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Controlling Force - UC Irvine Midfielder Judy Christopher Looks to Lead The Anteaters Forward Again

The Big West got a nice moment in the sun in 2010 when UC Irvine rose from the ashes to turn into one of the best Cinderella stories in recent memories. A program whose mention probably would’ve drawn a lot of blank stares before the season rose into the Top 25, beat a good Oregon State team in the regular season, and then topped Pac-10 side Arizona State and ACC Tournament champions Wake Forest in the NCAA Tournament. Now, pretty much everybody knows about Scott Juniper’s Anteaters, as UCI looks set to become the flagship team of the league.

Of course, it would be foolish to think that the Big West has just turned into a pretty formidable league out West overnight. Big West teams have been pains in the side of their more storied brethren for many a year. Ali Khosroshahin’s Cal State Fullerton teams were a ferocious entity in the middle of the decade, and the Titans were the originator of the Big West run to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament. Long Beach State have also made their mark in recent seasons with some impressive wins and might have fared better in the Big Dance had they not suffered the misfortune of being drawn against some of the nation’s top guns.

It is LBSU who look most likely to again rain on Irvine’s parade this year, though Juniper’s side look good bets to complete a successful defense of their Big West title. Juniper has shown a great recruiting touch so far with both freshmen and transfers and looks to have secured another great class coming into 2011. Top marks, however, in the recruiting race might fall to another team looking to get back to their Big West success of the past, UC Santa Barbara. The Gauchos bring in some heavy hitters and could be dangerous wild cards if all that young talent gels quickly.

(Teams listed in order of final 2010 RPI ranking.)

It would’ve taken a brave, brave individual to have bet on UC IRVINE to have a good, much less great season in 2010. The Anteaters had been burdened by a history of losing for much of their history and had only just started to turn things around under charismatic Head Coach Scott Juniper. Indeed, UCI had been most known in recent seasons as the place where former U.S. WNT Head Coach April Heinrichs had attempted a coaching comeback in 2006 with disastrous results, specifically a 3-13-1 season that was the worst in school history. Heinrichs promptly scurried off to a new position within the hierarchy of U.S. Soccer, leaving UCI no better off than when she had charged through the doors a season earlier.

It was the latest affliction for a program that had essentially fallen off the map since the early days of Marine Cano’s reign in the mid-nineties that had seen the program collect its only major trophy heading into 2010, the 1997 Big West Tournament title. The Anteaters began to take on water at the end of Cano’s tenure though, winning a combined nine matches in his final two seasons, including just two in Big West play as UCI finished rock bottom for two straight seasons. The hiring of Heinrichs was a gamble, as the polarizing figure had made few friends in recent seasons at the head of the USWNT but had achieved college success at both Maryland and Virginia in the nineties. The endeavor was essentially doomed from the start though and Irvine only scored six goals in seventeen matches, including none in a winless Big West campaign, while conceding forty-one.

Juniper, an assistant at the time who had just come in when Heinrichs had, was the man entrusted to pick up the pieces. All things considered, he didn’t do such a bad job, delivering the program’s first winning season since 2003 and getting the club back to the postseason. After a slide back to sixth in the league the year after, Irvine made more positive strides in 2009 with the program’s second winning season in three years under Juniper and another berth to the postseason. But despite the brightening fortunes for the Anteaters, few would’ve likely had them on the shortlist of Big West title contenders heading into 2010. Most probably concurred that UCI would contend for another spot in the Big West Tournament but likely fall short of a major trophy.

Few could have expected the season to come after a 1-1-1 start that did feature a battling 2-2 draw against Cal but also a 2-1 loss to Seattle at home. It would be Irvine’s last loss for well over two months. After a few road wins including a 6-2 pasting of Gonzaga, the Anteaters would draw with Pepperdine before taking on a big challenge in high flying San Diego. The Toreros had already beaten USC, Michigan, and Marquette and were looking like a bona fide Top 25 team. But Irvine halted their momentum dead in its tracks with a 1-0 win, a victory that would seem to springboard the Anteaters in their banner season.

A win at WAC Tournament champs Fresno State followed, and Juniper’s squad would claim another major scalp a week later as they downed Pac-10 runners-up Oregon State, 1-0. As Big West play kicked into high gear and the Anteaters kept winning, many expected the first-time title challengers to eventually slip-up and concede the title to one of their rivals. But there were no slip-ups, and despite some (actually, a lot) of close calls, namely five straight matches decided by a single goal, Irvine held their nerve and became the first team in Big West history to go through the conference slate with a perfect record, bringing home the program’s second major trophy and first ever league trophy.

Naturally, Irvine entered the conference tournament as heavy favorites to do the double and looked good value for it after downing Pacific in the semi-finals. But despite controlling the run of play against Long Beach State in the final, the Anteaters would concede an early second half goal and be unable to hit the back of the net themselves, consigning them to a 1-0 defeat. Irvine’s place in the NCAA Tournament, their first ever, was never in doubt, but their status as one of the national seeds and potential regional hosting duties was. There were sighs of relief though on Selection Monday as Irvine did draw hosting duties despite missing out on a national seed.

The Anteaters also seemed to luck out in the seed they did draw, as Wake Forest would surely be more than a little travel weary after three games in five days in winning the ACC Tournament. Irvine would polish off Arizona State in the first round, drawing the Demon Deacons in round two. In a physical, hard hitting affair, the Anteaters would score arguably the biggest win in program history despite playing the last twenty minutes down a player after a red card. Chaos in the bracket meant they’d again be hosting in the Sweet Sixteen, this time against fellow upstart Washington. The clock would strike midnight on the Anteaters here though, as the Huskies would just shade it in extra time, ending what had been a dream season for Juniper and UC Irvine.

Consistency will be the truest test of just how far Juniper’s guided this team though, and the pressure will be on Irvine to follow up last season’s amazing run with something comparable in 2011. The Anteaters had the league’s best offense and best defense last season and return their fair share of important pieces from both areas but also must make up for some big departures.

The offense looks to be hit hardest, with the Anteaters losing superb senior forward Tanya Taylor after an amazing final season in Irvine. Taylor had looked to be on the verge of something special on a few occasions in her Anteater career prior to 2010 but was finally able to put it all together in her senior season. The forward from Buena Park put together one of the finest single seasons ever by someone in a UC Irvine shirt, or on any Big West team for that matter. Eleven goals and twelve assists, including four goals and six assists in league play (tops in the conference), was a fabulous haul and good enough to see Taylor named Big West Offensive Player of the Year and a Third Team All-American. Taylor’s star turn was also enough to see her taken as a late draft pick in the 2011 WPS Draft by the Boston Breakers.

