WKU soccer’s 2024 roster hosts quite a few new faces.
With the departure of eight student-athletes, the Hilltoppers new-look squad hosts seven incoming freshmen and two transfers. Even with the excess of newcomers, head coach Jason Neidell said he likes “the energy this group has.”
“They have been extremely coachable. It’s been a really really fun preseason to be a coach because they’ve been so receptive,” Neidell said. “I think the enthusiasm and excitement will carry us through in the early part of the season.”
The Hilltoppers will look to carry that energy into the regular season Thursday, as WKU is set to kickoff its campaign at Austin Peay.
“We’ve been here since July… I think for all of us it’s super exciting to be able to go out on Thursday and start the season… let it all out there on the field,” Redshirt Junior Goalkeeper Maddie Davis said.
It is not all newcomers to the team however, as the squad has 17 returners from last season’s roster. Graduate forward Lily Rummo says that the new Hilltoppers have “been super super receptive” during preseason preparation.
“It’s been fun to be a mentor and be able to bring people into the program,” Rummo said. “We’re all on the same page. It’s been really fun to have some new personalities, some new players on and off the field that have just added to the culture.”
WKU has already seen competition heading into the season, playing two exhibition games in early August. The Hilltoppers drew with Chattanooga 0-0, before defeating the University of the Cumberlands 3-1.
Last year’s team finished third in the Conference-USA regular season standings, however WKU set a program and conference record with seven ties on the season.
“We’ve talked as a team about what that means and what we need to do to get over that hump and take it from good to great,” Neidell said. “Part of that is playing in the moment… part of that will be
The impressive record of ties is not the only hump the Hilltoppers aim to get over in the upcoming season. WKU has failed to advance in the C-USA tourney each of the last three seasons.
“It’s a hump that we have to get over. We haven’t been good in the first round of the tournament,” Neidell said.
WKU was picked by C-USA voters to finish third in the conference, behind Liberty and New Mexico State.
