If there’s one team at the University of Dayton that should be eyeballed over the next two seasons, Mike Tucker’s womens’ soccer team holds the distinction of having the best chance at pushing the Flyer name into the national spotlight. While this may be a basketball town, fans would be hard-pressed to find a more concentrated region of soccer fanatics anywhere in the country. Southwest Ohio is a soccer powerhouse – from the youth leagues to the club level. This year, Tucker’s squad comprises some of the country’s best young college talent, talent that could conceivably turn Dayton into a national power in the near future. Hard to believe? Consider this: over the last three seasons, the university has recruited exactly four high school All-Americans and two of them play for the womens’ soccer program — the other two are on the mens soccer team. After finishing a school-best 18-5 last year and earning their first-ever NCAA tournament win, the Flyers return what appears to be the most talented team in school history. That’s a lot to be thankful for, but it’s also a healthy amount of pressure on such a young team.

How they got here…

Dayton’s womens program has always been one of the most successful teams at the university. During the late 80s, the Flyers churned out a Top-20 ranking and had several players who were nationally recognized. When Mike Tucker took over the program three years ago from Bill Glissen, the groundwork was in place to take the Flyers to the next competitive level. Two seasons ago, UD finished a school-best 16-4. Last year, a major recruiting breakthrough came forth as Alter grad and two-time NSCAA HS All-American Missy Gregg turned down Notre Dame, North Carolina, SMU, and Texas A&M to play for Dayton. As a result, the Flyers doubled-up by capturing the A-10 regular season and tournament title on their way to a record 18 wins before it was all over. Success breeds success, and Tucker capitalized on last year’s good fortune by nabbing what may end up as the deepest, most-talented recruiting class in history.

Old and new…

While the newcomers are expected to challenge for starting spots immediately, last year’s core is what will make or break the upcoming season. Fortunately, most of last year’s major contributors return – many of whom comprise the lower classes. To illustrate, last year’s freshmen class started a combined 105 games. Dayton is young but experienced, one of the rarities in college athletics. While the upper classes are not as deep as recent years, they are stocked with crafty, experienced players who’ve spent more time on the field than on the bench. If Tucker can extract leadership from the juniors and seniors while awarding experience to the younger players, the recipe appears to be a fairly good one.

Back on campus…

The Flyers return heralded forward Missy “Showtime” Gregg as she enters her second season at the college level. Gregg established herself as one of the best incoming frosh in the nation last year by being named an NSCAA 3rd Team All-American – one of just three freshmen in the country to earn the title of All-American. Gregg rewrote school records in goals and points per season and finished atop the A-10 Conference in total points as well as Top-5 nationally in goals per game. She also scored a goal in a school-record 10 consecutive games, a statistic that ranks third-longest in NCAA womens soccer history. With so much accomplished as a freshman, many believe the pressure will be on Gregg to erase last year’s marks. Not so fast. While 99-00 was a banner year statistically for Missy Gregg, she was asked to do a lot – maybe too much. This year the talent level of the Dayton Flyers is much deeper, stronger, more athletic, and more experienced than ever before. In short, Gregg might not have to carry such a burden. Don’t put too much emphasis on the boxscore. Gregg will be a better player this year no matter what the stats indicate.

Other returnees looked upon to score this year will be juniors Bridget Bushman (Cin/Seton HS), Megan McKnight (Hamilton/Badin HS), and Sarah Walker (Lewis Center/DeSales HS), along with sophomore Shannon Kuhl (Indian Springs/Badin HS). This foursome combined for 10 goals and 16 assists in 1999 — solid numbers for a group of underclassmen.

In the defensive third, senior Megan Worley (Cin/Ursuline HS), and sophomore midfielder Liz Brown (Kettering/Alter HS) will be called upon to anchor the back and middle third of the pitch to help Tucker capitalize on the transition game from defense to offense.

