The Pratt Community College Women's Soccer team is ready to start their 2022 Region VI Championship defense. The #15 ranked Beavers kick off their season against Seward County on August 19th at 5:00 pm. With both Johnson County and Neosho County dropping down to the Division II Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference the Beavers were preseason picked fourth in the conference having won the Region VI Championship a year ago.  

"The rankings are pretty much irrelevant at this point they are based on last year's team. We have a whole new team with 15-16 freshman with only a handful of girls returning so it is a brand-new team," said Head Women's Soccer Coach Thomas Gaskell. "We have had a good two weeks and a lot of good fitness in with two scrimmages and a lot of good practice, but with being such a freshman heavy team it is going to take time. It could take us up to conference to click and it is a learning curve, but I am excited with the potential of the group as it is very high."  

Those handful of returners from last season historic season include Sophia Robinson, Kaylane Ramos, Arizona Mitchell, Bella Crowell, Ashlynn Kurtz, and Olivia Morton. The leading scorer and program record holder for most goals in a season Leticia Tessi is back on the sidelines but will not play this season due to an injury during spring workouts.  

"The experience of our returners is crucial and the feeling of winning and trying to transmit that to the freshman is important," said Coach Gaskell. They will be invaluable, but a few of them including Bella, Sophia, and Arizona all had season-ending injuries last year, making them freshman on the field, but their experience with the group last year is crucial. Ashlyn and Olivia will carry the burden of their experience of playing in the Jayhawk and knowing what to expect."  

In the scrimmage this past Saturday, August 12 featured nine of the eleven starters coming from the freshman class. The Beavers will have to replace two record setting goal keepers this season with the trio of Julia Zimmerman, Kaylee Farmer, and Marcie Greenawalt taking their place in the box. Six women join the Beavers squad this season from the United Kingdom and one player from Ireland will look to make key contributions throughout the season.  

"We have a lot of exciting freshmen including Laila Ortiz-Nolan from New Mexico, the English girls will all be important players and we have girls all over the pitch that will play important roles on this team," said Coach Gaskell. "If we are going to have any success this year it is mostly going to be down to the freshman just because there are so many of them."  

The Beavers will open their season up against the Seward County Saints. The Saints are in their inaugural season in the D1 side of the conference. Seward County played a scrimmage last week against Tabor College and like the Beavers are a young squad. Pratt will play four additional non-conference matches in August before traveling to Neosho County on September 2 to open conference play.  

"I am excited for the new teams coming down with the Nebraska schools. I think it will be tight, competitive, and while Johnson County may be the favorites everyone else is not much to pick between them," said Coach Gaskell. "Every game will be crucial as one win could make the difference between winning second or fourth or fifth. I'm really excited to see the new teams and the dynamic it will bring to our D2 conference."