First-team all-region selection Kimmi Oshita leads the Big Red offense into the 2009 season.

After making their 10th trip to the NCAA National Tournament in head coach Gail Murphy's 12-year stint at Denison, the women's soccer team looks to return to the post season for the fifth straight year. The reigning North Coast Athletic Conference regular season champs return a solid group of athletes on both offense and defense in 2009.

Junior Kimmi Oshita (Cincinnati, Ohio/Sycamore) led the Big Red offensive last season. Oshita tallied a team-high 13 goals and 27 points en route to earning first-team All-NCAC honors. The Cincinnati native was also a first-team all-region and All-Ohio choice. Her goals, points and four game-winners ranked third in the conference a year ago. Senior midfielder Anna Rusch (Washington, D.C./Sidwell Friends School) captured second-team all-league recognition after scoring 10 goals and dishing out a pair of helpers, while classmate Julie Dean (Liberty Twp., Ohio/Mt. Notre Dame) was honorable mention All-NCAC with a two goal and six assist performance in 2008.

Juniors Jen Clemmer (Hixson, Tenn./Baylor School) and Maggie Hoskin (Chicago, Ill./Homewood-Flossmor) both notched four goals in their second year in Granville. In addition, Clemmer racked up six assists. Senoir Laura Kuehn (Upper Arlington, Ohio/Upper Arlington) will also return to aid the DU attack.

Rounding out the Denison offense are sophomores Angela Coderre (Flossmor, Ill./Homewood-Flossmor), Lauren Farell (Sylvania, Ohio/Central Catholic) and Tory Danis (Dayton, Ohio/Oakwood). Coderre started all 21 games and scored twice as a freshman, while Farrell and Danis played in 18 and 11 games, respectively.

Returning to the DU backline will be the trio of senior Kate Henderson (Denver, Colo./George Washington), and juniors Haley Gewehr (Larchmont, N.Y./Mamaroneck) and Jenn Sloan (Bethesda, Md./Sidwell Friends School). Henderson and Gewehr started all 21 games for the Big Red last season. Henderson logged a goal and two assists while Gewehr earned honorable mention all-league accolades for her defensive efforts. Sloan notched an assist in 19 starts.

Back between the pipes for her second year as the starting goalkeeper is junior Courtney Cobb (Sylvania, Ohio/St. Ursula). In 2008 Cobb started all 21 games in goal, compiling a .089 goals-against average with 49 saves and seven shutouts.

Denison has once again stacked their non-conference schedule with stiff competition. This year's schedule includes matches against Endicott, Alma, Transylvania, Calvin, Ohio Northern and Otterbein. The Big Red's NCAC schedule will continue to be challenging with matches against Allegheny, Kenyon, Hiram and Ohio Wesleyan, and at Wittenberg, Wooster, Earlham and Oberlin.

The Big Red opens up play on Sept. 1 when they travel to Carnegie Mellon University. Match time is slated for 7:30 p.m.