Season Preview: 2021 Reinhardt Women’s Soccer

By Mike DeVader, Reinhardt Director of Athletic Communications & Media

WALESKA, Ga. – Excitement will be alive and well once again inside Ken White Field at University Stadium on Saturday night as women's soccer opens its home slate against the Patriots of No. 8 Cumberlands (Ky.) at 7 p.m.

The Eagles, who are coming off one of their most successful seasons in history in 2020 (16-2), appear to be primed for another run within the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) and NAIA postseason play.

"I'm very excited to get our season started," head coach Andy Kaplan said. "This is the deepest and most talented roster we have ever had at Reinhardt. There is no question we have the potential to have a very special season. By the same token, all of our past teams that were successful on the national stage were hard-working and mentally tough. Time will tell if we can achieve our potential through hard work, toughness and teamwork. 

There is nothing that would make me happier than to help this senior class finish their careers with a championship."

Kaplan and company will line up for 17 regular-season contests – 14 of which are within the AAC – and nine at home in Waleska.

Reinhardt battled Truett McConnell (Ga.) for the AAC championship last postseason, and the duo is expected to do the same in 2021 as they tied for the top spot in the AAC Women's Soccer Coaches' Preseason Poll.

The Eagles and Bears both amassed 216 total voting points in the rating, with Truett McConnell receiving eight first-place votes and Reinhardt six.

Rolling last year's success into the new campaign is on the mind of a lot of the players, especially if they work together for the common goal.

"I am really looking forward to my senior season," Mary Kate Williamson said. "We have a lot of new, skillful players coming in as well as returners who have all put in a lot of hard work throughout the summer and preseason. If we work together as a team, we can accomplish anything that comes our way this year."

After taking on the Patriots on Saturday night, the hometown club opens a big month of September at Life (Ga.) on Sept. 1. Georgia Gwinnett comes to town a week later on Sept. 8, followed by the AAC road opener on Sept. 11 at Bluefield (Va.).

Conference play continues at home on Sept. 15 with a visit from Tennessee Wesleyan before Reinhardt hits the road for back-to-back matchups against Union (Ky.) and Brenau (Ga.) on Sept. 18 and Sept. 22, respectively.

A new member of the AAC this season – Johnson (Tenn.) – travels to Ken White Field at University Stadium for the first time on Sept. 25 before the month wraps up with Point (Ga.) on Sept. 29.

The Eagles open October with two-consecutive road games at St. Andrews (N.C.) (Oct. 2) and Bryan (Tenn.) (Oct. 6), then come home for three of the next four contests against Columbia (S.C.), Columbia International (S.C.) and Milligan (Tenn.).

The lone road tilt sandwiched in between the aforementioned trio is a trip to Cleveland, Ga., to take on the Bears in a crucial, late-season match on Oct. 20.

Outings at Montreat (N.C.) on Oct. 27 and at home versus Kentucky Christian on Oct. 30 wrap up the regular-season slate.

The potential is there and the talent is there – now it all has to come together on the field.

"We have a lot of returning talent from last year, as well as plenty of talent from the group we brought in," Elisabeth Dunlap said. "We have a lot of potential within this team and I have a strong feeling we can take it all the way to a national championship.

I couldn't be happier and more blessed to take on my senior year with this group of girls."

The run to the postseason begins Saturday night. 

For up-to-the-minute Eagles sports news, follow Reinhardt Athletics on Facebook, @RU_Eagles on Twitter and @ru_eagles on Instagram. 

For more information on Reinhardt Women's Soccer, please click here.