Featured photo by Khori Williams
Story by Jacob Burgess
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MURFREESBORO, TN – Middle Tennessee soccer is officially into its spring season. The team will play six games throughout March and April in preparation for the 2024 season.
The focus for any offseason is to get better, play more as a team and improve on skills to win games when it matters most. The time when roles are filled and new and upcoming players show that they can step up.
MTSU has plenty of roles to fill after losing seven key players, including Caroline Manley, Hannah Suder and Eleanor Gough. Coach Aston Rhoden is looking for players to fill the leadership roles on and off the field.
“It is a bit early to tell, with just how young the team is and so we are looking at it from a holistic standpoint,” Rhoden said.
With a younger team the few seniors and graduate students are key in the leadership. Fifth-year graduate student Lauren Spaanstra is one who has been a Blue Raider her entire college career.
The focus in her last year is enjoy all of it and help the younger players grow like the upperclassmen did when she started out.
“I have to definitely take a bigger leadership role but I’m loving it,” Spaanstra said.
Rhoden is bringing in four transfers who are all at least junior to help bring more experience to the team.
“I think their experience will be good, along with that of some very talented young players as well. They will speed up the growth of this team this season,” Rhoden said.
The growth is needed for MTSU after two rough seasons. The upcoming season is one to wait and watch with a talented group of junior and sophomore class players set to lead the team.
Jacob Burgess is a sportswriter for MTSU Sidelines. If you have information for a story, you can contact him at jkb7z@mtmail.mtsu.edu. For more news, visit www.mtsusidelines.com. Also, follow us on Facebook and Instagram @mtsusidelines, or on X @MTSUSidelines.
