Things are progressing nicely for first-year Chabot women's soccer coach Dan Chubbock.

With the new season at hand, Chubbock and the young Gladiators are excited to embark on a building-block campaign. Last week the roster stood at 18 players, 17 of whom are expected to return next year, but the number could grow soon.

"We're in a good place. The program didn't have a season last year, so we're already ahead of the curve there," said Chubbock, who also coaches the Piedmont High girls soccer team in the winter season and is Director of Coaching for Piedmont Soccer Club.

Chabot opens nonconference play on Tuesday against visiting Marin (1-0) . Kickoff is 4 p.m.

"I'm excited. I'm really happy where we are as a team right now," Chubbock said. "Obviously there's gonna be challenges throughout the season, but I'm optimistic to get some results along the way, get some performances, see the team get better and better."

The man who guided Piedmont to its first North Coast Section Division 4 title in 20 years last winter is working on establishing a formidable starting 11 at Chabot. Recruiting has gone well.

"We've got players at every position now I'm pretty happy with," he said. "… Our staring 11 is going to be competitive. The depth is not there, as I'm sure you can imagine going from having no players to forming a roster."

He's impressed with the players' character, describing them as "hard working young women who are enjoying themselves. They love the game. They want to get better and they want to have a great college soccer experience."

Here's a look at the squad:

GOALKEEPER: The team just added Nat Hassmann from Chicago, who is expected to see playing time quickly as she assimilates into the squad. Elizabeth Tapia (James Logan HS), also a solid field player, is a good shot-stopper vying for minutes. Strong communicator Emilie Anderson is showing potential and provides depth in her return to the sport.

DEFENDERS: The team boasts two strong center backs in Giselle Caballero and Sophia Amezcua. Caballero, a captain and one of two returners, is solid. "Great person," Chubbock said. "Really, really positive. Great work ethic. Strong defender, yet decent passer of the ball, and yet good leadership qualities."

Amezcua is also a strong, physical, aggressive defender who likes to take the ball into the midfield, the coach says. "Good player, so I'm really happy with those two. The center back pairing is really going to help us." Left back Julie Lemoine is another good player, left footed, who is clever and knows how to defend, knows how to get forward. She may play midfield as well.

MIDFIELD: Margarita Vinciguerra, a former fullback, was converted to midfielder by Chubbock over the spring and summer. "She's very, very good on the ball, good understanding of the game and another one of our captains. Just really practices (hard) and leads by example. She's great." Selena Davalos, a standout at Arroyo High, is a key addition.

Natalia Lumley (Arroyo) has speed and skill and is solid in the final third.

Emily Hornig, a Berkeley High graduate and club coach, is another team captain who is returning to the sport. "Very athletic, hard worker. Her fitness is just incredible how she can get up and down the line," the coach says. "She strikes the ball very well with her left foot and her right foot."

FORWARD: Marin Michieli is a center forward out of Castro Valley High. "Strong center forward, holds the ball up really, really well … Great attitude. The day she showed up to practice all the other girls were very excited. They were, like, wow, We've got a goal scorer."