University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Ocean Springs Duo Roots of Southern Miss Soccer Success
11/1/2018 10:45:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Childhood friends and teammates, Ashton Stennis and Karsen Gildea reunite on collegiate pitch
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The Southern Miss women's soccer team is currently enjoying one of the most successful seasons in the history of the program.
The Golden Eagles finished the regular season with an overall record of 11-5-1 and a record of 5-4-1 in C-USA play. The Golden Eagles' five conference wins are also the most since 2000.
After qualifying for the C-USA Women's Soccer Tournament for the first time since 2007, Southern Miss took full advantage of their postseason bid as they shutout No. 3 seed UAB 1-0 in the quarterfinals on Wednesday afternoon in upset fashion to advance to the semifinals on Friday.
Wednesday's win against UAB brought the Southern Miss women's soccer program its 12th win of the season, marking the most wins in a single-season in program history. It was also the first C-USA Tournament win for the program since 1999.
With their shutout against UAB, the defense extended their single-season shutout record to 10 shutouts, shattering the previous record of seven shutouts set in 2003.
A large part of the Golden Eagles' defensive success in 2018 has come due to the play and leadership of senior defender Ashton Stennis. A four-year member of the Southern Miss women's soccer team, Stennis along with fellow senior defender Ola Akinniyi have set the tone for the Golden Eagles' backline, leading them to new heights. The Ocean Springs, Miss. native has logged a total of 1,576 minutes played, the most by any Southern Miss player this season.
Playing 1,000+ minutes can certainly take its toll but Stennis' motivation is what helps her keep going "When I step on the pitch, I am playing for every single person on the field wearing Black & Gold whether they are on the bench or playing, and I am also playing for my family. That's my motivation. I love the game so much that when I step on the field all of my energy comes from that motivation," said Stennis.
Stennis isn't the only Gulf Coast native that is making an impact on the Southern Miss women's soccer program, fellow Ocean Springs native, Karsen Gildea is leaving her mark as well.
Gildea has been a team leader for the Golden Eagles ever since she stepped on the Southern Miss campus. Her character, work ethic, and lead by example attitude have made an immediate impact on the program and helped the team achieve success in 2018.
As for Stennis and Gildea, their connection and success as both teammates and friends began long before either of them ever entertained the thought of suiting up for the Golden Eagles.
The pair grew up in the town of Ocean Springs, Miss. located on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. It was there, that their connection was formed and their passion for the game of soccer began.
The two first began playing together during their middle school years and then found their way onto the same team in high school. Stennis and Gildea spent their high school careers playing for Ocean Springs High School, one of the most successful high school soccer programs in the state of Mississippi.
During their time at Ocean Springs High School, Stennis and Gildea garnered many individual accolades between the two, including All-State, All-District and All-Region honors as well as Sun Herald Player of the Year honors. In addition, they helped lead the program to multiple state championship appearances, including the school's first State Championship in girl's soccer in 2013.
Their talent didn't go unnoticed, as both players caught the eyes of college coaches. Stennis, the older of the two narrowed her choices to further her playing career down to three schools before deciding on Southern Miss. Stennis passed on Mississippi State and South Alabama. Like many other athletes, Southern Miss won over the highly talented Mississippian due to its family environment and proximity to her hometown.
"I grew up coming to Southern Miss. My dad went to school here so I was already familiar with the campus, it is close to home for me and I really liked the environment when I came to visit," Stennis said.
Southern Miss head women's soccer coach Mohammed El-Zare was impressed with the competitiveness of Stennis and that is what made her standout to the Golden Eagles' head coach "Ashton just has a competitive nature. She is competitive as a person and as a student-athlete. Her desire to compete is something that we wanted on our team. She came into the 2018 season ready to leave our program better than she found it when she came in as a freshman. Ashton is a great leader for our team and she helps our younger players with the mental aspect of the game," said El-Zare.
Gildea, who graduated from Ocean Springs High School one year after Stennis, made the decision to continue her playing career at Pearl River Community College in Poplarville, Miss.
At PRCC, Gildea was a standout goalkeeper for the Wildcats over the course of her two years. She was selected to play in the MACJC Women's Soccer All-Star game following the conclusion of her sophomore season.
