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| Steve Ballard |
SAN ANTONIO — As the UTSA soccer program begins its fourth season, head coach Steve Ballard has the key ingredients of depth, experience and talent to make a run for the Southland Conference title.
“Our overall goal is to win conference and make our first trip to the NCAA College Cup,” Ballard said. “We have a very talented squad up and down the roster. Our goal is within reach and not impossible to achieve. ”
The Roadrunners posted a school-best 10 wins and program-record nine shutouts in 2008. UTSA accumulated a 6-2-1 SLC mark, which tied for second place in the league standings, and reached its third straight conference semifinals.
This season, Ballard’s team features his first true senior class of eight players: Celeste Carruth, Kim Gonzales, Halee Hamm, Jenny Munoz, Ezinne Okpo, Kim Selman and Kari Weiland.
“This senior class has seen everything that the rest of the team is still learning,” Ballard said. “For three years they haven’t had an upperclassman to look up to, but now they are the ones who will be looked upon to provide leadership for everyone else.”
Goalkeepers
Despite losing three goalies, including three-year starter Rachel Francis, Ballard brings in four keepers in freshmen Ari Calderon, Danielle Snyder and Dacia Webb and sophomore Marlee Ross.
“I like our depth in goal this season,” Ballard said. “The key for our goalies is being consistent. I feel comfortable with the four players we brought in. It’s going to be a battle, but I believe we will be solid in the net.”
| Senior Ezinne Okpo helped UTSA set a school record with nine shutouts last fall. |
Defenders
Over the first two seasons, UTSA’s defense combined for 13 shutouts, but in 2008 the Roadrunners totaled a school-record nine shutouts, breaking the mark of seven set the previous fall.
Two-time All-SLC defender Okpo will spearhead the defense. The Denton native was instrumental in helping the Roadrunners defense collect nine shutouts last year. She appeared in 20 of the 21 matches and led the team with 1,613 minutes. Okpo’s athleticism also allows her to play as a midfielder or forward.
A pair of three-year starters in Carruth and Hamm join Okpo in the backfield. Carruth was a 2008 honorable mention all-conference performer who was vital to UTSA’s defense. She appeared in 19 matches and tallied two assists. Hamm, who also will see action up front, netted a career-high five goals, which ranked third-best on the team. She also posted 11 points last season.
Also playing in the backfield are Selman, junior Jenna Pawelek and sophomores Jodi Leroy and Stephanie Ogilvie. Selman made 16 starts, while Pawelek played in 17 matches. Leroy and Ogilvie played in 19 and 17 matches, respectively.
A trio of newcomers in sophomore transfer Ally Brosius, who played one season at Jacksonville State, and freshmen Kimber Chudej and Alex Saraceno will see action off the bench.
“We have a lot of depth in this area, which will allow us to change players around and work with them,” Ballard said. “We have seven or eight players we can utilize in the backfield to move the ball to the front.”
Midfielders
The middle of the field could be the deepest posistion on the team with eight returning letterwinners in senior Gonzales and Weiland, junior Chelsea Zimmerman and sophomores Bonnie Caulfield, Katie Dugan, Jacqueline Nance and Brittany Wilson.
Gonzales played in all 21 matches last year, posting three assists and a one goal. Weiland made eight starts in 21 matches. The Flower Mound native recorded two goals and a pair of helpers last year.
Zimmerman, who played in one match before suffering a season-ending injury, will see action off the bench or as a starter.
Meanwhile, Caulfield played in 20 matches and collected one goal during her rookie campaign. Dugan appeared in 20 of the 21 matches as a freshman and tied for third on the team with three assists. Nance and Wilson also will see action.
Newcomers Jordyn Garcia, Leah Hendry, Kara Hoffman, Clare Jakubowski, Traci Lee and Linsday South also will see playing time.
“We have a lot of options at midfield,” Ballard said. “Each player brings in a different style of play, but once they play together, they will be very tough to stop. We have some players that are quick, which will allow us to even play them up front.”
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| Junior Allison Dillon has led the Roadrunners in scoring for the last two seasons. |
Forwards
Leading UTSA’s offensive strike will be junior Allison Dillon, who was an honorable mention all-performer last season. Dillon led the team for the second consecutive season with seven goals and 18 points.
Junior Laurel Dierking and Munoz will join Dillon up front. Dierking made eight starts, scored one goal and added an assist in 2008. Munoz participated in 20 matches and recorded a goal and one assist during her junior season.
Looking to put the ball in the net will be Hamm and Zimmerman, who can move up from their backfield and midfield positions, respectively.
Newcomer Megan Torres also will see action, while Hendry, Hoffman and Jakubowski will move from mids to forward when called upon.
“We have a very talented group up front who can score at will,” Ballard said. “They are led by Dillon, who just seems to find a way to score. One thing we would like to do this season is put some pressure on the opposition with our forwards throughout the match.”
Schedule
The 2009 schedule is highlighted by nine home matches and a full nine-match slate of Southland Conference action.
The non-conference schedule features three teams from the Big 12 Conference (Baylor, Texas A&M and Texas Tech) and three from Conference USA (Houston, Rice and SMU). The Roadrunners also will square off against a pair of 2008 NCAA College Cup qualifiers in Texas A&M and Texas State.
UTSA kicks off its fourth season with a season-high five-match road trip beginning on Aug. 21 at Texas Tech and Houston two days later. The Roadrunners return to the road for a pair of contests at TCU (Aug. 28) and Texas A&M (Aug. 30) before concluding at Houston Baptist on Sept. 4.
The Roadrunners’ next four matches will be in San Antonio, beginning with their home-opening weekend against Utah State on Sept. 11 and Rice two days later. UTSA ends its home stand versus SMU (Sept. 18) and Baylor (Sept. 20).
UTSA hits the road for three of its next four matches, including the start of SLC play at Northwestern State and Central Arkansas the weekend of Oct. 2-4. UTSA returns to the Alamo City for a pair of matches against McNeese State (Oct .9) and Lamar (Oct. 11) and the final five contests have the Roadrunners hitting the road three times, including their regular season finale at I-35 rival Texas State on Oct. 30.
The SLC Tournament is scheduled for Nov. 5-8 in Natchitoches, La.
“Once again, we have done a great job in scheduling strong opponents for the upcoming season,” Ballard said. “This is going to be a true test for our players because our first five matches are on the road and against Big 12 and Conference USA opponents. Our non-conference season will help us be prepared to make a run at a conference championship.”