KEANE, Texas – McMurry University first-year head coach Charles Nobles will trot out the largest women's soccer roster in program history – 30 members – when his team takes the field for the first time in 2017 versus Southwestern Adventist University on Friday (Sept. 1).  Kickoff for the road bout is slated at 4 p.m.
 
The larger and, by Nobles account, very talented roster will not only give the effusive McM mentor many more "weapons," but also someone to keep him company on the War Hawks' bench.  In past years, roster size has left McM coaches feeling like they were at a Major League Baseball game between the San Diego Padres-Oakland Athletics in September:  you look around and there weren't many folks to talk to.
 
But Nobles has remedied that with a total of 22 new faces, comprised of six transfers and 16 true freshmen. Among the newcomers bringing in impressive credentials are defender Kaitlyn Roberts, midfielder Angelica Navarro, forward Emily Fisher and Jolyn Noble. Roberts and Navarro earned recognition on the American Southwest Conference's 2017 "Watch List."
 
Among the eight returning players, Nobles' team still has no seniors and six juniors (and two of those are transfers).  Junior forward Cristen Lumbreras was an All-ASC honorable mention pick in 2016, as was sophomore defender Karleigh Alsip.  Lumbreras joined Roberts and Navarro on the ASC's featured 2017 players list, as well.
 
After debuting on the road Friday, the War Hawks will play their home opener on Sunday (Sept. 3) at noon versus Austin College at Wilford Moore Stadium. Admission is free.
 

WHAT: Women's Soccer at Southwestern Adventist University
 
WHERE:  Keane, Texas
 
WHEN: Friday, September 1, 2017  *  4 p.m.
 
NOTES:
*Charles Nobles is the eighth head coach in the McMurry University program since its inception in 2001.
 
*Among McM's transfers are sisters Shelby and Peyton Wood, who both played their freshman seasons at fellow ASC member Concordia University-Texas.
 
*Sophomore goalkeeper Jordyn Gregory returns in 2017. She will have a pair of freshmen – Ashley Ray and Cindy Villasana – challenging for time in the nets.
 
*McM welcomes Dreaux Plair – who coached on the prep level in New Mexico previously – as an assistant coach for both the men's and women's programs in 2017.
  
*McMurry's athletics program is in the fourth and final year of its reclassification process to NCAA Division III.