MEMPHIS, Tenn — Tuesday, the Memphis Tigers women's soccer team entered camp as the back-to-back AAC champs.
Head coach Brooks Monaghan said the expectations for this season are high.
"The goal when you break down our roster and having the players coming back and doing what we did last year, you can’t set the goal less than what we did this year in my eyes," Monaghan said.
The women's soccer team won their second-straight AAC championship and won their way into the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. It was the best finish in program history.
"There’s 350 Division One schools, and we were one of the last 16. Do I believe in this group? Do I believe they can do it? Absolutely," said Monaghan.
The Tigers return much of their championship core, including all five of their 2022 all-conference selections: first teamers Mya Jones, Grace Stordy and Haylee Spray and second teamers Jocelyn Alonzo and Momo Nakao. They also return their starting goalkeeper, Claire Wyville, who had 9 shutouts and allowed less than one goal a game in 16 starts.
Monaghan wants to see where the 10 new faces he recruited can mesh.
"There’s lots of potential in this new group, and now it’s go time, right? Doesn’t matter what they did with their club teams or their high school teams. It matters what they do now," said Monaghan.
With 6 new teams in the AAC thanks to conference realignment, the league has new competition.
The Tigers will begin the year with their first exhibition next Monday against Missouri at home. Their first real match of the season is August 17 against Southern University.