OKLAHOMA CITY (Sept. 3, 2019) – The process of rebuilding a program isn't as simple as Oklahoma Christian women's soccer coach Meagan Anderson thought when she took the reins before the 2017 season, something that has her adapting her approach as she enters her third campaign leading the Eagles.

Anderson wants to change the focus from the program's recent history – which, she acknowledges, hasn't been a successful one on the field – and instead wants her players how to consider how they can improve going forward. Winning "little victories" from practice to practice, day to day, game to game, is the only way mindsets – and eventually, results – can be changed, she said.

It can be a slow process, but Anderson is seeing progress as the Eagles prepare for their season opener on Thursday, when they'll host Northwestern Oklahoma State. Hopefully adding fuel to the emotional fire is the fact that few outside the program think the Eagles are capable of a turnaround. Anderson knows otherwise.

"Being competitive in each year is something we haven't done as of late, so that is one thing that I've had to reel myself back in on – the expectation now is it takes a little bit to build what you envision a program to be," Anderson said. "That's kind of where we are right now.

"This year will be the strongest group that we've had, both technically and athletically. There are a lot of different areas of the field that will look different, just because of players that were able to bring in and pair up with the players returning. There will be good combinations."

Fifteen of OC's 28 players this season are new to the squad, including – surprisingly – the Eagles' two goalkeepers. Anderson hadn't necessarily planned to sign a player at that position for 2019, but after the program's top two goalkeepers opted not to return, Anderson began looking, hoping to find a hidden gem that hadn't yet signed.

She found two. Freshman Gabby Goddard of Tuttle didn't play high school soccer but did play club soccer and was eager for a collegiate opportunity. Goddard's work ethic and athleticism has earned her the starting nod for the opener. Backing her up for now is Paulina Dziubek, a transfer from Cowley County (Kan.) who will have three seasons of eligibility remaining. She sat out most of last season due to an injury.

"That will be a position of strength for us," Anderson said.

One of OC's bugaboos in recent seasons is allowing its goalkeepers to face too many shots, so Anderson has put particular focus on beefing up the Eagles' defensive back line. She said the Eagles will begin to mark opponents closer and harder than in years past and work to cover all areas of the field.

Two transfers, juniors Thalia Delgado and Maria Chilito, will start in the defensive backfield. Chilito is transferring from a program at Ohio Valley (W.Va.) that made last year's NCAA Division II tournament. A pair of freshmen, Jordan Freidenbloom and Morgan Berres, should be capable of handling the other two backfield spots, Anderson said.

Unlike in previous years, there's plenty of depth on the defensive end of the field, including sophomore Caprice King, redshirt freshmen Naomi Reagan and Cassidy Davis, seniors Morgan Boling and Grace Simpson and freshman Jayna Leach.

All that depth will allow senior Oby Okeke, who's had to play a center-back position out of necessity for much of her career, to move into her natural positon as a defensive midfielder, which should bolster that unit. Freshman Isabel Brazil will start at the other defensive midfield spot, with juco transfer Marcela Dantas and freshman Mary Olmos providing backup.

Anderson sees the midfield as perhaps the Eagles' deepest position, so she's using a 4-2-3-1 formation. Freshman Carson Hazel has emerged during the preseason as a potential impact player in the center, with speedy Brianna Concienne and her fellow junior, Chanie Scrivner, on the wings. Freshmen Emily Brackett, Ariya Regnier and Ashlynn McMahan should provide depth on the outside and Natalie Thomas, Cameryn Covington and Sarah Albert, a trio of returnees, also should figure into the mix.

Splitting time at forward will be two returnees, Corina Marin and Denise Bennett, who Anderson plans to use as a one-two punch. Juco transfer Catharina Ribeiro could also provide offensive punch.

OC will compete in the newly constituted Lone Star Conference for the first time, this facing 13 league opponents once apiece. Nonconference foes will include longtime Division II powers Central Oklahoma and Southwestern Oklahoma State. Among the schools not on the schedule are familiar foes Rogers State and Newman (Kan.), which didn't move with OC into the LSC.

"We've got to continue moving forward," Anderson said. "The message that we had for the returners is there is no reason to talk about last year, because you bringing up things that were is validating those things. We've been stressing how we want to do things in the current state, in hopes to lose the perception within ourselves of what we used to be.

"We're thinking differently and we're playing differently. There's a little more realism about what we can do. That's been comforting and reassuring, that they can do what we're asking them to do. We're holding them to a different standard to do that."