Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowgirl Soccer Season Preview
August 17, 2011 | Cowgirl Soccer
Aug. 17, 2011
Oklahoma State enjoyed the most successful season in the 15-year history of its soccer program in 2010, and a year later, the Cowgirls are poised to best that performance in 2011.
And there is plenty of reason for optimism. OSU returns 10 of its 11 starters from last season, including six All-Big 12 Conference performers. All-Americans Melinda Mercado and AD Franch return to anchor one of the nation's top defenses, while the Cowgirls also return five of their top six goal scorers from a year ago, led by senior Krista Lopez and her 19 career goals.
The 2011 Cowgirls return a strong nucleus of proven veterans. OSU has won three-straight Big 12 championships, and every returning player on the roster has been a part of an NCAA Women's Soccer Championship team as coach Colin Carmichael's squad has made five consecutive NCAA tournament appearances. The senior class is seven players strong, and that group has combined for over 40 victories while winning nearly 80 percent of their matches. And of the 15 players on the squad that played in at least 23 games in 2010, 12 of those are back.
OSU is coming off a 2010 season that saw them embark on a magical postseason run as they captured their second-straight Big 12 Soccer Championship title before their deepest-ever NCAA tourney run, which saw them advance to the Elite Eight. The Cowgirls finished the season with a 20-4-2 record, which included an 8-2-0 mark and second-place finish in the always tough Big 12 Conference.
In 2011, OSU enters the season as the team to beat in the league as the Cowgirls were the coaches' preseason pick to finish atop the Big 12 standings. They also placed four players on the preseason all-conference team and have been ranked among the nation's top teams by numerous outlets.
With a wealth of talent returning to Stillwater, expectations are high for yet another record-setting season, but the Cowgirls know it won't be easy
"Every year when you have success, it raises the bar for your program." Carmichael said. "We've now become one of the elite teams that everybody wants to beat. If you beat us, your RPI goes up and it helps you get in the NCAA Tournament. So everybody we play, we're gonna take that extra 10 percent. But that's what the best programs -- Texas A&M, UNC, Notre Dame, Stanford -- deal with every week. We're kind of climbing to that level."
Carmichael adds that while the Cowgirls are certainly proud of their 2010 accomplishments, they aren't content and are focused on even bigger things moving forward.
"Obviously the next step for us would be to get to a Final Four and win a national championship," Carmichael said. "Our attitude is `Why not? Why can't we do that?'
"We had a great season last year and for us to have a better season, if you will, that would be the next step. Having said that, we're not naïve enough to think that we also couldn't drop off a little bit if we lose some tight games or have some injuries. We know we have the potential to reach that level, but we also are grounded enough to know that we have to play well every week to have a chance to do that."
The Cowgirls will be challenged with a non-conference schedule that includes the likes of BYU, San Diego, USC and Creighton before the rigors of Big 12 play begin in September.
"With the level our team is competing at right now, we want to play as many tough games as we can because it's the only way to challenge the group and get ready for conference play and the postseason," Carmichael said. "With the group we have coming back, we expect to be able to compete with high-level programs. We also understand that the competition will be very tough and if we lose one or two along the way, hopefully that will at least prepare us for the postseason."
Forwards
OSU's talent and depth up front should make the Cowgirls a formidable scoring bunch. In seniors Krista Lopez and Kyndall Treadwell and junior Megan Marchesano, OSU returns a trio that combined for 27 goals and 13 assists a year ago.
"We've got a lot of weapons, a lot of kids that can score goals, and that's invaluable," Carmichael said.
Leading the way is Lopez, who had a breakout junior season, earning All-Big 12 First Team honors after racking up 15 goals and five assists in one of the best offensive efforts in OSU history. Combine that with Marchesano, who tallied eight goals and four assists last year, and the Cowgirls sport a dynamic 1-2 scoring punch.
"People knew (Lopez) was a good player, but now that she banged in all those goals, she's gonna be the focal point for other teams," Carmichael said. "Megan Marchesano really stepped up her game last year and scored a ton of goals, and she could take some heat off Krista."
