Hannah Young isn't ready for this weekend's Frontier Conference soccer tournament.

Not because the Saints senior forward hasn't prepared herself for the midfield battles, the full-speed collisions or the opportunity to add one more goal to an illustrious college career.

She just knows that after the No. 1-seeded Saints finish their noon game today with the University of Great Falls and hopefully play for the tournament title on Saturday, it will be hard to say goodbye to the friendly confines of Nelson Stadium. This weekend will be the last time she plays as a Saint on that field.

"When it comes to the emotional part of it, I feel like I don't want to deal with it, because I just know it will be overwhelming," Young said.

The Frontier Conference regular season champs are hoping to make a clean sweep when they host the event, a single elimination tournament that concludes with the Saturday championship at 2 p.m.

"We're not going to take either of our games lightly," Young said. "First of all, it sets us up for (the unaffiliated tournament in) Dallas. Second, we're on our home turf, we'll have our family and friends here and homefield advantage.

"I'm not going to want to lose the last game I play in Nelson Stadium."

Young hasn't had to suffer many losses. She's already been a part of one Carroll team that made it to the NAIA national tournament two years ago and the Saints are 13-4-1 on the season.

Now, the lone senior up front - the four others, Jordan Tipton, Katie Martin, Kristine Sowers and goalie Katie Beall, all play in the defensive end - is hoping to push her team even further as one of its biggest leaders.

"I feel a little bit like I'm an older sister to them," Young said.

The 21-year-old nursing student has a reason to. On a squad loaded with freshman and sophomores, Young is a holdover from the last time the Saints participated in the national tournament in Daytona Beach, Fla. And, during that time, she's been one of the top scorers each season.

She's scored eight goals each of the last two seasons, and has eight already in 2009. She will finish her career as one of the top four scorers in Saints history, depending on how she finishes the season.

Her dedication to the sport is evident in her performance.

"Her athletic ability is unbelievable," said Saints head soccer coach Dave Thorvilson. "She has a good touch on the ball and a good sense for the game. She's going to give you 91 minutes in a 90-minute game."

"My goal since I was young is to leave everything on the field," she said. "And even if I don't score in the game, I like to know I worked my hardest to help the team out."

Since starting the game at four years old, the Boise, Idaho, native has refused to let other players push her off the ball or slow her down. And even when she isn't on the field, she's living and breathing soccer.

"Everyday I'm out there practicing and even in the offseason I'm running, weightlifting and training," Young said. "It's going to be very, very weird not having that focus."

She'll also be transitioning from the world of student-athlete to that of a married woman and nurse. She is engaged to longtime boyfriend and former All-American Carroll football player Zach Richardson - the two have been sweethearts since their sophomore year of high school - who has been a life coach for Young as she begins the transition.

"Zach went through that last year and he can speak to me about that, he can relate," Young said. "(The wedding) has also been a good distraction for this part of my life ending. It's something I get to look forward to."

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NOTES: Because of their strength of schedule, the Saints have already qualified for the unaffiliated tournament in Dallas from Nov. 11-14...Winner of the Frontier Conference tournament will make it to Dallas...UGF enters into today's game the No. 4 seed with a 3-12-1 record...No. 2 Westminster (8-9-1) and No. 3 Rocky Mountain College (7-9-0) play today at 2 p.m.