The University of Mississippi Athletics
8/29/2020 | Soccer
<i class="icon-video"></i> Coach Mott Interview<i class="icon-video"></i> Haleigh Stackpole Interview
Fall Camp Wages on as Regular Season Nears
OXFORD, Miss. – With a bit of the cloud of uncertainty lifted with the SEC's announcement of fall sport start dates and formats on Thursday, the Ole Miss soccer team continues its preparations for the 2020 campaign.
Earlier in the week, head coach Matt Mott and junior midfielder Haleigh Stackpole sat down with our own Seth Austin to chat about the team's progress through fall practice.
READY TO ROLL
Following months of not knowing when the first kick of the ball would come in 2020, Ole Miss and its SEC counterparts officially have an answer as the league office announced start dates and formats for fall sports on Thursday. Soccer will kick off the fall sports calendar on Sept. 18, with each team set to play an eight-week, eight-match regular season, facing all six divisional opponents with an additional two cross-division matchups. Additionally, all 14 teams will qualify for the 2020 SEC Tournament in Orange Beach, Alabama, and will be guaranteed at least two matches at the event.
"We are thrilled with the SEC's decision to play games this fall," said Mott. "We are so thankful to our administration and medical team who have worked tirelessly to be able to provide us with this opportunity. The players have worked extremely hard and are excited to represent Rebel Nation on the pitch."
While the Rebels now know the when, the who and where is still up in the air, though Mott and his Ole Miss team are hoping to receive their schedule in the near future. Regardless of the opponents, the Rebels will be ready.
"They're competitors and when the ball is kicked (the players) are flying," said Mott. "We talk a lot about how it doesn't matter what the name on the front of the jersey says for who we're playing against, we're going to compete the same way for anybody we play."
COMING BACK STRONG
One of the main concerns for teams across the country has been how players would come back in terms of fitness after several months spent back home during isolation, away from the amenities and guidance of the school's strength and conditioning program. Ole Miss has been fortunate to have the ability to have its players return to campus early on and the results speak for themselves.
"The team is extremely fit," said Mott. "Our strength coach Brian Wiseman and Corbit Franks, our athletic trainer, were with them all summer and the whole team was here. They're super fit, the fittest team we've had here by a long shot, they smashed our fitness testing."
NWSL SETTING THE STAGE
While college soccer is nearing its start, the stage was set a couple of months back in the professional ranks as the National Women's Soccer League was the first pro league in the United States to restart following the halt caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. With people around the world watching, Mott sees the growth and the success of the league as a positive impact for the college game, particularly for Ole Miss with alum CeCe Kizer and the Houston Dash capturing the NWSL Challenge Cup trophy.
"Any time we're in a World Cup year or an Olympics year and the U.S. team does well it always gives us a boost there's no question about it," said Mott. "We always get that every two years but now with the NWSL doing so well, I think that only continues to help us. We're seeing more and more people wanting to be involved in soccer, watching soccer, kids playing soccer. It's always a huge boost. It was great seeing the Houston Dash play and CeCe (Kizer) had a huge roll in the final and played great. I was pumped for her and pumped for us because she did a great job representing us."
Kizer is one of a number of Rebels to continue their playing careers into the professional level, a selling point for Ole Miss on the recruiting trail.
"There are tons of opportunities now to play overseas," said Mott. "Rafa (Souza) is still playing over in China, Jess (Hiskey) played overseas, CeCe is playing with the Dash. We're having a good tradition of alumni playing professionally. There are just more and more opportunities, tons of opportunities both overseas and here in the states. That's something that is fantastic for us and something we definitely want to push as a recruiting tool."
NEWBIES STANDING OUT
Among the 26 players on the Ole Miss roster, a large chunk of the bunch are newcomers to the team, with Ole Miss adding seven players to the squad since the end of last season. Among the addition of five freshmen and a pair of transfers, several of the newcomers have stood out in the opening weeks of preseason.
