MIAMI - The FIU women's soccer team is ready to embark on its 2023 campaign, that begins on Friday, Aug. 19th against Alcorn State in Thibodaux, Louisiana. 

Preparing for his fourth season at the helm, head coach Jonathan Garbar is extremely excited for the direction he believes his team will take into this season. "Every season you're excited to get rolling, but this season for me is, very unique in that," Garbar said. "We had a very competitive spring as well and you kind of have to go through that phase so you can start to learn how to earn results." 

The Panthers features a total of seven newcomers on this season's roster, including four freshmen. FIU returns 20 letterwinners from the 2022 squad, which includes forward Nikole Solis, who was tabbed to the CUSA Preseason team. 

Solis is a key returner to the Blue & Gold, leading the team in goals (7) and points (14). "Nikole is fast and strong. She's technical, getting smarter, and still learning to be a bit more ruthless, but she's becoming a more holistic player," Garbar added. 

Up front, forward Noemi Paquin will be a main contributor as she notched seven points and two goals last season. "Coach has established a really good standard and each player is making sure to hold those standards," Paquin says. 

In the midfield, senior captain Dominique Marcelli returns having played a combined 29 games in the past two seasons with FIU. "We are coming into practice and we're grinding it out, but also having fun at the same time," Marcelli noted. "Our team is getting better every single day." Midfielders Hanako Fujii, Chinatsu Kaio and Catherine Rapp will also contribute in the middle. 

On the backline, junior Regan Bridges will take the reigns as a starter while alongside top graduate transfer Anna Rockett from Louisiana State University. Rockett, played four seasons with the Tigers, being part of two NCAA tournament appearances in her tenure. Rising sophomore Kennedy Floyd will take on minutes and graduate student Camille Sahirul, who led FIU in minutes played in 2021, will return after sitting out all of 2022 with injury. 

Third-year Panther Ithaisa Vinoly and freshman Gwen Jordan will handle the net this season in 2023. 

 "When the game's going our way it means that we're controlling the rhythm, the tempo of the game," Coach Garbar emphasized on the team's play. "We expect the winning the ball high up the field and to ne the best counter pressing team in the conference."