By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University soccer kicks off its 2023 season with Friday and Sunday road matches in St. Louis, Mo.
Former Washburn Rural star Belle Kennedy is a returning starter for Washburn University soccer, which will open its 2023 season at 5 p.m. Friday in St. Louis against Drury. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Washburn will face Drury in a 5 p.m. match on Friday before facing Missouri-St. Louis on Sunday at noon.
The Ichabods are coming off an 11-6-2 record in 2022, finishing sixth in the MIAA.
Drury went 6-3-8 last season and 3-2-7 in the GLVC before losing in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament.
Missouri-St. Louis was 6-7-5 in 2022 with a 3-4-5 record in the GLVC. The Tritons advanced to the semifinals of the GLVC tournament. They take on Northwest Missouri State Friday before taking on Washburn.
The Ichabods, picked sixth in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll, returns 19 players from last season's roster while adding two transfers and seven freshmen.
Raegan Wells returns for her fifth season as an Ichabod.
In 2022 Wells started all 19 games, playing every minute in goal while recording 68 saves with a 77.3 save percentage on her way to earning All-MIAA honorable mention.
Riley Painter rounds out the senior class, coming off a campaign where she saw action in 18 matches and played 397 total minutes.
Khloe Schuckman leads a class of 11 juniors, earning All-MIAA first-team honors last season after leading Washburn with 19 points on eight goals and three assists. She recorded the first hat trick for Washburn since 2009 and logged 1,429 minutes.
Former Washburn Rural star Belle Kennedy was an All-MIAA third-team selection as a freshman, scoring six goals. She started all 16 matches she appeared in.
Washburn adds two transfers and eight freshmen for 2023.
Jordan Tenpas will be a junior defender after playing three seasons for Minot State where she started and played in 48 career games with one goal. Aubrey Tanksley will be a sophomore after playing one season at Weber State where she appeared in 11 games for 211 total minutes.
Washburn's freshmn class includes former Washburn Rural standouts Hailey Beck and Mackinly Rohn.
Washburn will play its home opener on Friday Sept. 8 against Southwest Minnesota State at 6 p.m. The Ichabods will host Wayne State Sept. 10.
