Chris Webb enters her third season at the helm of the Phoenix women’s soccer squad looking to continue to build the program into a contender in the Southern Conference.  Webb feels that Elon is heading in that direction thanks, in part, to this year’s freshman class which was rated as the second-best in the SoCon and 20th in the Southeast by Soccer Buzz.  The 2007 edition of the Phoenix sports just one senior, seven juniors, nine sophomores and 12 freshmen.

Goalkeeper Kaitlin Lannon (Tinton Falls, N.J.) is this year’s lone senior.  Lannon has worked as a back-up throughout her career and appeared in one match last year.  Her leadership will be a much-needed quality on this young team.

Katina Boozer (Charlottesville, Va.) is the team’s leading returning scorer, having netted three goals and added one assist last season.  Boozer, a midfielder/forward, will be looked to for increased production this year.

Webb will also rely heavily on midfielder/defender Kerri Speers (Homestead, Fla.), defender/midfielder/forward Katie Persichini (Hudson, Ohio) and forward Susannah Gianakos (Charlottesville, Va.) on the offensive end.  Speers battled injuries a year ago, but was the team’s leading scorer in her freshman season.  Persichini, who was one of only four players to start every match in 2006, and Gianakos each had one assist in their sophomore campaigns.  Persichini’s defensive prowess will also prove to be a vital asset of the 2007 team.

Forward/midfielder Stacie Ledford (Raleigh, N.C.) and forward Jessica Weaver (West Chester, Pa.) both add depth to the Pheonix attack.

Elon’s number one goalkeeper is also among the junior class.  Lizz Johnson (Miami, Fla.) stopped 85 shots in 17 games as a sophomore.  She should begin the year in net again.

The sophomore class was part of a class that came into Elon rated 19th in the region and 94th in the nation by Soccer Buzz last year.  Most all of those players contributed immediately and will be expected to step up their games this season.

Forward Molly Calpin (Alpharetta, Ga.) was the third-leading scorer as a freshman, netting three goals.  Defender/midfielder Meagan Aho (Matthews, N.C.) and defender/midfielder/forward Alix Heinicke (Bay Village, Ohio) were the only other two members of this class to record a point last year.  All three should figure into Elon’s scoring threat again in 2007.

Defender/midfielder Lauren Griffith (Atlanta, Ga.), midfielder/defender Morgan Wallace (Edwards, Colo.), defender/midfielder Laura Norwind (Darnestown, Md.) and midfielder Maisie Leach (Salem, Va.) all appeared in at least 10 matches as true freshmen and should compete for more time this year.  Midfielder Tricia Serdy (Upper St. Clair, Pa.) made eight appearances last season and will red-shirt this season to recover from an injury.

The final sophomore is goalie Lauren Wisniewski (Fairless Hills, Pa.) who was the number two keeper in 2006.  Wisniewski started two games and made a total of 19 saves as a freshman.  She also had one shutout.  Wisniewski should push Johnson in goal this fall.

Another highly regarded freshman class enters Elon this fall.  This 12-member class represents eight states and was rated second in the SoCon by Soccer Buzz and should contribute right away. 

Joining the Phoenix this year will be: Meghan Braun (Glenelg, Md.), Ali Coad (Alpharetta, Ga.), Megan Deutschle (Burlington, N.C.), Maggie Duszlak (Burlington, N.C.), Brittany Hallberg (Richmond, Va.), Taylor Harlan (Miami Springs, Fla.), Amanda Jones (Roswell, Ga.), Maria Maturo (Stratford, Conn.), Liz Payne (Virginia Beach, Va.), Lia Shuford (Birmingham, Ala.), Kyle Waggoner (Overland Park, Kan.) and Alanna Winsper (Virginia Beach, Va.).