Vanderbilt (1-2) at Mercer (0-2)
Wednesday, Feb. 19 • 12 p.m. CT
Five Star Stadium • Macon, Ga.
Series History
• This will be the third matchup between the programs in a series that Vandy leads 2-0
• The teams first met in 2021 which resulted in a 15-10 Vanderbilt victory in Music City. The last time the programs faced each other was during the 2024 season in Nashville when Vandy outscored Mercer 13-9
• This will be the Commodore’s first trip to Macon, Georgia
The Opponent
• Mercer was unanimously favored to win the Big South Conference ahead of opening draw, after winning three straight conference championships
• The Bears also had three players named to the Preseason All-Conference Team in junior attacker Caroline Glus, senior defender Abby Soltys and sophomore midfielder Ansley Walters. Mercer’s three All-Conference selections are second most to High Point in the Big South
• Soltys was also named the Preseason Big South Defensive Player of the Year
• Walters was named the Preseason Big South Midfielder of the Year
The Scouting Report
• Mercer relies heavily on Caroline Glus and Abby Soltys – who were named team captains – as experienced leaders on the team on offense and defense
• Soltys has 79 career ground balls, along with 18 career points off nine goals and nine assists so far in her career
• Glus, an attacker, scored her first two goals of the season in Mercer’s last outing at Virginia Tech. The junior posted three points off two goals and an assist
• Reining Big South Freshman of the Year Ansley Walters, scored 22 goals and dished six assists during her debut campaign last season. This year, Walters has scored in both contests
Last Time Out for the Dores
• Vandy suffered its second loss of the season in a 17-8 decision at Denver on Sunday
• Brooke Baker registered her second hat trick of the season as five different scorers found the back of the cage
• In goal, Molly Joyce posted a career-high 14 saves
• Graduate Maddie Barkate registered 10 draw controls, the most in a single game since Brianne Gross on March 3, 2021 against Mercer
AAC Preseason Midi of the Year
• Ahead of the 2025 season, Kemper Robinson was named 2025 AAC Preseason Midfielder of the Year. The senior posted 46 points off 36 goals and eight assists during last season, earning a spot on All-AAC First Team and AAC All-Tournament Team and earned weekly conference honors four times during the regular season
• Robinson finished last year with seven hat tricks, including at least one goal in 12 straight games
• The Owing Mills, Maryland native had two games with at least five goals, including one in last year’s season opener
Preseason Nods
• Vandy landed five student-athletes on the preseason all-conference team; Brooke Baker, Maddie Barkate, Molly Finlay, Alex Gladding and Kemper Robinson
• Both Baker and Robinson were unanimous selections
• The Commodores were picked to finish second in the conference behind James Madison
Comeback Season
• After suffering season-ending injuries ahead of 2024, senior Nancy Halleron and graduate Jaime Biskup made their return to the field in the season opener at Cincinnati
• Halleron, missed the 2024 season after earning 2023 All-AAC Second Team after a sophomore a campaign that saw 27 points off 22 goals and five assists
• Biskup, a transfer from Virginia, joined the black and gold ahead of the 2024 but suffered an injury during the fall season, keeping her out the entire season
• The grad student had a career-year during 2023 that saw 47 points off 36 goals and 11 assists