
With the 2023 Rachael Doyle Medallist and Freshman of the Year among the midfield cohort in 2024, there is no disputing that there are a number of players to watch in this collection of Australians. Molly Arens and Emma Bates will team up at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, whilst the Mitchell twins both look to make a successful return for Seton Hall. Toss in some highly rated freshmen and a group of upperclassmen that includes Under 20 World Cup representative Greta Kraszula, and things are looking very exciting in the centre of the park.
Molly Arens (Grad, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Newcastle)
Injuries may have interrupted Molly Arens’ college career at times, but the Northern NSW product remains one of the bona fide stars among the Australian cohort in NCAA Division I. Despite taking a few knocks throughout the season in 2023, Arens was still able to start in 17 of her 19 appearances as the Islanders finished 7-8-4 before falling on penalties to Northwestern State in the opening round of the Southland Conference, notching a pair of goals and an assist during the campaign. However, Arens will be hoping to return to the form she produced during the first half of the 2022 season before injury ruled her out for the remainder of the schedule. The Novocastrian tallied three goals and seven assists, with that latter number good enough to tie the program season record, despite playing just nine games.
Although the Islanders finished 7-8-4 in 2023, a lineup featuring a fully fit Arens is an entirely different proposition for any opposition to face, and the idea of having the midfielder available throughout the campaign will delight new head coach and fellow Australian, Daniel Clitnovici. It is worth remembering that Texas A&M-Corpus Christi secured six wins in nine games in 2022 before Arens went down with injury, demonstrating her worth to this lineup. With fellow Northern New South Wales product Emma Bates joining on a transfer from Louisiana, things are looking promising for the Islanders.
Emma Bates (Junior, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Central Coast)
Following two injury-interrupted seasons at Louisiana, midfielder Emma Bates has made the move to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and will look to combine with fellow Newcastle Jets product Molly Arens in the Islanders midfield. Despite those interruptions, Bates managed to feature on 16 occasions in 2023, starting in her final 10 appearances of the season whilst also tallying a pair of goals and an assist as Louisiana finished with a 7-9-2 record, falling in the opening round of the Sun Belt conference tournament.
Bates now joins Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at a potentially exciting time for the program. With Daniel Clitnovici joining as coach to continue the Aussie influence on the bench, and a fully fit Molly Arens back in midfield for the Islanders, hopes will surely be high that they can improve on last season’s 7-8-4 record and make a deep run in the Southland Conference tournament.
Abbey Burns (Junior, UAB, Adelaide)
Previously listed as a defender for UAB, Abbey Burns is unsurprisingly now listed as a midfielder for the Blazers, and that is where the South Australian has done the majority of her best work over the last two seasons. Burns has featured in all 36 games that the Blazers have played since 2022, with her spot in the starting lineup only becoming more assured as time has passed. After making 12 starts in her freshman year, Burns featured in the matchday eleven 16 times last season, tallying her first career goal in a draw with Florida Atlantic.
UAB’s competition stepped up a level last season as they moved from Conference USA to the American Athletic Conference, finishing with a 6-7-5 record after tallying 9 wins in 2022. However, they will not be using that conference change as an excuse; rather, they will see it as a challenge to be conquered. Further, even in the brief period in which UAB have played in the AAC, the league has seen changes as 2023 tournament runner-up SMU has left for the ACC. That will alter the landscape of the conference and give that congested midpack, of which UAB was part, an opportunity to elevate themselves into the upper echelon of the conference.
Isabella Chidiac (Junior, Denver, Sydney)
Although Isabella Chidiac is yet to make a start for Denver, the junior can certainly be buoyed by her increase in playing time over the previous two seasons as she looks to embed herself in the lineup in 2024. After featuring for just 27 minutes in her freshman year, Chidiac made 12 appearances off the bench in 2023, averaging just over 16 minutes per contest.
Denver are always contenders in the Summit League, but came up short in 2024’s conference tournament. Finishing with the regular season crown, the Pioneers fell to a shootout defeat to Omaha in the semi-finals, putting their campaign to an early end. Finishing their season with seven draws, a shootout was a cruel way to go out but perhaps a microcosm of the team’s season as they left plenty of points out there. However, turning just a couple of those draws into wins in 2024 will see their regular standard of reaching double-digits for wins achieved. Win targets are nice, the Pioneers will be looking for something more as they attempt to reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2020 season.
