After claiming the Horizon League Tournament Championship against Northern Kentucky last week, the Milwaukee women's soccer team opens its 2024 NCAA Tournament run with a trip to South Bend, Ind., to take on Notre Dame. The Panthers (12-6-2) and the nationally-ranked Fighting Irish (11-3-4) will square off Friday, November 15 at Alumni Stadium on the UND campus. Kick-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT and the game will be streamed live on ESPN+.

Tickets went on sale as of Tuesday morning via the www. fightingirish.com website and are $10 for adults and $5 for youth (ages 12-under) and senior citizens (age 65 & over). All seats are general admission. There are no refunds or exchanges. Everyone regardless of age requires a ticket to gain access. Notre Dame Athletics, in its sole discretion, may, but is not obligated, to cancel and refund Single Game purchase made by anyone determined to be a ticket reseller. Located just east of Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center, Alumni Stadium sits side-by-side with Notre Dame's new lacrosse facility, Arlotta Stadium; check the MKE website for all link information for tickets as well as game info.

Milwaukee is 1-7-1 in the all-time series against Notre Dame, with the two teams last meeting in the 2023 season opener, a game that saw Milwaukee score a goal with 32 seconds left to earn a 2-2 draw on the road with the then-No. 3 Irish. The last time these two programs battled in the NCAA Tournament was following the 2012 season, a game that the Irish won 3-1. Five of the nine games have been played with Notre Dame ranked in the Top 5 of the national poll, but the Panthers fell just 1-0 when they were #1 back in November of 2006. More recently was a 3-0 defeat when the Irish were No. 4 in August of 2010. The MKE win in the series was a 3-1 decision back in September of 1989.

The Irish are No. 6 in the Atlantic Region poll as well as the current No. 13 team in the land based on the most recent United Soccer Coaches National Poll. The winner of Friday's match will face the winner of the contest between Kentucky (11-4-4) and West Virginia (12-5-2) the following weekend. See page 13 of this release for the full schedule of the NCAA Tournament. A digital game program for the tournament will also be available at www.ncaa.com/gameprograms.

The Panthers are making their 18th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and 17th with the Horizon League's automatic berth. Milwaukee made previous tournament trips in 1997, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008-13, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023.

The team has posted an all-time mark in the event of 3-17-2, claiming 1-0 victories over #14 Xavier in 2021 and over Elon in 2020, and a 3-0 win over Illinois State at home in 2011 in addition to advancing to the second round following PK shootouts in both 2006 (T, 0-0 vs. Michigan/advance 5-3) and 2005 (T, 0-0 vs. Purdue/advance 6-5). Last season, the team fell to No. 12 Wisconsin in Madison by a final score of 2-0.

ON A SERIOUS ROLL
Milwaukee heads into the NCAA Tournament on one of the best stretches in the nation, having gone unbeaten in its past 13 (11-0-2 dating back to Sept. 15) as well as an eight-match winning streak that is the second-best in the nation (trailing only the 9-game streak by Missouri State). In fact, with 19 goals over its past four outings, the MKE offense has gone shooting up the national NCAA rankings in numerous offensive categories.
They now check in nationally in the Top 25 at:
10. Points per game at 7.45 (national leader Arkansas at 11.00)
10. Assists per game at 2.55 (national leader Arkansas at 3.78)
10. Total Assists at 51 (national leader Arkansas at 68)
11. Total Goals at 49 (national leader Arkansas at 65)
12. Total Points at 149 (national leader Arkansas at 198)
12. Scoring Offense at 2.45 goals per game (national leader Arkansas at 3.61)
19. Shots on goal per game at 8.35 (national leader Arkansas at 11.94)
25. Shots per game at 17.65 (national leader Fairfield at 21.29)

HOW THEY GOT HERE
Milwaukee enters the NCAA Tournament at 12-6-2 and is on an 13-game unbeaten streak (11-0-2), including wins in eight consecutive contests – that second-longest current streak in the nation – that wrapped up this weekend with a 7-0 blowout over Robert Morris in the Horizon League Tournament semifinals and a 2-1 decision over Northern Kentucky in the title game, led by a pair of goals from Horizon League Tournament Most Valuable Player Kayla Rollins. Rollins was joined on the Horizon League All-Tournament Team by Lainey Higgins, Senya Meurer, and Elizabeth Reece.

