Up, Down, Sideways: Predicting women’s college soccer 2025
The top teams from 2024 look to return to the top 10 despite roster changes.
At the end of the 2024 NCAA women’s soccer season, the North Carolina Tar Heels were crowned the champions for the 23rd time in program history (the winning-est team in the NCAA). Despite unmatched success, it was the program’s first win since 2012, because, as in all college sports, things do move up and down and all around in women’s soccer.
So, which way will the final rankings go this year? 5wins is calling it up, down, or sideways for each of last year’s top 10. Our assessments consider the coaches as well as the players, including returning veterans, portal transfers, and incoming freshmen. These too-early predictions will be tested when the 2025 season kicks off on August 14.
3 Teams That Will Rise in 2025’s NCAA Women’s Soccer Rankings
No. 4 - Stanford
Stanford made it to the semifinals in the 2024 tournament before falling 1-0 to the sleeper pick of the year, Wake Forest. Still, things look promising for the Cardinals. While Stanford lost one player, forward Amalie Pianim, to West Coast rival Southern California, the team’s core will not be shaken. Six of Stanford’s active players have been called up to national team camps this offseason — Mia Bhuta, Shae Harvey, Charlotte Kohler, and Sammy Smith to USWNT U-19s; incoming freshman Caroline Birkel to USWNT U-20s, and Kaiya Jota to England’s U19 Euros squad. Additionally, head coach Paul Ratcliffe — the most successful coach in Stanford soccer history — is entering his 23rd season with the Cardinals determined to lead his team to a trophy. Other incoming freshmen, like Amelia Bray, Lily Freer and Brooke Holden, have been on the national team radar for years and are expected to make a positive difference this season.
No. 5 - University of Southern California
Another powerhouse that fell to Wake Forest, Southern California saw its 2024 season end in a dramatic quarterfinal penalty kick shootout. The team’s offseason moves show they’re back with a vengeance for 2025. The Trojans had some gaps to fill, like two players who transferred out (BK Harris, to Georgia, and Brooke Juncaj to Oregon) and a handful, like Brooklyn Courtnall and Helena Sampaio, who graduated and pursued professional careers. But Trojans gained four big gets in the offseason: Tanna Shornstein, a defender from Northwestern; Ines Simas, a midfielder from Mississippi State; Sophia Cavaliere, a midfielder from Columbia, and the aforementioned Amalie Pianim, a forward from Stanford. Cavaliere, a fifth-year transfer, is expected to have a big impact as a leader on the field, having served as captain for her former squad. They’ll also benefit from the likes of incoming freshmen defenders Edra Bello and Kensington Morgan, who are slated to hold down the back line in the 2025 season.
No. 10 - Mississippi State
No team made more moves in the transfer portal this offseason than Mississippi State, who finished 10th in the rankings at the end of the 2024 season. The Bulldogs had five players transfer out, but had seven transfer in—to positions all over the field. Additionally, head coach Nick Zimmerman poached Conference USA’s Coach of the Year, Jonathan Garbar, from Florida International University. These two successful coaches can make a great team with new talent even better.
4 Teams That Will Fall in 2025’s NCAA Women’s Soccer Rankings
No. 2 - Wake Forest
Wake Forest’s 2024 run wasn’t necessarily an anomaly—they were definitely a talented team—but no one really saw it coming. And it may not happen again for a while. The loss of two significant players to the NWSL, Caiya Hanks and Zara Chavoshi, will be incredibly hard for the team to recover from. An incoming forward from Portland, Brooke Miller, will generate some action on the front line, but it’s unlikely that the Demon Deacons make magic a second year in a row.
No. 3 - Duke
Like Wake Forest, Duke is contending with the graduation of its most significant player, Hannah Bebar. She played only one season with the Blue Devils, but she started in all 22 games. While two younger players for Duke, Mary Long, and Jocelyn Travers, are getting USWNT U-18 calls, Duke’s star power will likely fade this year. Though a bright spot for the Blue Devils is their incoming freshmen, especially Kosette Koons-Perdikis, who may be able to fill some of the gaps Bebar leaves behind in the midfield.
No. 7 - Virginia Tech
It’s hard to say what the future holds for Virginia Tech, which put up a great fight in 2024 before being downed by Duke 1-0 in the quarterfinals. Tech’s big ‘get’ in the offseason is forward Eliana Salama from Southern Methodist University. She’s been named to the AAC All-Tournament team and led her team in goals in 2024, with 10. Another interesting incoming player for the Hokies is Letizia Rossi from Monza, Italy, former captain of the U-17 Italian National Team. And incoming freshman Lauren Hargrove, a local from Richmond, may be able to keep the team afloat against tough competition.
No. 9 - Arkansas
The Razorbacks lost six players to the transfer portal in the offseason after a successful 2024 season ended in a shootout loss to the Stanford Cardinals in overtime. Two pieces of good news found this hollowed-out team, though - goalkeeper Keegan Smith is getting a U-19 call-up to the USWNT, and Arkansas nabbed a good transfer in Erin Bailey. The former Brigham Young University Cougar, Bailey had 16 goals and two assists in three years with BYU.
3 Teams That Will Hold Place in 2025’s NCAA Women’s Soccer Rankings
No 1. North Carolina
The Tar Heels had an excellent 2024 and look poised for a repeat victory. The team, which is home to some of the most spectacular players in the country, boosted its roster with the transfer of Shaela Bradley from Rutgers. Bradley was named No. 12 on the 2024 list of Top 100 Freshmen and received All-Big Ten honors. Head coach Damon Nahas was officially promoted to permanent status from interim after, you know, winning the whole thing. Like Anson Dorrance, the coach before him, Nahas is building a legacy. The question is—can anyone stop him?
No. 6 - Notre Dame
After losing in the quarterfinals, Notre Dame lost two players in the transfer portal but made up for it with the addition of Carolyn Calzada. The defender from Texas A&M started in every game she appeared in in her four years in College Station and received All-SEC honors twice. Various members of the Fighting Irish squad are also getting national recognition- Izzy Engle, Abby Mills, and Grace Restovich are getting some U-19 minutes, while Sonoma Kasica and Morgan Roy reported to U-20 camps. Incoming freshmen Tessa Knapp, Alessia Saia, and Gianna Scott were all heavily recruited and will add to the competitive edge for the Fighting Irish.
No. 8 - Penn State
While the Nittany Lions lost more players than they gained in the portal this offseason, they aren’t worried. Their addition, forward Taylor Cheatham from UCLA, was one of the best prospects in the offseason, playing 766 minutes in three years at the Big Ten rival. Penn State has also seen some US national team call-ups this offseason, with incoming freshman Marlee Raymond reporting to U-17 duty and active players Bella Ayscue and Kealey Titmuss joining the U-20s. Incoming freshmen Nicole Crane and Kennedy Ring will undoubtedly add speed and energy to the front line. The Nittany Lions remain solid.