#13 Colorado School of Mines vs. San Francisco State (at Chico State), Friday, 4:30 p.m. PT
#13 Colorado School of Mines at Chico State, Sunday, 1:30 p.m. PT
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RIGHT BACK WHERE WE STARTED FROM
Mines will begin the 2018 season where it finished 2017 – in California. After making it to the NCAA Sweet 16 a year ago at UC San Diego with a 17-4-1 record, the Orediggers start the new year with a visit to Chico State to take on San Francisco State Friday and the host Wildcats on Sunday. Mines brings back a deep group that includes eight starters overall, led by all-region picks Jennifer Kendall and Emily Townsend.

FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING
This will be Mines' first meeting against both San Francisco State and Chico State. SFSU was 10-5-3 to finish eighth in the CCCA; Chico State was 11-6-2 overall and was fourth in the CCCA standings. It will be only the second time that Mines has visited California in the regular season after defeating Cal State San Bernardino and UC San Diego early in the 2016 season.

IN THE POLLS
Mines opens the season ranked #13 in NCAA Division II by the United Soccer Coaches, marking the seventh consecutive season the Orediggers have appeared in the season-opening top-25 poll. Dating back to the start of the 2013 season, Mines has been nationally ranked in 52 of a possible 60 polls. Mines also appeared at #2 in the RMAC coaches' poll behind 2017 champion and NCAA Final Four qualifier UCCS.

PRESEASON HONORS
Four Orediggers were named preseason all-RMAC back on Aug. 15: forward Jennifer Kendall, midfielders Taylor McRae and Giselle Sawaged, and back Emily Townsend. The quartet were instrumental in Mines' 2017 success.

UP FRONT
At forward, the Orediggers return senior all-region striker Jennifer Kendall a year after her breakout season saw her score a Mines-best nine goals with two assists, including five game-winners. The RMAC Academic Player of the Year had a team-best .231 shot percentage and .564 shots-on-goal percentage on 39 attempts. Junior Nicole LaTourette also had a fantastic 2017 with seven goals and two assists to earn Honorable Mention All-RMAC honors, with three goals and an assist in the postseason alone. Mines' returning attacking depth includes senior Hannah Stoner (2 goals and 2 assists in 2017), sophomore Danika Thayer (11 appearances as a freshman), and Audrey Shin (1 goal in 11 games as a freshman), while a pair of freshmen – Amena Nelson and Meg Zimmerman – will hunt for goals as well.

CONTROLLING THE MIDDLE
The midfield was a major source of strength for Mines a year ago, and that should continue with the bulk of the Orediggers' production there returning. The unit will be led by central midfielders Taylor McRae and Giselle Sawaged; McRae was an all-RMAC selection last year scoring four goals with an assist, while Sawaged started 20 times and scored three goals. Senior Acacia Ortiz, a three-year starter, was a top playmaker in 2017 with four assists and a goal and will continue to lead the attacking midfield.

Senior Peyton Sanders was a key midfield player for Mines last year, making 18 appearances and scoring one goal – the overtime winner in the NCAA First Round against Midwestern State – last year. Chaney Brugman is back after scoring once in 22 appearances and five starts as a freshman, and Mines will also have Zoe Sano, Hannah Rowan, and Kaylee Kennedy back after they redshirted last season, while adding freshmen Eliot Edwards, Emma Peterson, and Taylor Klone.

LOCKING DOWN THE DEFENSE
Mines' defense has perennially been one of the best in the nation, and that doesn't look to change anytime soon as the Orediggers return a veteran-laden group that produced a 0.55 GAA last year. Despite the graduation of all-American Emily Garnier, Mines will have starting experience at all four positions as Emily Townsend, Lindsey Tornabene, Dominique Rivera, and Kortney DesCamp all come back. Townsend, a 2016 all-American at center back, missed the second half of 2017 due to injury but still earned all-RMAC honors with two goals and two assists. Tornabene started 21 games at fullback last year after transferring from East Carolina, with Rivera starting 19 times on the other side after coming from New Mexico State. DesCamp missed almost all of 2017 due to injury but returns as a redshirt senior having 41 career starts under her belt.

Mines also returns versatile wing Mickey Hostetler, who had a pair of assists last year, and junior Riley Stein, who appeared in six games. The defense adds freshmen Alegra Aguayo and Samantha Scott.

BETWEEN THE PIPES
Shannon Mooney returns for her junior season after playing every minute of 2017, allowing 0.54 goals per game with a .793 save percentage. Mooney ranked in the NCAA top-20 in minutes played (9^th) and GAA (16^th) as she went 17-3-1 with 13 shutouts, the latter number being the second-most ever in a season at Mines. Behind her is Sierra Roth, who redshirted as a freshman in 2017.

LOOKING AHEAD
Mines will open up at home next week, hosting St. Edward's on Sept. 7 at 6 p.m. and Angelo State Sept. 9 at noon.