The 22nd season of Austin Peay soccer is here: the opponents are locked in and the roster is finalized and brimming with head coach Kim McGowan's 'Relentless, Dedicated, and Confident' mantra. Now the only thing left to accomplish is proving the 2023 Governors are different than any other team in program history.

Don't let last season's 3-9-6 record fool you, McGowan's first year as the Govs' gaffer saw improvement across the board. From increasing the number of goals and goalscorers, to firing 100 more shots and 49 more shots on goal, and even posting the fourth-most most shutouts in a season, the Govs Got Better (a reference to the program's hashtag) throughout the opening season of the McGowan Era.

But it was just a start. 

Talk to any player, coach, or support staff member and they'll tell you the same thing: the goal is to make the postseason – a feat they missed by two matches a season ago.

"My biggest goal for the team is to make the ASUN Tournament," said team captain and senior Tori Case. "We fell short last year, but this year, and with this team, we can get there. We have all worked hard in the offseason and I feel confident it will pay off. I also want us to continue growing and representing our program well both on and off the field."

A trip to the postseason would be the first as an ASUN Conference member, and a spot in the title match would be just the third in program history and first since the 2012 OVC Championship.

Case is one of 19 players returning from last year's team. The four-year starter and two-year captain has started 44-of-45 matches in her career, playing over 3,600 minutes in the Govs' midfield.

"I think we have a different mentality going into this season," said Case. "We know our goals and what we have to do to achieve them. This team has a sense of purpose and drive that I hope will lead to a lot of success this season."

Other notable players that return for the Govs include juniors Alec Baumgardt and Lindsey McMahon.

A Federal Way, Washington native, Baumgardt led the Govs in goals (four), shots (31), and shots on goal (15) last season. The former First Team All-Ohio Valley Conference selection finished in the top five among ASUN midfielders in nearly every offensive category and has paced APSU in both points and goals each season of her career.

Hailing from Fountain Hills, Arizona, McMahon is the anchor of APSU's defensive unit. She logged a team-high 1,606 minutes last season and extended her starting streak to a team-best 35 matches in as many opportunities.

"Our returners have been working extremely hard raising the standard within our program," said McGowan. "I think Lindsey should be on every opponent's scout against us. She is hard to get by as a defender and owns the air both offensively and defensively. Her 70-yard free kicks on frame don't hurt either."

Joining the Govs' 19 returners are 11 newcomers comprised of nine freshmen – McGowan's largest class to date – and a pair of transfers in Hannah Zahn (UT Martin) and Mackenzie James (Western Michigan).

Zahn helped lead UTM to the 2021 OVC Regular-Season Championship as a freshman after starting 12 matches in the Skyhawks' midfield, while James played in 13 matches for the Broncos in 2022, making four starts, and playing 729 minutes on the defensive line.

McGowan returned to her Midwest roots with her freshman class, as three freshmen – Carolyne Young, Ava Gray, and Aniyah Mack – hail from the head coach's home state of Ohio; Vivian Burke, Alexis Shuster, and Lauryn Berry coming from Missouri; Haley Lindquist, Illinois; and Ashtyn Ivey coming to Clarksville from the Bluegrass State of Kentucky.

The second-year head coach also expanded the Govs' recruiting footprint, getting a highly-touted signing in Alana Owens from Del Mar, California – the third player in program history hailing from the Golden State and the first since APSU alumna Delanie McKeon.

With the pieces returning and the versatile additions, McGowan and her program aim to impress in 2023 with a schedule that features formidable opponents and numerous trips across the country.

From its first trip to North Dakota to face North Dakota and North Dakota State, to a quartet of ASUN matches in Florida, APSU looks for its first wins in both states, as it aims to secure its first winning season since 2017.

"The biggest matches are always the ones that are gameday," said McGowan. "Each one brings its own level of excitement and set of goals that we look to accomplish. This team is ready for the season to begin!"

The preseason all-conference teams and coaches polls are out. The United Soccer Coaches have begun to announce their "players to watch" across Division I. And it's all bulletin board material for the 2023 Governors, because it's time for them to prove…

This team is different.