The Chicago State women's soccer team released their 2024 schedule today and the squad, which set a school single-season record for wins in a season last year, will begin this year's campaign at UIC on Thursday, August 15. The Cougars home opener is set for Sunday, August 18, and the schedule features seven home games which includes four home conference matchups during the month of October.
"We're motivated with the new players coming in so our expectations are a little bit higher," head women's soccer coach Josh Reyes said. "Given that we're in a conference now gives a chance to set more goals and raise our standards. As a team new to the conference, I think a good first step would be to qualify for the conference tournament."
The Cougars will begin conference play at home against Saint Francis on September 19 and will close out the month with a pair of conference road games before wrapping up the regular season with four of seven conference games at home during the month of October.
"You can do all the research on the NEC teams and they will be rated how they want to rate them," Reyes said. "We understand we're new to the conference and we don't know exactly what they have to offer or vice versa. I don't go into conference play thinking anyone is better than the other. I need to go for the win, and that's all I know.
Chicago State will be a veteran-led squad this season and have worked hard to round out their roster which, along with a solid group of veterans, returns their leading goal scorer from a year ago, sophomore Jackie Tamayo.
"We finally have a full roster, close to 25-26 student-athletes," Reyes said. "We added 12 new players, some key transfers and, of course, some returners that are coming back. Barbie (
Barbara Castellanos) coming back from injury is a good one for us to get back on the team. It's been a long process for her but she's recovered well coming into the season, so we're excited about that.
"I think there's a lot of players we'll lean on in addition to Barbie. Katie (Dohnel) being a captain for our team, Jackie (Tamayo) had a phenomenal freshman year coming into her sophomore year. She had a great summer. I'm going to be leaning on the older girls that are coming back because they know the style I want and they get to help the newcomers along as well. Delaney (Kenney) is coming back from injury and she's a key player as well, so it's exciting."
As any year will dictate, meshing the new players with the old will ultimately determine the success on the pitch, and Reyes is anxious for the challenge ahead.
"I have a whole new team and almost a whole new strategy from what I had coming into this season," Reyes said. "Now I have different players so I can do different formations, so it's different on both ends. We have a big senior group, a group of mature players that know what they want so I'm very excited about that."
2024 Chicago State Women's Soccer Schedule
August
15 at UIC
18 vs. Valparaiso
22 at SIUE
September
5 at Detroit-Mercy
8 at Purdue Fort Wayne
12 vs. Miami (OH)
19 vs. Saint Francis
22 at FDU
29 at Howard
October
3 vs. Wagner
6 at LIU
13 vs. Le Moyne
17 at Central Connecticut State
20 vs. Stonehill
24 at Mercyhurst
27 vs. Delaware State
Home Games in
Bold
About Chicago State Athletics
Chicago State University sponsors 16 Division I intercollegiate athletic teams and competes in the Northeast Conference with the exception of men's and women's tennis who will compete in the Horizon League during the 2024-25 season. CSU's athletic program includes over 150 student-athletes that compete in basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, tennis, indoor and outdoor track, triathlon and volleyball.
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