⚽️ Tennessee Lady Vols Soccer

Again, no mention at what her last injury was. Another knee injury? It also doesn't mentioned if she's healthy and ready to play or still rehabbing. Info that would have been easy enough to include. If she had a third ACL tear one wonders how well she can run now. I hope Kirt keeps in mind the importance of Runyon to this team for the next three seasons.....
Does Kirt do any sort of press conferences ala Kellie Harper where someone like Cora Hall could ask these questions? Seems like a lack of transparency…
 
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Again, no mention at what her last injury was. Another knee injury? It also doesn't mentioned if she's healthy and ready to play or still rehabbing. Info that would have been easy enough to include. If she had a third ACL tear one wonders how well she can run now. I hope Kirt keeps in mind the importance of Runyon to this team for the next three seasons.....
duplicate post— sorry! 🙂
 
What's an ID camp cost, typically?
Depends on the size of the camp and number of teams involved. But, if I recall corrrectly 100-200$. Doesn't include hotel/travel. I always felt like by the end of the weekend $1-2 k- especially if you get suckered into fan stores for sweat shirt ! As a general rule, most kids going to college don't like moving more than 250 radius miles from home. I always started there and then wondered off of that grid if a school had specific interest. Things have changed a bit since my experience with camps - heck it's been 4-5 years. Girls used to get recruited earlier before the rule change.
 
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Again, no mention at what her last injury was. Another knee injury? It also doesn't mentioned if she's healthy and ready to play or still rehabbing. Info that would have been easy enough to include. If she had a third ACL tear one wonders how well she can run now. I hope Kirt keeps in mind the importance of Runyon to this team for the next three seasons.....
Your spot on. I like Thomas. I hope she overcomes the odds - got to love a fighter. Third ACL. Not sure about any other injuries. Got to keep the weight to lean mass pounds and a lot Posterior Chain focus and she can do it. So far, our conditioning coach has proven that she stinks at her job. And, she does stink. Horrible strength and conditioning coach! Get her out of there. Women college soccer players don't need to be doing heavyweight squats. And bulking up. It's ridiculous. I could lecture all day about the crappy conditioning and weight programs women's athletics institutes. If a coach ever tells a female soccer player, they need to gain weight, that female soccer player needs to tell the coach to cram it!.

Not hyped about a 6 year player- we have some real potential with the younger players. Does a coach make a foolish choice and play a 6 and 5th year and risk permanently losing the younger players due to discontent - you lose a player that has a 'shelf life ' of 3 years compared to 12 weeks that the 5& 6 can give. I don't see the logic.
 
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Does Kirt do any sort of press conferences ala Kellie Harper where someone like Cora Hall could ask these questions? Seems like a lack of transparency…

Kirt rarely does a presser. I think the volleyball coach meets with the (few) press people who follow the her program regularly--and Weekly (softball) talks to the press often. But soccer? Not so much. He sometimes will talk--but it's typically the usual 5 minutes of feel-good PR-typle talk. No real insight.

It's rare to get much of real value out of any collegiate press conference. A lot of press people who cover college teams don't ask good or pertinent or tough questions, if the team is not playing well. (I'd certainly love to ask Kirt a few questions!) And you get a lot of stories, when they are written, with holes. I mean, how do you write a Thomas story and not mention what, specifically, her latest injury was and ask her is she's healthy: what's her status. We don't know.

Pensky for a few years answered questions on the field after every game. I don't think he was doing that the last two/three years, and Kirt has never done it.

The Texas A&M coach has a weekly press conference and talks with the media on the field after EVERY game. That's the way to do it. It's part of building fan interest, for one thing. You'll learn a little listening to him.

Some coaches just don't seem to care about it. For example, we have a very strong men's tennis program and yet Woodruff is the invisible man. He almost never says anything about a match or the team, doesn't do pressers generally. It's an almost complete information blackout with him. It's annoying to be a fan of a program--and I follow the men's tennis program pretty avidly--when you get absolutely nothing from the coach. There isn't a huge amount of fan interest in non-revenue sports, I suppose, and thus not a lot of media interest. And that may factor into why some non-rev coaches seem indifferent to media coverage. Rick Barnes is talking to the press at least two times a week, at least---over a schedule of like 30 games. Barnes talks about his players--what their strengths are, what their weakness are, how they played in the game. You get real insight.
 
