Wingate, N.C.----The defending regular season SAC champion Wingate University Bulldogs open up the season this week, hitting the road for North Georgia Thursday afternoon, before coming home for Saturday night's home opener at 7 p.m. against Belmont Abbey.

The Bulldogs went 12-4-3 last season, going 9-1-1 in league play to capture the first outright regular season SAC title in program history. The 'Dogs were also unblemished at Pride Park, going 8-0-1 at home in 2024. Wingate earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, making a tourney appearance for the third straight year and fourth time in the last five seasons.

The Bulldogs have a solid mixture of returners and newcomers. Wingate is the preseason SAC favorite, with a pair of preseason first team All-SAC honorees. "Preseason has gone well, we have 15 new faces this year and they've fit in so well," head coach Katie Mitchell says. "The culture is strong. The returners and newcomers integrated in well together, and every session has been high energy. It is a group that is a lot of fun to be around. They have great personalities on and off the field. It feels like they have known each other for a lot longer than two and a half weeks."

The 'Dogs are looking for another strong year, coming off last year's championship performance. "We talked a lot last year about building a target on our back, and about leaving a legacy behind at Wingate," Mitchell says. "The team last year did a great job at setting a high standard, and now going into this year, it's about keeping the target on our back and striving for more.  It was a great season last year, but expectations are even higher heading into this Fall. We want to win more than a conference championship."

GOALKEEPERS

The goalkeeper battle has been tight throughout the preseason between Sydney Schnarr and Amelia Forsling, the two returning juniors for the Bulldogs.

"Sydney and Amelia both have a couple years of experience in our program, learning our culture and learning under some really good players in past seasons," Mitchell says. "The competitiveness from these two has been extremely high every day. They both have great strengths on the field and I love the dynamic between them to learn from each other."

DEFENSE

The defense will be anchored by a veteran group of seniors Sophie MacAlpine and Hinako Aoki, along with junior Avery Brown. The 'Dogs will still have a strong defensive unit, despite losing All-Americans Sascha Larsen and Laura Holt.

"We graduated a couple of really good players last year, but our backline is still very strong," Mitchell says. "The group of Sophie, Avery and Hinako gives us a great skillset and such strong leadership on the backline. They do a good job keeping possession, they are very strong defensively. It is a backline that will be tough for teams to break down, and difficult for any forward to deal with. We'll have some newcomers as well, including Limestone transfer Teagan Hallaran." 

MIDFIELD

The midfield is led by 2024 All-SAC honoree Katie Ensalaco. She had four goals and five assists last season, ranking second on the team in assists and third in points, while starting 18 games and playing over 1500 minutes. She is joined by SAC Preseason Player to Watch Gabby Agelis, who handed out a pair of assists while making 17 starts in 2024.

"Katie, a returning all-conference player, is such a significant piece to our team," Mitchell says. "She does a lot for us in the midfield, and we look for her to have another big year. Gabby is another key contributor in the middle. She was so solid last season and will be important to the midfield unit this year. A couple newcomers in the midfield include University of Charleston transfer Michelle Wenger, who has had a solid preseason for us. Brynn Waddell who is coming in as a true Freshman. Our midfield is hard for teams to break down. It is a strength of the team, we build through them. It is such a talented and deep group, we're excited to watch them play this year." 

FORWARDS

The forwards are led by first team All-SAC honoree Audur Halldorsdottir, along with Ellie Polk and Angela Maino. Halldorsdottir piled up seven goals and six assists as a freshman, leading the 'Dogs in assists and points while ranking second in goals. Maino contributed a goal and four assists, while Polk netted three goals on the season.

"Audur, Ellie and Maino give us a skilled and athletic group up front," Mitchell says. "Audur was so good as a freshman, so we're excited to have her back and see what she can do in year two. Ellie and Maino give us great speed, and in addition to their athleticism, they are very technical and attack-minded players. Freshmen Tilde Wahrenberg and Matilda Boyle are two newcomers who can contribute for us this year as well. The group as a whole thrives on winning one-on-one chances. They are all great at creating opportunities for themselves and others in the attack."

WINGATE UNIVERSITY

Wingate University is a lab of difference-making that serves more than 3,400 students in North Carolina and offers 60 degree pathways, including 37 undergraduate majors, 10 pre-professional tracks and five dual-degree programs. Graduate students choose from seven master's and five doctoral programs. The University is home to the Cannon College of Arts and Sciences, the Levine College of Health Sciences, the Byrum School of Business, the Thayer School of Education and the School of Sport Sciences.
 
Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a leader in healthcare education where nearly one in five undergraduate students is preparing to be a pharmacist, physician assistant, physical therapist, occupational therapist or nurse. Student-athletes on Wingate's 30 teams compete in NCAA Division II and have brought home the SAC Echols Athletic Excellence Award the past 17 times it has been awarded. The University's motto is "Faith, Knowledge, Service." View current news and videos at www.wingate.edu.