July 26, 1999

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The more things change, the more they stay the same. That is the expectation of the Notre Dame women’s soccer team as it starts a new era in its history while aiming for the same success. Randy Waldrum takes over as the third head coach in the 11-year history of the second-winningest team of the ’90s, looking to lead the Irish to the same goal, first realized in 1995.

“Our goal will be, very simply, to win the NCAA championship,” says Waldrum, who already has coached a number of Notre Dame players while serving as part of the United States women’s national team coaching staff. “This program has been a national power during the 1990s with great tradition and there is no need for us to lower our standards now.”

Jen Grubb finished third in the country in assists a year ago and spent the spring training with the U.S. national team in preparation for its winning the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Waldrum comes to Notre Dame after building Baylor from a first-year program in 1995 into an NCAA second-round host in just four years. His new Irish program finished 21-3-1 last year and won its fourth consecutive BIG EAST championship before falling in the NCAA quarterfinals. The standards have been so high and the success so great that the three losses were the most in a single season and the NCAA exit the earliest since 1993.

“What I observed in the spring about last year’s team was not having enough team speed and depth,” says Waldrum. “The freshmen have great speed, so we’ll be a much faster team than last year. Certainly with the quality of all of the freshmen and with the return of some upperclassmen from injuries, we are going to be much deeper. Last year, the team went probably only two to three deep into the bench and this year we are going to be hard-pressed to find the 18 players who will travel. This is a good problem.”

Waldrum’s first Irish team will be a championship contender that returns 14 monogram winners, nine starters and four All-Americans. Add in the speedy freshman class to a talented and experienced group that led the NCAA in scoring offense last year with 3.96 goals per game and Waldrum does not view his first Irish team as a rebuilding project.

“Since we have such a talented, veteran team with international experience, this isn’t a year to come in and make major changes,” says Waldrum. “All we need is maybe just a little adjustment here or there and that’s it.”

Helping Waldrum with these adjustments will be third-year assistant coach Sue-Moy Chin and first-year assistant coach Amy Edwards. Chin begins her third year at Notre Dame and played a large role in facilitating a smooth transition period. Edwards comes to Notre Dame from Tulsa where she served as head coach from 1995-98 after playing and coaching under Waldrum during his six years coaching the Golden Hurricanes from 1989-94.

Waldrum also is looking to the three captains to play a large role in the success of the ’99 Irish. Seniors LaKeysia Beene (Gold River, Calif.) and Jen Grubb (Hoffman Estates, Ill.) and junior Kelly Lindsey (Omaha, Neb.) will handle the official leadership chores for the team.

“LaKeysia and Jen are two of our most seasoned players with all of their national team experiences, while Kelly’s personality really fits the whole team,” says Waldrum. “They are a good mix and all bring something to the table.”

The ’99 captains look for the team to come together quickly as the Irish open the season against North Carolina at Alumni Field. Five BIG EAST games, including a date with Connecticut, and games against Duke and Michigan highlight the nine-game home schedule. The four-time defending BIG EAST champions will attempt to continue their string at the BIG EAST championship in Piscataway, N.J. The Irish will make their first trip to Texas since 1995 by playing Texas A&M and SMU in Houston and their first trip to California since 1996 by playing at Santa Clara. In all, Notre Dame will play seven teams that qualified for the 1998 NCAA championship.

“I’m really pleased with the schedule,” says Waldrum. “We have a lot of big games which are spread throughout the season and have some great games at home for the fans. Opening the season with North Carolina will tell us right off the bat where we stand.”

Goalkeeper

LaKeysia Beene has started 50 consecutive games and is on pace to record one of the top five career goals-against average in NCAA history.

Notre Dame continues its tradition of strong goalkeepers with the return of All-American Beene and sophomore Elizabeth Wagner (Spring, Texas) and the addition of Parade high school All-America goalkeeper Sani Post (Davis, Calif.). The Irish have recorded double-digit shutouts in each of the last nine seasons and have shut out 65 percent of their opponents since 1993.

“We have a fantastic group of goalkeepers,” says Waldrum. “LaKeysia is coming back and has established herself in the starting spot. Elizabeth has gotten some experience now in the college game after coming to Notre Dame as a regional team goalkeeper, while Sani has been the national team under-18 goalkeeper.”

Beene started every game of the season for the second consecutive year in ’98 and posted seven solo shutouts and six shared shutouts with a 0.68 goals-against average. After being voted the 1998 BIG EAST preseason goalkeeper of the year, she posted a 0.63 goals against average in BIG EAST games with two shutouts and five shared shutouts to be named BIG EAST goalkeeper of the year. Beene also was named a finalist for the Missouri Athletic Club Player of the Year award. Her athleticism and ability to make big saves should make her one of best goalkeepers in the country once again.

