Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowgirls Report To Preseason Camp
August 06, 2013 | Cowgirl Soccer
Aug. 6, 2013
Coach Colin Carmichael welcomed 27 players back to campus today as his Oklahoma State Cowgirl soccer program begins preparation for the upcoming season.
The players were issued equipment today and will begin two-a-day practices Wednesday. OSU will play Oral Roberts in an exhibition match on Aug. 17 before opening the regular season at Tennessee-Martin on Aug. 23.
Coming off a disappointing 2012 season, Cowgirls are motivated to bounce back in a big way in 2013.
Carmichael was by no means satisfied with last season's 11-6-3 campaign, but he fully expects it to be the exception for a program he has helped build into one of the best in the region and a rising star nationally, one that has been to the NCAA Women's Soccer Championship six of the last seven years and been crowned Big 12 Conference champions four times since 2008.
“Last year, we didn't meet our goals — we hoped and expected to do better,” said Carmichael, who enters his ninth season as OSU's head coach and 18th overall with the program in 2013. “But the positive is, we started a number of freshmen and those players returning have so much experience you hope that translates into being better prepared mentally and physically for what it entails to play at this level.
“We're hopeful, and we really expect some of those players to make a big jump from their freshman to sophomore year.”
And if last season's 11-win season was a rebuilding year, then the OSU future is bright.
The Cowgirls were a youthful bunch a year ago, often starting as many as six freshmen, and that bodes well for the '13 group as eight starters return.
The bad news, however, is that the three starters who don't return include a three-time All-American — AD Franch, who recorded a record 38 career shutouts — and a pair of All-Big 12 performers Carson Michalowski (92 career starts) and Megan Marchesano (28 career goals).
But those loses certainly don't alter the focus for Carmichael.
“Every season we go into now wanting to compete for a Big 12 championship, and if you do that, you're on the radar for the NCAA tournament,” Carmichael said. “Those are our goals moving forward every year and looking further ahead than that is just a little naïve because there's just so many factors out there that can affect your season.”
With just one scholarship senior and three juniors who have played more than 10 games on the roster, the Cowgirls will again be young this season. A strong sophomore class, led by the likes of Kelsey Bass, Madison Mercado, Allie Stephenson and Delaney Kiely, gained valuable experience last season and is expected to carry a bigger load in year two.
“Last year we had so many fresh-faced young players that had no idea what to expect; this year we shouldn't have so many of them at key positions,” Carmichael said. “All those players played enough as freshmen to where they're almost like juniors — the amount of minutes they got in their first season might usually be what you get in your first two years here. That should help them. It doesn't guarantee that they play better, but it should help them going forward.”
Adding to the youth is an incoming class that is arguably the most talented OSU has ever brought in. Carmichael calls Krissi Killion “as good as any freshman forward in the country” and compares defender Natalie Calhoun's athleticism to that of former Cowgirl All-American Melinda Mercado.
Carmichael believes several starters could emerge from the rookie bunch.
“You don't want to get too carried away with the young players, but at the same time, they're very talented,” Carmichael said.
The Cowgirls won't be void of veteran leadership, however, and senior midfielder Kristen Kelley leads the way.
A three-year starter, Kelley has nine career goals, six of those game winners, to go along with five assists, and Carmichael doesn't understate her value to the squad.
“We as coaches really knew how valuable Kristen was, and last year when she got injured I don't think it's a coincidence that our results started to suffer,” Carmichael said. “She's that engine, that driving force in our midfield that allows other players to be better.”
The junior class includes a duo in Miriam Rhinehart and Hayley McKinney who have played in big games for championship teams, and in Rhinehart, the Cowgirls have a player who presents a dual threat as either an attacking scorer or a defender on the back line.
“(Rhinehart) will be on the field, there's no question about that,” Carmichael said. “Playing her up front in the spring opened our eyes a little bit that she could be very dangerous in the attack. A lot of it is just going to be determined on need. We'll probably train her 70 percent as a defender and 30 percent as a forward knowing that if we need some added punch up front or somebody gets hurt, she could play. Having that option is great.”
The biggest void OSU will have to fill is in goal, where Franch roamed for each of the last four years and blossomed into one of the nation's best keepers at any level.
Junior Rosa Medina filled in admirably in a handful of games that Franch missed the last two seasons, but she'll have to win the job over newcomers Ashton Hierholzer and Michela Ongaro.
“(Medina) will get first dibs with her experience, but we've got two hungry freshmen coming in who want to play,” Carmichael said. “At the very least, that should push Rosa to play at a higher level.
“Whoever plays in goal for us, replacing the best keeper in OSU history and one of the best ever in college soccer, it's gonna be a tough order. But that's the challenge laid out, and hopefully that inspires them to play better.”
This year's Cowgirls will also be tested by a daunting schedule that includes NCAA runner-up Penn State and fellow College Cup participant Florida State, as well as Florida, Washington State, Gonzaga and North Texas — not to mention the always-tough Big 12 slate.
“Last year's schedule, in hindsight, wasn't difficult enough,” Carmichael said. “We went 10-2 in our non-conference games, yet our RPI was in the 60s at the end of the year and that's not good enough. And I don't think that schedule prepared us properly for the Big 12 weekends.
“Looking at this year, on paper, it's the most difficult non-conference schedule we've put together. The challenge is making sure you win enough games to have enough confidence going into the Big 12 and also have a good RPI.
“The positives are, if you do navigate that non-conference schedule well, you're more than prepared for the conference schedule coming up. You never know at the end of the season how it all plays out. It's a challenging schedule, but hopefully it gets you going in the right direction.”
