Women’s College Soccer Tournament
This weekend kicks off the NCAA Division I Women’s College Soccer tournament. 333 Division I women’s soccer teams competed for a spot in the 64 team bracket. The final four will take place over the weekend of December 6 – 8 at Avaya Stadium in San Jose, CA. Most games can be live-streamed through the team’s website.
Here are our top 5 teams to watch:
5 Teams to Watch in the NCAA Championship
1. Stanford
Stanford lost its 7th game of the season at Pepperdine back on September 13 and has not lost since, finishing with a record of 18-1 becoming the first Pac-12 women’s soccer team to win the conference title five straight times. The Cardinal were led by Catarina Macario, the national leader in practically every offensive statistic. Macario joined Kelly O’Hara and Christen Press as the only players in program history to register 60 points in a season. Macario also surpassed O’Hara for third on Stanford’s all-time points list with 148. Stanford’s 37 game home unbeaten streak is tied for the ninth-longest in NCAA history.
2. University of Virginia
Virginia (16-1-3) was undefeated until the ACC Tournament final, which they lost 2-1 in overtime to North Carolina. Senior forward Meghan McCool led the team with 14 goals, including six game winners. Freshman Diana Ordonez racked up 13 goals, 3 assists and 29 points on the season. Ordonez’s tremendous technical skills coupled with her 5-11 height made her a difficult mark throughout the season. Head Coach Steve Swanson has accumulated 402 career wins making him one of only 11 NCAA Division I women’s soccer coaches to hit the 400-win milestone. However, if Swanson is to bring home the College Cup in his 19th season, he will have to do it without Junior goalkeeper Laurel Ivory. Ivory, who was injured in the final game against North Carolina, started 19 of the team’s 20 games, was thrice named ACC Defensive Player of the Week and logged 13 shutouts.
3. Brigham Young University
The Cougars (18-0-1) were the only D1 team to end regular season undefeated. Many factors contributed to their success. Hermann Award hopeful Elisa Flake has been a force on offense with 18 goals and five assists putting her 5th in the BYU record book for career goals with 38. Junior Midfielder Mikayla Colohan is also having a tremendous season with 14 goals and 6 assists. Head Coach Jennifer Rockwood, in her 25th season, has guided the Cougars to 12 regular season conference championships, eight conference tournament championships and 20 NCAA tournament appearances. 2019 may be her best chance to take the Cougars to their first Final 4.
4. University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill
Legendary Tar Heels coach Anson Dorrance led the Tar Heels to their second consecutive ACC regular-season title with a 9-0-1 conference record (19-1-1 overall), outscoring opponents 21-3 in ACC play with two of the goals coming on the road in the regular-season finale, a 2-1 overtime win over favored Virginia. UNC’s stellar defense limited opponents to only 8 goals for the season. The defense was led by Sophomore Defender Emily Fox, who was named First Team All-ACC, and by Freshman Defender Maycee Bell, the 2019 ACC Freshman of the Year. UNC goalkeeper Marz Josephson led the nation in shutout percentage (.789). The Tar Heels head into the tournament as a No. 1 seed.
5. Florida State University
FSU had a lot to live up to this season coming off their 1-0 win over UNC in the 2018 National Championship in Cary, NC. The Seminoles, led by Senior forward Deyna Castellanos, ended their regular season 15-5-0. Castellanos is now ranked second all-time at FSU with 114 career points and second with 47 career goals. She was named 2019 ACC Offensive Player of the Year and teammate and junior defender Malia Berkely was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year. Head Coach Mark Krikorian, in his 14th season with the Seminoles, led FSU to four NCAA title game appearances and a pair of NCAA National Championships in 2014 and 2018. 2019 marks the Seminoles 8th No.1 seed in the NCAA tournament.
5 Players to Watch in the NCAA Tournament
With so much talent across the country, women’s college soccer is as competitive as ever. Here are a few of the players that we’re looking forward to watching in the NCAA Division 1 Women’s Soccer Championships.
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Catarina Macario, Junior, Forward – Stanford
Macario, who won the 2018 Hermann trophy as college soccer’s best player, scored 23 goals and clocked 18 assists in 2019, numbers that again put her in contention for the award. Macario was also named PAC 10 Offensive Player of the Week three times this season. Her two assists in Stanford’s final game of regular season play, pulled her ahead of Christen Press on Stanford’s All-Time points list.
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Elise Flake, Senior, Forward – BYU
Flake leads BYU in goals (18) and points (41), while also clocking in with five assists in regular season play. Flake has been an integral part of Cougars’ undefeated season. Flake, who grew up in Utah and is grateful to play close to home, was named to the 2019 WCCsports All-WCC First Team.
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Emily Fox, Sophomore, Midfielder/Defender – North Carolina
Emily Fox is one of the most versatile players in the country. The Carolina defender/midfielder can be found using her elite speed to chase down outside wingers and shut down attacks on a regular basis. Fox helped lead the Tar Heels to 16 shutouts. Coach Anson Dorrance refers to her as a “game changer.” Fox has appeared on the USWNT roster 3 times, two friendlies in 2018 and the SheBelieves Cup in 2019.
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Jimena Lopez, Junior, Defender – Texas A&M
Jimena Lopez has been one of the best offensively-minded defenders in women’s college soccer this year. The Texas A&M junior leads her team in points with 31, including 9 goals and 13 assists. In 2019, Lopez earned All-SEC First team and SEC Forward of the Year honors. She currently holds a 3.46 GPA as a psychology major and was named to the Academic All-District 7 NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer Team.
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Deyna Castellanos, Senior, Midfielder – Florida State
Deyna Castellanos of Florida State has had a tremendous season earning the titles of both ACC Offensive Player and Midfielder of the Year. Castellanos played a large role in FSU’s 2018 College Cup National Title and hopes to repeat in 2019. Castellanos contributed 11 goals and 10 assists on the season. She is a member of the Venezuelan National Team and has been a prominent advocate for women’s equal pay in sports.
More Women’s College Soccer Information & Stats
- 10 Teammate Skills
- Reality of College Soccer Scholarships
- 10 Tips for Successful Tryouts
- 2018 NCAA Women’s Soccer Bracket
- 7 Reasons a Pre-season Camp Can Take You to the Championship
Player Development Camps
Immersive camp experiences are a regular fixture for both team and individual player development. The skill development at the Berkshire Soccer Academy offers options for a variety of ages and experience levels.