RANKINGS ROUND-UP
The Panthers will be taking on a ranked opponent for the 53rd time in program history (and second time this season) when they battle #13 Notre Dame Friday. Overall, Milwaukee is now 4-41-7 against ranked foes, most recently playing a contest against a ranked side in late August 2024 at #18 Ohio State. The team last recorded a victory in that situation against Xavier in 2021 (a 1-0 decision over a #14 Musketeer squad in the first round of the NCAA Tournament).

Looking back, the game against then No. 3 Notre Dame (which ended in a 2-2 draw) to open 2023 marked the 15th contest against a Top-5 ranked opponent in school history, with the most recent being the NCAA Tournament matchup with #2 Virginia in 2021. The highest-ranked team MKE has ever knocked off was No. 8 Nebraska back in 1998 when the Panthers won, 2-1, in 2OT.

UP THE CHARTS WITH ROLLINS
Kayla Rollins has gotten very hot down the stretch for the Panthers, leading the team to the regular-season title with a five-point outing (2G/1A) against Cleveland State Oct. 26 and another goal & assist in the matchup at Green Bay. She followed that up with a three-goal outing in the semifinals (her second career hat trick and seventh multi-goal outing of her MKE career) and a brace against Northern Kentucky in the title game to mark scores in seven straight games (as well as 10 of the past 11), a seven-game stretch in which she has recorded 26 points (12G/2A). She was honored as Horizon League Offensive Player of the Year as a result and now leads the conference with 39 points. A look at the career charts sees her rising: Rollins now has 91 career points on 41 goals and nine assists. Her 91 points is currently third, recently passing Mackenzie Schill (No. 4 at 82) with Cammy Polson's 104 (1994-97) up next. Her 41 goals are now third, with No. 2 on the list the 57 that Lisa Krzykowski (1994-97) netted. Her single-season goal (18) and point (39) totals each check in at No. 5 on the list and are now the most in a single season by anyone not named Sarah Hagen (who played from 2008-11) in program history.  Her hot streak also has her all the way up to fourth in the NCAA in points (leader has 45) and her 18 goals are second in the nation, trailing only the 19 netted by Kiara Pralle of Lipscomb.

TOURNAMENT PRIDE
The Panthers have a long history of success in the Horizon League Tournament and have now posted an impressive 45-8-10 record all-time in the event, including 22-4-3 in semifinal action. In addition, a member of the Panther roster has been named league tournament MVP in 13 of the past 17 years, including Kayla Rollins last week and Brooke Parnello last year. The team completed its search for its 18th all-time appearance in the NCAA Tournament, having made it each of the last six prior seasons after a stretch without a visit since the 2013 campaign (which also marked the end of a streak of six in a row).

FOUR MORE YEARS!
With a 5-0 blowout of Cleveland State Oct. 26, the Panthers clinched the No. 1 seed and at least a share of their fourth consecutive Horizon Leage regular-season title. A 5-1 win over the Phoenix in the regular-season finale gave them the title by themselves. The Panthers have had a very long line of success when it comes to Horizon League play, now claiming the regular-season title in nine of the past 10 seasons (2015-19/2021-24) as well as 23 of the past 25 titles overall (24 total). In fact, the team has posted a sparkling 72-3-9 ledger (.911 win %) over the past nine-plus campaigns (coming into 2024) in regular-season conference play.

BRING THE HONORS
Lainey Higgins was named Horizon League Player of the Year, Kayla Rollins the Offensive Player of the Year, and Parker Donahugh was selected as the Horizon League Goalkeeper of the Year to highlight the 2024 postseason selections. The team saw eight total student-athletes get honored – six first-team selections and one second-team honoree. The six first-teamers mark a new highest-ever total (was five; four times) in program history.
 