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Your spot on. I like Thomas. I hope she overcomes the odds - got to love a fighter. Third ACL. Not sure about any other injuries. Got to keep the weight to lean mass pounds and a lot Posterior Chain focus and she can do it. So far, our conditioning coach has proven that she stinks at her job. And, she does stink. Horrible strength and conditioning coach! Get her out of there. Women college soccer players don't need to be doing heavyweight squats. And bulking up. It's ridiculous. I could lecture all day about the crappy conditioning and weight programs women's athletics institutes. If a coach ever tells a female soccer player, they need to gain weight, that female soccer player needs to tell the coach to cram it!.

Not hyped about a 6 year player- we have some real potential with the younger players. Does a coach make a foolish choice and play a 6 and 5th year and risk permanently losing the younger players due to discontent - you lose a player that has a 'shelf life ' of 3 years compared to 12 weeks that the 5& 6 can give. I don't see the logic.

Exactly right about young players with talent.

As for our strength and conditioning, I know nothing--but when I saw Thomas play her two games last season, she did not look super fit to me. Just an impression I got.

I'm working on my "Posterior Chain focus" now. I kid--What the heck is that?
 
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You know me, I have a negative perspective these days. Take a look at the size of Tennessee's roster. We will have over 30 players. Remember, I think there's another open transfer portal., But I could be wrong. I think that's in the spring. Late spring. These large rosters are detrimental to the success of a program. If you look at a roster that has over 30 players, you will have 1/3 of the team at minimum that are disgruntled and despise their program. That many players that are upset, will bring a program to its knees. Especially a program that doesn't win consistent championships. Only 22 to 24 players get to travel. On another perspective, 1/3 of the players on a team that large will never get the opportunity to rise to their potential. Because they will become forgotten players. Large rosters is not the way to run a program. I will repeat this quote over and over and over again. Large rosters sink ships. It's just that simple. I've heard arguments that coaches need practice players. That type of comment annoys me to this day. No player goes to college, to be a practice player. These are competitors. And if they aren't playing, I promise they will not be very enthusiastic about helping starters get ready for games. Sure, there is a athletic ability piece to putting a team together but there is also a mental or philosophical piece. Required to put a good program together. The large roster diminishes the philosophical or mental piece. I support the idea of good old-fashioned competition. But this is not good old-fashioned competition. This is about survival. It's not healthy.
 
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History of Lady Vols Soccer part 5.

Today we are going to highlight Tennessee’s first regular season game from the inaugural season.

August 13 1996
First practice by Lady Vol soccer team.

August 17 1996
First scrimmage by Lady Vol soccer team.

August 30 1996
First regular season game, against UT-Chattanooga.

Taken from the Daily Beacon

Women's soccer roll in opener​


Fan support is the most critical aspect of any organized sport, whether it

be professional, college, high school or little league.

Athletes yearn to be watched, idolized and respected for what they


accomplish between the lines, so it is easy to understand how an athlete

must feel playing in front of no one but themselves.

Personally speaking, I remember playing little league baseball with the

sole spectators being coaches. There was no one to play for. No one to

cheer that RBI double or game-saving grab. Unfortunately, you get used to

it, but what a bitter pill it is to swallow.

The inaugural Tennessee Lady Vols soccer team doesn't look like it will

have such problems. A crowd of 2,631 witnessed UT's first-ever game (a 7-0

rout of UT-Chattanooga on Friday) at the Tennessee Soccer Complex.

While that may sound small to some people, it was much more than anyone

expected. And much more than the largest crowd drawn by the first-year Lady

Vol softball team this past spring - 225.

"It was incredible," head coach Charles MacCabe said. "It's a thrill for me

and for the players to be able to play in front of a crowd like this. I

hope with what they saw tonight, they will come back.

"I can't say I'm totally shocked because there is a very large soccer

community in Knoxville and they're obviously turning out to support us; I

couldn't be happier," MacCabe said.

Forward Melissa Covington not only noticed the mass of support, but called

it the best backing she's ever received.

"I love the support," the freshman from Nashville beamed. "In all my life,

I've never been supported that way. I've gone to regionals with my club

team in Nashville, and we've had support there, but I've never experienced

support like this.

"Tennessee Volunteers are the best supporters, that's all I can say ....

They come out and yell when you make the best play and when you mess up

they're like, 'Come on, keep going,' and it's just great."

And it should continue after what onlookers saw Friday.

Following an autograph session by 1996 Olympic women's soccer team gold

medalists Mia Hamm and Tisha Venturini, the Lady Vols showed soccer was a

sport that belonged at UT.

