Tennessee soccer history cont.History of Lady Vols soccer cont.
2015 Season
Tennessee got off to a hot start, beginning the season 5-0-3 thanks to solid defense and goalkeeping. The Vols finished the year with a 7-5-6 overall record. UT ended the season in a three-way tie for ninth in the SEC, but missed out on the conference tournament after losing a tiebreaker with Kentucky and Georgia.
In Pensky’s fourth season, Tennessee failed to qualify for the SEC or the NCAA tournament. Missing the big dance for the third straight year.
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Tennessee had a very impressive signing class, ranked #5 in the country.
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It was Marcano who won the penalty that put PR up 1 nil.I watched the first part of the PR--Haiti match. Haiti, a physically bigger group of players, dominated play early, but PR defended
nicely and tried some counters. With Marcano not playing, I stopped watching, then saw a moment ago that PR scored on a PK
right before the half and leads 1-0. Surprising. PR is a little better than I expected them to be--I didn't expect a lot. I'm surprised Marcano is not starting. Maybe I'm biased, but I rather doubt that PR's starting forwards are better than her. Perhaps they could be--but I doubt it. I didn't know that Marcano had some PR heritage.
Tennessee soccer history cont.Tennessee soccer history cont.
2015 signing day class, how did they pan out?
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Gretchen Cagle
Chose Tennessee over Mississippi State, South Alabama and Samford
She did not play in 2015, transferred to Troy the following year, only played 45 minutes in one match for the Trojans in 2016, left the team.
Katie Cousins
Highly decorated player, great signing. Katie still plays professional soccer.
She chose Tennessee over Virginia, Clemson and Wake Forest.
CAREER HONORS
Mackenzie Gouner
- 2019 United Coaches All-Region (third team)
- 2019 All-SEC (second team)
- 2019 Senior CLASS Award Candidate
- 2019 SEC Community Service Team
- 2019 TDS Preseason Best XI (first team)
- 2019 MAC Hermann Trophy Preseason Watch List
- 2018 TDS Postseason Best XI (second team)
- 2018 United Coaches All-American (third team)
- 2018 United Coaches All-Region (first team)
- 2018 All-SEC (first team)
- 2018 SEC Preseason Watch List
- 2018 TDS Preseason Best XI (first team)
- 2018 MAC Hermann Trophy Preseason Watch List
- 2017 TDS Postseason Best XI (third team)
- 2017 United Coaches All-American (third team)
- 2017 United Coaches All-Region (first team)
- 2017 All-SEC (first team)
- 2017 SEC Preseason Watch List
- 2015 SEC All-Freshman Team
- 2015 Top Drawer Soccer Preseason Freshman Best XI
She chose Tennessee over Colorado, Vanderbilt and Baylor
Played all 4 years, and was part of a back line that limited opponents to 15 goals her senioryear and notched 12 shutouts, both setting program records.
Danielle Marcano
Chose Tennessee over Georgia, Florida and Florida State.
Played all 4 years and is still playing professionally.
Megan Massey
She chose Tennessee over Colorado.
Her freshman year played in 13 matches and averaged 23 minutes.
Transferred and played her final 3 years at Colorado.
Maya Neal
Chose Tennessee over Notre Dame, Florida State and Arkansas.
She was dual athlete, track and field.
She is still playing soccer professionally.
CAREER HONORS Soccer
- 2019 United Coaches All-Region (second team)
- 2019 All-SEC (first team)
- 2019 MAC Hermann Trophy Preseason Watch List
- 2018 United Coaches All-Region (first team)
- 2018 All-SEC (first team)
- 2017 United Coaches All-Region (second team)
- 2017 All-SEC (first team)
- 2017 SEC Community Service Team
- 2016 NSCAA All-Region (third team)
- 2016 SEC All-Freshman Team
HONORS Track
- 2018 Chuck Rohe Leadership Award
- 2018 USTFCCCA Outdoor Second Team All-American - Heptathlon
- 2018 Spring SEC Academic Honor Roll
Rylie O’Keefe
Played all 4 years for the Lady Vols.
Chose Tennessee over Colorado, Auburn and Seattle
CAREER HONORS
- 2017 United Coaches All-Region (third team)
- 2016 All-SEC (second team)
- 2016 NSCAA All-South Region (second team)
- 2016-17 VOLeaders Academy
Nicole Seaman
Chose Tennessee over Wake Forest, Oregon and Boston College
Played in 11 games, averaging 23.82 minutes per game, in the 2015 season, transferred to Oregon where she played the next 3 years.
Tatum Wagner
Chose Tennessee over Oklahoma State, Kentucky and Texas.
Played in 17 games, averaging 21.76 minutes per game, in 2015; transferred to Kansas State and played the next 3 years.
Shae Yanez
Played all 4 years at Tennessee and is currently playing professionally in England.
Chose Tennessee over Rutgers, James Madison and Penn.
Started every match as a Junior and Senior.
Just saw Bristol City give up a goal--a shot over the head of Yanez. I hear Yanez made some excellent saves earlier in the match, which i didn't see. Good BC goal off of a bad mistake by the LC keeper. Yanez will be tested a lot playing for BC, which clearly doesn't have the budget needed to be compete at a high level. Wishing her well!
Tennessee soccer history cont.
