Aaron Gordon enters his fourth season at the helm of the Maroon and White.
Bulldog Soccer Opens Preseason Camp
August 02, 2016 | Soccer
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Wednesday officially began Mississippi State's fourth season under head coach Aaron Gordon, as the Bulldogs kicked off preseason training in anticipation for the 2016 season.
"We've been counting down the days this offseason until the first day of preseason and its finally here," Gordon said. "Today was the first chance to see our freshmen class all out on the field together and an opportunity to see the development of our returners over the offseason."
The preseason preparation also includes exhibitions against Memphis on Wednesday, Aug. 10 at home, before traveling to Ames, Iowa to take on Iowa State for another friendly on Saturday, Aug. 13.
The Bulldogs will be looking to improve off of last season's 5-10-3 mark and 3-6-2 record in Southeastern Conference play. The three wins and two draws in league play were the most in program history since 2004, as the Bulldogs just missed making the SEC Tournament for the first time in over a decade.
Roster Breakdown
Eight newcomers will begin their stint with the Maroon and White this fall, as the Bulldogs enter preseason camp with a total of 29 players on the roster. One player was lost to graduation as three others left the program.
Of the 29 players, 26 are from the United States and three are from overseas. Texas is the most represented state on the roster, as nine players hail from the Lone Star State. By position there are 10 defenders, 10 midfielders, six forwards and three goalies that comprise the roster.
Returnees
Headlining the list of returnees to the 2016 squad is Lexington, Ky., native Mallory Eubanks. The forward spent the offseason training with the U-19 U.S. Women's National Team, as she made the travel roster for three of the team's matches in New Zealand back in June.
Eubanks led the team in points (10) and assists (4), on her way to another successful season on the pitch. The junior earned SEC Offensive Player of the Week honors after her game-winning goal against Arkansas on the road.
The Bulldogs will have three seniors on this year's team, as Jamila Coner, Ari Holmes and Sarah Hulett enter their final season with the Maroon and White. Breaking down the remaining roster, the Bulldogs will have 10 juniors, eight sophomores and eight freshmen on 2016's squad.
Eubanks leads the junior class along with defender Khalyn Harmon, who was named the team's Defensive MVP in 2015. Other notable returning juniors will be saves leader Tanya de Souza (60) at goal and defender Hannah Smith.
Highlighting the returning sophomores are goal-scoring leaders Kiley Martens (4) and Kennadi Carbin (4). Carly Mauldin and Courtney Robicheaux, who ranked first and second in minutes for MSU, also return for the Bulldogs.
Newcomers
The freshmen class is led by four-star recruit MaKayla Waldner, who comes to Starkville as a gifted offensive threat the Bulldogs will look to use throughout the season. Joining Waldner are early enrollees Ciara Donnelly and Kaleigh Fowler, along with McKenna de Graaf, Alexa England, Natalee Heiser, Emily Malone and New Zealand native Johanna Hamblett.
2016 Schedule
The 2016 season officially begins on Friday, Aug. 19, as the Maroon and White travels to Charleston, S.C., to face College of Charleston before taking on Virginia Tech on Sunday, Aug. 21. The Bulldogs will kick off the home slate with a pair of games the following week against Lipscomb and UT-Martin on Friday, Aug. 26 and Sunday, Aug. 28, respectively.
For more information on the Mississippi State soccer program, follow "HailStateSOC" on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
"We've been counting down the days this offseason until the first day of preseason and its finally here," Gordon said. "Today was the first chance to see our freshmen class all out on the field together and an opportunity to see the development of our returners over the offseason."
The preseason preparation also includes exhibitions against Memphis on Wednesday, Aug. 10 at home, before traveling to Ames, Iowa to take on Iowa State for another friendly on Saturday, Aug. 13.
The Bulldogs will be looking to improve off of last season's 5-10-3 mark and 3-6-2 record in Southeastern Conference play. The three wins and two draws in league play were the most in program history since 2004, as the Bulldogs just missed making the SEC Tournament for the first time in over a decade.
Roster Breakdown
Eight newcomers will begin their stint with the Maroon and White this fall, as the Bulldogs enter preseason camp with a total of 29 players on the roster. One player was lost to graduation as three others left the program.
Of the 29 players, 26 are from the United States and three are from overseas. Texas is the most represented state on the roster, as nine players hail from the Lone Star State. By position there are 10 defenders, 10 midfielders, six forwards and three goalies that comprise the roster.
Returnees
Headlining the list of returnees to the 2016 squad is Lexington, Ky., native Mallory Eubanks. The forward spent the offseason training with the U-19 U.S. Women's National Team, as she made the travel roster for three of the team's matches in New Zealand back in June.
Eubanks led the team in points (10) and assists (4), on her way to another successful season on the pitch. The junior earned SEC Offensive Player of the Week honors after her game-winning goal against Arkansas on the road.
The Bulldogs will have three seniors on this year's team, as Jamila Coner, Ari Holmes and Sarah Hulett enter their final season with the Maroon and White. Breaking down the remaining roster, the Bulldogs will have 10 juniors, eight sophomores and eight freshmen on 2016's squad.
Eubanks leads the junior class along with defender Khalyn Harmon, who was named the team's Defensive MVP in 2015. Other notable returning juniors will be saves leader Tanya de Souza (60) at goal and defender Hannah Smith.
Highlighting the returning sophomores are goal-scoring leaders Kiley Martens (4) and Kennadi Carbin (4). Carly Mauldin and Courtney Robicheaux, who ranked first and second in minutes for MSU, also return for the Bulldogs.
Newcomers
The freshmen class is led by four-star recruit MaKayla Waldner, who comes to Starkville as a gifted offensive threat the Bulldogs will look to use throughout the season. Joining Waldner are early enrollees Ciara Donnelly and Kaleigh Fowler, along with McKenna de Graaf, Alexa England, Natalee Heiser, Emily Malone and New Zealand native Johanna Hamblett.
2016 Schedule
The 2016 season officially begins on Friday, Aug. 19, as the Maroon and White travels to Charleston, S.C., to face College of Charleston before taking on Virginia Tech on Sunday, Aug. 21. The Bulldogs will kick off the home slate with a pair of games the following week against Lipscomb and UT-Martin on Friday, Aug. 26 and Sunday, Aug. 28, respectively.
For more information on the Mississippi State soccer program, follow "HailStateSOC" on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
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