With just three months separating the end of the Spring 2021 campaign that saw Santa Clara win their second national championship and the beginning of the 2021 season, it’s certainly been a whirlwind offseason. Many players have said their goodbyes to NCAA Division I soccer, either choosing not to take on an additional year of eligibility or for other reasons, but a number of freshmen and junior college transfers have taken their place. We take a look at all of those players here, with no less than 32 players on rosters this year.
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Goalkeepers
Ayana Aoyagi (Junior, Creighton, Brisbane)
A two-time NJCAA Division I champion with Tyler Junior College in Texas, Ayana Aoyagi has made the move to Creighton for the final two seasons of her college career, joining fellow Australian, Renée Pountney. Although she may be the newest addition to the roster of the Bluejays’ three goalkeepers, with 28 appearances at junior college level and experience in Young Matildas camps, Aoyagi comes into this season with perhaps the most pedigree of the trio despite having yet to play a minute of four-year college soccer. Whether that translates into playing time this season remains to be seen, but Aoyagi has certainly done everything in her power to this point to secure a spot between the sticks.
Isobel Davy (Freshman, UMBC, Bungendore)
A star for Canberra United Academy in recent years, Isobel Davy made the move to Sydney to play for Football NSW Institute and now takes that experience to Maryland for her opening season at UMBC. A regular starter in the nation’s capital, Davy proceeded to build on that experience whilst playing in Sydney despite her time there being interrupted by COVID-19. Now, the freshman comes into a positional battle for minutes with two other goalkeepers, neither of which have played a single minute of college soccer. Hopefully, Davy’s experience of high-level football at NPL level will give the freshman the inside running to secure an opening day start and maintain that spot in the lineup going forward.
Brianna Edwards (Freshman, Louisiana-Monroe, Sydney)
An NPLNSW All Star in 2020, Brianna Edwards brings plenty of experience in Australia’s top state league to Louisiana-Monroe despite her young age. A regular starter for Northern Tigers, Edwards has also featured in Young Matildas camps as her status as a player to keep tabs on for the future only continues to solidify. An elite shot-stopper, Edwards comes into this season as the third goalkeeper behind starting junior Hailey Hillock and freshman Mickaela Leal, who saw playing time in four games in the spring season. It shapes to be a very intriguing battle for minutes going forward, with Edwards only set to add to the healthy competition for playing time between the sticks.
Talia Grossman (Sophomore, USC, Palo Alto)
One of two North America-born Australian goalkeepers in NCAA Division I this season, Talia Grossman may be yet to make her debut for USC, but comes into this season with a real chance to see her first minutes for the Women of Troy. Senior goalkeeper Anna Smith saw plenty of playing time last season, but regular starter Kaylie Collins has moved into the pro ranks, potentially providing opportunities for Grossman and fellow sophomore Emily Rhinehart. Of course, goalkeeping battles for minutes are always cut-throat, so early form could be crucial. This is especially true for a USC side that will have its eyes on a run to the College Cup, if not a national title after being picked second in the Pac-12 preseason poll and 14th in the national rankings.
Aly Hay (Sophomore, Washington State, Vancouver)
Having backed up program legend Ella Dederick, Aly Hay finds herself seemingly stuck behind more experienced players as Texas Tech transfer Marissa Zucchetto looks set to start one more season between the sticks for Washington State. Like fellow Pac-12 goalkeeper Talia Grossman, Hay was also born and raised in North America, originally hailing from Vancouver, Canada, but has been called up to Young Matildas camp in recent years once national coaches became aware of her eligibility. How much playing time the sophomore receives this season remains to be seen, but it surely must be getting close to time for the Cougars to institute to goalkeeping succession plan, which can only mean minutes for the highly-rated but as yet untested Canadian-Australian.
Teresa Morrissey (Junior, Rhode Island, Melbourne)
A Young Matildas representative, Teresa Morrissey has been a reliable option between the sticks for Rhode Island since the day she stepped onto campus in 2019. Having started the majority of games in her freshman season, Morrissey saw her minutes reduced in the Spring 2021 season as the Rams rotated between a number of goalkeepers, all of whom performed valiantly in front of a defence still finding its feet at this level. With the backline still yet to fully prove itself at this level, expect Morrissey and her fellow goalkeepers to be the stars of the defensive effort for the Rams as they look to make a long-awaited move up the Atlantic 10 standings.
