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Five Players to Watch for Virginia Women's Soccer in 2025

Aidan Baller|
Virginia Athletics

Virginia Women's Soccer enters 2025 after advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament this past season. Head coach Steve Swanson enters his 26th season in Charlottesville, and with a large returning core, particularly on the offensive end, the Hoos are capable of making a run in 2025. That said, here are five players to watch, along with multiple honorable mentions: 

Forward, Maggie Cagle 

The focal point of the Virginia attack, Maggie Cagle returns for her final year in Charlottesville after leading the team in goals (7) and assists (5) en route to earning third-team All-ACC honors in 2024. Last season against No. 3 Penn State, Cagle buried two goals in a 2-1 road comeback victory. For the performance against the Nittany Lions, Cagle earned ACC Offensive Player of the Week honors. In her freshman season in 2022, Cagle led the team in assists with 12 and added four goals. In 2023, Cagle delivered eight goals and seven assists. 

Forward, Meredith McDermott

The counterpart to Cagle, Meredith McDermott, also enters her senior season and will look to build on strong seasons from the last two years. In her sophomore year, McDermott burst onto the scene, scoring eight goals while dishing out three assists. This past season, McDermott notched five goals and three assists. McDermott has also shown herself to be a clutch player for the Cavaliers, as four of her five goals last season were game-winning. In 2024, her best game was against NC State, where she scored and assisted in a 3-0 victory. 

Forward, Allie Ross

Also up top, junior Allie Ross was tied for second last season in goals with McDermott and will look to elevate her game this fall. The Atlanta native buried five goals and notched two assists a season ago as she appeared in all 19 games and tallied 16 starts. Ross tallied two game-winning goals last year and assisted Cagle for the game-winning goal against JMU. In a road game against Miami, Ross tied her career-high with two goals. 

Goalie, Victoria Safradin 

Moving to the defensive side of the ball, Victoria Safradin returns to anchor the Cavaliers. Safradin started 18 games last season, recording 42 saves and a .700 save percentage. In an upset victory over No. 3 Penn State, Safradin notched a career high of six saves. The Ohio native also helped lead the Hoos' to seven shutouts. 

Midfielder, Lia Godfrey 

After missing 2023 with a knee injury, Godfrey posted two goals and three assists in 2024. Godfrey delivered a two-assist performance in the NCAA Tournament opener against Princeton to lift the Cavaliers into the next round. In 2022, Godfrey was a first-team All-American selection by United Soccer Coaches.

Honorable Mentions: Addison Halpern, Tatum Galvin, and Laughlin Ryan 

Rounding out players to look out for, freshman Addison Halpern arrives in Charlottesville after being named the Gatorade Girls Soccer Player of the Year. Halpern was listed as the No. 5 overall recruit by Top Drawer Soccer and should be one to watch as the season progresses. On defense, look out for Tatum Galvin, who returns after starting in 18 games last season and serving as a backbone for the Virginia defense. Lastly, Laughlin Ryan returns after posting two goals and three assists in 2024. 

The Virginia women's soccer season kicks off on the road in Morgantown against West Virginia on Thursday, August 14th at 7 pm. 

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Aidan Baller
AIDAN BALLER

Aidan has been writing for Virginia Cavaliers On SI since January of 2023 and covers UVA football, basketball, men's soccer, and men's lacrosse. He is from New York and is currently in his fourth year at the University of Virginia, enrolled in the M.S. in Accounting program.

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