The Rams women's soccer team celebrates winning the PSAC Atlantic Region title last year. Courtesy photo

SHEPHERDSTOWN — When the cloudy December sky in New Hampshire finally enveloped the fading daylight, the Shepherd University women’s soccer team could settle into the bus seats and trek back home, counting the ways their 2024 team had set school records left and right.

After the players thawed out a bit and fought off sleep, they could collectively bring back the memories of a conference championship, the Atlantic Region title and, finally, a somewhat bitter loss in the NCAA Division II national quarterfinals.

The final record for the stellar 2024 season was 18-2-4. The conference record was 13-1-2.

Individual player honors poured in with Lydia Gable, Sarah Peternel and goalkeeper Hannah Wilt receiving All-American recognition.

Annabelle Wunderlich was an All-Atlantic Regional first-teamer. Reagan Ackerman gained second-team all-conference mention.

Josie Beezel had been given all-round praises by opposing coaches.

The season-ending, 2-1, loss to Franklin Pierce was still stinging, but slowly what the team had accomplished took over the team’s thoughts.

Leading to this season have been predictions by the league’s coaches that Shepherd’s ownership of the standings was not a mirage and just might happen again here in 2025.

This season’s roster has been restocked with 15 new players, most of them coming from Division I teams such as the University of Toledo, The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Radford University and Eastern Kentucky University. Montgomery College (Md.) and Kutztown University also were prior stops, for two of this year’s team members.

A lengthy list of other returnees should mean the Rams have competition for playing time, from a roster-wide group of those anxious to make their contributions.

Taylor Schuck, Adrianna Morales and Anya Lozano were all partially responsible for the unrivaled success of the 2024 team.

Sofia Carrero, Madison Herb, Olivia Gardner and Erika Moore will also return this fall to give the Rams further depth, scoring and defense.

This team now has 30 players and should be able to find capable depth if any serious injuries threaten to disrupt things.

The season opener comes on Sept. 6 and is at home on the West Campus field at 4:30 p.m. against conference opponent Lock Haven.

The Rams lost only two times last school year. Teams in the PSAC succeeded only once against them.

December seems a long way off, but the Division II playoffs are probably once again on Santa’s list of presents he will give as a gift to the prospering Rams.