Last season, FGCU went 14-5-1 overall with a 6-0-1 record in conference play. During the season, they played some tough teams that they had a great opportunities to do. Although they didn't get to play UNC, the then No. 9 team, now No. 4 team in the nation due to rain, they did play then No. 21 Ohio State, but lost 1-0 in double overtime.
The easiest win FGCU had last season was against Fairleigh Dickinson at home (7-1 W).
In conference play, they were in a tight race for first place with Stetson, but came out on top with a 2-1 victory that claimed them first place and the number one seed in the tournament.
In the tournament, they received a first round bye for being the No. 1 seed and faced Kennesaw State and won 2-1 and played Lipscomb in a rematch from last year and won 2-0 to claim the automatic bid in the tournament before falling 3-0 to Florida in the first round.
As the team changes, FGCU will lose 13 members including the A-SUN’s all-time goals and points leader and three-time A-SUN Player of the Year, forward Tabby Tindell. Tindell scored 66 career goals and had 162 points in the A-SUN including the record goal in the home game against NJIT.
The team will also lose midfielders Ali Rogers, Yazmin Velez, Paulina "Pau" Speckmeier, Sarah Lowicki, and forward/midfielder Lauren Knight for they graduated.
Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Lauren Arrabito, redshirt sophomore midfielder Taylor Shore, junior midfielder Katlyn Sullivan, sophomore Jamie Finn, freshman midfielder Madi Sanders, freshman defender Lexi Littlefield and freshman forward Taylor Chapman have also departed from the team.
FGCU did manage to sign 13 newcomers (seven freshman and six transfers) to join.
The team is led by Jim Blakenship.
Blakenship enters into his 10th season as head coach for the team.
Prior to FGCU, Blakenship played collegiate soccer at FIU. After graduating and earning his masters at St. Thomas University, Blakenship spent 12 years as the first-ever head women's soccer coach at Lynn University. There, he earned NAIA Coach of the Year honors five times and NSCAA Coach of the Year twice. The Fighting Knights reached the Final Four in 10 consecutive seasons under his tutelage and won three national championships and were runners-up twice.
In 1998, after his time with Lynn, Blankenship led the Miami Hurricanes as the program's first coach to the conference tournament in the second year of the program and received an NCAA tournament bid in just the fourth season of competition. The Hurricanes climbed as high as No. 14 in the nation.
After his departure from Miami, Blakenship worked three seasons as the assistant women's soccer coach at FAU which won back-to-back A-SUN Conference championships.
After posting the most wins in program history during the fall of 2006, the Owls received their first-ever bid to the NCAA College Cup.
In 2007, Blakenship was named head coach for FGCU. In his inaugural season as head coach, the Eagles saw a third-place finish in the A-SUN going 11-7 overall with a 7-4 record in conference.
In 2008, Blankenship led the Eagles to 10-4-3 overall record and a 5-2-3 record in conference. FGCU finished fourth in conference.
Blankenship and the Blue and Green matched their inaugural win total after posting a conference-best 11 overall wins (11-5-3) in 2009 with a 6-2-2 in conference.
In his fourth year at the helm, Blankenship led FGCU to its first A-SUN regular season championship after finishing the season with an unblemished 8-0-2 conference record, while posting an 11-4-2 overall.
The Eagles had a conference-best 11 shutouts under Blankenship's watch and received votes in the NSCAA South Region Poll.
FGCU ended the 2011 campaign with a 14-5-2 overall record and an impressive 7-1-1 in conference, claiming back-to-back A-SUN regular season titles and earning their first-ever A-SUN tournament championship. FGCU won the championship off a dramatic goal in double-overtime sending the Eagles into the NCAA Championship for the first time in program history.
In his sixth season (2012), Blankenship led FGCU to its third-straight regular season title and second-straight tournament crown. The team tied the program record for wins (14) and had a program-best 14-4-3 record and an impressive 7-1-1 record in conference. FGCU won the A-SUN Championship in the same fashion as last year, with a freshman scoring the game-winning goal in overtime for a 2-1 victory over Mercer. Blakenship earned his first A-SUN Coach of the Year title.
In his seventh year on the sidelines of the FGCU Soccer Complex (2013), Blankenship guided the Green and Blue to a fourth consecutive A-SUN regular season title and had a record eight selections to postseason teams including Tindell who, at the time, was A-SUN Freshman of the Year. Blakenship earned his second A-SUN Coach of the Year title.