Candice Kilderry (Sophomore, Little Rock, Melbourne)
Last season, Candice Kilderry was one of myriad Aussies at Little Rock. However, the Victorian will be the only Australian on the Trojans roster following the departure of several players (although Queensland-raised Kiwi Serenity Thake is also part of the team). Despite starting in only three of her 20 appearances, the midfielder averaged in excess of 35 minutes in those games, setting herself up well for the upcoming season. Kilderry also scored on her debut in a 2-2 draw with Florida Atlantic, before adding a second to her career tally in a 4-2 win over Eastern Illinois in October.
Little Rock finished 7-5-8 in 2023, but rolled through the Ohio Valley Conference tournament to reach the semi-finals as an eight seed before falling to top seed Tennessee Tech. However, the Trojans will be hoping to improve on a 2-3-4 league record that saw them land in that difficult position in the first place. They will have to replace Bronte Peel’s scoring output from previous years to do so, but with just three points separating 3rd from 9th in 2023, even a slight improvement could see a significant jump up the table in 2024.
Lara Kirkby (Senior, Maine, Adelaide)
The reigning Rachael Doyle Medallist, Lara Kirkby compiled a scintillating first season at Maine following her transfer from Oregon, and will be vital to the Black Bears’ chances of repeating as America East champions in 2024. An America East All-Conference First Team selection in 2023, Kirkby was also selected to the United Soccer Coaches All-Region Third Team as well as being named Most Outstanding Player of the America East conference tournament after leading her team to the championship.
Maine were a class above the America East for much of the season, but still had some slip-ups that saw the Black Bears miss out on the regular season title, which went to Binghamton. Although they regrouped to win the conference championship, the team will no doubt be looking to go one better and secure the double in 2024. To do that, the Black Bears will need to avoid having any off days against conference foes. Of note is the 2-2 draw they managed to escape with at home against UMBC, which came only after going down 2-0 to a Retrievers side that ended the season with only three wins, and required an Olimpico to help them get back into the game. However, Maine have every reason to consider themselves favourites once again, and Kirkby will be a massive part of any success they have in 2024.
Greta Kraszula (Senior, VCU, Sydney)
Originally listed as a defender for VCU, FIFA Under 20 Women’s World Cup representative Greta Kraszula has fully entrenched herself in the Rams’ midfield in the latter years of her collegiate career. After featuring in just six games in her freshman campaign in 2021, Kraszula has started in 33 of her 35 appearances over the last two seasons and become one of the most integral parts of the VCU lineup. Tallying 35 shots over the last two seasons, Kraszula’s transformation into a more attack-minded player is evident, with the next step being a more tangible return on the scoresheet, with still only one goal and assist next to the Northern Tigers’ product’s name to this point.
The Atlantic 10 is a cut-throat league, but regardless, VCU will be expecting a better campaign than 2023’s 4-4-2 conference record as they finished 5-9-4 overall. The Rams conceded just 7 goals in 10 league games in 2023, but eight of their 12 goals in conference play came in 5-0 and 3-1 wins over George Mason and Fordham respectively. Clearly, the Rams have the attacking impetus after finishing just outside the top 100 in the nation for shots per game and 91st for shots on target per game; the next step is making sure more of those shots find the back of the net instead of the goalkeeper’s hands. Hopefully, Kraszula can be part of that increase in scoring as the Rams look to improve on 2023’s midtable finish in the Atlantic 10.
Grace Mitchell (Junior, Seton Hall, Perth)
A Scotland Under 19 national team representative, Grace Mitchell enjoyed a solid start to her college career in 2022, before injury saw the Western Australian miss the entire 2023 season, leaving a hole in the Seton Hall midfield rotation. Appearing in 14 matches in 2022, Mitchell posted almost 45 minutes per appearance, making a single start as the Pirates finished with five wins. This was fewer than the six they posted in both 2021 and 2023, but maintained a level significantly higher than the four years prior, with the Pirates failing to notch more than two wins in any season between 2017 and 2020.
