By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
No matter who his team lost to graduation and who it has returning, veteran Washburn University women's soccer coach Davy Phillips, starting his 20th season as a college coach, always has the same primary goal.
Washburn women's soccer coach Davy Phillips gives his No. 4-ranked Ichabods instructions during Wednesday afternoon's practice. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"The expectation I have is to maximize our potential, that's it,'' Phillips said. "And no matter what group we have, if we can do that, that's a success -- we've gotten everything we can out of that group and that's all we can ask for.
"In that sense it's just a matter of them committing to what that looks like from a player's standpoint and then obviously from the coaching standpoint and staff, making sure that we provide what they need to maximize our potential. That's the goal of the team every year.''
And if the No. 4-ranked Ichabods, who went 14-4-6 last season and advanced to the NCAA Division II semifinals, maximize their potential again this fall, Phillips knows it could be another very successful season.
"The potential of this group is really, really high,'' Phillips said. "Over the course of the season you have obstacles and things you've got to navigate and overcome and I think that's the challenge for the group and the competition in general, but the ceiling for this group is really, really high.''
The Ichabods lost some very good players off last year's team, including first-team All-American and MIAA defensive player of the year Belle Kennedy, but Phillips feels like the Ichabods have some talented players that are ready to step into major roles this season.
"Turnover's one thing you plan for and you've got to expect and you've got to prepare that next one in line,'' Phillips said. "I think we've done a good job in the last five, six years of really doing that and as players graduate that next player is able to just step in there.
"There's a lot of players here who are ready for that next step. They've been hungry, they've been putting in the work and I think this is the fun part of this first few days of camp is these competitions. They're battling it out right now and trying to win those spots and it's been good.''
The Ichabods return a key nucleus of players from last year's team, including first-team All-MIAA picks Lindsey Maul, a senior defender, and Leah Henke, a sophomore forward. Henke was named the MIAA freshman of the year last fall.
Also returning are All-MIAA second-team pick Rilyn Snyder, a senior defender, third-team conference selections Grace Peterson (senior midfielder), Mackinly Rohn (senior midfielder) and Sam Searcey (junior forward) and honorable mention honorees Kate Hinck (sophomore forward) and Lili Everley (sophomore goalkeeper).
Goalkeeper Lili Everley returns for No. 4-ranked Washburn soccer after earning All-MIAA honorable mention as a freshman. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
The Ichabods finished their third and final day of two-a-day practices on Wednesday and Phillips has been very pleased with what he's seen.
"It's been really good,'' Phillips said. "They've attacked the past three days. They did the captain's camp, kind of player led, last week and the report on that was really good, really positive from everyone involved in that and then the first three days of camp have been unbelievable.
"Then energy's been really high. The commitment to our game model is there and obviously we're learning and growing, but I'm really happy with what I've seen so far.''
The Ichabods will take the next step in their preseason preparations when they scrimmage Baker University at 9 a.m. Sunday in Yager Stadium
"It's always about, 'Are we more competitive than the other team? Do we have bite to us. And then are we true to our DNA, to our game model, how we train every day, what links us all together, those ideas?'' Phillips said. "If we came out and compete, if we play with bite and if we can link up with all of the same ideas, I think we're going to be in a good place.''
"And it's just fun to play somebody that doesn't see you every day. So it will be fun.''
Washburn will open its regular season at 6 p.m. Aug. 27 in Yager Stadium against pre-season No. 21 Maryville.
