GOLDEN, Colo. - The 2019 season officially opens this week for Colorado School of Mines women's soccer as the defending RMAC champions begin training camp and play their first preseason friendlies.

The Orediggers (19-1-2 in 2018) have earned plenty of preseason recognition as they sit atop the RMAC preseason poll and appeared at #15 in the United Soccer Coaches' national top 25.

IN THE PRESEASON POLLS
The RMAC released its annual preseason coaches' poll on Tuesday with Mines the strong favorite. The defending regular-season and tournament champion Orediggers received 13 of 14 first-place votes to total 169 points atop the poll, with UCCS second (151 points, 1 first). Dixie State (129 points), MSU Denver (122 points), and Regis (120 points) rounded out the top five. Goalkeeper Shannon Mooney was named a preseason Player to Watch coming off an 18-1-2 record and 0.38 GAA in 2018 that earned her All-America accolades.

Nationally, Mines earned the #15 ranking from the United Soccer Coaches, marking the eighth consecutive season appearing in the preseason Division II poll.
 

RMAC Preseason Coaches Poll (first-place votes)
1. Colorado School of Mines: 169 (13)
2. UCCS: 151 (1)
3. Dixie State: 129
4. MSU Denver: 122
5. Regis: 120
6. Westminster: 114
7. CSU-Pueblo: 91
8. Fort Lewis: 87
9. Colorado Mesa: 84
10. Colorado Christian: 75
11. Western Colorado: 56
12. Adams State: 35
13. New Mexico Highlands: 22
14. Black Hills State: 19

AN EARLY TEST
Mines will be put to the test immediately in preseason as they play two road exhibitions against Division I competition this week. The Orediggers will visit the University of Denver on Thursday at 6 p.m. before heading south to play at New Mexico in Albuquerque on Saturday at noon. Both games will show head coach Kevin Fickes where his squad stands as DU is coming off a 13-6-2 season with the Summit League title and NCAA Tournament appearance, while UNM had an identical record to win the Mountain West regular-season crown. Mines will have one home preseason friendly, hosting Wisconsin-Eau Claire on Aug. 25 at 5 p.m.

A DOMINATING DECADE
Mines hopes to continue what has been a decade of dominance in the RMAC, coming off their fifth conference regular-season crown in six years and their fifth regular season-plus-tournament in that span. The Orediggers have accounted for 12 of a possible 18 combined regular-season and RMAC Tournament championships since 2010, and are tied with Regis for the second-most regular-season crowns all-time in RMAC history at five.

THE NEXT GENERATION
Not since the 2014 season as Mines added double-digit freshmen to its roster, and with 10 arriving in Golden this week, expect to see new faces filling holes in the lineup. Fickes drew from five states plus Sweden to build the freshman class.

DEFENSIVELY SPEAKING
Mines has led the RMAC in goals-against average six times since 2011, and not finished worse than second in that span; unsurprisingly, in each of those seasons leading the conference, the Orediggers have won either the regular-season or tournament crowns (or both). Last year Mines' 0.36 GAA and 6.4 shots allowed per game were the class of the RMAC, but in 2019, there are holes to be filled on a backline that lost three veterans - Emily Townsend, Kortney DesCamp, and Dominique Rivera - to graduation. Returning are fullbacks Lindsey Tornabene and Mickey Hostetler, but the center backs will be a question mark with Samantha Scott, who started five games last year, the only returner with experience there. The goal will be well taken care of, however, with Shannon Mooney back for her senior season; in 2018, she posted an .860 save percentage and 0.38 GAA to earn D2CCA Second-Team All-America honors.

SCORING PUNCH
Mines lost five of last year's top six goalscorers to graduation, but has a weapon returning in Nicole LaTourette, who had a terrific 2018 scoring eight goals with two assists largely off the bench. The rising senior was named First-Team All-RMAC and D2CCA First-Team All-South Central, and has found the net 17 times over the last three years. Kaylee Kennedy had a breakout second half of the season to score two goals with an assist, while Eliot Edwards (2G, 1A) and Giselle Sawaged (2G, 1A) also found their way onto the scoresheet multiple times in 2018. Look for players like Audrey Shin, Meg Zimmerman, and Amena Nelson to contribute up front along with any freshmen who emerge.

LOOKING AHEAD
Mines will officially open the season Sept. 6 at home, taking on Chico State before playing San Francisco State Sept. 8. A Texas swing to St. Edward's and Angelo State will follow that before opening RMAC play Sept. 20 at home against Western Colorado.