Having shown improvement over the last few seasons, Seton Hall’s next step is to ensure that their recent campaigns become the foundation from which to build upon. With both Grace and sister Sarah back from a season out with injury, the Pirates almost have two new additions to the roster which will no doubt improve the roster significantly. It is also worth remembering that although they finished with only six wins in 2022, Seton Hall also drew on five occasions, so they may not be all that far away from a significant jump up the Big East standings.
Sarah Mitchell (Junior, Seton Hall, Perth)
Unfortunately, Sarah Mitchell’s collegiate career to this point has been almost identical to her twin sister’s, after her 2023 season was also curtailed by injury after a solid 2022 campaign. Starting on nine occasions, Mitchell featured in all 18 of Seton Hall’s games during her freshman campaign, playing well in excess of 50 minutes per appearance to emerge as a significant part of the Pirates’ midfield.
With both Sarah and Grace back for 2024, Seton Hall will be optimistic of their chances of improving on 2023’s final tally of six wins. Both their scoring and defensive numbers sit right around the median for the nation, which is unsurprising given their 6-7-5 record, but also suggest that even a small but noticeable improvement at either end could bring about a rise up the Big East standings. The Pirates finished seventh in 2023, one point behind sixth-placed Butler, but they will have their sights set on making a run at higher positions. The Big East is a cut-throat league with some elite teams, but Seton Hall have been on the right track in recent years.
Grace Norbury (Grad, Alabama State, Melbourne)
Grace Norbury has been an almost ever-present member of the starting lineup since the day she set foot on the pitch for Alabama State, and little looks set to change in the Victorian’s fifth and final season for the Hornets. Now with 64 appearances under her belt, including 57 starts, Norbury enters her final season looking to return the Hornets to the SWAC Tournament after they missed out in 2023 following a rare down season in Montgomery. The Victorian started all 16 games in which she featured in 2023, tallying two goals and an assist, with both of those goals being game-winners in the Hornets’ only wins of the season.
Despite last season’s struggles, the Hornets have been picked to finish fourth in the SWAC in 2024. Their defensive numbers were skewed slightly by some heavy defeats in non-conference play, but still leaked 21 goals in nine league games, which significantly hampered any chance they may have had of success. At the attacking end, 11 goals in 9 conference games is a number that could be improved upon, but three teams that finished above Alabama State on the table actually scored fewer than 11 goals, so improvement at the defensive end appears more paramount at this stage.
Meg Roden (Sophomore, High Point, Canberra)
The 2023 College Matildas Freshman of the Year, Meg Roden earned a start in just the second game of her collegiate career, and went on to start the final nine games of the campaign as part of her 17 of a possible 18 appearances. The midfielder all but bookended her season with goals, scoring on debut against Campbell before notching her second goal of the season in the Panthers’ final game of the regular season, a 2-0 win over UNC Asheville. Although her freshman season came to an earlier end than had been hoped with a semi-final defeat in the Big South Tournament, Roden has done everything in her power to secure a spot in the lineup for the coming season.
High Point finished 6-5-7 last season, but a far more respectable 4-1-3 in conference play to sit third in the Big South. Unfortunately, in a conference that sends only four teams to its tournament, that meant playing second-placed USC Upstate in the semi-finals. However, for a team that finished with at least 10 wins in seven of eight seasons between 2014 and 2021, there is still a way to go to reach those heights once again. In saying that, Roden has already cemented her spot as an integral part of the midfield after just one season, and with an offseason in NPLW New South Wales for Sydney University under her belt, should return to High Point primed to lead the Panthers to more victories in 2024.
Iona Snape (Junior, Siena, Central Coast)
A starter in 21 of her 33 appearances for Siena over the last two years, including 13 of 17 in 2023, Iona Snape has become a crucial part of the Saints midfield over the last two years, and will look to carry that position through 2024. Having averaged just over 40 minutes per game in 2022, Snape saw far more playing time in 2023, averaging over an hour per game and also tallying the first two assists of her career to go with the goal she scored during her freshman campaign.
