Spring Hill College women's soccer head coach Allison Whitworth enters her first season at the helm of the Badgers with a young team in terms of numbers, but the heart of the squad features a cadre of experienced veterans. "Having a young team is a challenge for any new coach," says Whitworth. "But in this case we are reestablishing a culture and creating a new identity for the program, so it's not all bad. We want a core group of players who lead on and off the field. It's my job to identify and lead that group."

On the field, Whitworth wants an attacking offense that moves quickly and with purpose. "Scoring is fun," she says. "You do that by attacking and denying the other team opportunities. We need to be organized and disciplined on defense. Defense sets up your offense." Whitworth is also aware of just how good the competition is in the Gulf South Conference (GSC). "The GSC always features some of the top recruiting in Division II and it's a physical conference," she says. "In our case, naivety might be a blessing for our younger players, but we must establish our style of play early and we need to show growth. It takes time, but Badger teams have a reputation for always fighting hard and we'll need that attitude again this year."

For the Badger offense, junior Madison Camet of Kenner, La., is the leading returning scorer with six goals and four assists in 2015 while senior Darby Rasch of Madison, Ala., needs seven assists to tie the SHC career mark. Junior Beryl Newchurch from Madison and sophomore Gabrielle Burmaster have impressed Whitworth in the early workouts. "Maddie is really accepting her leadership role and Gabby is learning more every day," she says. Freshman midfielder Sydney DeJohn of Hoover, Ala., has also caught the coach's attention. "Sydney has great spirit," Whitworth says. "She's a very vocal player and she is making our players better." Fellow freshman midfielder Johanna Meister from Germany will make an immediate impact on the SHC offense. "Johanna is a very calm player," Whitworth says. "She will have to adjust to the American college game, but she has a calmness about her that we need." Senior Lillian DeSousa from Mary G. Montgomery High School in Mobile found the back of the net twice last year while junior Shannon Gleespen of Hendersonville, Tenn., and freshman Alexandra Vallas from St. Luke's Episcopal School in Mobile each look to make their contributions.

The midfield will feature four sophomores as Tatum Shacklett of Scottsdale, Ariz., and Kaelin Dull from Plano, Texas,  join SarahBeth Hyde of Hattiesburg, Miss., and Melissa Schwartz from New Hyde Park, N.Y., as important cogs in the Badger transition game.

In defense, seniors Kait Eichorst of Cave Creek, Ariz., and Lauren Clement of Scottsdale, Ariz., have teamed with fellow senior Brittany McNair of Ocean Springs, Miss. "Our Arizona connection has good chemistry and it's exciting to see what they bring each day," says Whitworth. Juniors Becca Roth of O'Fallon, Mo., and Aiesha Ledda of Memphis, Tenn., will also work with sophomore Meagan Byrnes from Kansas City, Mo., to support the SHC defense. "Becca, Aiesha and Mimi all enhance our style of play and have the ability to shift us from defending and into the attack. Francesca Talotta (junior; Mobile) also keeps finding her way onto the field and making things happen, so it's a fun battle to watch," says Whitworth. Senior Jessica Keelen of Metairie, La., together with senior Audrey Sanchez of Miami, Fla., freshmen Julia Gielniak of Shelby Township, Mich., and Sabrina Sousa of Covington, La., will each add to Badger defensive depth this season.

Whitworth faces a tough decision when it comes to final piece to the puzzle of 2016. At goalkeeper, redshirt freshman Hannah Shankman of Alachua, Fla., is going head-to-head with freshman Kayla Beaston of Madera, Calif., for the starting role. "It's always good to have to make tough choices," says Whitworth. "It's a good dilemma."

The 2016 season will be the start of a new era in SHC women's soccer and Whitworth is proud to lead it. "I'm really excited about this year," she says. "Our players surprise me at each practice. They know what caliber of person they want here at Spring Hill and they want to leave a legacy. The team understands that we are here to develop the whole person and we want to be known for more than just athletics. This is a season of possibilities regardless of the results."

Spring Hill will host the University of Mobile Lady Rams in a preseason exhibition contest at Library Field beginning at 3:30 p.m. on Friday and then will open the 2016 regular season on the road with a non-conference match on Thursday, September 1, at Palm Beach Atlantic University at the Marshall and Vera Lea Rinker Athletic Campus in West Palm Beach, Fla., at 7 p.m. (EST).