WILKES-BARRE – The Wilkes University women's soccer team make their return to Bruggeworth Field, looking to stake their claim in the Landmark Conference. They finished the 2022 season with a 4-11-3 overall record and a 1-5-2 conference record, finishing eighth in the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom. Head coach John McNichol enters his sixth season at the helm of the Colonels.

"You can tell our young women have done a fantastic job over the summer preparing themselves, getting themselves ready for the next two months," McNichol said.

Fifth year forward Erica Feese (State College, PA/State College Area) leads the attack alongside her sister, junior Holly Feese (State College, PA/State College Area). Erica registered two goals and two assists last season, putting her amongst the leaders in both categories. Junior Sarah Eliff (Owings, MD/Northern) returns from injury after scoring five goals in the 2021 season, looking to return to that goalscoring form. They are joined by senior Cesia Diaz (Belleville, NJ/Belleville), junior Olivia Ricci (Millstone, NJ/Allentown), as well as sophomore Taylor Anthony (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex). First year forward Erin Edwards (East Greenville, PA/Upper Perkiomen) rounds out the group.

The Colonels gained reinforcements in the midfield this offseason, with only junior Katie Sites (Collegeville, PA/Spring-Ford Area) and sophomore Lauren Lefchak (Clarks Summit, PA/Abington Heights) returning in the middle of the park. Taylor Golin and Jess Shea (Somerset, NJ/Franklin) join them as first year additions.

The defense is led by junior duo Alex Holmstrom (West Deptford, NJ/West Deptford) and Madison Straub (Franklin, NJ/Franklin), who were both in the top five in minutes played last season at over 1300 minutes. Graduate student Hayli Akakpo-Martin (Middletown, PA/Middletown Area), senior Gianna Picco (Waverly, NY/Waverly), and juniors Brooke Snopkowski (Havertown, PA/Haverford), Jordyn Jennings (York, PA/Northeastern), Aliah Balch (Paupack, PA/Wallenpaupack Area), and Olivia Kozlowski (Syracuse, N.Y./Cicero North Syracuse) all return to make for an incredibly experienced defensive arsenal.

Senior Hannah Landis (Red Hill, PA/Upper Perkiomen) leads the team between the pipes this season, after starting 16 games last year with a team-leading .692 save percentage and 72 saves. She is joined once again by juniors Lauren Sweeney (West Chester, PA/West Chester Rustin) and Amanda Lee (Middletown, PA/Middletown Area).

Sixteen members of the roster are in their junior year or above, and McNichol stated that they haven't been afraid to share that knowledge with the younger members of the group.

"All of our upperclassmen have done a fantastic job of making themselves available to our first year players, even our second year players who are just getting into this for the second year," he said. "Our upperclassmen have done a great job when we're training, pulling them (young players) aside 'hey, change your body shape a little bit. Do this, do that,' and it's been done very well."

It was evident the moment they hit the pitch as well, impressing McNichol with their debuts last Wednesday in a scrimmage against Lebanon Valley College.

"I thought they played a little bit beyond their years and we're excited to see their potential and continued growth throughout the season," McNichol applauded.

The Colonels, who were ranked eighth in the Landmark coaches' preseason poll, get their campaign underway at Bruggeworth Field on Friday, September 1^st at 7:00 p.m. against Penn State Berks. They will also open their first season of Landmark Conference play at home on Saturday, September 23^rd at 3:30 p.m. against a familiar opponent in Susquehanna University.

Across the 17-game slate, the Colonels play eight non-conference games and nine in league play. Ten of those games will be at home at Bruggeworth Field.

"There's not one day that's going to be a day you can just show up and say 'hey, I think we're going to get three points today,'" McNichol explained about the Landmark Conference. "Top to bottom, one through ten including us, it's all going to be great soccer, there's going to be a lot of parity in the conference. I'm really excited about the opportunity to compete against some of the best teams in the country."