After a successful JUCO career, Gildea was ready to hang up her boots and begin a new chapter of her life away from the pitch, but as fate would have it, she wound up on the campus of Southern Miss as a member of the Golden Eagles' women's soccer program anyway.
"I went to Pearl River Community College my first two years of college and I wasn't planning to play anywhere after PRCC, then coach Mo (Southern Miss head women's soccer coach Mohammed El-Zare) reached out. God gave me the opportunity to come here so I am just playing and doing it for him," Gildea said.
Like Stennis, El-Zare found another Ocean Springs native with a competitive nature that caught his attention and he wanted to make her a part of his program. "Karsen is a genuine person that brings a positive energy to our team. Her relentless work ethic and desire to be the best brings out the best in the other players on our team. We needed somebody that was seasoned and that could provide a lot of leadership for our young team and Karsen has filled that role for us," El-Zare said.
Another factor that played into Gildea's decision to continue her playing career at Southern Miss was the opportunity to reunite and play with her hometown friend and high school teammate, Ashton Stennis.
"Being able to play with Ashton again was a factor for me in choosing Southern Miss because being able to play with her again is a comfort, it's like having a piece of home here with me at Southern Miss. I was super nervous about playing here (Southern Miss) and Ashton kept telling me to just calm down and relax," Karsen said.
When scrolling through the Southern Miss women's soccer roster, the Ocean Springs' duo stand out as the lone Mississippians on the roster.
In a state that is far more known for its football as opposed to its fútbol, Stennis and Gildea are two of just 15 current Mississippians that have been fortunate enough to earn a spot on one of the six Division I women's soccer rosters in the state of Mississippi.
You don't have to tell them that the odds of soccer success were stacked against them based on the state that they grew up in, the small town Mississippi kids are fully aware of what they were up against when trying to turn their collegiate soccer dreams into reality.
Being a part of a team that has helped the Southern Miss women's soccer program turn the corner as Mississippi natives is something that is very important to Stennis and Gildea and it is something that the duo doesn't take lightly.
"It is very important to me. To be the only two players from Mississippi on the roster, helping a Mississippi school, is pretty special. People don't really think of Mississippi when it comes to soccer. We don't have as many opportunities for soccer at the youth level in comparison to other states. We have club soccer but the level is not as advanced," said Ashton Stennis.
"To know that Southern Miss recruits outside of Mississippi and that Ashton and I are both players from Mississippi, should motivate other kids in the state to know that there is hope. You can do it, you can play here. Seeing that Ashton and I are actually doing it is pretty cool," Said Karsen Gildea.
As for the success of the Southern Miss women's soccer team this season, the Magnolia State kids attribute it all to teamwork and team chemistry.
"I think that our team connection this season is what has allowed us to have so much success. We've had a good connection in the past but not as strong as we do now. We all understand each other and we all have the will to win. In the past, we didn't always have the best attitude as a team. We never realized how much fun it is to actually win. As a team, I think we all understand that now," Stennis said.
"Even though I haven't been here that long, just knowing what they all have gone through in the past, and knowing what we are now ... it's just incredibly awesome to know that just this group of girls can make a difference. Our roster is small but I think that benefits us because we all know each other's weaknesses, we know each other's strengths, and we can help each other because of that. I don't know all the details of the past teams but as an outsider stepping in, I can say that this team is a family, we are a unit, and we all have each other's backs," Gildea said.
The teamwork sentiment is echoed from the coaching staff, the players, the team's supporting staff, and even the team's social media account where the hashtag "#ONE" appears on almost all of their posts solidifying the unity and bond that exists among the Golden Eagles' 2018 squad.
Southern Miss will take on FAU in the semifinals of the 2018 Air Force Reserve Women's Soccer Championship in Norfolk, Va. on Friday, November 2 at 4:30 p.m. (ET)/3:30 p.m. (CT) where they will look to continue their record-setting season with a victory over the Owls. Friday will mark the first time that Southern Miss has played in the semifinal round of the C-USA Women's Soccer Tournament since 1999, and a win on Friday would be the first semifinal win for the Southern Miss women's soccer program.
