Returning to serious championship status in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference is a tall order, indeed, but Minnesota State University Moorhead veteran head coach Rollie Bulock is more than willing to accept the challenge.

“We had a great spring and a very good recruiting class,” said Bulock. “We’ll be a stronger and more seasoned team this fall, and our incoming freshmen will give us more speed.”

Bulock will lean heavily on a corps of 12 returning lettermen this fall, including juniors Abby Barker (Fergus Falls), Hayley Gulayets (Calgary, ALB), Katie Hiemstra (Pierre, SD), Jillian Hoppe (St. Cloud), Andrea Pearson (Champlin), Richelle Ross (Calgary, ALB) and Sarah Toward (Isanti), and sophomores Victoria Coursen (Sterling, AK), Amanda Meyer (West St. Paul), Jena Reed (Lino Lakes), Ashley Rietz (Walcott, IA) and Katie Wiese (Mankato).

The balance of the Dragons’ 2007 roster includes sophomore Megan Reberg (Fargo, ND) and freshmen Katherine Adams (Circle Pines), Rachel Branson (Appleton, WI), Clare Dozier (St. Cloud), Kirsten Jacobse (St. Paul), Laura Kohtala (Appleton, WI), Aimee Laurencelle (Fairbanks, AK), Shanele Lundahl (Laramie, WY), Sarah Lipetzky (Bismarck, ND), Joelle Rolfs (Andover), Amanda Schlosser (Alexandria), Rachel Thompson (Quincy, IL), Tricia Vanyo (Moorhead), Angela Walsh (New Ulm) and Alison Wanner (Mandan, ND).

Barker will serve as captain in 2007.

MSU Moorhead finished 4-11-3 overall and 2-5-2 in the NSIC in 2006, and the Dragons must replace All-NSIC selection Hila Anderson.

Once again the Dragons face a taxing schedule, including non-conference matches with Minnesota State University, Mankato; Augustana College; University of Sioux Falls; University of North Dakota and Rocky Mountain College.