THIS WEEK: The University of San Francisco women's soccer team will open the 2012 regular season Friday, when it travels to San Jose State for a 7 p.m. kickoff. Sunday, the Dons will kick off the home slate of the campaign, as they host Fresno State at 1 p.m.
EXHIBITION PLAY: The Dons played one exhibition game prior to the regular season, falling 4-2 to host UC Davis. Two sophomores,
Jaciara Mello and
Mackenzie Krieser, tallied goals for the Dons.
MILLINDER ERA: The 2012 season marks the first of the
Jim Millinder era on the Hilltop. Millinder, a two-time Pac-10 Coach of the Year, brings elite coaching and playing experience to the program. After spending the previous 13 seasons as a Division I head coach, Millinder has spent the last four years coaching for the South Bay Force club team and was elevated to the Girl's Director of Coaching for 2010-11. Millinder spent 11 successful seasons at USC where he guided The Women of Troy to a 135-70-21 (.645) slate, highlighted by eight appearances in the NCAA tournament. After leaving the Southland as the winningest coach in program history in 2006, USC captured the 2007 NCAA Championship with a roster stacked with Millinder recruits, including 2008 Honda Award Finalist Kristin Olsen and 2005 Gatorade National Prep Player of the Year Amy Rodriguez – a 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist and current US National Team member.
USF RETURNS THREE ALL-LEAGUE PERFORMERS: USF returns three All-West Coast Conference performers this season, including a pair of sophomores.
Christina Moberg, a junior from Norway, earned second team honors last year, marking the second straight season she earned recognition from the league. In 2011, Moberg led the Dons' in scoring with 13 points, thanks to five goals and three assists. The 13 points marks the most in a single season for a member of the Green and Gold since Chelsea Hunt tallied 22 during the 2005 campaign. In addition last season, newcomers
Mackenzie Krieser and
Jaciara Mello were both named to the West Coast Conference All-Freshman Team. Krieser posted a dozen points for the Dons thanks to five goals and a pair of assists, while Mello played an integral part of the USF midfield starting all 20 matches, while tallying two goals and a pair of assists.
