By snoadmin
As he stood tall on the practice field during a Long Beach State soccer camp session Wednesday morning, women’s soccer head coach Mauricio Ingrassia looked forward. Having established a presence in women’s soccer at LBSU, he feels exuberant about the upcoming season.
“I think we continue to improve,” Ingrassia said. “It’s a process, but the team is stronger and deeper. Two straight top-40 recruiting classes is an accomplishment.”
Ranked the 27th-best recruiting class in the nation for 2007, LBSU women’s soccer is on the horizon of another season of not only vast development, but also possible national prominence, as it begins its campaign for its first Big West Tournament title and NCAA Tournament appearance.
Before Ingrassia arrived to LBSU, the team was insignificant in the Big West Conference, having never compiled a winning record in its history. The team has played well under his helm, winning 32 games and securing a Big West regular season title in 2006. LBSU has yet to notch a postseason victory, losing in the first round of the Big West tournament the last two years.
In the course of all of the team’s prior success, a run to the NCAA Tournament in 2007 could be preordained. The team returns a bulk of its players from last year, losing only two starters. Adding to the returning players is a collection of recruits whom Ingrassia said “pinpoints and addresses certain needs.”
“They are not highly-touted individuals, but they provide speed, competitiveness and overall ability,” Ingrassia said. “We have a forward [Kristen Kiefer] that can stretch defenses. We have a midfielder [Lindsay Bullock] that is as competitive as I have ever seen. The twins [Caroline and Grace Shevlin] played across the world, and are very tactical, high-level players.”
Ingrassia said he believed the team has to be the best it can be in order for success to follow. Settling for success in the Big West Conference is not enough for a team featuring All-West regional selections Hayley Bolt and Kim Silos.
“We got to the Big West Tournament and took it one game at a time,” Ingrassia said. “We have to win the conference tournament.”
The 2007 schedule will not be kind to LBSU’s goal of reaching the NCAA Tournament. Five of its non-conference opponents were in the tournament last year, and the Big West will not be any easier, with Cal State Fullerton (NCAA second round) posing a threat to the conference crown.
“We will be tested far more this year,” Ingrassia said. “We will play some quality road games that will test us early.”
In any event, Ingrassia said he continues to bring about passion and commitment among his players. The squad’s 14 wins, along with 13 shutouts last season, were new records, but Ingrassia said the statistics would not matter unless the team improves every game.
“I want my players to have a year-round commitment to the game,” Ingrassia said. “It brings focus and brings out the best in you. I have seen improvement and feel really excited about the future.”
Consistency in coaching is very important to the fourth-year LBSU head coach. He attributed assistant coaches Wendi Whitman and Sebastian Carrasco as two major contributors to his coaching success at LBSU.
“[Whitman] has picked up on everything and has been here with me since the beginning,” Ingrassia said. “Sebastian Carrasco has also done a great job.”
With everything in place – coaching, recruiting, experience, talent and motivation – the sky is the limit for Ingrassia and the women’s soccer team. Improvement is commonplace for all Mauricio Ingrassia, and prominence might become another commonplace for a soccer team on the verge of greater things.
