COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The Maryland women's soccer team begins its 2016 season with a pair of home matches this weekend at Ludwig Field. The Terps take on TCU in the season opener Friday at 7 p.m. before facing off with Gardner-Webb at 1 p.m. Sunday.
Friday night's match will feature a Maryland women's soccer poster giveaway. Fans in attendance will have the opportunity to receive the 2016 women's soccer power. Sunday's match is Camper Reunion Day. Campers that attended a 2016 women's soccer camp will receive free admission to the match.
Setting the stage
What: Maryland vs. TCU/Maryland vs. Gardner-Webb
Where: Ludwig Field
When: 7 p.m./Friday, 1 p.m./Sunday
TV/Stream: N/A
Radio: N/A
Live Stats: Match 1 | Match 2
Leone returns home
The weekend will mark first-year head coach Ray Leone's debut as the helm of the Maryland women's soccer team. The Severna Park, Md., native brings 20 years of experience as a college coach after nine years at Harvard, where he led the Crimson to five NCAA Tournament appearances and five Ivy League titles.
Leone has racked up 282 wins in his career, which ranks 21st among active Division I head coaches. In addition to Harvard, Leone has led Clemson, Arizona State and Creighton. He was a three-time all-conference selection as a player at Charlotte.
Turner, Phillips, egyed named big ten players to Watch
Maryland junior midfielder Madison Turner, redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Rachel Egyed and sophomore Cassie Phillips were named Big Ten Players to Watch.
Turner started 11 matches in 2015 in a variety of roles for the Terps and scored one goal. She played in all 19 contests and recorded 14 shots.
Phillips burst onto the scene as a freshman, playing in 18 games with eight starts. She notched 16 shots, good enough for third on the team.
Egyed has served as a backup behind decorated Terrapin keeper Rachelle Beanlands the last two seasons. In limited action last season, the redshirt sophomore started one match and played 138 minutes.
Sensational seniors
Maryland will feature three seniors that return from the 2015 season. Natasha Ntone-Kouo brings the most experience of the group after starting 12 games last season. Midfielders Lisa Bianchini and Hope Gouterman both tallied goals in 2015 and will look to make more of an impact this season.
terps add six freshmen
Maryland add six freshman after the graduation of 10 seniors in 2015. Former USA U-18 National Team call up Jlon Flippens headlines the group. The Philadelphia native ended her prep career with 92 goals, a William Penn Charter School record.
Hannah Hoefs and Niven Hegeman were both local standouts at Linganore and Mountain Ridge respectively. Hoefs was a two-time Maryland All-State selection while Hegeman received that honor in 2015.
Lauren Frank helped Hebron High School win a Texas State Championship in 2014, while Julia New led The First Academy to six straight district titles in Orlando, Fla. New Jersey native Kate Swetz rounds out the group after winning the 2015 ECNL National Championship with her club team PDA.
Maryland's class is spread throughout the country, with six players representing five states (Maryland, Pennsylvania, Florida, Texas, New Jersey).
Transfer terps
The Terrapins will feature six transfers who will look to bolster the squad in 2016. The Maryland attack will now see Jarena Harmon, who scored seven goals at Pittsburgh last season, try and lead the line. In addition, Oklahoma transfer Chelsea Jackson, owner of five assists and two goals in two seasons as a Sooner, is another option up front for the Terps.
Former Northern Illinois player Marisa Knott can play a variety of positions after playing in 28 games in two years for the Huskies. Maryland native Jenna Surdick started 13 games last season at Coastal Carolina.
Between the sticks, the arrival of Katelyn Jensen and Stephanie Senn bolsters Maryland's depth. Jensen had a standout freshman campaign at Kentucky while Senn is an experienced hand after starting 60 games over three seasons at Kent State.
two-sport star
Senior Emily Kift will make her first appearance in a Maryland women's soccer uniform this weekend after joining the team after three years with the national championship winning women's lacrosse team.
Kift has played 21 games in goal for head coach Cathy Reese's squad and captured two national championships. The Santa Ana, California native will spend the fall at Ludwig Field before returning to lacrosse in the spring.