2014 repeated the success from the previous season and more. The Eagles set new single-season program records in points (141), points per game (6.71), goals (45), game-winning goals (17), assists (51), assists per game (2.43) all while winning a program-best 17 matches. FGCU's historic run in 2014 resulted the Green and Blue hosting Auburn in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament in addition to their fifth straight conference title. Blakenship earned his third consecutive A-SUN Coach of the Year title.
The Eagles made it six-straight titles in 2015. With a 14-6-3 mark overall, FGCU completed one of its most successful seasons all while making history at the end of the season. Playing USF in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, the Eagles defeated the Bulls 2-1 for the program's first NCAA win. Blakenship won his fourth consecutive A-SUN Coach of the Year title
With Blakenship taking the reins, FGCU continues their dominance in the A-SUN with also the help of assistant coaches Scott Collins and Alexis Connors.
The team consists of five returning seniors (three redshirts), four returning juniors (one redshirt), six transfers (two seniors, one junior and four sophomores), six returning sophomores and seven upcoming freshman. All in all, for the whole team, there are six defenders, four forwards, five two ways (MF/F/D of any combination), three goalkeepers and 10 midfielders.
The five returning seniors bring plenty of experience: Paige Law (MF/F), Nikki Hudson (MF), Ashley Parks (D), Lauren Greene (MF/F) and Meaghan Mulligan (MF).
The first of five returning seniors is Paige Law.
The 5-9 redshirt midfielder/forward from Sanibel Island, Florida brings a lot of depth to the team.
Prior to FGCU, Law played her freshman year for conference rival, Stetson. There she started six of her 17 games played and got only 2 assists in 554 minutes.
When she transferred to FGCU her sophomore year, Law played in 18 games and scored one goal in 266 minutes.
When junior year hit, Law played in 14 games and scored one goal in 281 minutes.
Law did not play her senior year and sat out due to an injury.
This season, Law will not let the injury bug plague her very last season with FGCU.
Next senior who started off with a bang for FGCU is one of my best friends: Nikki Hudson.
The 5-6 midfielder from Baltimore, Maryland has more kicking power than Brandi Chastain.
Prior to FGCU, Hudson started her first two years at Rutgers University of the Big Ten Conference. Through her freshman and sophomore year, she played a combined 106 minutes with no goals.
When her junior year hit, Hudson went on a tear. She started 20 of her 21 games played and scored five goals in 1,725 minutes. She did so well, she earn A-SUN All-Conference First Team honors.
During her senior year, the injury bug plagued Hudson. Despite starting 13 of the her 14 games played, her season was cut short due to an injury, but was able to maintain her last year of eligibility.
Like Law, Hudson will not let the injury bug plague her final season.
If you want a defender who is a rough ryder like Goldberg, then you're looking at Ashley Parks.
The 5-0 defender from St. Louis, Missouri will defend the territory like it's her yard and tear her opponents apart.
In her freshman year, Parks played in 20 games and scored one goal with three assists in 751 minutes.
In a new role for her sophomore year, Parks started all 21 games she played and got four assists in 1,886 minutes. She did so well that Parks earned A-SUN All-Conference Academic Team honors.
Her junior year was plagued due to injury, but during her redshirt junior year, Parks went back to her rough ryder self. Starting all 20 games she played in 1828 minutes, she anchored an FGCU backline that posted ten clean sheets. With her strong defense, she was named a member of the A-SUN First Team All-Conference and the NSCAA Second Team All-Southeast Region Team.
With her strong and tough defense, Parks will continue her way to stop all of her opponents from scoring.
One of my other best friends I will talk about next is Lauren Greene.
The 5-5 midfielder/forward from Lakeland, Florida brings impact in ways you could not imagine.
In her freshman year, Greene, in 14 games, logged 210 minutes with one assist.
By sophomore year, Greene only played nine games, but got one goal and one assist in 131 minutes.
By junior year, Greene got more playing time. Starting 2 of her 19 games played, Greene scored three goals including penalty shot she had against FDU while logging in 399 minutes.
For her senior year, Greene will give it all she's got.
The last of the five returning seniors is Meaghan Mulligan.
The 5-4 midfielder from Freehold, New Jersey also brings depth to the team.
Prior to FGCU, Mulligan started her freshman year at the University of Tennessee of the SEC-East Division. There she played in 10 games and logged 164 minutes.
By sophomore year, Mulligan transferred to FGCU and got more playing time. She started 17 of her 19 games played logging 1,463 minutes with two goals and two assists.
By junior year, she started all 20 games and got a career high 10 assists while logging in 1,640 minutes.
For Mulligan's senior year, it's gonna be a thrill of a lifetime opportunity.
