Some of the names have changed at the top of the women's soccer standings in the Sooner Athletic Conference, but one in particular has remained a constant over the last three seasons.
The John Brown University women's soccer team has been a participant in the conference's tournament finals in each of the last three seasons.
John Brown University women’s soccer
2016 schedule
Date^Opponent^Time
Aug. 20^Lyon^3 p.m.
Aug. 26^Bellevue (Neb.)^5:30 p.m.
Aug. 30^at Texas A&M-Texarkana^7 p.m.
Sept. 2^Oklahoma Wesleyan^7 p.m.
Sept. 9^vs. Olivet Nazarene (Ill.)#^5 p.m.
Sept. 10^vs. Concordia-Ann Arbor (Mich.)#^2:30 p.m.
Sept. 17^Ouachita Baptist^3 p.m.
Sept. 23^Bethel (Tenn.)^5 p.m.
Sept. 28^at Mid-America Christian (Okla.)*^1 p.m.
Oct. 1^at Bacone (Okla.)*^1 p.m.
Oct. 4^Oklahoma City*^5 p.m.
Oct. 8^St. Gregory’s (Okla.)*^1 p.m.
Oct. 15^Science and Arts (Okla.)*^2 p.m.
Oct. 18^at Southwestern Christian (Okla.)*^1 p.m.
Oct. 22^at Wayland Baptist (Texas)*^2 p.m.
Oct. 27^Texas Wesleyan*^4 p.m.
Oct. 29^Southwestern Assemblies of God (Texas)*^1 p.m.
* Sooner Athletic Conference game
# Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) Classic in Bourbonnais, Ill.
The Golden Eagles won one of those, defeating Oklahoma City in 2013 to earn a trip to the NAIA National Tournament. JBU lost to Oklahoma Baptist in 2014 and last season the Golden Eagles fell to Science and Arts in the title game.
It's been a good run in head coach Kathleen Paulsen's first three seasons. JBU has compiled an overall record of 38-15-8 -- a winning percentage of .622. In conference play, JBU has been even better at 20-4-4 (.714), including a 7-1-1 record last season.
"I think it has been really cool," Paulsen said. "I think, like anything, it just takes time. I've been proud of the kids. They've been consistent.
"That's the challenge of most teams -- being consistently good over time. I think the kids are really bought in, and they believe in who they say they want to be. It's a good reflection of them."
John Brown -- 13-6-2 in 2015 -- opens up the 2016 season at 3 p.m. Saturday against Lyon at Alumni Field. It's the first of 17 scheduled games in the regular season.
"I think we'll still have some loose ends to figure out," Paulsen said. "The first couple of games we'll be adjusting and learning what we want to be. Lyon did very well in their conference. It'll be a great test for us. We want to be tested."
The Golden Eagles are excited about the return of senior goalkeeper Kristen Morency, who played in one game last season before going down with a broken collar bone.
Morency, who was the Sooner Athletic Conference's Defensive Player of the Year in 2012, 2013 and 2014, was granted a medical redshirt year, which will allow her to play this season.
"It's awesome," Paulsen said of having Morency back. "She's obviously a very good player and brings leadership."
Morency -- who has 286 career saves -- is one of four seniors on the JBU roster. Her return frees up another senior to help the Golden Eagles in other areas on the field.
Senior Hannah Poor, a former Siloam Springs standout, took over in goal for the rest of the season and finished with five shutouts and 86 saves.
Poor will still be on hand to play goal if needed, but Paulsen said she could be used at forward, where's she's played some already in her JBU career.
"Really it frees us up to do a lot more with Hannah Poor on the field," Paulsen said. "She did awesome for us last year. She got us to the conference championship game."
Poor will make a difference in the Golden Eagles' attack, Paulsen said.
"She's a great target forward. She's an animal in the box. She'll do whatever you need to do to score."
In front of Morency in goal will be a 4-3-3 formation, although JBU can go to an extra midfielder with a 4-4-2 if needed.
Junior Sarah (Hill) Abbott returns at an outside back spot, while sophomore Sam Weber from Springdale Har-Ber returns after playing center back and outside back. Weber was named to the All-Sooner Athletic Conference's first team.
Sophomore Annika Bos of Siloam Springs had a strong freshman year at center back and is also back.
"She's a good leader," Paulsen said of Bos. "She knows what she's doing. We're glad to have her back."
The Golden Eagles lost defensive standouts Julie Whitlow and Alex Fahr to graduation and JBU may turn to a group of freshman who appear ready to go contribute.
Redshirt freshman Katherine Huff of Edmond, Okla., is back after missing last season with a torn ACL. Freshmen Katherine Haar of Denver, Sarah Hughes of Albuquerque, N.M., and Hannah Sweaney of Springfield, Mo., could factor in at defender.
The Golden Eagles return experience in the midfield.
Senior Sara (Lachance) Smith of Springdale Har-Ber scored seven goals and registered six assists last season. Junior Sara Frey had a goal and four assists, while sophomore Melody Hagan had five goals and two assists. Smith and Frey were both All-SAC first team honorees.
Freshman Allie McCracken of Tyler, Texas, could help out in the midfield. Paulsen said Abbott also can move up in the formation and work in the midfield as well.
"We're returning a lot of kids that play in the midfield," Paulsen said.
At forward, the Golden Eagles return plenty of production in terms of scoring goals.
Sophomore Jastin Redman scored 14 goals and had eight assists last season before tearing her ACL at the end of the year. She was named the 2015 SAC Freshman of the Year.
All-SAC second team sophomore Aspen Robinson had 12 goals and 12 assists, while sophomore Anne Metz had five goals and four assists and sophomore Anna Brown three goals and five assists.
Redshirt freshman Kristen Howell of Little Rock missed all of last season with an ACL injury. She's back, and Haar could also play forward.
Throw in Poor to the mix, and the Golden Eagles feel good about their prospects at forward.
"We're really excited about our players up top," Paulsen said. "I think the big thing is keeping them healthy. We're pretty dynamic. We have a lot of different ways we can play which is just fun."
NOTES: The Golden Eagles began training on Aug. 8. They reported on Aug. 3, but the team then took a mission trip to Dallas to work with homeless people and refugees. The mission trip has become an annual tradition for the Golden Eagles. "It's been a cool thing in our program and we're trying to keep it going," Paulsen said.
Sports on 08/17/2016