The Fall 2010 soccer season officially gets underway at Wayland Baptist University on Monday when the Pioneer women's and men's teams kick off against Texas Wesleyan University at Hilliard Field. The women's game begins at 5 pm, followed by the men at 7 pm.

With ten returning players and a group of experienced newcomers on hand, the WBU women are looking to rebound from a disappointing season in 2009 when they won only three games and failed to reach postseason play.

Among the returners are four seniors who have spent their entire careers in a Wayland uniform. Midfielder Najuka Anderson (MF, Lubbock, TX) is the all-time leading point producer at WBU; Jeneé Norris (MF, Pampa, TX) is the team's returning MVP and the career leader in minutes played; and Kylie Middleton (GK, Lubbock, TX) is the all-time leader in wins. Amber Perez (MF, Lubbock, TX) is the other three-year letterwinner. She missed almost a month of the 2009 season with an injury and her absence had a lot to do with the decrease in point production last fall.

Another senior who transferred to WBU a year ago from Ranger Junior College is Roxanne Pasley (F/Garland, TX), the team's third-leading scorer. Haley Hill (F/MF, San Angelo, TX), a former Pioneer volleyball player, made the decision to move to the soccer field for her final year. She was a standout outdoors at San Angelo's Lake View High.

The WBU junior class includes returners Ashley Woodall (W/F, Lafayette, LA) and Rebekah Windham (F, Granbury, TX), along with newcomers Alejandra Cano (D, El Paso, TX) and Samantha Garcia (GK/D, Brownwood, TX). Cano comes to Wayland from El Paso Community College, while Garcia arrived from Western Texas College where she was among the NJCAA leaders in goals against.

Three sophomores, Courtney Chambers (F/MF, Spearman, TX), Courtney Floth (MF/D, Las Vegas, NV) and Stephanie Coronado (F, El Paso, TX), are back for another year of action.  They are joined by Corita Kraemer (F/Lafayette, LA), a former high school teammate of Woodall's who transferred in from the University of Lousiana-Lafayette.

Pioneer head coach Shiloh Posey expects a lot of good things from his three freshmen. Kathleen Stewart (GK/MF, Wichita Falls, TX) and Emarie Holland (F, Burkburnett, TX) were district rivals in high school. Stewart was the co-MVP of District 9-4A at Rider High, while Holland earned first team All-District honors at Burkburnett High. The other first-year player, Alyssa Guerra (GK, Lubbock, TX) was an honorable mention All-District selection at Lubbock High School.

Posey believes this year's team is much more well-balanced overall than in previous years, with more size, especially up front.

"We have good talent, and although we are young, I believe that we will be much improved. We have good speed and experience in the middle, and a lot of different options on the back end. Our focus is to finish in the top eight and make it to the conference tournament."

The Pioneers were picked to finish last in the SAC Preseason Coaches' poll, and Posey says his team will use that as motivation.

"That was a kick in the pants to the girls and they are working incredibly hard to see that they can prove the other coaches wrong."

The Wayland men are beginning their sophomore season in 2010 and Posey believes the team will be much improved with a year under its belt.

"The guys that are back know what to expect. We also had a good recruiting year and I think if we play up to our potential we could make it into the top eight and get a chance to play in the conference tournament."

Senior Daniel Williams (CMF, Tucson, AZ) is the leader of the Pioneer men. Last fall he was the team's Offensive MVP.

Other returning lettermen are senior John Redig (MF, League City, TX) and sophomores Cole Stutz (F, Amarillo, TX), Gerardo Espinoza (MF, The Colony, TX), Hayden Hough (MF, Colorado Springs, CO), Trevor Baier (MF, Frisco, TX), and Trevor Burkhead (F, Lubbock, TX).

Burkhead was the team Defensive MVP a year ago, but because of the depth on the back end this fall, will move to the offensive end in 2010.

The Pioneers' major acquisition over the summer was the addition of goalkeeper Daniel Metcalfe, who played last year at the University of the Southwest. Metcalfe has extensive experience playing in Britain and Australia.

Other newcomers include junior Cody McClary (MF/D, Amarillo, TX), a junior transfer from Garden City (KS) Community College, junior transfer Selamani Ngaruko (MF, Euless, TX) from Ranger JC, and sophomore transfers Carlos Mellado (CM, Rio Rancho, NM) from Eastern New Mexico and Cesar Vallin (MF/F, Guadalajara, Mexico) from Western Texas College.

Vallin brings good size to the Pioneers, as does freshman Guillermo Villarreal (D, El Paso, TX). Speed will be provided by Aaron Kurtz (MF, Wichita Falls, TX) and David Ajibero (F, Kabba, Nigeria). Kurtz, who has a great understanding of the game, according to Posey, was an All-District selection at Wichita Falls' Rider High, while Ajibero was a TAPPS 3A state champion in the 100m at Cypress Christian School.

The other freshman on Posey's roster is Andrew Johnston (D, Amarillo, TX) who originally signed with Oklahoma Christian University out of Amarillo High.

The Pioneers struggled offensively in their debut season, but Posey says this team should improve dramatically in that department. "We should be way up in scoring goals this year. Our issue will be in getting them the ball.  The guys did a great job of working this summer and I love the potential this team has."

After Monday's home games, both Wayland teams take to the road with matches at McMurry and at Howard Payne. The men return home again on Sept. 13 to face ENMU. The other nonconference home game for the soccer teams is against the University of the Southwest on Sept. 20.

The conference season begins on Sept. 28 at home against Oklahoma Baptist, followed on Oct. 2 against Rogers State. The women will face Northwestern Oklahoma State at home on Oct. 13.

Mid-America Christian comes calling on Oct. 19, and then the Pioneers finish up the season at home with two straight --- on Oct. 29 against USAO and on Nov. 2 versus Lubbock Christian.