LARAMIE, Wyo. (July 31, 2018) --  Head coach Pete Cuadrado and the University of Wyoming women's soccer team are set to begin regular-season practices for the 2018 season.  The Cowgirls' first practice is slated for Thursday morning and will continue for the remainder of the week.
 
"We are excited to finally formally get practices started for the 2018 season," head coach Pete Cuadrado said. "The first few days will be about how it all fits together now that everyone is here and on the field together.  We will also have to see how returners have developed and how the newcomers insert themselves really shows in the first few days.  Early next week we will begin to organize the group for our exhibition in Florida."

Wyoming returns six starters and 16 letterwinners from last season's squad that went 8-9-2 overall and 4-6-1 in the Mountain West. In all, the squad consists of six seniors, five juniors and sophomore and 13 freshmen.
 
Entering his seventh season at the helm, Cuadrado has an overall record of 54-51-15 during his tenure at UW and a 29-26-6 mark in league play. Senior Brittney Stark was selected to the All-Newcomer team a season ago.
 
Several individuals will be looked upon to contribute during the 2018 campaign, including the six returning starters. Stark completed her junior campaign with a team-high eight goals, 18 points and three game winning goals. Fellow senior Taylor Burton recorded three goals and had two game winning goals, while senior Morgan McDougal finished with one goal and one assist in her first season with the program. Junior Michaela Stark added two goals and one assist followed by senior Jessie Gentle with two assists and three shots.  
       
The Cowgirls will play one exhibition match before the official start of the season, traveling to Orlando, Fla., to take on the Central Florida Knights. Wyoming will then open the 2018 season with a road matchup against South Dakota on Aug. 17. The Thursday night contest will be the first meeting with the Coyotes since a 2016 preseason match that the Cowgirls won, 1-0. Utah Valley will then come to Laramie on Aug. 19 for UW's first home game of the season. The Cowgirls carry the longest non-conference home unbeaten streak among D-I programs into 2018, holding an 11-0-2 record dating back to the 2013 season.