There are four returning juniors to join the returning with just as much experience: Shay Jackson (MF), Camille Knudstrup (D), Ashley Blanchard (D) and Elyse Hansen (GK).
The first of the returning juniors is Shay Jackson.
The 5-4 midfielder from Parkville, Missouri has more speed than The Flash.
In her freshman year, she played in 10 games and while logging 87 minutes, Jackson scored three goals with one assist.
In her sophomore year, she played eight games while logging in 60 minutes.
Jackson will get more playing time and give it all she's got.
By her appearance, she looks more of a model than a soccer player, but inside, Camille Knudstrup is like a firework of defense.
The 5-8 defender from Lakeland, Florida has more stopping power than a brick wall.
In her freshman year, Knudstrup started all 21 games and in 1,814 minutes, she scored one goal and tallied four assists while playing strong defense with Parks. She did so well, she was named on theA-SUN All-Freshman Team.
In her sophomore year, Knudstrup, still playing strong defense, logged in 1,683 minutes while starting all 20 of her games played. She was named a member of the A-SUN All-Academic Team in the long run.
For Knudstrup, her fierce defense and strength will leave her opponents in the dust.
A fan favorite that every Dirty Bird loves is Ashley Blanchard.
The 5-9 defender from Largo, Florida is a fan favorite that wouldn't change in a lifetime.
In her freshman year, Blanchard played in 11 games and tallied one assist while logging in 163 minutes.
In her sophomore, she only played in two games and logged in 34 minutes.
Hopefully, the fan favorite will get more playing time than ever.
The last of the four juniors is Elyse Hansen.
The 5-8 goalkeeper from Mequon,Wisconsin has the blocking power of Tim Howard.
She did not play her freshman year, but her redshirt sophomore year, she played one game for 18 minutes.
For Hansen, she will hopefully get more playing time as goalkeeper.
FGCU managed to ink six transfers to join the team: Jocelyn Nelson (Florida), Holly Fritz (Florida State), Kiana Rugar (Albany), Petra Smetkova (Arkansas),Varin Ness (Carson-Newman) and Marjorie Boilesen (West Florida.)
The first of six transfers is Jocelyn Nelson. The 5-7 defender from Bansdall, Oklahoma enters FGCU as a sophomore.
Prior to FGCU, Nelson spent one semester as a freshman for UF of the SEC-East Division, but did not play one game for the Gators.
Nelson transferred to FGCU in the spring and will have all four years of eligibility remaining.
Hopefully, she will get the playing time she deserves.
Hoping to add more strength to the front and back line, Holly Fritz made the right move doing so.
The 5-5 midfielder from Cape Coral, Florida brings more punch than what to expect.
and prior to FGCU, she spent her first two years at Florida State of the ACC.
In her freshman year, Fritz started two of her 15 games and logged in 470 minutes.
In her sophomore year, Fritz played in nine games and logged in 161 minutes.
Fritz joins FGCU as a junior for the team with two years of eligibility remaining.
Fritz will hopefully get more playing time for her junior year.
Out of all the transfers. Kiana Rugar is one of two that have the most experience on the team.
The 5-5 forward from New Fairfield, Connecticut enters as a graduate student.
Prior to FGCU, Rugar spent four years at the University at Albany of the America East Conference (AEC).
Rugar redshirted her freshman year and was still able to maintain her four years of eligibility.
In her redshirt freshman year, Rugar started 15 of her 19 games played. There she had five goals and seven assists. She earned a spot on the America East All-Rookie Team.
In her redshirt sophomore year, she started all 21 games and had five goals and five assists.
In her redshirt junior year, which was her last year at Albany, she started 15 of her 20 games played and set the toll for the team. Rugar scored six goals and tallied four assists for the team. She did so well that she was named to the America East All-Conference Second Team and America East All-Tournament Team. What set the bar for Rugar was being named the all-time leader in assists for the Great Danes.
Rugar joins FGCU with one year of eligibility remaining.
This may be the only year I get to see Rugar play, but I know she'll make a great impact for the team.
Joining FGCU with international experience is Petra Smetkova.
The 5-9 defender from Masarykova, Korycany, Czech Republic joins as a sophomore for the team.
Prior to FGCU, Smetkova started her freshman at the University of Arkansas of the SEC West Division. There she played in three games with one start.
Smetkova brings international experience to FGCU to add more depth. She played for played for FC Slovacko, where she helped the team win the Czech League championship as well as joining the U19 Czech Republic National Team which qualified for the European Championships in the Netherlands last year.
