Aug. 7, 2003

Bulldogs Men's and Women's Soccer Start Practice For The Upcoming Season

Both the Truman men's and women's soccer squads will begin preparing for the 2003 season in the upcoming days when they report for preseason practice. The teams will have their first official practice on Sunday with the women's team practicing from 8-10 a.m. and 4:30-6:30 p.m. and the men's team going from 10 a.m.-noon and 6:30-8:30 p.m.

In 2003, the women's squad will be looking for its fifth-straight MIAA championship and third-straight trip to the NCAA tournament. Last season, the team went 16-3-2 overall and 11-0-1 in conference play. The Bulldogs won their opening round tournament match with a 1-0 shutout over Northern Colorado, but saw their season come to an end with a loss to Nebraska-Omaha.

Truman does lose two all-region players, including all-America Jennifer Buscher, but returns first-team all-region performers in junior midfielder Anna Sonderman and junior forward Sara Murray. Other key returners include defenders Beth Wieman and Lisa Manns and forward Ellen Wright, all who received all-MIAA honors last season.

The Bulldog women were picked as the team to beat in the MIAA preseason coaches poll but that poll also predicted a tight three-way race between Truman, Central Missouri and Southwest Baptist.

The men's squad, which is an NCAA Division II independent, went 13-4-0 overall last season and just missed out of an NCAA tournament bid despite not having a single senior on the roster. Last year's youth will lead to a very experienced squad this year as the Bulldogs look to return to the postseason for the first time since 1999.

The likely candidates to lead Truman are returning second-team all-region performers Brett Coppage and Sean Birrell. Coppage, also a first-team academic all-America, was the leader in the backfield which allowed just 1.12 goals a game. Birrell was the only freshman named to the all-region list after finishing the season with four goals and four assists.

The women's soccer team opens the year on Aug. 30-31 when they face South Dakota State and North Dakota at the Truman Classic. The men's team will also open up that weekend, taking on SIU-Edwardsville and Quincy (Ill.) and the Quincy Soccer Bowl.

Women's Soccer | Men's Soccer | Truman Athletics