COMMERCE – The Texas A&M University-Commerce soccer team begins the NCAA Division I era for A&M-Commerce this week with a road tilt at Oral Roberts on Thursday and opening the home portion of its schedule against University of Louisiana at Monroe on Sunday.
LIONS WEEKEND SCHEDULE
A NEW ERA
Thursday marks a series of first for the Lion soccer program, who play its first match as a Division I program under the leadership of first-year coach
Ashley Gordon, who joined A&M-Commerce in January and is the third coach in program history.
Omar Morales joins the Lions as an assistant coach and
Luca Crivellari is the program's graduate assistant to round out the coaching staff.
With soccer being the first sport to start under Division I rules, Thursday's match is the first event for A&M-Commerce as a Division I institution. Sunday's match against ULM is the first official Division I event on the A&M-Campus campus.
POSTER SIGNING
After Sunday's free against ULM, select members of the Lion soccer program will sign autographs on the 2022 schedule poster. Admission for Sunday's match is free.
PRESEASON POLL
In its inaugural season in the Southland Conference, the Lions are picked to finish eighth in the nine-time conference. A&M-Commerce is picked to finish ahead of Nicholls and defending conference champion, Northwestern State is picked first.
2022 SLC SOCCER PRESEASON POLL, PRESENTED BY READY
| Place |
Team (First-place votes) |
Total |
| 1. |
Northwestern State (16) |
128 |
| 2. |
McNeese (1) |
113 |
| 3. |
Lamar |
77 |
| 4. |
UIW (1) |
74 |
| 5. |
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi |
72 |
| 6. |
Southeastern |
70 |
| 7. |
HBU |
56 |
| 8. |
A&M-COMMERCE |
36 |
| 9. |
Nicholls |
22 |
UPSETTING THE APPLE CART
A&M-Commerce enters the 2022 season led by 2021 all-region honoree
Karalie Morrison (Colleyville Heritage) and
Melissa Storey (Tyne and Wear, England), who finished fourth on the team with 10 points last season. Morrison connected with Storey for the Lions' lone goal in the 1-1 exhibition tie with Sam Houston last week.
In the net, the Lions return seniors
Lauren Banning (Pflugerville) and Spring 2021 Lone Star Conference Goalkeeper of the Year
Jen Peters (Allen). Peters started 17 matches last fall and recorded 57 saves, while Banning recorded 25 saves in nine appearances.
Also returning for the Lions this season is defender
McKenna Keeley (Frisco – Memorial), who started every match last season and
Mindy Shoffit (Wichita Falls – Rider), who recorded three goals, playing primarily as a defender in 20 appearances.
BABY LIONS
A&M-Commerce welcomes nine newcomers this season, including eight freshmen and one transfer in the first recruiting class under Gordon. Full list of newcomers for the Lions can be found below.
| NO. |
NAME |
POS. |
HT. |
YEAR |
HOMETOWN |
HIGH SCHOOL |
PREVIOUS SCHOOL |
| 00 |
Gillian McKenzie |
GK |
5-8 |
Fr. |
Mesquite, Texas |
Mesquite Horn HS |
|
| 4 |
Keeara Bradley |
D |
5-5 |
Fr. |
Roanoke, Texas |
Byron Nelson HS |
|
| 5 |
Mindy Shoffit |
D |
5-8 |
Jr. |
Wichita Falls, Texas |
Rider HS |
|
| 6 |
Maeva Dion |
D |
5-7 |
Fr. |
Sainte-Barbe, Quebec, Canada |
Polyvalente Louis-Philippe-Paré |
|
| 8 |
Ashley Campuzano |
M |
5-3 |
Fr. |
Dallas, Texas |
Atlas Prep |
|
| 9 |
Jaynie Rust |
M |
5-7 |
Fr. |
Prosper, Texas |
Oregon City HS |
|
| 11 |
Val Flores |
M |
5-2 |
Fr. |
Irving, Texas |
MacArthur HS |
|
| 14 |
Mya Mitchell |
F |
5-3 |
Fr. |
Dallas, Texas |
Mesquite Horn HS |
|
| 15 |
Nya Mitchell |
D |
5-4 |
Fr. |
Dallas, Texas |
Mesquite Horn HS |
|
| 18 |
Anastasia Martinez |
M |
5-4 |
Jr. |
Dallas, Texas |
Nimitz HS |
St. Francis Brooklyn |
DOUBLE THE FUN!
Mya Mitchell and
Nya Mitchell, twin sisters from Mesquite Horn High School in Dallas, join the Lions this season. The Mitchells are one of 26 sets of twins in NCAA Division I women's soccer this fall and A&M-Commerce is one of 21 schools with a set of twins on its women's soccer roster this season.
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN EAGLES
Oral Roberts went 6-10-2 last season and is picked to finish sixth in the Summit League this season. For the Golden Eagles, defender/forward Gabrielle Abbey is named to the Summit League Preseason players to watch list as well as midfielder Sophie Nash.
The Golden Eagles are under the direction of first year coach Austin Risenhoover, who was an assistant coach at Cal-Berkley for the last five seasons.
SCOUTING THE ULM WARHAWKS
ULM, a member of the Sun Belt Conference, makes its first trip to Commerce on Sunday. The Warhawks 8-12 last season, which are the fifth most wins in program history, and advanced to the SBC Semifinals, beating top seeded Arkansas State in the quarterfinals. Coach Sean Fraser enters his third season as the leader of the Warhawks.
The Warhawks are picked to finish fourth in the West Division of the Sun Belt Conference, which features 14 teams this fall.
-TAMUC-