Grace Watson-Carr (Senior, Hofstra, Sydney)
The perpetual backup for Hofstra, Grace Watson-Carr has seen playing time here and there for the Pride, but has become one of the team’s locker room leaders heading into her senior season. A member of the Hofstra Athletics Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Watson-Carr has also recently participated in the NCAA’s Student-Athlete Leadership Training program as she continues to make the most of her time in college. Having opted out of the spring season earlier this year, the senior will be hoping to add to her three appearances from 2019 as she competes with incumbent starter Skylar Kuzmich and a pair of newcomers for playing time for a Hofstra side once again tabbed as heavy favourites to win the CAA crown.
Defenders
Abi Jordan (Junior, UMBC, Wollongong)
Yet to step on the pitch in an official game for UMBC, Abi Jordan will be hoping that 2021 is the year that the cards finally fall her way and she can make the kind of impact seen during her time with Illawarra Stingrays in NPLNSW. However, UMBC fans and coaches, led by Australian head coach Vanessa Mann, may be even more hopeful as the Retrievers look to make their way up the ladder in the America East conference. UMBC have been picked to finished bottom of the 10-team league this season, just behind Maine and NJIT, but defensive reinforcements may be just what they need to dish up a serving of humble pie to the critics. In that case, a firing Jordan could be exactly what the doctor ordered.
Aimee Medwin (Junior, Long Beach State, Hobart)
Having made just five appearances for Ole Miss as a freshman before transferring to a Long Beach State program whose 2020 season was cancelled due to COVID-19, it’s been a rather stop-start first two years of college soccer for Aimee Medwin. Finally, the Tasmanian gets a chance in 2021 to showcase the abilities that have seen her make the move to South Melbourne, receive call-ups to the Young Matildas and make a W-League appearance for Melbourne City in 2018. Long Beach State are in an interesting position in a program; with seven NCAA Tournament appearances since 2018, including a quarter-final berth in 2011, the program is certainly one that expects success. However, Beach missed out on even making the conference tournament in 2019, meaning they will be looking for a quick turnaround to resume normal service.
Annaliese Grove (Freshman, UMBC, Canberra)
Teal Kilbride may have departed UMBC, but the Retrievers’ backline won’t be lacking for Aussies as former Canberra United Academy star Annaliese Grove joins alongside fellow defender Abi Jordan and freshman goalkeeper Isobel Davy. As previously mentioned, the Retrievers could do with some defensive reinforcements as they look to build their way towards the upper echelons of the America East conference after conceding in excess of 1.5 goals per game in the spring season. That number has come down in recent seasons under Aussie coach Vanessa Mann, but the addition of Grove could be the extra brick in the wall that the Retrievers need; after all, earning a training spot with Canberra United doesn’t happen by accident. The attack still needs to improve for UMBC if they are to eke out a few more wins, but the defence appears to be continually improving.
Ashleigh Harvie (Sophomore, Eastern Illinois, Melbourne)
A starter in all ten of Eastern Illinois’ spring 2021 contests, Ash Harvie may only have one year of college experience under her belt but is already an integral part of the Panthers’ lineup. With experience in the national youth setup in Australia, Harvie came straight in to become one of the go-to players and a bright spot in a tough campaign for the Panthers. However, whilst it wasn’t the best season for Eastern Illinois overall in spring, the ten freshmen on the roster during that campaign now have a season under their belt as they look to improve on a 2-7-1 record which saw them finish 10th in the Ohio Valley Conference. This is reflected somewhat in their predicted 8th place finish in the OVC this season, sitting just shy of 7th placed Austin Peay but comfortably ahead of the three teams below them in voting.
Ashleigh Lefevre (Senior, Illinois, Melbourne)
An occasional starter for Illinois in 2019, minutes were harder to come by for Ashleigh Lefevre in 2020 but the senior will be hopeful of rectifying that in her final year in Urbana-Champaign. The Young Matildas representative certainly has the runs on the board in her time with the Fighting Illini to give the coaches faith in her ability to perform, but there are only so many positions and minutes to go around, with nine defenders listed on the roster. Whatever role Lefevre does end up filling remains to be seen, but the Illini will need not only her best, but every player’s best, every week if they are to move out of mid-table limbo in the Big Ten after being picked to finish ninth in the 14-team league this season.
Claire Farrington (Sophomore, Butler, Dunoon)
Having settled in at Butler with a solid opening campaign, Claire Farrington finds herself in excellent position to build on that start in the fall season. The former Brisbane Roar defender came off the bench on nine occasions earlier this year, acquitting herself well as the Bulldogs finished 10-2 and came within an overtime defeat to Georgetown of winning a Big East title. Those same two teams have been tabbed to finish as the top two in the conference in the upcoming season, so expect Farrington and her teammates to be hungry for revenge as they look to secure a conference championship and a first NCAA Tournament berth since 2017.
