FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (August 13, 2024) – NAU Soccer has a big opportunity ahead as the Lumberjacks will open the 2024 campaign with an in-state matchup at Arizona State. By the time Thursday's 7 p.m. kickoff rolls around, 1,272 days will have passed since the last time NAU and ASU met on the pitch.
The Jacks will head into the second season under head coach
Alan Berrios with 21 returners and 17 newcomers joining the squad as NAU sets its sights on a return to the Big Sky Championship this November. The Lumberjacks will head down the Mountain with hopes of back-to-back seasons with power conference victories, as NAU edged the Oregon Ducks in Flagstaff last October 3-2. Ironically, prior to last season's victory over Oregon, NAU's last Pac-12 victory came over the Sundevils in 2001.
NAU returns goalkeeper
Trinity Corcoran for her senior year, coming off six solo shutout performances, 72 saves, .857 save percentage, and a Big Sky All-Conference second team award. Corcoran ranked second not only in conference shutouts, but also save percentage.
Two Lumberjacks will make their debut on the pitch this season after injuries benched both
Deniah Wells and
Micala Boex in the 2023 campaign.
McKenzie Coleman will lace up for the Jacks in her fifth collegiate season after playing with Villanova for the last three years.
Mads Loucks is also joining the Jacks as a transfer, coming out of Marquette where she spent the 2023 season.
Avery Ott sits amongst the Big Sky's top returners, entering her junior season, after scoring two goals in addition to one assist last season while playing in all 20 matches for the Jacks.
Joey Lujan, who scored a goal in the 2023 Big Sky Championship match, will enter her Senior year looking to build off her momentum in her first season with NAU last season after transferring in from Kansas State.
NAU hosted Embry Riddle for an exhibition at Lumberjack Stadium on Aug. 10, where the Jacks tabbed a 3-0 lead heading into halftime, before the match was canceled due to lightning strikes in the area.
Holly Hunter quickly found her footing in the match for the Jacks with two goals, one coming as a penalty kick. With moments left in the half, Freshman
Lauren Karp checked in and scored after connecting with
Madison Schenk.
As the Sundevils enter their first season as a member of the Big 12, ASU Soccer was projected to finish fifth in the league in the preseason poll. Enasia Colon, Lucy Johnson, and Pauline Nelles were all named to the preseason team. The Sundevils are entering the season coming off consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament, marking their third time in program history. ASU returns 16 players who saw the pitch in the NCAA tournament match against Santa Clara. Colon led Arizona State with nine goals and 22 points while tallying two game-winning goals.
Former Lumberjack
Maddie Shafer will return to the pitch on Thursday as well, this time in a Sundevils uniform as she joined ASU as a graduate transfer this offseason. Shafer capped off her Lumberjack career with 52 starts on her resume, alongside back-to-back Big Sky All-Conference first team honors. The Flagstaff native recorded five goals and three assists in the 2023 campaign, including three game winners.
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