Season 2016
After making the NCAA Tournament in his first year, Pensky’s team failed to get an invite for the fourth consecutive season. To put it in perspective, Angela Kelly only had 3 seasons of not making the big dance out of her 12 years in Knoxville.
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Tennessee retuned to the SEC Tournament, earning the No. 7 seed after finishing with a 5-5-1 record in league play. The Vols defeated Ole Miss in the opening round before falling to No. 2 seed Auburn in the quarterfinals to end the season.
A big signing for Pensky
MA Vignola
Vignola will be joining the Vols after a standout high school and club career that earned her the No. 36 spot on the IMG Academy 150 list. As a member of Saint Ursula Academy in Cincinnati, Ohio, Vignola led the Bulldogs to Girls Greater Catholic League (GGCL) championships in 2013 and 2014. As a sophomore she led the GGCL with 15 goals and as a senior was named a first-team Division I All-Star by the Cincinnati Enquirer. Vignola was also selected to play for the West team in the 2015 High School All-America game in Raleigh, N.C. On top of her successful high school career, Vignola was also one of the top players for the Ohio Elite Soccer Academy in the ECNL. She has led the team to three consecutive division titles and two ECNL top-10 finishes. Among other major accomplishments, Vignola was selected to the ECNL Nike National Training Camp Top XI in 2014 and is a nine-time U.S. Women’s National Team camp participant. Vignola chose Tennessee over North Carolina, Florida and Louisville.
Assistant Coaching change
Joe Mallia left Knoxville after the 2015 season to become the assistant at Navy women’s soccer team. Not sure the reason for the departure.
Pensky brought in Mallia to replace the assistant that left with Angela Kelly.
Jonathan Morgan joined the soccer staff.
Morgan was Pensky’s assistant at Maryland and was promoted to Head Coach of the Terps’.
In his 4 seasons in charge, Morgan had a 35-36-9 record. He was asked to resign at the end of the season.
Heartbreaking loss.Tennessee soccer history cont.
2017 season
Tennessee put together its best season since 2012, returning to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in five years behind a high-scoring offense and a defense that posted 10 shutouts. The team scored 47 goals during the season, the third-most in program history, led by junior newcomer Bunny Shaw's 14.
Five players earned SEC postseason honors. Shaw and redshirt sophomores Katie Cousins and Maya Neal were first-team All-SEC and redshirt junior Anna Bialczak was on the second team. Redshirt freshman Erin Gilroy, who led the team with nine assists, was on the SEC All-Freshman Team.
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McKinley Burkett, Claire Fisher, Paige Franks, Wrenne French, Salera Jordan, Kelsey Kiley, Lexie Knox, Ashley Orkus and Khadija “Bunny” Shaw made up the #11 ranked 2017 signing class.
The two big signings were Shaw and French.
Khadija "Bunny" Shaw
Shaw, a Jamaican native, comes to Knoxville after two years at Eastern Florida State College where she was a 2016 NSCAA Junior College All-American. While playing center midfielder for the Titans, Shaw played in 21 games (starting 19) and scored 24 goals (three game-winners) while also racking up 11 assists. In 2014, she captained and led her team at St. Jago High School to a league championship, finishing the season 26-0-0. Throughout her high-school career, Shaw amassed 128 goals and 72 assists. A member of the Jamaican U-20 Women's National Team since she was 14 years old, Shaw boasts a handful of strong athletic achievements, including being named the team's MVP in 2013 and being nominated for the Jamaican RJR Sports People's Choice Performance of the Year in 2014. She hopes to become a professional soccer player. Shaw chose Tennessee over Southern Cal (USC), Oklahoma State and Colorado.
On why she chose Tennessee: "I chose The University of Tennessee because I like the campus, their facilities and their playing style.”
Wrenne French
French joins the Volunteers from Battle Ground Academy out of Franklin, Tenn. She helped lead her team to a Tennessee AA State Championship in 2014 and earned all-state, all-region and all-district honors multiple times during her prep career. French was named to the NSCAA All-South Region team as well. She played her club ball for Tennessee Soccer Club, helping lead them to five Tennessee State Championships. French attended the 2014 ODP National camp and was named to the Region III ODP team twice. The dynamic midfielder also has some national team experience after attending the U-17 U.S. Women's National Team camp in 2016. French chose Tennessee over Vanderbilt, Ole Miss and South Carolina.
On why she chose Tennessee: "I chose Tennessee because the coaches and team were very welcoming, it is a big school with solid athletic programs and it is close to home.
Baldwin to leave Tennessee soccer for Switzerland
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The Tennessee soccer team was hit with some unexpected news when junior midfielder Carlyn Baldwin announced that she will forgo her senior season.
Baldwin made this decision due to the fact that she will be joining the professional BSC Young Boys women’s club in Switzerland.
BSC competes in Switzerland’s highest division of women, National League A.
“First, just a big thank you to all of the coaches, staff members and all my teammates for making my time at Tennessee so special, as well as supporting me with this decision,” Baldwin said. “My time at Tennessee was so important for my development on and off the field. I know I wouldn’t have this opportunity without having played at Tennessee.”
“This was a very tough decision but I really want to be a full-time player, and I’m so thankful BSC has given me this opportunity,” Baldwin said. “I’m so thankful for the team at Tennessee and the support they have given me during this process. I will miss everyone at Tennessee and I hope to make the program proud during the next chapter of my career.”
Tennessee started out very strong, winning their first 9 matches. Had a great season making it to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 5 years.
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