UCLA Selected as 2024 Big Ten Women’s Soccer Favorite

Big Ten Communications:

ROSEMONT, Ill. (August 13, 2024) – UCLA has been chosen as the favorite to win the 2024 Big Ten Conference Women’s Soccer championship, based on the annual preseason poll released on Tuesday. The poll results were determined by a vote from the conference’s 18 head coaches. Ranked No. 11 in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Top 25 Poll, the Bruins were projected to finish first as part of their inaugural season in the Big Ten. In 2023, the Bruins won their 14th Pac-12 Conference title with a 10-0-1 conference record and a 16-2-1 record overall.

Photo Cred: The New York Times

UCLA returns seven starters, including All-American and two-time Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year Lilly Reale. Penn State was selected to finish second after ending the 2023 season with a 16-3-4 overall record, which included the program’s first National Quarterfinal appearance since 2018. The Nittany Lions extended their NCAA Tournament appearance streak to 29 consecutive bids, the second-longest active streak in the nation. Penn State was selected No. 4 in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Top 25.

Michigan State and Nebraska, who shared the Big Ten Championship in 2023 were projected to finish third and fourth, respectively. In the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Top 25, Nebraska was selected sixth and Michigan State 13th.  Also among the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Top 25 were Wisconsin (19th), USC (23rd), Iowa (25th). The conference also unveiled the 2024 Big Ten Players to watch List on Tuesday, as selected by the league’s coaches.

Included in the list are 20 student-athletes who earned all-conference recognition in 2023. Among last season’s honorees are 2023 Big Ten Midfielder of the Year Justina Gaynor from Michigan State, Goalkeeper of the Year Jamie Gerstenberg from Indiana and Freshman of the Year Bella Najera from Michigan State. Also on the list is Pac-12 Defender of the Year Lilly Reale from UCLA and Pac-12 Freshman of the Year Maribel Flores of USC. The 2024 Big Ten Women’s Soccer season will kick off this week, as all 18 teams will take the pitch on Thursday, Aug. 15.

The complete 2024 Big Ten Women’s Soccer Preseason Poll and Players to Watch List can be found below:

2024 Big Ten Women’s Soccer Preseason Poll 

1. UCLA

2. Penn State

3. Michigan State

4. Nebraska

5. USC

6. Wisconsin

7. Rutgers

8. Iowa

9. Ohio State

10. Indiana

11. Michigan

12. Northwestern

13. Washington

14. Minnesota

15. Illinois

16. Purdue

17. Maryland

18. Oregon

2024 Big Ten Women’s Soccer Players to Watch 

Mya Archibald, So., D, Illinois

Kennedy Berschel, Gr., MF, Illinois

Ella Karolak, Sr., D, Illinois

Jamie Gerstenberg, Sr., GK, Indiana

Avery Snead, Gr., D, Indiana

Piper Coffield, So., D, Indiana

Sofia Bush, So., MF, Iowa

Macy Enneking, Gr., GK, Iowa

Millie Greer, So., D, Iowa

Liz Beardsley, Sr., GK, Maryland

Kennedy Bell, So., D, Maryland

Lauren Wrigley, Sr., MF, Maryland

Avery Kalitta, Sr., MF, Michigan

Jenna Lang, Jr., MF, Michigan

Stephanie Sparkowski, Gr., GK, Michigan

Regan Dalton, Gr., MF, Michigan State

Justina Gaynor, Gr., MF, Michigan State

Bella Najera, So., F/MF, Michigan State

Sophia Boman, Gr., MF, Minnesota

Khyah Harper, Sr., F, Minnesota

Sophia Romine, Gr., MF, Minnesota

Florence Belzile, Sr., MF, Nebraska

Sarah Weber, Sr., F, Nebraska

Jordan Zade, Sr., D, Nebraska

Josie Aulicino, Gr., MF, Northwestern

Emma Phillips, Sr., D, Northwestern

Caterina Regazzoni, Jr., MF, Northwestern

Amanda Schlueter, So., F, Ohio State

Sydney Jones, Sr., D, Ohio State

Peyton McNamara, Sr., MF, Ohio State

Haley McWhirter, Gr., MF, Oregon

Livvy Moore, RS-So., MF, Oregon

Makoto Nezu, Gr., MF, Oregon

Olivia Borgen, Jr., MF, Penn State

Kaitlyn MacBean, RS-Sr., F, Penn State

Mieke Schiemann, Sr., D, Penn State

Sydney Boudreau, Sr., D, Purdue

Kayla Budish, Jr., F, Purdue

Gracie Dunaway, Sr., F, Purdue

Kassidy Banks, Sr., D, Rutgers

Emily Mason, Sr., D, Rutgers

Riley Tiernan, Sr., F, Rutgers

Meg Boade, Gr., MF, UCLA

Emma Egizii, Sr., MF, UCLA

Lilly Reale, Sr., D, UCLA

Maribel Flores, So., F, USC

Kayla Colbert, Sr., F/D, USC

Brooklyn Courtnall, Sr., D, USC

Kelsey Branson, Jr., MF, Washington

Kolo Suliafu, Jr., D, Washington

Tatum Thomason, Jr., MF, Washington

Hailey Baumann, So., D, Wisconsin

Madison Ishaug, Sr., MF, Wisconsin

Aryssa Mahrt, Gr., MF/F, Wisconsin