Match #1
ART U Urban Knights (0-0) vs. Fresno Pacific Sunbirds (0-0)
Tuesday, February 2, 2021 at 1 p.m.
San Francisco – Paul Goode Field
Live Stats & Video

Match #2
ART U Urban Knights (0-0) vs. Dominican Penguins (0-0)
Saturday, February 6, 2021 at 2:30 p.m.
San Rafael, Calif. – Kennelly Field
Live Stats & Video
 
Returning for its first competitive action in 444 days, Academy of Art University women's soccer this week begins its 2020-21 season, the fourth with Head Coach Chris King at the helm. Made up of a strong core of 17 student-athletes who were part of the team's 2019 success, ART U looks to continue its upward trend in this abbreviated journey on the horizon.

Modified to six matches during the spring, the Urban Knights' campaign begins with Fresno Pacific and Dominican this week and is slated to span the month of February. For a more in-depth look at the 2020-21 schedule, click here!

A four-member senior class includes midfielders Sydney Cooke and Alyssa Rasmussen, goalkeeper Lara Pflicke, as well as forward Veronica Rodriguez. Cooke was selected for the Preseason All-PacWest Team coming off a 2019 campaign that saw her break the program's single-season and career assists record en route being named D2CCA All-West Region Second Team. After two seasons with ART U, Pflicke enters 2021 with the program's highest career save percentage (.847) and lowest goals against average (1.02).

The largest class of the squad, Academy of Art's junior contingent is made up of defender Britney Flint, midfielders Avica Robings and Reyna Valencia, forwards Baylie Christensen and Brooklyn Morera, along with goalkeepers Jordyn Wight and Dru Keizer. Flint, Valencia, and Robings were all among the top five in minutes played for ART U's 2019 team while Christensen and Morera combined for 19 points via six goals and seven assists that year.

Last season, some major contributions came from the Urban Knights' freshmen who now return as sophomores including defenders Katie Williams and Raquel Calvo Mendez, forward Brooklyn Villapudua, and goalkeeper Nicole Peoples. Williams anchored the Academy of Art defensive line, playing nearly 1,700 minutes and Villapudua ranked second on the team with three assists. That group joins two true freshman, defender Anna Maggi-Brown and midfielder Zineb Ighirri, as well as two redshirt freshman, midfielder Morgan Day and Hannah Moore.

Playing with a newfound appreciation of the game of soccer in their hearts, Academy of Art steps back onto the pitch for the first time in more than 14 months this Tuesday.