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Soccer team responding to new coach

Klein brings strong recruiting class, new attitude during spring practice

With a new season comes a new sense of optimism.

For the UA women's soccer team, however, it means a completely new beginning.

Under the guidance of new coach Cathy Klein, who was hired in January from Iowa State, the program has been entirely reshuffled and is set to turn over a new leaf.

Last week, Klein unveiled her first UA recruiting class, which is comprised of 12 athletes from Arizona, California, New Mexico and Ohio.

"We needed depth at every position," said Klein, adding that she was looking for hard-working players who were committed to the team as well as their individual progress.

"Our foundation as a team is going to be work ethic and team chemistry, and I think we've done that with this class," she said.

Among the standout recruits are defenseman Sarah Banks from Mission Viejo, Calif., and forward Sierra Cristiano from Irvine, Calif. Both were highly recruited club players in the Southern California area. Forward/midfielder Lisa Mireles, from nearby Los Alamitos, Calif., was another prize recruit, according to Klein.

"We beat several schools to her," she said.

Arizona did not ignore top in-state talent, as it landed midfielder/defenseman Jenn Meintel from Cactus High School in Glendale. Meintel was the high school 4A Player of the Year last season.

Noelle Stillman, a defenseman from Los Alamos, N.M., said it was Klein's commitment to building a solid program that led her to choose UA instead of Tennessee, Cal-State Bakersfield or Arkansas at Little Rock.

"I think coach Klein is a really awesome person," she said last night. "She seems really determined to turn the program around. I think, mainly, I really liked the girls, and I really felt comfortable with the coaches."

Last season, Arizona went 7-10-2, but only 1-7-1 in Pacific 10 Conference games with head coach Lisa Fraser at the helm. But Fraser resigned in November due to personal reasons, and in came Klein.

"I'm in the business of building a successful program, not a soccer team," Klein said.

Although she has only been in Tucson for a few months, she already has the team believing in her system, which includes a lot of hard work and discipline.

"Overall, the camaraderie on the team has grown stronger, and the atmosphere is much healthier," said sophomore goaltender Shannon Monti, who was named the team's No. 1 goalie after her strong performance this spring and an injury to junior goaltender Inger Airheart.

Monti said she is not getting too excited about being in the starting slot, but rather looks forward to battling Airheart in the fall.

Like Airheart, several other members of the team have also been bitten by the injury bug this off-season. Freshman Maureen Marshall (ACL), sophomore Marisa Padula (ACL), freshman Tatiana Robertson (foot), sophomore Tiffany Sabado (knee) and sophomore Katie Winship (leg) have all gone down this spring.

Even with the injuries, the team is excited to be where they're at.

"Everything that Coach Klein has implemented has been to our benefit," sophomore midfielder Twila Kaufman said. "If everyone continues to do what Coach says, and if we can integrate the new players, I believe in my heart that we'll have success, quick."

The real test of Klein's tenure is in the fall, when the team will try to improve on last season. But, if this spring is an indication, she could be on her way to successfully rebuilding her third program. This spring, the team is 4-0-2 in six exhibition games against university and club teams.

Klein attributes her initial success to the players' willingness to accept her formula for building a top program.

"They've really gotten a hold of it and bitten into the commitment it takes to be an elite team," she said. "I don't know what we were in the past. I just know who we are today, and it's a team that I'm proud of."