Women's Soccer Hosts Detroit for Regular-Season Opener

EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State women's soccer team opens the regular season this Thursday, Aug.18 as they host Detroit Mercy for a 7 p.m. game at DeMartin Stadium.

BACK IN ACTION
This year's roster features 21 returning players and eight newcomers. Six of MSU's eight goal-scorers from last season are back this fall, including leading scorer Zivana Labovic, who supplied three of the team's 10 goals in the spring. Gia Wahlberg scored two goals and is back for her senior campaign. Danielle Stephan led the squad in assists with four and makes her return as a fifth-year player.

The Spartans welcome five first-year players and three transfers, including Justina Gaynor (Butler), Lauren DeBeau (Central Michigan), and Ava Cook (Grand Valley State).

UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT
Jeff Hosler was announced as the third coach in Spartan women's soccer history on June 14, 2021. Hosler comes to East Lansing from Grand Valley State University, where he led the Lakers women's soccer team to three NCAA Championships and five NCAA title game appearances. He leaves Allendale with the highest winning percentage of any coach in Grand Valley State history.

Hosler succeeds Tom Saxton, who was at the helm of the Spartans for 30 years.

In 2019, GVSU captured the program's sixth national title, a Division II record. The Lakers went 25-1, matching the single-season wins record, and scored a program-record 117 goals, while guiding the nation's top offense.

Hosler and the Lakers compiled an overall record of 144-12-6 in seven seasons, the best winning percentage in all of NCAA Soccer during that span, and a 63-2-2 mark in GLIAC play.

HOME SWEET HOME
The Spartans kick off the regular season with an extended stay in East Lansing as they host back-to-back games at DeMartin Stadium. After hosting the Titans, Eastern Michigan comes to town on Sunday (Aug. 22) for a 1 p.m. game with MSU.

HONORABLE MENTIONS
Camryn Evans, Lauren Kozal and Samantha White were each selected to the Big Ten's Preseason Players to Watch List on Monday, August 16.

Evans is expected to make an impact on the field again this season after wrapping up her third season as a starting forward for the Spartans in the spring of 2021. She led the team in assists in 2019 and was the leading scorer her sophomore year.

Kozal has been a dominant force in goal for the Spartans the past two seasons. In the spring, she totaled 54 saves for a save percentage of .704.

White returns after totaling 1,061 minutes of defense for MSU in 2020-21. She has started every game of the past three seasons and is expected to be an important part of the backfield again this fall.

QUOTING COACH HOSLER
"It's been a great first couple of weeks together. The group has been really busy, focused and putting in the work in the classroom and on the training grounds for each other. Our main focus has been on beginning to build a culture that demonstrates commitment and work ethic while learning about each other. We've been learning several different systems and I think we are all just excited to get out and play someone else on Thursday. That's the beauty of the season opener, everyone is undefeated and going to give it their best." -Head Coach Jeff Hosler

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Players Mentioned

Ava Cook

Lauren DeBeau

Camryn Evans

Justina Gaynor

Lauren Kozal

Zivana Labovic

Danielle Stephan

Gia Wahlberg

Samantha White

Michigan State University Athletics