Rachael Radel has started every game in her collegiate career.

After three consecutive North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Tournament championships and the corresponding berths into the NCAA Division III Tournament, Wittenberg's women's soccer team has taken its place among the top teams in the Great Lakes Region. With 20 letterwinners returning in 2009, including a strong nucleus of four full-time starters, the Tigers have high hopes for another strong season.

Under the direction of Head Coach Norm Riker, the Tigers' trademark has been a stingy defense, and 2009 figures to feature more of the same. Wittenberg welcomes back most of the starters on a back line that allowed just 17 goals in 21 matches a year ago while posting 11 shutouts.

The leader of the defense is junior Maggie Amorello (Sutton, Mass./Worcester Academy), who not only scored three goals in 2008 but also provided some of the most sure-footed defending in the conference. As a tribute to her efforts, Amorello was recognized with first-team all-conference and all-region honors.

Fellow junior Kelly Foley (Dublin, Ohio/Scioto) is another returning starter on the back line. She started all 21 games in 2008. Also expected to make significant contributions again in 2009 are junior Erin McLeish (Dublin, Ohio/Scioto) and sophomore Allie Keefer (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota East), both of whom saw extensive action in their first collegiate seasons a year ago.

In the midfield, Wittenberg is faced with the task of replacing two-time All-American Suzanne Medwid, now the team's assistant coach. Senior Rachael Radel (Columbus, Ohio/Grandview) will take on part of that burden, a year after scoring three goals and contributing three assists while making the move from the defense. She has started every game of her collegiate career.

Among the top candidates to join Radel in the midfield are junior Maureen Buckley (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) and sophomore Megan Gordon (Dayton, Ohio/Bellbrook).

Up top, Riker has an ample arsenal of weapons at his disposal, starting with the team's second-leading scorer from last fall, senior forward Emily Murray (Petoskey, Mich./Petoskey), and honorable mention All-NCAC honoree in 2008. In addition, sophomore Taylor Goss (Sandy Spring, Md./Friends School), also an honorable mention all-conference performer a year ago, returns to the starting lineup.

Goss leads a parade of sophomores who saw significant action in 2008 and figure even more prominently in the team's plan this year. Megan Utter (Grand Rapids, Mich./East Grand Rapids), and Sheryl Chambers (Victorville, Calif./St. Joan of Arc) are among the standouts from that class who figure to provide the Tigers one of their deepest positions on the field.

Finally, the Tigers will turn to youth for their goalkeeping after Jordan Bamberger turned in a strong fall season in her lone season as the team's starter. FreshmenMelissa Gartner (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Ursula) and Hannah Hoffman (Bethesda, Md./Chevy Chase) are waging a spirited battle for the starting spot.

They lead another outstanding recruiting class, which will add to the Tigers' depth as Wittenberg faces its typically challenging schedule. Among the highlights are games against perennial regional powerhouses Centre, DePauw, Mount St. Joseph, Capital and Transylvania, and top conference contenders Ohio Wesleyan, Wooster, Allegheny and Denison.