D’arne Boato (Junior, East Tennessee State, Melbourne)
After a brief stint in the transfer portal, D’arne Boato is back with East Tennessee State for her junior season and looking to secure more playing time than she has seen in previous seasons. However, having made a start among her four appearances during the spring season, perhaps there is more to look forward to for the former South Melbourne junior in the fall campaign. With East Tennessee State pulling out of the spring campaign with three games remaining, the entire team missed out on some opportunities to perform, and will be desperate to improve on the 1-6-1 record that they compiled prior to having the season shut down prematurely. Hopefully, Boato is given the opportunity to show her wares in a competitive situation more regularly as she looks to nail down a spot in the lineup.
Jasmine Barry (Sophomore, UNC Asheville, Brisbane)
Having commenced her college career with Montana-based NAIA program Rocky Mountain College, Jasmine Barry has made the cross-country move to UNC Asheville for her first season in NCAA Division I. A former member of the Brisbane Roar youth setup, Barry played alongside the likes of current Roar W-League player Jamilla Rankin in NPL Queensland before making the move to Logan Lightning in recent times. In need of defensive additions after conceding almost 2 goals per game during the spring season, the addition of Barry, as well as former Alabama State goalkeeper (and teammate of Australia’s Grace Norbury) Madison Roop, could hopefully see the Bulldogs flip the script after being picked to finish 10th in the 11-team Big South conference.
Greta Kraszula (Freshman, VCU, Sydney)
Another member of the seemingly never-ending stream of Northern Tigers alumnae to up stakes and head to college, Greta Kraszula joins a VCU program that already features an Australian in assistant coach Aaron McGuiness. Formerly part of the Football NSW Institute program, Kraszula has been a reliable member of the Tigers’ backline in recent seasons, securing an NPLNSW All-Stars selection in 2020 alongside fellow Tigers player and college freshman Brianna Edwards. With VCU coming into this season ranked third in the Atlantic 10 preseason coaches’ poll, Kraszula commences her college career at an exciting time for VCU, with a run at a conference championship by no means out of the picture, even in a league with a dominant force in the form of Saint Louis perched atop the poll with a maximum 13 first-place votes in the preseason poll.
Hannah Peric (Sophomore, Massachusetts, Sydney)
An absolute revelation for Massachusetts in the Spring 2021 season, Hannah Peric only narrowly missed out on the College Matildas Freshman of the Year award, but did pick up a selection in the Atlantic-10’s All-Freshman team, just reward for a scintillating opening campaign. Peric’s defensive work combined with her aerial ability at attacking set-pieces helped the Minutewomen earn a berth in the four-team Atlantic 10 tournament earlier this year, and whilst she is no longer an unknown quantity in the league, teams are still going to find it difficult to plan for a 6’2 player causing havoc in the box. Despite that semi-final berth, UMass have been picked to finish fifth in the upcoming season, so there may be a bit of a chip on the shoulder coming into the campaign. Will that be the catalyst they need to make a run at the title against perennial power Saint Louis? Only time will tell.
Madison McComasky (Senior, Incarnate Word, Sydney)
After stints at NAIA and JUCO level, Madison McComasky made her first foray into NCAA Division I last season and took to the premier level of college soccer like a duck to water. Listed as a defender but also able to play higher up the pitch, the versatile McComasky started in seven of her 12 appearances in the spring campaign, including the final five games of the Cardinals’ season, taking home the College Matildas Breakout Player of the Year award in the process. Now firmly entrenched as part of the Incarnate Word lineup, McComasky will be tasked with helping ensure that the team lives up to its billing as equal second-favourite for the Southland Conference title behind Southeastern Louisiana.
Sandra Hill (Fifth-Year, Grand Canyon, Canberra)
Synonymous with the Grand Canyon program at this stage, Sandra Hill will return for a fifth season with the Lopes after helping lead the team to a WAC Tournament semi-final berth in the spring campaign. A starter in 33 of her 60 appearances, including 24 of 31 games across the last two seasons, Hill has become a reliable member of the Lopes’ defence, playing the fullback role superbly as Grand Canyon have steadily improved over the last couple of campaigns. However, there is still one more step to make: the one to the top of the Western Athletic Conference and into the NCAA Tournament, but the Lopes’ trajectory is tracking nicely at this stage, earning a first-place vote in the conference’s western division preseason poll.
