IUPUC assistant women’s soccer coach Chelsea Price, second from left, talks during Wednesday’s media day at the school. She is joined by players, from left, Taelyn Hendrickson, Sophie Parker and Madison Merritt.
An IU-Columbus women’s soccer team that has had less than two weeks to prepare for its first game will take the field tonight for its first-ever contest.
The Crimson Pride will host IU-South Bend at 5 p.m. at Wigh Soccer Complex. IU-Columbus (formerly called IUPUC) started practice on Aug. 7.
“I think we’ll struggle in the beginning,” IU-Columbus coach Jason Gough said. “They’ve only known each other for 10 days, compared to the other teams who have been playing together for years. But I think we definitely have a foundation to build on.”
The Crimson Pride have been practicing at 6 a.m. and usually arrive at the field by 5:45 a.m.
“This is definitely an exciting time,” Gough said. “It takes a special group of people to go about that. I know they’re tired, but it’s a really good group.”
Forward Taelyn Hendrickson, a junior from Brownsburg, has emerged as the team’s leader. Hendrickson played the past two years at Holy Cross College in South Bend.
“When we started last week, we needed someone to step up and be a leader, and from the very first day, she has been that leader,” Gough said. “She’s very talented as well.”
Sisters Kate Hardin and Kylie Hardin, both freshmen from Tri-West, will play wing-mid and an attacking midfield positions. Sarah Contreraz (freshman, Greenfield-Central) at wing mid; and Maritza Romera (freshman, Southridge), Sophie Parker (sophomore, Shelbyville) and Lily Campbell (freshman, Salem) will play in the center midfield.
Local product Hannah Grimes (junior, Columbus North) will start on defense, along with Madison Merritt (freshman, Franklin County) and Dani Bulach (freshman, Franklin County) on defense. Ana Jackson, a graduate student from Twin Lakes, will be in goal.
“She’s an older student, having graduated from IU, but she’s very motivated,” Gough said. “She’s very physical in the box, and she works really hard, and that’s what you ask for.”
Providing depth will be Abby McDonald (freshman, Jennings County) at forward, Valerie Uberto (freshman, Perry Meridian) on defense, Isabel Johnson (freshman, Western) at forward or defense and Vanessa Tochimani (freshman, Perry Meridian) in goal. Mallory Gilley, a freshman goalkeeper from Columbus North, could become eligible next month.
“I think we’ll struggle defensively,” Gough said. “But offensively and in our midfield, I think we’ll be OK. It will take some time to gel together. And the majority of the team is freshmen, so just adjusting to the speed as a game might be something that will be a shock to them. But as the season goes on, our chemistry will be something that we’ll build up, and we’ll definitely be better.”
The team has an average GPA of 3.5, with seven players having earned an IUPUC Excellence Award.
“Our biggest goal academically is, I want to have the highest GPA of the sports at IUPUC,” Gough said. “To me, education is the most important. It’s way more important than soccer, and at that’s what they’re taking with them.”
The Crimson Pride were picked 11th out of the 11 teams in the River States Conference preseason coaches poll. Eight of the 11 teams make the conference tournament.
“On the field, our goal is to make the conference tournament,” Gough said. “It’s all about peaking at the right time. It’s all about riding the wave up.”
The 2023 IU-Columbus women’s soccer schedule:
Today;IU-South Bend;5 p.m.
Wednesday;IU-Northwest;6 p.m.
Aug. 26;at Franklin;4 p.m.
Sept. 6;at Campbellsville-Harrodsburg (Ky.);2 p.m.
Sept. 14;Cincinnati-Clermont;4:30 p.m.
Sept. 21;at Ohio Christian;1 p.m.
Sept. 23;at West Virginia Tech;4:30 p.m.
Sept. 30;Shawnee State;7 p.m.
Oct. 5;Brescia (Ky.);4:30 p.m.
Oct. 7;Midway (Ky.);4:30 p.m.
Oct. 14;at Rio Grande;3:30 p.m.
Oct. 19;Saint-Mary-of-the-Woods;4:30 p.m.
Oct. 21;at IU-East;2 p.m.
Oct. 26;IU-Kokomo;4:30 p.m.
Oct. 28;at Point Park;1 p.m.
