A member of the Football NSW Institute program before joining Sydney University in 2024, incoming UMass Lowell freshman Hannah Callaghan is no stranger to playing in high-level environments, having even spent time training with both Sydney FC and Wellington Phoenix. Indeed, even prior to entering the state federation program, the goalkeeper had been challenged to be her best, going as far back as her introduction to the position itself.
“So, I started playing when I was five, and pretty much played with boys all the way through. I was playing boys’ SAP at North Shore Mariners with (Sydney FC midfielder) Maddie Caspers. There were two girls in the team, me and Maddie. I was actually a striker, and in under 11s, it was a real challenge being striker, and I was playing high level netball, so they threw me in goals, and I sort of never looked back. I loved the challenge of being goalkeeper.
“We would play two games every weekend, so I’d play one game in goals, one game outfield. And that’s basically what I did for a couple years. But I think playing outfield and being with the boys is a really good opportunity and a really good challenge, and that definitely helped me still today with my footwork.”
After being scouted in representative competition, a successful stint at Football NSW Institute for Callaghan was followed by a move to Sydney University in 2024, joining what is, for some players, a quasi-college program as they juggle their studies with football as part of the university’s Elite Athlete Program. That pathway was discussed, but the goalkeeper had her sights set further afield, fuelled partially by the inspiration of one of the most successful Australians ever to set foot on a college campus.
“They spoke to me about (the Elite Athlete Program) at Sydney Uni, because they want you to go to Sydney Uni (to study). And I thought about it, but going to the US has always just been what I want to do, and has always been the plan.
“It’s been a dream of mine for a really long time. When Teagan Micah went to UCLA, I heard about it then, and I decided, ‘This is what I’m going to do. This is what I want to do.’
“So, we started talking to colleges, maybe July last year, and we only spoke to about five. UMass Lowell was one of the first that we spoke to, and they wanted a commitment quite early, and it was a great offer. And so, we ended up committing in like September.
“I was just set on UMass Lowell.”
Of course, Callaghan’s situation in heading to UMass Lowell is slightly different to the current Matildas goalkeeper, who became a four-year starter for UCLA and played in a College Cup. However, being immersed in essentially a full-time training environment for four years is an opportunity provided to any player in NCAA Division I, regardless of level. Nonetheless, the transition doesn’t come without its challenges.
“I think going to college and playing Division I soccer will help me as a player, both on and off the pitch. It’ll definitely push my personality off the pitch, to grow and meet all these new people. That’s definitely going to be a challenge.
“One of the challenges I’ll have: balancing uni life, uni work, the social life, and obviously a lot of soccer at college, that’ll be something. I don’t know what it’s going to be like yet, but it was definitely hard to balance high school, doing the HSC and soccer at Sydney Uni.
“On the pitch; that’s definitely what I’m most excited for. Just all the training and being in that environment. The high performance and the load; that’ll definitely push me as a player and to improve.”
Interestingly, though, there is one major similarity to Callaghan’s time at Sydney Uni as to the situation she will find herself in at UMass Lowell. The goalkeeper found herself backing up Sydney FC goalkeeper Sofia Fante for large stretches of the 2024 and 2025 season before moving into the starting role in 2026, and will once again have to fight for a starting spot against both incumbent starter Rachel Welch as well as 2025 backup Lucie Chumanová.
“I wanted to be going somewhere where I would be playing; obviously, it’s never a given that I would be competing for the spot.
“I think as a goalkeeper, it’s super important that you’re getting game time, and you have to actually be on the field to grow. So that definitely was a conversation, that it’d be a strong competition for the spot.
“You never want to be in a team where it’s just (taken) for granted. So, I want to be in a strong environment. That’s where you grow most, where it’s competitive. From the conversations we’ve had (with the coaches), it’s going to be based on performance, so there will be lots of opportunity.
“And look, I’ll just put my best foot forward, and hopefully I’ll get some game time, play well, and hopefully I’m number one keeper.”
However, that battle doesn’t start when Callaghan reaches Massachusetts. It has already commenced, with the incoming freshman in constant contact with her new coaches. This includes a specialist goalkeeping coach, a luxury not every college team can afford.
