With no Aussies ever really in the at-large discussion in 2025, it would take a conference tournament title to secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament this season. Three teams featuring Aussies did just that, with Dartmouth’s Kate Ryan, High Point’s Montana-Rose Currey, and Maine’s Grace Wilson the trio of Australians flying the flag in the Big Dance. As the only team of the three in the RPI Top 100, Dartmouth are certainly the best-credentialed of the three, but Maine have been handed the most favourable draw as they head to #7 seed UCF, whereas Dartmouth will travel to #5 Arkansas. Unsurprisingly, High Point have been handed a matchup against #1 seed Virginia as geographical considerations combined with the Panthers’ difficult start to the season saw them finish as one of the lowest-rated teams in the tournament. However, they are in the bracket, and that is something that 286 other teams cannot say in 2025.
Dartmouth (Kate Ryan)
First Round: @ #5 Arkansas – 11:00am, Saturday November 15
Potential Second Round: v #4 Washington or Montana
Kate Ryan and Dartmouth may be on the road for their first-round game against Arkansas, but they have one thing in their carry-on luggage that gives them a chance in every game: a defence that ranks 6th in the nation for goals conceded at just 0.5 per game. That isn’t just a case of goalkeeper Ola Goebel bailing them out either (although she is very good). Opponents this year have forced just 2.7 saves per game from the Big Green goalkeepers, a number that sits in the bottom 50 in the nation. Combine that with a save percentage of 0.845 (0.900 for Goebel individually), good enough for 21st in the country, and it is clear what Dartmouth’s path to success has been this season. However, they are hardly just a defensive wall, having tallied 1.78 goals per game on their way to an Ivy League title.
They will need all of that defensive prowess against Arkansas, though. The Razorbacks have been one of the most consistent teams in the nation over the last decade, posting nine consecutive 10+ win seasons, and a victory over Dartmouth would make it ten in a row as they currently sit 9-4-4. This game could be a case of the unstoppable force meeting the immovable object, as Arkansas bang home 1.94 goals per game to sit just outside the top 50 in the nation. They also failed to find the net only three times all season, with two of those occasions coming against national heavyweights Duke and Georgia. Importantly for the Razorbacks, they have a highly balanced attack, with four players scoring four or more goals and 14 different players finding the back of the net this season. Conversely, Dartmouth’s attack is led by Stephanie Lathrop’s nine goals, although Lykke Ihrfelt and Maeve Theobald have notched four apiece to provide more than capable support.
Despite the disparity in RPI and strength of schedule that shows Arkansas to be heavily favoured on their home patch, that Dartmouth defence cannot be ignored and could turn this game into one of the tighter opening round matches, with plenty of intrigue surrounding how that Arkansas attack can break down the Big Green. Although, if Kate Ryan has any say in matters, that won’t be happening in the first place.
High Point (Montana-Rose Currey)
First Round: @ #1 Virginia – 11:00am, Saturday November 15
Potential Second Round: v #8 Penn State or Army
Montana-Rose Currey and High Point put together the unlikeliest of conference tournament runs to win the Big South title, but it will take a second miracle if they are to advance past Virginia. The Panthers had to wait until October 11 for their first win of the campaign against Presbyterian, which came only a week after breaking a 5-week scoreless streak. Since that game, their only loss has been to Radford, a result they reversed in the conference tournament semi-finals. However, #1 seed Virginia is a different proposition entirely.
Make no mistake about it, this Virginia side is an absolute behemoth. Led by 10 goals and four assists from midfield maestro Lia Godfrey as well as nine goals and four assists from Maggie Cagle, the Cavaliers finished the season 12-3-4, and two of those losses came to fellow #1 national seed Stanford. A top-50 scoring attack posts 1.95 goals per game, although even that number has been overkill on many occasions as the defence has posted 11 clean sheets in 19 games despite playing one of the toughest schedules in the country.
On the other hand, High Point’s inauspicious start to the campaign (0-8-3 through 11 games) did their overall record, stats, and seeding absolutely zero favours. However, since that time, the Panthers have posted a trio of 3-0 wins as well as a 2-0 win over UNC Asheville, and conceded just five goals in eight games. That final stat may be the more important one in this game; there appears to be little point in getting into a battle of firepower with Virginia, and that goes for most teams in the nation, let alone one of the lowest-rated teams in the NCAA Tournament (273rd of 350 in RPI). With that said, High Point also can’t afford to absorb pressure for 110 minutes and hope for a shootout; they must show impetus because this Cavaliers team will find a way through. Somehow, that doesn’t feel like an issue for a team that has played with house money for the last couple of months anyway.
Maine (Grace Wilson)
First Round: @ #7 UCF – 11:00am, Saturday November 15
Potential Second Round: v #2 Duke or Elon
A third consecutive America East championship, one that looked far less likely than the first two at stages during the season, has delivered Maine another opportunity to make their mark on the NCAA Tournament. Intriguingly, despite coming from a lower position in the America East standings, the Black Bears have secured a more favourable draw than in the past two seasons. 2023 and 2024 saw Maine face #4 seed Harvard and #5 seed Wisconsin respectively, but this season they will travel to Orlando to face #7 seed UCF.
UCF posted an 11-3-5 record built on the back of a defence that kept seven clean sheets and conceded only 0.789 goals per game. Despite losing to Colorado in the opening round of the Big 12 tournament, the Knights comfortably secured an at-large bid, albeit with a slightly lower seed than they may have thought possible. However, with Liz Worden’s seven goals and nine assists leading the way alongside seven more goals from Rajanah Reed for the season, UCF are a threatening proposition for any team.
Maine lost six of their first ten games, and even a spot in the America East tournament looked far from guaranteed at one point. However, they hit form at the right time to win two of their final three conference games before rolling into the championship game and stealing a comeback victory in a shootout over Vermont on the Catamounts’ home patch. Those early season travails influenced the Black Bears’ overall record and statistical profile, with both their scoring attack and defensive numbers falling on the wrong side of the midpoint nationally at 181st and 225th respectively. However, they have scored multiple goals in five of their last seven games as the attack has fired in the latter stages of the season. With starting goalkeeper Elena Barenberg fresh off an America East Tournament Most Outstanding Player award, the Black Bears are certainly hitting their straps at the right time. Only time will tell if that will be enough to secure a first-round NCAA Tournament win at the third time of asking.
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