Right from the opening tap, Tennessee was a step ahead of UTC, another


first-year squad. After a plethora of missed opportunities and shots over

the cross bar, freshman Whitney Rayburn scored UT's first goal after six

minutes.

The assault persisted and before you knew it, the Lady Vols were up 5-0

headed into intermission thanks to two more Rayburn tallies and one each by

juniors Bethany Himel and Holly Kimble.

"The opponent didn't give us a real stiff test," MacCabe said, "but I was

very pleased we came out with great intensity and never gave them a chance

to get into the game.

"Obviously, we had lots of shots, and we could've scored some more, but I

was pleased we got off to such a good start, and then we just cruised after

that."

Cruised wasn't the word. Tennessee simply shut down UTC, outshooting them

62-1 for the game. Could it have been any more scintillating?

"I wouldn't say that it could've gone any better," said Covington, whose

first goal capped the scoring in the 62nd minute. "But there were some

times when we got too relaxed ... but overall I think we did great."

"We're excited," Covington continued, echoing her teammates sentiments.

"We've been working really hard the past three weeks training, and we've

been trying to excel as a team, not just individually."

With just three weeks of practice under their belts, it's a tribute to the

coaching staff these players are already putting the team first and

themselves second. That can't be an easy thing to do when you hardly even

know your teammates.

So with this team-oriented philosophy in check, what else is there this

bunch needs to do to get better?

"Just about everything," MacCabe said. "There's all kinds of things we need

to work on, but this is a very good start. Our players all come from strong

club programs, and they've been very responsive to the instruction that

we've given them and they're doing well. I think this is a very good

beginning, and I'm optimistic about the season."

Covington is confident also, perhaps a little too much keeping in mind her

team's tough Southeastern Conference slate.

"We're trying to be in the top 10," she said. "We probably won't get it,

but we're going to try."

View attachment 613466View attachment 613467View attachment 613468View attachment 613470View attachment 613471

Whitney Rayburn scored the Lady Vols first ever goal.

Bio from first ever Lady Vols soccer media guide.
View attachment 613485

History of Lady Vols Soccer part 6.

1996 Season Review

The first season was considered a success since The Lady Vols made the SEC Tournament. They clinched a spot by beating Mississippi State in double overtime in the final SEC match of the season.




Recap of the inaugural season in Knoxville taken from the 1997 media guide.

