University of New Hampshire Athletics
Friday, August 19
Durham, N.H.
7 PM
University of New Hampshire
vs
Siena College
Women’s Soccer Opens 2016 Against Siena on Friday (August 19; 7 PM)
8/17/2016 9:34:00 AM | Women's Soccer
DURHAM, N.H. – Head coach Steve Welham and the University of New Hampshire women's soccer team is set to kick off the 2016 season with high expectations.
The Wildcats earned an America East Championship berth for the second straight season and were only one-win shy of the regular season champion honor with a 6-9-4 overall record. Sophomore Brooke Murphy (Monson, Mass.) was named America East Striker of the Year and was named to the All-Conference First Team after leading the league in goals (11) and points (27) a season ago. The junior was also named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-Northeast Region Second Team, her second selection in as many years.
Other conference honorees returning are senior goalkeeper Mimi Borkan (Medfield, Mass.) who was named to the league's All-Academic Team after averaging a 1.37 goals against average and a 0.748 save percentage. Sophomore Gaby Dorsey (Hubertus, Wis.) was named to the conference's All-Rookie Team and finished fourth on the team in goals with two.
The Wildcats open the season at home on August 19 (7 p.m.) against Siena College. New Hampshire will head to Wake Forest University for games five and six of the season in the Demon Deacon Challenge on Sept. 2 (5 p.m.) and Sept. 4 (2 p.m.) against Gardner-Webb University and Wake Forest, respectively. Conference play begins on Sept. 25 (1 p.m.) against the University of Maryland, Baltimore County at home.
The Wildcats lost four starters to graduation but return a key group of seven student-athletes including a solid backstop of juniors Jackie Feraco (Holden, Mass.), Kendra Prince (Ajax, Ontario) and Veronica Hardy (North Smithfield, R.I.). The trio started every game they played in and were all top five for minutes played last season.
In the midfield, senior Lilly Radack (Madbury, N.H.) started all 19 games and recorded over 1,700 minutes last season. A staple in front of the back line, Radack was helped in the middle of the pitch by both Murphy and Dorsey.
Senior Kelsey Pratt (Milford, Mass.) returns up front for the Wildcats. Last season, Pratt appeared in all 19 games, scoring three goals and tallying one assist. Joining her is classmate Caitlin Bucksbaum (Mendon, Vt.) who recorded a goal in one of her 12 appearances. Rising sophomore Sydney Griffin (Hinsdale, Ill.) appeared in 13 games, making six starts in her first season as a Wildcat. The forward will look to score her first collegiate goal in the 2016 campaign.
Joining the 19 returning players are nine talented incoming freshmen. Jill Conry (Bolton, Mass.), Caleigh Farrell (Freehold, N.J.), Megan Kikosicki (East Haven, Conn.), Liz Lane (Porter, Maine), Maddie Murdick (Burlington, Conn.), Belle Pesante (Wakefield, R.I.), Megan Rumbold (Highlands Ranch, Colo.), Kaylan Williams (Marion, Ind.) and Caroline Wysocki (Agawam, Mass.) join the team's quest for a second America East title and NCAA Tournament appearance in the past three years.
For more information on the women's soccer team, visit UNHWildcats.com.
The Wildcats earned an America East Championship berth for the second straight season and were only one-win shy of the regular season champion honor with a 6-9-4 overall record. Sophomore Brooke Murphy (Monson, Mass.) was named America East Striker of the Year and was named to the All-Conference First Team after leading the league in goals (11) and points (27) a season ago. The junior was also named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-Northeast Region Second Team, her second selection in as many years.
Other conference honorees returning are senior goalkeeper Mimi Borkan (Medfield, Mass.) who was named to the league's All-Academic Team after averaging a 1.37 goals against average and a 0.748 save percentage. Sophomore Gaby Dorsey (Hubertus, Wis.) was named to the conference's All-Rookie Team and finished fourth on the team in goals with two.
The Wildcats open the season at home on August 19 (7 p.m.) against Siena College. New Hampshire will head to Wake Forest University for games five and six of the season in the Demon Deacon Challenge on Sept. 2 (5 p.m.) and Sept. 4 (2 p.m.) against Gardner-Webb University and Wake Forest, respectively. Conference play begins on Sept. 25 (1 p.m.) against the University of Maryland, Baltimore County at home.
The Wildcats lost four starters to graduation but return a key group of seven student-athletes including a solid backstop of juniors Jackie Feraco (Holden, Mass.), Kendra Prince (Ajax, Ontario) and Veronica Hardy (North Smithfield, R.I.). The trio started every game they played in and were all top five for minutes played last season.
In the midfield, senior Lilly Radack (Madbury, N.H.) started all 19 games and recorded over 1,700 minutes last season. A staple in front of the back line, Radack was helped in the middle of the pitch by both Murphy and Dorsey.
Senior Kelsey Pratt (Milford, Mass.) returns up front for the Wildcats. Last season, Pratt appeared in all 19 games, scoring three goals and tallying one assist. Joining her is classmate Caitlin Bucksbaum (Mendon, Vt.) who recorded a goal in one of her 12 appearances. Rising sophomore Sydney Griffin (Hinsdale, Ill.) appeared in 13 games, making six starts in her first season as a Wildcat. The forward will look to score her first collegiate goal in the 2016 campaign.
Joining the 19 returning players are nine talented incoming freshmen. Jill Conry (Bolton, Mass.), Caleigh Farrell (Freehold, N.J.), Megan Kikosicki (East Haven, Conn.), Liz Lane (Porter, Maine), Maddie Murdick (Burlington, Conn.), Belle Pesante (Wakefield, R.I.), Megan Rumbold (Highlands Ranch, Colo.), Kaylan Williams (Marion, Ind.) and Caroline Wysocki (Agawam, Mass.) join the team's quest for a second America East title and NCAA Tournament appearance in the past three years.
For more information on the women's soccer team, visit UNHWildcats.com.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Soccer
B
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F/M
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
F/M
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
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/ Women's Soccer
B/F
/ Women's Soccer
M
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B
/ Women's Soccer
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/ Women's Soccer
B
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