Replacing her looks to be quite the task, although Irvine do retain some firepower in their lineup. Senior Lexi Kopf will be looking for an encore after a breakthrough season that saw her score six goals and two assists despite not working her way into the lineup as a full-time starter really until Big West play started up. Also a threat is Mexican U20 international Mar Rodriguez, listed as a forward on the roster, but someone who played extensively in midfield last year. Rodriguez scored five goals as a freshman before being selected for Mexico’s squad in last year’s U20 World Cup. The budding youth international was just as good after getting back from the tournament, starting every match for the Anteaters and scoring six goals and three assists. Rodriguez’s four match winning goals were also second best on the team last season. It’ll be interesting to see if Juniper decides to hold Rodriguez back in the midfield or pushes the potent youngster further forward into the attack.

Other options include another forward turned midfielder in Dana Sanderlin, a junior with ten goals in two seasons at Irvine, and super sub Alexis Rafael, who played in twenty matches last season with four goals to her credit. Joining the attack is versatile freshman Jasmine Nickelberry, a left-sided player with great strength who could feature up front or as a left-back or left-winger for Juniper’s side. The big shocker for Irvine though was landing UCLA transfer Natalia Ledezma, UCLA’s starting right-back last season as a freshman. It was a major coup for Juniper in signing a player of such quality, and the coach has hinted that Ledezma may be used in another role on the pitch such as at winger or even as a forward.

The midfield will be without two-year starter Alyssa Humphrey who totaled more assists as a senior (four) than in her previous three years at Irvine combined (three). Besides some of the options listed above who can double as midfielders, the team also returns senior captain Judy Christopher, a tenacious midfield workhorse who can also chip in with the odd assist or goal in addition to filling in in a pinch in defense. Devon Delarosa is yet another offensive threat in midfield for the Anteaters after two seasons of four goals each in Irvine.

Added to the quite crowded mix are Jenna Pellegrino, a true box-to-box midfielder in the classic sense and another freshman, Cami Privett, a versatile midfielder who can play as an attacking or defensive midfielder for Juniper. The Anteaters also make a rare foray out of California for a prospect, signing up Florida transfer Mady Solow, a Canadian U20 international who could make as big an impact as some of Irvine’s past transfers have recently. A little more quiet is another midfield transfer in New Mexico expat Janelly Farias, who should add even more depth to the Anteaters in midfield.

Defensively, the Anteaters will likely be dependent on the broad shoulders of Courtney ‘CoCo’ Goodson, a transfer from Texas who ended up being one of the shrewdest transfers picked up by any coach in recent years in the college game. Goodson had led the Horns in scoring as a freshman in 2008 but had slipped under the radar to Irvine after her sophomore season. One First Team All-American season later, and it’s safe to say Goodson isn’t flying under anyone’s radar any more.

A unique player in the fact that she can play practically anywhere on the pitch, many expected Goodson to be an attacker, but instead, the big product from Ramona came in and walked away with the Big West Defensive Player of the Year award while anchoring the league’s meanest defense. Not to say that Goodson wasn’t involved on offense. Far from it in fact, as her junior season saw Goodson score nine goals, including a team leading five match winners for the Anteaters. Goodson is a dominant force in the air thanks to her size and strength but also possesses deceptive passing ability and also has a real talent for crushing free-kicks.

Practically unknown at this time last year, Goodson now looks like a professional center-back prospect of some repute for the 2012 WPS Draft in the middle rounds and could rise even further with another good year. Goodson’s offensive ability makes her a tantalizing option to use up front of course, and with the loss of Taylor, it’ll be interesting to see just how Juniper uses his versatile All-American this season.

The defense still has to overcome the loss of All-Big West First Team performer Nikki Forrest after a great season in which she finished second on the team with seven assists. Besides Goodson, the team returns Junior Sarah Devine, a two-year starter and powerful force at the back along with sophomore Jordan Bruce who was well on her way to a fantastic freshman season with five assists in eight starts before being shut down. Key reserves Zoya Farzaneh and Zuri Walker also will be in the mix for a starting spot along with some intriguing newcomers. Heady freshman Monique Pendleberry is arguably the gem of this freshman class and should fit in at full-back if she isn’t slotted into midfield from the start. Versatility seems to be the name of the game for Juniper’s side this season and going forward, and he’s certainly given himself a lot of talented players to mix and match, which could end up giving a lot of opposing coaches nightmares in trying to gameplan against the Anteaters.

One potential problem area that must be sorted out is in goal. Danielle de Seriere ascended to the head of the class of Big West goalkeepers last season and her departure is a major blow to the Anteaters, especially as she played in every minute for UCI last year. Junior Kala Gabler is the only keeper on the roster with any collegiate experience after starting a pair of matches for the Anteaters in 2009 a year after transferring from tiny Hope International University. She’ll do battle with true freshman Jennifer Randazzo for the starting job in the Irvine net. With the Anteaters so strong, deep, and settled everywhere else, getting strong goalkeeping play may be the biggest hurdle in between them and more Big West silverware and another berth to the NCAA Tournament.

Full credit to Head Coach Scott Juniper for taking over in a tough situation and breathing life into a program that had flatlined after the Heinrichs debacle just a short time ago. The Anteaters went from respectable to masterful under Juniper last season and have quickly become one of the nation’s trendy mid-major programs. Of course, Juniper will be well aware that many such programs that have come before his Anteaters have burned out like a Roman candle in short order, so sustaining the success of last season will be key for him and his side.

Goodson is really the only “star” on this Irvine side with Taylor’s departure, but there are more than enough talented players to believe that the Anteaters will be in with a shout come the end of October and the culmination of the Big West title race. Juniper has recruited California well and has ruled the roost over the transfer market with great efficiency thus far, bringing in a real steal in Goodson last season and looking to have two more strong additions in Ledezma and Solow this year.

Juniper is rolling the dice with a much tougher non-conference schedule this season with teams like Texas A&M;, Santa Clara, Stanford, and Portland all on UCI’s docket. Wins over any of those squads could be program changers and a real statement of intent for the Anteaters this year. That schedule also means UCI’s W-L-T record might not be too overwhelming by the time Big West play starts. In any event, Irvine will be among the title favorites again this season if they can keep on scoring without Taylor and find a replacement in goal for de Seriere. Another NCAA Tournament could be in the cards for Juniper’s side, and you wouldn’t bet against them winning a game or two again in the Big Dance.

LONG BEACH STATE fans have likely been afflicted with a little heartburn as they’ve watched the fortunes of the 49ers over the past few seasons. It’s a stark contrast to the Beach’s early years of existence in the Big West where they were mostly harmless quarry for the league’s biggest and baddest teams. That all began with the introduction of Mauricio Ingrassia as Head Coach of the 49ers after the abrupt retirement of Peter Reynaud after three seasons in charge. Ingrassia’s coaching star rose meteorically with his team’s fortunes, the 49ers lifting their first major trophy in his third season in charge in 2006 after winning the Big West.

