Rock Hill, S.C. – Winthrop women's soccer opens the 2021 season with back-to-back home games beginning Friday, Aug. 20 at 7 p.m. as it takes on Alabama State on Eagle Field.
| Game Information |
| Matchup |
Alabama State (0-0, 0-0 SWAC) at Winthrop (0-0, 0-0 Big South) |
| Date/Time |
Friday, Aug. 20, 7 p.m. |
| Location |
Rock Hill, S.C. / Eagle Field |
| Live Statistics |
StatBroadcast |
| Live Stream |
ESPN+ |
| Social |
Twitter - @WinthropWSoccer / @WUEagles | Instagram - WinthropWSoccer | #ROCKtheHILL | #EverStand |
SEASON OPENERS
Eagles are 4-9-5 all-time in season openers and 3-7-4 when opening the season at home on Eagle Field. This will be the 15
th time the Eagles have opened their regular season schedule at home.
ALABAMA STATE SERIES HISTORY
This is the first meeting between Winthrop and Alabama State in women's soccer. Winthrop has only faced one other member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, Alabama A&M. The Eagles are 4-0 all-time against Alabama A&M with the most recent contest taking place Sept. 7, 2018 in Rock Hill.
GLANCE AT THE EAGLES
Winthrop returned 15 players from the 2020-21 squad and added seven newcomers. The Eagles have played three exhibition games (two away, one home) and are ready to get the regular season started with back-to-back home games before hitting the road for three straight.
Of the 15 returning players, five were among the top six scorers from last season. The Eagles finished the spring shortened season 2-6-1 with both wins coming on the road as they were 0-3-1 at home. Injuries plagued the Eagles through most of the season, which allowed for more players to gain experience. Among the 15 players back for this season there were five with 500 or more minutes, eight with 400 or more and 11 with 300 or more. The top returning scorer is senior
Laurin Uptegrove, who missed the final two games of the season. There were seven players that played in all nine games, but only two field players started all nine games and
Bailey Fudala is the only one returning that started all nine.
The 2020-21 season was a unique one for everyone due to the COVID-19 pandemic and fall sports moving to the spring but the Eagles were able to play all nine games schedule. Another unique thing happened where the Eagles scored all six of their goals on the road. The Eagles did finish with 21 shots in four home games with 12 shots on goal, a 57 percent on goal percentage. Winthrop looks to end a scoring drought of 398 minutes and 34 seconds.
The seven newcomers enjoyed successful high school and club careers and look to combine with the returnees to form a competitive squad for the 2021 season.
This will be the 335
th game in the history of Winthrop women's soccer. Head coach
Spencer Smith (12
th season) is coaching in his 194
th game for the Eagles. He is currently fifth all-time in Big South history in victories.
TEAM CAPTAINS
Senior's
Laurin Uptegrove and
Bella Hovis have been named team captains for the 2021 season. Both Uptegrove (38 career games) and Hovis (47 career games) have been regulars either off the bench or in the starting lineup in their first three seasons.
UP NEXT
Winthrop remains at home for it second contest of the regular season when it welcomes Appalachian State to Eagle Field on Wednesday, Aug. 25 at 7 p.m. It will be the first time the two teams square off since the 2010 season.
