When Temple welcomed its current senior class back in 2021, the program was working its way out of years of struggle. The Owls hoped to step back into the Big East spotlight in head coach Michelle Vittese’s first season with a roster full of young talent.
The class was headlined by back Alizé Maes and midfielders Tess Muller, Devin Kinzel and Julia Bunch, who all helped lead Temple back to relevance. The group became the heartbeat of the Owls, never missing the postseason and leading Temple to the Big East Championship game this year in their senior season.
The championship game was the pinnacle of success for a group that failed to win a single postseason game the previous three years. While Temple ultimately fell 1-0 to Connecticut, the 2024 season showed that the Owls can reach the mountaintop of the Big East. However, the senior class that sparked the program’s revival is now leaving and a return to the top will be harder to achieve.
“When [the seniors] came in, this team was very different than what it is now,” Muller said. “We really tried to change the team culture a little bit and I think we’ve definitely succeeded.”
The 2024 season looked bleak after Temple went 2-4 through the first six games and had a gauntlet schedule ahead. The Owls managed to miraculously turn their season around by defeating three straight nationally-ranked opponents to storm into the postseason. The change in success can easily be attributed to the senior trio of Maes, Muller and Kinzel.
The trio combined for 20 of the team’s 42 goals and recorded 15 of the 32 total assists. They were the top three in points on the Owls for the second straight season. All three also earned all-conference honors, with Maes and Muller being named to the Big East first team and Kinzel making the second team.
Maes was also named the Big East defensive player of the year, becoming the first Temple player to win an individual award since 2014 when forward Amber Youtz won Big East Offensive Player of the Year.
“[Maes] has been able to have a lot of success because she listens and she is coachable and she is passionate about the game,” Vittese said. “She is out here all the time on her own that in a way is a dream for you to coach. She comes out, she wants to grow and she wants to get better.”
The big three’s impact went beyond their performance on the field as all of them were considered leaders for a young Owls squad. Maes and Kinzel were both team captains and their leadership on the field was evident.
Temple will also be losing midfielder Myrthe Schuilenburg, a graduate student who spent all five seasons in the Cherry and White. Schuilenburg established herself as a reliable option on the field, appearing in 93 career games and starting every game the last two years. Her departure leaves another sizable hole to fill for next season.
The losses will hurt the Owls and replacing the outgoing seniors will be a difficult task. But the returning players will give Temple a shot at reaching the championship yet again.
Back Minke Stoker and forward Marsha Ariesen should return and be key factors for the Owls. Both freshmen were starters this season and will have increased roles with the seniors gone. Goalkeeper Isabella Ospitale cemented herself as a top goalkeeper in the Big East and was one of the main reasons the team ripped off a seven-game win streak to position themselves for the conference tournament.
“I definitely hope to fill [the seniors’] shoes,” Ariesen said “Maybe not next year but I would definitely like to follow in their shoes. They’re good but I can always be better.”
Midfielders Agustina Tucceri and Peyton Rieger will also be back next year and both of them played important secondary roles this past season. Tucceri has been a three-year starter and was named to the all-tournament team this season after scoring the game-winner against Old Dominion in the conference semifinals.
The returning talent leaves hope that a return to the Big East championship is plausible for Temple. But there is no replacing the players they are losing. The Owls will not only need to replace the on-field production but also will need new leaders to step up.
“I hope [the team] is able to build on this line that we created with each other,” Muller said. “It’s the coaches and it’s all of us that helped build this program to what it is now.”
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