No. 11/5 UCLA (16-2-1 in 2023) at Long Beach State (10-6-4 in 2023)
Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024 – 7 p.m. PT
Long Beach, Calif. (George Allen Field)
MEDIA INFORMATION
Broadcast: ESPN+
Live Stats: statbroadcast.com
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets: longbeachstate.com/tickets
Price: $15-20
Seating: General Admission
No. 11/5 UCLA (16-2-1 in 2023) vs. UC Riverside (2-10-7 in 2023)
Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024 – 2 p.m. PT
Los Angeles, Calif. (Wallis Annenberg Stadium)
MEDIA INFORMATION
Broadcast: B1G+
Talent: Nick Koop
Live Stats: uclalivestats.com
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets: uclabruins.com/tickets
Price: $9-17 (UCLA students free with BruinCard)
Seating: General Admission
Parking: purchase in advance on Park Mobile app
B1G NEW SEASON BEGINS THURSDAY
The two-time NCAA and 14-time conference champion UCLA women's soccer team kicks off its first season as a member of the Big Ten Conference on Thursday, Aug. 15 at Long Beach State. The match will take place at George Allen Field at 7 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+. UCLA will play its home opener on Sunday, Aug. 18 at 2 p.m. against UC Riverside at Wallis Annenberg Stadium. Sunday's match will mark UCLA's debut on B1G+.
UCLA IN SEASON OPENERS
UCLA is 24-6-1 all-time in season openers and has won eight in a row and 13 of the last 14. The Bruins won last season's opener against Georgia, 2-0, on goals by Jayden Perry and Ally Cook.
SCOUTING THE BEACH
Long Beach State finished the 2023 season with a 10-6-4 overall record and was selected as the favorite to win the Big West Conference in 2024. Brooklyn Antonucci and Liz Worden earned selection to the preseason coaches' team. Antonucci was a second-team All-Big West selection last season as a freshman and ranked second in the conference in assists with six. Worden, who transferred from the University of Texas, recorded five goals and six assists for 16 points in 2023.
THE SERIES WITH LONG BEACH STATE
UCLA is 8-1 all-time against Long Beach State and has won the last six matchups, downing the Beach last season at home, 4-0, on the strength of a Sunshine Fontes hat trick. The Bruins won the last meeting in Long Beach in 2019, 1-0. Beach's only win in the series came at home in 2015, 1-0.
SCOUTING THE HIGHLANDERS
UC Riverside recorded a 2-10-7 record last season, with both wins coming in conference play. The Highlanders return their top three scorers from a year ago in Daphane Mendez (2g, 6a, 10pts), Spenser Gonzales (3g, 3a, 9pts) and Braelynn Llamoca (3g, 3a, 9pts). UC Riverside is led by interim head coach Gerardo Hidalgo. This will be the first-ever meeting between UCLA and UC Riverside.
BABY'S FIRST MATCH
Sunday's home opener against UC Riverside will mark the first home match for UCLA Head Coach Margueritte Aozasa's baby daughter Akari. To celebrate, UCLA is offering free admission to those who donate items or show proof of a direct donation worth $10 or more to the Downtown Women's Center. Free admission can be redeemed at the box office. For information on donateable items, visit downtownwomenscenter.org.
PRESEASON RANKINGS
UCLA enters the season ranked No. 11 in the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll and No. 5 in Top Drawer Soccer's preseason rankings. The Bruins were picked to finish first in the conference in the Big Ten's preseason poll. UCLA will face three teams in 2024 who are ranked in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 in No. 3 BYU (Aug. 28 at home), No. 4 Penn State (Oct. 17 at home), No. 19 Wisconsin (Sept. 26 at home), No. 22 Santa Clara (Aug. 25 at home), and No. 23 USC (Oct. 27 on the road at the LA Coliseum).
BRUINS EARN NATIONAL RECOGNITION
Five UCLA women's soccer players have earned national preseason recognition ahead of the 2024 season. Senior defender Lilly Reale and graduate goalkeeper Ryan Campbell were selected to both the Top Drawer Soccer Preseason Best XI first team and the NCAA Division I Women's Players to Watch lists. They were joined on the NCAA Players to Watch list by senior defender Quincy McMahon and graduate midfielder Meg Boade. Defender Nicki Fraser was selected to the Top Drawer Soccer Preseason Freshman Team. On the conference front, Reale, Boade and Emma Egizii were selected to the Big Ten Players to Watch List.
WELCOME BACK
UCLA returns seven starters from last season's conference championship team and seven all-conference players in Defensive Player of the Year Lilly Reale, Quincy McMahon, Sofia Cook, Ayo Oke, Jayden Perry, Sunshine Fontes and Lexi Wright. Additionally, Val Vargas earned all-freshman honors a year ago.
The Bruins' senior class has been prolific. Reale, McMahon, Perry, Wright and Emma Egizii entered together in 2021 and won a conference title in 2021, a NCAA title in 2022 and another conference title in 2023. They have combined for seven all-conference honors and have scored 94 points (29 goals and 36 assists) collectively while posting a three-year record of 54-5-5. Reale is a two-time All-American and the Honda Award winner in 2022, as well as the Most Outstanding Defensive Player at the 2022 College Cup.