Smetkova joins FGCU with three years of eligibility remaining and will bring a great kick for the team with her international experience.
The next transfer to join FGCU is Varin Ness (pronounced Vorin).
The 5-8 midfielder from Sogndal, Norway brings a lot of Norwegian flare to the team.
Prior to FGCU, Ness played two years for Carson-Newman University of NCAA DII South Atlantic Conference.
In her freshman year, Ness started 19 of her 20 games played and logged in 1,647 minutes with 12 goals and five assists. Ness did so well, she was named SAC Freshman of the Year, First team All-SAC member and was a Second Team All-Southeast Region pick by the NSCAA and D2CCA.
By sophomore year, Ness started all 22 games and scored 2 goals and had 11 assists in 1,668 minutes.
Ness joins as a senior for FGCU an will have one year of eligibility remaining.
This may be the only year I get to see Ness play, but I know it will be one thrill of ride to see.
The final transfer to join FGCU and also bringing international experience is Marjorie Boilesen.
The 5-8 midfielder/forward from Sao Paulo, Brazil has a international resume built to perfection.
Prior to FGCU, Boilesen spent her freshman year at the University of West Florida (UWF) of the NCAA DII Gulf South Conference. During her time there, she started all 23 games she played with 12 goals (five game winners), 14 assists, and two penalty kicks while logging in 1,627 minutes. She help lead the Argonauts to a 19-5 record and made it as far as the NCAA DII Tournament Quarterfinals.
She was so successful her freshman year that she was named a member of the D2CCA All-American First Team, NSCAA All-American Second Team, NSCAA All-South Region First Team, D2CCA All-South Region First Team and All-Gulf South Conference First Team. She was also the D2CCA South Region Player of the Year, Gulf South Conference Player of the Year and Gulf South Conference Freshman of the Year.
Along with playing for UWF, Boilesen also played for the Brazilian U-20 squad as well as for her club team, Centro Olimpico.
Boilsen made it to several international tournaments including the 2015 South American U-20 Women's Football Championship and the 2015 NTC Invitational and even went on to qualify for the U-20 World Cup.
Boilesen joins FGCU as a sophomore and will have three years of remaining eligibility and I look forward to see the fire that Marjorie brings to the table.
There are six returning sophomores for the team: Emilie Olsen (F), Lindsey Patton (D), Tori Dorr (MF), Megan Young (F), Silvana Gordon (MF) and Melissa Weck (GK).
The first of the six sophomores is whom I dubbed the Norwegian Sensation: Emilie Olsen.
The 5-4 forward from Frekhaug, Norway is, in my opinion, the next Tabby Tindell for FGCU.
Prior to FGCU, Olsen played for the U17 Norwegian National Team as well as the Norwegian soccer club, Åsane Football Damer.
In her freshman year, Olsen started all 20 games with six goals and three assists. She did so well that she was a unanimous selection on the A-SUN All-Freshman Team.
With the international experience to back up fellow Norwegian, Varin Ness, Olsen will give it all she's got.
One good key defender to back up the defense is Lindsey Patton.
The 5-7 defender from Jacksonville, Florida plays definite key roles in defense.
In her freshman year, Patton Started all 20 games and had one goal and three assists while logging in 1,821 minutes. She did so well, that she was named to the A-SUN All-Freshman Team and A-SUN Second Team All-Conference.
For Patton's sophomore, she will surely raise the bar this season.
If there's a player whose work ethic is hard to resist, chances are, it's from Tori Dorr.
The 5-5 midfielder from Vero Beach, Florida can kick it into high gear like she's was Landon Donovan.
In her freshman year, Dorr started three of her 18 games played and logged in 508 minutes.
Currently, Dorr will redshirt due to injury, but you can bet she will come back stronger than you think.
If you want a mid-western soccer player whose got the heart of a lion, then we're talking about Megan Young.
The 5-7 forward from White Lakes, Michigan carries that heart and passion with ease.
In her freshman year, Young started one of her 18 games played with one goal and four assists while logging in 513 minutes.
Currently, Young will also redshirting due to injury, but like Dorr, the lion in her will be roaring back to the field next season.
If you want someone who has the heart and speed of Rey Mysterio, then you better watch for Silvana "Silv" Gordon.
The 5-5 midfielder from Medford, New Jersey can even make me jump out of my seat with her speed.
In her freshman year, Gordon played in nine games with one start. She had one goal and logged in 184 minutes.
I hope to see Silv play more games than she could imagine.
The last of the six sophomores and the brick wall of the team is Melissa Weck.
