West Virginia University | 2012 Women's Soccer Not factored into the numbers above is graduate student Caitlin Hulyo, who is finishing up her eligibility after a standout career at Colorado College. A three-year starter, Hulyo played in 51 matches and recorded 200 saves. She is a two-time All-Conference USA goalkeeper. Offensive Outlook The 2011 Mountaineers recorded 49 goals (six shy of the school record) and 45 assists (two shy of the school record) en route to a 143-point season. WVU returns 53 percent of its goals and 37 percent of its assists for 2012. Forwards Frances Silva and Kate Schwindel return after combining for 14 goals and 11 assists last fall. Both were named to the All-Big East second team and Schwindel was crowned the league’s rookie of the year. Six different Mountaineers on the current roster have scored a goal in their careers. Defensive Outlook West Virginia returns only one starter along the back line this fall in senior Bry McCarthy The outside back owns 69 career appearances with 58 starts. In goal, sophomore Sara Keane returns after registering nine shutouts in 2011. Both were named to the All-Big East second team. Three defender positions, along with the holding midfield spot of Caroline Szwed – out for the season with a knee injury, are up for grabs.
Spanning the Globe WVU features studentathletes from Canada and 14 different U.S. states on its 2012 roster. Five players come from Pennsylvania, four from New Jersey and West Virginia, three from Canada and Virginia. Alabama claims two players and nine states have one player wearing the Old Gold and Blue. An International Experience Taking advantage of an NCAA rule that allows programs to travel overseas as part of an international tour every four years, WVU took a nine-day tour of Spain on its 2012 spring break. The Mountaineers traveled to Madrid and Barcelona, playing three games while exploring new cultures. The team attended one professional game and took guided tours of Real Madrid’s Bernebeu Stadium and FC Barcelona’s Nou Camp Stadium. ”The experience and knowledge gained from our trip to Spain was also invaluable in our development,” says coach Nikki Izzo-Brown. “The trip served as a great learning environment for our ladies to continue their development individually and as a team.”
Kate Schwindel Home Sweet Home Mountaineer soccer teams have played well in Morgantown throughout the years, putting together a 69-12-8 home record since Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium opened in August 2004. Last season, WVU posted an 11-2-0 home record, including a 3-1 victory over eighthranked Marquette on Sept. 18. Elite Instruction In 16 seasons, as the only coach in the history of Mountaineer women’s soccer, coach Nikki Izzo-Brown has built a one-time infant program into one of the nation’s elite. Entering the 2012 season, she ranks in the Top 25 among NCAA Division I coaches all-time with a .700 winning percentage (includes one year at West Virginia Wesleyan). Izzo-Brown has secured double-digit wins in each of the past 12 seasons and she has never had a losing season in 17 years as a head coach. Her career record stands at 237-92-32. Helping Kick Cancer The women’s soccer team raised $12,854 this spring in its effort to help fight breast cancer. All of the money raised goes directly to the Betty Puskar Breast Cancer Fund at the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center. A check presentation for the money raised this past spring will be held at halftime of one of the fall matches. The WVU women’s soccer team has raised more than $85,000 over the past nine years to help fight breast cancer.
Bri Rodriguez Coaching Staff | Player profiles
2012 Season
Opponents | 2011 Season | Records | WVU | Media
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