The Beach would repeat the feat the year after, but LBSU wouldn’t taste their first NCAA Tournament until 2008, also a title winning season, the program’s third in a row. Long Beach couldn’t solve their Big West Tournament hoodoo that season but managed to garner an at-large bid at any rate. Coming into 2009 as three-time defending champs, LBSU looked to stamp their claim as a budding Big West dynasty. But instead, the 49ers suffered through a bizarre downturn, ending in their worst season since 2001. The odd thing was LBSU beat teams like Missouri, Harvard, and Pepperdine out of conference but laid an egg in Big West play, only winning one match in conference action all year.

Ingrassia’s side entered 2010 with much to prove to themselves and to the rest of the league as they tried to show they weren’t a fading force in the ultra-competitive Big West. After an opening day setback against BYU, Long Beach went on a bit of a tear, winning four in a row, including a win on a neutral site over Virginia Tech. The 49ers inconsistency would rear its ugly head against though as they dropped a match to St. Mary’s, drew with minnows Sacramento State and were then thumped by Cal, 6-0. The ship would be righted after though, as Long Beach put together a seven match unbeaten run, highlighted by a win over Arizona State that seemed to highlight LBSU as potential at-large bid recipients.

A top of the table showdown with UC Irvine resulted in defeat and all but wiped out the 49ers chances at a fourth league title in five seasons. But they were still on course for a possible at-large bid, especially after topping Cal State Northridge in a battle of the best of the rest in the league. With nothing to play on the final day of the regular season though, Long Beach took their eye off the ball and slipped to a shock defeat at UC Davis. While LBSU was still safe in second, their at-large hopes had taken a massive hit. A Big West Tournament semi-final win over Cal State Northridge made up some of the ground, but the Beach likely entered the title match against UC Irvine needing a win and the auto bid.

The 49ers would get their sweet, sweet revenge against Irvine for their earlier defeat though, topping the Anteaters, 1-0, and winning their first ever Big West Tournament crown. It brought up a showdown with Santa Clara in the NCAA Tournament, and many picked LBSU as a potential spoiler in the first round. The 49ers did their part, battering the Santa Clara goal but not finding a way around Broncos keeper Bianca Henninger who made twelve saves to keep a clean sheet. The Broncos would take their chance, with their lone goal coming in the eighty-fourth minute, condemning Long Beach to a very cruel defeat. There was no doubting the 49ers long-term staying power in the league after 2010 though, and Ingrassia’s side looks to be a program that continues to have a bright future.

That future might contain a bit of a juggling act in 2011 as Ingrassia deals with some heavy losses to his NCAA Tournament side of a year ago. The biggest loss by far is that of midfield talisman Lindsay Bullock. A big midfield hammer with a penchant of scoring goals, Bullock captured her second Big West Midfielder of the Year award in 2010 with a blinding season to cap off her career. Bullock tabled seven goals on the season, including six in league play to lead the Big West, no mean feat for a midfielder. Her contributions can’t just be measured in pure numbers though and her leadership and intangibles may be what’s missed most by the Beach.

The midfield also loses key reserve Karina Camacho, one of the many transfers that populate LBSU’s roster, and another who found new life at the Beach, adding five assists in 2010 and tying for the team lead in league assists with three. Thankfully for Ingrassia, his side can still boast U.S. U20 international Shawna Gordon, a controlling influence in midfield for the Beach. After five goals and five assists in 2009, Gordon followed up with four goals and a team leading seven assists. She’ll be asked to do even more in 2011 with the losses the team suffers in the middle of the park. Other contributors include senior Marysol Rosas, who had nine starts in twenty-two appearances and three assists to her name last year, and Kassidy Hause, who had fourteen appearances as a freshman in 2010. The 49ers also add a nice building block in sophomore Kelsey Wilson, who was a strong performer in 2009 at Loyola Marymount before transferring and redshirting last year.

Up front, the offense has to compensate without Bullock’s goals from midfield but can still boast Nadia Link who enjoyed a breakout sophomore season last year with eight goals. All but two of those goals were outside of league play though, so Ingrassia will be hoping that some of Link’s offense finds its way into the back of the net during Big West matches. Nicole Sweetman looks like a good bet to start up front as well after sixteen starts last season. With only two goals and two assists though, offensive production with the former UCLA transfer is not guaranteed. Adding depth is key reserve Jenny Soza, UCLA transfer Sierra Mack, and former JUCO All-American Jazz Strozier.

The defense could be a concern for LBSU this season though after some severe losses. The biggest of which looks to be Bo Rael, a former Oregon transfer that was a rock of consistency in her time with the Beach. Rael was a pillar of strength last season as well, starring on Long Beach’s stalwart rearguard. Also gone from that rearguard is Chantel Hubbard, who rounded into a quality defender herself over the past few seasons.

There are some talented pieces returning though, with towering Nicole Hubbard (no relation to the departed Chantel), back for more after starting every match last season for LBSU and also managing to lead the team in scoring in the league with three goals. Junior Alex Balcer could also step up into a feature role after being a constant in the lineup for the first two seasons of her collegiate career. Senior Sidney Garza is back as well after a successful first season with LBSU after transferring from St. Mary’s. The transfer happy 49ers also add in another new expat in defense this year in Jordan Nelson, who started thirty-six matches for Loyola Marymount over the past two seasons.

There’s a worry or two in goal as well with Long Beach losing the services of steady Emily Kingsborough. Oklahoma State transfer Kaitlyn Gustaves saw limited action last season, making two starts, but will likely open up as a favorite to be the starter on opening day over three true freshmen.

Ingrassia has a fair amount of talent returning to work with and a few very talented freshmen coming in to help bolster the ranks. But there are also significant losses, and the loss of Bullock, who did so much for the Beach, cannot be underestimated. Gordon is still a talent though and is a fine reason not to totally discount LBSU, who look above average in every area (except goalkeeper). Above average may not be enough to bring home a trophy in one of the most ruthless leagues in the nation though. Long Beach doesn’t figure to fall back into obscurity, but they seem more likely to be scrapping in mid-table and for a spot in the Big West Tournament than in a title race this year.

It’s taken a few years, but it’s beginning to look like CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE is finally beginning to blossom under the tutelage of Head Coach Keith West. The Matadors are coming off their best season under West’s rule, and their twelve wins last season tied for a program best along with the 2001 and 2004 seasons. For the longest time, Northridge has been a program on the cusp of breaking into the Big West’s upper tier, only to fall agonizingly short.

It took a few years for the Matadors to acclimate to their new surroundings at the beginning of the decade when they moved over from the Big Sky, but then CSUN established themselves in mid-table, though greater success seemed to always elude them. West took charge in 2006 but found it a rough road after initial success in his debut season. A couple of seasons outside the Big West Tournament surely had West feeling a little pressure going into 2009, but the Matadors responded brilliantly with a runner-up finish in the league and three wins over RPI Top 100 teams including a massive 3-1 win on the road at San Diego State.

