Freshman
Midfield
Pilots career stats: One assist. One shot. 175 minutes played.
Kaycie Young is a freshman from Castle Pines, Colorado. Young has played almost every minute of her first three games as a college soccer player. The Pilots have high hopes for Young, who was named the Colorado State Gatorade Player of the Year in 2013, and who captained her Real Colorado Club team for eight years.
During her first home game on Aug. 30, Young kept her composure through a tough game against No. 5 Stanford. Although the Pilots lost 1-0, Young looked liked a seasoned player on the ball.
Head Coach Garrett Smith had a lot to say about her talent.
“She could be one of the best players on the field,” Smith said. “She’s a player that will make a profession out of this game.”
Sophomore
Forward/Midfield
Pilots career stats: Seven goals. Seven assists. 46 shots. 1,638 minutes played.
As one of the few U.S. national players on the team, Danica Evans is a focal point on the field.
“We’re gonna go where they go,” Head Coach Garrett Smith said about Evans and her fellow national player Allison Wetherington.
Evans is coming from a strong freshman season in which she started all 21 games. Last year in April she was called into the U-18 Women’s National Team Camp.
Evans has a big responsibility to score goals this season, since the young team is relying heavily on its defensive prowess. Evans is the player that can stretch the field and create goal-scoring opportunities.
Senior
Forward/Midfielder
Pilots career stats: Five goals. Nine assists. 58 shots. 2,378 minutes played.
As one of the team’s three seniors, Emily Sipple is taking up a leadership role on and off the field. Last season, Sipple made the WCC All-Academic team and had 21 appearances with five starts. She also had assists on four game-winning goals. The team has made the playoffs every year Sipple has been on the team.
“Its definitely a different role,” she said. “As a senior it's a little bittersweet.”
Sipple has her sights set on winning the WCC and keeping the team's camaraderie intact. No matter the outcome, however, she said she is, “Just hoping to make every moment count.”
Molly McSweyn is a sports reporter for The Beacon. You can reach her at mcsweyn18@up.edu.
