A soccer update

[Reb UT '70]

The biggest hole is at goalie! We have an excellent recruit who does not appear to be eligible because she is a transfer, but that is not clear to me. We have a senior who was a walk-on who didn't get any playing time last year or much if any the year before. We have lost a starter at left mid (Adriana Adame who is from Austin and has transferred to UT) we also lost a forward starter (Natalie Mitchell who has transferred to TWU).

Monaco Housed who was an all SBC (2nd team) goalie is no longer in school, and has an offer to try out for the Mexican national team. Frankly, I had heard that she had been given the starting spot, but I think it was a very poor decision to leave school for a try-out. She will be sorely missed and her parents will be missed as well.

A quick run down as I've heard from unofficial sources

Kim Brimberry is short the 24 hours that are required to play as a sophomore

Emily Standeven has 23 hours (with better than a 3.0) and might be allowed to play, that is great news as she is a very strong player.

Keri McNeal, Kari Kuwamura, Jessica Zetlau, and Emily Hosek have decided to leave soccer, although Zetlau might be going to play at a small school in Wis.

If Emily is allowed to play that will give us 15 field player on some sort of scholarship. It is my understanding that we do not have a goalie who is on scholarship at this time. We do have seven or eight walk-ons and that will give us enough to have a scrimmage. I still have a high regard for the talent on the team. The only player that didn't have someone who would challenge them for a staring spot was the goalie.

If we can find a goalie, and if we don't have a serious injury we should still make a run at the conference title. It will be harder than it was last year, but we will win a lot of games either way.

[LoveMG]

Why all the turnover? I thought with so much underclass players last year that there would be more returning. Is soccer worse than football as far as players leaving due to lack of playing time?

[Reb UT '70]

I think that part of it is "burn-out" however there is a scholarship hunt that goes on each year as well. I uderstand that the losses we are seeing have been going on here for years. It's hard to blame a girl who's 'ship is getting books at North Texas moving for a full ride at a different school. Generally the difference isn't that big, but it can be.

This isn't limited to UNT, it is because the NCAA only allows 11 scholarships for soccer and you need to have at least 22, IMNHO, to form a squad. That means that almost all your starters will have much less than a full ride. The most common amount will be less than half.

At leat part of the problem this year is that we are only bringing in 3 'ship players who can play this year. This whole set up also works against a publich school were a full tuition, books, and fees is worth perhaps $3900. but a half tuition at SMU is worth much more. That Hedlund has been successful in this set-up speaks well for him. We're very lucky to have him.