“HEADING INTO KNOXVILLE” A ball-shaped spaceship hovered over the University of Tennessee in the fall of 1996 and, much like the hit movie “Independence Day,” the invasion created pandemonium. But in this case, the uproar was over the sport of soccer, and the accomplishments and overwhelming reception of the Lady Vols indicate a bright future for the program. Head coach Charlie MacCabe’s squad had its share of first-year struggles -— including injuries, a lack of depth and tough first-year opponents. But the group could scarcely have been a better one to meet those challenges in terms of the effort it put forth and its ability to bounce back from adversity and hardship. “We laid out a very challenging course for ourselves in our first year,” admitted MacCabe, “but I think it was a great growing experience for the players and staff.” As the final Southeastern Conference school to add soccer, the Lady Vols finished with an overall record of 6-13-1, including a 3-5 slate in SEC action. The season’s highlight certainly was qualifying to play in the league tournament as a first-year team. Much of why MacCabe feels so positively about the season and the road ahead centers around the nucleus of the program—the athletes. His group of 19 showed its character in the way it focused on and responded to the task at hand. “We have a tremendous group of young women who are completely committed to the objectives of our program,” MacCabe credited. “They are outstanding students, very disciplined and have a tremendous enthusiasm.” The season began with a tremendous bang when 2,631 fans, including Olympic gold medalists Mia Hamm and Tisha Venturini, and the university’s president, cheered on the Lady Vols to a 7-0 rout over UT-Chattanooga on Aug. 30, in a battle between teams in their inaugural games. The standing-room-only crowd was one of the nation’s largest single-game turnouts and helped boost the Lady Vols to a 10th- place national finish in average attendance. Tennessee wasted no time in facing quality opponents when it hosted No. 17 Vanderbilt two days later. Another rousing crowd of 1,326 spectators witnessed the Lady Vols limit the Commodores to a single score in the first half before relinquishing three goals in the second stanza en route to a 4-0 loss. The Big Orange then took to the road for the first time, heading to the Lone Star state to face Texas and Baylor. Tennessee held a 1-0 lead against the Longhorns, but Texas responded with the next four goals to win 4-1. Against Baylor, Tennessee jumped out to a a 3-1 halftime cushion behind junior Holly Kimble’s two goals, only to see Baylor rally with three unanswered second-half tallies to send the Lady Vols home with a disappointing 4-3 defeat. However, the squad showed its character with a solid effort in their next two games. First, the team took to the road for an SEC matchup against second- year program Louisiana State. UT spoiled the Tigers’ home opener, and their first game ever in their brand- new facility, with a convincing 4-2 victory. The following two games, however, were a reminder that the team was still in its infancy. Back on their home turf, the Lady Vols held 32 eventual Western Division champion Arkansas scoreless for the first 88:58, but could not convert a shot themselves to counter what was the Razorbacks’ second-straight last-minute game-winning goal. A trip to eighth-ranked Clemson proved no easier for Tennessee. Although UT played the Tigers evenly in the second half, it could not overcome a five-goal Clemson scoring spree in the first period, nor its own two-game scoring drought. The Lady Vols then began their toughest stretch of the season, playing five games in 10 days, including three conference matchups and three games on the road. That portion of their maiden voyage started off quite well, however, as UT surprised South Carolina 3-2 behind Melissa Covington’s hat trick to notch its second SEC win. However, the subsequent trip to the Sunshine state is where Tennessee found the largest bumps in the road. The Lady Vols faced No. 7 Florida on its home turf, where a flurry of four Gator goals in the last 15 minutes of the first half sank Tennessee. But it did I Heather Handel and the Lady Vols enjoyed a successful inaugural campaign. not compare to what happened at the 62:15 mark. Sarah Shivley, UT’s lone healthy keeper, sprained her right shoulder and was forced to leave the game after a late challenge on a loose ball in the penalty area. Junior midfielder Bethany Himel got the nod to tend the net, collecting three saves and holding UF to one goal in her 28 minutes. Against Florida State two days later, Himel stopped three shots in the first half in which both the ‘Noles and the Lady Vols were scoreless. Then, four saves and one goal later, inexperience found Himel handling a ball outside of the penalty area. She was issued a red card and ejected from the game. Even though new keeper Brooke Sweeney saved three shots, four went past her, and Tennessee was shut out in losing, 5-0. The mettle of the UT soccer team shined through, however, when it faced traditional power SMU in Nashville only three days later. With Shivley back in goal, the Lady Vols played their best game of the season but finished on the short end of a 1-0 score. The grueling stretch ended with a 3-1 loss to Xavier at home, with the lone Tennessee goal coming off the foot of junior forward Debbie Markovich. Tennessee rebounded again when it edged UNC Asheville, 2-1, behind goals by Covington and Himel, then dropped a disappointing 2-1 match to Memphis. Next, the Lady Vols traveled to Murfreesboro and dominated Middle Tennessee State in all facets of the game to win 4-0, as Markovich notched two goals. The Orange and White’s final home game of the season brought No. 15 Kentucky to town. The crowd of 450 gave Tennessee a final home attendance average of 792, but the Lady Vols fell to the Wildcats by a count of 3-0. The next two matches against the conference Bulldogs would determine UT’s postseason fate, as it faced No. 25 Georgia and Mississippi State on the road. Tennessee began the trip with a hard-fought 2-1 loss in Athens. That set up the critical match against Mississippi State, on which the Lady Vols’ SEC tournament hopes rested. The first overtime game of Tennessee’s young program held more excitement than seemingly possible, but the Orange and White managed a 3-2 victory on a penalty kick by Kimble to earn an SEC Tournament berth. “Beating MSU on the road with an SEC tournament berth on the line in overtime-that was a big win for us,” MacCabe exclaimed. The regular season ended with UT’s second- straight overtime game, a 2-2 tie at Radford. At the SEC tournament in Lexington, Ky., eighth-seeded Tennessee battled top-seed Florida, as well as gale-like winds. The Lady Vols gave an outstanding defensive effort in the first half, but the Gators found the net three times early in the second half before the match ended at 73:07 because of torrential rainfall and nearby tornado warnings. Several Lady Vols stood out in helping establish the program, but MacCabe singled out the freshman class in terms of producing under tremendous pressure in their first year. Covington finished the season as the leading scorer, knocking in nine goals, including six in SEC games, and dishing out four assists for 22 points. Meanwhile, the Heathers—Handel and Redecker— had outstanding seasons as reliable defenders. Transfers Natalie Balash, Kimble and Kassie Kees also played major roles in the season’s successes. Kimble, as a midfielder, was UT’s second-leading scorer and served as co-captain, leading the squad both on the field and off. Kees, playing sweeper, and Balash, a co- captain, helped anchor the defense. “I expected our juniors and transfers to give solid performances, and they did,” MacCabe said. “But I was especially pleased with the performance of our freshman class.” Undaunted by being a fledgling program on and off the field, with no footsteps to follow and experiencing “firsts” on a daily basis, the soccer team achieved great success in the classroom. The squad earned the highest grade point average of any team during the fall semester, with three Lady Vols notching perfect 4.0s: Kathy Blakemore, Natalie Balash and Heather Redecker. Earning spots on the SEC Academic Honor Roll were Blakemore and junior Bethany Himel, the only two players on the team who met the initial criteria for the award of already having completed a full year at UT. Additionally, 13 of the 19 players finshed the year on the Dean’s List. “Whatever challenge confronted us, our players responded,” MacCabe concluded. “They were matched against experienced, seasoned opponents, and they learned to compete. I am excited about the future of our program.” After the success and growth experience in their first-ever season, it seems the sky is the limit for Lady Volunteer soccer.

