MARTIN, Tenn. – The champs are back. While the 2022 makeup of the University of Tennessee at Martin soccer team may look a little different than the squad which won the program’s fifth Ohio Valley Conference regular season championship last fall, the goal and standard is still the same as the Skyhawks open their title defense this weekend.
UT Martin opens the season on Sunday, Aug. 21 when playing host to Southeastern Conference foe Kentucky at Skyhawk Field. First touch is slated for 1 pm
The Skyhawks have been one of the OVC’s most consistent programs for over a decade by finishing in the top half of the league in nine of the last 11 seasons while claiming four regular season titles since 2012. One of the pillars of the program has been three -time OVC Coach of the Year Phil McNamara who enters his 13th season at the helm of the Skyhawks where he boasts a 115-91-22 overall record – including a 67-39-10 mark in conference play.
After a grueling 2021 season which saw the Skyhawks play the equivalent of two seasons over the course of nine months from March to November, a return to “normal” was a welcome addition. With an offseason of instructional development, strength training and conditioning to build upon the team’s previous success and grow the next crop of Skyhawk playmakers, the team is looking to reload for another deep push.
“This year was back to our typical calendar year for the returners,” McNamara said. “The players enjoyed the spring season and the different type of work we do because it gives you a good foundation to have a successful fall. A few of our players really benefited from that added strength and conditioning which will make them better prepared for a full season. With such a decorated group of graduating players last season, this spring gave us a chance to get a better look at all of our players, give them additional minutes and see how they step up to handle this level of competition.”
UT Martin will have some key roles to fill after a pair of program greats in three-time All-OVC goalkeeper Erica Myers and 2021 OVC Defensive Player of the Year Camryn Chappell exhausted their eligibility while the team’s top point scorers Emely van der Vliet and Jill Hildreth aren’t returning to the fold. Despite those losses, the cupboard is far from bare as the team returns seven starters from last year’s team including two-time All-OVC first team selection Maria Castaldo and fellow senior Katey Hunt who will both serve as team captains.
“It is impossible to replace them, man-for-man, pound-for-pound,” McNamara said. “What we try to do is look at the entire group and cover the same ground in one way, shape or form. Whether that means more responsibility on the front three rather than the center forward, or another group taking on additional burdens, we must have the same success and share the workload. We knew who we were graduating, and we have done a nice job of replacing them with kids we feel can step into those roles either from within our program or newcomers.”
The duo of Castaldo and Hunt are proven contributors for the Skyhawks as three-year starters with over 45 starts each since 2019. The tandem will be looked to for guidance and leadership on a young squad which welcomes back eight players with a lone season of experience along with eight newcomers.
“We have really seen our two captains – Catey and Maria – stand out by leading from the front with their experience and quality,” McNamara continued. “We have also had a couple of returners step up really big with a few new faces fitting in really well. There is a really nice balance which brings a bit of freshness about the team. They are all eager to work hard and there is quality throughout.”
The Skyhawks are looking for nice sophomore campaigns from returning starters Brooke Kala, Izzy Patterson, Makayla Robinson and Hannah Zahn. The pair of Patterson (one goal, two assists) and Robinson (three goals, three assists) each earned All-OVC second team and All-Newcomer honors in their debut seasons while Kala (two goals, three assists) was named to the OVC All-Tournament team.
The squad has also seen the next step in the development of seniors Ryann Mushkin who has transitioned to the defensive back line while Emma Elliott saw her usage increase throughout last fall. Fellow returners Brooke Carroll, Megan Drake, Lynette Hawkins, Sophia Mankowski and Kira Wells have fought previous injuries in their Skyhawk career but are primed to see the pitch in 2022.
UT Martin is also hoping a fresh crop of newcomers will play big roles for the team in their debut campaigns. Jacksonville State transfer Nyeema Prescod-Beckles brings Division I experience at the forward position while freshmen Allie Buchmann, Alba Delgado and Abbie McHenry will also see action with the attacking group. The Skyhawks welcome two goalkeepers in freshman Poppy Bastock and Grambling State transfer Rachel Pugh while freshmen Shayla Addington and Lily Graham will support the defensive line.
“We are really happy with the kids we brought in and I think they will only get better,” McNamara said. “Some of these ladies are in the starting 11 already and there is a nice balance there with being good footballers and soccer players. Now they got to find a way to be successful in a different environment, the physicality of the United States, the speed of play, playing in the heat – all of which are major differences to the style of soccer in Europe. There is an adjustment but we except them to be successful and play a big part this year.”
With so many new faces, it is only natural for it to take some time for the Skyhawks to find their identity. With a balanced schedule which features a return in old rivalries against Murray State and Austin Peay along with five non-conference home matches, McNamara hopes the team finds its rhythm at the right time.
“By the start of OVC play you usually have a good idea of your potential, but then conference games provide a different pressure on the players,” McNamara continued. “Sometimes it has taken it longer than we expected because players feel that pressure and get caught being more worried about losing games than winning them. We should have a good idea 4-6 games in about the potential of what we will be in our league and how we should perform but we all know you need a little luck, health and key decisions to go in your direction along the way.”
“Arguably each position group of players has every bit of potential – as a group – that we have had in past championship years. Now can they put it together like those championship teams did? That will be key in the process. If only one of those four groups get to that potential, it won’t be good enough. On paper, man-for-man, we have greater balance and depth. Now, can we just put it all together?
The Skyhawks will take their first step towards answering those questions against Kentucky on Sunday afternoon.