ABILENE, Texas – McMurry University first-year head women's soccer coach Megan Schmidt is ready to help move the War Hawks' program to the next level. To help in that goal, Schmidt will rely on four returning players from the 7-5-1 team of 2014 which produced the school's first-ever winning season.
 
"We have a very young team," Schmidt said.  "But I am confident in the skill and leadership of the returners and I am excited by what I have seen from the new class so far. We have some incredible players and people on this team.
 
"I have really enjoyed watching them gel and come together over the past week (of pre-season). The work rate and commitment to our system has been fantastic. We are excited to be entering a new era for McMurry Soccer and look forward to the challenges of once again competing in the ASC."
 
All four of Schmidt's returning players were starters in 2014, as well. The quartet includes seniors Holiday Williams (Fwd., Bedford, Texas/L.D. Bell H.S.), Chelsey Coffey (Def., Texas City, Texas/Texas City H.S.) and Hailey Presley (Def., Albany, Texas/Albany H.S.), along with sophomore Alexa Ledesma Bear (Fwd., San Antonio, Texas/Lady Bird Johnson H.S.). 
 
Williams enters 2015 among McM's career leaders in points (3rd/40) and goals (2nd/17). Williams was a 2014 NCCAA Scholar-Athlete and ASC All-Academic selection. In 2014, she tied for the team lead with 10 goals, and also had four assists, for a total of 24 points. Williams took 41 shots with 26 on-goal (.634%) and also set a McMurry half and match record, by scoring four goals in first half of the 2014 season opener versus Southwestern Adventist.
 
Coffey has started every match since sophomore season and become a stalwart in the McM defense. The McM program has 12 shutouts in the last three seasons with her in the defensive half. In 2014, Coffey had one goal and two assists. She was an ASC All-Academic Team selection.
 
Presley joined McM last season for her first year of college soccer and ended up starting all 12 matches in McM's defensive side. Presley helped the War Hawks to four shutouts in 2014.
 
As a freshman in 2014, Ledesma Bear tallied three goals and had two assists. She had the highest shot quality on the War Hawks' team, with eight-of-nine shots taken going directly on-goal (89 percent).
 
Schmidt also addressed McM's sparse roster – totaling just 13 total players in 2014 – by bringing in 13 new freshmen, upping the 2015 roster to 17 team members.  Schmidt's first McM recruiting class includes:  Simone Heinle (GK, Rangely, Colo./Rangely H.S.), Mason Malone (Def./Mid., Mineral Wells, Texas/Mineral Wells H.S.), Victoria Chavez (Mid./Fwd., Lubbock, Texas/Lubbock H.S.), Heidy Alvarez (Fwd., Los Angeles, Calif./Reseda, Calif.), Diana Rincon Lopez (Mid., Round Rock, Texas/Stony Point H.S.), Cristen Lumbreras (Mid./Fwd., Brownsville, Texas/Los Fresnos H.S.), Marilyn Goewart (Mid., Arlington, Texas/Seguin H.S.), Hannah Way (Mid., Weatherford, Texas/Weatherford H.S.), Erika Orlov (Mid., Lufkin, Texas/Hudson H.S.), Jessica Solis (Mid., Cleburne, Texas/Cleburne H.S.), Joshlyn Causey (Def./Mid., Mesquite, Texas/Horn H.S.), Kaylee Pitcher (Def./GK, Abilene, Texas/Hawley H.S.) and Alexus Rodriguez (Def., Austin, Texas/Hendrickson H.S.).   
 
The McM women will test the waters for real with the 2015 lid-lifter when it hosts Howard Payne University on Tuesday (Sept. 1) at 7 p.m. at Wilford Moore Stadium.