Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowgirls Ready For Season Opening Weekend
August 29, 2007 | Cowgirl Soccer
#20 Oklahoma State
vs.
New Mexico
Friday, Aug. 31 • 7 p.m.
Cowgirl Soccer Stadium (1,000)
• • •
at
Arkansas State
Sunday, Sept. 2 • 12:30 p.m.
Indian Soccer Complex (500)
Oklahoma State
Oklahoma State is coming off the best season in the program's 12-year history, making the Cowgirls optimistic for an even better showing in 2007.
In 2006, the Cowgirls finished 17-3-3, setting a school record for wins. With an 8-1-1 mark, they finished second in the Big 12 Conference standings, also a program best. And after advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in its history, OSU won its first-ever NCAA tourney game with a 2-0 win over UNC-Greensboro before barely missing advancing to the Sweet 16 when they lost on penalty kicks to Clemson.
Coach Colin Carmichael's squad was 7-0-1 in the spring and is nationally ranked entering the '07 season, and the Cowgirls aim to build on the success of a year ago.
The Cowgirls have eight starters returning from last season's squad, including six of their top seven scorers and the core of a defense that was among the Big 12's best in '06.
New Mexico
The Lobos were 8-7-5 last season and return five starters from that team.
Arkansas State
ASU is coming off a 1-17-1 season and entering just its eighth year, the program has a new coach in former Missouri assistant Derek Pittman.
In The Polls
OSU's highest preseason ranking is No. 20 by Soccer America. The Cowgirls are also ranked 23rd in both the NSCAA/adidas and SoccerTimes.com polls and No. 29 by Soccer Buzz.
Neither New Mexico nor Arkansas State is ranked.
About New Mexico
The Lobos were 2-0-1 in preseason exhibition games, including a 0-0 tie against No. 7 Texas. This will be OSU's first-ever game against New Mexico.
Players To Watch: MF Terryn Granados, D Amber Wetsch, MF Katelyn Ley, GK Shannon Adragna
About Arkansas State
ASU opens the season Friday against Centenary. The Lady Indians were 0-1-1 in exhibition games, losing to Mississippi Valley State (2-1) and tying Southeast Missouri State (1-1).
The Cowgirls won their only previous meeting against ASU, a 3-0 triumph in Stillwater during the 2005 season. The first two goals of Yolanda Odenyo's OSU career came in that game on assists from Niccole Grimaldi and Jamie Markaverich.
Players To Watch: MF Bernadette Dierker, MF Mary Geels, F Markie McRae, MF Kathleen Reagan
The Captains
Three Cowgirl seniors will serve as captains for the 2007 season: Niccole Grimaldi, Yolanda Odenyo and Adriane Radtke.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
The Cowgirls ended the season in the national rankings for the first time in school history in 2006, and the pollsters have not forgotten about OSU in 2007.
Four national preseason polls have been released, and the Cowgirls find themselves among the nation's top teams in each. OSU is ranked 20th by Soccer America and 23rd in both the NSCAA/adidas and SoccerTimes.com polls, while Soccer Buzz Magazine ranks the Cowgirls 29th. The '07 season marks the first time OSU enters the season ranked in the national polls.
OSU was also picked by the Big 12 Conference's head coaches to finish fourth in the league race in '07, and senior Yolanda Odenyo was chosen to the preseason All-Big 12 team.
