Nansemond River High School’s first-year girls’ soccer coach is excited about the season and has high expectations for his team.

Jonathan Baca is ready to get his first season as a head varsity coach under way. In his years prior to becoming the coach at Nansemond River, he coached club soccer, including some of the players he’ll now be coaching at school. He also ran a winter soccer program and is a coach for the Golden Ball Soccer Academy in Chesapeake.

Because he was familiar with some of the team, the transition has been smooth so far. In fact, others encouraged him to take the job because his history of working with some of the girls.

“It was an easy process going through everything,” Baca said. “I was familiar with some of the girls, so it made everything easier. I can imagine that the process would have been different for me had I gone into the situation unfamiliar. I am here and ready to help the team.”

With the team he is running this season, he has expectations that his team will make a run at the state level and maybe even national level.

He has a strong core returning. Indiah Hunter and Daijah Norris return at the forward position. Both Hunter and Norris were first-team all-conference selections last year. Sarah Rhiel and Kamarie Jewette will be returning as the two of the top defenders. They were also first-team all-conference selections. Salenna Lynch and Kayleigh McQueen will also be expected to have a solid season for the Lady Warriors this year.

“I think we have talent at every position,” Baca said. “We want to be able to play on the state level as well as maybe nationally.”

Nansemond River will play at Hickory High School at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.