For the first time since 2017, the FGCU women’s soccer team is entering their fall season as defending ASUN tournament champions. The Eagles begin their 2023 campaign on Saturday in an exhibition match against Miami. The expectations are high for this year’s squad, just coming off of their seventh NCAA tournament berth.

“The team had the taste of victory last year and absolutely has carried over to their mindset and their preparation for our preseason,” said FGCu head women’s soccer coach Jim Blankenship.

“Everyone’s trying to chase us,” said FGCU midfielder Ashley Labbe. “We are being hunted. So I think everyone is trying to compete to be as good as us as we were last season.”

The success of last year’s team has undoubtedly put a target on their backs heading into the new school year, but it has also intensified their own ambition to go even further into the postseason than before.

“It just makes us want to work harder and harder,” said Labbe. “Especially during this preseason to prepare and just make sure we’re the best and we continue to be the best.”

“We’re gonna be like a different team than last year and we’re gonna come out even stronger,” said FGCU forward Erika Zschuppe.

Experience is one of the Eagles’ strong suits this year, bringing 14 returning players to this year’s roster compared to last season’s nine.

“We’re coming into something that we know how to do already and we can get the newcomers already on a good track,” said Zschuppe.

“There are players that we depend on heavily,” said Blankenship. “They’re excited about proving again that they are the top end of our roster and players that are gonna make impact in games. We depend on them greatly.”

There is a long journey to get to the postseason, and to be the best, they have to bet the best.

“Anytime we get an opportunity to play, especially an exhibition game like Miami, it’s gonna help us long term because our players are gonna want to throw in the tape and see how we do and what we can get better at,” said Blankenship.

FGCU has that shot as they face two Power Five schools right off the top of their 2023 schedule — Miami (exhibition) on Saturday, August 12 and Iowa on Thursday, August 17.

“Each team is different,” said Labbe. “We kind of prepare differently for each team just depending on their formation, what their strengths are. Honestly we play to our strengths. We try to keep the integrity of our team, our blue collar hard working team. So I think we can beat any team with that mentality.”