Cowgirl soccer begins fall drills

UW photos
First-year Wyoming soccer coach Danny Sanchez talks to his team Wednesday as the Cowgirls opened fall drills. At right, the team works on some drills.

By Wyoming Sports.org

A new era of Wyoming soccer began on Wednesday, as the Cowgirls opened the fall practice schedule at the North 40 practice facility on the University of Wyoming campus.

First year head coach Danny Sanchez led the Cowgirls through a pair of training sessions during the first day of fall practice.

“Everyone has worked hard to prepare for this year and both the players and coaches are excited to get going,” said Sanchez. “We are looking forward to seeing good competition within the team during practice.

“For me it is nice to finally see our whole team assembled, including freshmen, as we build towards our first games.”

The Cowgirls welcome back eight starters from 2007, including two of the top offensive threats in the Mountain West Conference. Senior Tamika Wilson will return to the field after earning Co-Offensive Player of the Year from the MWC a year ago. Fellow senior Amanda Lathrop also returns after garnering Second Team All-MWC honors in 2007. The duo combined to score 18 goals and dish out five assists as juniors.

Other starters returning for the Cowgirls include midfielders Juliana Candelaria (So.), Emily Layton (Jr.) and Kerstyn Etheridge (Jr.) and defenders Laine Hubbard (Sr.), Emma Wilson (Jr.) and Bostyn Burger (So.).

Wyoming opens with an exhibition game at home on Aug. 15 against Fort Lewis College, before hitting the road the following weekend to open the 2008 season. The Cowgirls will take on Western Michigan on Aug. 22 in Kalamazoo, Mich. They will also play at home during that opening weekend when they take on Bryant University on Aug. 24.

The Cowgirls will mostly practice twice a day leading up to the opening of the 2008 season.