Thursday, August 22, 2019 -- With injuries behind them, the Grand Canyon University Women's Soccer Team looks primed for a strong season.
The 2018 season was marred by injuries at all positions, but with more than 20 returning players and a deep incoming freshman class, head coach Derek Leader is enthusiastic about the depth and the competition it brought this preseason.
The Arizona Soccer Association (ASA) had a chance to talk to Leader about the upcoming season.
ASA: On losing key seniors and who will step up this year to fill those leadership roles...
LEADER: "Some of the new players that will have a chance to step up are Cam [Camryn] Larson up top, a junior center forward, JUCO player Andrea Martinez who is a senior, junior outside back Mikaela McGee, junior centerback Hannah Edwards, and junior Jess [Jessica] Wong. These are players that we expect to play a big role for us."
ASA: On the young goalkeepers...
LEADER: "I think at our preseason camp Lauren Garthwaite was fantastic and Kayla King has done very well, but we have four players without experience in the goal but they have all been doing well."
ASA: On expectations for the upcoming season...
LEADER: "We're not really concerned about being young. We're excited to be fresh and new and there are fourteen new players on the roster. Plus four transfers that are on top of those 14 and you have all the players coming back. We had a season of injuries so we have all these new players and there is much more competition than we have ever had so hopefully that makes for a successful campaign."