Aug. 9, 2009

DAYTON - The University of Dayton women's soccer team will report to camp today for its preseason training to kick off the 2009 campaign.

The Flyer coaching staff of Mike Tucker, Sergio Gonzalez, Tania Armellino and George Demetriades welcomes 28 players back to the University of Dayton campus to begin preseason drills.

"We are always so excited to get started this time of year," said head coach Mike Tucker. "We have prepped so much leading up to this day and now it's time to roll the ball out."

The Flyers return a highly-touted group of six seniors (Mandi Bäck, Cara Cornacchia, Colleen Gibson, Lauren MacCormick, Lauren Maybury, Caitlin Proffitt), five juniors (Kelly Blumenschein, Jerica DeWolfe, Alli Giner, Tori Oelschlager, Lisa Rodgers) and five sophomores (Kathleen Beljan, Josie Grant, Emily Kenyon, Kelsey Miller, Kelsey Owen) and will boost the squad with 12 freshmen (Katherine Boone, Shannon Donoher, Clare Dreher, Linsey Eckel, Ali Forbrich, Alexis Garcia, Maggie Hinkle, Alysha Mallon, Alle Pacetta, Jordan Sanfrotella, Jackie Thompson, Colleen Williams).

"We have a great group of returning players and a tremendous freshmen class coming in," said Tucker. "It's time to get with it and see what we have when we put them all together."

The Atlantic 10 has taken note. Dayton led the way with five selections - more than any other school - on the A-10 Preseason All-Conference and All-Rookie Teams as chosen by the league's head coaches.

Bäck, Gibson and Beljan were named to the 2009 Preseason All-Conference Team for the Flyers. Incoming UD freshmen Alexis Garcia (Brunswick, Ohio) and Colleen Williams (Titusville, N.J.) were selected to the 11-person Atlantic 10 Preseason All-Rookie Team.

Bäck is a three-time First Team Atlantic 10 selection, has led the Flyers in scoring every year of her career. Gibson, a First Team A-10 pick, led UD with nine assists in 2008 and her .50 per game was 26th best in the nation. Beljan was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Championship, All-Rookie and Second Teams, as well as Freshman All-America Fourth Team by SoccerBuzz.

Garcia (2004, 2007) and Williams (2005) were both members of the U.S. National Youth Team. Williams, along with Alysha Mallon, recently led their club team to the 2009 U-18 US Youth Soccer National Championship.

The Flyers have less than a week to gear up for their first competition. UD will face the Big East Conference's Louisville in an exhibition match Saturday, Aug. 15 at Baujan Field at 2 p.m. ET.

The Flyers look to earn their 14th consecutive berth to the Atlantic 10 Women's Soccer Championship, which in 2009, will be hosted at Charlotte's Transamerica Field on Nov. 5, 6 & 8.

Dayton loses just four players from a squad that finished the 2008 campaign with a 15-6-1 record and advanced to the Atlantic 10 Championship for a league-record 13th consecutive time.