“I felt like in even in the first conversation, the coaches recognised my style of play as a goalkeeper. I try and play as a 3D goalkeeper; to be more proactive rather than reactive. Taking crosses, playing a higher line, using my feet a lot, sweeper-keeper style. And they recognised that, and they said that’s what they were looking for.
“They value that sort of play, and I want to be in this place where I’m valued, and I feel valued by these coaches. But I’m really looking forward to working closely with the goalkeeper coach. So, I’ve got a goalkeeper coach at UMass Lowell. I know not all of the colleges have a specialised goalkeeper coach, and that access to close training.”
“Even now, I send him game clips and stuff, and we’re working together now.
“Even though we haven’t met in person, we’ve already got a strong bond, which I think is quite rare. You can’t really get that sort of access to a goalkeeper coach to work with that closely. That’s not easy to come by, especially in Australia.”
Unfortunately, though, not all has gone smoothly for Callaghan as she prepares to make the move to the US. A dislocated elbow suffered in a Sapphire Cup match earlier this season put paid to here NPL season with Sydney Uni, but mercifully, it shouldn’t rule her out of any time once she lands in the US.
“It’s actually funny. So, the date I did it, is exactly 12 weeks from when I fly out. And that is what they’ve said is the recovery time. This injury has actually made me more excited to go, like I’m now just fully focused on college. It’s obviously disappointing, because at Sydney Uni, it’s been so good. I’ve been really happy with how I’ve been playing and finally getting consistent first grade time.
(But) it won’t really affect the timeline. I’ll arrive and then I’ll start training, and I will be good to start training as long as it goes well. But so far, it’s going well; this is the hard part, and the doctors are happy with it.
“I spoke to my UMass Lowell coaches about it very early on, and they were so nice about it, they were so relaxed about it, which was really, really reassuring. And they just said, do the rehab right. Don’t try and do it quick, just get it done right.
“I want to be fit for four years, and so I want to do it right.”
Callaghan definitely has reason to want to be with the Riverhawks for all four years. Not only are they a team that has developed into a regular conference tournament participant in America East, but they have also gone close to a title on a couple of occasions, and things are looking promising on the pitch in Lowell. However, the goalkeeper is also excited about the general culture of the program.
“They’ve got a low transfer rate. That’s another reason why I picked UMass Lowell. Girls come, and then they stay. I know other colleges, there’s a lot of movement, but they love it there. They think of the team, not so much as a team, but as a family.
“I know off the field they’ve got great chemistry, and I think that’s what will really make the difference. Something I’ve really learned in my past three years at Sydney Uni, is the importance of off the field culture and community and having that family which builds trust off the field, and then the trust on the field. And I want to bring that into UMass Lowell and reinforce that, which I think they’ve already got started.
“I think the team actually had an unfortunate year last year to not do better. They were so close in games where they’d only be losing by a goal, or just times where they probably should have won and they didn’t. But from what I’ve seen in games, they’re a strong team, and we’ve got five freshmen coming in, and to be honest, I’ve watched their highlights, and they’re good.
“I think we can definitely give it a good crack to win the America East Conference.”
Now, with less than three months until she touches down in Massachusetts to combine mechanical engineering with high-level soccer, the magnitude of what she has achieved is starting to hit for Callaghan.
“I’m really excited. I want to say that I’m really excited for this. I think it’s such an unbelievable opportunity to…I’m on a full ride to play full ride Division One soccer! It’s just a dream come true for me. It’s something I’ve worked at for so long.
“I’d love to go pro after playing four years at college, and then hopefully being a Matilda, that’s the dream. And so far, you know, we’ve ticked off the first box, I guess, in getting the Division I scholarship to go over, which is something I’ve wanted to do for what feels like 10 years.”
But in amongst all the study and the football, what else does Hannah Callaghan want out of her time in college?
“Something I’d like to get out of my time at UMass Lowell is lifelong friends. That would be something you can’t put a price tag on.”
If the culture is as good as it seems from the outside, there shouldn’t bee too much trouble on that front.
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