On Thursday night, the Notre Dame women’s soccer team will seek its 14th win of the season, as well as another shutout. This season of NCAA women’s soccer has been Notre Dame’s to lose: They have yet to drop a game, and have only drawn twice (against sixth-ranked Arkansas and Wake Forest).

Has the team always been this successful?

Although Notre Dame hasn’t held the NCAA trophy in over a decade, they’re a historically competitive and accomplished team in women’s college soccer. The Fighting Irish won the National Championship in 1995, 2004 and 2008 and finished in second place in 1994, 1996, 1999, 2006, and 2008. They actually rank second all-time in National Championship appearances (8), behind, of course, the North Carolina Tar Heels (24).

A big chapter of success for the Fighting Irish was the years the team was led by Randy Waldrum, a storied coach in women’s soccer who has also led the University of Pittsburgh, the Houston Dash, and the Nigerian Women’s National Team. Waldrum took over Notre Dame’s program in 1999 and led the team to two of their titles, in 2004 and 2010.

The soccer team at Notre Dame has also produced some notable alumni in the soccer world. Current USWNT roster member and OL Lyonnes midfielder Korbin Shraeder played with the Fighting Irish for two years before going pro. Former USWNT player Shannon Boxx and current NWSL player Cari Roccaro also come from the Notre Dame family, as well as Eva Gaetino, who has represented the US at the national level and is considered to be a potential future star of the team.

Where’s their current success coming from?

For starters - Izzy Engle. The sophomore forward earned a hat trick in Notre Dame’s 5-0 win over Virginia Tech, and she also nabbed an assist, bringing her total points to 7 for the night. She’s been a star for the Fighting Irish since day one, and actually scored her first hat trick for the team in her second game ever in the green uniform.

Engle dominated in 2024, and was among the pre-season favorites to take home individual awards this year.

She helped Notre Dame reach the quarterfinals in 2024, and finishing the season with 19 goals in 22 games, the most by an NCAA freshman since 2014. She’s been just as unstoppable in her second season.

Another major contributor to the Fighting Irish’s success is sophomore Annabelle Chukwu, who scored her 11th goal of the season in Thursday’s game against the Virginia Tech Hokies. Though she contributes on the pitch for Notre Dame, the biggest moment of her career to date came in a CONCACAF U20 Championship game, where she scored in the 122nd minute to win the game for her home country, Canada.

The leader of the program, Nate Norman, may have finally found his recipe for going all the way in his eighth season at Notre Dame. He’s been named ACC Coach of the Year twice during his tenure with the Fighting Irish, and he’s led the team to the ACC semifinals twice in the last three years, which is no easy feat in this loaded conference. It looks like his eighth year could be his biggest one yet.

Their goal for now remains maintaining an undefeated season, and as their final opponent is unranked, that goal is in reach. The ultimate goal, as always, is the NCAA tournament - and ultimately, the championships - and so far, no other team can get in the Irish’s way.