NATCHITOCHES—Back on Nov. 3, 2023, the Northwestern State soccer team was able to hold its head high, despite a penalty kicks defeat at the hands of Lamar.

Even with the loss in penalty kicks to the regular season and conference tournament title winner, NSU knew it could play with the best in the conference.

Now in his second season at the helm, head coach Ian Brophy is excited to build on the success it ended last season with, as the team reported to camp Monday.

"The next goal for us is attacking that next step," Brophy said. "We need to take the next step when it comes to becoming a more dominant team in the conference. It is something we are looking at how we can improve over the course of the season.

"But it is all just building on the confidence last season left us with. Towards the end of the year, we were playing some of our best soccer, so the hope is that we can pick up right where we left off."

 In the final five contests of last season, NSU went unbeaten in regulation, going 2-0-3, earning a berth in the SLC Tournament semifinals once again.

At this time a year ago, NSU was returning just 11 players and had to incorporate 15 new faces into the fold.

This time around, the Lady Demons lose just four players from last season, while welcoming 11 newcomers to Natchitoches.

"We've had a year and a half with Coach Ian," senior team captain Emily Mougia said. "Us original girls who stayed here through the coaching change were building something special. He's brought in great classes, so we're just trying to get that bond going with them."

NSU returns 78 percent of its point production from 2023, led by junior Taylor Spitzer, who led the team in goals (4), points (9), shots (57) and shots on goal (21).

Spitzer was named Second Team All-SLC last season.

In addition to the point production returning, NSU also returns its goalkeeper, Libe Banuelos.

The transfer from Louisiana Tech stopped 90 shots in 2023, posting a 1.38 goals against average and collected four solo shutouts and one combined one.

In front of Banuelos, a veteran back line of Caroline Hilliard, Jessica Spitzer, Alina Graf and Madison Murphy returns as well. Spitzer played every minute of every game as a defender for NSU in 2023.

"It will be really helpful that there isn't a ton of turnover from last season," Banuelos said. "We have a number of people who are experienced on the team who know each other and everyone's strengths and weaknesses.

Overall, eight of the nine players who appeared in all 19 games return.

After bringing in nine transfers a season ago, Brophy brings aboard a pair this time around, Kassi Schoen and Paige Baumgartner.

In her four seasons with Alabama State, Schoen tallied 16 goals and helped lead ASU to the conference championship in the spring of 2021.

Baumgartner is a transfer from Seminole State College, where she was named an NJCAA Division I Second Team All-American and First Team All-Region after scoring 17 goals and dishing out 15 assists for a total of 49 points.

NSU took head shots and marketing shots Monday, as the team begins its journey to what it hopes will be its fifth NCAA Tournament appearance in program history.

The team begins practice Tuesday, as it prepares to welcome Southern for an exhibition contest at home Aug. 8. The regular season starts for NSU on Aug. 15 when it travels to SMU.

Its first regular season home game comes Sept. 1 against former SLC foe Abilene Christian.

"It's great to be back," Brophy said. "This is always an exciting day and the energy is alive. The players are ready. The coaches are ready. I think we're all excited to get going again. We left last season on kind of a high, so I think everyone is looking forward to get things going again."