The women's soccer team will ring in the new academic year for Chico State athletics Thursday by hosting Cal Baptist Thursday at 7 p.m. at University Soccer Stadium. They'll hit the road to face Notre Dame de Namur in Belmont Saturday at 2 p.m.
 
Students with a Chico State ID get in free Thursday night. Links to the livestats for both contests can be found at www.chicowildcats.com.
 
The Wildcats are just two years removed from the program's first ever trip to the NCAA Championship Final Four, but scuffled to a 7-11-0 last season. Head Coach Kim Sutton believes the success and adversity will be a boon in 2013.
 
"The seven players that experienced both of those seasons are vital pieces to this team," said Sutton. "They've become great leaders through it all. They did a fantastic job of growing through the spring and they are beyond excited to have what they hope is another breakout year similar to 2011."
 
Seniors Scotie Walker, Carly Singer and Danielle Leiva and juniors Brianna Furner, Halima Abdelshife, Megan Tabler and Torri Sims all traversed the highs of 2011 and the lows of 2012. "They all understand the dynamics that go into being a championship team," said Sutton.
 
Sutton is equally excited about her incoming freshman class.
 
"This could be the best freshman class I've had in my 13 years here," said Sutton, who ranks among the top-25 winningest active coaches in Division II.  "They are very talented and their soccer IQ is very high. It's really exciting."
 
They'll get thrown right into the fire on Thursday. Cal Baptist, the two-time defending PacWest Conference Champion, is coming off an 18-2-1 season and the heavy favorite to win that conference once again. Notre Dame de Namur was picked to finish fifth in the PacWest, according to the preseason conference coaches' poll.
 
Follow @WildcatsGameDay on twitter for a chance to win free food at Thursday night's match.