- GUNNISON, Colo. – Texas A&M-Commerce opens its 21st season of women's soccer tomorrow with a road game against Western State before visiting UC-Colorado Springs on Saturday. Start times are 4:00 pm and 1:00 pm respectively in the Central Time Zone.
- The Lions last opened on the road two years ago, also a two-game swing in the Centennial State. That season saw the Blue and Gold drop the opener to Fort Lewis by a 1-0 tally, only to rebound against Colorado Mesa two days later with a 3-1 victory.
- The Lions are coming off a 16-5-1 season in which they won both the regular season Lone Star Conference title and the LSC Tournament. In that time, the Lions delivered nine shutouts and went 3-3-1 against opponents ranked in the Top 25.
- 16 wins is a single season school record. 2014 marked the third time the Lions have won 16 games under the direction of head coach
Neil Piper, with the previous two coming in 1999 and 2008.
- Texas A&M-Commerce was picked second in the 2015 Lone Star Conference Preseason Poll, which was released on August 5th. One first-place vote and two overall votes separate the Lions from rival Angelo State, who lost three of four meetings between the teams a season ago.
- The Lions are 16th in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Preseason Poll for the 2015 season. No other Lone Star Conference team cracked the Top 25.
- In the last 3 years, the Lions are 2-3 against teams from Colorado and will play two Colorado schools this year. A&M-Commerce has never played Western State and is 1-0 against UC-Colorado Springs, a 4-1 home victory in 2014.
- Four Lions -
Savannah Grasser,
Jade Bell,
Vicky Back, and
Courtnie Northern - earned NSCAA All-Region honors. They are among a group of 12 returners that includes seven seniors, and the Lions have added a dozen newcomers for this year, as well.
- Last season, the Lions advanced to NCAA Tournament for the sixth time during the 17-year tenure of
Neil Piper. Twice have Piper's Lions advanced to the Sweet 16.
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Neil Piper is entering is 18th season at the helm of the Lion soccer program, and his 198 career victories rank him in the Top 25 of active Division-II coaches. A two-time LSC Coach of the Year, Piper has led the Lions to 10+ wins on 11 occasions and has recorded a winning record in 14 of 17 previous seasons.
- The 2014 Lions finished first in the Lone Star Conference in saves (113) and corner kicks (118), while tying for first in shots (349) and assists per game (3.2). A&M-Commerce won the conference title outright, before hosting and winning the LSC Tournament, as well.