Wagner provided Beene with the solid backup that she did not have in 1997 when she played every minute of all 25 games. The former Parade high school All-American saw action in seven games in the net in ’98 without allowing a goal to share six shutouts with Beene. Wagner played the entire second half in a pair of Irish wins.

Post comes to Notre Dame after allowing just five goals in four years at Davis Senior High School. She led the Blue Devils to a 25-0-1 record and the No. 1 high school ranking as a senior according to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. The NSCAA youth All-American in 1998 earned a spot on the under-18 national team and was selected as one of Soccer America’s top 25 incoming freshmen.

Defenders

While the Irish have the goalkeeping duties solidified, Waldrum sees questions marks when looking at Notre Dame’s backfield for the ’99 season. Grubb, Lindsey and senior Kara Brown (Avon, Conn.) all return from ’98 when the trio composed the three-back system that allowed just 16 goals in 25 games, the fourth-fewest goals allowed in school history. However, Lindsey’s recovery from offseason surgery, the idea of Grubb’s moving into the midfield and the possibility of playing with four backs leave the Irish defense unsettled.

“The defense probably is going to be the biggest question mark for us,” says Waldrum. “Kara Brown certainly has solidified her spot in the lineup as an outside back. Kelly Lindsey is going to be critical as to what we decide to do with Jen Grubb, whether we keep Jen in the back or push her up. Lindsey Jones and Kerri Bakker had good spring seasons playing the back. One of the freshmen also could come in and play in the back. We won’t really have that answered until the freshmen arrive.”

Grubb returns to Notre Dame after spending the ’99 spring semester training with the U.S. national team in its preparation for the World Cup. She enters her senior year with the chance to become only the second four-time Irish All-American and the first four-time All-America defender. Her combination of speed and power helped her win the BIG EAST defensive player-of-the-year award. Grubb served corner kicks for the Irish last year and finished third in the country and tops among defenders with 21 assists.

Brown made a successful move to defender last year after playing in the outside midfield her first two seasons. Her determination and relentlessness proved to translate well into the backfield as she started all but one game last year. After gaining a year of experience as defender, Brown looks to be in top form once again as part of the Irish backline.

Lindsey battled through 1998 to start all but one game, scoring two goals and dishing off five assists. She assisted on the game-winning goal against Nebraska in the NCAA third round and had an assist against Michigan in the NCAA second round. Lindsey spent the off-season recovering from surgery and sat out all of spring practice but looks to return to the action with the same speed and athletic ability.

Jones (South Bend, Ind.) could see a shift from the outside midfield to the back after spending the spring season playing on defense. She started 17 games and played in all 25 games during her ’98 freshman season, scoring one goal and dishing off 12 assists.

Bakker (Washington, N.J.) also turned in a solid spring season in the back and could contribute in that spot after spending her first two seasons playing up front and the midfield. Bakker saw action in 11 games last year and scored her first career goal in the BIG EAST championship quarterfinals against West Virginia.

Junior Liz Zanoni (Kalamazoo, Mich.) continues her recovery from injury which forced her to miss all of the 1998 season. She should contribute depth on defense upon her return.

Freshmen Emily Barnes (Redmond, Wash.), Ashley Dryer (Salt Lake City, Utah) and Vanessa Pruzinsky (Trumbull, Conn.) also could see action on defense. Barnes has been a part of the U.S. Regional Olympic Development program and continues Notre Dame’s line of Washington natives. Dryer has been a member of the U.S. Regional Olympic Development program since 1996 and captained Utah’s Olympic Development team every year since 1993. Pruzinsky comes to Notre Dame as the NSCAA high school player of the year after leading Trumbull High School to a No. 3 national ranking and to three consecutive state titles.

Midfielders

Anne Makinen leads the Irish once again in the center midfield after being selected as a finalist for the Hermann Trophy in each of her two years.

Just as the Irish remain strong in the goal, Notre Dame returns another impressive group of midfielders highlighted by a pair of returning All-Americans. Junior Anne Makinen (Helsinki, Finland) and senior Jenny Streiffer (Baton Rouge, La.) have proven to be among the most talented players in the country. Sophomore Mia Sarkesian (Canton, Mich.) should contribute in the midfield once again, with Grubb another possibility.

“We look to be really solid in the central midfield with a number of quality players at the position,” says Waldrum. “Anne Makinen might be the best player in college women’s soccer. She certainly will play centrally in the midfield for us. Last year Jenny Streiffer played out wide but she will be more effective playing centrally either in the midfield or up front. Mia Sarkesian looked good this spring in the central midfield, and we also have the possibility of moving Jen Grubb up.”

The anchor of the midfield once again will be Makinen, a two-time Hermann Trophy finalist in her first two seasons. The leader of the Finnish national team stands among the top players in the game with her powerful goal scoring and crafty playmaking abilities. She has been at her best throughout her career in the big games, as she scored the only goal in the ’98 BIG EAST championship game to become the only player to win BIG EAST championship most outstanding player honors in consecutive years.