Caitlin Le Roux (Freshman, Louisiana Tech, Adelaide)
Yet another Aussie to take their talents to the state of Louisiana, Fulham United defender Caitlin Le Roux heads to a Louisiana Tech side looking to shore up its defence after going 9-7 in 2020-21, but just 1-5 in conference play. With 70 NPL South Australia appearances across the last five seasons under her belt, Le Roux certainly doesn’t lack for experience despite coming in as a freshman this season, and with eight first-year defenders on the roster, that experience may be the ace up the sleeve in terms of securing playing time from the outset. The Techsters’ non-conference schedule sees the team ease into things early in the season, so there should be plenty of opportunities for Le Roux to show what she can do before the grind of conference play later in the year.
Alyssa Van Heurck (Senior, La Salle, Perth)
Claudia Jenkins’ storied career at La Salle may have come to an end, but Alyssa Van Heurck maintains the Australian presence on the Explorers’ roster, with the Western Australian embedded as one of the most integral parts of the lineup. Although listed as a defender, Van Heurck is more than capable of playing in a more advanced role and could quite easily slot into a number of positions this season if required. La Salle were more or less robbed of an Atlantic 10 Tournament berth in the spring thanks to some highly questionable mathematics employed to determine the final spot in the 4-team championship, so expect to see the Explorers come out all guns blazing to prove their worth and ensure that no amount of algorithmic gymnastics can deny them a position in the tournament this time around.
Midfielders
Amy Sayer (Sophomore, Stanford, Sydney)
The reigning College Matildas Player of the Year, Amy Sayer comes into her second season at Stanford looking to turn her individual form into team success. Whilst the former Canberra United and Sydney FC star performed well enough to earn a Matildas call-up during the season, Stanford faltered as a team, becoming the first reigning national champion to miss out on the NCAA Tournament in the following season. However, the Cardinal will be hoping to prove that that was simply an aberration, and if Sayer can continue her form from the spring season, one can be certain that the sophomore will have done everything in her power to ensure that is the case.
Eliza Ammendolia (Junior, Hawaii, Griffith)
Surprisingly for the casual fans but completely expected for those up to speed with the Australian scene, Eliza Ammendolia came straight into the Hawaii lineup in her freshman season and proceeded to dominate the midfield on her way to an All-Big West First Team selection and a United Soccer Coaches All-West Region Second Team nomination. With the Big West conference cancelling the 2020 season rather than moving to a spring schedule, it has been a while since we have had the pleasure of seeing Ammendolia on the pitch, but there is little doubt the former Western Sydney Wanderers midfielder will be instrumental in Hawaii’s quest to turn 2019’s first Big West tournament berth in program history into a second this season.
Grace Norbury (Sophomore, Alabama State, Melbourne)
A star for Alabama State in the Hornets’ conference title-winning spring campaign, Grace Norbury has already tasted NCAA Tournament action and will be looking to make a quick return to the national stage. Despite still being fairly new to the roster, Norbury will be called upon as a leader for a Hornets side that returns a number of starters, but has also seen a number of players either transfer or graduate following the spring campaign. Repeating as champions won’t be easy, but if Norbury and her fellow returners can hit form alongside some solid incoming players, Alabama State will be right there when the whips are cracking.
Indianna Asimus (Senior, Illinois State, Dubbo)
Having become an integral part of the Wyoming lineup over the previous three seasons, Indianna Asimus decided to seek a new home for her senior season, linking up with Illinois State. Asimus starred for Wyoming last season, posing a potent attacking threat from midfield even in a season that saw the Cowgirls falter slightly in comparison to previous years. However, with a new team brings a new situation and potentially a different role for the Hunter Sports High product, meaning we are all waiting impatiently to see just what impact Asimus can have for a side that reached the Missouri Valley Conference tournament semi-finals in the spring season before going down to eventual champions Loyola Chicago in overtime.
Kiarnie Latham (Sophomore, Tennessee-Martin, Sydney)
A starter in the first six games of her college career before moving into a role off the bench for the latter five contests of the spring campaign, Kiarnie Latham will be eager to get her teeth into the season and attempt to return to the starting lineup for the fall season. Listed as both a defender and midfielder on the Tennessee-Martin roster, that versatility is and will continue to be an asset for Latham in the battle for playing time this season, particularly coming off the bench as the sophomore provides the Skyhawks coach with plenty of options in one player. It looks set to be an exciting season for the Skyhawks as a team as well, having secured two first-place votes in the conference preseason poll, one of five teams to pick up the spot in at least one voter’s list.
