TOPEKA, Kan. -- The Ichabods are heading into 2017 with a familiar team on the pitch, with nine regulars starters returning from 2016, but under new direction. First-year head coach Davy Phillips brings a track record of success from his past position at Baker University, leading his Wildcats to a 44-16-6 record in three years as head coach.

Phillips is taking over a team on the rise, going from a winless campaign in 2014 to a 9-9-1 record last season. He will be aided in his first year by the  on-field leadership exhibited by an experienced squad with six seniors in the starting lineup, three of which earned all-conference honors in 2016.

The team's top three leading scorer's from 2016 all return, as well as All-MIAA honorable mention goalkeeper Kaitlin Minnich. Honrable mention selection Morgan El-Attrache led the Ichabods in virtually every offensive category last year, and provided the only multi-goal effort of 2016 against Southwest Baptist. If Washburn brings what Phillips said to expect on MIAA Virtual Media Day, which is an "expansive brand of soccer" that looks to score a lot of goals, we can expect even more from the senior midfielder in 2017.

With games against Upper Iowa University and Southwest Minnesota State University for the second straight year to kick off the season, the Ichabods are looking to avenge the two losses that came from the Peacocks and Mustangs at the beginning of 2016.

The Ichabods had success in last season's nonconference portion of the schedule, going 4-3-1. They will look to improve upon that mark to go into conference season with momentum to move past the eighth place finish the 'Bods had in the MIAA in 2016.

WU will start the season in a similar position, chosen to finish eighth in the MIAA Preseason Coaches' Poll. Phillips sees a lot of even competition within the conference, which the Ichabods will hope to find an edge over as they head into the first season of the Davy Phillips era.