IMG_5855.jpeg
 
You know me, I have a negative perspective these days. Take a look at the size of Tennessee's roster. We will have over 30 players. Remember, I think there's another open transfer portal., But I could be wrong. I think that's in the spring. Late spring. These large rosters are detrimental to the success of a program. If you look at a roster that has over 30 players, you will have 1/3 of the team at minimum that are disgruntled and despise their program. That many players that are upset, will bring a program to its knees. Especially a program that doesn't win consistent championships. Only 22 to 24 players get to travel. On another perspective, 1/3 of the players on a team that large will never get the opportunity to rise to their potential. Because they will become forgotten players. Large rosters is not the way to run a program. I will repeat this quote over and over and over again. Large rosters sink ships. It's just that simple. I've heard arguments that coaches need practice players. That type of comment annoys me to this day. No player goes to college, to be a practice player. These are competitors. And if they aren't playing, I promise they will not be very enthusiastic about helping starters get ready for games. Sure, there is a athletic ability piece to putting a team together but there is also a mental or philosophical piece. Required to put a good program together. The large roster diminishes the philosophical or mental piece. I support the idea of good old-fashioned competition. But this is not good old-fashioned competition. This is about survival. It's not healthy.


A roster of 30 is too many, I agree. I think the staff signed 1 or 2 too many freshmen and 1 or 2 too many transfers. Over-signing is often a sign of either coaching insecurity or a somewhat cynical effort to play the odds--meaning the more players you have, the better the chances of having some good players and thus having a better team. We played 22 players last year, by my count, and about 18 or so got significant minutes. Some of that was owing to injuries, but still, a lot of players got PT.

There are usually a couple (or small number) of players on a roster who understand that they're not going to play much, if at all, and are ok with that and happy to be part of the team. We had a couple last year--one of whom surprisingly got some PT after not playing hardly at all the previous two years. You need two keepers for spring practice, and so that may explain the keeper transfer from Ole Miss. We signed a '24 freshman keeper, but she won't arrive until August, like most or all of the freshmen. (We've also got a commitment from '25 keeper.)

There are at least two transfers that I don't get. While I admittedly haven't seen them play much, I have trouble believing, based on various factors, that they're going to be a demonstrable upgrade on players we already have or who are coming in as freshmen at the same position groups. You want to be pretty sure with transfers that the player is good enough to play and help/improve the team--but that's never certain until they start training. If you bring in players from big-name programs, as we did with two multi-year starters from Michigan, or players who were top prospects, as Latino was, well, they are going to expect to play--if not start, get good minutes. If not, yes, you could have some unhappy players. (I have a sense the two Michigan players are something of a package deal.) And, then, yea, when you bring in several transfers, you almost automatically set back the playing timetable for incoming freshmen and sophs who might have anticipated playing this year. This year is going to be a management challenge for the staff.

For years North Carolina had a very big roster--full of highly rated prospects--and very surprisingly most stayed with the program despite not getting much playing time. But now that bubble as burst--maybe for good. Apparently UNC has only 12 players on its spring roster, there have been so many departures--and there is speculation about why this has happened.

By the way, I just learned that Mackenzie George is playing for FH Hafnarfjörður in the top (I think it's the top) Icelandic league. She seems
to be a regular starter, though the team has lost most of its recent games.

Where would Vols soccer players be without Iceland!?
 