"Taylor Radecki is a transfer from Florida State who has really established herself," said Mott. "She looks great playing in the midfield for us and she's doing a really good job. She has a super long throw, so that's going to be something exciting for our fans and a real weapon for our team. Lucy Green is a player out of Meridian, Mississippi, who has come in and really impressed all of us. She too is playing at a high level, we're really excited about her. And I would say Price Loposer and Ramsey Davis, who were with us in the spring, those two also have come in and done a good job. We've got some young guys who are going to come in and Rebel Nation is going to be excited about it, there's no doubt."
¡HOLA MARTA!
Another newcomer who Mott and his staff anticipate an immediate impact from is Tyler Junior College transfer Marta Estupinan. Estupinan, a junior defender, arrived in Oxford on Wednesday from her home country of Spain. The new Rebel centerback had her arrival delayed due to travel restrictions surrounding the pandemic. Estupinan will participate in her first training session with the Rebels Saturday night.
"It's been a long recruiting journey with Marta with the embassy being closed and all the things we've gone through to get her here," said Mott. "But the idea that she's (here now) is super exciting for us... The idea that we have all 26 finally in town and able to train is very exciting."
STACK STICKING OUT
When asked for returning players who have stood out in terms of stepping up their play, Mott had a tough time nailing down just one. However, one Rebel who has impressed the gaffer with the maturity of her game from her first two seasons is Stackpole.
"The one that is sticking out the most is Haleigh Stackpole," said Mott. "She's quicker, she's done a great job with the ball, our strength coaches tell us she's the strongest player in the weight room pound-for-pound... She's playing at a super high level. Really good with the ball and been scoring a ton of goals. She's one that has really stepped up into that upperclassman roll from a sophomore and she look's fantastic."
One of Stackpole's calling cards in the early years of her Rebel career has been how much gas she has in the tank and her fitness level, a key trait for the box-to-box midfielder who is tasked with patrolling all levels of the field.
"We call her a 10-miler," Mott continued. "When we play a game she's hitting 10 miles, which very few players around the country do that on a consistent basis and she can do it twice on a weekend, so that's really impressive. When you watch her on game film, she just never stops and it's always high speed running as well... that coupled with how clean she is on the ball makes her really tough."
Stackpole puts the onus on herself to keep her endurance and conditioning at an extremely high level, knowing the type of player the coaching staff asks her to be as one of the Rebel offense's main engines as well as a defensive safeguard.
"Just given my position in the midfield, I have to be up and down the field all game, helping the attack and the defense," said Stackpole. "If I'm not in a good position or I'm not fit enough, it does not help our program. I put a lot of stress on myself to make sure I stay fit and that just means going out to run and pushing myself the hardest I can when we train."
TOYS TO PLAY WITH
As a driving force for the Rebel offense, Stackpole has plenty to work with when coupling with the deep and varied stable of attackers in the Ole Miss strike force. Whether it's dishing off to a teammate in space, or creating chances of her own, the North Carolina native has a host of options.
"Playing with all of those players is amazing," said Stackpole. "You've got Lonnie (Mulligan)'s speed, Channing (Foster)'s technical ability and creativity, and Pezz (Madisyn Pezzino) up there. It's just fun to work with them. And whenever a team does double down on them, it just opens up more space for me to be creative and drive at defenders."
MATURING HER GAME
Entering her junior season, the now upperclassman sees her game evolving. While the mileage on the pitch hasn't taken much of a hit, Stackpole finds herself being more conscious about when to attack a situation and considering if the juice is worth the squeeze.
"I guess I'm not as crazy with how much I'm running," said Stackpole. "I'm more mentally focused within the game and making smart decisions, not just going for everything as a youth mindset would do. I'm just picking and choosing when the best time is to make a run or a play instead of wasting my energy."
ZOOMING ALONG
One adjustment to the "new normal" in 2020 has been the move to virtual classes for students at Ole Miss. While travelling around campus is down, the demands of being a college athlete remain for the Rebel soccer team, just in a new format.
"All my classes are online," said Stackpole. "Today, I woke up and had class from 9-9:50, training at 10, got to go home and shower really quick and then had another class for two hours online. It's a lot of staring at a screen."
