Oklahoma State University Athletics
2012 Cowgirl Soccer Season Preview
August 10, 2012 | Cowgirl Soccer
Aug. 10, 2012
Oklahoma State is on a run of success that has seen the Cowgirl program evolve into one of the nation's elite, and coach Colin Carmichael's squad looks to maintain that distinction in 2012.
The Cowgirls are coming off the best season in school history after setting a school record with 22 wins in 2011. Along the way, OSU finished 22-2-2, advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Women's Soccer Championship for the second-straight year and won a fourth consecutive Big 12 Conference title by claiming a regular season crown.
The focus in '12 is to continue to build towards a national title.
“The goals are the same – to compete for a Big 12 championship, and if you're doing that, you're competing for a national championship. That's our goal every year,” Carmichael said. “To maintain that is very difficult, and we know that. We've been there the last two years and know it will be difficult to keep it going, but that's our goal.
“The program is established to where every year we have to have the same goals.”
Despite losing eight seniors from a class that won over 80 percent of its games, OSU returns six starters in 2012, including two-time All-American AD Franch and All-Big 12 Conference performers Carson Michalowsi and Megan Marchesano. Franch and Michalowski anchor a defense that was the nation's best a year ago, while in Marchesano and Taylor Mathews, the Cowgirls return two of their top three leading scorers and a duo that combined for 14 goals and 17 assists in 2011.
The 2012 Cowgirls return a strong nucleus of proven veterans. OSU has won four-straight Big 12 championships, and every returning player on the roster has been a part of an NCAA Women's Soccer Championship team as Carmichael's squad has made six consecutive NCAA tournament appearances. The senior class includes five players, and that group enters the season with 57 career wins, which ranks second nationally.
OSU enters the 2012 season as the team to beat in the league as the Cowgirls were the coaches' preseason pick to repeat as Big 12 champions. 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 and a highly ranked freshman class 10 players strong, expectations are high for yet another record-setting season.
“This season, we're going to be younger and less experienced than we have been over the last couple, but that just means some new ideas, some new players, some new approaches and maybe a little bit different style of play depending on how our freshmen adapt,” Carmichael said. “We certainly have the talent to get to where we want to be.”
FORWARDS
OSU's talent up front should make the Cowgirls a formidable scoring bunch.
“We have a number of kids capable of scoring goals, it's just a matter of having two, three or four of them step up and take on the burden,” Carmichael said.
Megan Marchesano will be the focal point of the Cowgirls' attack. She enters her senior season having recorded 17 goals and 14 assists in her career and was named to the All-Big 12 Second Team as a utility player a year ago.
“We're hoping for a huge year out of Megan – she's been steadily getting better every year, and hopefully she can cap it off with a great senior year,” Carmichael said. “She's super athletic and fast, and if she can become a little more consistent in front of the goal she could have a big season.”
Sophomores Allie Akin and Kendra Boydstun gained valuable experience in 2011, and each recorded three goals.
Carmichael expects freshman Allie Stephenson, one of the nation's top recruits, to make an immediate impact, while junior Taylor Mathews and freshman Madison Mercado are midfielders who could see time up front if needed.
MIDFIELDERS
A pair of juniors highlight OSU's group of midfielders.
Taylor Mathews led the Cowgirls in scoring last season, racking up 25 points on a team-high nine goals to go along with seven assists, all totals that also ranked among the best in the Big 12. In two seasons in Stillwater, the Texan has 13 goals and nine assists.
“Last year everybody talked about some of our other kids, but Taylor was the one who ended up leading our team in scoring,” Carmichael said. “You expect Taylor to be at least as good as last year, if not better.”
Kristen Kelley has started 47 games in her first two collegiate seasons, and Carmichael considers her one of the Cowgirls' most valuable players over that span.
“Kristen flies under the radar a little bit unfairly as far as awards and recognition go, but every time we put a starting lineup up, she's one of the first kids on the board,” Carmichael said. “She'll be a mainstay in the midfield. A big emphasis for her is trying to finish more in the final third, and she stepped up in the spring and chipped in with a few more goals.”
A trio of other returners will be in the mix in the midfield. Miriam Rhinehart and Hayley McKinney both spent the majority of their freshman seasons at defender but could move up if needed, and senior Alicia Gray is expected to play a more prominent role in 2012.
Among the newcomers, Madison Mercado will challenge for a starting spot immediately, while fellow freshmen Heidi Greeson and Makenzie Kahan will be in the mix.
DEFENDERS
OSU was hit hard with losses at the defender position as All-American Melinda Mercado and three-year starter Colleen Dougherty graduated, but Carson Michalowski returns for her senior season to anchor a defense that led the NCAA with 18 shutouts and a 0.34 goals against average a year ago.
Michalowski suffered a season-ending knee injury in OSU's second round NCAA tourney game last season, but is expected to be back to 100 percent when the season starts. The center back has started 72 games in her career.
“(Michalowski) will be a rock in the middle for us again,” Carmichael said. “She'll have to take on more of a leadership role, but she's been fantastic. She's one of the best center backs in the country and a big part of why our defense has been so good the last several years.”
Miriam Rhinehart battled injuries throughout her first season in Stillwater but started the final 10 games of the season and was named to the Big 12 All-Newcomer Team. A healthy Rhinehart is someone Carmichael expects to challenge for all-league honors in 2012.
Hayley McKinney played in 17 games as a freshman a year ago and emerged as one of OSU's best players during the spring season, while fellow sophomore Baillie Burmaster also stepped up in the spring and showed glimpses of being able to contribute.
The Cowgirls will also rely on a talented group of freshmen to fill the voids on its back line. Delaney Kiely, Kelsey Bass, Lauren Reyes and Caitlyn Biggers all have the talent to start or compete for minutes right away, according to Carmichael.
GOALKEEPERS
Quite simply, OSU is always confident in a positive result with AD Franch in goal.
Arguably the nation's top collegiate goalie, Franch has been a star since she arrived on the OSU campus. A two-time All-American who has played on several U.S. Women's National Teams over the last three years, Franch enters her final season having already rewritten the Cowgirl record books with 32 shutouts and a 0.58 goals against average in 69 games.
“We feel like AD is the best keeper in the country – you'd be hard pressed to find a better one,” Carmichael said. “AD will be our emotional leader, off the field leader, inspirational leader. We're gonna lean on her to bring the freshmen along and make sure they get up to speed quickly.
“It gives them a lot of confidence knowing that she's back there to help them out if they do make a mistake.”
Franch will be backed up by Rosa Medina, who as a freshman stepped in for an injured Franch and recorded four shutouts.
“Rosa showed last year that when and if needed, she's a more than capable backup to AD,” Carmichael said. “We're fortunate to have her because she'd start for the majority of Division I programs in the country.”
Veteran Keely Kippenberger rounds out the Cowgirls' talented depth in the box.
