GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University women's lacrosse team is ready to make a fresh start as the Pioneers prepare for the start of the 2022 season.

The Pioneers were particularly affected by COVID-19 protocols last season, and were limited to just seven matches. Tusculum won its opener over Southern Wesleyan, then dropped all six of its South Atlantic Conference contests to end the year with a 1-6 overall record. Combined with the shortened 2020 season, the Pioneers have played just 13 games over the past two years.

New head coach Jenna Agostino is eager to see her squad take the field for the first time in 2022, as she welcomes back 15 players from last year's squad along with six newcomers. Seven starters from last season's team are expected to be in the lineup when the Pioneers visit Lee for their 2022 opener on Wednesday, Feb. 9.

"I am so proud of all of the hard work and effort this team has put in over the preseason," said Agostino, who began at Tusculum in early January. "This is a special group -- they are coachable, resilient, and ready to put Tusculum women's lacrosse on the map."

ATTACK
Grad student Megann McKinney (Waxhaw, N.C.) was named preseason second-team All-SAC after finishing third on the team with 15 goals and 16 points last season. McKinney scored at least two goals in all five matches in which she played during the 2021 season, including a career-high five tallies at Mars Hill. McKinney ranks 10th in program history with 38 goals and has nine assists for 47 points in 26 career matches.

Junior Tia Tuininga (Langley, B.C.) was second on the team with 17 goals, 19 points and 13 draw controls last season, and was fourth on the team with 14 ground balls. Tuininga has 36 goals in 13 career matches, scoring at least two goals in 11 of those 13 contests.

Junior Sophia Sesi (Palm Harbor, Fla.) played in three matches for the Pioneers in her first season after transferring from Ave Maria University. Sophomore Natalie Dagley (Alcoa, Tenn.) appeared in two matches, scoring a goal on a free position shot against Newberry.

Sophomore Lucy Brewer (Williamstown, Australia) comes to Tusculum after playing her freshman season at Mount Olive, where she had one ground ball in three games. Freshman Chloe Michalski (Victoria, B.C.) joins her brother, Andy, who is a senior midfielder for the men's team.

MIDFIELD
Senior Emily Youngblood (Austin, Texas) is a three-year starter for the Pioneers who scored seven goals and had eight draw controls in six matches. Youngblood has started 28 matches in her career and has 37 goals with 13 assists for 50 points, and ranks sixth in program history with 63 draw controls.

Senior Jessica Spiegel (Apopka, Fla.) started five matches last season and finished with one goal, giving her six goals and 10 assists in 28 career contests. Junior Kylie Marek (Plantation, Fla.) collected seven goals and an assist for eight points in five games last season, increasing her career totals to 17 goals and three assists for 20 points in 11 contests, along with 23 draw controls and 18 ground balls.

A trio of freshmen join the Pioneer midfield this season - Jadyn Gleason (Evans, Ga.), Emma Miller (Maryville, Tenn.) and Kira Spaulding (Adams, Tenn.). Gleason was the top scorer at Greenbrier High School as a senior, while Miller led the team in goals and was selected Best Offensive Player as a senior at William Blount High School. Spaulding comes to Tusculum from Middle College at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville.

DEFENSE
An experienced group is led by graduate student Bethany Thomas (Greenville, S.C.). Thomas started all seven matches last season and collected five ground balls and five caused turnovers. Thomas has appeared in 28 matches across four seasons for the Pioneers, making nine starts.

Junior Kamryn McNeil (Alpharetta, Ga.) has started 12 matches in her career, including all seven a year ago in which she had nine draw controls, six ground balls and three caused turnovers.

Senior Harley Smith (Greeneville, Tenn.) chipped in with a goal and an assist in six matches last year, and has two goals and one assists in 23 career matches. Junior Leighann Yudin (Stuart, Fla.) made six starts during the 2021 season and had five ground balls and seven caused turnovers.

Sophomore Morgan Correia (New Bedford, Mass.) contributed three ground balls and a caused turnover in five contests during her rookie season, and freshman Nyah Plummer (Laurel, Md.) was a team captain and three-year letterwinner at St. Vincent Pallotti High School.

GOALKEEPERS
Junior Caroline Monroe (Huntersville, N.C.) played in one match last season, with one save in 11:10 of action against Southern Wesleyan. Monroe's .488 career save percentage in best in school history and she has a 10.06 goals against average in 131 career minutes.

Senior Taylor Floyd (Soddy Daisy, Tenn.) appeared in one match last season, making two saves in just over 10 minutes of playing time against Newberry. Floyd has played in five career matches, with a 14.91 goals against average and a .440 save percentage.

Fifth-year senior Kate Pipkin (Annapolis, Md.) is also a member of the Pioneer roster this season. Pipkin, the program's all-time leader in saves with 340, started six of the Pioneers' seven matches last year and had 10 or more saves five times. Pipkin had a 15.56 goals against average and a .392 save percentage in 40 career contests (35 starts) and played 2035 minutes in her Pioneer career.

SCHEDULE
The Pioneers open the season with three of their first four contests on the road, with their home opener on Saturday, Feb. 19 against Chowan. Tusculum will play its SAC opener against Mars Hill on Saturday, March 5 and will play 10 league games, ending the regular season at home against Wingate on Saturday, April 23.