A roster of 30 is too many, I agree. I think the staff signed 1 or 2 too many freshmen and 1 or 2 too many transfers. Over-signing is often a sign of either coaching insecurity or a somewhat cynical effort to play the odds--meaning the more players you have, the better the chances of having some good players and thus having a better team. We played 22 players last year, by my count, and about 18 or so got significant minutes. Some of that was owing to injuries, but still, a lot of players got PT.

There are usually a couple (or small number) of players on a roster who understand that they're not going to play much, if at all, and are ok with that and happy to be part of the team. We had a couple last year--one of whom surprisingly got some PT after not playing hardly at all the previous two years. You need two keepers for spring practice, and so that may explain the keeper transfer from Ole Miss. We signed a '24 freshman keeper, but she won't arrive until August, like most or all of the freshmen. (We've also got a commitment from '25 keeper.)

There are at least two transfers that I don't get. While I admittedly haven't seen them play much, I have trouble believing, based on various factors, that they're going to be a demonstrable upgrade on players we already have or who are coming in as freshmen at the same position groups. You want to be pretty sure with transfers that the player is good enough to play and help/improve the team--but that's never certain until they start training. If you bring in players from big-name programs, as we did with two multi-year starters from Michigan, or players who were top prospects, as Latino was, well, they are going to expect to play--if not start, get good minutes. If not, yes, you could have some unhappy players. (I have a sense the two Michigan players are something of a package deal.) And, then, yea, when you bring in several transfers, you almost automatically set back the playing timetable for incoming freshmen and sophs who might have anticipated playing this year. This year is going to be a management challenge for the staff.

For years North Carolina had a very big roster--full of highly rated prospects--and very surprisingly most stayed with the program despite not getting much playing time. But now that bubble as burst--maybe for good. Apparently UNC has only 12 players on its spring roster, there have been so many departures--and there is speculation about why this has happened.

By the way, I just learned that Mackenzie George is playing for FH Hafnarfjörður in the top (I think it's the top) Icelandic league. She seems
to be a regular starter, though the team has lost most of its recent games.

Where would Vols soccer players be without Iceland!?
Now that's funny! I've always wanted to go to Iceland. Especially during Christmas! Now I can Tis the season in a Christmas wonderland and feel as if I never left Rocky Top! Hope she is doing well. I always appreciate an athlete that doesn't quit, even if I'm not a fan.

Yeah your right about UNC! Something has changed. Dorrance isn't as engaged with the players (which was why most stayed) and I believe, he probably 'retired' x5 years ago and is now just an old man on a side line slightly confused (we should all be so fortunate - I write that with respect) while his apprentices (who think they are smarter than the young Dorrance) take over and destroy the program. Has anyone ever met Nahas or Ducar? Absolute Primadonna's who think 'they're you know' what doesn't stink. Although I did not like Anson Dorrances recruiting style, he did have good relationships with his players. These other guys at Chapel Hill are about to learn a very important lesson. Great leaders only come once in a century.
 
A roster of 30 is too many, I agree. I think the staff signed 1 or 2 too many freshmen and 1 or 2 too many transfers. Over-signing is often a sign of either coaching insecurity or a somewhat cynical effort to play the odds--meaning the more players you have, the better the chances of having some good players and thus having a better team. We played 22 players last year, by my count, and about 18 or so got significant minutes. Some of that was owing to injuries, but still, a lot of players got PT.

There are usually a couple (or small number) of players on a roster who understand that they're not going to play much, if at all, and are ok with that and happy to be part of the team. We had a couple last year--one of whom surprisingly got some PT after not playing hardly at all the previous two years. You need two keepers for spring practice, and so that may explain the keeper transfer from Ole Miss. We signed a '24 freshman keeper, but she won't arrive until August, like most or all of the freshmen. (We've also got a commitment from '25 keeper.)

There are at least two transfers that I don't get. While I admittedly haven't seen them play much, I have trouble believing, based on various factors, that they're going to be a demonstrable upgrade on players we already have or who are coming in as freshmen at the same position groups. You want to be pretty sure with transfers that the player is good enough to play and help/improve the team--but that's never certain until they start training. If you bring in players from big-name programs, as we did with two multi-year starters from Michigan, or players who were top prospects, as Latino was, well, they are going to expect to play--if not start, get good minutes. If not, yes, you could have some unhappy players. (I have a sense the two Michigan players are something of a package deal.) And, then, yea, when you bring in several transfers, you almost automatically set back the playing timetable for incoming freshmen and sophs who might have anticipated playing this year. This year is going to be a management challenge for the staff.

