Aug. 28, 2002

The University of Kentucky women’s soccer team will kickoff the 2002 season this weekend when it travels to the Missouri Nike Challenge in Columbia, Mo. The Wildcats, beginning their season on the road for the first time since 1993, will open up with traditional rival Indiana on Friday, Aug. 30 and will take the field vs. No. 23 Illinois on Sunday, Sept. 1. Both matches are slated for 6 p.m. ET.

“It definitely was a quick off-season and we’re excited that the regular season is here again,” Coach Warren Lipka said. “We’re facing two quality teams from the Big Ten this weekend in Indiana and Illinois. Both teams have new head coaches this year and with that comes a new sense of enthusiasm and excitement. Indiana has always been a quality non-league rival and Illinois is ranked in the preseason top 25.”

Coach Mick Lyon takes over a Hoosier program that went 8-7-2 overall and 3-6-1 in the Big Ten in 2001. IU returns nine starters, including its top five scorers, to the pitch this fall. Senior midfielder Kara Bryan led the Hoosiers in goals (8) and points (18) en route to landing Academic All-Big Ten accolades a season ago, while St. Louis, Mo., native Emily Hotz is back in the IU midfield after garnering 2001 second-team All-Big Ten honors. Shaunna Daugherty is back between the pipes for her junior campaign after posting four shutouts and a 1.40 goals against average in 17 games last season.

Illinois earned a berth to the 2001 NCAA Tournament after compiling a 12-8-1 overall record and a 6-3-1 mark in league play. Advancing to the finals of the Big Ten Conference Tournament, the Fighting Illini fell 2-1 in overtime to Penn State and finished the season with a first-round 1-0 loss to Syracuse in Champaign, Ill., on Nov. 16. Coach Janet Rayfield takes over the reins for the Illini after six seasons at Arkansas. Rayfield returns three of the Illini’s top four scorers from 2001, including honorable mention freshman All-American Tara Hurless. Hurless, a sophomore forward from Rockford, Ill., was named the team’s MVP, earned a spot on the All-Big Ten Tournament Team and was also named to the All-Great Lakes Freshman Team by Soccer Buzz in her first season of collegiate soccer.

For the Wildcats, Coach Warren Lipka begins his 11th season in the Bluegrass since being named the program’s first head coach in 1992. The two-time Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year (1995, 99) has compiled a 122-77-10 (.608) record at UK, including a 12-8-1 season in 2001 that saw the Cats reach the NCAA Tournament for the third time in four years. All-SEC and All-America candidates Keri Boyce and Elizabeth Ramsey return at forward to lead the UK offensive arsenal this fall.

2002 Missouri Nike Challenge

Friday, Aug. 30
Kentucky vs. Indiana – 6 p.m. ET
No. 23 Illinois at Missouri – 8 p.m. ET

Sunday, Sept. 1
Kentucky vs. No. 23 Illinois – 6 p.m. ET
Indiana at Missouri – 8 p.m. ET

– UK –