Oklahoma City University enters the 2013 women's soccer season with its highest NAIA preseason ranking ever at No. 8 and as the unanimous favorite to win a fourth straight Sooner Athletic Conference title.
In 2012, OCU posted a record of 20-2 en route to its 12th SAC title and third straight NAIA Championships appearance. The Stars set defensive records for most shutouts in a season (16) and fewest goals allowed in a season (8). OCU topped Doane (Neb.) 5-1 in the NAIA Championship Opening Round before falling 2-1 to Texas-Brownsville in the round of 16.
The Stars kick off their 2013 campaign against NCAA Division I Abilene Christian at 2 p.m. Sunday at Stars Field.
"We are ranked eighth at the moment which I think is more based on last year's team," OCU coach Brian Harvey said. "We are a team that has gone to the round of the 16 in the national tournament the last three years, so I think our top goal is to get back there. We're also looking to win a fourth consecutive SAC title, but our main goal is to get back to the national tournament."
OCU returns 10 players and adds four freshmen and a pair of transfers to mix in 2013.
"We've got a very light squad this year," Harvey said. "I expect everybody to be contributing this year. The newcomers all come with good track records, so even though they are new they will be asked to contribute this season."
The Stars are led by returner Meghan McMahon. The 5-foot-8 senior from Oklahoma City became OCU's all-time leading scorer a season ago when she netted 27 goals. McMahon upped her career total to 60 goals and surpassed the previous record of 58 set by Melissa Sexton in 1994-97.
"Obviously Meghan is the first standout player that comes to mind," Harvey said. "How she hasn't been a first team all-American is something I find quite difficult to understand. She is a tremendous player, a great leader and I expect her to really have a stellar season."
McMahon led the Stars with 27 goals, 12 assists and 66 points and was named Sooner Athletic Conference player of the year, SAC offensive player of the year and NAIA all-American honorable mention in 2012.

A position-by-position look at the Stars:

Goalkeeper

The goalkeeping tandem of Ashley Bechtold and Alissa Reed will split time in goal once again this season. The duo has shared playing time between the posts for each of the last two seasons.
"They are both very good goalkeepers in their own right," Harvey said. "They'll be sharing goalkeeping duties for now, and we'll see who can establish themselves as the No.1."
Bechtold, of Oklahoma City, made 20 starts a season ago. The 5-foot-8 senior notched 41 saves while only allowing four goals and was name a first-team all-SAC performer.
Reed, of Fort Worth, Texas, started two matches in 2012. The 5-foot-5 senior made 15 saves, allowed four goals and earned second-team all-SAC honors.

Defense

Returning juniors Allie Glazner and Ashleigh Story will head up the Stars' defense in 2013. The pair helped spearhead a defense that posted 16 shutouts and allowed just eight goals a season ago.
Glazner, of Edmond, Okla., started all 21 matches she played in last season. The 5-foot-5 defender scored six goals, passed out four assists and earned first-team all-SAC accolades.
"Allie is a player I really like," Harvey said. "We encourage her to get forward along the flanks, and she does that very well. She can cross the ball and strike the ball with either foot, so she is big weapon for us."
Story, of Edmond, Okla., has started every match she has played in during her OCU career. The 5-foot-4 central defender helped hold opposing teams to 7.77 shot attempts per game last season.
"One of the big holes we have to fill this year is the departure of Brenna Skillern, who was a three-time SAC defensive player of the year," Harvey said. "I have full confidence in Ashleigh who was her partner in defense last year. I think that she'll step up and sure up the defense."
Newcomers Kailea Atkins, a freshman from Midlothian, Texas, and Syrina Lopez, a Northern Arizona transfer from Las Vegas, will join Glazner and Story on defense this season.
"Atkins will be coming in at right back and Lopez will be stepping in at central defense," Harvey said. "I'm hoping that they can all gel together quickly. It will take some adjustment, but I'm quite confident that they'll step up when needed."
Rejoining the OCU defense for the 2013 season is Tayler Galey. The 5-foot-2 senior, of Norman, Okla., appeared in 14 matches in 2009.

Midfield

Joining McMahon in the midfield are fellow seniors Margaret Lee and Gianna Puskarich.
"We'll be more or less the same in the midfield this year," Harvey said. We've got Lee and Puskarich returning, and we have McMahon who can play both midfield and forward so there won't be too many changes there."
Lee, of Tulsa, Okla., started 21 matches in the OCU midfield a season ago.
"She is only 5-foot-1 by she plays with a big heart," Harvey said. "She's got lots of speed and is not afraid of anything. I expect her to have another big season for us."
Puskarich, of Fairview, Texas, played in 20 matches a season ago and tallied one assist.
Freshmen Makayla Braun, of Southlake, Texas, Victoria Little, of Lawton, Okla., and Vanessa Mendoza, of Garland, Texas, along with transfer Keren Sharabi, a junior from Petach-Tikva, Israel, will all vie for playing time in the midfield.
"Mendoza has been showing well in the preseason," Harvey said. "I expect to see her in the starting lineup."

Forward

Sophomore Allison Worsham returns for her second season with the Stars. The 5-foot-6 forward from Edmond, Okla., was second on the team with 18 goals and six assists and was named a second-team all-SAC performer a season ago.
"She is only a sophomore," Harvey said. "I think Allison is really going to make thing happen for us this year."
Senior Ariel Bayatfar will join Worsham at the forward spot. The 5-foot-9 forward from Ada, Okla., played in all 22 matches a season ago and tallied one assist. Bayatfar has eight career goals.

According to Harvey, the keys to success are the same as they have been in recent years.
"We have always been a team that can score goals," Harvey said. "The jury is still out on the defense. We're hoping to solidify that and have everybody jump in and contribute right away, but we have been a team that can always find the net and hopefully we can continue to do that this year."
OCU last played an NCAA Division I team on Sept. 12, 2007, losing 1-0 to Oral Roberts in Tulsa, Okla. The Stars' last victory over an NCAA Division I opponent came over Centenary 3-1 on Oct. 27, 2002 at Stars Field.
Follow the action as the Stars take on Abilene Christian via live stats and live video by visiting Stretch Internet's OCU platform.