SLU’s Emily Puricelli, a three-time All-A-10 performer and All-American last season, is ranked as one of the best goalkeepers in the country heading into this season. (Photo: Cedric Williams)

Paige Dale
Staff Writer

KANSAS CITY, MO — Saint Louis University senior Emily Puricelli received a high honor this week, as the women’s soccer team began practice for the new season. Puricelli was named “Goalkeeper to Watch” for the 2023 season by United Soccer Coaches.

Puricelli has started between the posts in all 62 games of her SLU career. She begins her senior season tied for first in wins (48), second in goals against average (0.65) and minutes (5,565), third in shutouts (29) and seventh in saves (170) on the Billikens’ career lists.

A United Soccer Coaches third-team All-American last season, Puricelli led the nation with 13 shutouts and ranked third with 20 wins, both school records. She also registered a career-best 0.46 goals against average, good for fifth nationally.

Puricelli is a three-time Atlantic 10 All-Conference selection, including a pair of first-team nods. She has earned All-Region honors twice, including first-team plaudits in 2022, and was the A-10 Defensive Player of the Year as a freshman. Puricelli has been chosen to two A-10 Championship All-Tournament teams, is the SLU record holder for goalkeeper minutes in a season (2049:34 in 2021), and co-owns the Billikens’ record for saves in a game (14 vs. Rutgers in the 2021 NCAA Championship second round).

Fans will get their first chance to see Puricelli and the rest of the Billikens on Tuesday, August 8, when they’ll play an exhibition game against local rival, Lindenwood University. That contest will be played at Lindenwood’s Hunter Stadium and is scheduled to kickoff at 7 p.m.

Saint Louis will host an exhibition game next Saturday, August 12, at Hermann Stadium against Evansville.

The Billikens, who head into the new season ranked No. 21 in the United Soccer Coaches preseason Top 25, will play their regular season opener on August 17 at BYU. The 2023 home opener will be August 24 against Creighton.

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