ORONO – There is no shortage of optimism when it comes to the women’s and men’s soccer programs at the University of Maine.

Coach Scott Atherley returns nine starters from his women’s team that registered the first winning season (7-6-3 overall, 4-5-2 in America East) in the school’s history.

Travers Evans, on the other hand, has brought in 12 new players to begin a trek toward respectability after a 2-14 men’s campaign a year ago (1-10 in AE).

Atherley’s women’s teams had gone 7-25 (2-15 in AE) the previous two falls.

“Having our first winning season was our primary goal for last year. That brought tremendous credibility to our program. Now we expect to compete with the best teams in the conference,” said Atherley whose team barely missed the playoffs. “We expect to be in the mix for a playoff spot. That’s a realistic goal for where we are.”

Atherley says he has both quality and depth at every position.

Senior goalie Naomi Welsh was an All-America East second-teamer last year after leading the league in shutouts (7) and goals-against average (0.93). But Atherley said freshman Tanya Adomo will make the situation “very competitive.”

The back four should be exceptional, Atherley said, anchored by “fearless” and highly skilled 5-foot-11 sweeper Linda Consolante, an all-league first teamer as a freshman a year ago. She also made the all-rookie team and was on the Northeast Region’s All-Freshman team in Soccer Buzz magazine. She scored twice a year ago.

Sophomore Allison Kelly (4 assists), considered Maine’s most complete player by Atherley, will also start in the back along with All-AE honorable mention Jen Buckley and converted midfielder-forward Emily Stevens. Buckley, who had a team-high five goals, and Stevens (2 goals, 1 assist) are juniors.

All-AE honorable mention Katie Hodge (3 & 3), fellow junior Kim Walsh (1 & 3) and Virginia Commomwealth transfer Eve Briere will give Atherley a formidable midfield along with junior Sawyer Hanson and freshman Angela Clark.

The biggest area of improvement will be up front where a healthy Annie Hamel (4 & 2) returns after missing the last five games with a fractured leg. Bar Harbor’s Maija Kaldro (4 & 1) also returns as does Kate Crawford (2 & 1) and Jessica Wojcik, who was ill most of last season.

Scarborough freshman Heather Hathorn has the potential to be a prolific goal scorer according to Atherley. She had 23 goals to lead Loomis Chaffee (Conn.) to the New England Prep School championship last fall.

Scarborough’s Maureen McHugh and Winslow’s Erin Corey, both freshmen, may also contribute.

“A lot of our freshmen are going to get playing time,” said Hodge. “We’re going to have a good team.”

Evans said he is excited about his incoming freshmen on the men’s team.

“We’ve got some real good athletes who will raise the level of training and help make everybody better. Combine that with the fact our older players made a real commitment over the summer – 12 of them stayed here in Orono and worked out together – and that will provide us with the most competitive preseason we’ve had in a long time,” said Evans.

The Bears scored just 11 goals last season and the fact they allowed a whopping 65 was termed “embarrassing” by Evans.

The result is nobody has a starting spot etched in stone and defense is the top priority.

A season-ending knee injury to veteran goalie Mat Cosgriff left Evans with inexperienced goaltending.

But Josh Sjostrom, who appeared in four games, has been impressive as has freshman Chad Mongeon.

Veteran backs Eric Lemont of Brunswick and Matt Young and sparingly-used returnees Jason Souzer of Portland and Troy Walz of Sanford will be pushed by newcomers Adam Chenault, Kevin Forgett, Ryan Hodges, Ben Wilcox and Eric Peterson of Falmouth.

Patrick Kelly, East Harpswell’s Jack Rioux, Luke Garner and Waterville’s Kyle McMorrow will return in the midfield along with Matt Bernal, who suffered a season-ending knee injury. Newcomers Cooper Friend of Ellsworth and transfer Dan Florez will bolster the midfield.

Leading scorers Rob Dow (5 & 1) and Greg Bajek (4 & 1) return up front as does Keith Moore. Newcomers Kyle Vosmus of Brunswick and Andy Halligan of Falmouth will push them.

UMAINE SOCCER SCHEDULES

WOMEN

September

1, Canisius (Black Bear Invitational), 3:30 p.m.

2, Iona (BBI) 1:30 p.m.

8, at Central Connecticut, noon

13, at Providence, 4 p.m.

17, at Boston University 4 p.m.

20, vs. Denver (at University of Colorado tournament), 2 p.m.

21, at Colorado (UC Tournament), 2 p.m.

28, Marist, 10:30 a.m.

October

6, Binghamton, noon

11, Hartford, 3 p.m.

13, Sacred Heart, 1 p.m.

17, at Northeastern, 3 p.m.

20, Vermont, noon

24, at Albany, 2 p.m.

27, at Stony Brook, 1 p.m.

31, New Hampshire, 2:30 p.m.

MEN

August

30, at Quinnipiac, 2 p.m.

September

1, at Fairleigh Dickinson, 1 p.m.

8, Assumption, 1 p.m.

13, at Colgate, 7 p.m.

14, at Rider, 4:30 p.m.

21, Massachusetts, 1 p.m.

24, Harvard (at Falmouth), 7 p.m.

October

2, Albany, 3 p.m.

5, at Vermont, 2 p.m.

9, Boston University, 3 p.m.

12, at Hartford, 7 p.m.

16, Northeastern, 3 p.m.

19, at Stony Brook, 11 a.m.

27, Binghamton, noon

30, at New Hampshire, 2 p.m.

November

5, Dartmouth, 2 p.m.