Joining Higgins, Rollins, and Donahugh on the All-Horizon League First Team are Anna Champine, Senya Meurer, and Elizabeth Reece, with Ellie Rebmann picking up second team accolades. Natalie Zodrow rounded out the award winners with a spot on the All-Freshman Team.

NOT STAYING IN HER "LAIN"
Lainey Higgins is the ninth Panther all-time to win league Player of the Year honors in program history and has now been named First Team All-Horizon League for a third consecutive season. She's the first player to earn three consecutive selections to the top spot since Sarah Hagen (2008-09-10-11; Haley Johnson was also a three-time selection but hers were not consecutive 2018-19-22). Higgins continues her slow and steady rise up the career charts, with her 62 career points now 11th, 24 assists now eighth all-time, and her 19 career goals just outside the Top 10 in program history.

SENIOR SALUTE!
The Panthers honored the following student-athletes in "Senior Day" festivities prior to the game against Cleveland State Oct. 26. (Note: not all players are listed as seniors on the roster; some do have eligibility remaining).
Congratulations to: #1 Parker Donahugh, #3 Stephanie Recinos, #6 Cate Cullison, #7 Elizabeth Reece, #13 Lainey Higgins, #14 Josie Kelderman, #17 Molly O'Regan, #18 Kayla Rollins, and #26 Senya Meurer.

ALL THAT MATTERS IS WHAT'S NEXT
With that daunting non-conference schedule in the rear-view mirror, the Panthers opened Horizon League play up in style, posting back-to-back clean sheets over Northern Kentucky (W, 2-0 Sept. 19) and Wright State (W, 3-0 Sept. 22) to extend a long streak for MKE in regular-season league play. Since dropping the season opener in 2022, Milwaukee has now run up an unbeaten streak that now sits at 29 games (23-0-6) after going 7-0-2 the rest of 2022, 7-0-3 last fall, and now 8-0-1 in 2024. It's still a ways to go for the school/league record, which was set at 36 (33-0-3) when it was snapped back in the 2020 campaign.

O'RMU'-GAN
Molly O'Regan has made a statement in her career against Robert Morris and, following a goal and an assist in the 3-0 victory Oct. 17 against the Colonials, now has recorded a stunning 14 points on six goals and four assists in just four all-time matches against RMU. She posted a brace in the league tournament semifinals last season and also had a 2G/1A outing back in September of 2022.

THE BEAT GOES ON
Parker Donahugh was named Horizon League Under Armour Defensive Player of the Week for the third time this fall after posting a 5-0 clean sheet over Cleveland State Oct. 26. Donahugh was nearly untouchable in league play this season, allowing just two goals in her 10 outings. Those two goals allowed in 900 minutes translated to a miniscule 0.20 goals-against average. The next closest HL goalkeeper carried a 0.59 GAA and the next closest to her eight clean sheets checked in with just three. She also picked up an assist in the victory over the Jaguars Oct. 20. Her goal kick quickly turned into Kayla Rollins' 10th goal of the season to mark just the third MKE goalkeeper assist in the past 15 years. Only Kendall Edwards (2023) and Elaina LaMacchia (2020) have done so since 2008. She saw her scoreless streak come to a close at 558:55 following a late Phoenix goal, which came following a run of five consecutive shutouts. The last player to post five solo clean sheets in a row was Elaina LaMacchia in October of 2019 when she went six games in a row without allowing a score.

POWERING UP THE OFFENSE
The MKE offense may have not found as many goals as it liked over the first four games of the Horizon League slate, but it wasn't for a lack of opportunities. The team recorded 20-or-more shot attempts in each game, piling up 24 shots at Northern Kentucky Sept. 19, 22 at Wright State Sept. 22, and then 20 apiece in home games against Oakland Sept. 26 and Detroit Mercy Sept. 29. That marked the first time the team accomplished that feat since a run of four in a row in late September of 2021. The team then made it five consecutive when they recorded 29 against YSU Oct. 10. The last time the team had hit five straight was way back in 2008. That fall, the team ran off five consecutive of 20+ chances in late October (YSU: 22/Butler: 21/Detroit Mercy: 24/Valparaiso: 24/Green Bay: 27).