Mike Tucker’s final line of defense however may be his best. Sophomore goalkeeper Stephanie Weisenfeld (Buffalo Grove, IL/Stevenson HS) played most of the minutes inside the pipes a year ago and is perhaps one of the most underrated keepers in the Midwest. Standing just 5’5”, Weisenfeld overcomes her size disadvantage with positioning and athleticism. She started 20 games and recorded 8.5 shutouts with an outstanding 1.19 goals-against-average in 1999. As sure-handed as they come, Weisenfeld is the rock the coaching staff needs in the goalmouth to take charge and bark orders.

Holes to fill…

The good news is Dayton’s losses to graduation won’t cripple the program, but the downside is three of them were Danielle Gillespie (Batavia, Glen Este HS), Jen Davin (Cin/Ursiline HS), and Wes Oxley (Centerville/Centerville HS). Gillespie was second on the team in goals (10) and points (27). Other than Gregg (57), no returning scorer yielded more than 10 points. Gillespie was one of the few midfielders who took charge in 1999 and really put the hammer down on opponents — winning loose balls, free kicks, and effectively serving as a conduit between the defense and offense. Davin and Oxley, both seasoned veterans in the defense, leave a sizable hole that must be filled by the returning players. Oxley was the strongest of the defensive core and cleaned up many mistakes at her sweeper position (too many) that plagued the center of the field while Davin had excellent vision and asserted herself offensively with 10 assists — good enough for second-best on the team. Other losses include midfielder Tara Albert (Pittsburgh/Upper St. Clair HS) and goalkeeper Damian Gold (Milford/Milford HS). Tucker’s ace in the hole in 1999 was experience at the key positions, but this year promises to be a new challenge as young returnees and talented but unproven newcomers must show the coaching staff they are capable of taking charge.

The reinforcements…

Led by two-time NSCAA HS All-American Judi Aschenbrener, the incoming class should ease the coaching staff’s pain by giving fans one of the best, if not the best, influx of talent since the program took root. Were it not for this year’s crop of freshmen, expectations would be uncertain, but the program appears to have cleared one major hurdle — they are reloading and not rebuilding anymore.

Aschenbrener (Bay Village/Bay HS) is what Bay High School coach Gale Fiske described as the “fastest, most complete player I’ve ever coached.” She set nearly every scoring record at Bay HS, surpassing her sisters who went on to stellar careers at Butler and Michigan State. She led her team to the Ohio Div-II State title in 1999 and chose the Flyers over Butler, Michigan, Maryland, Ohio State, and others.

Not to be outdone, Beth McHugh (Medina, Medina HS) comes to Dayton after helping the Bees to the 1997 Div-I State title. McHugh led her team in scoring her senior year, was named First Team Div-I All State, and received serious interest from Anson Dorrance’s UNC Tar Heels before settling with Dayton. Alongside Aschenbrener and Gregg, McHugh gives the Flyers a potent triple threat that may be parceled out between the midfield and forward positions. Many who have seen McHugh play insist she can assert herself at all 10 field positions.
The third prospect from Northeast Ohio is Erin Schowalter (Brunswick/Brunswick HS), considered among the best players in the Cleveland area. One Cleveland fan told UDPride emphatically that Schowalter was the best defender in NE Ohio and had more potential than any player in her class. This spring, several college coaches were very impressed and inquired more about the Brunswick star though her letter of intent had already been signed.

Kara Kenney’s arrival can be directly attributed to assistant coach Greg Sheen, her former club coach at the TopHat Soccer Club in Atlanta, GA, one of the most prominent clubs in the South. Kenney (Acworth, GA/Harrison HS) is yet another goal scorer who brings nationally competitive experience at the club level, playing for TopHat 00 Gold, a team comprised of players who received rides to major schools in the Southeast and East. Kenney is a four-time ODP State player as well as one year on the ODP Regional team. She was recently named First Team All Atlanta Journal-Constitution and chose Dayton over Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Florida State, and George Mason. At 5’8”, Kenney gives Dayton added size and strength in the offensive half of the field.

