Having won a share of the Horizon League regular season title for 11 consecutive seasons, the Milwaukee women's soccer program has developed a strong regional reputation. Off to a 4-0 start, the Panthers are picking up national recognition through the season's first two weeks.
After receiving votes in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) poll in the first week, the Panthers cracked the top 25 after downing both Long Beach State (3-2) and Saint Louis (3-0) at the Milwaukee Cup over the weekend. Milwaukee earned 96 points in the poll, good for 22nd in the country. Additionally, the Panthers are ranked No. 2 in the Great Lakes region, equaling the highest position in the program's history.
Both Soccer America and Our Game Magazine have the Panthers in the top 25 of their polls, ranking UWM No. 20 and 22, respectively.
The last time Milwaukee appeared in national polling came in 2008, when the Panthers spent nine weeks in the NSCAA poll, including the final eight polls of the season and finishing at No. 24. The highest the team has ever been ranked has been No. 16.
One of the main reasons for the strong start has been the play of senior Sarah Hagen. Entering the year as one of the top-rated players in the country, the Appleton, Wis.-native has backed up those claims, tallying five goals in four matches. In each of the season's first two weeks, Hagen earned a spot on the Soccer America Team of the Week, while her three-goal effort in the Milwaukee Cup resulted in her being award the TopDrawerSoccer.com National Player of the Week.
Hagen enters the Minnesota Gold Classic this weekend with 72 goals and 162 points in her career, both of which are Horizon League records. Currently, she is three goals and 28 points from cracking the NCAA Division I top-25 leaderboards for a career.
With matches against a 3-0-1 Iowa State squad and a Minnesota 11 that was pegged in the preseason Top 25, Milwaukee has a chance this weekend to not only equal the best start in program history, but to make sure that the eyes of the country are focused squarely on Laura Moynihan Field at Engelmann Stadium on Sept. 7, when the Panthers host Marquette in front a national audience on the Fox Soccer Channel.
Tags: Milwaukee - Women's Soccer
