Second-year head coach John Nikchevich knows that he has a young team under his command in 2009 but he's not looking to make any excuses.

"We have six players coming back from last year. Five of those either started last year or played significant minutes off the bench," says Nikchevich. "We have a great group of recruits coming in and I feel that they will mesh well with our returnees.

"Four of the six returning players are seniors with the other two being sophomores," continues Nikchevich. "The only two juniors on the team are transfers that are new to us this year. So we will start the season with nine freshmen and that is over half of the team."

Still the youth doesn't faze Nikchevich.

"This is a group of young players that is looking forward to establishing USF as one of the top programs as we grow and mature," says the USF coach. "We are trying to bring the program up to an elite level. Many of these new players coming in will challenge for and earn starting positions."

The returning six players include seniors Caitlin Byrnes, Chelsea Wagner, Ashley Kekelik and Roxy Camacho.

Byrnes will play midfield and forward this year and has played significant time at all positions during her career. She has started every game in which she has played at USF and has missed only two contests and will be counted on as a leader on the field for the Saints.

Wagner also has been a starter since stepping foot on the USF campus. Her stability and experience should help make the USF defense strong. Kekelik has played mostly midfield and defense in her first three seasons but will likely be the Saints' top goalkeeper as a senior. Camacho has been a reserve forward and midfielder in her first three seasons at USF.

Also returning from Nikchevich's first squad are sophomores Erin Voss and Regina Melone. Voss was USF's leading scorer as a freshman with four goals and one assist. She will anchor USF's front line in 2009. Melone was a starter on defense last year as a freshman and will team with Wagner to give the Saints some much needed experience on defense this season.

Two junior transfers are among the 11 newcomers on the USF squad.

Midfielder Samantha Danuser and midfielder/defender Michele Maxwell join nine freshmen on the 2009 roster. Danuser will likely make an immediate impact as a starter and Maxwell will also battle for one of the vacant starting positions.

The freshman class includes five local players from Will County. That group includes defender Ann Zajda from Joliet Catholic Academy, midfielder/defender Debbie Rios from Joliet Township and three players from Romeoville High School - twin sisters and forwards Ariel and Delaney Goddard and goalkeeper Felilatu Awin-Ongya.

The other four frosh are midfielder/forward Danice Carbajal from Merrillville, Ind., midfielder/defender Kim Askew from Herscher High School, midfielder/defender Morgan Rowe from Ottawa and freshman midfielder Amber Zukowski from Andrew High School in nearby Tinley Park.

Due to the youth of the team, almost all of the freshmen and newcomers will like play significant minutes and be expected to make immediate contributions to the team.

The challenge will not be easy for the young Saints but Nikchevich and his squad are looking forward to the battles that lie ahead.

"We play in a great conference with very good coaching," said Nikchevich. "Trinity Christian was one of the top 10 teams in all of the NAIA last year and Saint Xavier ended up winning our conference tournament. Trinity International is always a premiere team and Olivet Nazarene will likely be nationally ranked this season. Robert Morris and Judson always have strong programs and Illinois Tech is a much improved team.

"You won't find too many conferences that can go seven deep with strong teams like the CCAC (Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference) can."