The success of 2009 stoked the enthusiasm amongst a hungry fanbase that believed that 2010 might finally be the season in which the Matadors brought home a major trophy. After stumbling out of the blocks with losses to UC Santa Barbara (in a match that didn’t count for conference purposes) and Portland, Northridge righted themselves with four wins in their next five, including a 2-1 win over Pepperdine. Considering the one loss in that stretch was at UCLA, West could be reasonably happy with the progress his squad was making. A tough loss to Penn followed, with the Matadors then being blown out by Texas A&M; in College Station.

Right before league play started though, Northridge got a major boost with a 1-0 victory against San Diego, a win that put CSUN on the periphery of the at-large bid discussion if they kept rolling into Big West play. The Matadors started well, with wins over UC Davis and Pacific but then lost two of their next three on the road. The loss at eventual league champs UC Irvine was understandable, but defeat at UC Santa Barbara for the second time in 2010 was maddening. Northridge won two of their least three in the league to qualify for the postseason with relative ease, but defeat at Long Beach State all but ended any hopes of procuring an at-large bid to the Big Dance.

West’s squad would get a shot at redemption against the 49ers in the Big West Tournament semi-finals but would fall short, losing 2-1 to LBSU for the second time in 2010. At the end of the year, there was no doubt that the Matadors had made some progress after 2009′s strong campaign. Whether it was as much progress as was desired or expected was certainly up for debate.

Going into 2011, there might be some concern that the Matadors’ window for a title has shut for the time being. That’s because the CSUN faces the hammer blow of losing five starters from last season’s solid squad. The deepest blows will be felt up front as Northridge loses a good chunk of its offense from last season, including the program’s all-time leading points scorer in Farryn Townley. A First Team All-Big West performer for the second straight season, Townley scored seven times, including three match winners and three Big West goals to etch her name in the Matadors’ history books.

Adding to the Matadors’ pain this season is the loss of another All-Big West First Teamer in midfielder Desiree Cardenas. Originally a standout at Cerritos Junior College, Cardenas blossomed into a key piece of the puzzle for the Matadors in her second season in Northridge. Cardenas added five goals to the Matadors’ cause last year and was the only player other than Townley to score multiple goals in league play for CSUN. The team also loses two more starting midfielders, including the solid Sonia Espitia, who added two goals and three assists in her senior season.

The returnees are largely unproven commodities. Up front, sophomore Brittanie Sakajian looked good in non-conference action with four goals and two assists in non-league play but was held pointless in Big West action. Junior forward Melissa Fernandez showed a deft touch in setting up players by leading the team with five assists but only scored one goal. Heidi Farran had four goals as a sophomore but was limited to just one last year. Northridge brings in a lot of offensive newcomers, but it looks questionable as to whether any of the rookies has immediate star potential.

The midfield is even worse off with a lot of freshmen and transfers battling some of last season’s top reserves for starting spots. Stephanie Galarze, Marie Hirsch, and Alexis Barbara all saw a lot of time off the bench last year, but none held down a starting spot for more than a couple of games. Into the mix comes transfers Lauren Kawamoto, formerly of Santa Clara and Moorpark CC, and Renee McCaleb, who spent 2010 with NEC side Long Island. More than any other unit for the Matadors, this midfield may take a while to gel into a cohesive body.

Given the uncertainty of the offense, the Matadors may be relying on their defense to guide them forward in 2011. Fortunately for them, CSUN possessed a stout unit last season and gets all but one starter back for 2011. Anchoring the Northridge defense is one of the league’s best defenders in senior left-back, Brielle Slepicoff. Slepicoff has rapidly grown from super sub to integral defender and will naturally be a key for the Matadors in her senior season. Katie Russ, Chloe McDaniel, and Wendy Warner all saw double digit starts last year and should combine with Slepicoff to give CSUN one of the best defenses in the league. The team also adds in Kansas Wesleyan transfer Brittany Corcoran to add some depth to the ranks.

But the biggest ace up Northridge’s sleeve in defense this season rests between the posts in goal with junior Cynthia Jacobo arguably the Big West’s top netminder. After an impressive debut season that saw her named the Big West Freshman of the Year, Jacobo avoided a sophomore slump to post another quality season for the Matadors. Jacobo also was in fine form in the summer for the W-League’s Santa Clarita Blue Heat. With Northridge perhaps not scoring with great frequency this season, Jacobo might be called upon to protect many a slim lead in 2011. The backup looks to be junior Haley Hawes, who has seen mop-up duty in a handful of matches in two seasons so far.

Though West looks to have the Matadors going in the right direction, the golden opportunity for a Big West title or at least a tournament title seems to have passed them by. There’s simply too much lost on offense and not enough proven quality in the returnees or newcomers to regard Northridge as serious bets for the title in 2011. The solid defense should keep them in most matches and may even get them back into the postseason, but it looks like the Matadors will have to settle for mid-table this year.

The memories of PACIFIC‘s only league title in the Big West in 1998 have long since receded into memory, and the Tigers have spent much of the last decade yo-yo-ing around in mid-table, occasionally qualifying for the league tournament but doing little else to earmark themselves as contenders. To put Pacific’s program slumber into perspective, four of the teams in the Big West the last time they won that league title are no longer in the conference. To long serving Head Coach Keith Coleman’s credit, the Tigers have never sunk too far down the Big West table, but the years and years of mid-table anonymity haven’t exactly made for a thrilling existence in Stockton.

Last year brought another non-losing season to a program that hasn’t suffered that fate since 2003, but it didn’t look like that’d be the case early. A loss to Wagner on the Hawaiian islands was an ominous sign despite two wins in Pacific’s other matches in their first three games. A five match stretch away from home against strong opposition was trouble for the Tigers, and they went winless in that stretch although they did grind out draws on the road at Oregon and Cal. A draw at home to Hawaii in the last match before league play was less impressive, and Pacific was in tough after dropping their opening two matches in Big West play by 1-0 margins.

The Tigers would then enjoy their best run all season with four straight wins to put them back into postseason contention with one week left in the regular season. A split at home to close out the regular season saw Pacific back in the Big West Tournament after tying for third place, a great achievement considering how strong the conference was in 2010. Unfortunately, losing the head-to-head tiebreaker against Cal State Northridge thrust Pacific into a rematch with UC Irvine in the semi-finals, and despite a valiant effort, the Tigers came up short, falling to the Anteaters, 2-1. All in all, it was a moderately successful year for Pacific, getting into the postseason and ending up where they usually have over the past few years in the low hundreds of the RPI.

Coleman will have to do one of the best coaching jobs of his career though if Pacific is to make a repeat journey to the Big West Tournament in 2011 after losing five starters, including the core to a staunch defense. The biggest loss for the Tigers is Hawaiian defender Kylee Ah Choy who rounded into one of the league’s best defenders and was the rock at the heart of the Pacific defense. Fellow Hawaiian Chyanne Alejado also departs, but Coleman can take solace in the return of the Big West Freshman of the Year, Brittni Beeman.