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Rebels by following Ole Miss Soccer on Twitter at @OleMissSoccer, on Facebook at Facebook.com/OleMissSoccer, and on Instagram at Instagram.com/officialolemisssoccer. Also, follow head coach Matt Mott on Twitter at @CoachMattMott.
Earlier in the week, head coach Matt Mott and junior midfielder Haleigh Stackpole sat down with our own Seth Austin to chat about the team's progress through fall practice.
READY TO ROLL
Following months of not knowing when the first kick of the ball would come in 2020, Ole Miss and its SEC counterparts officially have an answer as the league office announced start dates and formats for fall sports on Thursday. Soccer will kick off the fall sports calendar on Sept. 18, with each team set to play an eight-week, eight-match regular season, facing all six divisional opponents with an additional two cross-division matchups. Additionally, all 14 teams will qualify for the 2020 SEC Tournament in Orange Beach, Alabama, and will be guaranteed at least two matches at the event.
"We are thrilled with the SEC's decision to play games this fall," said Mott. "We are so thankful to our administration and medical team who have worked tirelessly to be able to provide us with this opportunity. The players have worked extremely hard and are excited to represent Rebel Nation on the pitch."
While the Rebels now know the when, the who and where is still up in the air, though Mott and his Ole Miss team are hoping to receive their schedule in the near future. Regardless of the opponents, the Rebels will be ready.
"They're competitors and when the ball is kicked (the players) are flying," said Mott. "We talk a lot about how it doesn't matter what the name on the front of the jersey says for who we're playing against, we're going to compete the same way for anybody we play."
COMING BACK STRONG
One of the main concerns for teams across the country has been how players would come back in terms of fitness after several months spent back home during isolation, away from the amenities and guidance of the school's strength and conditioning program. Ole Miss has been fortunate to have the ability to have its players return to campus early on and the results speak for themselves.
"The team is extremely fit," said Mott. "Our strength coach Brian Wiseman and Corbit Franks, our athletic trainer, were with them all summer and the whole team was here. They're super fit, the fittest team we've had here by a long shot, they smashed our fitness testing."
NWSL SETTING THE STAGE
While college soccer is nearing its start, the stage was set a couple of months back in the professional ranks as the National Women's Soccer League was the first pro league in the United States to restart following the halt caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. With people around the world watching, Mott sees the growth and the success of the league as a positive impact for the college game, particularly for Ole Miss with alum CeCe Kizer and the Houston Dash capturing the NWSL Challenge Cup trophy.
"Any time we're in a World Cup year or an Olympics year and the U.S. team does well it always gives us a boost there's no question about it," said Mott. "We always get that every two years but now with the NWSL doing so well, I think that only continues to help us. We're seeing more and more people wanting to be involved in soccer, watching soccer, kids playing soccer. It's always a huge boost. It was great seeing the Houston Dash play and CeCe (Kizer) had a huge roll in the final and played great. I was pumped for her and pumped for us because she did a great job representing us."
Kizer is one of a number of Rebels to continue their playing careers into the professional level, a selling point for Ole Miss on the recruiting trail.
"There are tons of opportunities now to play overseas," said Mott. "Rafa (Souza) is still playing over in China, Jess (Hiskey) played overseas, CeCe is playing with the Dash. We're having a good tradition of alumni playing professionally. There are just more and more opportunities, tons of opportunities both overseas and here in the states. That's something that is fantastic for us and something we definitely want to push as a recruiting tool."
NEWBIES STANDING OUT
Among the 26 players on the Ole Miss roster, a large chunk of the bunch are newcomers to the team, with Ole Miss adding seven players to the squad since the end of last season. Among the addition of five freshmen and a pair of transfers, several of the newcomers have stood out in the opening weeks of preseason.
"Taylor Radecki is a transfer from Florida State who has really established herself," said Mott. "She looks great playing in the midfield for us and she's doing a really good job. She has a super long throw, so that's going to be something exciting for our fans and a real weapon for our team. Lucy Green is a player out of Meridian, Mississippi, who has come in and really impressed all of us. She too is playing at a high level, we're really excited about her. And I would say Price Loposer and Ramsey Davis, who were with us in the spring, those two also have come in and done a good job. We've got some young guys who are going to come in and Rebel Nation is going to be excited about it, there's no doubt."
