NEWTON, Mass. – Fans of the Mount Ida College women's soccer program will have plenty of new names to learn this season, but that's the way second year Head Coach Greg Hagan would like to have it.

"Being as young as we are now is definitely a good thing," said Hagan, who is looking to take his team into the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) postseason for the first time since they joined the conference in 2006. "We're really looking to build on everything we do this year and in the next few years to come."

The Mustangs were picked 11^th, receiving 27 points, in the GNAC women's soccer preseason poll, released on Wednesday morning by the conference office.

Hagan saw nine seniors graduate from last year's team, and this year has just one player in her final year of school, that in the person of Captain Briana Tomaselli (Warwick, R.I.), the team's leading scorer with 14 goals a season ago.  

Tomaselli will be looked upon for more offensive production, as well as for veteran leadership, and she already proved her worth this offseason by organizing team workouts and activities.

She will be joined up front by Rachel Reese (Sonora, Calif.) who, along with friend and teammate Britney Jones (Santa Cruz, Calif.), transferred from Cabrillo Junior College and moved across the country because they were impressed with Mount Ida College, the athletic department and the women's soccer program.

Reese is an aggressive and physical player and will see time both on attack and as a defensive holding midfielder.

The goalie position is deep for the Mustangs, with three net minders on the roster in preseason camp. Returning starter Samantha Basler (Plymouth, Mass.) played all 17 games a year ago, starting in all but one contest, and was fourth in the GNAC with 118 saves on the season. She is being pushed by her classmate Alexis Gould (Leominster, Mass.), who is working hard to increase her playing time from a season ago, when she appeared in four games. Freshman Rebecca Beaulieu (Weare, N.H.), a two-sport athlete who will play lacrosse in the spring, has already proven that she has the capacity to work hard, ask questions, and learn her position.

Hagan thinks the goalies will be helped out by the players in front of them, calling his back four defenders: "our strongest group right now, because of their talent and their willingness to compete."

Isabelle Moody (Naugatuck, Conn.) will anchor the defense this year. Moody, a sophomore who started all 17 games last season, is a hard-nosed player who battles opposing forwards and is not afraid to go in for a tackle.

She will serve as the center point of a back-line that includes freshman Libby Andreasen (Gorham, Maine), newcomer Rachael Dow (Windham, Maine) and the California product Jones. Andreasen has put in a lot of minutes in the middle of the pitch and is a smart, aggressive and physical player who figures to win most 50-50 balls that come her way.

"Libby is the type of player any coach would want on their team. She is a tremendous competitor, and understands the game inside and out," said Hagan. "From the first day I saw her play in high school and for her club team, I knew she was a tremendous fit for the women's program here at Mount Ida." 

Jones is playing on the outside because of her great pace, her ability to make runs offensively and her willingness to make plays in the air.

"Britney and Rachael's attitudes are the biggest things they brought from California," says Hagan of his two transfers. "They're out there to work hard every day regardless of the situation. They come from a good program at Cabrillo and are trying to continue that winning tradition."

Hagan need look no further than the midfield position for players with the opportunity to step up and contribute this year.

Junior Sierra Legge (Schodack Landing, N.Y.) is one of the most experienced players on the team, starting the bulk of the games last season and leading the squad with six assists to go with three goals. A veteran who sees the field well, knows the game and makes smart plays, expect Legge to figure into the offense this season with an increased responsibility.

Sophomore Kelleigh Lombard (Saugus, Mass.) has played all over the field, including on the wing and on defense, and this year will figure to get lots of time at center midfield, allowing the Mustangs to play Maegan Hernberg (Eastford, Conn.) and Hannah Brackett (Albany, N.Y.) on the outside.

Hernberg, a sophomore, was a substitute early last year and then earned a starting spot with a great run of play, which included a game-winning overtime goal against Nichols College.

Brackett is a freshman who is a great distributer of the ball and is always looking to play the ball off to a teammate and move the attack forward.

"We have good speed on the wings, which is something that you wish that you can have every single year," said Hagan. "With Maegan and Hannah, we'll hopefully have that for the next few years."

Jamie Dunner (Middleboro, Mass.) and Alex Lincoln (Stamford, Vt.) are both freshmen who will also compete for time at the midfield spot.

"This season is a grind," said Hagan. "We don't have one easy game, in or out of the conference, but our goal from Day One is to qualify for the GNAC tournament, and we know that the more work we put in on a team the better we're going to be. That goes for practice, games, in the classroom – everything."

Games of note include the Mustang's home opener on September 1^st against Lesley and their GNAC kick-off at Simmons on September 14^th. Mount Ida will also host their cross-town rivals from Lasell on September 28^th, before embarking on a stretch of seven conference games in which five are on the road, including difficult journeys to Albertus Magnus, St. Joseph (Conn.) and Norwich.