Season Preview: 2023 Women's Soccer

DURANGO, Colo. – The Fort Lewis College women's soccer team is back on the pitch for the 2023 season with 12 newcomers added to the mix and the goal of returning to the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament for the fifth-straight season.

Looking Back

Fort Lewis finished the year with an overall record of  6-11-2 and a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference mark of 5-6-1. The team advanced to the RMAC Tournament for the fourth-straight season, falling by a narrow 2-1 mark to No. 25 UCCS via a go-ahead goal with four seconds remaining. The trio of Madyson Barela, Elizabeth David, and Sabrina Reyes were named All-RMAC Honorable Mention to close out the year.

The Skyhawks defended the home pitch well in 2022, coming away with a 6-1-2 mark at home and earning a pair of key shutouts on Dirks to send the squad to the postseason. Hannah Paschke and Barela led the team with four goals apiece, followed by Reyes with three to her credit. Julia Johnson led the way by dishing out three assists during her sophomore campaign. Fort Lewis returns eight players who saw the field in 1000 minutes or more as well as a pair of goalkeepers that combined for four wins. 

The Schedule

Fort Lewis opens the season with six nonconference matches, two of which will take place at home. The nonconference portion of the schedule features matchups against Eastern New Mexico, Chaminade, Midwestern State, (RV) West Texas A&M, Adams State, and Angelo State. From there, the Skyhawks will play in 12 conference games.

Six of the conference contests will take place on Dirks Field, including one league showdown against New Mexico Highlands under the lights on September 29. The Skyhawks were 4-2 against the RMAC opponents that they are facing at home in 2023. 

Know the Newcomers

The coaching staff was busy during the offseason, securing commitments from 12 student-athletes to boost the 2023 roster. Of the 12, 11 are true freshman and one comes in as a junior transfer. The fresh faces hail from Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Texas. Eight of the new Skyhawks signed National Letters of Intent in November, and more information on the signees can be found here

Roster Breakdown

Total Players: 32 | Seniors: 2 | Juniors: 10 | Sophomores: 9 | Freshmen: 11 

Defenders: 6 | Midfielders: 10 | Forwards: 5 | Goalkeepers: 2 | F/MF: 4 | D/MF: 5

Defenders

Four athletes return to the backline, including one All-RMAC player, and are joined by a pair of freshmen. 

Dannon Yake (Sophomore, 5-4. Grand Junction, Colo.)

Cecilia Marlowe (Sophomore, 5-7, Castle Rock, Colo.)

Elizabeth David (Junior, 5-7, Mesa, Ariz.)

Rachel Peebles (Sophomore, 5-4, Fort Collins, Colo.)

Amber Otts (Freshman, 5-3, Albuquerque, N.M.)

Otts comes to FLC as a three-year player and two-year letter winner at La Cueva High School...team was 15-7 in 2022...2021 5A District 2 Champions...2021 5A District 2 First Team All-District...2021 5A First Team All-State...2021 5A District 2 Academic First Team All-District...two-time academic letter winner...team captain...had 12 goals during her senior season...three-time player of the game as a senior

Lauren West (Freshman, 5-5, Flagstaff, Ariz.)

West comes to FLC as a four-year varsity soccer player at Flagstaff High School…team was 16-3 in the 2022 season and boasts a 42-9 overall record throughout her prep career…part of a 2020 team that earned the 4A Arizona State Championship title…2022 All-Region First Team…2022 All-Conference Second Team…voted defensive player of the year…three-time academic letter winner

Defenders/Midfielders

Five players are listed as being able to play both positions, including a pair of returners.

Hannah Paschke (Senior, 5-4, Denver, Colo.)

Franziska Semik (Sophomore, 5-10, San Diego, Calif.)

Did not appear in any games in 2022

Rylee Rustad (Freshman, 5-6, Phoenix, Ariz.)

Rustad comes to FLC as a four-year varsity soccer player at Casteel High School…also earned letters in swimming and diving and badminton as a prep…four-year All-State academic award winner…named First Team All-Region as a freshman, All-Region Honor Roll as a sophomore, and All-Region Second Team as a junior…earned 25 goals and 10 assists in her freshman season

Ali Eremija (Freshman, 5-4, Chandler, Ariz.)

