Western Nebraska Community College first-year head coach Eseah Ingram is excited about the coming soccer season as the Cougars prepare to defend their Region IX championship when they open the season August 21 and 23 in Utah.

                Ingram said he believes this team is ready to go. WNCC had two scrimmages, a Navy/Gold home scrimmage and then traveled to face Garden City Community College earlier in August.

                "Yes, the team is ready for the challenge, and we're excited to get the season started! Hopeful to get it started well!" Ingram said.

                Just like last year, WNCC will have a tough opening schedule.

                WNCC opens the season Thursday, August 21 when they face No. 9 Salt Lake Community College and then take on No. 17 Snow College on August 23.

                While their two opponents are ranked, WNCC joins the list as they are ranked 18th in the pre-season poll, so Ingram said this will be a good test.

                "Salt Lake is a solidified program, one that finds themselves at nationals pretty much every year and a true contender always," he said. "They'll be a tough match-up for sure, but it's going to be fun! These are the games all top players want!"

                The Salt Lake contest will be at Ephraim, Utah, and then the Cougars will face Snow on their home field in Ephraim.

                "With Snow, we know about them from last year, but with JUCO teams change every season so we don't know too much yet but will look to find out soon," he said. "Snow is a team we'd like to get a better result against in order to make up for last season and all the cards. They're a solid side and ranked for a reason so I'm excited to see how that game turns out as well."

                Last year, WNCC faced Snow in Utah and lost 5-1, and gave up four second-half goals to fall to Snow.

                Ingram said this weekend is a good opening weekend as they will be busy the next week when they travel to Iowa to face Iowa Lakes Community College and St. Louis Community College. Iowa Lakes is ranked third in the NJCAA Division II poll while St. Louis was 4-9-3 a year ago.

                "It's a weekend full of ranked teams playing against one another so I'm sure it is going to be a proper and competitive weekend!" Ingram said. "These games tell us where we are at and will be good for use down the road; my hope is we compete well and show we are worthy of the preseason rankings."

                WNCC will field a team that is loaded with talent and Ingram said he will have a tough time picking a starting line-up, which could change game-to-game.

                "For minutes, it will be tough but I'm certain it will be sorted," he said. "The best players will play regardless and my players understand that. Everyone here has their role and they must own it and remember it's all for the TEAM first. As long as we keep that mindset everything will take care of itself."

                Ingram said several players are standing out so far this pre-season including some sophomores and freshmen.

                "With our players, keep an eye out for key returners such as Alvaro Abeal Pou and Anthony Lemus," he said. "Also, some freshmen such as Aurele Cuenot, Nicolas Selvaggio, and Aaron Kadja."               

                The Cougar men have nine players back from a year ago and have a roster of 17 newcomers.

                The returners include goalkeepers Tomas Guzman of Buenos Aires, Brazil, and Owen Henderson of Greeley, Colorado; Alvaro Abeal of Spain; Yediel Hernandez of Moca, Puerto Rico; Bonheur Kitongo of Erie, Pennsylvania; Anthony Lemus of Houston, Texas; Brady Smallwood of Greeley, Colorado; Mederique Eboucle of Abidjan, Ivory Coast; and Jeff Laguerre of Haines City, Florida.

                The freshmen are just as talented. The three players Ingram mentioned include Aurele Cuenot of Vennes, France; Nicolas Selvaggio of Spain; and Aaron Kadja of Quebec, Canada.

                Other freshmen include goalkeeper Ever Zubia of Denver, Colorado. The other two goalkeepers are sophomores Henderson and Guzman.

                The rest of the freshmen include David Ngolo of Montreal, Quebec; Robert Connolly of St. Thomas, Canada; Cohen Rowe of Orlando, Florida; Juan Macias of Brighton, Colorado; Pau Vera Montoya of Spain; Giani Nguili of France; Tomoaki Kamiya of Japan; Sean Kim of Orlando, Florida; Randall Jacques of Montreal, Quebec; Oscar Molina of Miami, Florida; Christ Aaron Kadja of Montreal, Quebec; and Jean Wil Standly-Lord of Terrebonne, Quebec.

                Ingram said this is one of the deepest teams of talent, but they have to keep improving through the season to make that return trip to nationals.

                "The keys to winning is have a winning mentality and habits everyday," he said. "In every aspect of the game we must train and prepare as a top team and then we must perform as well. We will need every single person on this team in order to be successful and i'm confident we have the right guys to do so!"

                The Cougars' first home contest isn't until the weekend of September 19-20 when they host Otero College and Trinidad State College.