Last season was a frustrating one for ISU soccer. The Big 12 gauntlet beat down the Cyclones and a string of frustratingly close losses left the team without a spot in the Big 12 tournament and with a sour taste.

Of course there were sparks of excitement, hope and well-played soccer. However, injuries derailed much of Iowa State’s offensive attack causing frequently changed lineups and inconsistencies on the offensive end.

The one consistent offensive presence came in the form of Koree Willer, a soon-to-be junior, who led the team with 10 goals and two assists during the season.

Willer became the star her sophomore season after a freshman campaign in which she scored four goals and passed out six assists.

“You need that player so that you know you have a chance in any game,” said ISU coach Tony Minatta. “If you’re struggling, you always feel like you’re in it, in that Koree can pull something out at some point and time.”

Without a doubt, that was Willer. And while players will be back from injury this season and new recruits will be coming in to help share the offensive load, Minatta still expects teams to get a heavy dose of Willer.

A strong spring season has even furthered Willer’s game, which is a scary prospect for opposing coaches.

“As good as she was in the fall, she’s come in even better this spring,” Minatta said. “She’s working even harder.”

The result?

“She’s definitely playing at a higher level than what I’ve seen out of her in the past and if its any indication of the future, we’re pretty excited,” Minatta said.

Given her past accomplishments on the field, it’s clear that this season will place even more pressure on Willer’s shoulders. Even with a healthy and reloaded supporting cast, expectations are high for Willer.

The pressure comes with the position, Willer said. The forward’s job is to score goals, which is obviously rather important. As she puts it, “You can’t win if you don’t score.”

“It’s a role that I welcome for sure,” Willer said. “At times, there is a lot of pressure, but … it’s just something that you have to deal with.”

Scoring became a problem for the Cyclones last year. With much of the offensive supporting cast decimated by injury, teams surrounded Willer. She demanded the defense’s full attention and that’s what she got.

Multiple defenders were typically devoted to limiting Willer’s effectiveness. With more offensive weapons this upcoming season, Minatta thinks Willer will thrive even more.

A proven passer, Willer has the ability to do more than just score goals. She can distribute to teammates as well. Minatta said her ability to open up shots for others will benefit her scoring opportunities as well.

Teams will have to respect other offensive weapons and not zone in on Willer, which will bolster the team’s offensive attack as a whole.

The expanded offensive attack means Willer could likely be featured as a goal scorer and an assister, which sounds good to her. She is up for whatever she needs to do that will lead to more goals, and ultimately, to more victories.

“It’s something I want to do for my team,” Willer said.

As successful as Willer has been, she is always focused on a team first mentality. When asked about her individual goals for the upcoming season, she answered with a team goal: get back to the Big 12 tournament.

Then she remembered another team goal.

“And beat Iowa.”