HAMMOND – Led by seven returning All-Southland Conference performers, the defending Southland Conference Tournament champion Southeastern Louisiana women's soccer team opened practice on Wednesday in preparation for the upcoming 2010 season.

The Lady Lions return 15 letterwinners from last season's team, which posted a 13-5-2 overall record and a 6-1-1 league record – good for a second place finish. Southeastern saved its best performances for the Southland Conference Tournament, earning its second league tournament title with wins over Stephen F. Austin and Texas State.

Southeastern advanced to the NCAA College Cup for the first time in school history, traveling to Tallahassee, Fla. for a matchup against No. 6 seed Florida State. Though the Lady Lions fell to FSU, 4-1, Maiya Cooper scored the program's first NCAA Tournament goal and the defense held the Seminoles scoreless in the second half.

Cooper and Karly Dagys lead Southeastern offensively, as the Lady Lion forward duo is coming off a 2009 campaign that saw them team to form Division I's top freshman scoring duo. Cooper finished the year with a team-high 14 goals, while Dagys was third on the squad with eight goals. Freshman forward and Hammond native Cambri Prevost is among several newcomers expected to help up top.

Senior Natalie Santana, a two-time All-Southland performer, returns to anchor the midfield. The Cypress, Calif. native has led the league in assists in each of the past two seasons and heads into her final campaign needing five assists to match the league and school career mark. Sophomores Lauren Stillians and Kerry McWhirter are expected to join Santana to give Southeastern a strong midfield nucleus.




In the back, Southeastern returns three starters from a defense that set or matched single-season Southland standards for fewest goals allowed (13), shutouts (13) and lowest goals against average (0.63). Seniors Nicole Brannigan and Brittany Prieto, as well as junior Kyle MacIntosh give Southeastern an experienced back line featuring a trio of A. Newcomers Lauren Crawford, Jaci Teresinski, Shanyce Shaw and Kelsey Salcido, along with returners Sam McNally and Kalyn Tanner should all compete for time in the back.

Those that get past the Lady Lion backfield will encounter junior goalkeeper Lacey Bockhaus, who was a first team All-Southland and All-Louisiana selection after posting arguably the best season ever by a Southeastern goalie. Bockhaus set single-season Southland records with 12 shutouts and a 0.64 goals against average. The San Leandro, Calif. native heads into the season needing four shutouts to become the school's career leader in shutouts and five shutouts from the league's career standard.

Southeastern will open the 2010 season on Aug. 20, hosting Mississippi Valley State at 3:30 p.m. at the Southeastern Soccer Complex. The Lady Lions head to Lake Charles on Oct. 1 to open the Southland campaign at McNeese State. Southeastern will look to finish in the top six teams in the league standings and advance to the Southland Conference Tournament on Nov. 4-7 in San Marcos, Texas.




2010 Southeastern Louisiana Women's Soccer Schedule

AUGUST
20, MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE, 3:30 p.m.; 22, SOUTHERN MISS, 4 p.m.; 27, at Troy, 4 p.m.; 29, at Alabama State, 1 p.m.

SEPTEMBER
5, SOUTHERN, 4 p.m.; 10, at Jacksonville State#, 7:30 p.m.; vs. Austin Peay#, 12 p.m.; 17, LOUISIANA-MONROE, 4:30 p.m.; 19, LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE, 1 p.m.; 24, GRAMBLING, 4:30 p.m.

OCTOBER
1, at McNeese State*, 7 p.m.; 3, at Lamar*, 2 p.m.; 10, at Nicholls*, 1 p.m.; 15, SAM HOUSTON STATE, 3:30 p.m.; 17, STEPHEN F. AUSTIN*, 1 p.m.; 22, at UTSA*, 7 p.m.; 24, at Texas State*, 1 p.m.; 29, CENTRAL ARKANSAS*, 3 p.m.; 31, NORTHWESTERN STATE*, 1 p.m.

NOVEMBER
4-7, at Southland Conference Tournament$, TBA

Home matches in ALL CAPS
* - Southland Conference
# - Adidas Gamecock Classic (Jacksonville, Ala.)
$ - San Marcos, Texas