EMCC set to kick off 2024 soccer season with Friday home exhibition doubleheader vs. The W

SCOOBA – The East Mississippi Community College men's and women's soccer teams are set to kick off the second season of the Lions' reinstated program by playing host to The W on Friday (Aug. 23) in Scooba. Season-opening exhibition doubleheader soccer action is slated to begin at 5 p.m. at Sullivan-Windham Field.

After hosting Millsaps College in exhibition twin-bill action on Tuesday (Aug. 27), the EMCC soccer teams are scheduled to close out their pre-conference home doubleheader slate against MACCC foe Hinds Community College on Aug. 30 and St. Charles [MO] CC on Sept. 7.

In addition to opening the 2024 soccer campaign with their first four doubleheaders taking place on the Scooba campus, head soccer coach Chris Rash's EMCC Lions will also close out their MACCC regular-season slate with five consecutive home conference twin bills during the month of October.

In contrast, East Mississippi's soccer teams will only participate in one home doubleheader – conference opener vs. Copiah-Lincoln on Sept. 17 – during the five-week stretch between the pair of home-heavy game spans that bookend the upcoming season.

Following the Lions' Sept. 17 MACCC opener at home against Co-Lin, they will play their next five conference twin bills on the road (Sept. 20 at Itawamba, Sept. 24 at Hinds, Sept. 27 at East Central, Oct. 4 at Southwest Mississippi, and Oct. 8 at Pearl River).

East Mississippi will then wrap up the regular season with home MACCC doubleheaders versus Meridian (Oct. 11), Northwest Mississippi (Oct. 15), Jones (Oct. 22), Mississippi Gulf Coast (Oct. 25), and Holmes (Oct. 29) during a 19-day span.

Along with an Oct. 19 non-conference road trip to take on LSU Eunice in women's and men's action, the EMCC women are scheduled for home-and-home matches against the University of Mobile's reserve team (Sept. 14 in Mobile, AL & Oct. 1 in Scooba), while the men's team is slated for home-and-home action versus Southern Union State CC (Sept. 3 in Scooba & Sept. 30 in Opelika, AL). The Lions are also set for a Sept. 10 men's road meeting with Holmes in Ridgeland.

Looking to move on from last year's first season of soccer competition on the Scooba campus since 2009, East Mississippi looks to field improved men's and women's teams as the 2024 season gets underway. With Rash back at the coaching helm of both EMCC squads, he'll be joined on the sidelines this year by assistant coach Ryan Theriot. The two were previously together on the pitch as coach and player at Hinds.

For the EMCC men, Ecuador native Jose Bosmediano is expected to lead a group of seven returners after scoring 10 points on four goals and two assists a season ago for the Lions. Also back from last year are Logan Fragale (Hernando HS), Gavin Garza (Pearl River Central HS), Mexico's Carlos Rodrigo de la Guardia, Kevin Hernandez (New Albany HS), Bernardo Martinez (El Paso TX), and Eduardo Vasquez (Byhalia HS).

Including international players Joan Arnau Riera (Spain), Karim Ould Saada (Canada) and Luka Sari (Serbia), the Lions will feature a total of 15 newcomers on the men's side. Also new to the EMCC men's team this season are: Kellen Breedlove (Northwest Rankin HS); the trio of former West Lauderdale High School teammates Cooper Cornett, Josh Deweese and Colby Epting; Noah Fleming (South Pontotoc HS); Elijah Johnson (Ocean Springs HS); Khoa Le (Starkville HS); Brayden McCool (Pearl HS); Levi Richardson (Enterprise HS); Henry Salvador (Leake Central HS); Serafin Simon III (Pillow Academy); and Cody Yauch (East Central HS).

In contrast to the men's squad, the EMCC women's team is comprised of more returners (13) than newcomers (8). Returning to the Scooba campus for a second season are: Nigeria native Elizabeth Adesanya; AC Brewer (Enterprise HS); the trio of former Starkville High School teammates Lyna Driouche, Skylar Flores and Daniela Pinzon; Asia Glass (Noxapater HS); Aja Jones (West Point HS); Jaelyn Lust (Purvis HS); Cindy Mendoza (Hazlehurst HS); Kiana Nielsen (Foley [AL] HS); Airam Segura (Lake Cormorant HS); Kaylee Taylor (Southeast Lauderdale HS); and Starkville native Nicky Wise.

With reigning Birmingham City Schools' Player of the Year Tamia Motley (G.W. Carver HS) looking to make an impact as a freshman, the EMCC women also welcome newcomers Miller Blaylock (Magnolia Heights HS), Marli Castillo (Morton HS), Abigail Duthu (St. Joseph Catholic School), Katelyn Fulgham (Grenada HS), former West Lauderdale High School teammates Anslee Mason and Ella Morse, and Josie Wiggins (Lamar School).