Beeman’s a lockdown defender who continued the Tigers’ tradition of great freshmen with her FOTY honor at the end of the season. Beeman goes from rookie to leader for the Tigers in 2011, and she’ll have help in promising defensive recruit Maha Abdallah. Abdallah is a force in the air and comes from the powerhouse Real So Cal team and could slot in immediately in one of the two vacancies in the Tiger defense, likely as a center-back. Returnees Lauren Olvera and Laura Hogan are both upperclassmen with lots of starting experience and will also fortify the backline.

The team also is forced into replacing dependable goalkeeper Jill Medigovich who was the starter for the Tigers the past two seasons in goal and leaves a void in between the posts with her departure. Sophomore Tashia Long saw time in six matches last season and would appear to have the inside track on the starting job in 2011 but could be pushed by newcomer Jacqueline Kane.

If the defense struggles with the retooling, than Pacific could be in for some problems, because the offense last season was amongst the nation’s weakest. Kristina Wavomba was last season’s leading scorer and heated up early after an indifferent non-conference campaign, scoring all three of her goals and dishing out two of her four assists in Big West play. Wavomba’s been on a steady plane downhill since her freshman season in 2008 though when she won the Big West Freshman of the Year award with eight goals. The Tigers really need her to get back to her old form if the team is to thrive.

Another player that had the potential for so much more is junior Maricela Padilla. Padilla was well on her way to honors in 2009 with eight goals and two assists in twelve games before getting injured. Last year though, Padilla was well off the pace with just a goal and two assists. She was reportedly looking strong again in Spring before tearing her other ACL in April, meaning she’ll miss another season this year. Renae McFadden and Nydia Ramos will have to step up from spot start duty in all likelihood, with some freshmen also in the mix.

Midfielder Angelica Figueroa had a pair of goals and four assists, but nobody else returning had more than a single goal. Figueroa is third on the team’s all-time assist list but was also down from 2009 when she had eight helpers. Massive midfielder Alex Topp was a force in defense on the pitch but her big frame didn’t equal goals on the pitch as she only tallied once. Key reserves Kortney Agdeppa and Laura Hernandez should also be in the mix for starting minutes, while the Tigers also bring in Danish freshman Pernille Schulze-Larsen who recently played in her homeland for Ballerup-Skovlunde.

If Wavomba isn’t firing in 2011, it’s tough to see where the goals are going to come from for the Tigers. The defense may have some potential with Beeman the centerpiece, but they’ve got a worry or two of their own and probably won’t be able to compensate for the failings of a rather pedestrian offense. Pacific may not drop off a cliff, but they’ll probably struggle to make it back to the postseason.

The good times had seemingly returned for CAL POLY after the 2009 season. The Mustangs had enjoyed a quite successful 2009 season, their best campaign in a while. Poly had opened a few eyes early after only losing to Stanford by a single goal and then going on to beat Colorado College and Cal in successive matches on the road. The Mustangs then rode a withering defense (seven straight shutouts against league opponents) to a league title before losing cruelly to UC Santa Barbara in a shootout in the Big West Tournament final.

Hungry for more glory that had come so easily up to 2004, Poly looked to finish the job and get back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2004 season. All it took though was one match to show that 2010 certainly wasn’t going to be like 2009 for the Mustangs. Whereas Poly had given Stanford’s offense pause in the ’09 opener, there was nothing of the sort in 2010′s first match against UCLA when the Bruins hit Poly for seven goals.

At first, it didn’t seem to affect the Mustangs too much, as Poly won three in a row after the beating, including putting two past Long Island’s stout defense in a 2-1 win. But the tenacious defense of 2009 had developed cracks in 2010, as could be seen when they shipped four to Arizona and three to Utah State (but only one to North Carolina, oddly enough). A road win over San Diego State build a little momentum going into Big West play, and four points on the road against Long Beach State and UC Riverside in week one of league play kept that enthusiasm going. But a four match losing streak in which Poly failed to score a single goal killed off their title hopes and their postseason hopes in one swift blow.

The Mustangs came back to win their final two league matches and a non-conference tilt against Cal State Bakersfield to get up to .500 for the third year running, but it was a somewhat hollow achievement when you consider that Poly was five points adrift of the postseason places. The question now is if the Mustangs can bounce back and emulate 2009′s title winning form and not get mired in mid-table again.

It was all about the offense for Cal Poly last season, or more precisely, the lack of it in league play. The Mustangs only managed a paltry six goals in Big West action last season, or less than a goal a match. Unsurprisingly, despite having a somewhat effective defense, this lack of teeth in front of goal proved to be Poly’s undoing on the season. Making matters worse this season is that the team now loses nearly half of that scoring to graduation. Whitney Sisler, also on Poly’s track and field team, was the team’s leading gun last year with eight goals, although only a pair of those came in league play.

The only other player to score multiple goals in league play for Poly also departs, as midfielder Morgan Miller and her three total goals are gone from the 2011 Mustangs. The only player returning with anything remotely close to scoring success last season is undersized junior Bianca Burright. Burright sizzled in non-conference action with four goals and three assists but then was only in action for three matches of Poly’s Big West campaign. Burright was more of a provider as a freshman with five assists, so she still has time to develop into a bigger scoring threat.

With nobody else having proven their chops in front of goal as of yet for the Mustangs, Burright might be looked upon as the leading option. That’s a scary thought considering how unremarkable her production has been thus far. The next best option might be Haley Walker, who had a couple of goals mostly off the bench last year, but she went pointless in league play. Afton Thulin and Cici Kobinski also saw a lot of starting time and could feature again. Kobinski had four goals in 2009, so the potential for improvement is there.

Cal Poly Head Coach Alex Crozier will have to hope that incoming midfield recruit Tracy Hong can come in and free things up for the rest of the offense in her freshman season with the Mustangs. Hong turned some heads at the 2009 adidas ESP Camp and could be a major player early in her Cal Poly career. Returning to the midfield, junior Julie McKee is good for the odd goal and assist and had three of the latter last year. Tiffany Gummow had five goals in 2009 to tie for the team lead but cooled down last year, though she should again be one of the team’s starters in midfield. Jess Duller and Esther Neel also got a smattering of starting experience and could factor in again.

The defense last season was adequate although nowhere near as suffocating as 2009′s crushing unit. The team this year has to deal with the loss of Carrie Andrews from the backline. Andrews, a former Big West Defensive Player of the Year, probably didn’t live up to her lofty expectations last year as a senior, but her leadership is still going to be hard to replace for Crozier and his staff. Senior McKenzie Orand is likely to be the top candidate to fill the void after starting eighteen matches last season. Junior Leslie Barkmann has good experience from the past two seasons as well, while Shandon Rovetta looked like a mainstay after starting seven matches but was then shut down for the year.

