The 2015 edition of the Spring Hill College (SHC) women's soccer team will begin a new era of Badger Soccer as first-year head coach Lisa Mann takes the reins of the program. Mann's team will face a tough slate of contests this year, but she is confident that her team will make SHC fans proud. "I've been very pleased with the attitude of our team so far," Mann says. "The ladies have been working very hard to get fit and learn our new system."

Early preseason practices were dominated by fitness drills and learning the new routines instituted by Mann who only arrived on the SHC campus in late July. "One thing I can promise everyone is that our team will be organized and will know our system," says Mann. "We have spent a lot of time stressing the point that the small details matter. This season will be about setting standards and keeping to them."

On the field, Mann prefers an offensive mindset in her teams and is installing an offense that is going to be attack orientated. "Most coaches advise that teams in our situation should focus on defense and they should not try to set a fast pace on offense, but I don't believe that philosophy at all," she says. "I coach to attack. We are going to go right at teams from the start. I'd rather lose 4-3 and go down fighting than to sit back and accept a 1-0 loss without even trying."

Mann's focus on offense does not mean that the Badgers will be loose in their defensive play. Senior goalkeeper Maggie Dalessio from St. Petersburg, Fla., returns to the net to cap a career consisting of 39 matches-played with 153 saves in three seasons. In front of Dalessio, juniors Brittany McNair of Ocean Springs, Miss., and Kait Eichorst from Cave Creek, Ariz., both had excellent years in 2014. "Our defense will have a good spine this year," says Mann. "Caroline Holmes [sophomore, Wheaton, Ill.] will return at right back and she gives us a lot going forward." Adding to the Badger defense, junior Lauren Clement of Scottsdale, Ariz., along with sophomores Shannon Gleespen of Hendersonville, Tenn., and Aiesha Ledda from Memphis, Tenn., will be joined by freshman Gabrielle Burmaster of Harvey, La.

The SHC midfield also features experienced players as Hannah Michael from New Orleans, La., and Aedan Stranahan of Eureka, Calif., are back for their senior seasons with each sporting three years of starting experience. Junior Jessica Keelen of Metairie, La., will make an impact this year as sophomores Madison Camet of Kenner, La., and Caroline Torrens from Pace, Fla., will welcome newcomers sophomore transfer Beryl Newchurch of Madison, Ala., redshirt freshman Kaelin Dull of Plano, Texas, and freshman Tatum Shacklett of Scottsdale.

In the offensive third of the pitch, senior Sidi Genus of Great Bay, Jamaica, will team with juniors Darby Rasch of Madison and Lillian DeSousa from Mary G. Montgomery High School in Mobile along with sophomores Becca Roth from O'Fallon, Mo., and Francesca Talotta out of Faith Academy in Mobile.

The season ahead will be a test for the transitioning Badgers and Mann is fully aware of the challenges that lay ahead. "Our schedule has positives and negatives to it," she says. "We open on the road for the first four matches over three weeks, but that will be a good opportunity for team-building, especially the first two games in South Dakota and Minnesota. Teams in NCAA Division II don't normally get to fly to games so it should be fun." Mann also knows how tough it is to play in the Gulf South Conference. "It's hard to look at our schedule and predict wins and losses. Teams like Lee University and Valdosta State are extremely athletic and we'll have to match that level of play. But we have a nice stretch of home games late in the season and we have time between matches for adequate rest."

Overall, Mann looks forward to the upcoming season and is eager to roll the ball out for the regular season. "This year is about more than the results on the field," she says. "This season is about establishing a foundation and a culture at Spring Hill that will be the standard from this year forward."

The Badgers open the 2015 campaign on the road on Friday at Northern State University (NSU) in Aberdeen, S.D, at 5 p.m. and begin their home schedule versus conference rival the University of West Florida at 1 p.m. on September 19 at Library Field. The Badgers finished 2014 with a 4-9-3 mark while NSU recorded a 6-11-1 campaign last year. This game will be the first meeting between the two programs.