Ella Dockendorf (Junior, 5-7, Hendersonville, N.C.)

Forwards

Three scoring threats return and are flanked by a pair of talented freshmen.

McKenna Ford (Senior, 5-3, Rio Rancho, N.M.)

Aubrey Swindle (Junior, 5-4, Las Cruces, N.M.)

Anna Tucker (Sophomore, 5-10, Broomfield, Colo.)

Abila Tapia (Freshman, 5-4, Albuquerque, N.M.)

Tapia comes to FLC as a four-year varsity player at Albuquerque High School...three-time First Team All-District honoree...named Second Team All-District as a freshman…named Second Team All-State as a sophomore...First Team All-District as a junior…named First Team All-District, District Player of the Year, and part of the All Star Green Team as a senior...had 17 goals and 19 assists in the 2022 season…owns 116 career points (44 goals, 28 assists) as a prep

Jenna Salazar (Freshman, 5-6, San Antonio, Texas)

Salazar comes to FLC after starting two years for Reagan High School…team was 22-3-3 during the 2021-22 season en route to Region IV Runner Up nods…named Second Team All District as a forward…Academic All-District…holds a 4.0 GPA

Forwards/Midfielders

Four athletes are listed in both positions, two returners and two freshmen. 

Rozlin Gomez (Sophomore, 5-3, Salt Lake City, Utah)

Anika Scherer (Junior, 5-4, Moab, Utah)

Haley Stafford (Freshman, 5-3, Glendale, Ariz.)

Stafford comes to FLC as a four-year letter winner at Sandra Day O'Connor High School…named Second Team All-Region…earned the team's offensive MVP award…team captain…scored five goals and added three assists as a junior…earned one letter in badminton

Ashlyn Salas (Freshman, 5-3, Albuquerque, N.M.)

Midfielders

Midfielders comprise the majority of the roster with 10 players listed at the position. A wealth of experience returns to the position, including All-RMAC athletes.

Julia Johnson (Junior, 5-7, Anchorage, Alaska)

Sabrina Reyes (Junior, 5-5, Albuquerque, N.M.)

Danielle Gonzales (Junior, 5-6, Broomfield, Colo.)

Limited to three matches due to injury

Tristan Hanrath (Sophomore, 5-8, Phoenix, Ariz.)

Gaby Meraz-Fishbein (Junior, 5-3, Albuquerque, N.M.)

Josie Coulter (Sophomore, 5-9, Montrose, Colo.)

Ellie Cook (Sophomore, 5-8, Albuquerque, N.M.)

Kyla Hill (Freshman, 5-8, Broomfield, Colo.)

Hill comes to FLC from Broomfield High school...played club soccer for Boulder Country United...club team was 10-5-5 in 2022...three-time member of the Academic Honor Roll

Taylor West (Freshman, 5-5, Flagstaff, Ariz.)

West comes to FLC as a four-year varsity soccer player at Flagstaff High School…team was 16-3 in the 2022 season and boasts a 42-9 overall record throughout her prep career…part of a 2020 team that earned the 4A Arizona State Championship title...2021 4A Grand Canyon Regional Honorable Mention…2022 4A Grand Canyon Region First Team…three-year captain for Flagstaff SC 04G…three-time academic letter winner

Ann Spence (Freshman, 5-9, Lafayette, Colo.)

Spence comes to FLC as a four-year varsity player for Centauraus High School...three-time soccer team captain...two-time First Team All-Conference...boasted 17 goals and 17 assists as a prep...had 18 goals and 13 assists during the 2022 club soccer season...also earned four letters in basketball...team captain and All-Conference basketball player

Goalkeepers

Two veterans return between the pipes after seeing significant time in 2022.

Riley Bravin (Junior, 5-4, Tucson, Ariz.)

Katlyn Rosenbaum (Junior, 5-5, Colorado Springs, Colo.)

RMAC Preseason Ranking and Players to Watch

The Skyhawks were picked to finish seventh in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, announced by the league on Wednesday in the preseason coaches poll. Fort Lewis garnered 75 votes, coming in just behind Colorado Mesa (86). The defending champion, Colorado School of Mines is picked to take home the crown with 131 points and nine first place votes.

Juniors Aubrey Swindle and Elizabeth David were tabbed as players to watch for Fort Lewis.