CLAREMORE, Okla. – Rogers State women's soccer will kick off the Chris Jones Era with the 2022 season opener against William Jewell on Thursday.
 
"I am excited to get things rolling," said Jones. "It's my first season here on the Hill and the players have worked extremely hard this preseason to get ready for the season. The new girls have come in and assimilated quickly to how we want to play. I am excited to see what this group can achieve and am looking forward to the season ahead!"
 
In his first season at the helm, Jones takes over a team that went 9-8-1 last season and missed out on the MIAA Tournament because of tiebreaker rules. RSU was tabbed to finish ninth in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll. The Hillcats bring back 17 returners, including the leading goal scorer from last season and All-MIAA selection Vanessa Gonzalez. RSU also returns Libby Doyle, who scored two goals in 17 matches as a freshman in 2021.
 
In addition to the returners, Jones brought in 10 new Hillcats including two NCAA Division I transfers. Zoey Johnston transferred from North Dakota, where she played in 17 matches with four starts across two years and helped the Fighting Hawks to four shutouts in that span. Sophia Wickenden transferred from High Point where she helped HPU to the 2021 Big South Championship in her only season there.
 
The Hillcats face off against William Jewell in the home opener of the 2022 season. Like RSU, the Cardinals will be led by a new face on the sidelines with Taylor Wagner serving as interim head coach. Last season, Jewell struggled to find success as they finished the season 0-15-2, with five losses coming within one goal. This season the Cardinals were picked to finish 13th in the GLVC.
 
The Cardinals currently hold a 2-1 all-time record against RSU, with the Hillcats claiming their first win in the series last season in a 2-0 victory. In that match, RSU jumped out to a hot start as they scored in the sixth minute off a Brooke Amos shot from 25 yards out off a pass from Vanessa Gonzalez. Gonzalez would go on to score what would become the game winning goal in the 18th minute as neither team would score in the second half.
 
The two teams will meet on Thursday, August 25 at Soldier Field on the campus of Rogers State. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m.