DENVER – It's been an uncertain year for the MSU Denver women's soccer program.
A fall season canceled due to COVID-19. A coaching change and an interim coach in an abbreviated spring season. And then a third coach named to the permanent position before, finally, an actual, real soccer season.
It starts Thursday, when the Roadrunners play host to Texas A&M-Commerce in a 7 p.m. match at the Assembly Athletic Complex. On Saturday, the Roadrunners play host to Simon Fraser (B.C.) at 11 a.m.
New coach
Kat Mertz, whose illustrious career includes head coaching stops at Oregon and UNLV and assistant coaching positions with the likes of Oklahoma, Texas and UCLA, has had some time to get to know her first MSU Denver team.
And she likes what she sees.
"I see a lot of belief, I see a lot of curiosity in the sense of wanting to be at the top of the RMAC, I see a lot of hungry players, open to coaching and willing to work hard, a lot of team spirit," Mertz said. "And I see a lot of really special players sprinkled around the field."
Always one of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference's most talented programs, MSU Denver boasts a strong returning cast that includes All-RMAC first team selection
Annie Rolf (five goals in the spring season) and All-RMAC second team defender
Jordan Lewis (who played every minute in the spring).
Gabriella Gamboa,
Luna Garcia and
Kailey Maness have all be recognized on post-season All-RMAC lists during their careers and the list of emerging players includes
Elli Zimmer and
Elisa Dean and
Katy Harris and … the list goes on and on.
"We've got some veteran players who are ready to take this program to the next level," Mertz said.
Sprinkled in are talented newcomers, including three freshman goalkeepers –
Kayla Caballero,
Ella McGahey and
Kylie Bach. During the abbreviated spring season,
Diyonus Walls (2-4-0, 1.79 goals-against average) was the only true goalkeeper on the roster – defender
Dani Nelson and basketball player
Maggie Justinak were pressed into service in the games Walls was unable to play.
"The freshmen have really elevated our goalkeeper position," Mertz said. "I'm excited to see the battle in the goal. I'm excited to see how they are pushing each other."
Texas A&M-Commerce was 4-3 overall last spring, including 3-2 in Lone Star Conference play. The Lions are picked to finish fifth in the Lone Star in the pre-season poll and are led by Lone Star Goalkeeper of the Year Jen Peters.
Simon Fraser, a member of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, didn't play during 2020-21 since the border was closed as a result of COVID-19. Simon Fraser was 2-13-1 overall and 2-10 in the GNAC in 2019.
MSU Denver has been picked to finish just eighth in the RMAC after going 2-6 overall and 1-4 in league play during the spring season, which included multiple pandemic-related disruptions and a number of injuries.
A bounce back to pre-pandemic levels (the Roadrunners were 7-9-4 overall and sixth in the RMAC at 6-4-3 in 2019) would put the two-time NCAA Division II national champions (2004 and 2006) back on course.
"Our history gives us a road map to where we can go," Mertz said. "But for us, right now, our goal is to be in that RMAC Tournament and then to compete for the top three spots in the RMAC – and that will put us in a great position to qualify for the NCAA Tournament."
