BATON ROUGE – Head coach Brian Lee and his coaching staff welcomed 25 student-athletes to campus Tuesday as the two-time defending SEC Western Division champion LSU soccer team will start fall camp this week in preparation for its much anticipated season opener against Memphis on Aug. 21.

The Tigers will also prepare for a preseason exhibition game against the national power Texas Longhorns on Aug. 14 with kickoff set for 7 p.m. CT at the LSU Soccer Complex.

LSU has soared to unprecedented heights while capturing back-to-back SEC West titles and advancing to the NCAA Tournament in each of the last two seasons, and the Tigers return an experienced squad again this fall with eight starters and 13 letterwinners back from 2008. Not only that, but the Tigers will feature a roster laden with upperclassmen as eight seniors and one junior lead the way.

The Tigers are sure to be led by the likes of senior Malorie Rutledge, a consensus All-American and 2008 SEC Offensive Player of the Year, as well as fellow all-conference and All-America candidates in seniors Melissa Clarke and Rachel Yepez and sophomore Mo Isom.

Among LSU’s experienced senior class for the 2009 season are the likes of three-year letterwinners Nikki Bush, Amanda Carreno, Katherine Lagow, Brittany Lowe and Chelsea Potts.

“Our girls have had a great offseason in our strength and conditioning program, and we are excited for the opportunity to get back on the field and prepare for the start of the season,” said LSU head coach Brian Lee. “We’re going to pick up right where we left off in the spring season and get back to work on to build on our success from the last two seasons and achieve the goals we have set for ourselves this fall.”

LSU kicks off its preseason training camp Wednesday with its first two-a-day practice at the LSU Soccer Complex as Lee will put his squad through its first practice session at 8 a.m. followed by an afternoon training session at 3:30 p.m. All practices for the LSU soccer team are open to the public.

After wrapping up a successful 2008 season, the Tigers enjoyed an outstanding spring season in 2009 for which they posted a 4-1-2 mark in seven exhibition matches.

The highlight of the spring season was a dominating 3-0 shutout of the reigning Big 12 champions from Oklahoma State as the Tigers routed the Cowgirls in Austin, Texas, on Feb. 28. Oklahoma State finished the 2008 season ranked No. 7 in the final Soccer America Top 25 of the season. LSU also wrapped up the spring season on April 19 with a 2-1 win over SEC Western Division rival Auburn.

The Tigers will welcome the Texas Longhorns to the LSU Soccer Complex on Aug. 14 at 7 p.m. CT for a preseason exhibition match before kicking off the regular season at home on Aug. 21 with a match against the Memphis Tigers, who enter the season as the defending Conference USA champions.

LSU Soccer Season Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased for $35 for adults and $15 for youths at the official website for LSU athletics, www.LSUsports.net.

LSU Soccer Preseason Training Schedule

All practices will be held at the LSU Soccer Complex

Wednesday, Aug. 5

8 a.m. & 3:30 p.m.


Thursday, Aug. 6

8 a.m. & 3:30 p.m.
 

Friday, Aug. 7

8 a.m. & 3:30 p.m.
 

Monday, Aug. 10

8 a.m. & 3:30 p.m.
 

Tuesday, Aug. 11

7 p.m.
 

Wednesday, Aug. 12

8 a.m. & 7 p.m.
 

Thursday, Aug. 13

8 a.m.
 

Monday, Aug. 17

8 a.m.
 

Tuesday, Aug. 18

7 a.m.
 

Wednesday, Aug. 19

8 a.m.