JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New head coach Anthony Tuesta will guide the largest women's soccer roster in program history onto the pitch for a 16-game slate when the 2016 New Jersey City University's women's soccer opens on September 1. In all, Tuesta's coaching staff has assembled a roster of 27 women for the 24th season of intercollegiate action.
 
Tuesta returns 10 players from last year's team (4-11-2) and has added 17 newcomers, including a number of players who should make an immediate impact.
 
View the 2016 Roster: http://njcugothicknights.com/roster.aspx?path=wsoccer or Roster Breakdown
 
"The team has more depth in numbers which will allow us to use returning players in different positions," noted Tuesta. "The dedication and time over the past couple months that both my staff and I put in awarded us numbers that we haven't been able to have before. That paired with all the improvements the University is making made it possible."
 
Katie Feehan, `07 (MS, `09), the longest-serving assistant coach in any women's sport at NJCU is back for her ninth season on the sidelines while Giovanny Hurtado, who was an assistant in 2014, rejoins the program. Tuesta and the staff have some very simple goals for their first season together.
 
"To have a successful season and instill a winning attitude for the future success of NJCU women's soccer," said Tuesta. "I hope to give the seniors a winning season before they graduate because of all the hard work they have put into the team while overcoming much adversity in the past."  
 
"The team as a whole needs to keep the dedication and positive attitude they exemplified during the preseason and bring it with them throughout the season. That paired with the high level of training they have been doing and tactical and discipline sessions will make us successful this year."
 
Senior midfielder Kaydee Murphy (Bayonne, N.J./Holy Family Academy), senior back Jubeth Buitrago (Secaucus, N.J./Secaucus) and junior back Catarina Teodosio (Newark, N.J/East Side) are among the most experienced returning players and the trio will lead the club as this year's captains. Murphy and Buitrago will both be playmakers this year Tuesta feels because of their previous experience playing in the Division III powerhouse New Jersey Athletic Conference.
 
On a team that will play a style of soccer highlighted by a lot of touches on the ball and getting all players involved on the field, perhaps one newcomer has the potential to stand out in the scoring department, as the Gothic Knights add freshman midfielder Mallensy (Mayensy) Vargas (North Bergen, N.J./Memorial) to the roster. Vargas was tied for seventh in the state of New Jersey in total goals netted with 34 and a career-high 18 assists as a high school senior in 2015. She was a Second-Team All-State Group 4 selection. It was the culmination of one of the most prolific goal scoring careers in Hudson County and state history as Vargas capped her career with 148 goals and 52 assists for 348 points. She had 45 goals in 2013 and 43 more in 2014 after scoring 26 times as a freshman.
 
"Mayensy Vargas is a natural goal scorer and playmaker and will make a difference immediately. As a whole the new girls coming in as freshmen and transferring from other schools will make an impact right away.  [Back] Lexi Mescavage (Bayonne, N.J./Saint Dominic Academy) and [goalkeeper] Paula Viana (Elizabeth, N.J./Hamilton Prep Academy) are both highly -skilled and physical players that will do well for us for the entirety of the season."
 
NJCU will play an even split of eight home and eight away games this year with eight games apiece in September and October.