After months of anticipation, the 2020-21 UTM soccer season officially started this afternoon as the squad took the pitch for their first official practice at Skyhawk Field.
Head coach Phil McNamara oversees a 2020-21 roster that includes 16 returners from the 2019 team that produced an 8-6-5 overall mark and a 6-2-2 Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) record, which was good enough for third place in the league standings.
Included in the mix of returners is four players who have received postseason honors in their respective careers. Last season Maria Castaldo was named to the All-OVC first team defense while Bella Roberts was tabbed to the All-OVC second team offense. In 2018, goalkeeper Erica Myers was named to the All-OVC first team while Kamryn Chappell earned a spot on the OVC All-Newcomer team in 2017.
The Skyhawks welcome seven newcomers to the veteran group including Division I transfers in Courtney Turner (Louisiana Monroe), Megan Drake (Eastern Washington) and Ryann Mushkin (Mississippi State).
UTM will spend the next 30 days preparing for the season opener against Eastern Illinois on March 2 at home.
