WATERTOWN, Wis. - Coming off the heels of a second consecutive runner-up finish at the NCCAA DII National Championship, the Sabercats Women's Soccer team are eager to capitalize on a new season, a new coach, and a new team as they look to build off of consistent progress that the team has seen over the last two seasons.

Key home games for the Sabercats are highlighted below:

• 9/1 - 12:30 PM vs North Central
  • The Sabercats will face off against the Rams for the first time as regional opponents. Last year, the two contests between the teams were tight, as the Sabercats edged the Rams 2-0 at home early in the year before winning 1-0 at NCCAA Nationals.
• 10/6 - 4:00 PM vs Lakeland
  • The Sabercats stole the three points last year by taking a 2-1 win away from Lakeland, and will seek back-to-back wins against the Muskies.
• 10/15 - 1:30 PM vs Faith Baptist
  • In a Parents' Day matchup, the Sabercats face the Eagles, who got the raw end of a 10-0 result when they visited MBU in 2015. With the new regional alignment, the Sabercats will share a region with the Eagles for the first time as well.
• 10/17 - 1:00 PM vs Providence-Manitoba
  • With just one day of rest between games, the Sabercats will look to repeat their shutout victory that came against Providence in 2015, when eight goals separated the two teams.

Key Players

Audrey Risma - The 2015 NCCAA Player of the Year is an essential piece of the Sabercats' attack, as Risma generated many of the Sabercats' attacking moves. Risma will look to combine with midfield counterpart Ali Hernandez, as the two players contributed 13 goals and eight assists between them.

Ali Hernandez - Hernandez scored eight goals during her first season in Sabercat colors. The Sophomore from Tustin, California settled right in to the Sabercats' system last year, and will look to build on her rookie season, which saw her named to the second team of NCCAA All-American selections.

Rachel Kibler - Kibler returns to the back line for her fourth year of playing, and will add an experienced tone to the Sabercats defense. Kibler was a mainstay in the record-setting defensive season of 2015, and is the only returning defender from that year.

From Coach Anderson

"I am excited for this season because of the challenge it will bring for us," stated new head coach David Anderson. "We have a mix of veterans who are motivated by past successes and failures complemented by a constituent of  younger players who are hungry for the opportunity in front of them."

"[The players] have demonstrated a passion for improvement, a fundamental value considering the variety of challenges we will undoubtedly face. But more than just a desire for generic improvement, the team has demonstrated that they have specific goals for which they are willing to sacrifice and work to obtain."

"Individually, I want to help each player be the best soccer player of which they are capable. Collectively, we are not afraid to say that we are pursuing a national title. Toward that end, my goal is to help our team peak in fitness, organization, and enjoyment of the game as we come in to the regional tournament."

For more on the Sabercats, visit the team page