back Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year and a three-time All-Big Sky First Team selection.
In 2016, Williams led the Big Sky in points (36), goals (15), shots (97), shots on goal (46) and game-winning goals (6). She is already the program's all-time leader in points (79) and goals (31) with a season still to play.
Joining Williams are redshirt senior Delaney Romero along with seniors Lexi Klinkenberg and Savannah Hoekstra.
Senior Aimie Inthoulay and junior Jenny Chavez will be the leaders in the midfield.
Eastern will remain solid in the backfield as they return senior M'Kenna Hayes as a defensive leader. Junior Allison Raniere, who ranked second on the team and in the Big Sky with seven assists in 2016, joins her.
After losing Mallory Taylor to graduation, the Eagles will have a new starting keeper. Taylor's likely replacement is senior Emily Busselman who made four appearances last year with two starts. She recorded a goals against average of 1.46 after only allowing four goals last season.
Bodnar was busy in the offseason, recruiting nine freshmen to the roster.
They include forward Brittany Delridge (Missoula), forward McKaley Goffard (Kennewick), midfielder Sariah Keister (Lakewood, Wash.), midfielder Grace Klinkenberg (Renton), forward Taylor Matheny (West Richland), defender Nia McFerrin (Portland), midfielder Emma Vanderhyden (Murrieta, Calif.), midfielder Brittany Wiehe (La Mirada, Calif.) and goalkeeper Kelsee Winston (Pasco).
"This is a fun class full of quality people and soccer players," Bodnar said of the newcomers. "They have worked very hard this preseason to work their way into the squad, and I think we have added some depth and the future is bright."
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