SFA Soccer To Report On Tuesday
8/4/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Aug. 4, 2008
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Stephen F. Austin soccer program will open the George Van Linder era in earnest Tuesday afternoon, when the team is set to report for fall camp. Twenty-seven players are scheduled to check in on campus Tuesday with a 28th athlete set to arrive on Thursday.
"It's a chance to get everyone together and play and see how the newcomers fit in with the returning players," Van Linder said. "It's exciting because, with all the newcomers we have coming in and some of the injuries that our returning players had in the spring, this will be my first chance to see a lot of our players in action."
The roster will include 15 returning players and 13 newcomers with several collegiate transfers in the fold. SFA lost just two starters from last year's team that went 13-5-2 on the way to winning the Southland Conference regular-season and tournament championships and reaching the NCAA Tournament.
The title was SFA's fifth as a member of the SLC and the second in three years for the 2008 senior class. Van Linder said he is committed to maintaining that winning tradition and feels fortunate to have a crop of returning players that is already a part of the program's successful history.
"The nice thing here is that the expectations are already there, and we're just trying to build upon them," Van Linder said. "The expectation for this program for a while has been that if you don't win the conference championship, it's been a disappointing year."
Tuesday's schedule consists of meetings and a team meal with training beginning on Wednesday.
"Early in camp, we primarily want to see how everyone has been training over the summer," Van Linder said. "We check their fitness level and see if there are any injuries we need to be aware of."
SFA will open the 2008 season with an exhibition game at Oklahoma on Aug. 15. The Ladyjacks begin the regular season on Aug. 22 with a road game against TCU. SFA's first home game of the year is set for Aug. 29 against Centenary College.
-- SFA --