Streiffer brings her trademarked silent intensity back to Notre Dame for the final season in ’99. After becoming just the ninth player in NCAA women’s soccer history to score 50 goals and record 50 assists as a junior, Streiffer is on pace to join former Irish All-American Cindy Daws as one of just four players to reach 60-60. The two-time GTE Academic All-American will play in the center of the field where her creativity and dribbling skills will be best utilized.

After playing in 20 games as a freshman, Sarkesian impressed the coaches with her improvement and solid play in the spring season. She started five games and finished her first season of collegiate soccer with one goal and four assists.

Jenny Streiffer needs just nine goals and four assists to become just the fourth player in NCAA history to score 60 goals and record 60 assists in a career.

The Irish also will count on a number of other players to fill roles in the midfield in 1999.

“Kristin Danielson has a lot to offer, depending on how she comes back from the injury,” says Waldrum. “Kelly Tulisiak made some of the biggest improvements in the spring. Nancy Mikacenic comes in and is going to compete to play in there. The central midfield will be really competitive and deep.”

Danielson (South Bend, Ind.) missed the entire ’98 season and ’99 spring practice with an injury and looks to return to the form she displayed as a freshman in ’97. In her first season at Notre Dame, Danielson gave the Irish important depth in midfield by playing in 16 games. Tulisiak (Medina, Ohio) sparked Notre Dame off the bench in 14 games and scored a goal in only her second appearance of her Irish career.

Mikacenic (Seattle, Wash.) also should contribute as a freshman in the center midfield where she played in leading Lakeside High School to the state championship as a senior. The two-time Parade high school All-American also trained with the U.S. under-18 national team and captained the under-17 national team.

“One of the problems the team had last year in playing with four midfielders and two wide was speed,” says Waldrum. “This year, if we choose to play with wide midfielders, Lindsey Jones returns and the freshmen certainly will add the speed in those spots.”

Freshman Ali Lovelace (Dallas, Ga.) should give the Irish a boost inthe outside midfield. She has been a member of the U.S. under-18 and under-17 national teams and has been active in her regional Olympic development team since 1992. Barnes, Dryer and Pruzinsky also could contribute in the midfield.

Forwards

Jenny Heft set a single-season Notre Dame record with 28 goals last year in her first year as a full-time starter for the Irish.

The Irish front line hopes to continue its offensive output as the highest-scoring offense in the country. Senior Jenny Heft (Germantown, Wis.) scored a Notre Dame single-season record 28 goals last year, while junior Meotis Erikson (Kennewick, Wash.) was fifth on the team in scoring. Despite the loss of all-time leading scorer Monica Gerardo, another Monica, junior Monica Gonzalez (Richardson, Texas), returns from an injury that forced her to miss all of 1998.

“We’ll have some good options up front,” says Waldrum. “Jenny Heft had a really good spring and was the team’s MVP last year. She just brings a natural knack for scoring goals to the field. In coaching her on the national team, this is probably the fittest I’ve seen Meotis Erikson. She had a great spring and is eager for the fall. Monica Gonzalez will be back after her run with the Mexican national team at the World Cup. That experience is going to help her return. I’m really excited about this group.”

Heft’s quickness and instinct around the goal helped her set the Irish scoring mark with 28 goals in starting 25 games in her first season as a regular in the lineup in ’98. She matched Daws’ record with three hat tricks in a single season with three goals against West Virginia, Wake Forest and Wisconsin. Heft has been at her best in the big games, with nine goals in nine games against ranked teams in ’98 and with eight goals in 12 career NCAA championship games.

Erikson entered 1998 not fully recovered from an off-season injury but still finished fourth on the team with 10 goals, thanks to her crafty play with her back to the goal. She has played for Waldrum during her time with the U.S. under-20 national team and looks to continue the solid play she displayed in the spring season.

Gonzalez prepped for her return to Notre Dame against the top competition in the world with the Mexican national team. She was a major part of the Irish success in ’97 and a major loss when she was forced to miss all of ’98 with an injury. Gonzalez complements Heft’s and Erikson’s strengths with her talent in the air.

In addition to the trio of Heft, Erikson and Gonzalez, which has scored 102 goals in six combined seasons, Waldrum also may place Streiffer and Lovelace up front to give the Irish even more talent at the forward position. Senior Iris Lancaster (Waiahae, Hawaii) has given Notre Dame depth off the bench. She played in 15 games last year with a goal against Wisconsin and an assist against Providence.

“We are fortunate to have the possibility of pushing Jenny Streiffer and Ali Lovelace up front,” says Waldrum. “We are counting on Ali to step in and compete to play up front if she doesn’t play wide in the midfield. She’s going to push for playing time somewhere on the field. Iris Lancaster had a really good spring in terms of being a confidence builder up front.”