MOBILE, Ala. – Spring Hill College women's soccer head coach Samantha Thomsit previewed the 2024 season, her third leading the Badgers.
 
How has preseason been going?
"It's going well. It's tough when you only get five days of preseason to be with the team before they start classes, but in terms of chemistry, we're gelling well. We've brought in a lot of players, so we've got a lot of depth to our squad, which is exciting. The girls are learning and obviously we've got a structure in place. We've got a lot of returners now. I told the girls, we're getting over that hump as being a young team, now we've got a lot of juniors. We still don't have many seniors, but we've got a lot more juniors. So, we've got a lot more experience. They're leading the way, showing the team how we like to play and they can lead in practice as well."
 
How have the large number of returners helped?
"Yeah, it's fantastic. The spring I think was fantastic for us because it allowed us to again, build on what we built in the fall. We added a few pieces in the spring as well, which was fantastic. We were able to get some good results and we worked really hard in the spring. There's a lot of teams that kind of take it as an off season. For us, it was more so a pre-season. We became really fit. We worked a lot tactically on the field. We were able to implement a few different strategies that we can now use in the full season. So, having that returning group is enormous and they love it here and they're a fantastic part of the team and that's what we've built around."
 
What impact does returning every player that scored at least three goals last season have?
"When we look at preseason, you've got Poppy Binding. We've had one game. Poppy got a goal and an assist. Marta Mayoral Montero got a goal. When we look at that it's a breath of fresh air to know That we've got a lot of talent in front of goal, but I would say there's a lot of teams that now know our strengths and we need other players to step up. We believe there's some other returners that we're hoping to get three plus goals this season. Some of the freshmen that we've added, we're hoping they make an impact in front of goal as well. So yeah, it's great to return that quality in front of goal, but I think teams are going to really hone in on those types of players when we play them. So, we have to have more than one or two options to score goals."
 
Who do you see stepping into the leadership role after losing Hannah Pitts?
"We've got AJ [Ashlyn Johnson], a leader by example, so she's going to be a senior this year. Everything she does on and off the field is correct. She's definitely a leader by example and she's not afraid to step up and say something as well in front of the team. We've got Carlotta Stark in there, who's a goalkeeper. She's been a major part of the team for multiple years. She's definitely a leader, again, by example, she didn't have to say a whole lot. We've got Hannah Fromme at the back, Alexa Pratt that we've returned as well. Now I think we've taken Hannah Pitts out of it, who used to play in that holding mid position a lot. We've got Riley Davis, who's a two-time Junior College All-American. Not the most vocal of leaders, but somebody that will lead by example and will do the work. I think that's huge as well when it comes to being a leader – putting in the work on the field. Thyri Willumsdottir is going to be there to make the team better. So again, a lot of leaders by example. So, in that sense, I think we've almost stepped up our game."
 
What are the team goals this season?
"The goal now, we have to try and make conference tournament and I think the girls are on board with that. I think they're, in a good way, excited to see what the rankings were in the conference. I think teams are not going to show them a whole lot of respect and I think they're a bit upset about that, which is a really good attitude to have. So, we need to come out and prove that we're not at the bottom and we need to move up the table."
 
What are you most excited for?
"Just the season. I absolutely love it. It's non-stop. It's mayhem. Once you get going there's no turning back. So, we're trying to take every day as it comes. We've still got a week of, essentially, preseason where we're trying to learn something new and get better every single day. We're really excited for the home opener and then just to get going. It's nonstop once it starts and, once it's over, it's a sad time."
 
How does having four of your first six matches at home help?
"There's no better place to play than at home. I think if you can get off to a good start at home, then it builds confidence. You come out with your chest up and your chin up. Use the field as your home advantage. We want to try and get as many people out to the games as possible. I know it's a little bit tough with the times that we play, but we're hoping that the fans can help us and the crowd can help us. Playing at home is the best. Being on the road is fun as well, but there's nothing better than playing at home."
 
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