One goal: Soccer National Championship

For 17 seasons A&M head coach G. Guerrieri has accomplished almost all that can be accomplished in Women’s collegiate soccer. Seven Big 12 championships, including four in a row. A program that is considered among the nation’s elite. Numerous elite players, All-Americans, All-Big 12 players, award winners, and former students playing professionally. Arguably the best collegiate soccer venue in the sport. Only one thing is missing: a national championship.

Despite some bumps in the road in 2008, and the glaring lack of an eighth Big 12 championship, the team is geared completely for a national championship in 2009. What was a young team in 2008 is now an experienced and ready team in 2009. They took rival North Carolina to the brink in the quarterfinals of the NCAA tournament, and despite the loss in extra time have considerable momentum going into this season.

The National championship is being hosted by A&M so that crucial home field advantage will be present alongside that mixture of talent and experience. There is also a sense of immediacy to go along with this year. There is no better time than now, and a national championship would certainly cement Texas A&M as the primer soccer school in the state over UT which has made a push in recent years to counter the Aggies many years of success (it helps A&M that they get Texas a home this season). In addition, the Big 12 as a whole is on the rise. Colorado, Missouri, and Oklahoma State are all serious competitors not just for the Big 12 but in the national title hunt as well.

The team expects big things in 2009, they are right to do so.

Fiv bold Big 12 volleyball predictions

In addition to our comprehensive coverage of soccer and volleyball’s upcoming seasons, The Battalion is offering five bold predictions for volleyball.

 1. Nebraska will make the Final Four The powerhouse in Lincoln will continue to roll on. This despite the presence of only one senior in the form of Kori Cooper. This pick is based off of the fact that Nebraska almost always makes back-to-back final fours. 1995-1996, 2000-2001, 2005-2006, 2008-?. Now, whether or not they capitalize for their seventh championship appearance is up to how the young players respond.

 2. Texas A&M will make the tournament and make the Round of 32. Its to hard to believe that seniors Mary Batis and Sarah Ammerman would not make the NCAA tournament at least once during their tenure at A&M. Coach Laurie Corbelli and the A&M volleyball program has to good of a history to suddenly not make the tournament and those 13 straight appearances from 1993-2005 were not an aberration. A&M should make the tournament on the back of senior leadership and experience. Once their, the momentum of finally reaching that peak and the invaluable experience of playing in arguably the best conference in the nation should propel the Aggies out of the first round.

 3. Oklahoma will finish in the top 25 The Sooners came within a sniff of consideration for the tournament last year and that was with a very young team. All six starters return, including two All-Big 12 former freshmen. A non-conference game at No. 18 Wichita State will get the Sooners used to real competition early on. Head Coach Santiago Restrepo had two NCAA tournament teams in 2006 and 2007 that were very good, a year of young players and experience gathering should lead to another top 25 team in 2009.

 4. Kansas will make the tournament The Jayhawks bring four seniors and four juniors to the 2009 season. They also have the element of surprise. In a conference so reliant on experience and with only two teams (Texas and Nebraska) out of 12 that are guaranteed locks to make the tournament, the Jayhawks should prove themselves fast contenders. Kansas could very likely go into Big 12 play undefeated and has a favorable start to conference play. If they can survive two murder’s row of conference stretches (@A&M, @Neb., vs. Iowa St., vs. UT, @Kansas St. October 3-17 and @Iowa St., vs. Nebraska, vs. Texas Tech, @ UT Nov. 18-28 to close the season) then KU should be in the tournament.

 5. Texas will win the Big 12 Championship The No. 4 Longhorns return an experienced team with three seniors and two juniors from a team that went to the 2008 final four. In terms of talent the only school that can match them is Nebraska, and Texas holds the trump card on everyone but A&M and Kansas in terms of experience, and has more big game experience than anyone in the Big 12. As always the conference will likely come down to Texas and Nebraska but the Longhorns will take the Big 12’s automatic bid this year.