KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- Being the conference underdog, as the Western Michigan University women's soccer team was going into the 2023 season, it was always nice as it got to be the chaser, hopefully pulling off a few upset victories along the way.

For the Broncos in 2024, it's a whole different ball game. 

As defending Mid-American Conference champions, they will be trying to fend off everyone during another tough season, which opens at home on Aug. 15 against Northern Kentucky. The MAC opener is at Ohio University on Sept. 19. 

''Defending champ definitely sounds great, but it puts a target on our backs and we're not the underdogs chasing any more,'' graduate student and 2023 All-MAC first teamer Jen Blitchok said. ''It's tough, but we have to maintain the underdog mentality, because that's what got us through last season.''

And a special season it was. Western Michigan was 12-4-3 overall and 8-0-3 in the MAC. It outscored its opponents, 36-16, and had nine shutouts, six of them in league play.

With 17 players returning from last season, including the top four scorers, it's been a different, and good, start of practice this year.

''We are miles ahead of last year,'' head coach Lewis Robinson, the 2023 MAC Coach of the Year, said. ''They all know our playing style and program expectations unlike last season when there were a lot of new players.

''The returners, and even the new players and transfers, know our standards and it's a lot easier starting point than last year when we had so many new players. There are expectations of bettering last year for sure and that's natural.''

The top four returning scorers are Blitchok (co-captain, nine goals, six assists, 24 points), senior Jenna Blackburn (co-captain, 6-6 – 18); senior 2023 All-MAC first teamer Abby Werthman (5-5 – 15), and senior Emily Pagett (4-4 – 12). On the defensive end, coming back is MAC Goalkeeper of the Year senior Lauren Boafo, who had a 0.84 goals-against average in 2023.

Senior Brielle Gomez, junior Heidi Thomasma and junior co-captain Mira Pierre-Webster also played in all 19 games last season. Junior Madi Canada and senior Jaden Peck saw action in 18 games.

Robinson brought in two senior transfers, Maya Dean from Bowling Green and Callie Cunningham from Kent State. In all, WMU has 14 seniors or graduate students on this year's roster.

''Our strength is certainly depth,'' Robinson said. ''We've really improved in that area.

''We have so much competition in every position, which is great if we take it the right way, which we talk about all the time. All these players are a year older and a year hungrier. All our fifth-year players are here because they want success, not just to play soccer for one more year. They want to do better than last year and get to the national stage.''

Getting to the NCAA tournament was about the only thing Western Michigan didn't accomplish last year. That was because the Broncos lost to Kent State, 2-1, in the MAC Tournament Semifinals, in a game hosted by WMU.

''I think we have put the loss behind us, but we have also learned so much from it,'' Blitchok said. ''I feel we have put it behind us, especially with so many new players coming in.

''It definitely motivates us. It definitely sounds great to be called defending MAC champions, though.''

The loss to Kent State knocked the Broncos out of a spot in the NCAA tournament.

''My goal this year is to make the NCAA field,'' Blitchok said. ''It's something I've never done in my career.''

Added Robinson: ''Our goal is to win the MAC, win the conference tournament and make a splash on the national scene.'

'We were so bummed last year because we were good enough to get to the nationals. We don't just want to get to the NCAA tournament…we want to win some games.''

With almost 96 percent of last season's points and 22 of 32 players returning along with a lot of leadership, that could happen.