With less than 48 hours left in 2015 I want to thank everyone for their support of this campaign and wish you all a Happy and Healthy 2016.

Our women's soccer program has grown so much in the past year, with a strong core of returners eager to make 2016 their best season ever. Please help them as they work towards that goal and help us celebrate the dedication and sacrifices of our 6 graduating seniors. Your support, no matter how big or small, makes a difference! Help us reach the top!

Happy New Year from SSU Women's Soccer!

On behalf of SSU Women's Soccer, I hope everyone has had a healthy and happy holiday season so far. With one week left in the campaign, please help us continue to spread the word on this campaign and how much of a difference support of any amount can make.

As our players are enjoying their winter break they are also anxiously awaiting final fall grades. A source of pride that comes from coaching this team is that they consistently perform at a high level in the classroom as well as in the community and on the field. I look forward to sharing our overall team GPA in the coming days.

Thank you to all who have supported this fundraising effort so far!

Once again I am blown away by the support of our amazing alumni on this campaign. Thank you so much for your generosity and dedication to this program.

I also want to use this update to highlight an alum who exemplifies the spirit of giving and making a difference in the community. Please take a moment to read about Melanie McKinnon of Salem, MA who was honored at yesterday's Patriots game for her nonprofit foundation "It Starts With Me". We are proud of her efforts and grateful for her consistent support of SSU Women's Soccer. You are an inspiration Mel!

Please help us continue to support the young women who proudly wear orange and blue! Any gift makes a difference!

www.patriots.com/community/volunteerism

Half way through week three and the majority of our donations so far are from our alumni. The message their support sends is a clear one - being a Viking was an important part of their life. That dedication and loyalty to the women's soccer program is one of the reasons being the coach at SSU is something I am grateful for every day. The attendance at this year's alumni game - both from those who played and those who cheered us on - was proof of the support our current team has from past players. Thank you for giving your blood, sweat, and tears while you played here and for your continued commitment as an alum! Once a Viking, always a Viking.

Please help us continue to offer the type of student-athlete experience that is a valuable part of our players' lives. Any donation can and will make a difference - and will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you to the family, friends, and alumni who have contributed to our campaign so far.

Did you know that over the past decade a women's soccer player has won the John D Galaris  Award 5 times? This award honors the top student-athlete who has achieved significant success in both the classroom and the athletic arena. Also, in 2008 the entire team won the SSU CHAMPS/Lifeskills Award for their successes in the classroom, on the field, and in their leadership in community service initiatives. As our players prepare for finals and take on the responsibility of continuing that tradition of academic success, please consider supporting them with a financial donation of any amount. And please help us spread the word - share this campaign on social media, by email, or simply by word of mouth.

Your support is a vital part of their ability to juggle the demands of academics, athletics, and service. Thank you!

As our second week of this campaign ends, I want to thank our donors so far which have been a combination of alumni, family of our current team and coaching staff, and friends of our players. Please help us reach our goal so that we can provide the best in gear, training, and support to the young women who give so much to this program. We want to allow and encourage our players to focus on the classroom and the field, not fundraising for their season. You can help us get to that finish line.

YOUR SUPPORT MATTERS!

Thanks,

Coach Wood

This weekend the Williams College Women's Soccer team won the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Championship, defeating Washington University 1-0. This accomplishment marks the first women's soccer national champion from our state, and from New England. As we congratulate Coach Michelyn Pinard on leading the Ephs to a national title, we ask for your help as we work to returning our own program to the national stage. Please consider a gift of any amount and support the journey of our dedicated student-athletes!

Thank you to those who have donated!

As our first week of this campaign comes to a close, I wanted to highlight the reason you should feel proud to support women's soccer. This is how our 2015 season started...by the third game we had lost two of our top recruits and a returning starter to season ending injuries. Two weeks later we lost our 2014 Rookie of the Year and an All MASCAC defender the same way. We had a player who dislocated her shoulder 5 times before she finally went into a sling and took 3 weeks off, another who had pneumonia, and a senior who spent every moment outside of games in a walking boot. One of our senior captains, our leading goal scorer the past two seasons, played through so many injuries that our athletic training staff had her sitting out of almost every practice just to get her through game days. We started the season going 2-6, surrendering 18 goals and only scoring 3! Our players were faced with shuffling positions - including putting our 3x starting goalkeeper at outside back - and learning a new system. Where many other teams would've quit or become frustrated and pointed fingers and assigning blame, the 2015 Vikings refused to take the easy way out. They spent extra time in the athletic training room getting healthy, they spent extra time in the classroom watching video and learning the new system, and they gave their blood, sweat, and tears every time they took the field. The second half of the season? The went 4-3-1, scored 14 goals while giving up only 7, and made it to the MASCAC quarterfinals where they lost on a PK to the 2014 ECAC Champions.

Your support is not just about athletes. Your support is about Vikings. It is about recognizing the sacrifice and dedication these young women give, and the way they represent our team, program, and university. It is about helping them focus on excelling in the classroom and on the field, without having to incur out of pocket expenses or give up important team trips and bonding activities. As an alumni and former player, I am proud to be a Viking. And I am blessed to have them call me Coach.

Please consider a gift and thank you for your support!

Coach Wood

Welcome to the SSU Women's Soccer Team Crowdfunding Page!

When I first came back as an Assistant Coach in 1997 my goal was to help get the program back to the NCAA tournament, with the last SSU appearance in 1993. Before the establishment of an Automatic Qualifier (AQ) for conference winners, SSU was the ONLY team from the Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference to be chosen for the NCAA tournament. As the conference has become stronger and competition in the recruiting process has intensified, the importance of offering the best in student-athlete support, equipment, and training is highly valued. Please help us reach our goal of eliminating all out of pocket costs for our players and increasing the level of travel and equipment we provide to these hard working young woman who are proud to be Vikings.