UNC Women’s Soccer 2025-2026

The U-17 USWYNT is headed to Spain for two friendlies this month. The squad going includes 6 forwards and 5 of them are UNC commits so there should be two future Tar Heelson the field at all times.

• Maddie DiMaria (St. Louis Scott Gallagher; Fenton, Mo.), UNC 2027
• Gianna Hanf (Match Fit Academy; Chesterfield, N.J.), UNC 2027
• Amari Manning (Players Development Academy; Flemington, N.J.), UNC 2027
• Carolina Reyna (Sting Austin; Austin, Texas) UNC 2027
• Deus Stanislaus (Players Development Academy; Fort Washington, Pa.), UNC 2026
• Jordyn Sullivan (Match Fit Academy; Rumson, N.J.) dook 2027

The Team of 20 also includes MF Grace Murray (Beach FC; Redondo Beach, Calif.) UNC 2027

Most of our incoming 2026 class is too old for this team; they would be U-18 or above now, though 7 more of the next freshman class have previous U17 experience. Everyone on this roster will be eligible for the U-17 World Cup in Morocco in Oct/Nov time frame. So notably we are likely to lose Deus for this part of next season.

Here is the full roster and more info:

The USA will face the Germany U-17 WNT on Jan. 11 in Albir, Spain before taking on the Denmark U-17 WNT on Jan. 14 at Camilo Cano Stadium in La Nucia, Spain.

bradarb08 said:

Ulmark signs with the Houston Dash

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Here is her announcement post:


and Faasse headed to the same team:

3397char said:

There are rarely any official announcements until they "sign" elsewhere. So we just gather what we see on social media.

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Here is a reset on the roster count for next year. The portal closed way back on Dec 16 so in theory anyone other than a graduating senior with remaining eligibility should have declared by now. Of course we do not see the portal, we are still just relying on them to post online/social media that they are in the portal or waiting for another school to announce they have signed them.

With that said, it seems we should be fully complete on the "portalling" as the spring semester has begun most everywhere in the country.

But here is what we know for sure:

These have made Insta comments implying they are staying, and list UNC Women's soccer in their bio:

1. Bella Gaetino*
2. Hope Munson*
3. Caitlin Mara*

These still List UNC Women's soccer on their Insta bio but no notable statements of a return or transferring I see:

1. Bella Devey*
2. Ashley Pennie*
3. Aven Alvarez*~
4. Shaela Bradley*~
5. Hannah Johann*
6. Lauren Malsom*
7. Riley Kennedy^
8. Liya Brooks^
9. Logan Tongberg
10. Abby Gundry
11. Ella Smith (Insta is private) - Morehead-Cain scholarship makes her unlikely to transfer
12. Raegan Williams
13. Cammie Maynor
14. Jenny Dearie

Have stated they are going pro:

1. Olivia Thomas*
2. Linda Ullmark*

Have stated Clearly they are graduated and gone:

1. Kate Faasse*
2. Tessa Dellarose*
3. Ryann Brown
4. Marisa Shorrock

Transfer Announcement:

1. Eden Bretzer - Arizona
2. Emile Maihs - Miami
3. Djem Koppelaar - Arizona State
4. Eres Freifeld^ - TCU

* Starter
~Out injured for the season
^key reserve

Transferes In:

1. Sr Def Izzi Stratton from BYU (2022 Freshman A-A, 2023 Top IX)
2. Sr MF Summer Denigan from UGA (2025 1st team A-A)
3. Sr MF Lilliah Blum from Utah (4 goals last year led her team)

The 2026 Recruiting class:

Looks like Manning recently reclassified to 2026; TDS list her as a a 2026 above and her Instagram page says class of 2030 as confirmation.


So on paper we have 17 still here, 15 recruits/transfers coming in for a total of 32. This is 4 over the roster limit. However, the women's tennis team is also currently over their roster limit right now, so my conclusion us that the NCAA v House settlement allowance for walk-ons to be grandfathered in is still in effect. Either there are some errors on my list above or we have 4 or so women who do not count against the roster limit because they were never on athletic scholarship. Ella Smith is an obvious one as she has an academic scholly, but no idea on the rest.

Barring any additional women going pro or a grad transferring out we should have 9 returning women with significant starting experience (counting Bradley and Alvarez back from injury) plus all 3 transfers in.

