Soccer Begins 2009 Preseason Camp
August 06, 2009 | Soccer
Aug. 6, 2009
GREENVILLE, N.C. – Sixteen days before its first regular season game, the East Carolina soccer team opened the 2009 season with a practice inside the Blount Intramural Sports Complex Wednesday evening. The Pirates are coming off their most successful season in program history as last year’s squad went 14-4-4 and captured a share of the Conference USA regular season title.
Four starters return and ECU welcomes 13 newcomers to the mix with 12 freshmen and transfer Hope Hanson from Texas Tech. This year’s Pirates will be led by two seniors, Alexis Foltz and Jessica Swanson. Other top returning players include junior Bailey Wilcox and sophomore Jessica Woodward, who were both named to the 2008 Conference USA All-Tournament squad, and sophomore Amanda Malkiewicz, who was a C-USA All-Freshman Team selection.
"We had a good first day," head coach and 2008 C-USA Coach-of-the-Year Rob Donnenwirth stated. "The team showed an excellent competitive spirit and their work rate was very good."
East Carolina hosts an exhibition contest against UNC Greensboro on Aug. 14 at 4 p.m. and then begins the regular season a week later, on Aug. 21, against former Colonial Athletic Association rival Virginia Commonwealth. The contest is slated for 5 p.m. at Bunting Field.