For years North Carolina had a very big roster--full of highly rated prospects--and very surprisingly most stayed with the program despite not getting much playing time. But now that bubble as burst--maybe for good. Apparently UNC has only 12 players on its spring roster, there have been so many departures--and there is speculation about why this has happened.

By the way, I just learned that Mackenzie George is playing for FH Hafnarfjörður in the top (I think it's the top) Icelandic league. She seems
to be a regular starter, though the team has lost most of its recent games.

Where would Vols soccer players be without Iceland!?
She’s made some fun TikToks about life over there as an athlete. I also imagine she might be hoping between USL and NWSL growth to one day be able to make the leap to playing at least semi-professionally here. It’s hard to make a roster though.
 
Now that's funny! I've always wanted to go to Iceland. Especially during Christmas! Now I can Tis the season in a Christmas wonderland and feel as if I never left Rocky Top! Hope she is doing well. I always appreciate an athlete that doesn't quit, even if I'm not a fan.

Yeah your right about UNC! Something has changed. Dorrance isn't as engaged with the players (which was why most stayed) and I believe, he probably 'retired' x5 years ago and is now just an old man on a side line slightly confused (we should all be so fortunate - I write that with respect) while his apprentices (who think they are smarter than the young Dorrance) take over and destroy the program. Has anyone ever met Nahas or Ducar? Absolute Primadonna's who think 'they're you know' what doesn't stink. Although I did not like Anson Dorrances recruiting style, he did have good relationships with his players. These other guys at Chapel Hill are about to learn a very important lesson. Great leaders only come once in a century.
Here is a list of Lady Vols playing in the Pros.

  • Michelle Alozie - Houston Dash (NWSL)
  • Carlyn Baldwin- SC Braga (Portugal)
  • Abbey Burdette - UMF Selfoss (Iceland)
  • Katie Cousins - Valur (Iceland)
  • Mackenzie George - FH Hafnarfjordur (Iceland)
  • Danielle Marcano - Ankara Fomget (Turkey)
  • Maya Neal - Afturelding FC (Iceland)
  • Sonia Ouchene Salón - Montpellier HSC (France)


  • Bunny Shaw - Manchester City (United Kingdom)
  • Hannah Tillett - Sundsvalls DFF(Sweden)
  • MA Vignola - Angel City FC (NWSL)
  • Hannah Wilkinson - Melbourne City (Australia)
  • Shae Yanez - Bristol City (United Kingdom)
  • Nayeli Diaz - Pachyca (Mexico)
 
She mentions selling a lot of Tennessee soccer gear.




 
She mentions selling a lot of Tennessee soccer gear.





Thanks for posting. She’s got some tempting stuff! I might buy those leggings…
 
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PLAYER SIGNING: MURIEL KROFLIN​

MECHANICSBURG, Pa. – The Eagle FC Women would like to welcome BIG XII and University of Oklahoma Midfielder Muriel Kroflin for the 2024 Eagle FC USL W League Season!
A native of Langenargen, Germany, Muriel was a member of the German Youth National Team where she appeared in 20 matches, leading them to the Four Nations Title in 2020. This past season at the University of Oklahoma she appeared in 20 matches (starting 18), recording 1 Goal and adding 3 assists leading the Sooners to the BIG XII Conference Quarterfinals. She will be spending the summer with us before heading to the University Tennessee to compete in the SEC Conference.

I am excited for the opportunity to play for Eagle FC in the USL W League. This is a totally new experience for me and I am looking forward to competing with and against the best players in the country before heading to the University of Tennessee.
Muriel Kroflin
Welcome Muriel, pending USL W League and federation approval.
 

From The Daily Tar Heel

UNC women's soccer faces major roster turnover for 2024 season​


Following the North Carolina women’s soccer team’s 4-3 loss to BYU in the NCAA tournament quarterfinals, 21 players have left the program by way of entering the transfer portal, going pro or graduating.

Now, with the mass exodus of 74.4 percent of the team — including 60 percent of the Tar Heels responsible for goal and assist production — head coach Anson Dorrance faces the tall task of replenishing the roster if he wants to continue his 44-year streak of making the tournament.

Among the departures are star players such as redshirt sophomore forward Ally Sentnor and first-year defender Savy King who both opted to go pro early, as well as redshirt senior defender Maycee Bell who finished her five years at North Carolina and entered the National Women's Soccer League draft. However, there are also nine players from last year’s team that are transferring from the program.

