The 2023 Kalamazoo College women's soccer team has arrived on campus and begun pre-season workouts that will lead to the season opener at MacKenzie Field on Sept. 1. The Hornets will look to improve on their sixth-place finish in the MIAA after going 3-4-1 in the conference and 6-7-3 overall in 2022.
Schedule Breakdown
- The Hornets will play two home games to open the season against Ohio Wesleyan and Milwaukee School of Engineering on Sept. 1-2.
- The following five non-conference games will be on the road against three NCAA DIII and two NAIA teams on Sept. 6-19.
- Kalamazoo will wrap up the non-conference schedule with a home game against Wis.-Oshkosh on Sept. 22.
- The Hornets' conference opener will also be at home against Alma on Sept. 26.
- Other MIAA home contests include Trine (Oct. 10), Saint Mary's (Oct. 14), and Adrian (Oct. 21), while Albion (Sept. 30), Hope (Oct. 4), Olivet (Oct. 7), and Calvin (Oct. 18) are on the road.
Roster Breakdown
- Kalamazoo brings back 20 players from the 2022 squad and will add another nine new members for 29 total in 2023.
- A big senior class will lead this group, as 10 players will be heading into their final collegiate soccer season.
- The Hornets return five juniors and sophomores each to round out the returners and then add nine student-athletes that will be playing in their first collegiate soccer season.
- The roster is constructed with two goalkeepers, eight defenders, 13 midfielders, and seven forwards.
Returning Statistical Leaders
- The Hornets return their lone All-MIAA representative as Holly Bowling was selected to the second team last season after leading the team with four goals, including one game-winner.
- Kalamazoo returns every player that scored a goal last season, including Cassidy Short (3), Ellie Andrews (2), Destiny Garcia (2), and Sydney Hagaman (2).
- Maddie Coffman leads the group that will return to fill in the back line after starting all 16 games last season. Also returning after seeing significant time are Andrews, Lucy Cripe, Anni Schnell, and Elle Bernas. Olivia DePauli comes back after studying abroad last fall to bolster the back line depth.
- The team lost just two main contributors from last season, one in the back line and the other in goal.
- Other main starters from last season that are back are Savera Rajendra-Nicolucci and Anna Murphy. The main contributors off the bench that returned are Mia Crites, Frances Trimble, and Amalia Scorsone.
Stepping Up
- The Hornets lost their starting goalkeeper from last season, Lexi Nesbitt, who started all 16 games and finished with 73 saves, a .768 save percentage, a 1.36 goals-against average, and four shutouts. The team is looking for sophomore Elana Mitchell to step into that starting role this season, with newcomer Erin Schultz adding depth.
- Alexis Petty was the other starter that graduated, and Kalamazoo will be looking at Cripe, Bernas, DePauli, or Erin Somsel to fill that spot in the back line. Crites and Hagaman are expected to see their roles expand in the midfield this season, providing technical play and scoring ability.
- All the newcomers will have an opportunity to make their mark as Callie Abair comes in as a forward, Izzy Kastel and Kate Klahorst come in as defenders, and McKinley Hanninen, Ruby Hogan, Savannah Norman, Mia Pascuzzi, and Miyani Sonera come in as midfielders.
Head Coach Bryan Goyings
Coach Goyings returns for his 16th season as head coach of the Hornet women's soccer team. Goyings holds the school record for most overall victories while amassing a 141-107-27 record. He has six seasons with 10 wins or more, including 14 in 2014, the most in a season since 1999 when the team had 16 wins. During his time at Kalamazoo, he has taken Kalamazoo to 11 MIAA Tournaments and has seen 27 different players receive All-MIAA recognition.
Quoting Coach Goyings
"A strong core of returners will be key to determining the group's full potential. Experience is a major strength, and I sense a collective motivation from the senior class to finish their careers on a high note. Establishing a clear style of play and identifying specific player roles early in the season will be critical to fulfilling expectations."