The University of Georgia soccer team has officially begun preparations for the upcoming season, with training sessions held at the Turner Soccer Complex.
"It's exciting to see all of the work they've done in the offseason help prepare them for the preseason," head coach Billy Lesesne said. "They have worked really hard and it showed in our Beep Test. Collectively, we had the best score that we've had across the board with the team. We've had one day to really see them in action, but the attention to detail, the focus, and the maturity is there. This is a young team that has been growing over the last year or two and we're finally starting to see them do the small details and really hone in on some of those finer things that we've been looking for."
Training will take place throughout the week leading up to the team's Red and Black Scrimmage on Saturday, August 10 at 11 a.m. The Bulldogs will continue preseason prep next week, before hosting Duke for an exhibition match on Friday, August 16 in Athens.
Georgia returns 11 starters for the 2019 season, including all five scorers. Junior Reagan Glisson led the Bulldogs with seven goals last season, followed by sophomore Abby Boyan with four.
Additionally, sophomore Emory Wegener returns in goal for the Bulldogs after leaving her mark in the record books during her first season. The Johns Creek, Georgia native allowed only 19 goals during the 2018 season, which is tied for fifth fewest goals allowed when playing a minimum of 800 minutes. She earned a goals against average of 1.06, ranking seventh in individual season records, and recorded five shutouts, which ranks ninth in career shutouts for a goalkeeper after only one season.
The 2019 Georgia soccer season kicks off on August 22 on the road at Purdue. The home opener for the Bulldogs is scheduled for Sunday, August 25 against Binghamton at 7 p.m. Admission to the Turner Soccer Complex is free.