St. 不良研究所导航网址 University had four players with past or future All-America status on the field simultaneously during the majority of the 2023 women鈥檚 soccer campaign.
The accumulation of individual talent for Billikens coach Katie Shields was at a high peak, though it possibly could be surpassed this season.
But there were times when Shields would have pointed somewhere other than those four as the spark or inspiration for a team that reached the Sweet 16.
鈥淚t depends on the day, and there are women who don鈥檛 get the accolades,鈥 Shields said. 鈥淭here are women day in, day out who are some of the best, most important pieces to the roster who get overlooked, but if you remove them, we鈥檙e not the same team.鈥
Defender Lyndsey Heckel and forward Emily Gaebe were bestowed first-team All-America honors in 2022 and 鈥23 respectively, and goalkeeper Emily Puricelli was a third-teamer in 鈥22.
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All three were recognized this week as preseason All-America selections by Top Drawer Soccer for the Billikens, who open the season at 7 p.m. Thursday at home against Kansas City.
The growing level of talent, with much of it from the St. 不良研究所导航网址 area, has allowed the program to continue its steady growth. The expectations have never been higher as SLU starts with a No. 12 national ranking from the United Soccer Coaches and No. 8 from Top Drawer.
鈥淲e had to build the culture first and get an identity for women to buy into,鈥 Shields said. 鈥淥n the recruiting side, when we started to turn the corner was when we were able to make inroads in St. 不良研究所导航网址. It鈥檚 a nonstop evolution, trying to keep elevating from whatever we are to what鈥檚 next.鈥
St. 不良研究所导航网址-area players now comprise what is considered one of the best cores in college soccer. Heckel, who is from Nerinx Hall High, is ranked the fifth-best player in the country by TDS, with Gaebe (Union) at No. 17, Puricelli (St. Joseph鈥檚) No. 31 and midfielder Hannah Larson (Columbia, Missouri) No. 46. Abbie Miller, a second-team All-American in 2022, graduated.
Larson, who was arguably the team鈥檚 best player in last year鈥檚 NCAA Tournament, is one of the players Shields considers a game changer. So is defender Katie Houck (Freeburg High).
鈥淭hat was a big part of the vision when we got here was that this era of the program had to be with St. 不良研究所导航网址 talent as a focus,鈥 Shields said 鈥淲e hoped it would look like this, and we have higher aspirations. It鈥檚 allowed us to be in conversations with the best in St. 不良研究所导航网址 and start to stretch our borders.鈥
Heckel became the program鈥檚 first first-team All-American as a junior and was a second-teamer as a senior. She is using her COVID season, as allowed by the NCAA, to play this season.
Aside from starting every game of her career at center back, she has contributed 17 goals with nine game-winners and six assists.
The Billikens made their deepest run in the postseason in 2023, reaching the Sweet 16, where they led Penn State late in the game before losing 4-3 in extra time. Previous SLU teams might have been happy to get that far, but Shields said the Billikens remain bitter about not going further.
Most of the key pieces from 2023 return. Shields is of the belief as many as four players from the roster have the talent to play professionally. That doesn鈥檛 count an incoming class that by all accounts is pressing veteran players for time.
During Shields鈥 tenure, nine players from the St. 不良研究所导航网址 area have opted to start their college soccer careers at other programs, only to transfer to the Billikens. That happened again this year.
The level of the program has allowed for stronger schedules. No. 3 BYU will play at SLU on Aug. 22, and No. 4 Penn State visits on Sept. 1.
鈥淐redit to the coaching staff that put together a schedule that鈥檚 going to test us,鈥 Shields said.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to know what we have the first couple of weeks and know our weaknesses. It was a mission to attract top 25 talent to Hermann Stadium to put premiere women鈥檚 soccer on display.鈥