NATCHITOCHES—During report day a year ago, the Northwestern State soccer team aimed to build on the late-season success from the 2023 season.

Build on the late-season surge it did, finishing with 11 victories and finished one win shy of its second Southland Conference regular season championship in four seasons.

"We're excited to be back," Report day is always exciting and it is good to get to work. It has been a busy report day already and I think everybody is ready to get things going and get the meetings underway and get the program going.

"We're looking to take another big jump and move things forward. I think we did a really good job in taking a step forward and competing for a championship. We were really close last year and for us, it is just a matter of can we got over that hump now."

Now the Demons want to take that next step. From six victories in year one to 11 in year two in the Ian Brophy era, they report to camp for the 2025 season hungry for more.

"I am so excited to be back," Madison Murphy said. "I am sad that it is my senior year, but based on what I have seen so far during practice, I think it is going to be a great year, so I am excited."

The team made major strides in 2024, more than doubling their goal total from 17 in 2023 to 35 in 2024 and had three All-Conference selections, including two on the first team.

NSU looks a bit different this year with graduations, but does return two of the three All-Southland Conference selections, Emily Senatore (first team) and Jessica Spitzer (second team).

Senatore scored eight goals to lead the team last season, including twice scoring multiple goals in a game. The junior was the leading shot taker as well, attempting 33 shots last season.

Spitzer, on the other hand, was a constant on the back line once again, playing nearly every minute of every game once again last season.

Spitzer and her fellow defenders will play in front of a new goalkeeper, as Libe Banuelos graduated after two successful seasons in net for the Demons.

NSU posted a strong season despite missing key starters for much of the season, as Emily Mougia, Riley Stern and Ravina Sandhu are all back and healthy again.

"I think we have had a team the last couple of years to make it to that championship but caught some unlucky runs," Mougia said. "I think we're building something special and I just wanted to be a part of it.

A three-year team captain, Mougia did not want her career to end just 33 minutes into her senior season after suffering an ankle injury at SMU.

"It wasn't what I was expecting for my senior year," Mougia said. "I am surrounded by such a great group of girls, and I think we can go far this year and I just wanted to make the most out of my last semester of playing."

After starting all 16 games she appeared in as a junior, Mougia is prepared to make her final season in Natchitoches a memorable one.

NSU added seven new faces to the mix, including high-scoring freshman forward Hosane Soukou and transfer defender Anika Sproxton.

Soukou scored 25 goals for Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, leading her team to a 51-2-3 record during her four seasons.

Sproxton led a defense at Mount St. Mary's that held opponents to one or fewer goal in 11 of the 18 games, including recording six shutouts.

The team begins practice Tuesday, as it prepares to travel to Southern for a road exhibition game Aug. 8. The regular season starts for NSU on Aug. 14 when it travels to Texas for the first ever meeting with the Longhorns.

After four straight games—including the exhibition contest at Southern—to begin the season on the road, the Demons come home for the home opener on Aug. 24 against Alcorn State.

"We know we are going to have to be dedicated to the process," Brophy said. "We're calling it fueling the fire. We want to be really dedicated to that and put everything into that because we know if we prepare and do all the little things the right way and train the right way, that will lead us to be where we want to be at the end of the season."