ROLLING WITH ROLLINS
Coming off a season in which she was named Horizon League Player of the Year as well as the Horizon League Offensive Player of the Year, Kayla Rollins was named to the United Soccer Coaches "2024 NCAA Division I Players to Watch" list this preseason before then being named to the 2024 Hermann Trophy Watch List. The Hermann Trophy is presented annually by the Missouri Athletic Club and is the nation's highest individual honor recognizing the NCAA National Player of the Year. Rollins put together a phenomenal campaign in 2023, one in which she was selected to the United Soccer Coaches All-North Region First Team and to the Horizon League First Team after she went off for a career-high and team-leading 26 points, coming on 12 goals and a pair of assists. Rollins recorded 50 total shots, 32 of which were on goal (.640 SOG%), finishing among the Horizon League leaders in numerous categories: first in total points (26), first in goals (12), first in shots on goal (32), and fourth in total shots (50). She also finished among NCAA leaders with her .640 shots-on-goal percentage (12th), 12 total goals (24th), 0.63 goals-per game (26th), and 26 points (56th).

ABOUT THAT SCHEDULE
The Panthers knew the start of the 2024 season was going to be challenging in the non-conference slate. A look at the United Soccer Coaches National Poll at the end of September proved that fact, as two of MKE's opponents were ranked, with Xavier at 8-1-1 at the time and #21 and Ohio State 7-1-2 and ranked #11 thru the end of the month. Throw in a Minnesota squad that was 8-1-1 (and ranked #7 in the region at the time), Wisconsin was at 5-2-2 (and #7 in the region), unbeaten Harvard at 4-0-4 (and #4 in the East region), and a 4-6 Valparaiso squad coming off an MVC Tournament title, and the combined record of Milwaukee's six opponents it lost to (thru the end of September) checked in at an impressive 36-11-10, a .707 winning percentage, which jumped to 32-5-10 (.787) taking just Valpo out of the equation.

HOO-RAY HORIZON
When it comes to Horizon League openers, the record is quite impressive all-time. Milwaukee has gone 26-3-1 in opening action (since joining the league in 1994), with a string of 14 wins in a row from 1998 through 2011. The squad had been victorious in nine straight as well, before getting knocked off by WSU in 2022. This fall, the team earned a 2-0 decision over Northern Kentucky on the road to get things rolling.

DANDY DEBUT
Lilly Hanke made her collegiate debut when she played the second half of the season opener at Xavier, but it was her first college start that turned some heads. Hanke responded with a six-save shutout in the 3-0 victory over UIC Sept. 1, becoming the first MKE keeper since 2009 to record a clean sheet in her first college start, as well as just the sixth all-time in the history of the program. The most recent to accomplish the feat was Jamie Forbes, who posted four consecutive shutouts to open her MKE career in 2009.

FOR OPENERS
The Panthers did open 2023 by earning a 2-2 draw on the road at No. 3 Notre Dame and are now 15-16-4 in season openers at the NCAA Division I level following the 2024 decision at Xavier.  The team has now gone 6-4-4 in season openers the past 14 years, with a 1-0 victory over Western Illinois in 2015 snapping a three-game stretch without a victory. Speaking of season debuts, the six goals against NIU in 2021 (a 6-0 victory) marked the most in program history for a lid-lifter, topping the five scored against Robert Morris to open the 2020 campaign. Four had not been scored in over 30 years (4-2 over St. Norbert in 1988 and 4-0 over St. Mary's (IN) in 1987), while three has also been recorded on four different occasions.

KEEPING THE BAR HIGH
Following a first year on the sidelines that included the Horizon League regular-season and league tournament crowns, Kevin Boyd repeated the titles and took the Panthers back to the NCAA Tournament for a 17th time in program history in 2023. His two-year win-loss record stands at 24-7-8 (.718 winning percentage) heading into the new campaign while going an impressive 14-1-5 (.825) in regular-season Horizon League contests.
 
