CHEYENNE, Wyo. (BVM) – Being a top team in the nation isn’t new to the Laramie County Community College women’s soccer team, but coming out on top is something the Golden Eagles have yet been able to accomplish.

The 2019 season wasn’t a failure in any manner, as the women experienced their first loss in the Region IX final to Gillette College. They finished the regular season 13-0-1 with seven of the 13 wins coming as shutouts.

The Golden Eagles shut out Otero Junior College, 2-0, in the Region IX quarterfinal and tied with Sheridan College in the semifinals but defeated them 5-4 in penalty kicks. They fell to Gillette College 1-0 due to an early goal against them.

The 2019 season concluded with the women’s team failing to make it out of the pool play round of the national tournament. The Golden Eagles defeated Monroe Community College 3-2 in overtime but were unable to upset the No. 1-seeded Monroe Mustangs and lost the game 3-2.

Despite an early exit of the national tournament in 2019, the team is highly respected in the NJCAA, ranked fourth in the preseason rankings and maintaining that ranking following two wins in week one — a 3-1 victory over Western Wyoming Community College and a 4-1 win over Hill College.

Against Hill College, sophomore forward Lauren Amerena scored a hat trick to lead the Golden Eagles to the victory. She now has four goals over the two-game span. Amerena is one of the leading stars to return to the team as she started 16 games as a freshman and is already halfway to matching her goals scored in the 2019 season.

Another returning leader for the team is sophomore forward Beyonce Robinson. In 2019, Robinson started all 19 games and led the team with 20 goals while adding on seven assists as well. In the 3-1 victory over Western Wyoming CC, Robinson marked her first assist from a cross to give the team a 1-0 lead.

Freshman midfielder Ainsley Basich has also come into the program and begun the season very strong. Becoming a starter in the second game of the season, Basich has scored a goal in each game thus far. A Cheyenne, Wyo. native, Basich looks to give the Golden Eagles a boost in their offensive showing this season.

LCCC begins this season with new head coach Nate Ulness, formerly head coach of Gillette College for three seasons. Ulness takes over following former coach Jim Gardner’s retirement after 18 seasons. Ulness will be only the second coach in LCCC women’s soccer history.

While at Gillette College, Ulness compiled a 31-17-3 record and coached several NJCAA All-Americans. The beginning of his career at LCCC has begun 2-0.

Despite a postponed season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Golden Eagles have been on the right track to having a similar season to last year. The team hopes to win the Region IX title, district championship and earn the opportunity to compete for the school’s first national championship.

The Golden Eagles look to maintain and improve on their national ranking in the NJCAA throughout the rest of the season which continues Saturday, April 10 against Casper College at 2:30 p.m.