In a season that has been all about growth for the Southern Miss women's soccer program, Stennis and Gildea have been the homegrown roots that have helped the program grow.
The Golden Eagles finished the regular season with an overall record of 11-5-1 and a record of 5-4-1 in C-USA play. The Golden Eagles' five conference wins are also the most since 2000.
After qualifying for the C-USA Women's Soccer Tournament for the first time since 2007, Southern Miss took full advantage of their postseason bid as they shutout No. 3 seed UAB 1-0 in the quarterfinals on Wednesday afternoon in upset fashion to advance to the semifinals on Friday.
Wednesday's win against UAB brought the Southern Miss women's soccer program its 12th win of the season, marking the most wins in a single-season in program history. It was also the first C-USA Tournament win for the program since 1999.
With their shutout against UAB, the defense extended their single-season shutout record to 10 shutouts, shattering the previous record of seven shutouts set in 2003.
A large part of the Golden Eagles' defensive success in 2018 has come due to the play and leadership of senior defender Ashton Stennis. A four-year member of the Southern Miss women's soccer team, Stennis along with fellow senior defender Ola Akinniyi have set the tone for the Golden Eagles' backline, leading them to new heights. The Ocean Springs, Miss. native has logged a total of 1,576 minutes played, the most by any Southern Miss player this season.
Playing 1,000+ minutes can certainly take its toll but Stennis' motivation is what helps her keep going "When I step on the pitch, I am playing for every single person on the field wearing Black & Gold whether they are on the bench or playing, and I am also playing for my family. That's my motivation. I love the game so much that when I step on the field all of my energy comes from that motivation," said Stennis.
Stennis isn't the only Gulf Coast native that is making an impact on the Southern Miss women's soccer program, fellow Ocean Springs native, Karsen Gildea is leaving her mark as well.
Gildea has been a team leader for the Golden Eagles ever since she stepped on the Southern Miss campus. Her character, work ethic, and lead by example attitude have made an immediate impact on the program and helped the team achieve success in 2018.
As for Stennis and Gildea, their connection and success as both teammates and friends began long before either of them ever entertained the thought of suiting up for the Golden Eagles.
The pair grew up in the town of Ocean Springs, Miss. located on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. It was there, that their connection was formed and their passion for the game of soccer began.
The two first began playing together during their middle school years and then found their way onto the same team in high school. Stennis and Gildea spent their high school careers playing for Ocean Springs High School, one of the most successful high school soccer programs in the state of Mississippi.
During their time at Ocean Springs High School, Stennis and Gildea garnered many individual accolades between the two, including All-State, All-District and All-Region honors as well as Sun Herald Player of the Year honors. In addition, they helped lead the program to multiple state championship appearances, including the school's first State Championship in girl's soccer in 2013.
Their talent didn't go unnoticed, as both players caught the eyes of college coaches. Stennis, the older of the two narrowed her choices to further her playing career down to three schools before deciding on Southern Miss. Stennis passed on Mississippi State and South Alabama. Like many other athletes, Southern Miss won over the highly talented Mississippian due to its family environment and proximity to her hometown.
"I grew up coming to Southern Miss. My dad went to school here so I was already familiar with the campus, it is close to home for me and I really liked the environment when I came to visit," Stennis said.
Southern Miss head women's soccer coach Mohammed El-Zare was impressed with the competitiveness of Stennis and that is what made her standout to the Golden Eagles' head coach "Ashton just has a competitive nature. She is competitive as a person and as a student-athlete. Her desire to compete is something that we wanted on our team. She came into the 2018 season ready to leave our program better than she found it when she came in as a freshman. Ashton is a great leader for our team and she helps our younger players with the mental aspect of the game," said El-Zare.
Gildea, who graduated from Ocean Springs High School one year after Stennis, made the decision to continue her playing career at Pearl River Community College in Poplarville, Miss.
At PRCC, Gildea was a standout goalkeeper for the Wildcats over the course of her two years. She was selected to play in the MACJC Women's Soccer All-Star game following the conclusion of her sophomore season.
