Jefferson Hagen
MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – Aloha, MacEwan Griffins!
That's set to be a common phrase for the MacEwan women's soccer team next month as they get set to jet to Hawaii for a series of exhibition games – the signature trip of their 2023 winter schedule, released Thursday.
The Griffins will meet the University of Hawaii, Hawaii Pacific University and top local soccer club Lahai during the Feb. 15-24 trip with the possibility of adding one more game to the slate.
It will be the third time head coach Dean Cordeiro has taken a team to the Aloha State – once when he was bench boss of the Concordia Thunder and most recently when he took the Griffins' 2019 squad to Honolulu.
"We're fortunate to have this all come together," said Cordeiro. "This is the third time I've brought a team to Hawaii, and we've just forged some really good relationships, in particular with the University of Hawaii head coach Michelle Nagamine. She's been great and always wants good competition. She's been extremely helpful.
"Our feature match will be against University of Hawaii on Feb. 23, the last day we're there. We played them back in 2019, and drew them 2-2. It was a great result."
Indeed, considering that's a solid NCAA Div. 1 program. The Rainbow Wahine finished the 2022 season with a 6-6-6 record.
"They have awesome facilities and it's cool to see how we stack up versus a top NCAA Div. 1 program," said Cordeiro. "We'll also play Hawaii Pacific University – another solid program, at the DII level. Then we'll also be playing against Lahai Soccer Club – one of the top clubs on the island there, as well.
"The team is excited. It's been a lot of work to get this trip together. We're a couple weeks out, so we're putting the finishing touches on things."
MacEwan's winter exhibition schedule actually kicks off on Friday vs. Calgary Foothills – a squad which will feature some of their younger United Women's Soccer Leagues talent (11:30 a.m., Foote Field Dome).
It's the first of 11 games on the schedule – several against top Canada West teams – with the possibility for more (the Griffins are aiming to either travel to Victoria or Manitoba for a late season tournament, not yet confirmed).
"We have 11 matches scheduled; we try to emulate what we do in the fall in the winter," said Cordeiro. "Getting a similar amount of games to our regular season really helps our team building into next fall.
"We're excited to see where the group is at and results from all the hard work the players are putting in. We've graduated a few, so there are some spots that are open. It's an opportunity for people to step up and work their way up the depth chart. It's exciting."
On the schedule is also a meeting vs. the Canadian women's national military soccer team (March 23, 10 p.m., Foote Field), who are in Edmonton for a training camp.
"That will be a cool experience to play that group as they prepare for their Military Olympics," said Cordeiro. "I would assume they'll be extremely fit and physical. It will be a good test for our squad."