Siena finished 4-9-4 in 2023, but even that was an improvement on the 2-11-5 record that the Saints posted in 2022. 2023 saw their goalscoring numbers improve significantly, but their defence slipped in terms of goals conceded, giving up almost 2 per game after shipping 1.6 in 2022. If they can arrest that slide whilst also continuing their improvement in attack, there is scope to continue a climb back to the mid-2010s standard of double-digit wins. They will have to face a couple of new teams in the MAAC after the addition of Sacred Heart and Merrimack, but in the current era of college sports, that is nothing new after the conference also added Mount St. Mary’s in 2022.
Alice Thompson (Freshman, Old Dominion, Sydney)
A fixture for Football NSW Institute before joining Bulls FC Academy this season, Manly United junior Alice Thompson joins Old Dominion with experience playing alongside and against both emerging stars as well as seasoned A-League Women’s veterans during her time in NPL New South Wales. With 38 first grade starts in as many appearances over the last two seasons, Thompson leaves for Old Dominion with an impressive CV in the premier state-based competition in Australia.
Thompson now joins an Old Dominion side that will once again look to challenge for the Sun Belt crown. The Monarchs won the conference tournament in 2023 after finishing the regular season in fourth, before narrowly falling to a 2-1 overtime defeat to heavyweights Georgetown in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. Having finished 2023 with the sixth-best goals against average in the entire nation, conceding just 0.513 goals per game, defence looks to be the basis upon which Old Dominion’s success in 2024 will be built. However, having been picked to finish top of the league this season, the attack will need to improve upon the 1.43 goals per game they scored in 2023. With three of the five draws Old Dominion played in last season being 0-0 stalemates, the Monarchs perhaps don’t need to score many more goals to make a move up the table, but instead just score a couple more at the right time.
Eve Tiktikakis (Sophomore, Charleston Southern, Melbourne)
Following a highly successful season with Florida Tech in NCAA Division II, Eve Tiktikakis has transferred to Charleston Southern as the Victorian looks to make her mark at NCAA Division I level. Scoring on debut for the Panthers, Tiktikakis ended the season with appearances in all 23 games for Florida Tech in 2023, starting on 16 occasions and tallying a pair of goals and assists in her only season at NCAA Division II level as the team reached the national semi-finals before falling to Point Loma.
Tiktikakis now enters NCAA Division I with a Charleston Southern side that is in a decent place after the 2023 campaign, but certainly hasn’t had the same recent success that her previous program has. Finishing with a 9-5-4 overall record, the Buccaneers finished midtable in the Big South with a 4-2-2 conference record before falling to #1 seed Radford in their conference tournament opener. However, this was a significant improvement on the 5-8-4 record they posted in 2022. The Buccaneers have been picked to finish fourth in the Big South this season, which will surely only serve to give the team more confidence as they look to continue to build towards a conference crown.
Tahlia Voskanian (Freshman, Coastal Carolina, Sydney)
Tahlia Voskanian may be a College Matilda, but the Coastal Carolina freshman is also a member of the Armenian national team after making her debut earlier this year. Closer to home, the Sydneysider has been part of the SD Raiders first grade side in Football NSW League One Women’s for several seasons at this stage. This season saw Voskanian start in 14 of her 17 appearances in first grade, marking her third campaign in which she has been a regular starter for the team from southwestern Sydney.
Voskanian will now hope to slot into the starting lineup for a Coastal Carolina team that finished with just three wins in 2023 and could do with assistance at both ends of the pitch. Coastal Carolina head coach Jo Chubb remarked in an official release that, “Voski brings a real composure and calmness to us when we have the ball but will be tenacious in her pursuit of the ball out of possession.” This suggests that Voskanian may be just what the Chanticleers need to improve both their scoring and defensive numbers in 2024 after scoring 0.65 goals per game and conceding 1.76, going winless in conference play. Despite finishing bottom of the standings last season, Coastal Carolina have been tabbed to finish 12th in the 14 team Sun Belt this season with 55 votes, just two shy of a tie for 10th.
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