In 2023, he led the Panthers to a 12-3-5 ledger and an unbeaten 7-0-3 in conference action, leading the Horizon League in points (139), goals (47), assists (45), shots (315), and shots-per game (15.8), while finishing second with their 0.95 goals-against average. Those numbers finished among the best in the nation as well, seeing Milwaukee finish in the Top 25 in numerous categories in the NCAA: 17th in points-per game (6.95 ppg), 18th in total assists (45), 19th in scoring offense (2.35 gpg), 20th in assists per game (2.25 apg) and total points (139), 21st in total goals (47) and goal differential (+28), and 23rd in shots-on-goal per game (8.05).

PRESEASON POLL: TOPS AGAIN
Milwaukee was picked by league coaches to finish first in the 2024 Horizon League regular season. The Panthers tallied 10 first-place votes and the maximum 120 points in the coaches' poll to hold down the top spot, with the 103-point total of IU Indianapolis coming in second. This marks the sixth time in the past seven seasons that the team has been picked for the top spot, a place they have earned in the conference poll 21 times since 2000, as well as an amazing run of 13 straight from 2000-2012. Northern Kentucky (100 points/third), Wright State (71/fourth), and Youngstown State (65 points/fifth) wrapped up the next tier, with the Penguins earning the other first-place vote.
2024 #HLWSOC Preseason Poll
Pl. Team – Pts. (First-place votes)
1. Milwaukee (10) – 120
2. IU Indianapolis – 103
3. Northern Kentucky – 100
4. Wright State – 71
5. Youngstown State (1) – 65
6. Robert Morris – 60
7. Oakland – 59
8. Detroit Mercy – 54
9. Purdue Fort Wayne – 44
10. Cleveland State – 32
11. Green Bay – 18

AN IMPRESSIVE LIST TO BE AT THE TOP
Let's break it down, the Panthers have been very good since the start of the 2017 campaign. How good? Well, at 101-15-15 (.828), they actually have one of the best winning percentages in the nation over that span in NCAA play heading into 2024. The only ones higher are 2019 & 2017 NCAA National Champion Stanford at 125-18-12 (.845 after going 20-1-4 and falling in the 2023 NCAA title game) and 2022 National Champion UCLA at 121-17-14 (.842). Then, it's Milwaukee.
No. 4 on that list is now 2023 NCAA Champion Florida State at (125-22-12/.824), followed by North Carolina (125-21-17/.819), Georgetown (102-15-30/.796), and Duke (97-31-21/.721).

WE MUST PROTECT THIS HOUSE!!
Milwaukee went 5-1-4 at home back in 2015. Since then, the Panthers have posted an impressive 74-9-7 ledger at Engelmann Stadium (an .861 winning percentage), including perfect 8-0 (in 2022) and 11-0 runs (2019) through home outings and a 13-1 mark at Engelmann in 2021. The team is also 23-4-3 at home under head coach Kevin Boyd (.817), 37-5-3 since the start of the 2021 campaign in home games (.856) and posted a 19-game (18-0-1) unbeaten streak that was snapped in in a 1-0 loss to Marquette in September of 2023 (the last prior loss a 2-1 double-OT decision to Wisconsin in September of 2021).

SETTING THE TONE
Milwaukee saw its long streak of picking up victories after getting on the board first come to a heartbreaking end following the NCAA Tournament contest against Michigan State that closed out the 2022 campaign (MKE was on the board first in the sixth minute). That ended an unbelievable stretch, falling in a game that they scored first in to snap what was an eye-opening 85-0 stretch when being the first team to find the back of the net in a game. That includes the 9-1 mark in 2022, 17-0 in 2021, 9-0 in 2020, 17-0 in 2019, 16-0 in 2018, and 14-0 in 2017. The last time the Panthers had lost (or even TIED) a match in which they scored first was the 2016 Horizon League Tournament title game against Northern Kentucky (Nov. 5, 2016), a contest they led 2-0 early before falling, 3-2. They also went 74-2-9 when outshooting their opponent in that same span, getting outshot just 17 times over the six-plus year stretch. The Panthers went 9-0-2 when scoring first in 2023.

