MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Coming off one of the most unusual seasons in program history in 2020-21, the West Virginia University women's soccer team returns to the pitch on Thursday, Aug. 19, to begin its 26th season of competition. 
 
The Mountaineers are not only looking forward to returning to a somewhat more normal year than they experienced last season, but also toward welcoming fans back to Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium at full capacity for the first time since 2019. The nine-time Big 12 Conference champions will not only face the league's annual gauntlet this fall, but WVU will once again go up against a challenging nonconference slate, which features a pair of 2020-21 NCAA Tournament qualifiers.
 
While West Virginia is youthful once again this season with 13 newcomers, the squad is led by a powerhouse senior class, which features last season's co-leader in goals in Alina Stahl and the 2020 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and United Soccer Coaches All-American Jordan Brewster. Four other seniors join Brewster and Stahl to guide the Mountaineers with enhanced experience, undeniable talent and a winning mentality.
 
"We are super excited to get back to a semi-normal season this fall after the uncertainties of 2020-21," Mountaineer coach Nikki Izzo-Brown said. "It's great to have a majority of our team from last year back again this season. We are ready to grind and ready to win championships."
 
Here's what you need to know heading into the new campaign:

• This season marks the 26th year of WVU women's soccer. The only coach in program history, Nikki Izzo-Brown has led the Mountaineers to a 362-121-56 mark.
• WVU is coming off a 10-3-1 campaign last season. The squad reached the NCAA Tournament for the 21st consecutive season, the fifth-longest streak in the country, and advanced to the second round.
• West Virginia welcomes back 14 letterwinners off the 2020-21 squad, including 10 starters.
• The Mountaineers were voted to finish first in this year's Preseason Big 12 Poll.
• WVU adds 13 newcomers to the mix this season, including one transfer and one West Virginia native.
• Senior defender Jordan Brewster and junior goalkeeper Kayza Massey were named to the 2021 Preseason All-Big 12 Team. Brewster was selected to the team for the third straight year, while Massey collects her first career preseason nod.
• Five of the Mountaineers' six 2020 All-Big 12 honorees return to the squad this season, including first teamers Brewster and senior forward Alina Stahl. Junior forward/defender Nicole Payne and redshirt senior forward Lauren Segalla were honored on the second team, while sophomore midfielder Lilly McCarthy was named to the All-Freshman team.
• This year's squad consists of two redshirt seniors, four seniors, one redshirt junior, eight juniors, five sophomores and 11 freshmen.
• The Mountaineers hail from 10 different states and four countries. WVU features four players from Canada and Pennsylvania, three from Maryland, Ohio and Texas, two from Connecticut, England, Massachusetts, Virginia and West Virginia and one from Alabama, Germany, Kansas and Nova Scotia.
• Stahl co-led the squad in goals in 2020-21, with six. The total ranked No. 7 in the Big 12. She also ranked second on the team with 14 total points (6G, 2A).
• In all, WVU returns 10 players who scored at least once last season.
• The Mountaineers are a staggering 74-13-8 all-time against its nine Big 12 opponents this fall.
• WVU also returns eight players who played at least 900 minutes a year ago, led by Brewster, who played all 1,300 minutes of total game action in 2020-21.
• Five players are back on this year's roster who started all 14 contests in 2020-21. Four other returners started 10 or more games last season.

For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUWomensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.