OBXheel81 said:

A little surprised that Bella was called up as a defender. I know Damon started her as a wing back early in the season, but I thought she was more effective as an attacking mid. Will be interesting to see where she plays next season.

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Good question. We lacked bodies in the midfield after Bradley went down and had extras in the backfield, so that could have precipitated the move. With that said, we obviously decided on Devey as a middie instead of Gaetino, so maybe Devey will stay in the midfield?

Next year's options at MF:

1. Pennie returns , 21 starts at MF
2. Devey returns, 21 starts as a MF or F
3. Kennedy returns, 9 starts at MF
4. Malsom returns, 7 starts at MF (would have been more but missed 7 due to international play)
5. Bradley back from injury? Started in MF prior to early season injury
6. Denigan was an A-A attacking MF at UGA last season
7. Blum started for BYU at MF, good enough for a Team USA dev camp invite.
8. Strawn is probably the top recruit in the country, listed as a MF
9. Stanislaus is teh #3 ranked freshman, listed at MF but will play at F for team USA
10. Antonucci is the #7 ranked freshman, listed at MF
11. Martinez is also highly regarded, listed at MF
12. Gaetino has played some MF, but seems to have settled in at defender.

We have a lot back on defense, but have to replace Faasse, Thomas and Ullmark as forwards so this same group of women will probably fill in all the attacking positions (plus freshman recruit Manning).

But there are tons of options; hard to predict.

A bit early to say this teams has depth, we shall see

Jriv23 said:

The freshmen class coming in is supposed to be really good; therefore, as I stated above, we should have more depth this year than last year. That is what I was saying, and Damon should play the freshmen more too.

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Freshmen will play, we have no choice. How many is the question. I agree we are CURRENTLY positioned for a little more depth.

Above I listed 11 women for the 7 positions of forward and midfield. If all are 1) still on the team, 2) healthy/returned from injury, and 3) playing at a level that their past play projects to this coming year, then we should have “some” depth i.e. 4 women who can play significant minutes. That is not Dorrance level depth, though.

And the odds of all 11 being ready to go in D1 soccer is pretty low. Especially the injuries and dealing with players coming and going.

there are of course other women on the team and hopefully someone will come in and pop or really up their play already on the team. But I dont think anyone else projects as an immediate rotation player. I say this very roughly speaking; I am in no position to analyze all of these women. I am sure I will have missed someone.

speaking generally, I am not convinced the Anson Dorrance model of playing “game changers” off the bench in waves is still applicable for three reasons:

1) new roster limits - the average team used to be 32 in NCAA soccer, with some well over 35. There is now a hard cap at 28. Assuming 3 goalies, and assuming you have a team of 27 (as handling players in and out through the portal and pros is not an exact science) and assuming the NCAA women’s average of 3 out with injury, you have 21 women to fill 10 starting spots and any backups. That is basically one starter and one backup for every position. And any woman on your roster who was either a bust or is still young and not ready whittles that down more. It does not take much to quickly get to just a handful of viable backups.

2) the pros are now eagerly taking players as young as 18. Players like Armstrong, Shores, Jazzy, Ullmark, etc.. do not stay 4 years, and some recruits never make it to campus. Those great players who used to be waiting in the wings are now filled in as starters for departed players. There goes your depth.

3) there is no more 1 year sit out rule in NCAA, you enter the portal with immediate eligibility. Those women waiting on your bench as reserves are now likely to transfer for a starting opportunity

More broadly, women’s soccer used to be more like Field Hockey or Lacrosse where even elite players saw the pinnacle as winning an NCAA championship. The pool of players who pursued soccer after college was tiny. So they were happy to stack in the background at a place like UNc where they were likely to get a ring, not play much for 2-3 years and then maybe get a shot. Now elite women see college as just a stepping stone to the pros. The title and winning is not as important; it is the fastest path to getting in the leagues.

the landscape has changed. Getting depth is obviously still the goal, but it is much harder to achieve, even at elite programs.

you say “no excuses”. Maybe this is just a bunch of them. But I suspect if you had a discussion with any coach on a ranked team this is what they would tell you when being frank.

uncfan1013 said:

Looks like some early enrollment Heels
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From left to right: (I think?)

1. Scottie Antonucci (definitely her: #26)
2. Leah Kuklik
3. Cali O'Neill
4. Peyton Trayer (definitely)
5. Chloe Shroff

Devey and Blum invited to the USYNT development camp.