PORTALES, NM – The Eastern New Mexico women’s soccer team kicks off the 2021 season with two non-conference home contests later this week. The Greyhounds welcome Colorado State University Pueblo on Thursday, September 2 and then face Colorado Christian University on Sunday, Sept. 5. Both games have start times of 12 p.m. and will be played in Greyhound Stadium.

Last Season
The Greyhounds return to the pitch for the first time since 2019 as the 2020 season was canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions.

First-time head coach Abbey Barnum begins her first season on the sideline and second overall with the team as she was hired in the spring of 2020.

The 2019 women’s soccer team compiled an overall record of 8-8-1 with a conference mark of 5-8-0.

2021 Preseason Story Lines
The Greyhounds return several players from the 2019 squad in goalkeepers Whitney Dockweiler and Zowie Rodriguez, midfielders Katey Stice and Brianna Tellez, and defenders Carly Kowalick, Kinsie Mitchell, Makenzie Mendez, Selena Casias, and Samantha Vasquez.

In addition to those returners who saw action in 2019, seven other student-athletes return from the 2020 squad that did not see any competition due to COVID-19 restrictions. Those included Samantha Jeffries, Nina Ballesteros, Megan Janikowski, Sydney Saxon, Haley Huff, Brianna Eye and Tori Galindo.

New faces for the Hounds include four transfers (Alda Tarrado Montoliu, Bizzy Canada, Kelsey Medina and Kennedy Ward) and four first years (Sofia Trejo, Mariana Zevallos, Sierra Villanueva, and Elita Casias).

Preseason Polls
The Eastern New Mexico women’s soccer team has been selected to finish 12th in the 2021 Lone Star Conference Preseason Poll. The Hounds will be looking to prove themselves after being the only LSC team to not compete in the shortened spring 2021 season.

DBU was selected to finish first after finishing the Spring 2021 season 12-1-1 that included wins over Division I opponents LSU and Abilene Christian in back-to-back weeks. DBU went 5-0-1 in conference play and advanced to the LSC championship match before falling to Angelo State in extra time.

In addition to the preseason poll, four women’s soccer student-athletes received preseason awards. DBU’s Ashley Merrill was named the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. ASU’s Cassidy Hill and the Patriots’ Blythe Obar shared Preseason Defensive Player of the Year honors and the Rambelle’s Kira Miller garnered Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year recognition.