Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Raider Soccer Begins Training Camp
8/4/2017 4:24:00 PM | Women's Soccer
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Blue Raider soccer is back in action this week with 25 players reporting to fall camp with Head Coach Aston Rhoden to prepare for the 2017 season.
In just a few short days, the Blue Raiders have shown some early promise in picking up the Middle Tennessee system that Rhoden has put in place.
"Training camp has gone well so far," said Rhoden. "We're only two days in but certainly the players are picking up a lot of the information that we have been providing them. We've still got a long ways to go obviously but I'm pleased with our progress.
"It is kind of weird, when they are gone you miss them but It's good to have them back because it's always fun. Preseason is the most fun for me because it's the start of something new and different. It's the chance to make a change from the last season so I'm really excited that they are here. I did miss really all the teasing that they all give me on a daily basis so now that's back. So hopefully it won't be too much for me to handle."
The squad boasts 14 returners and 11 newcomers, 18 of which are underclassman.
Six regular starters return to the pitch for the Blue Raiders including three-year starter Cameron Cox and All-Conference USA Third Team selection Sydney Navarro.
Joining Cox and Navarro as returning starters are goalkeeper Sydney Chalcraft, defenders Casey Riemer and Kerri Cook, and midfielder Amber Hoot. Cook and Hoot both had two goals and one assist a season ago.
The returning core will provide solid depth for Blue Raider newcomers to grow under.
"[Our returners] give us a lot of depth in the team and a lot of variety," said Cook. "We have returners at a lot of different positions and I think we're able to help out the younger players in terms of what to do and how we do things here. I think they have picked up on our motto of 'One More' and I think that it is finally clicking with them."
Other significant returners for the Blue Raiders include goalkeeper Celeste Barnard, defender Charlotte Van Ishoven and midfielder Sally Gill. Van Ishoven had three assists last season for MT.
After suffering a season ending injury in 2016, forward Sam DeBien also returns ready to hit the field for the Raiders. She had one goal last year in her five games.
As the team's three seniors, fellow Raiders will be looking to Cook, Cox and Gill to take on leadership roles in 2017.
"We are looking for Kerri, Sally and Cam to basically help the younger players understand the tradition we have, what it takes to be a part of our program and what is expected," Rhoden said. "We are certainly looking for them to show not just verbally but also in the way they train and the way they play, the way they communicate and their attitude, their work ethic, and how they respond to feedback."
"I think all of them as returning players have taken that responsibility on without us having to really force or remind them to. I'm pleased with the attitude and the mindset those players have."
There are many new faces for MT this season that include ten freshmen. Goalkeeper Eda Senger, defenders Leslie Frye, Carolin Englehard and Tionna Thompson, midfielder Annica Fletemeyer and forwards Elizabeth Watts, Alexandra Palmer, Madeleine Schricker and Peyton DePriest make up the list of first-year collegiate soccer players.
The Raiders also add two sophomore junior college transfers in defender Valentina Manns and midfielder Harriet Jones.
"We're still a young program," shared Aston. "We've got mostly freshman and sophomores that make up a significant part of the team. We've just been trying to focus on our philosophy of playing, our attacking and defensive philosophy. That's kind of the big thing for the next week or so."
"We've talked about making sure our communication is effective. We've talked about making sure our attitude when we have the ball and when we don't have the ball is good. We've talked about making sure we're coaching each other on the field. We've talked about making sure our work and our effort is always high. So those are the four things that we have been focusing on and I think we're starting to see some of the benefits of that in our play."
Middle's first match will be an exhibition at Alabama on Thursday, August 10 at 7pm. The first chance to see the Raiders at home will be on Sunday, August 20 against Austin Peay at 6pm.
