Women's Soccer Opens Camp

New Assistant Coach Introduced

Co-Captain Powell to lead Lady Lions

WAXAHACHIE, Texas  --  The women’s soccer team at Southwestern Assemblies of God University begin camp in preparation of their seventh season on today. After winning four games last year, the Lady Lions are hungry for an encore.

Second year Head Coach Mandy Fortner has been with her team since last week in south Texas. They united there for a mission to the small town of Leakey.

SAGU, 4-14 last fall, will commence the regular season with a road game on Friday, August 24, in Oklahoma City. The 2:00pm contest will be against Mid-America Christian University.

The Lady Evangels (12-7-1) ended Southwestern’s 2011 campaign with a 4-0 setback at the National Christian College Athletic Association’s Central Regional.

The Lady Lions will return a handful of players from last year, including senior defender Jessica Powell (Terrell, TX / Terrell HS) and junior Noelle Pugliese (Lee's Summit, MO / Lee's Summit North HS). Pugliese (PUG-lees) is a center midfielder. Both exemplify plenty of competitive spirit and moxie.

A pair of sophomores; Gloria Lozano (El Paso, TX / Faith Christian Academy), a defensive center-midfielder, and goal-keeper Haley Shingleton (Pasadena, TX / Deer Park HS), will anchor the defense.

Powell was a Co-Captain a year ago and led the squad in shots. Lozano came on strong down the stretch while Shingleton is a feisty and loquacious leader. 

After missing last year due to an injury, sophomore forward Lyndi Garrison (Hastings, MI / Thornapple Kellogg HS) returns at full strength. She led the team in scoring as a freshman.

Amy Lambdin (Stockton, CA / Elliot Christian) could add an aggressive toughness to the offense as a sophomore forward.

Among the new faces will be three key recruits in Audrea Davila (South Grand Prairie HS), a midfielder, McKina Michael (Plano West HS), a defender, and Justine Lopez (Red Oak HS), a midfielder.

The trio is expected to make an immediate impact.

Several familiar names will not don the purple and gold this fall.

Daniela Garcia (Tucson, AZ / Rio Rico HS), Kendall Murders (Bolivar, MO / Bolivar HS) and Victoria Munoz (Granbury, TX / Granbury HS) all graduated. Plus, Co-Captain Ashley Nerat (Menomonee Falls, WI / Menomonee Falls HS) is involved in a ministry project in Louisiana.

Garcia was tops in points last autumn with three goals and three assists.

Kaylyn Settle named new Assistant Coach

Coach Fortner has announced that Kaylyn Settle has joined the Lady Lions staff as Assistant Coach. She is a recent graduate of Lubbock Christian University (TX).

Settle was LCU’s first-ever recipient of Capital One’s Academic All-District honors. The native of Mesquite, Texas had a 3.76 GPA and majored in Exercise Sports Sciences. In 36 career games for the Lady Chapparels she scored six goals and was credited with a half dozen assists.

The Lady Lions’ annual Media Day is set for Wednesday, August 22.

Fans will get their first look at the team during a home scrimmage on Tuesday, August 28. SAGU will play host to Hill College (Hillsboro, TX) at 3:00pm (CST).

Contact: Mark “Link” Warde, SAGU Sports Information Director, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or at 469-658-2847.