After serving as an understudy for most of her tenure with the Mustangs, Brooke Gauvin took command of the goalkeeping job last year and should be the starter again in 2011. She’ll have a new backup though with Johanna Pfeiffer gone this season. Untested rookies Megan Heddinger and Heather Rouhier will vie for the honors of being her understudy.

Finishing fifth in a tough league with very little offense to speak of was something of an achievement in of in itself for Crozier and Poly last year, but it’s not likely an experience they’ll want to try and repeat any time soon. Unfortunately, with a lack of firepower up front this year, it seems they might not have a choice. Expect something more akin to last year’s mid-table finish than 2009′s title triumph.

A program almost always bubbling with potential, UC SANTA BARBARA started to cash in on some of that potential in the middle of the last decade. After multiple runner-up finishes in previous seasons, the Gauchos struck pay dirt in 2004 and 2006, winning regular season titles in the Big West but frustratingly coming up short in the Big West Tournament, keeping UCSB from getting a chance to feature on a national stage. A season of consolidation followed in 2007, but the Gauchos got it right in the years following, trading in their regular season success to peak when it counted most, winning back-to-back Big West Tournaments (albeit on penalties each time).

The aim was for a hat trick of NCAA Tournament appearances and perhaps another regular season title in 2010. Santa Barbara started out favorites in the Big West and looked the part in wins over Cal State Northridge (in a match that didn’t count in Big West play), Cal State Bakersfield, and St. Joseph’s, recording three dominating performances. But then the Gauchos’ season went horribly wrong. A 4-1 loss in the team’s first road match against a poor San Francisco team seemed to cripple UCSB’s confidence and the team promptly went on a string of seven matches with only one win. The team did manage to draw with an inconsistent UCLA team in Los Angeles, but Santa Barbara was coming up just a little short to most of their other opponents, who were admittedly strong.

The Gauchos looked to have righted the ship in Big West play, winning two of their first three but then lost three straight at home by a 2-1 count that effectively ended their postseason hopes. Santa Barbara did manage to knock off Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton on the penultimate weekend of the season but were mathematically eliminated at that point, making the season ending loss to Cal Poly a non-event. Not making the postseason was a painful comedown for a club that had won trophies in four of the previous six seasons and had reached the Big Dance the last two years running. Santa Barbara coach Paul Stumpf has to hope his team responds like they did the last time they missed the postseason in 2007, after which the Gauchos won two straight Big West Tournaments.

It goes without saying that Stumpf, the Gauchos, and the rest of their fanbase are chomping at the bit for the 2011 season to get started. And not just because they’re eager to get over last season’s failure. A great deal of the building enthusiasm has to do with the import of a legitimate Top Twenty recruiting class by Stumpf and his staff. It’s not often when a true mid-major can cull together such a class of recruits, and the incoming talent coming to Santa Barbara is nothing short of remarkable. And it’ll have to be if the Gauchos are to overcome a wide swath of losses concentrated in the attacking areas of the pitch.

The biggest loss is that of leading scorer Kailyn Kugler who ended a great career at Santa Barbara with seven goals and four assists, with her twelve points in league play good enough for third place in the conference. Also gone from the attack are Kylie McDonald, who had three goals and four assists and Erica Seidman, the team’s second leading goalscorer with four. If those losses weren’t enough, the team also loses it’s main creative force in midfield in Jacqui Simon who set up six goals for the Gauchos last year.

But believe it or not, UCSB has a chance to see their offense not skip a beat with the influx of great attacking talent. U.S. U18 international Indiana Mead has a chance to develop into one of the nation’s finest attacking midfielders and should immediately step into Simon’s shows as the conductor of Santa Barbara’s offense, capable of both scoring goals and setting them up. Also in midfield should be Kelly McGrath, a late blooming hammer that should add some steel to UCSB’s midfield corps right off the bat. Also coming in is Miranda Cornejo, a U.S. U17 international who starred for powerhouse club So Cal Blues. She could feature in either central defense or in a defensive midfield role.

The midfield could also benefit from the transfer of Dyanne Anderson from Rancho Santiago College. Anderson had sixteen goals and fourteen assists for the Hawks last year and could be a contributor either in midfield or up front. It’s not like the midfield was barren before the talent infusion either. Cory Yoshida has been a two year starter for the club and should provide senior leadership either in midfield or up front this year. Junior Erin Ortega was a factor on offense with three goals and three assists in 2010 as well. The team could get the services of Katy Roby and Nicole Romanowski back. Roby scored four goals in 2009 and was the Big West Tournament MVP but missed last year through injury. Romanowski started every match in 2009 and will also return from injury and could suit up in defense as well.

As far as out and out options up front go, Alissa Sanchez is probably the only sure thing. Sanchez started ten matches last year and tallied a couple of goals. Anderson, Yoshida, and Mead can also play up front if need be. Considering the team’s depth in midfield, it’d be a shock if at least a few of the above were pushed forward into attack.

The defense is a little more settled and led by senior Alyssa Benjamin who has grown into a solid starter for the Gauchos over the years, breaking in as a full-time starter last season. Also back is senior Kathleen Matthew who has turned into a reliable defender after a few seasons with the Gauchos after transferring from Santa Clara. Finally, another senior, Alexa Stringer returns after starting seventeen matches. Cornejo is also a candidate to start for UCSB right off the bat if she isn’t used in midfield. That’s a good thing for a unit that was squarely in the middle of Big West teams defensively, and the experience returning could see UCSB make a move upwards as far as defense is concerned.

In goal, sophomore Makenna Henry looks set to continue on after winning the job as a true freshman last year. Henry started seventeen matches and should continue to grow into one of the league’s most promising keepers. Senior Kat Serdio saw twenty-five minutes of action in two matches and should continue to be the team’s backup.

With such a full scale makeover on offense, it stands to reason that Santa Barbara’s attack may take a little time to gel. Like last year, though the Gauchos have loaded up with a challenging schedule, including matches against Santa Clara, Minnesota, New Mexico, and Michigan State among others, meaning it’ll be trial by fire for the newcomers in non-conference play. That means while the W-L-T record may not be exemplary entering Big West play, the Gauchos may be a more hardened, battle ready team than many of their league rivals give them credit for. In such a competitive league, a regular season title may be a stretch to far for the young UCSB team, but they should be in a good spot to get back to the postseason. Once there, they stand a good chance of causing a shock or two.

Some schools are stuck straining under the weight of their history. Take CAL STATE FULLERTON for example. The Titans rose like a phoenix in the middle of the decade to turn into one of America’s most feared mid-majors. CSF did the double twice, claiming both pieces of the Big West in 2005 and 2007 while also winning the Big West Tournament three times in a row from 2005-2007. But most impressive was Fullerton’s work in the NCAA Tournament, where they made it all the way to the Sweet Sixteen in 2005 after beating UNLV and USC.

