SAN FRANCISCO, Cali. – Following an historical 2015 season, the No. 24 FGCU women's soccer team begins the 2016 campaign on the West Coast with a pair of matches in San Francisco. The season commences with a contest against San Francisco Aug. 19 at 10 p.m. at USF's Negoesco Stadium. The opening weekend then concludes with a neutral site meeting with UC Davis Aug. 21 at 2 p.m. on the campus of San Francisco.

Live stats for both matches will be provided by San Francisco while the season opener will be streamed live on CampusInsiders.com. Additional streams can be found on USFDons.com and WCCSports.com.

2015 REWIND: HISTORY MADE
The 2015 season witnessed the Eagles earn not only their sixth-straight Atlantic Sun regular season title, but a fourth trip to the NCAA Tournament in five eligible seasons behind a 14-6-2 record. Using two successful conversions from the penalty spot, FGCU knocked off then No. 22 South Florida in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament for the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament win. FGCU would lose to eventual national runners-up Duke, but would still re-write the record books once again.

The 2015 team broke three season records, two of which had just been set the year prior. The 2015 squad tallied 53 goals and 157 points, both besting marks set by the 2014 team (45 goals, 141 points). The Eagles also converted four penalties including the two in FGCU's 2-1 win over USF in the NCAA Tournament, a new single season record.

Tabby Tindell (Ocala, Fla./Trinity Catholic HS) and Emma Blackwell (Jenks, Okla./Jenks HS) would earn ASUN Player and Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2015 while a total of eight Eagles were honored by the conference.

SCOUTING SAN FRANCISCO
The Dons won a program-best 13 games last season, finishing in a tie for second in the West Coast Conference. San Francisco returns three All-Conference members from 2015, including co-Defensive Player of the Year Ali Schaffer and First Team selection Jessica Nakae. Schaffer anchored a defense that allowed 0.72 goals per game behind 10 shutouts. Nakae meanwhile proved to be a steady asset in the midfield, scoring two goals and assisting on three more. Samantha Jehnings led the team with seven goals as a redshirt-freshman last season.

San Francisco is projected to finish fifth in the WCC this season despite returning six of its seven top points leaders from 2015.

This is the first meeting all-time between FGCU and San Francisco.

SCOUTING UC DAVIS
The Aggies posted a 10-7-2 record in 2015 to finish seventh in the Big West. UC Davis returns seven starters from last season and also welcome 13 freshmen into the mix. Of the 30 players on the current roster, 22 are underclassmen and 14 have not experienced Division I play. Crystal Crump headlines those coming back for the Aggies. Crump scored four goals and added an assist for nine points. Mandy McKeegan recorded a team-leading five assists last season and looks to hold down the midfield once again as one of only four juniors. In goal, Alexis Smith returns for her sophomore season after playing every match as a freshman.

The Aggies are projected to finish eighth in the Big West this season, earning 30 points in the preseason poll.

FGCU and UC Davis meet for the first time Sunday.

2016 EXPECTATIONS
Searching for a seventh-consecutive ASUN regular season title, the Eagles begin the season preseason favorites in the ASUN. The Green and Blue picked up seven of the eight first-place votes and 63 total points to headline the conference's annual poll. Lipscomb finished second with 56 points and the final first place nod.

In addition, FGCU placed six players on the 13-member Preseason All-Conference squad. Tindell was named the Preseason Player of the Year, and was joined by Camille Knudstrup (Lakeland, Fla./George Jenkins HS), Ashley Parks (St. Louis, Mo./Lafayette HS), Nikki Hudson (Baltimore, Md./Roland Park County School/Rutgers), Ali Rogers (Naples, Fla./Gulf Coast HS), and Paulina Speckmaier (Miami, Fla./Gulliver Prep/Florida) on the ASUN Preseason team.

Tindell's honors would not stop there however, as TopDrawerSoccer.com recognized the senior with two additional honors. The Ocala-native was named to TopDrawer's Preseason Third Team Best XI, and days later would find herself in the National Preseason Top 100, entering the season at No. 30.

As a team, FGCU continues to move into the national spotlight. TopDrawer has positioned the Green and Blue as the No. 24 team in the country, ahead of Boston College, South Carolina and UCLA. The Eagles also earned five votes in the NSCAA Preseason poll, good for 35th in country and in front of Wisconsin, Boston College, and Washington.  

#TABBYTRACKER
Already atop the FGCU record books in goals scored (52) and points (126), Tindell now has her sights set on FGCU's assists record and multiple ASUN records as well. The senior forward is six assists away from tying FGCU's assists record of 28, currently held by 2013 graduate Ashley Ciesielczyk.

With nine goals this season, the Ocala-native will be tied atop the ASUN record book with 61 career goals. Should she add another goal to break the record or tally two assists, Tindell will share the title of the ASUN's all-time points leader. Centenary's Shelley Marusak (1993-1995) is currently the all-time leading goal scorer in ASUN history while Jacksonville's Marit Foss (1997-2000) headlines the ASUN's points category.

WEEKEND TO REMEMBER
When FGCU opens its home slate next weekend it could prove to be one of the biggest regular season weekends in program history. The Green and Blue begin their home schedule against current No. 9 and 22-time national champions UNC Aug. 26 at 7 p.m. before facing current No. 23 Ohio State Aug. 28 at 6 p.m.

2016 TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets for individual matches remain at $7 for adults and $5 for youth and military. An All Sports Pass is again available at $100, which gives fans admission to all ticketed FGCU home regular season events, excluding men's and women's basketball. Group rates are also available for matches. For more information, please call the FGCU Ticket Office at 239-590-7145. Tickets can also be purchased at FGCUTickets.com.

As a reminder, a special group rate for both North Carolina and Ohio State is also available at $10 for groups of 10 or more which includes a t-shirt along with admission to the match. A weekend pass is also available for groups of 10 or more at $15 which includes admission to both matches as well as a shirt.

COACH JIM BLANKENSHIP
A veteran of over two decades in collegiate coaching, head coach Jim Blankenship, who was named the ASUN Coach of the Year in 2012, 2013, 2014 and now 2015, has built FGCU women's soccer into a yearly contender in the Atlantic Sun Conference and a rising program in the South Region in just nine seasons. Blankenship, who was ranked the no. 6 collegiate coach nationally by AllWhiteKit.com to begin the year, started the program in 2007 and has since guided the Eagles to nine double-digit win seasons, culminating with Atlantic Sun Regular Season Championships in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015. In 2011 and 2012 he also led the Eagles to back-to-back ASUN tournament championships and became the first team in the history of the university to make it to the NCAA Tournament. The Eagles went on to win the 2014 ASUN tournament and host the first NCAA Championship event on campus. The Eagles earned their fourth NCAA Tournament appearance with the 2015 ASUN Tournament Championship and won their first NCAA game at USF in 2015, while finishing 24th in the nation. Blankenship has guided FGCU to a 115-42-19 (70.7 W%) overall record through the first nine seasons of the program's existence, including a 60-9-10 (76.2 W%) mark in the ASUN. Blankenship's impressive career record of 355-113-30 (74.3 W%) over 25 seasons has come while leading FGCU, the University of Miami, Lynn University and St. Thomas University.
 
FOLLOW ALONG
For constant, news, photos, videos and updates you can follow the women's soccer team on Twitter @FGCU_WSoccer, on Instagram @FGCU_WSoccer or on Facebook: Facebook.com/FGCUWSoccer. You can also find FGCU athletics on YouTube by visiting YouTube.com/FGCUEagles.
 
#FEEDFGCU
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.