BRING THE HONORS
Kayla Rollins was named Horizon League Player of the Year and the Offensive Player of the Year and Kendall Edwards was selected as the Horizon League Goalkeeper of the Year to highlight the postseason selections last fall. Following a 7-0-3 record to claim the Horizon League regular-season title for the eighth time in the last nine seasons, Milwaukee saw six total student-athletes get honored – five first-team selections and one second-team honoree. The five first-teamers are the most since five in 2019 and ties for highest-ever total. Joining Rollins and Edwards on the All-Horizon League First Team were Lainey Higgins, Kat Van Booven, and Clara Broecker, with Brooke Parnello picking up second team accolades.

SOME SHOES TO FILL
Seniors played a key role in 2023, as four full-time starters graduated, including the starting goalkeeper and two of the four members of the back line of the defense. Of the four, each was a Horizon League all-league selection.

The team does return three of its Top 5 point scorers, including team leader Kayla Rollins, who not only led the team with her 26 points and 12 goals but also topped the Horizon League in both categories for the second straight season. In addition to Rollins, the Panthers return Lainey Higgins, who finished with 18 points, scoring six goals while adding six assists while being named United Soccer Coaches All-North Region Third Team and First Team All-Horizon League. MKE will still have an experienced roster that sees seven players that made at least 11 starts (out of the 20 total games) a year ago including Higgins (all 20), Senya Meuer (20), Jenni Andjelic (20), Elizabeth Reece (20), Anna Champine (18), Rollins (18), and Kristina Karlof (11). In addition, the Panthers have super-sub Molly O'Regan back after she scored 16 points and netted seven goals in just eight starts, while appearing in all 20 games as well.

Points: returners accounted for 92 of the 140 points (65.7 percent)
Goals: 31 of 47 goals (65.9 percent)
Assists: 30 of 46 assists (65.2 percent)
Starts: returning players accounted for 121 starts last season.

THAT SOUNDS FAMILIAR
Milwaukee recorded a 1-0 victory over Northern Kentucky in the 2023 Horizon League Tournament to advance to the NCAA Tournament. That 1-0 scoreline has a familiar ring to it, as the team has been simply amazing in games featuring that final score recently. Since 2015, the Panthers have played 40 games that ended 1-0 (either way). Their record? An impressive 33-7 in those pressure-packed outings, including against Oakland Sept. 26 of this season.

REWIND TO LAST YEAR
Milwaukee entered the 2023 NCAA Tournament at 12-2-5 and was on a 12-game unbeaten streak (9-0-3) before the tough loss to Wisconsin, including wins in three consecutive contests that wrapped up with a 5-0 blowout over Robert Morris in the Horizon League Tournament semifinals and a 1-0 shutout over Northern Kentucky in the title game, led by the only goal of the contest scored by Horizon League Tournament Most Valuable Player Brooke Parnello. In net, Kendall Edwards was on an impressive run down the stretch and had posted a 0.85 goals-against average and .808 save percentage on the season. She had eight shutouts, including the 1-0 victory in the league title game, earning her a spot on the All-Tournament Team along with Parnello, Lainey Higgins, and Clara Broecker.

CATCH THEM IN ACTION
Milwaukee women's soccer will be available for the viewing pleasure of fans this season, as six of the nine home games are scheduled to be streamed live on ESPN+ (subject to change due to weather and location). The Horizon League and ESPN have an agreement that includes ESPN hosting the league's digital network on the ESPN+ platform. ESPN+, which will host the Horizon League women's soccer, men's soccer and volleyball championships this fall season, offers fans thousands of live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN's linear TV or digital networks. Fans can subscribe to ESPN+ for $10.99 a month (or $109.99 per year) and cancel at any time. Launched in April of 2018, ESPN+ is an integrated part of a completely redesigned ESPN App.

ON TAP
If the team is able to secure a first-round NCAA Tournament victory, it will advance to play round two November 22-24.