After a successful JUCO career, Gildea was ready to hang up her boots and begin a new chapter of her life away from the pitch, but as fate would have it, she wound up on the campus of Southern Miss as a member of the Golden Eagles' women's soccer program anyway.
"I went to Pearl River Community College my first two years of college and I wasn't planning to play anywhere after PRCC, then coach Mo (Southern Miss head women's soccer coach Mohammed El-Zare) reached out. God gave me the opportunity to come here so I am just playing and doing it for him," Gildea said.
Like Stennis, El-Zare found another Ocean Springs native with a competitive nature that caught his attention and he wanted to make her a part of his program. "Karsen is a genuine person that brings a positive energy to our team. Her relentless work ethic and desire to be the best brings out the best in the other players on our team. We needed somebody that was seasoned and that could provide a lot of leadership for our young team and Karsen has filled that role for us," El-Zare said.
Another factor that played into Gildea's decision to continue her playing career at Southern Miss was the opportunity to reunite and play with her hometown friend and high school teammate, Ashton Stennis.
"Being able to play with Ashton again was a factor for me in choosing Southern Miss because being able to play with her again is a comfort, it's like having a piece of home here with me at Southern Miss. I was super nervous about playing here (Southern Miss) and Ashton kept telling me to just calm down and relax," Karsen said.
When scrolling through the Southern Miss women's soccer roster, the Ocean Springs' duo stand out as the lone Mississippians on the roster.
In a state that is far more known for its football as opposed to its fútbol, Stennis and Gildea are two of just 15 current Mississippians that have been fortunate enough to earn a spot on one of the six Division I women's soccer rosters in the state of Mississippi.
You don't have to tell them that the odds of soccer success were stacked against them based on the state that they grew up in, the small town Mississippi kids are fully aware of what they were up against when trying to turn their collegiate soccer dreams into reality.
Being a part of a team that has helped the Southern Miss women's soccer program turn the corner as Mississippi natives is something that is very important to Stennis and Gildea and it is something that the duo doesn't take lightly.
"It is very important to me. To be the only two players from Mississippi on the roster, helping a Mississippi school, is pretty special. People don't really think of Mississippi when it comes to soccer. We don't have as many opportunities for soccer at the youth level in comparison to other states. We have club soccer but the level is not as advanced," said Ashton Stennis.
"To know that Southern Miss recruits outside of Mississippi and that Ashton and I are both players from Mississippi, should motivate other kids in the state to know that there is hope. You can do it, you can play here. Seeing that Ashton and I are actually doing it is pretty cool," Said Karsen Gildea.
As for the success of the Southern Miss women's soccer team this season, the Magnolia State kids attribute it all to teamwork and team chemistry.
"I think that our team connection this season is what has allowed us to have so much success. We've had a good connection in the past but not as strong as we do now. We all understand each other and we all have the will to win. In the past, we didn't always have the best attitude as a team. We never realized how much fun it is to actually win. As a team, I think we all understand that now," Stennis said.
"Even though I haven't been here that long, just knowing what they all have gone through in the past, and knowing what we are now ... it's just incredibly awesome to know that just this group of girls can make a difference. Our roster is small but I think that benefits us because we all know each other's weaknesses, we know each other's strengths, and we can help each other because of that. I don't know all the details of the past teams but as an outsider stepping in, I can say that this team is a family, we are a unit, and we all have each other's backs," Gildea said.
The teamwork sentiment is echoed from the coaching staff, the players, the team's supporting staff, and even the team's social media account where the hashtag "#ONE" appears on almost all of their posts solidifying the unity and bond that exists among the Golden Eagles' 2018 squad.
Southern Miss will take on FAU in the semifinals of the 2018 Air Force Reserve Women's Soccer Championship in Norfolk, Va. on Friday, November 2 at 4:30 p.m. (ET)/3:30 p.m. (CT) where they will look to continue their record-setting season with a victory over the Owls. Friday will mark the first time that Southern Miss has played in the semifinal round of the C-USA Women's Soccer Tournament since 1999, and a win on Friday would be the first semifinal win for the Southern Miss women's soccer program.
In a season that has been all about growth for the Southern Miss women's soccer program, Stennis and Gildea have been the homegrown roots that have helped the program grow.
Players Mentioned
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