Lara Kirkby (Freshman, Oregon, Adelaide)
Fresh off a W-League campaign with Adelaide United that saw the Reds just narrowly miss out on a maiden finals berth, Lara Kirkby heads to another program currently looking to build a consistent contender in Oregon. Whilst only time will tell, with Rachael Doyle now an assistant coach, Kirkby could yet be the first of many Australians to head to Eugene, and it could not be a better time. Mid-table stragglers at one point, the Oregon brass appear determined to bring the same success to their soccer team as their football and women’s basketball teams have produced in recent seasons, recruiting former US national team assistant coach Graeme Abel as head coach. Whilst Kirkby’s playing time for Adelaide United in the W-League this year was limited, her performances at NPL South Australia level proved her class. Now, the freshman gets her chance to perform in arguably the premier conference in college soccer. She’ll also get to do it against another Aussie, with a midfield battle against Stanford’s Amy Sayer in the offing every season.
Molly Arens (Sophomore, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Newcastle)
Having sat out the spring campaign, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi coach Craig Shaw will surely be extremely grateful to finally have Molly Arens on the park for the fall season. Luring a Young Matildas representative to the Southland Conference was a coup in and of itself, and with some of the heavy-hitters in the league having moved onto the WAC, the stars are aligning for Arens to have an instant impact for the Islanders. With experience in the national setup at youth level, the Novocastrian brings a pedigree not seen in many, if any of the Australian players to head to the Southland Conference, with Jess Coates’ experience at NPLNSW level before heading to Nicholls State perhaps the nearest to touching the same heights as Arens. Coates helped navigate Nicholls State through a highly successful period, and if Arens can reach the same level that the now-NSA Sofia player did, things could be looking very healthy for the Islanders over the next few years.
Forwards
Ashley Jordan (Junior, San Francisco, Melbourne)
Yet to make an appearance for San Francisco, Ashley Jordan comes into the fall campaign looking for an opportunity to make the attacking impact that the Dons need to make the leap from midtable to championship contenders in the West Coast Conference. Held scoreless on four occasions in eight conference games, San Francisco finished 3-4-1 but ran conference heavyweights Pepperdine and BYU close in narrow losses. Having spent time training with Melbourne City’s W-League side, Jordan is no stranger to elite level football, and it is surely only a matter of time until we see the sophomore on the pitch on the Hilltop.
Madison Chambers (Freshman, Alabama State, Hobart)
An undoubted star of women’s football in the Apple Isle, Madison Chambers now heads to Alabama State looking to have the same kind of success for the Hornets as fellow Taswegian Shelbi Vienna-Hallam. The Montgomery-based program has proven to be a happy hunting ground for a number of Australians in the past, and Chambers joins at a perfect time as the Hornets look to repeat as SWAC champions after winning the conference title in the spring season earlier this year. Whilst a number of starters return for the Hornets, there remain plenty of opportunities following a number of departures, and with the form that Chambers has shown in Tasmania, there is no reason why the freshman won’t be able to secure significant playing time from day one.
Renee Pountney (Junior, Creighton, Newcastle)
Following an opening campaign that saw her make just four appearances off the bench, Renée Pountney is already looking primed to improve on that showing this season after scoring in a preseason friendly win over Missouri State. Having spent part of the off-season playing NPLNSW for Emerging Jets, Pountney has given herself every opportunity to make more of an impact in her second season in Omaha as she looks to earn a starting berth and also tally a first competitive goal for the Bluejays as they look to improve on spring’s 4-4 conference record. The Big East is a highly competitive league though, and the addition of Connecticut from the AAC will only make things tougher. However, Creighton ran eventual champions Georgetown all the way to overtime in spring’s conference tournament, so they certainly know they can put themselves among the contenders if it all comes together.
Siobhan Edwards (Freshman, Louisiana-Monroe, Sydney)
One of three former Northern Tigers players to begin their college careers this season, Siobhan Edwards joins twin sister Brianna in heading to Louisiana-Monroe for the 2021 fall campaign. Although Edwards’ time at Northern Tigers, and at North West Sydney Koalas prior to that, has seen her play predominantly in the reserve team, she has picked up some crucial first team experience since making her debut in 2018. Edwards has made 14 first team appearances in NPL New South Wales in that time, and has also trained with Newcastle Jets W-League side. Playing for a Louisiana-Monroe side that scored just five goals in nine conference games last season, the Warhawks faithful will be hoping Edwards can add some attacking impetus to the forward line from day one as the team in Monroe looks to build a successful program.
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