21st Season of Horizon League Women's Soccer Kicks Off Friday

INDIANAPOLIS -- Poised for a breakout season, all nine Horizon League women's soccer teams begin their 2011 campaigns on Friday night, with aspirations of playing into the middle of November in the NCAA Tournament.

Preseason favorite for the 12th consecutive year, Milwaukee will be out to capture a share of its 12th straight League regular-season title. For the third straight year, Sarah Hagen will be the most-marked player in the conference, entering 2011 with 67 career goals and 151 points, both League records. The senior is part of a returning group that brings 87 percent of Milwaukee's offense back from last year; the biggest question for the Panthers will come in the defensive ranks, where Milwaukee will have to replace five departed graduates.

The Panthers open the year with two power-conference opponents, clashing with Michigan State on Friday before returning to Engelmann Stadium on Sunday to host DePaul.

Butler, who earned Horizon League Tournament hosting honors last year as the No. 1 seed, brings back eight starters from the runner-up squad of 2010. Similar to Milwaukee, the Bulldogs return the majority of their offensive firepower, as 10 of the team's top 11 scorers are back in 2011, including Katie Griswold, who tied for second in the League with 9 goals in 2010. 2010 League Coach of the Year Tari St. John will also have to replace two departed defensemen, but will look to build depth from its freshman and sophomore classes.

The Bulldogs host Madonna on Friday before heading to Indiana University on Sunday.

Wright State joined Butler as one of two teams to knock off Milwaukee in League play in 2010 and will be looking for its seventh straight season with 10 or more wins. The Raiders are bolstered by the return of two First Team All-League honorees in midfielder Brittany Persaud and defenseman Lauren Patterson. Persaud tied the WSU single-season record with 10 assists last year, and the Raiders hope to add to the attack with the return of Jen Agueci, who returns from injury.

The Raiders open the year in Athens, Ohio, against Ohio University before opening their home slate on Sunday against Canisius.

A youthful Detroit squad adds another year of experience after reaching the League semifinals in 2010. 10 starters return to the lineup, led by senior Alexandra Suschak, who earned first team accolades last year after leading the Titans' defense. Sophomore keeper Nora Abolins tied for the League lead with seven shutouts, while Kaitlyn Quarrell collected All-League Second Team and All-Newcomer Team honors. Head Coach Mike Lupenec returns for his 19th season with Detroit, while his 162 victories are the most among the League's coaches.

The Titans begin 2011 at Central Michigan.

Cleveland State will be looking to build on the best season in school history after recording nine victories in 2010. Head Coach Derek Falor will need to bring 15 newcomers up to speed to blend with six returning starters (and 13 letterwinners). Senior Natalie Daniels shouldered the scoring burden in 2010, tying for second in the League with 9 goals, while her 23 points were the second-most in the conference. Valerie Stahl and Frederike Dubeau anchor the backline for the Vikings, who must replace the 2010 League Goalkeeper of the Year in Kelly Zinkiewich.

The Vikings venture to Kent State for a Friday season opener before returning to Cleveland for a Sunday match against Duquesne.

New head coach Barry Bimbi comes to Loyola from the University of Pittsburgh, where he helped raise the program into a Big East threat. With the Ramblers, Bimbi will be aided by the return of the squad's top four scorers from 2010, as well as keeper Katie Groesch. Veterans Kristin Papierski, Tricia Stonebraker and Maggie Olsen anchor the midfield for Loyola, while the forward positions will likely see new blood up front. Stonebraker collected All-League Second Team honors in her freshman season, tallying three goals.

The Ramblers stay at Loyola Soccer Park to open the season, hosting Bowling Green and Gonzaga on Friday and Sunday, respectively.

Valparaiso will look to rebound from a disappointing 2010, in which the Crusaders failed to reach the Horizon League Tournament for the first time in four years. The Crusaders are bouyed by the return of Brooke Henderson and Janine Lytle, both of whom earned All-League Second Team honors last season. Henderson leads the midfield, having started 51 of 56 career matches, while Lytle anchors Valpo's back line, starting 39 consecutive matches.

The Crusaders will be at Brown Field all weekend, opening the year against Morehead State on Friday before meeting in-state foe IPFW on Sunday.

One of the stingiest teams in the Horizon League in 2010, Green Bay will look to add offense to a defense that surrendered just 15 goals in 16 matches. Keying the defense is goalkeeper Maddie Drusch, who was second in the League in goals against average, permitting just 0.91 tallies per contest. Drusch earned Second Team All-League accolades for her efforts. With newcomers Hannah Kernen, the Wisconsin High School Player of the Year and the Green Bay Press-Gazette's Area Player of the Year in Sierra Valentine, the Phoenix are optimistic that their offense output will match the defense's intensity.

The Phoenix begin 2011 at home against Division I newcomer Nebraska-Omaha before heading to Drake for a Sunday match.

Holding one of the League's top scorers in Allison Ludwig, Youngstown State will try and batton down the hatches defensively to reach its goals in 2011. Ludwig earned All-Newcomer accolades after scoring eight goals in her freshman campaign despite being plagued by injury - a common theme for the Penguins in 2010. YSU brings back 10 starters from last year's squad, including the defense captain, three-year starter Kelsey Kempton.

Youngstown State is on the road to start 2011, opening against SIU-Edwardsville as part of the UMKC Tournament; the Penguins and Kangaroos get together on Sunday.