Another star forward is Treadwell, who also garnered All-Big 12 First Team accolades as a junior and has recorded 16 goals and 14 assists in her first three seasons in a Cowgirl uniform.
Adding to the depth at forward are senior Sarah Brown and sophomore Taylor Mathews, who are primarily midfielders but give the Cowgirls options and depth at the forward spot.
"Taylor has maybe the best shot from distance on the team -- that kid can score goals from anywhere," Carmichael said. "Brownie is one of those kids that is gonna scrap inside the 18 and get some goals for us. They'll get chances at midfield and up front."
Several talented freshmen will also battle for playing time. Carmichael calls Miriam Rhinehart "a super athlete," and says Kendra Boystun and the left-footed Abbey Akin will be fighting for minutes.
Midfielders
The return of Annika Niemeier adds an immense boost to an already talented group of midfielders.
Two years ago, Niemeier was OSU's leading scorer and an All-Big 12 First Team selection, but the German suffered a season-ending knee injury in the Cowgirls' second game of the 2010 season. Granted an NCAA hardship waiver to return in 2011, Niemeier brings 20 career goals and 15 career assists to the pitch for OSU.
"Getting Annika back is massive -- her experience, her leadership and obviously just her play," Carmichael said. "She's better than any recruit we could bring in so getting her back is just tremendous."
Niemeier isn't the only Cowgirl to draw high praise from her coach. Kristen Kelley played in all 26 games as a freshman last season and by year's end was one of OSU's top players, evidenced in part by her earning All-Tournament honors at the Big 12 Championship.
"Kristen Kelley arguably was our best player in the spring (exhibition season)," Carmichael said. "We played her in the midfield and up front. She is out of her knee brace, and that has given her that extra five or 10 percent mobility.
"If she plays as well as she did at the end of last year and into the spring, she's up there in our top three or four players."
Several other veterans will see plenty of action. Seniors Elizabeth DeLozier and Sarah Brown have played in nearly 130 games in their careers and both are coming off career-best scoring seasons, while Taylor Mathews recorded four goals and a pair of assists as a freshman last season. Newcomers George Christie and Miriam Rhinehart will bring depth to the midfield.
Defenders
OSU returns every starter at the defender position, which is great news for a unit that led the Big 12 in goals against average (0.79) and ranked second in goals allowed (21) and shutouts (10).
Highlighting the group is senior Melinda Mercado, who earned All-America honors and was the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2010. Combine Mercado with All-Big 12 Second Team performer Carson Michalowski, and you have two of the nation's best anchoring one stingy defense.
"Minnie and Carson may be the two best center backs in the country playing on one team," Carmichael said. "It's a great duo. Minnie has developed into a tremendous player, an All-American, and Carson got some acclaim last year that was overdue. I think she gets overlooked sometimes because she plays next to Minnie, but Carson is a warrior who loves to compete and hates to lose."
Not to be outdone on the defensive back line are senior Colleen Dougherty and junior Catherine Parish. Dougherty has started over 50 games in her career, while Parish transferred from Northwestern after her freshman season and started nearly half of OSU's games in her first season in Stillwater.
Adding depth to the defender spot is veteran Alicia Gray, while newcomers Ashley Kennedy, Hayley McKinney, Baillie Burmaster and Morgan Jones aim to contribute.
Goalkeepers
The Cowgirls return one of the nation's top keepers in goal as AD Franch is back for her junior season.
Franch has been a star since she arrived on the OSU campus. She earned All-America honors a year ago and has played on several U.S. Women's National Teams over the last two years.
A native of Salina, Kan., Franch earned All-Big 12 First Team honors in each of her first two seasons and has already racked up 20 career shutouts.
"Having AD back there is invaluable, the backbone of our team," Carmichael said. "When things do break down and get through our back line, she's there to make great saves. She inspires confidence in the rest of our team with her play and also her attitude. I wouldn't trade her for any keeper in the country -- she's that good."
Franch will be backed up by freshman Rosa Medina, one of the nation's top recruits and a member of the Under-17 Mexican National Team, and veteran Keely Kippenberger, whom Carmichael considers one of the Cowgirls' most improved players.
