UMD Soccer Opens Fall Practice With Mix of Returners and New Faces

This year will be a balancing act for head coach Greg Cane as UMD brings back a roster full of players with different levels of experience.

DULUTH, Minn. – The UMD women’s soccer team held their first fall practice on Monday in nearly two years.

This year will be a balancing act for head coach Greg Cane as UMD brings back a roster full of players with different levels of experience.

“Being split with a lot of newcomers and upperclassmen, it’s definitely motivating. Everyone coming in wants to play so having as many girls as we do, it’s just going to be important to show up every day at practice,” midfielder Julia Osborne said.

“Annually, you have that not problem, but you have that challenge and you just have to get them all on the same page mentally first. They all wear the same gear, they all come out and train at the same time so collectively, there’s got to be a sense that they’re all working together and for one another. It doesn’t matter the age, really. You just try and get that gel working as fast as you possibly can,” head coach Greg Cane added.

The Bulldogs were able to have a productive spring, holding a few practices and scrimmaging against other teams with the goal of staying in shape for the fall.

“Making sure I mean everyone’s going to work hard, but pushing everyone to their limit and making sure we have just a really cohesive group. We were able to make it work just by trying to push each other so we can be ready for this season,” midfielder Holly Kaboord said.

“When we came back in the spring, I had a different kind of energy. We tried a complete new formation and the women loved it and are real comfortable with it so that was a complete success. And then mentally, we focused on one particular element and that was our compete level elevating,” Cane added.

UMD will open the 2021 season on the road at Michigan Tech on September 2nd.