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Soccer

Milwaukee Women's Soccer on the Cusp of Unprecedented Postseason Appearance

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The Milwaukee women's soccer team is only 18 regular season games away from making history with their 18th postseason appearance, a feat only a handful of programs nationally have achieved. With a senior-heavy roster in 2023, the team will now rely on 11 freshmen and four transfers to continue their incredible run. Senior Lainey Higgins, one of three seniors in 2024, expressed concerns about teaching the new players the team's expectations, acknowledging that it's a big transition. Higgins, a First Team All-League honoree in 2023, is one of six returners league-wide who earned the same recognition.

Key Takeaways:

  • The team features 11 freshmen and four transfers, significantly changing the roster from a senior-heavy lineup in 2023.
  • Senior Lainey Higgins, a First Team All-League honoree in 2023, believes the hardest part is getting the new players on the same page and teaching them the team's expectations.
  • Fellow senior Kayla Rollins, named Horizon League Player of the Year, will be a key player to replace the absence of Kendall Edwards, Kat Van Booven, Brooke Parnello, and Clara Broecker, who were recognized in 2023.
  • Among the new faces who could be impact players are goalkeeper Bethany Moser, who finished second in the Mid-American Conference with an .864 save percentage, and forwards Josie Kelderman and Zoey Pagels.
  • Redshirt junior Molly O'Regan returns after scoring seven goals last season, second most on the team, and is showing a hard work ethic and improved playing with her teammates.
  • On the defensive side, junior Anna Champine will step up in the absence of Clara Broecker, with her leadership and communication having grown significantly in the past year.
  • The team aims to differentiate themselves by toppling high-level non-conference opponents, including Ohio State, Minnesota, Harvard, and No. 19 Wisconsin.
  • Advancing beyond the first round of the NCAA Tournament could require knocking off a top-25 team on the road, a feat they accomplished in 2021 against No. 14 Xavier.

Statistics:

  • 11 freshmen and 4 transfers join the team, drastically changing the roster from 2023.
  • 6 players, including Higgins, earned First Team All-League in 2023.
  • Kayla Rollins led the Horizon League in goals (12) and points in 2023.
  • Bethany Moser finished second in the Mid-American Conference with an .864 save percentage in 2023.
  • Molly O'Regan scored 7 goals last season, second most on the team.

Sources:

  • Milwaukee Athletics
  • Horizon League

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