The University of Iowa women’s soccer team open the 2023-24 Hawkeye athletics season on Thursday at Pickering Field in Fort Myers, Florida, when Iowa takes on Florida Gulf Coast starting at 6 p.m. (CT).  Iowa opens its home slate on Sunday at the University of Iowa Soccer Complex. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. Admission is free to all home soccer games.

WATCH/FOLLOW LIVE

• Thursday’s match will stream on ESPN+. Sunday’s contest will stream on BTN+. Subscriptions required for both platforms.
• Links to streaming and live stats can be found at hawkeyesports.com/soccergameday.
• Fans can follow the Iowa soccer program on Twitter (@HawkeyeSoccer) for live in-game updates.

 

SCOUTING THE EAGLES

• Florida Gulf Coast (FGCU) posted a 12-6-2 overall record in 2022 and finished 8-1-1 in home matches. The Eagles allowed just eight goals in 10 contests at Pickering Field last season.
• Junior Ashley Labbe returns a team-best 16 points and six goals for FGCU; the Eagles have offensive firepower to replace, with the loss of three of their top four offensive producers (combined 48 points).
• The Eagles also look to replace goalkeeper Kate Sullivan, who started all 20 games.
• FGCU advanced to NCAA Tournament play with an upset over top-seeded Liberty in the ASUN Championship game.

 

SERIES HISTORY – FLORIDA GULF COAST

The Hawkeyes and Eagles square off for the first time in program history on Thursday.

 

SCOUTING THE ROOS

Kansas City finished 2-11-5 overall last season.

• All 2022 goal-scorers return for the Roos this season; forward Madison Page is back after leading the Roos in points (11) and goals (5) last fall.
• Goalkeepers Mackenzie Caldwell and Riley Moore also return after splitting duties in 2022.

 

SERIES HISTORY – KANSAS CITY

Iowa won the first meeting between the two schools, 2-0, on the road in 2021.

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

• Head coach Dave DiIanni is in his 10th season at the helm of the Iowa women’s soccer program. Last fall, the Hawkeyes were 5-6-7 overall with a 2-3-5 Big Ten record, a few points shy of conference postseason qualification. Iowa returns eight players with at least three years of collegiate playing experience, including seventh-year player Josie Durr and fifth-year Samantha Cary, who was a captain last fall. Cary helps lockdown a Hawkeye defense that has averaged just one goal allowed per game over the past two seasons while posting 13 clean sheets during that span.
• Many of those veterans played for Iowa during its Cinderella-run in the 2020-21 postseason, which saw a two-win regular season result in the first Big Ten Tournament Championship and NCAA Tournament win in school history. One such player is redshirt junior Meike Ingles, who scored all four of her goals that year in the postseason, including three game-winners during the Big Ten Tournament.
• Another headliner is junior Elle Otto, whose three goals, five assists and 11 points last season are returning team-bests.
• Senior Macy Enneking returns in goal. Enneking enters the year tied for seventh on the Hawkeye career wins chart with 13 collegiate victories. She is also tied for sixth in program history for career shutouts (9).
• Iowa welcomes 16 newcomers, including 13 freshmen and three transfers.
• Cary, Enneking and Ingles were named to the Big Ten Preseason Honors List.
• Cary, Enneking, and senior Maggie Johnston were voted team captains for the 2023 season.

 

LAST WEEK

Iowa concluded a pair of exhibition games at South Dakota and Drake. The road friendlies provided travel experience and the opportunity to play in front of Hawkeye fans in Des Moines.

 

SENIOR LEADERSHIP

The Hawkeyes are led by a veteran core that spans the pitch.

• Along with midfielder Josie Durr (7^th-Year) and defender Samantha Cary (5^th-Year), the senior class includes Macy Enneking (GK), Rielee Fetty (M), Kelli McGroarty (F/M) and Maggie Johnston (F/M).
• Redshirt juniors Meike Ingles (F) and Zoë Bessert (F) are also entering their fourth seasons.
• All together, the group of eight players entering their fourth season have totaled 236 career starts for the Hawkeyes. Five more juniors round out the Iowa upper class.

 

FRESH FACES

The Hawkeyes welcome 16 newcomers, including 13 incoming freshmen and three transfers.

• The freshmen class features Ava Kenaan (F), Sophie Kincaid (F), Sofia Bush (M), Sammi Glover (D), Eva Pattison (D), Emma Hampton (D), Sonya Mehta (M), Erika Smiley (M/D), Keira Smyser (F/D), Millie Greer (M), Kearstyn Gladden (D), Abby Skiff (M) and Kassidy Lanthier (GK).
• Iowa also welcomes three transfers in sophomore forward Shae Doherty, sophomore goalkeeper Taylor Kane and senior midfielder Kelli McGroarty.
• In 2021, McGroarty led La Salle in goals (3), shots (46) and shots on goal (24).
• Kane (Pamona-Pitzer) and Doherty (Belmont) each had successful rookie outings, combing 21 starts and 35 games played as freshmen.