COLLEGE STATION, Texas -Â The Texas A&M Aggies welcome the Incarnate Word Cardinals to the friendly confines of Ellis Field on Friday at 8 pm as the Maroon and White commence the 2017 spring schedule.
The contest will be free to spectators.
Texas A&M returns 16 letterwinners from the 2016 campaign, including nine of 12 starters (started at least 50% of A&M's matches). The returnees account for 24 of the Aggies' 27 goals from last season and the Maroon and White add the potent Ally Watt who redshirted last season while playing for the United States U20 Women's National Team. Texas A&M welcomes back All-American Mikaela Harvey, along with fellow All-SEC performer Haley Pounds and former SEC All-Freshman honorees Emily Bates, Grace Piper and Watt.
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Fans will get a nearly full preview of the 2017 squad as 25 of the 27 players who will be on the fall roster are in spring camp. The only players not in camp are incoming freshmen Jimena Lopez Fuentes and Rheagen Smith.
The Cardinals return 21 players from the 2016 campaign. Incarnate Word finished with a 4-11-2 mark last year. Sam Batley (4 goals, 4 assists, 12 points) and Brooke Hanson (2 goals, four assists, 8 points) are the Cardinals' top returning scorers. Incarnate World also returns both of their goalkeepers from last season, including Haley Nelson (1.54 gaa, 937 min.) and Sydney Huntsinger (1.68 gaa, 642 min.).
The Aggies finished the 2016 season with a 12-8-2 record. The Maroon and White appeared in their 22nd consecutive NCAA Division I Championship and advanced to the Second Round for the 19th consecutive year.