GREEN BAY, Wis. – Tomorrow afternoon, the Green Bay women's soccer team will kickoff the regular season when they welcome the Kansas State Wildcats to Aldo Santaga Stadium. Head Coach Julie Grutzner will embark on her second full season at the helm of the program.
Here are four things to know about the upcoming season:
1. The Phoenix added 14 players to the roster after adding 13 in 2022.
For a second consecutive season, Green Bay will present a young squad. Of the 28 student-athletes on the roster, 11 are true freshmen, while nine sophomores will don the Green & White. Five of the 11 freshmen are from Wisconsin, including Northeast Wisconsin native Allison Steeno (Kimberly), a midfielder. Prior to becoming a Phoenix, she played for Wisconsin United.
"She brings athleticism, game intelligence, and toughness to the midfield, allowing her to contribute from the start," said Grutzner of Steeno on June 21.
Three transfers – Laney Hoehnke (Wright State), Vera Asare (Oakland), and Valerie Baca (New Mexico Highlands) – make up the rest of the 14 additions. Despite over a dozen additions, 12 players returned for the 2023 season. Key returnees include defenseman Madeline Cruz, forward Zoey Pagels, defenseman Elle Hill, and forward Sophie Heyboer.
2. GB will have their longest road trip in nearly a decade.
Green Bay will be challenged with a five-game road trip beginning August 24 when the team visits DePaul. Other stops include North Florida, Stetson, Western Illinois, and South Dakota State before returning home for a Sept. 14 contest versus Wright State. The Phoenix twice had a four-game trip on the 2022 docket, but have not had five consecutive away games since the 2014 season.
3. The goalkeeper position is young, too.
The Phoenix has three goalkeepers stashed on the 2023 roster, none of which are an upperclassman. Sophomore Payton Lang leads the group and is slated to make her fourth career start in the regular season opener after sitting behind Annie Mason last season. Lang did make three appearances off the bench in 2022 and was efficient, surrendering just three goals in 273 minutes of action, boasting a 0.99 GAA.
Molly Finnel, another sophomore, and Mallorie Benhart, a freshman, are the other two goalkeepers. Benhart, a Lakeville, Minnesota native, comes to Titletown after spending time with Salvo SC, a development program based at the Minnesota Vikings practice facility in Eagan, Minnesota.
4. Zoey Pagels could garner several postseason accolades again.
Entering her sophomore campaign, Pagels could do some damage for the Phoenix in 2023. She notched a team-high three goals last season, including the go-ahead goals against Western Illinois (8/25/22) and Cleveland State (10/9/22). Pagels also led the team in points (6) while finishing second on the team in shots (15) and shots on goal (11). The Oregon, Wisconsin native was tabbed to the Horizon League All-Freshmen Team and All-Academic Team last season.
Highlights of the 2023 offseason:
October 28, 2022: Zoey Pagels earns Horizon League All-Freshmen Team honors.
January 23, 2023: Eight players garner Fall Academic Honor Roll Distinction.
June 21, 2023: The team bolsters the 2023 roster with 14 additions.
July 5, 2023: Eight athletes are named to the Horizon League Spring Academic Honor Roll.
July 6, 2023: The full 2023 schedule was released.
August 15, 2023: Sydney McKee joins the team as a Graduate Assistant.
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