TAMPA, Fla. - USF women’s soccer is the best team in the American Athletic Conference.The Bulls just wrapped up the 2018 regular season title and will now host the AAC tournament this weekend in Tampa.

A big reason for this season’s success? A group of players with Canadian Flare.

There are six Canadian players on the team. All say they have been able to lean on one another in easing the transition to Tampa.

“When we come down here we are assigned a big sister," said freshman defender Mia Palango. "It helps so much with just adjusting to life here.”

“Definitely nice to have people you can depend on," said freshman forward Olivia Cooke. "Especially someone like Evelyne who is an older player and has been through it.”

“I think it’s nice that I can turn to some of my teammates and speak French when I want to so I feel like I am at home,” said Anyssa Ibrahim.

USF has been under the guidance of head coach Denise Schilte-Brown. A native of Halifax, Nova Scotia, she’s been able to dip into her native land to bring talent to Tampa.

“It’s great to be able to go back home and watch great games and recruit these players and have them come down here to Tampa has been a lot of fun," said Schilte-Brown, who is now in her 12th season as Bulls' head coach.

“Knowing that Denise was on the Canadian national team and being around her and that she will help me to get to the next level is huge," said junior scoring machine Evelyne Viens. "Denise is a good fit for me.”

Viens leads the AAC with 18 goals this season. That mark is also a program record.

USF will attempt to win its 2nd consecutive AAC tournament championship this weekend. But unlike last year - the Bulls can now try and win the title at home at Corbett Stadium.

“To come here and win a conference regular season title and tournament," said freshman defender Emma Davies. "I know that would be such a big thing. It would be something that would mean so much to us.”

“It’s going to be big if we win this," said sophomore defender Fanny Pelletier-Laroche. "We will win.”

If USF can wrap up another title, these players will have won for two countries - Canada and Bulls Nation.