KU Fall Sports Preview: New faces, same goal for Kansas women’s soccer program

The soccer stadium at Rock Chalk Park is pictured in this file photo from Aug. 22, 2014.

The number of former Kansas women’s soccer players playing professionally has increased drastically during the last five years, and head coach Mark Francis believes that’s a product of the way his team prepares and plays.

As Francis and his coaching staff travel to homes and soccer fields to recruit the next crop of KU players, one of the first things they hear from the players they target is that they want to play professionally after college.

Those words are exactly what Francis likes to hear.

“Playing the way we play, and having to solve the game the way we have to solve it, because of our style of play, is going to develop you and help you in the next step to go on to the pro level,” Francis recently told the Journal-World.

For years, KU’s style under Francis has been based on ball control, crisp passing and a methodical attack.

That approach figures to be crucial during the 2021 season, when the Jayhawks will look to benefit from a deep and talented roster as they return to what they hope will be a normal season on the pitch.

The Jayhawks were 5-3-1 during a pandemic-shortened fall season in 2020. And they finished 1-1-2 in four games this spring.

In all, 13 of the 26 players on KU’s 2021 roster are experiencing a real college season for the first time. And while Francis believes that many of the young Jayhawks will contribute right away, he views the team’s balance as one of its biggest strengths.

“I think from the top to the bottom of the group there’s just a lot of ability,” he said. “I think we’re deep and we’re going to be able to use a lot of subs without a drop off or too much of a drop off. Having that depth is going to be crucial.”

On offense, Francis thinks that former UMKC transfer Rylan Childers, whose younger sister, Raena, is also on the team, has been one of the most improved players on the team and could be poised to lead the KU attack from the midfield.

Childers led KU’s offense with 4 goals and 24 shots while also adding an assist in 13 games last season.

Francis also said that freshman Maggie Gagne´, a forward from Montreal, had the potential to be a top line player right away. Gagne´ was the only freshman to start in KU’s exhibition opener and Francis said she looked “very, very dangerous” throughout the preseason.

While the 23-year KU coach is encouraged by what he’s seen from the Kansas offense, Francis still believes KU’s defense will carry them in 2021.

Leading the charge there is senior goalkeeper Sarah Peters, who started all 13 matches in goal for KU last season and recorded six shutouts, bringing her career total to 26. That sits second on KU’s all-time shutouts list.

“Having somebody with that kind of experience who also can communicate with the backline and keep them organized, that’s huge,” Francis said of Peters. “And I think (that’s) going to be a big factor for us for sure.”

Veteran defenders Kaela Hansen, Italia Bradley and Grace Wiltgen, along with sophomores Kate Dreyer, Moira Kelley and Mackenzie Boeve are expected to form a strong back line with the ability to both push up on offense and stand tall in front of Peters.

“They all started for us in the spring,” Francis said. “And I do think it’s going to be tough to score on us.”

2021 Kansas Soccer Schedule

Aug. 13 vs. Kansas City (exhibition) – W, 2-1

Aug. 19 vs. Drake – Tie, 0-0

Aug. 22 vs. Wisconsin L, 1-0

Aug. 26 vs. Saint Louis W, 2-0

Aug. 29 vs. Iowa, 1 p.m.

Sept. 2 at Memphis, 7 p.m.

Sept. 5 at Arkansas State, Noon

Sept. 9 vs. Cincinnati, 7 p.m.

Sept. 12 vs. Washington State, 1 p.m.

Sept. 16 at Dartmouth, 6 p.m.

Sept. 19 at Harvard, Noon

Sept. 23 at TCU, 7 p.m.

Sept. 26 at Oklahoma State, 1 p.m.

Sept. 30 vs. Kansas State, 7 p.m.

Oct. 3 at Iowa State, 1 p.m.

Oct. 7 vs. Baylor, 7 p.m.

Oct. 10 vs. West Virginia, 1 p.m.

Oct. 14 at Oklahoma, 7 p.m.

Oct. 22 at Texas Tech, 7 p.m.

Oct. 28 vs. Texas, 7 p.m.

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