The Michigan women’s soccer team doesn’t exactly have the resume of many of the Wolverine sports teams on campus.

The squad is just 17 years young, with just two Big Ten Championships and no first-place finishes in the conference regular season.

Not to mention Michigan (6-1-3) is coming off a one-win season in Big Ten play, and its most successful season in recent memory was a mere third-place finish in 2004.

But a 180-degree turnaround isn't out of the question. Former U.S. Women’s National Team coach and current Wolverine head coach Greg Ryan thinks he might have the young, talented Wolverines ready to compete for their first Big Ten title since 1999.

Ryan, entering his third year as head of the program, could finally have enough of his players in place to challenge the conference's elite.

“It’s going to be very interesting because this is the first time that I’ve had a Michigan team that really has the same level, or even more talent, than very good Big Ten teams,” Ryan said last week. “So talent-wise, we should be fine. It will just come down to seeing whether we have what it takes in terms of the experience to go in and really compete for a Big Ten title. I think that it’s going to be very, very tight.”

The Wolverines are relying heavily on their skilled diaper dandies, with four freshmen earning starts in the last game against Massachusetts. Of the nine-member freshman class, eight have seen playing time. Michigan is also led in scoring by two freshmen, forward Nkem Ezurike with five goals and one assist, and midfielder Tori McCombs with three goals.

In years past, the Wolverines have had to get by with a patient defensive strategy, trying to hang with the more skilled and athletic opposition. It has taken three years to get to this point, but it seems as though Ryan’s system is finally in full swing.

“We’re so much faster and more skilled than we’ve ever been as a team,” Ryan said. “We’re definitely one of the fastest teams in the Big Ten.”

“It’s really more enjoyable for me, because I’m coaching a style of soccer that I enjoy, I love seeing the girls attack, and giving them the freedom to attack. It’s just been a pleasure coaching this group. I’m still pushing them very hard, like I did to the last two teams, so that they reach their potential. But the potential this year is much higher than in the past, because of the level of players throughout our squad.”

The team is strong at every position, with its anchor being redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Haley Kopmeyer, who led the Big Ten in saves last year. Kopmeyer has already recorded four shutouts this season.

“Haley’s been very, very good for us,” Ryan said. “Not only in her role as a goalkeeper but as a very vocal leader on the field, organizing our defense. She’s really showing that she’s a fighter. Each game she gets stronger.”

Despite the fact that they are led by so much youth, don’t be fooled into thinking that Michigan is lacking at all in veteran leadership. When asked about the team’s leaders, Ryan didn’t hesitate to single out three players, who unsurprisingly, are the team’s captains.

“Jackie Carron has been one of our top players for a few years now, as a senior defender. She’s a great leader by example.” Ryan said. “(Redshirt senior) Kylie Neschke has been a great vocal leader for us. (Redshirt sophomore) Clare Stachel has become a great leader for us. So in terms of veteran leadership, it’s going really well so far.”

With this blend of talented youngsters and stable leadership, the Wolverines seem to have all the ingredients of a successful team. So it shouldn’t surprise anyone that they have racked up a remarkable 131 shots in just seven contests. Compare that to the measly 61 shots they have allowed, and one can see how dominant they have been.

If the Wolverines can finish a little bit more efficiently (they only have 13 goals on those 131 shots), they will be tough to beat in Big Ten play.

Michigan fans won’t have to wait long to see the legitimacy of the team tested, as last year’s second-place finisher, Ohio State, comes to Ann Arbor to play in the brand new stadium on Sunday, September 26.