The 5-4 goalkeeper from Yorba Linda, California is, to me, the next Brittany Brown with her blocking ability.
Starting all 20 games in her freshman year, Weck led a charge of stopping her opponents with 10 shutouts, allowing only 17 goals with 73 saves while logging in 1,805 minutes.
Weck did so well that she earned a spot on the A-SUN All-Freshman Team.
For Weck, she will give it all she's got her sophomore year.
Now that we covered all the returners and transfers, what about them freshman?
FGCU managed to ink seven freshman: Hope Van Wagner (MF), Natalie Schaps (GK), Zoey Spitzer (F), Lauren Moss (MF), Kavina Ganeshan, (MF/D), Morgan Hawes (F/MF) and Cassidy Morgan (MF).
The first of the seven freshman is Hope Van Wagner.
The 5-4 Midfielder from Avon, Indiana was the earliest recruit for this years freshman class for she graduated early from high school and enrolled in the spring semester.
Prior to FGCU, Van Wagner played at Avon High School under head coach Eric Nance. There she guided Avon to four sectional titles and a 2013 state title while being a member of First Team All-State Team and the 2015-16 Academic All-State Team.
I look forward to seeing Hope play and I know she will make impact for the team.
A freshman who will also bring international experience is Natalie Schaps.
The 5-5 goalkeeper from Guatemala City, Guatemala brings a little more international kick for FGCU.
Prior to FGCU, Schaps went to the American School of Guatemala, and during that time, Schaps was recently called into camp for the Guatemalan Senior National Team as well as the U17 Guatemalan National Team.
Schaps played in the Central American Football Union (UNCAF) Tournament and earned a start against Trinidad and Tobago in a U17 World Cup Qualifier, helped her club team, Unifut, win the second half of the season in 2014 and 2016 and earned the Golden Glove Award (best goalkeeper), allowing only one goal during the 2016-17 National Women's Soccer League.
I'm looking forward to meeting her and seeing the international experience she brings to FGCU.
To spread the word locally about women's soccer, Zoey Spitzer comes into play.
The 5-5 forward from Naples, Florida brings local talent to the mix.
Prior to FGCU, Spitzer played for Gulf Coast High School under head coach Mark Voorhees. There Spitzer earned All-State accolades in each of her final three seasons and scored a total of 36 goals throughout her junior and senior year.
For Spitzer and her strong talent will certainly draw a good amount of local attendance.
The second of the four non-Florida freshman is Lauren Moss.
The 5-6 midfielder from Boulder, Colorado can bring a chill to her opponents.
Prior to FGCU, Moss played for Boulder High School under head coach Jason LaMere. There she was a First Team All-Conference member, All-Region Honorable Mention and All-State Honorable Mention along with being captain of her club team, FC Boulder where she was a member of back-to-back state cup finalist teams.
With her club experience, Moss will show the world that Colorado is coming.
The other non-Florida freshman from the international side is Kavina Ganeshan.
The 5-4 midfielder/defender from Pickering, Ontario, Canada, like Schaps, Boilesen, Olsen and Smetkova, also brings international experience.
Prior to FGCU, Ganeshan played at Pickering High School, but during the time, she played on the U15 and U17 Canadian National teams and even won gold at the U15 CONCACAF Tournament in the Cayman Islands.
Joining with the international experience, Ganeshan will make a statement for FGCU.
Joining next of this years freshman class is Morgan Hawes.
The 5-6 midfielder/forward from Coconut Creek, Florida will bring impact to FGCU.
Prior to FGCU, Hawes played at North Broward High School under head coach Tricia Amrhein.
There she was the American Heritage Delray's Offensive Player of the Year and All-County honoree. She even earned a state championship to add to her resume.
With her state championship experience, Hawes will give it all she's got.
The final freshman on the team is Cassidy Morgan.
The 5-4 midfielder from Weston, Florida will make great strides for the team.
Prior to FGCU, Morgan played for Cypress Bay High School under head coach Katie Dwyer.
There she was named on the All-County at Cypress Bay.
Morgan also played club for Sunrise Sting where she helped her side win the Region 3 Premier League in which her club team achieved a Top 10 national ranking.
With her experience in club soccer, Morgan will give it all she's got.
Like I was saying: with a new team and a new season, it means there will be changes, but will it stop FGCU from their hard work? No.
As long as they put forth the effort and commitment, they will give it all they from the returning veterans like Hudson and Parks to newcomers like Ganeshan and Ness.
Nonetheless, the season for FGCU's women's soccer team is gonna be something.
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