Aug. 5, 2010

Photo Gallery

By Brian Davis, Assistant Media Relations Director

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - With the beginning of the 2010 collegiate soccer season right around the corner, the Tennessee Lady Vols opened official preparation for the upcoming campaign by holding their initial fall practice on Thursday afternoon at Regal Soccer Stadium.

Under the guidance of 11th year head coach Angela Kelly, the Big Orange are looking to bounce back from last season's 8-9-3 campaign with sights set on making noise on both a Southeastern Conference and national level.

Tennessee returns 18 letter-winners from last year's squad, including 10 student-athletes that started at least nine matches for the Orange & White in 2009, while adding five highly-touted newcomers to the fold.

The 2010 Big Orange campaign officially kicks-off on Aug. 20th with UT's home opener against Western Kentucky at 7 p.m. ET before welcoming in Richmond, Maryland and Kennesaw State for the annual First Tennessee Lady Vol Classic over Aug. 27 & 29th.

Included among the returnees for UT (with last year's stat total included in parentheses) are 2009 SEC All-Freshman midfielder Amy Harrison (sophomore, two goals, four assists; Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada), past Soccer Buzz Central Region All-Freshman midfield selections Chelsea Hatcher (junior, three goals, one assist; Cincinnati, Ohio) and Tanya Emerson (senior, Capistrano Beach, Calif.), experienced midfielders Julie Edwards (senior, one goal, one assist; Glenmoore, Pa.), Lara Langworthy (junior, two assists, Murfreesboro, Tenn.) and Emily Shore (junior, one assist, Gainesville, Fla.), forwards Emily Dowd (junior, two goals, three assists; Gainesville, Fla.), Ashley Owens (junior, Murrieta, Calif.) and Anna Fisher (senior, Franklin, Tenn.), defender/forward Alexis Owens (sophomore, Carmel, Ind.), and battle-tested defenders Ali Hall (sophomore, two assists, Hawthorn Woods, Ill.), Melissa Speros (senior, Lancaster, Pa.), Grace Cuenin (senior, Midlothian, Va.), Hannah Hut (junior, Highlands Ranch, Colo.) and Kylie Bono (sophomore, Yorba Linda, Calif.). Also back to bolster the defensive effort is ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District IV selection senior goalkeeper Molly Baird (Raleigh, N.C.), who tallied 101 saves and seven shutouts during the '09 season.

The incoming 2010 class consists of freshmen midfielders Tori Bailey (Fenton, Mich./Fenton H.S.), Sanna Saarinen (Espoo, Finland/Etela-Tapiola) and Caroline Brown (Hummelstown, Pa./Hershey H.S.), junior transfer Chelsea Kephart (Cumming, Ga./South Forsyth/Georgia Southern) and rookie defender Caroline Capocaccia (Memphis, Tenn./St. Agnes Academy),