NIAGARA UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. — The Niagara women’s soccer team begins its 2018 campaign at the two-time defending Patriot League champion Bucknell Bison on Sunday, August 19.
Scene Setter
- The Purple Eagles start their 36th season on the road on Sunday.
- The Purple Eagles will face three 2017 NCAA Tournament teams (Bucknell, Florida Gulf Coast, St. Francis (PA)) in non-conference play before starting its MAAC schedule on September 15.
- Niagara is in search of its first season-opening victory since 2014.
Kickoff Tidbits
- Peter Veltri enters his 20th season leading the Purple Eagles.
- The Purple Eagles were picked eighth with 49 points, ahead of Canisius, Iona and Saint Peter’s.
- NU returns 20 letterwinners from last season’s team that advanced to the MAAC Tournament Quarterfinals where it lost to the eventual champion, top-seeded Monmouth.
- Niagara features a veteran backline consisting of Amelia Gulley, Breanne Guevara, Tuesday Jordan and Hadley Bucken.
- NU also returns three of the top four point scorers from last season in Kelsey Araujo, Hailey Bicknell and Bayley Sullivan.
- Five freshmen have joined the program: Lauren Kelch, Ashley Lofranco, Annie Ibey, Ida Miceli, Zoe Janes.
Across The Pitch
Bucknell Bison (0-1, 0-0 Patriot League)
- Bucknell is the two-time defending Patriot League champion.
- The Bison were picked fourth in the Patriot League Preseason Poll.
- The 2018 Bison will have to replace the departure of seven seniors, including six starters, that won a school record 49 games.
- Five Bison made their debut in the season opener versus Hofstra on Friday. Bucknell was defeated by the Pride, 1-0.
Against The Bison (Bucknell leads 1-0)
- Niagara and Bucknell have met only one previous time.
- The Bison upended the Purple Eagles, 3-1, on September 5, 1998.
