WICHITA, Kan. — With two of the best seasons in program history in the rearview mirror, the Newman women's soccer team has a clear goal for the 2018 season.

Keep pushing up the hill.

The 2016 season saw the Jets finish with a winning record for the first time in six years. They followed that up by setting program records for both overall and conference wins with an 11-6-2 (8-4-2) mark in 2017.

Along the way came wins, numerous records and a trip to the conference postseason in 2017.

It's clear that the Jets' momentum is heading the right direction, and it's around this time that coach Aaron Avila feels that certain lofty goals start becoming attainable.

"Every team wants to win a conference championship, but some teams know deep down that they're probably not going to," he said. "Our team wants to win one, and now I think they have the confidence to know that they're capable of winning one. It's obviously not a given. There's a lot of talented teams out there, and you have to have so many things go right, but they know they have the talent that they can go out and win."

A rock-solid defense in 2016 slid back toward the mean a tad in 2017, but that was countered by a prolific offense. Last season, the Jets were 13th in the nation in scoring average and had four of the top eight individual goal scorers in the Heartland Conference.

Top scorer Rosa Urista-Chico is gone, but the other three in the conference leaderboard are back, including all-region performer Colleen Howland, who was 11th in the country with 10 assists. Heavyweight goal-scorers in Karen Tamayo and Grace Linton also return.

In fact, 11 of the 13 players who appeared in at least 16 games last season are back on the roster for another go in the final season of the Heartland Conference before the Jets move to begin competing in the MIAA in 2019.

"This year being the last year of the conference, it's our last chance to win a Heartland Conference championship," Avila said. "We want to make it back into the conference tournament, and be playing well enough along the way that we're challenging for the championship."

Newman heads north for its season opener Friday at Nebraska-Kearney. They'll make their home debut Sept. 8 with a 6 p.m. contest against Southern Nazarene at Wilkins Field.

SEASON BREAKDOWN (2017 statistics in parentheses)

Forwards

Returners: Colleen Howland (Sr., first-team all-conference, 19 GP, 8g, 10a, 26 pts, 20 SOG, 2 GWG); Karen Tamayo (Sr., 18 GP, 6g, 3a, 15 pts, 22 SOG, 1 GWG); Grace Linton (Sr., all-conference, 11 GP, 8g, 1a, 17 pts, 17 SOG, 2 GWG)

Newcomers: Kennedy Weaver (Fr., Butler CC); Kyla Kreemer (Jr., Butler CC)

Coach Speak: "Up top, that's the spot where we do have a good group returning. We have several new players we can work in there as well. That's the position where we're going to have to do a little bit more changing and moving around. If we stay healthy, we should have a very good group up top."

Midfielders

Returners: Dayna Johnson (Sr., 16 GP, 6 SOG); Caitlin Davis (Jr., 17 GP, 1g, 2 pts, 2 SOG); Vanessa Ortiz (Jr., all-conference, 19 GP, 2g, 1a, 5 pts, 9 SOG, 1 GWG); Lexi Clark (Sr., all-conference, 18 GP, 1g, 2a, 4 pts, 6 SOG); Emma Stewart (Sr., 19 GP, 1g, 3a, 5 pts, 5 SOG); Kaitlyn Logan (So., 18 GP, 1g, 2a, 7 pts, 5 SOG); Makena Schroeder (So., 13 GP, 1a, 1 pts, 1 SOG); Emma Barnett (Fr., redshirted)

Newcomers: Katie Hartman (Jr., Butler CC)

Coach Speak: "Our midfielders are definitely the most experienced group. We don't have many newcomers there, one maybe two that will get in there. So, for the most part, it's the same, and we know what to expect out of that group, with the new players giving a little boost. Very solid and experienced in the middle."

Defenders

Returners: Kylie Logan (Sr., 4 GP, 32 min.); Kyra Butler (So., all-conference, 19 GP, 1594 min.); Briana Marin (Sr., redshirted); Jadyn Eddy (So., 10 GP, 206 min.); Quincy Plank (Sr., 19 GP, 1348 min.)

Newcomers: Sarra Gutknecht (Fr., Rapid City Central HS, S.D.); Claire Carter (Fr., Lincoln Southeast HS, Neb.); Madison Shay (Fr., Southmoore HS, Okla.); Jordan Ashworth (Fr., Bishop McGuinness HS, Okla.); Baylee Vaughn (Sr., Rockhurst); Makenna Schmal (Fr., Lincoln East HS, Neb.); Evelyn Nguyen (Fr., Kapaun Mt. Carmel HS)

Coach Speak: "We lost several defenders, but we're returning a good core of players in the back, including two starters. A lot of our freshmen are defensive players, so it will be interesting to see how they develop. We have the most youth there, but with the returning experience, they'll carry us while the others develop."

Goalkeepers

Returners: Ashley Sweetnam (Sr.)

Newcomers: Elena Garcia (Jr., Butler CC); Jackie Lari (Fr., Crean Lutheran HS, Calif.)

Coach Speak: "It's great to have some depth this year, having three keepers instead of just one like last year. It will create a lot of competition, and it already has. We should be a lot stronger in the goal with a lot more depth. It's kind of hard to tell even now after a few weeks, so it should be a pretty good battle all year to see who gets the playing time."