Rounding out the class are two goalkeepers. Stacey DeLuca (Maryville, IL/Collinsville HS) had a solid 0.81 goals-against average in her junior year and, like Kenney, signed with Dayton prior to her senior season. DeLuca’s GAA was one of the best in her area as she compiled a 10-3-1 record as a starter for Collinsville HS. Like current UD goalkeeper Steph Weisenfeld — also from Illinois — DeLuca has experience at the ODP Regional level. Caitlin Wolf (Hamilton/Badin HS) rounds out the recruiting class, giving the Flyers a third goalkeeper to tend the nets. At 5’10”, she gives Dayton size in the goalmouth and a much different look than Weisenfeld. Wolf was Second Team All Conference as a senior.

Under the hood…

So many things went right last season that pointing out the problem areas seems picky. Dayton had few weaknesses last year, but those they had were causes of frustration all season long. On too many occasions the Flyers played to the level of the competition, a reality that usually meant a downgrade instead of an upgrade. While teams always play better when trying to down the conference leader, games against mediocre squads like Fordham, LaSalle, and to a lesser extent Wisconsin-Milwaukee, proved difficult and even dramatic. The Flyers managed to pull out two of these games, but lost to UWM at home in a game that lacked the slightest bit of Flyer energy. Last season’s Achilles’ heel was two-fold: lack of size and strength in the midfield and a savage thirst for tearing into an opponent from the opening whistle. The coaching staff will address this, and the newcomers — for all the size, speed, and strength they bring — should help alleviate these symptoms in 2000.

What to expect….

On paper, the UD womens soccer team will be the heavy favorite to repeat as Atlantic-10 regular season champions. While there are questions yet to be answered, Tucker and his staff have so many proven returnees and unproven but talented newcomers that sheer numbers alone should bridge the gap between uncertainty and high expectations. The offense appears stocked for at least the next two years as Gregg, McKnight, Walker, Aschenbrener, McHugh, and Kenney bring unparalleled scoring potential unlike past Flyer teams. Vets like Niedenthal, Brown, Worley, Bushman, Weisenfeld, and Kuhl should only get better.

What not to expect…

Harnessing this much talent and depth takes time, longer than three weeks of practice and a couple exhibition games. Expecting this team to be in late-season form by opening day is silly and precocious. Give the coaching staff five games to work out the kinks and develop a rhythm, just in time for conference play.

The schedule…

The schedule is favorable and opportunities for victories abound. While there are challenges, such as games against #6 Clemson and perennial A-10 stalwarts UMass and Xavier, every other game on the ledger appears to favor Dayton. Xavier, Dayton’s nemesis in recent years, should pose the toughest challenge in the long run as superstar Amanda Gruber sets her sights on the NCAAs in her final season with the Muskies. Two years ago Xavier knocked the Flyers out of the NCAAs with last-second heroics to win the A-10 Tournament title and automatic birth. Last year, Megan McKnight pulled off the heroics in the final five seconds to lift the Flyers over Xavier. Expect nothing different this year. Winning the conference tournament title is still the only sure bet for either team to make the NCAAs. Conference strength is not strong enough on its own to garner an at-large bid unless a team practically runs the table inside and outside the A-10. In the end, it will probably come down to another four-team playoff to find a winner — as unfortunate as it is.

The verdict…

The Flyers have problems, but problems Head Coach Mike Tucker will tell you he enjoys having. He has holes to fill but plenty of talented players to fight it out. He has a superstar. He has a rock-solid goalkeeper. He has more speed and size than ever before. He has depth. He has a team full of great potential. Potential is a four-letter word most coaches hate hearing, but it’s better than the alternative — and that’s no potential at all. Dayton has a real chance at making waves on the national scene, but it’s a team game and unless everyone comes to play every time, all the time, the small but annoying bugs from last year will surface and cause problems again. Matching last year’s achievements will prove difficult, and besting them will prove daunting, but if any team has the chance to become truly great, this is it. The Flyers might be a year away from making a push at the national level, but getting there a year early will tell us two things. First, the program is using success to sign impact players. Second, 2001 may be magnificent if Tucker continues his habit of signing the best players in Ohio and throughout the country.