Dorrance said after senior day that all of the seniors on the roster would either enter the draft, or transfer to a program where they’d get more playing time. This proved true, as forward Avery Patterson and midfielders Sam Meza and Talia DellaPeruta all elected to go pro while midfielder Kai Hayes and defender Paige Tolentino transferred to Baylor and N.C. State, respectively.

Aside from the expected transfer of those two seniors, seven other players from UNC entered the portal, including two first-year players, midfielder Melina Rebimbas and forward Mia Oliaro, the No. 3 and No. 18 players in the 2023 recruiting class.

With all of the departures, the Tar Heels currently have more players leaving the program than they do staying, with just 18 players on their roster for next season, including incoming 2024 recruits. However, the players North Carolina currently has do have starting experience, with six returning players having notched a start in 2023.

Rising sophomore midfielder Evelyn Shores carved out a starting role for herself before getting injured in the Wake Forest game and being forced to sit out the rest of the season. In addition, rising junior forward Maddie Dahlien was a key piece in Dorrance’s “Game Changer” lineup that came off of the bench, putting a shot on goal in every NCAA tournament game. Additionally, in the U-20 World Cup in 2020, Dahlien scored a hat-trick in the Group A game against Jamaica.

While Dorrance's plans to replenish over a third of North Carolina's roster from last season remains unknown, it's clear he has a long way to go before he has a full team ready for the 2024 season.
 
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From The Daily Tar Heel

UNC women's soccer faces major roster turnover for 2024 season​


Following the North Carolina women’s soccer team’s 4-3 loss to BYU in the NCAA tournament quarterfinals, 21 players have left the program by way of entering the transfer portal, going pro or graduating.

Now, with the mass exodus of 74.4 percent of the team — including 60 percent of the Tar Heels responsible for goal and assist production — head coach Anson Dorrance faces the tall task of replenishing the roster if he wants to continue his 44-year streak of making the tournament.

Among the departures are star players such as redshirt sophomore forward Ally Sentnor and first-year defender Savy King who both opted to go pro early, as well as redshirt senior defender Maycee Bell who finished her five years at North Carolina and entered the National Women's Soccer League draft. However, there are also nine players from last year’s team that are transferring from the program.

Dorrance said after senior day that all of the seniors on the roster would either enter the draft, or transfer to a program where they’d get more playing time. This proved true, as forward Avery Patterson and midfielders Sam Meza and Talia DellaPeruta all elected to go pro while midfielder Kai Hayes and defender Paige Tolentino transferred to Baylor and N.C. State, respectively.

Aside from the expected transfer of those two seniors, seven other players from UNC entered the portal, including two first-year players, midfielder Melina Rebimbas and forward Mia Oliaro, the No. 3 and No. 18 players in the 2023 recruiting class.

With all of the departures, the Tar Heels currently have more players leaving the program than they do staying, with just 18 players on their roster for next season, including incoming 2024 recruits. However, the players North Carolina currently has do have starting experience, with six returning players having notched a start in 2023.

Rising sophomore midfielder Evelyn Shores carved out a starting role for herself before getting injured in the Wake Forest game and being forced to sit out the rest of the season. In addition, rising junior forward Maddie Dahlien was a key piece in Dorrance’s “Game Changer” lineup that came off of the bench, putting a shot on goal in every NCAA tournament game. Additionally, in the U-20 World Cup in 2020, Dahlien scored a hat-trick in the Group A game against Jamaica.

While Dorrance's plans to replenish over a third of North Carolina's roster from last season remains unknown, it's clear he has a long way to go before he has a full team ready for the 2024 season.
Another one leaving? Wonder what is happening and why so many have left UNC.

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Updated roster, with 20 players listed. They include transfers Cuneio and Latino. That they are listed
may mean that they are enrolled and thus can participate in spring practice, which would be a very good thing.
I say that because other transfers are not listed on the roster, which I assume means that they've not yet enrolled and probably won't until the
fall and thus will not participate in spring practice. In a perfect world you'd want all your transfers to take part in spring practice,
because the fall preseason training period is short--at most 3 weeks, if that--and the coaches have to make a lot of decisions
in a short period of time (and in some cases did not make the right decisions last year).

When the other transfers and the incoming freshman arrive we'll be back up to a roster of 30 or so, which is a lot--arguably
a bit too large. We should not lack for overall talent. We may lack experience at certain positions, and cohesion early on, what with a LOT
of new players--but it should be a group with a nice mix of experience and young talent. It's up to the coaches to take it from there.

Transfer Ella Giannola from Ohio State has been added to the spring roster, so it’s now up to 21. She will be wearing #9.
 
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