Contact: Tyler Bremner, Sports Information Graduate Assistant
Aug. 28, 2024 –Coming off of their first program appearance in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) tournament and a clean College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) title sweep, the North Central College women’s soccer team looks to continue its success. The Cardinals came away with a stunning program-best record of 18-2-1 without giving up a single goal in CCIW regular season competition.
“We have a great returning group, we’ve put a lot of focus in terms of the culture, training, and getting more tactical.” Said head coach Andrew Gamarra who enters his ninth year at North Central after earning the coveted CCIW Coach of the Year award. “We have that mentality where we’re just trying to focus a game at a time and not get too ahead of ourselves.”
The Cardinals bring back a star-studded core including, Elle Sutter, Sarah Andrey, Jordan Boyd, Erin Jaskierski, Madelyn Camaioni, Gabriella Galvez, Yazmin Martinez, Kassandra Salviola, Jordan Lange, and many more. Last year’s cast combined to break fourteen program records and earn a program-high eight CCIW team selections.
Returning for the Cardinal offense is returning graduate student Elle Sutter who earned the CCIW Offensive Student-Athlete of the Year award, a First Team All-CCIW spot, and established a program-best record of 27 goals and 60 points in a single season. Also returning for North Central is the CCIW Freshman of the Year recipient Jordan Lange who broke the program’s freshman single-season records in goals (14), assists (10), and points (38).
With a strong returning core of post-season experience, the Cardinals look to fill out their depth by welcoming nine freshmen and one sophomore transfer. "There is more continuity in training, they know how they play and are now gelling with the newcomers throughout the freshmen and transfers. Even from our first scrimmage they're able to gel quicker through and hold high standards."
Picked as the favorites to win the CCIW regular season for a second consecutive season, the Cardinals come off a heartbreaking defeat in the NCAA tournament first round via penalty kick shootout to the University of Chicago Maroons. With returning stars and newfound post-season experience, North Central turns its attention to the season opener this Friday against their first non-conference opponent the Bridgewater State University Bears. This marks a four-game-long traveling stretch including Endicott College, Dominican University, and the currently second-placed team in the country, Washington University (St. Louis). The home opener will have the Cardinals facing Ohio Wesleyan University on Sept. 8th at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium. Access the full schedule HERE.
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