Kentucky Wildcats
Overall Rank: #37
Conference Rank: #5 SEC
Kentucky Team Page
Kentucky rose to new heights on the national landscape of women’s college soccer in 2012. The Wildcats recorded a pair of wins over top-15 ranked teams and slayed the giant of never winning an NCAA Tournament match as they knocked off Tennessee-Martin in the first round. In addition, the Wildcats will be playing in a newly renovated UK Soccer Complex. This renovation will have many notable upgrades including a new grandstand, new locker room, lounge, training facility and game day offices for the soccer programs.
2012 Record: 14-7-1, 8-5-1
2012 Postseason: NCAA
Coach: Jon Lipsitz
Strengths:
The attack is where it begins for Kentucky. The Wildcats return their four leading scorers from 2012 in Arin Gilliland, Courtney Raetzman, Kelli Hubly and Caitlin Landis. This quartet of scoring options is going to make it very challenging for opposing SEC defenses to lock in and slow down the Wildcat attack. Gilliand is the best all-around player of the bunch. Her ability to press forward from the backline to score goals is a tremendous asset for the Wildcats. Kayla King will provide crucial stability in the backline. The senior appeared in 15 matches in 2012 with a 1.02 goals against average.
Weaknesses:
The goal differential of plus eight has to be increased in 2013. The shots on goal allowed by the opponent also need to be addressed. Opponents had a .409 shots on goal percentage out of shots taken versus .400 for the Wildcats. This differential has to be grow wider in 2013. Also, on the attacking side, the Wildcats need to take the quartet of Gilliand, Raetzman, Hubly, and Landis and move their production forward to create a higher goal differential and make it easier to win games when the opponent scores early. The more explosive the Wildcats can be this season, the better the chances are for a deeper postseason run.
Final Projection:
The Wildcats will have two great out of conference road tests opening at Wake Forest and then West Virginia in Morgantown just before the start of conference play. The conference schedule will have road tests at Florida and they will get a tough Tennessee squad at home. The experience gained from knocking off top-flight teams in 2012 is going to pay plenty of dividends in 2013. The key will be the evolution of the attack and being able to take the pressure off the backline. The excitement of being in a newly renovated complex and balanced depth on this Kentucky team should produce a run to the NCAA Tournament and a spot among the top of the Southeastern Conference, and with a break, possibly contending for the league title in 2013.
Projected Postseason: NCAA
Returning Leaders:
Goals: Arin Gilliland, Junior, Defender, 7
Assists: Arin Gilliland, Junior, Defender, 7
Shots: Caitlin Landis, Senior, Forward, 56
Saves: None
Madness 2013 Women’s Soccer Recruit Rankings:
#24 Zoe Swift
See All Women's Soccer Top 44 Team Previews
