By Kevin Erpenbeck

[email protected]

There is more to UK women’s soccer’s last regular season game of 2014 against Alabama than its season implications. Yes, a win would make it six consecutive victories for the Cats, and another conference win would secure at least the No. 3 seed in the upcoming SEC Tournament.

But it’s more about bringing a close to one of the most successful chapters in program history. It’s about sending the 2014 seniors out on the level they instilled into UK since arriving three years ago; the winning level.

This year’s senior class has rescued UK from continuing years of mediocre soccer to actual relevancy in the NCAA world. Before 2011, the Cats made eight appearances in the NCAA Tournament, playing host in three of them. But every tournament run ended without success, as UK never made it past the first round.

Now, making it to the NCAA Tournament is just a step in the preseason goal the Cats set every year. UK has hosted an NCAA Tournament game for three consecutive years, and is on pace to make it four straight years at the end of this season. But it’s the end result of those games that has changed the most, as the Cats have won two straight NCAA postseason matches, and were a 2011 penalty shootout away from making it three straight.

That’s the winning culture these seniors have brought to the program.

Players like forward/defender Arin Gilliland have given UK a soccer star to stamp its credentials on. Gilliland’s scoring records and multiple playing awards will still be standing as the greatest achieved for the foreseeable future, but her legacy with the program will stand the test of time.

Players like midfielder/forward Stuart Pope have proven it’s possible to succeed at the highest level, even when presented with extreme challenges. Pope has gone through two ACL tears during her playing career, including a devastating one her junior year that also resulted in her MCL and meniscus being torn. But through all the hardships (and a rough player-coach relationship with Jon Lipsitz during her first two years), Pope has conquered all and became a centerpiece to the Cats’ recent years of success.

Even the non-starting seniors have been important to UK’s winning seasons. Forward Emma Brown has proven her worth as a valuable substitute player, often coming in for an exhausted Gilliland and holding her own. Forward Maddie Lockridge, while not having many playing minutes under her belt, contributed to an assist this year as her first career point at UK. While both players’ contributions on the field have been relatively small, it’s the winning mentality they’ve adopted and shared with other UK players that has helped frame how the program is now viewed.

The 56-26-3 record the seniors have accrued throughout their playing careers highlight just how successful they have been at UK. But it’s the culture they’ve changed within the program that will be remembered and celebrated during their Senior Day.

A win against Alabama will be secondary compared to what it represents about the 2014 senior class.