¡HOLA MARTA!
Another newcomer who Mott and his staff anticipate an immediate impact from is Tyler Junior College transfer Marta Estupinan. Estupinan, a junior defender, arrived in Oxford on Wednesday from her home country of Spain. The new Rebel centerback had her arrival delayed due to travel restrictions surrounding the pandemic. Estupinan will participate in her first training session with the Rebels Saturday night.
"It's been a long recruiting journey with Marta with the embassy being closed and all the things we've gone through to get her here," said Mott. "But the idea that she's (here now) is super exciting for us... The idea that we have all 26 finally in town and able to train is very exciting."
STACK STICKING OUT
When asked for returning players who have stood out in terms of stepping up their play, Mott had a tough time nailing down just one. However, one Rebel who has impressed the gaffer with the maturity of her game from her first two seasons is Stackpole.
"The one that is sticking out the most is Haleigh Stackpole," said Mott. "She's quicker, she's done a great job with the ball, our strength coaches tell us she's the strongest player in the weight room pound-for-pound... She's playing at a super high level. Really good with the ball and been scoring a ton of goals. She's one that has really stepped up into that upperclassman roll from a sophomore and she look's fantastic."
One of Stackpole's calling cards in the early years of her Rebel career has been how much gas she has in the tank and her fitness level, a key trait for the box-to-box midfielder who is tasked with patrolling all levels of the field.
"We call her a 10-miler," Mott continued. "When we play a game she's hitting 10 miles, which very few players around the country do that on a consistent basis and she can do it twice on a weekend, so that's really impressive. When you watch her on game film, she just never stops and it's always high speed running as well... that coupled with how clean she is on the ball makes her really tough."
Stackpole puts the onus on herself to keep her endurance and conditioning at an extremely high level, knowing the type of player the coaching staff asks her to be as one of the Rebel offense's main engines as well as a defensive safeguard.
"Just given my position in the midfield, I have to be up and down the field all game, helping the attack and the defense," said Stackpole. "If I'm not in a good position or I'm not fit enough, it does not help our program. I put a lot of stress on myself to make sure I stay fit and that just means going out to run and pushing myself the hardest I can when we train."
TOYS TO PLAY WITH
As a driving force for the Rebel offense, Stackpole has plenty to work with when coupling with the deep and varied stable of attackers in the Ole Miss strike force. Whether it's dishing off to a teammate in space, or creating chances of her own, the North Carolina native has a host of options.
"Playing with all of those players is amazing," said Stackpole. "You've got Lonnie (Mulligan)'s speed, Channing (Foster)'s technical ability and creativity, and Pezz (Madisyn Pezzino) up there. It's just fun to work with them. And whenever a team does double down on them, it just opens up more space for me to be creative and drive at defenders."
MATURING HER GAME
Entering her junior season, the now upperclassman sees her game evolving. While the mileage on the pitch hasn't taken much of a hit, Stackpole finds herself being more conscious about when to attack a situation and considering if the juice is worth the squeeze.
"I guess I'm not as crazy with how much I'm running," said Stackpole. "I'm more mentally focused within the game and making smart decisions, not just going for everything as a youth mindset would do. I'm just picking and choosing when the best time is to make a run or a play instead of wasting my energy."
ZOOMING ALONG
One adjustment to the "new normal" in 2020 has been the move to virtual classes for students at Ole Miss. While travelling around campus is down, the demands of being a college athlete remain for the Rebel soccer team, just in a new format.
"All my classes are online," said Stackpole. "Today, I woke up and had class from 9-9:50, training at 10, got to go home and shower really quick and then had another class for two hours online. It's a lot of staring at a screen."
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Rebels by following Ole Miss Soccer on Twitter at @OleMissSoccer, on Facebook at Facebook.com/OleMissSoccer, and on Instagram at Instagram.com/officialolemisssoccer. Also, follow head coach Matt Mott on Twitter at @CoachMattMott.
Players Mentioned
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