A new school year and sports season for Lakeland University begins in earnest Thursday with three Muskies teams in action on the first allowable day of competitions for fall sports teams.

Included in the schedule is a soccer doubleheader that also marks the first home events of the year. The Lakeland men's soccer team hosts St. Norbert College at 3 p.m., while the Muskies women's team welcomes Ripon College at 5 p.m., with both games on the campus field.

The games mark the debuts of new coaches for both the men's and women's soccer teams. Marc Baumbach is in his first year as the Muskies men's coach, while Alex Mattson makes his collegiate head coaching debut today for the women's squad.

The Lakeland men's soccer team finished 2-16 a year ago. The team welcomes back nine returnees, including three seniors: Renan Asato (Sao Paolo, Brazil), Zac Kline (Luxemburg, Wis.) and Nwachan (Ayoko) Nda (Douala Litoral Region, Cameroon).

The Muskies women's team includes nine freshmen on a roster of 16 to open the year. Three seniors with significant experience return to lead the team, including Afton Barrows (Iron Mountain, Mich.), Brianne Frank (Plain, Wis.) and Karen Hjelle (Malone, Wis.).

Lakeland-St. Norbert MSOC Game Notes
Lakeland-Ripon WSOC Game Notes

Also opening its season on Thursday is the Muskies women's tennis team, which travels to face Carroll University at 4 p.m. in Waukesha.

Lakeland went winless last year with an all-new team in which all six members played collegiate tennis for the first time, including several team members playing organized tennis for the first time. All six players from a year ago return, plus the team adds new additions Nikki Bonilla (So.-Woodstock, Ill.) and Tyner Strawn (So.-Sheboygan, Wis.). The team is still young with five sophomores and two juniors plus just one senior, Mikayla Hilton (Port Washington, Wis.).