The following season, the Titans got to the second round of the Big Dance once again. It was enough to get Ali Khosroshahin a much deserved move to USC but also left the Titans green with envy in Fullerton as they watched their ex-boss stun the college soccer world by winning the national title in his first season with his new charges. There wasn’t too much drop off from Khosroshahin to Demian Brown in the latter’s first season in charge in 2007 as the Titans won the double.

But the ex-Titan assistant has seen his team’s form erode in subsequent years. A 7-11-0 season in 2008 raised a few eyebrows, and it hasn’t gotten any better since. The thirteen losses the Titans suffered last season were the most for the program since 1997′s squad went 7-13-1. Fullerton’s postseason drought has now hit three seasons, and it’s safe to say the Brown’s seat is beginning to get a little toasty as the program flounders.

The Titans looked like they were going to turn things around last year when they stunned UNC Greensboro, 2-0, to even their record at 2-2-0 in the first few weeks of the season. But then a crushing four match losing streak hurt, and that stretch turned into six losses in seven, even if Fullerton did come through with a big win at San Diego State. To their credit though, it’s not like the Titans were playing a bunch of patsies, with nine of their non-conference opponents finishing in the RPI Top 100 at the end of the year.

But Fullerton just came up short in Big West play. They alternated wins and losses for the first three weeks of the season, leaving them needing a big final weekend to qualify for the Big West Tournament. It was just CSF’s luck then that that last weekend called for a road trip to contenders Cal State Northridge and UC Irvine. The Titans lost both matches and headed home for a long winter.

Fullerton possesses one of the nation’s most unique rosters as they don’t feature a single player from outside of the state of California on the team. They’ll have to hope that that locals only policy pays more dividends in 2011 than it did last season. The Titans are going to have to sort out a brutal defense to contend in 2011. Fullerton had the worst defense in the league last season, giving up thirty-eight goals, including two or more goals on thirteen separate occasions. The Titans only kept three clean sheets all year, and even then, two of those were in the first four matches of the season.

Part of the defensive woes may have been an effect of playing musical goalkeepers all season. And unlike most unsettled goalkeeper situations, Fullerton had three keepers to juggle. Jordan Santos was the choice for much of the non-conference season but then Jessica Change took over, and then Lindsey Maricic saw time in goal in Big West action. Oh, and if that wasn’t enough, senior Shannon Simpson was in goal for forty-five seconds towards the end of the year as well, meaning Fullerton started FOUR keepers in 2010. The only keeper that returns is Maricic, while the teams adds two keepers for 2011, recruits Amanda Johnson and Victoria MacDonald. You’d think that Maricic would be the early favorite to start for the Titans in goal, but heaven only knows what will happen after last season’s rotation. With such a flimsy defense playing in front of the keeper, a little stability would be nice.

The backline leader looks to be junior Jennifer Smith, who started eighteen matches for Fullerton last season and also had four assists to her name in 2010. Sophomore Lauren Kelly is another likely starter after nine starts as a freshman, while Kellie Bohner and Casey Lockey also saw a smattering of starting minutes throughout last season.

Honestly, it doesn’t really get much better further forward. Leading scorer Christina Murillo departs after an eight goal senior season, while midfielders Casey Volk and Danielle Bitonti and forward Geminesse Martinez also depart. Brown has to be hoping someone steps up unexpectedly to take over scoring duties. That might include the return of junior Stacey Fox, who redshirted last season but had eight goals in her first two seasons with the club. Returnees Nikki McCants and Kaitlyn Mendoza could also figure into the battle for starting time up front.

A couple of transfers could also be in the mix. Ann Marie Tangorra comes from Cal State Los Angeles and scored twenty-four goals in two seasons at the DII school. Donya Oliveira will also be looking for a fresh start after seeing most of her rookie season at Idaho State be washed out by illness.

Despite losing Volk and Bitonti, there is still a fair amount of experience coming back in the midfield. Senior Caitlin Mellano looks like the leader of the pack after starting every match a year ago and leading the team in assists with five. The Titans may also get some offense out of junior Brisa Gonzalez, who had a pair of goals last year, scoring against Purdue and UC Irvine. JeAnne Mazeau and Jaclyn Clark also figure to be heavily involved after seeing a lot of starting minutes last season as well. The recruiting class looks relatively undistinguished, although there should be plenty of fresh faces, with midfielder Chelsey Patterson the likely best pick of the bunch. Patterson’s a high energy type who can play either in the center of midfield or at center-back for the Titans.

I’m not sure there’s much room for optimism for the Titans in 2011. They lose their best player in Murillo, have a real defensive mess to sort out, and play in a brutally unforgiving league. It looks like more of the same for Fullerton this year, and that’s probably not a good thing for Brown’s job security.

UC DAVIS was one of many teams in the mad scramble of the mid 00s to chase the money and attempt the hard climb to Division I after being a respectable DII program for some time. Three years in the Independent ranks were trying but not totally a waste as the Aggies spent their last unaffiliated year giving a good account of themselves with a 9-6-2 record.

Unfortunately for long serving coach MaryClaire Robinson, that form has eluded UC Davis for much of their tenure in the Big West. The Aggies joined up in 2007 and have been little more than makeweights since. Having won just six matches combined in their first four years in the Big West, it’s safe to say UC Davis have been doing little more than making up the numbers thus far in their very difficult conference home. A win over NCAA Tournament participant Sacramento State to open up 2010 was promising, but three straight without a win tempered expectations.

Surprisingly enough though, Davis responded with four wins in five including one of the program’s best in DI, a 3-2 thriller over Fresno State on the road. The Aggies were DOA by the middle of league play though after four losses to open up Big West action, including a 6-0 beating at the hands of league champs UC Irvine. Not that Davis didn’t get close on many occasions. Three of those four losses were by a single goal. Davis kept plugging away, and to their credit, scored with wins over UC Santa Barbara and then a shock win over Long Beach State in the regular season finale. The Aggies would finish eighth in the league, well out of the running for a spot in the postseason, but the quality of their wins still showed that they could compete with the league’s upper tier on their day.

Sunnier days still could be on the horizon for the Aggies. UC Davis were perilously young last year, with just one senior on the roster in 2010. That gives Robinson’s squad hope that a big year could be forthcoming in 2011, but any potential success will have to be built upon a defense that needs a whole lot of retooling after last year’s struggles. The Aggies couldn’t stop anybody at times in Big West play last year conceding in their first six league matches and also conceding at least two goals in a particularly painful four game stretch that saw them concede thirteen in that span.

