The Binghamton University women’s soccer team is set to begin a ‘new era’ this season, but some of the holdovers from the last championship team are still hoping to put one final stamp on their era.

In for the season is a new goalie, Erin Iman, as Kristie Bowers, the keeper for the past four seasons, has graduated. Also new to this season is the brand new Bearcat Sports Complex, the new home of BU soccer featuring artificial turf, new stands and lights.

But it is where things remain the same that this Bearcat team will draw its strength.

In 2004 Binghamton won the America East women’s soccer championship for the first time in school history, relying heavily on a very strong group of underclassmen. Current Bearcat forwards Kim Povill and Danielle White, midfielders Tricia Reed and Kerry O’Shaughnessy, and backs Erica Eddy and Katie Kerrigan, all played big roles in that championship squad. Midfielder Mackenzie Harris and back Christina Butler also still remain from that team. The team will look to these proven winners to guide the younger players who represent their last hope for a second title.

‘Leadership is absolutely critical,’ said head coach Jeff Leightman. ‘When you have a team with a championship mentality that comes from the leadership group. It’s a critical thing for younger players to learn from them.’

The need for this leadership will perhaps be most evident in the back line, which returns all three starters, Kerrigan, Eddy and sophomore Nicole Montoya, who will play in front of Iman, a sophomore transfer most recently of the Richmond Spiders.

Iman has some large shoes to fill as Bowers posted seven shutouts last season and played goalie for the championship winning team in 2003. But from what Leightman has seen so far, he does not seem worried.

‘She will do quite well,’ he said. ‘Obviously when you graduate your four-year starter there’s concern. But she has a good presence and deals with crosses a bit better than Kristie did.’

Iman appeared in four contests last season while starting three and recording a save percentage of .704.

‘The thing that made [Bowers] irreplaceable was her leadership, but if you look at where she was as a senior and as a freshman, I think Erin has an opportunity to surpass even where Bowers was,’ Leightman said. ‘Obviously we’re going to miss her, but it’s time for a new era.’

Playing behind an experienced set of defenders also doesn’t hurt her chances. With Kerrigan and Eddy bringing the championship mentality, and Montoya returning as the only defender to be named to the AE All-Rookie team, the transition to Iman should be seamless.

Luckily for the Bearcats, they may not have to rely on their goaltending and back line as much as they have in years past. Last season the team participated in eight 1-0 or 0-0 affairs, including their season finale in the America East quarterfinals when they lost on penalty kicks.

The Bearcats should have no problem scoring goals this season with the return of Povill, Reed and the now fully healthy White.

White, the Bearcats’ leading scorer two seasons ago, missed most of last season with a broken nose, and her absence left a big hole in the lineup. When healthy, White provides an infusion of speed and offensive firepower that cannot be made up.

‘When you get your leading scorer back after injury, that’s a good thing,’ Leightman said. ‘I think we are going to be a lot deeper of a team than we were last year. We can deal with injuries a little bit better.’

Povill, the team’s returning striker, is a vital playmaker who tallied three goals and two assists last season, and will serve as a physical presence on the field, making the rest of the team better.

Three starters return to the Bearcats midfield, including first team all-conference senior Tricia Reed. Reed tallied a team-high four goals and nine points last season, and her coach regards her as arguably the best midfielder in the AE.

‘She is playing at a very high level right now,’ Leightman said. ‘Once she gets healthy she will be dynamite.’

Joining Reed in the middle of the five-person starting midfield will be sophomore Amanda Casares, who played in 14 games as a junior, and freshman Casey Pedersen, a very sound player who specializes in ball-winning.

Flanking this big three will be sophomore Katie Eaton and freshman Stefani Knopick. Eaton started 14 games as a freshman last season and will play on the left side. Knopick, an extremely athletic two-way player, will split time with O’Shaughnessy.