Wheeling, W. Va. - With some veteran leaders on their team last season, the Wheeling University Women's Soccer team took a step forward, finishing with their best season since 2017. Many of those veteran leaders return for their fifth-year seasons with the Cardinals in 2022 as they look to once again take a step towards becoming one of the top teams in the Mountain East Conference (MEC). They have a new leader at the helm in Head Coach Emmanuel Awotula, but the mindset remains the same as the program continues to get better.
In 2021, the team finished 5-11-1, posting a four-win improvement from the COVID-19 shortened 2020 campaign. They had some milestone moments throughout the season that started with game one where they beat Lake Erie 3-0 to earn their first season-opening win since 2009, when they beat Shippensburg 5-4 in overtime. They also earned the team's first win against Notre Dame College in program history when they defeated them 3-2 on September 22nd. They hit a low point in the middle of the season, dropping seven straight conference games, but by season's end they finished with a 2-0-1 record against Davis & Elkins, West Virginia Wesleyan, and West Liberty to get to the five-win mark.
In 2022, the Cardinals return their top two scorers from last season in Kenadee Burgoyne and Braedynn Porter, both entering their fifth seasons with the Cardinals. Burgoyne had a career year, posting 10 goals and one assist for a total of 21 points. She earned All-MEC Second Team honors for the first time in her career and looks to be the top attack option for the Cardinals. Porter had an equally strong season, setting a career-high with eight goals and a team high three assists to finish with 19 points. The Cardinals are looking for both players to be driving forces for the offense this season as they look to score early and often.
Returning to the net for the Cardinals is fifth-year player Mikayla Yarwood, who led the MEC in saves last season with 132. She will be chasing history in 2022 as she enters the year just 58 saves away from the Wheeling career record of 219, held by former Cardinal Tina Dengler who played from 2001-2004. Yarwood saved 79% of the shots she faced last season and will look to be a brick wall for the Cardinals once again in 2022. In front of her, midfielder Mary DiFonzo will be tasked with keeping the ball out of the defensive zone. She was a member of the All-MEC Freshman team last season and finished the year with one goal and two assists for a total of four points. Both players will look to get their offense plenty of opportunities to score.
Joining the returners are a freshman class of 10 players who will be looking to make an immediate impact on the team. Yarwood will be getting some help in net with freshman goalkeepers Sam Faulkner and Kendall Sheffy joining to back her up. Faulkner comes from McDowell High School in Erie, Pennsylvania and helped lead her team to four straight District 10 Championships while being named an All-Region player her senior season. She helped lead her club team to the Maryland State Championship and was named an All-County player as a midfielder. On the offensive side of the ball, Hannah Schulte joins the group of Forwards coming off an impressive High School career where she was a four-time All-District player and a two-time Player of the Year Award winner.
Awotula is incredibly pleased with the amount of work his team has put in this season and how they have handled the adjustment of having a new coach. He believes this group can achieve the goals they have set forward this season and looks forward to seeing them play out.
"I'm excited for the start of the season and to see the hard work the young ladies have put in during the preseason to come together," said Awotula. "As of now, I feel like every one of the players brings a unique style to the game that I believe will help us achieve some of the goals we have for the season. As a new coach, it can be difficult for players to adapt to changes, but I have been very impressed with how quickly they are responding to how I want to play."
The Wheeling University Women's Soccer team kicks off their season on Thursday, August 25th when they take on Clarion at Bishop Schmitt Field. Kick-off is scheduled for 1 PM and you can get your tickets by clicking HERE. You can also watch live on MEC.TV.