Key defender Aisha Lott was still a driving force for the Aggies though and won All-Big West First Team honors for her effort. Lott will be tasked with leading the defense in 2011, and Robinson will be hoping her talent and poise rubs off on her teammates. There are lots of questions surrounding Lott though. Macie McMillan looked set to be one of the team’s starting defenders but was lost for the year after nine starts and didn’t play in a single league game. Katie Webb started seventeen matches as a freshman but was limited to just six appearances off the bench last year. Needless to say, this unit’s going to take some tinkering.

Settling on a full-time keeper would help also, as Kathleen Brandl and Maria Magana rotated to an almost 50-50 split of time in goal last year. Confusing the matter is the fact that Brandl started most of the league matches, but Magana saw most of the time in goal in Big West play. The addition of Slammers FC goalkeeper Taylor Jern among this year’s recruits could complicate matters even further.

On offense, the Aggies will likely ride the goals of senior Lisa Kemp, who scored five goals and four assists to lead the team in scoring last year. Kemp had been more of a provider early in her career with seven assists and just one goal in two years but took more of the scoring load onto her shoulders last season. Allison Kelly will be hoping to carry over her non-conference form (5 G) to league play after running out of gas last year.

Sophomore forward Kiele Argente was more provider (5 A) than scorer (2 G) last year but should still be a big part of the offense going forward in 2011. Annacy Wilson could also take a step up after being another year removed from a transfer from Santa Rosa JC, while Mary Beth Mazurek started eighteen matches last year for the Aggies. The Aggies will undoubtedly miss the contributions of last year’s only senior though, as Samantha Faber tallied three goals and an assist in her final year for Davis.

In midfield, sophomore Bridget Berman could also factor in after tying Kemp for the team goal lead in league play with two. There are a lot of experienced campaigners returning for UCD in midfield as well. Rachel Kahn and Kirstin Holmberg started every game for the Aggies last year, while Elise Winbrock and Ashley Edwards also saw a fair amount of starting minutes. The team also adds an interesting newcomer in Syracuse transfer Taylor Chamberlain.

Continuity for the Aggies from last year’s squad is likely a good thing as there are some decent pieces in place for improvement this year. While the Aggies stand a good chance of achieving their best finish in the Big West in their history, they still look to be short of the talent to push for a postseason place this year.

If I had to guess, I’d probably say that UC RIVERSIDE are hoping that not many people were paying attention to their 2010 season and that they themselves are just waking up from a horrible nightmare. If going 1-14-3 wasn’t humiliating enough, Riverside also had the dubious honor of having the worst offense in America, scoring a stunning THREE goals all season. To put that into a little perspective, North Carolina, America’s top offense through conference tournaments scored three goals in a match ten times before the NCAA Tournament.

In truth, the Highlanders can thank their lucky stars that they played in a relatively strong conference, artificially ballooning their RPI up to 268. While the Highlanders hardly threw up a citadel in defense, their non-existent offense was what did them in. With eight or nine goals more in Big West play, the Highlanders would have likely found themselves on the fringes of a spot in the conference tournament. Instead, UCR were relegated to infamy as one of the worst offensive squads to ever play DI soccer. Their worst stretch without a goal lasted seven matches between September 5 against Texas and lasting until they scored in a 2-1 defeat to UC Santa Barbara on October 1.

Oddly enough, Riverside were good enough to top a somewhat formidable Texas State team for their only win on the year. The Highlanders also managed to somehow draw with a Utah State team that was in the thick of the WAC Title fight. Canadian International Veronica O’Brien had seemingly reached untouchable status after successfully building UTEP’s program from scratch and then hopping over to Riverside to do the same thing for the Big West neophytes. The high point was 2005′s run to the Big West Tournament Final and a subsequent berth in the NCAA Tournament.

But it’s been all downhill since, the Highlanders having never tasted the postseason again since 2005. Last year’s debacle may have been the lowest of the low, and perhaps only the program’s reverence and appreciation for O’Brien’s efforts in building the program saved her job after the struggles of the past half decade.

It seems unfathomable that a team with thirty-three players on the roster couldn’t find a way to score more than three goals on the season. O’Brien will have to hope that this group can find their goalscoring touch somehow since most will be back for the 2011 campaign. The only significant losses are starting utility player Candis Novis who scored one goal in 2010, which of course was a third of the team’s output for last year, and defender Kristina Noriega, who transferred to USC.

The scorer of the other two goals, Melisa Escamilla returns after seeing mostly super sub duty off the bench in her freshman year. Considering she was the only one on the team returning for 2011 that scored, it’s safe to say she’ll be near the top of the depth chart entering the new season. UCR does get a big boost from Delaware transfer Andrea Luttio though. Luttio scored four goals and had two assists mostly off the bench for the Blue Hens last season and could help breathe some life into this offense. Returnees Andrea Morales and Deborah Musa should also vie for time in the frontline.

Unsurprisingly, there are also questions lingering over the midfield for O’Brien’s offensively challenged squad. The team might have a good one for the future though in sophomore Shelley Brumbaugh, who started seventeen matches as a freshman for the Highlanders. Also likely to feature this year is senior Vanessa Ybarra, who started ten matches last year after transferring from Miramar CC. Additionally, look for freshman Angela Benson to be involved heavily, the Wyoming native looks like this group’s best recruit for the new season.

Considering the potential struggles on offense, UCR better play well on defense if they want to get off the bottom of the league. Fortunately, the Highlanders can call upon a very experienced defense. Despite losing Noriega, the team does return starters Kristy Adcock, a senior, and juniors Aaren Casimiro and Shelby Lewis. Additionally, Kayde Hensley and Ciara Hilpert, a couple of senior utility players who started extensively last year could feature either in defense or in midfield. With so much experience coming back, it’s reasonable to think that UCR may actually have one of the league’s better defenses.

The one area where there shouldn’t be any uncertainty is in goal. Senior Jessica White was the leading lady for the second straight year and played every minute in goal in 2010. With her backups a pair of redshirt freshmen, she’ll probably be doing the same this year.

This Highlander program was in the Top 80 of the RPI as recently as 2006. But in a cutthroat league used to sending multiple teams to the NCAA Tournament each year, the lack of success has to be starting to wear a bit on the Riverside brass, even with someone as revered as O’Brien at the helm. It might be a little much to demand a return to the postseason after such a horrific 2010, but progress clearly needs to be made in 2011. If the same struggles continue, UCR might be breaking in a new head coach for 2012.

Projected Order of Finish

* = Projected NCAA Tournament Auto-Bid Winner

*1. UC Irvine
2. Long Beach State
3. Cal State Northridge
4. UC Santa Barbara
-
5. Cal Poly
6. Pacific
7. UC Davis
8. Cal State Fullerton
9. UC Riverside

Non-Conference Strength of Schedule (From Most to Least Difficult)

1. Cal State Northridge
2. UC Irvine
3. Pacific
4. Long Beach State
5. UC Santa Barbara
6. Cal State Fullerton
7. Cal Poly
8. UC Davis
9. UC Riverside

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