GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – Opening their season at home this year, the #22 Colorado Mesa University Women's Soccer Team begins their 2025 campaign this weekend as they host the Colorado Mesa Kickoff Weekend at Community Hospital Unity Field.
Taking place over three days, the Mavericks host the opposing schools of St. Edward's University, St. Mary's University and Fort Lewis College during the weekend with the Mavs taking on both Texas schools and then hosting a neutral site game between Fort Lewis and St. Edward's.
Colorado Mesa will faceoff with St. Edward's on Thursday at 7 P.M. before taking on St. Mary's on Saturday at 11 A.M.
Each of the schools are also in-region opponents with the games having an impact on further seedings down the road for getting into the NCAA Tournament. Both schools hail from the Lone Star Conference, which represents the other conference in the South Central Region with the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
HOW LAST YEAR ENDED
Entering the first year under the new leadership of Head Coach Jody Lingafeldt, the Mavs captured a successful season in 2024 with them earning a bid to their second-straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament and reaching as far as the second round. The Mavs finished the year with an overall record of 14-2-4 while going 11-1 in RMAC play.
They reached a winning streak as high as nine during the regular season while never losing a game at home, going 7-0-1.
They finished second in the RMAC standings and ultimately fell in a penalty kick shootout in the first round of the RMAC Tournament but thanks to their regular season efforts they earned the #5 seed in the South Central Region of the NCAA Tournament. They fared 1-1 in last year's tournament with them narrowly defeating Midwestern State 2-1 in the first round before dropping a heartbreaker in a penalty kick shootout to #1 Colorado School of Mines.
This was the Mavs' second-straight year winning at least one game in the NCAA Tournament.
Upon the conclusion of the season, the team earned two players to All-Region and six to All-Conference. In addition, they also earned one of the major conference awards with Keely Wieczorek being named the RMAC goalkeeper of the year. Six players were named to Academic All-District with 14 earning Academic Honor Roll and two being named to the Academic All-RMAC First Team.
THIS YEAR'S TEAM
Looking to bolster on last year's performance, the Mavs have a revamped look this season with 13 new players joining the team and 14 returning from last year's squad. Of those 13 new players, eight of them are incoming freshmen with the five others being transfers.
In addition to the new look of the players, new assistant coach, Kristal Luna, has also joined the team as she was announced as part of the staff on August sixth. She will aide Head Coach Jody Lingafeldt who is in her second season with the Mavs after being named the team's new Head Coach in the spring of 2024.
Serving as key players to return to the pitch are the group of Sarah Dunn, Kylie Wells, Braelyn Baclayon, Ally Wachtel and Keely Wieczorek as each of them appeared in all 20 games last season. Dunn, Wachtel and Wieczorek were all named to All-RMAC as well with Wachtel being the lone returner to be named All-Region in 2024.
Dunn scored five goals with four assists a season ago as she returns as the top offensive threat while Wells and Baclayon added four goals each. Wieczorek held down the net in 2024 with her totaling 58 saves and only allowing 16 goals over 20 games for a 0.80 goals allowed average. In addition, Wieczorek is currently tied for the program lead with 20 solo shutouts making her one away from being the program's all-time leader.
Some other notable names to watch for this season include Savanah Miller, Bree McCullough, Maddie Thorsen and Olivia Barrett as each of them saw action in 17 or more games in 2024. Transfers Mari Ige and Angelina Kazinec will also have an impact with Ige being an All-Conference performer at Cal Poly Humboldt last year and Kazinec being a Junior College All-American at Sierra College.
Entering the year the Mavs are ranked #22 in the Preseason Poll as voted by the United Soccer Coach Association with them being one of two RMAC schools to make the list joining Colorado School of Mines who is the preseason #4 ranked team.
ABOUT ST. EDWARD'S
The Hilltoppers finished 2024 with a record of 9-7-3 while suffering a similar ending to their season as the Mavs as they fell in a penalty kick shoot-out in their conference tournament. They went 7-5-1 in their conference games with them ending in sixth place in the Lone Star Conference.
Entering this season, they were voted to finish sixth in the conference with the players of Annie Rocha, Marie Hannedouche and Daria Schlumbohm earning recognition to the conference's players to watch list. Rocha highlights that group as she was the LSC's Preseason Offensive Player of the Year.
In 2024 Rocha led the team with 10 goals to finish second in the conference while also being named the LSC Freshman of the Year in her first collegiate season. Hannedouche and Schlumbohm both earn recognition after being other top players for the team last season as well. Hannedouche was a top defender for the squad finishing with six assists and one goal in 17 starts while Schlumbohm started all 19 contests in the net totaling 91 saves and a 0.99 goals against average.
Beyond Colorado Mesa, the Hilltoppers face off with two other RMAC schools on their schedule as they take on Fort Lewis and UCCS during their non-conference portion of the season.
ABOUT ST. MARY'S
Much like St. Edward's, the Rattlers had a similar season in 2024 with them finishing at 9-7-3 as well while going 7-4-2 in the Lone Star. They were qualifiers for the Lone Star Conference Tournament but fell in the first round with a 3-1 loss to Midwestern State. They finished just one place above St. Edward's in the conference in fifth place.
This season they were picked to finish fifth in the LSC while earning one selection to the players to watch list in Elena Kossler.
13 players are returning for the Rattlers from last year's team with the most notable being Shelby Paniagua and Sydney Varela. Paniagua is a two-time All Region selection for the team with her totaling 22 points in 2024 on eight goals and six assists. In addition, she was also a perfect 5-5 on penalty kicks. Varela is returning after missing much of last year due to an injury but was an All-Conference performer in 2023.
Prior to facing off with the Mavs, the Rattlers take on Fort Lewis College in Durango on Thursday before the trip up to Grand Junction.
HOW TO LISTEN/WATCH
Streaming will occur via the RMAC Network through their pay per view plan with live stats available online to follow along with. Tickets for the event can be purchased online at cmumavericks.com/tickets or in person at the gate.
