If experience dictates the direction and success of a team, the 2001 version of the UNM women’s soccer team may achieve more than what is being predicted of it.
The Lobos were picked to finish fifth in the seven-team Mountain West Conference by the league’s coaches, which is one place higher than their finish from last year. The team finished 7-12 overall and 2-4 in Mountain West competition.
Nevertheless, the team returns nine starters and new head coach Kit Vela, who seems to have injected new life into a program looking for its first winning season since 1997, seem optimistic for higher prognostications.
“These kids are great kids,” Vela said. “They enjoy training, they enjoy working hard — they’re working harder than they ever have and they like it. Are we going to win or lose off of that? It’s kind of hard to say, but I’m sure that the environment is going to be a lot better.”
The 2000 team was young, as midfielder Christina Williams and defenders Jayme Dieringer and Michelle Suave were the only three players lost to graduation. Dieringer, a first team Mountain West performer last year, led the team in points, minutes and shots on goal.
Returning to anchor the Lobos’ defense is senior goalkeeper Shelly Hammock, who last year earned five shutouts to go along with 104 total saves, which ranked her third and fourth, respectively, on UNM’s single season list.
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Also returning to bolster the team’s defense is senior defender Jamie Minkler, who logged the second most minutes of any Lobo last year, and was named to the 2000 Mountain West second team.
Offensively, junior Tara Alarid returns, but moves to midfielder after playing forward last year. She finished second only to Dieringer in points scored.
Vela also made midfielders of juniors Michelle Nowfel and Casie Deegan and moved senior Julie Shepko from midfielder to forward to help spark what she has called a new attacking offensive pattern.
In terms of the 2001 schedule, the Lobos will face five teams that competed in the 2000 NCAA Tournament — Arizona State University, Brigham Young University, Furman University, Texas A&M University and Washington State University.
Featured in the Lobos’ away slate are matches at Arizona State University, Colgate University, the University of Kentucky, Syracuse and Texas A&M.
The University of Alabama, Texas Tech University, the University of Texas at El Paso and Washington State are featured on the home portion of the Lobos’ schedule.
Vela said soon after her hiring in November, she and assistant Jorge Vela had to scramble to find opponents for this season.
“When I got here in December, we had six or seven holes in the schedule for the fall,” Vela said. “Most teams are already scheduling for the 2003 season.”
Vela also said that by adding marquee names, the team will learn — and fast at that — from the tough competition.
“We made it this competitive, it was not handed to us,” Vela said. “The only way we’re going to get better is by playing good teams.”
The Lobos see their first action at the newly refurbished UNM Soccer Complex Saturday for a 2 p.m. exhibition match against UNM alumni. They’ll then begin the regular season at Colgate Aug. 31 at 6:30 p.m.
