A Strategic Shift in Preseason Preparation
The Saint Louis University women's soccer program is entering its preseason earlier than ever before, a shift made possible by a recent NCAA rule adjustment that expands preparation windows for women's teams. Coach Katie Shields welcomed the extra days, emphasizing that the additional training time is already translating into sharper defensive drills and higher conditioning standards.
The team's first test will come on August 8, when they travel to face Missouri State in an exhibition match, followed by their regular‑season debut on August 12 against Alabama. Both games serve as crucial benchmarks for a squad that has been rebuilding after a promising spring campaign that ended with a 3‑1‑1 record.
Shields noted that the extended preseason also alleviates some of the logistical pressures that have historically limited practice hours. While she would prefer the NCAA to grant even broader flexibility in how those hours are allocated, the current parameters still allow the team to split field work and conditioning in a way that mirrors the more adaptable schedules adopted by basketball programs this year.
The coaching staff has imposed a cap of five hours of field practice and five hours of conditioning for the opening two weeks, a restriction that has not hindered progress. Most players cleared the initial fitness tests, and the roster now includes several new transfers and freshmen who are already integrating into the defensive schemes that Shields plans to sharpen before the first competitive match.
Last season, seven starters who logged more than half of the team's minutes return, providing continuity and experience. The Billikens hope that the blend of veteran leadership and fresh talent will enable them to tighten up a defense that showed flashes of brilliance in the spring while also building on the offensive momentum generated by the new arrivals.