The 2024 women's soccer season officially kicks off on Thursday, August 15, in Missoula, Montana. Colorado College is set to take on the University of Montana and the University of Iowa as part of the "Rumble in the Rockies."
"The players are really excited to play their first game and be on the road in Montana, head coach
Keri Sanchez said. "We've been looking really good [in practice], getting better every day, which is what we ask of the players."
A Quick Look
CC enters its 48th season as a program and looks to bounce back after a 3-13-2 record in 2023. The Tigers have 20 regular-season games on the 2024 schedule, including nine non-conference games to start the year.
The Tigers have 20 returners to this year's roster, including eight primary starters from last season's lineup.
"We're continuing to build on "Who are we?' Who is Colorado College and what kind of soccer team we want to be," Sanchez said. "We know our values as a team, and we wanna continue to press, be a super exciting attacking team to watch and a gritty team on defense."
In the 2024 Mountain West Conference preseason poll, the Tigers are picked to finish 12th overall. Last year, CC finished the season with a 3-7-1 MWC record and was a mere two points shy of a spot in the conference tournament.
New Look Coaching Tree
Keri Sanchez enters her third season as the head coach at Colorado College after being named the eighth head coach in the history of the school's Division I women's soccer program in December of 2021.
Sanchez, who won four NCAA National Championships as a player at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and has 13 caps with the United States Women's National Team, brings 25 years of coaching experience that spans Division I and Division III.
During the offseason, Sanchez added two additional coaches to the staff:
Chris Dodd, who most recently was the head coach of DI Houston Christian University, and
Kelsey Brouwer, a former assistant coach from Purdue University with six years of DI coaching experience.
"I am excited about the addition of Chris to our staff," Sanchez said. "He brings a wealth of knowledge about the game and teaching it. He is passionate and works hard to bring out the best in the people he coaches. His competitiveness will help our program progress to a new level.
Dodd comes to Colorado Springs with nearly a decade of Division I experience at Houston Christian University (formerly known as Houston Baptist University). He began as the goalkeeper coach in 2014 and was consistently promoted before becoming the head coach.
Brouwer comes to CC with seven years of NCAA Division I coaching experience and has coached numerous current professional players.
A graduate of Middle Tennessee State, Brouwer was a stellar collegiate goalkeeper, earning the 2015 Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year. After graduating in 2016, Brouwer was the starting goalkeeper in the 2016 UEFA Women's Champions League for Apollon Ladies F.C. in Limassol, Cyprus, and also played professionally in the United States for FC Kansas City.
"Kelsey quickly rose to the top of the list of a fantastic candidate pool," Sanchez said of Brouwer. "She is thoughtful in her approach, good at building relationships, and deeply cares about the athletes she coaches. She has a tremendous playing background, will be a good role model for our players, and will push our staff to be at our best."
Tigers To Watch
Three players from CC were named to the Mountain West Players To Watch list: seniors
Kaelin Enga,
Alexis Wessler, and junior
Makenna Kolson.
Enga, a Colorado Springs native, will enter her fourth season at CC after appearing in 14 games in 2023. The midfielder logged 980 minutes (eighth on the team) with two full 90-minute showings against Boise St. and San Jose State. She will be a crucial piece to the midfield this season.
Wessler, another Colorado product from Highlands Ranch, was one of only three players to start in all 18 matches last season. The midfielder/defender was a marathon woman in 2023, leading the Tigers with 1,564 minutes played and logged 14 full 90-minute performances. Since 2017, Wessler has played in 63 games, missing only one start in 2021.
Kolson, a midfielder/defender from Ladera Ranch, CA, made 11 starts during her sophomore campaign and was fifth on the team with 1,091 minutes played. Kolson can play all over the pitch and also has shot-taking ability. She took 10 shots in 2023, including a season-high three against Louisana Tech in the season opener.
Season Opener Resume
CC owns a 26-11-2 record in Division I season openers. Their most recent first-game victory came during the 2022 campaign when the Tigers defeated UC Santa Barbara, 2-1, in Santa Barbara, Calif.
Against the Opposition
The Tigers have a 4-5-0 record against the Griz, with the most recent meeting in 2005. Montana enters the season riding off a 13-3-3 record and an appearance in the Big Sky Championship Tournament as the No. 1 seed but ultimately fell to Northern Arizona in the semifinals.
The Grizzlies return all five of their first-team All-Big Sky selections from a year ago and should be favored to repeat as Big Sky regular-season champions.
How To Watch
The contest on Thursday evening will be broadcast on ESPN+ and available for viewing to anyone with a subscription.
Live stats for the games can be found by clicking the links below:
