For the Penn State women’s soccer program, the road to defending a national championship started when the spring season kicked off.

The Nittany Lions face the daunting task of competing every game with a target on their backs this fall, as every opponent will aim to knock the champions off the summit of college soccer.

Fortunately, even during the spring, the team looked up for the challenge.

“I think that there is a different level of mental toughness in this group than we’ve had in the past,” Head Coach Erica Dambach told TopDrawerSoccer.

Penn State opened its spring with an emphasis on strength and conditioning over the first six weeks. The challenges posed there were just at the tip of the proverbial iceberg, however.

Youth national team call-ups left the team without a goalkeeper for their first spring match against Pitt. Dambach said that every time an opposing player got a shot on target, it went in.

Things progressed a bit better the second time out, even though it turned into a defeat against an NWSL opponent.

“We went away for spring break, came back, played against the Washington Spirit,” Dambach said. “It was a fabulous match. We did have our U20 players at that point, Frannie Crouse had a couple big opportunities that she wasn’t able to capitalize on and ultimately we lost that match 2-0.”

The absence of players on U.S. U20 national team duty could be a preview of a daunting challenge for the fall. Goalkeeper Rose Chandler, defenders Maddie Elliston, Ellie Jean and Kaleigh Riehl along with midfielder Emily Ogle, were all called up into the U20 squad during March.

There’s a potential all five players could miss the 2016 season, depending on if players are required to redshirt the entire campaign before traveling to the U20 World Cup in Papua New Guinea.

Dambach said the program is completely behind its players no matter if that means a weakened roster in the fall.

“For us, we’re going to support their goals and their dreams and if they end up getting chosen, ultimately going to support what’s best for them,” she said. “Obviously at this point they haven’t determined the roster, I don’t think they’ve necessarily declared one way or other what they’re asking these players to do, but whatever that declaration is, we’ll support it. These guys come to Penn State with the understanding that they can continue their dreams of competing for the national team and we’re going to support them whatever way we can.”

Even if that quintet is unavailable, talent remains in spades. Brittany Basinger, Nicolette Driesse and Megan Schafer were recently named team captains for 2016, and will be pillars in 2016. Charlotte Williams and Frannie Crouse impressed during the spring, while German standout Alina Ortega-Jurado looks sharp.

“The internationals I think it takes about a year to get their feet wet and then once they do they’re comfortable,” Dambach said. “We saw that this spring, that she was much more comfortable than she was in the fall, and we started to see her class come out.”

The final stretch of spring reinforced Dambach’s confidence in the group. With no games left on the slate, the coaching staff put the team through a series of rigorous work outs, providing a sneak peek at what they'll be asked to do this summer. Even without the incentive of a game to look forward to, she was impressed with the way they handled it.

“They absolutely crushed that time period, and they have much higher expectations of themselves and feel as though that they’re able to achieve greatness,” Dambach said.

Lavelle poised for strong final campaign

After an up-and-down season that culminated with a shared Big Ten regular season title, spring saw Wisconsin lay the foundation for its 2016 campaign.

The search to replace six starters began, leaving the door open during the exhibition campaign for players to step into bigger roles. Tactical shape and defending also took priority over the past couple of months.

One familiar face on the Badgers embraced the opportunity, as Rose Lavelle raised her game.

“I thought she stepped up in a way I haven’t seen her step up in the falls and springs we’ve had before,” Head Coach Paula Wilkins told TopDrawerSoccer. “And we’ve had her at limited time because of the national team the past couple of years, but she stepped up and I thought she stepped up and she’s done more and was more impactful than she’s ever been. I think this it’s a platform for her to have a great fall season. By her being the way she was, this creates a better environment for our team but also just playing. It demands more from other kids when she’s moving off the ball and doing the things that raise the level for us.”

The unknown element to finding new talent lies in the team’s recruiting class. A total of 11 players are set to join the Badgers in the fall. Wilkins expects big things from the incoming group.

“I’m really excited about that class, I think it’s one of the best classes that we’ve had since we’ve been here, from top to bottom,” she said. Obviously what they do over the summer and the health of those individuals is going to be huge, but I do think four or five of them can have roles for us. I think that the energy that they’ll bring and experience some of them bring is going to be fun.”

Rutgers seeks to fill gaps in the spine

On the strength of the shutdown defense provided in part by center backs Erica Skroski and Brianne Reed, Rutgers made it to the College Cup in 2015.

Repeating that feat is a monumental task no matter what players move on. But that duo is now on rosters in the NWSL, and along with midfielder Hayley Katkowski, the focus this past spring was on replacing those positions.

Up stepped rising sophomore Adora Moneme and soon-to-be junior Christy Monroe, who played the bulk of the minutes at the back.

“We were really impressed with the way that they responded,” Head Coach Mike O’Neill told TopDrawerSoccer. “But I also believe that was a reflection of the players that have played that were playing outside back, Erin Smith being a captain, she was there to kind of guide them along the way, Kenie Wright played a lot as a freshman so they’re experienced in the position. I also believe that [goalkeepers] Casey Murphy and Alana Jimenez had something to do with that as well.”

Building relationships to improve familiarity on the field by the end of the spring was one of the accomplished objectives. Beyond that trio of departed seniors, 10 seniors in all departed from last fall’s Final Four squad.

O’Neill also saw a team that wanted more after last season’s disappointment.

“We made it to the Final Four which was very special, but I know they came away from that experience hungry to get on the field again,” he said. “That’s what we were expecting, and that’s exactly what they did. Every day they came out on the field to get better, and I think when you get a taste of what they were able to be a part of this past fall, I think you’re hungry to want more, and that’s what the spring was all about.”