CULLOWHEE, N.C. ? As has become a tradition under fifth-year head coach Tammy DeCesare, the Western Carolina women’s soccer team held its annual “Midnight Madness” practice early Tuesday morning under the lights at the Catamount Athletic Complex.

The two-hour workout session that began at 12:01 am consisted of an intra-squad scrimmage that allowed the WCU coaching staff to watch and evaluate progress, with instruction on set pieces through the second half of the practice. The team also conducted its annual “grape juice toast to the new season,” with DeCesare offering inspiring words from which to continue preseason drills.

“Our Midnight Madness practice is a break from the normal rigors of preseason training and is something we all look forward to every preseason,” said DeCesare, who has guided Western to two of the program’s three Southern Conference tournament championships. “The intra-squad game was frantic in the beginning, but once both teams settled in, I felt the competition and standard was very good for this time of the year. We still have a number of things to work on both offensively and defensively, but the foundation is certainly there to build upon.”

Up until Tuesday morning’s practice, most of the women’s soccer practices thus far have consisted of conditioning and fitness testing, with only two prior sessions consisting of implementing schemes and set pieces. The team will have 13 total days of preparation before opening the 2009 season on Friday, Aug. 21 at 7:00 pm against Gardner-Webb at the on-campus Catamount Athletic Complex.

On the condition of her squad returning to fall camp, DeCesare commented, “A majority of the players came in prepared and ready to make the most of the 2009 season.”

The WCU women’s soccer team will continue through preseason workouts with one more session on Tuesday before again being under the lights on Wednesday night. The squad’s lone preseason scrimmage will take place on Tuesday, Aug. 18 as the Catamounts host Charlotte at 5:00 pm in Cullowhee.