UT MARTIN SOCCER SET TO BEGIN FIRST YEAR OF THE VARGA ERA

MARTIN, Tenn.- The first year of the Mike Varga era is set to begin as the University of Tennessee at Martin soccer team will lace up their cleats for the start of the 2023 season this Thursday, Aug. 17 at Austin Peay.

In a crazy few months, 10 returners and 17 newcomers will merge under the leadership of Varga who became the fifth head coach in UT Martin history on June 5. Varga will be assisted by Rachel Gries who will begin her fourth season by Varga's side.

"It's been a whirlwind for them like it was for me," Varga said. "I couldn't have asked for a better group to come in with. The upperclassmen have helped the younger players get acclimated to the soccer piece but more importantly they have been very welcoming and accessible to the new players."

Among those 10 returners, seven started in the 2022 campaign and will provide some stability for a UT Martin team that made a run in the Ohio Valley Conference Championship tournament in the year prior.

"I've been able to lean on the returners about what I can expect when we get into the conference portion of our schedule, what some of these teams look like," Varga said. "There is a lot of quality in the OVC and I have a lot of respect for these programs and coaches."

The experience of the returners is plentiful. Catey Hunt (63 games started), Izzy Paterson (2022 first team All-OVC) and Parker Gelinas (2023 OVC Player to Watch) are just a few of the veterans of this program who have also emerged as leaders amongst their teammates from a year ago.

"It's nice to have a core group of returning players that embrace their leadership roles. Catey Hunt is an incredible person that is easy to follow. Really, all of the returning players have led by example and its made the transition very smooth."

The returning forwards for the Skyhawks will consist of Makayla Robinson (17 career points over two years) and Nyeemah Prescod-Beckles (five points in 2022). Oral Roberts transfer Caroline Moore will join them up front along with freshmen Gwen Walters, Peyton Cook, Rachel Okoro and Jordan Bailey.

In the midfield, Patterson, Brooke Kala (31 career starts in two years) Abbie McHenry (13 starts as a freshman last fall) and Allie Buchmann (eight matches played in 2022) are back for another year in the orange and blue. Transfer Jenny Enriquez (two-time first-team All-American at Northwest Mississippi CC) and freshmen Maren Cain, Adrianna McLendon, Ella Rucka, Summer Rusciano and Ayja McCleary are the newcomers at that position.

The Skyhawk defense will feature returners Hunt, Gelinas and Shayla Addington (17 starts as a freshman in 2022). The first-year players on the backline will be transfers Olivia Magnusson (East Central), Malaesha Liddell (Northwest Mississippi CC), Joelle Stinson and Gretchen Marek.

The goalkeeper group for UT Martin will feature returning starter Poppy Bastock (18 matches started as a freshman last fall) and the freshmen duo of Jordyn Riffle and Andrea Wie.

Varga stated that the team has already begun to find an identity during preseason practice, which officially began on Aug. 1.

"The identity of this team will be a hard working group of talented players that trust each other on and off the field. I would like for the team to play with confidence and courage and have a willingness to take risks in the final third of the field," Varga said.

UT MARTIN SOCCER SET TO BEGIN FIRST YEAR OF THE VARGA ERA

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Players Mentioned

Shayla Addington

Jordan Bailey

Poppy Bastock

Allie Buchmann

Maren Cain

Peyton Cook

Jenny Enriquez

Parker Gelinas

Catey Hunt

Brooke Kala

Malaesha Liddell

Olivia Magnusson

Gretchen Marek

Ayja McCleary

Abbie McHenry

Adrianna McLendon

Caroline Moore

Rachel Okoro

Nyeemah Prescod-Beckles

Jordyn Riffle

Makayla Robinson

Ella Rucka

Summer Rusciano

Joelle Stinson

Gwen Walters

Andrea Wie

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