Although not in that senior class, Fontes has also accomplished much in her time at UCLA. After redshirting the 2019 season with a torn ACL, she competed in the 2020 season and helped UCLA win the Pac-12 title, the first of three Fontes has been a part of (2020, 2021, 2023). She was the leading scorer for the 2022 NCAA champion Bruins with 11 goals and 30 points and enters the 2024 campaign with 21 career goals, 14 assists and 56 points.
IMPACT TRANSFERS
UCLA welcomes four experienced transfers to the squad in 2024, including a pair of graduate transfers in goalkeeper Ryan Campbell (Stanford) and midfielder Meg Boade (Northwestern) who were named to the United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division I Players to Watch List. Campbell was the Pac-12 Goalkeeper of the Year and a first-team All-Region selection after recording 11 solo and two combined shutouts in 2023. She also led the conference with a 0.601 goals against average. Boade broke Northwestern's single-season assists record a year ago with 14 assists and ranked second in the nation in assists per game with a 0.78 average. She is a two-time All-North Region and All-Big Ten honoree. UCLA also brought in a pair of former conference foes in senior midfielder Alice Barbieri (Oregon) and junior forward Lily Boyden (Washington State). Barbieri has played in 55 games with 36 starts over her career and has totaled nine points. Boyden was a Pac-12 All-Freshman selection in 2022 after playing in 18 of 19 games for the Cougars. She finished the season with two goals and three assists. Boyden did not play in 2023 after suffering an injury in the spring.
NO. 2 RECRUITING CLASS
The Bruins boast Top Drawer Soccer's No. 2 recruiting class in the nation, led by six rookies ranked in the Top 50 in No. 12 Nicki Fraser, No. 15 Kamryn Winger, No. 19 Bella Winn, No. 39 Avery Robinson, No. 46 Kara Croone and No. 50 Paloma Daubert. Samantha Sanchez is also ranked at No. 64. Also joining the team are freshmen goalkeepers Layla Armas and Mariangela Medina and forward Jordan Geis.
VIVA MEXICO
Three Bruins - junior forward America Frias, sophomore midfielder Val Vargas and freshman goalkeeper Mariangela Medina - will miss the opening of the season while competing for Mexico at the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Colombia. Team Mexico will play two prep matches against Ghana and Nigeria on Aug. 22 and 26, respectively, before opening the tournament on Aug. 31 against Cameroon. Mexico will then play Australia on Sept. 3 and Colombia on Sept. 6 to round out group play. The Round of 16 begins on Sept. 11, with the quarterfinals taking place Sept. 15, the semifinals Sept. 18 and final on Sept. 22.
SISTER ACT
Sophomore forward Sophie Reale is looking to make her collegiate debut this year after redshirting the 2023 campaign. Reale is the younger sister of senior defender Lilly Reale. When they play together for the first time in their collegiate careers, it will mark the first time two sisters have played in the same game at UCLA since Anika and Karina Rodriguez played together in 2019.
ACADEMIC HONORS
For the 13th consecutive year, the UCLA women's soccer team has won a United Soccer Coaches College Team Academic Award, recognizing exemplary performance in the classroom during the 2023-24 academic year. The Bruins posted a team GPA of 3.25, their fifth consecutive year over 3.25. A total of 17 players were named to the Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll in 2023. The Bruins had a record 18 honorees in 2022.
Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024 – 7 p.m. PT
Long Beach, Calif. (George Allen Field)
MEDIA INFORMATION
Broadcast: ESPN+
Live Stats: statbroadcast.com
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets: longbeachstate.com/tickets
Price: $15-20
Seating: General Admission
No. 11/5 UCLA (16-2-1 in 2023) vs. UC Riverside (2-10-7 in 2023)
Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024 – 2 p.m. PT
Los Angeles, Calif. (Wallis Annenberg Stadium)
MEDIA INFORMATION
Broadcast: B1G+
Talent: Nick Koop
Live Stats: uclalivestats.com
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets: uclabruins.com/tickets
Price: $9-17 (UCLA students free with BruinCard)
Seating: General Admission
Parking: purchase in advance on Park Mobile app
B1G NEW SEASON BEGINS THURSDAY
The two-time NCAA and 14-time conference champion UCLA women's soccer team kicks off its first season as a member of the Big Ten Conference on Thursday, Aug. 15 at Long Beach State. The match will take place at George Allen Field at 7 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+. UCLA will play its home opener on Sunday, Aug. 18 at 2 p.m. against UC Riverside at Wallis Annenberg Stadium. Sunday's match will mark UCLA's debut on B1G+.
UCLA IN SEASON OPENERS
UCLA is 24-6-1 all-time in season openers and has won eight in a row and 13 of the last 14. The Bruins won last season's opener against Georgia, 2-0, on goals by Jayden Perry and Ally Cook.
SCOUTING THE BEACH
Long Beach State finished the 2023 season with a 10-6-4 overall record and was selected as the favorite to win the Big West Conference in 2024. Brooklyn Antonucci and Liz Worden earned selection to the preseason coaches' team. Antonucci was a second-team All-Big West selection last season as a freshman and ranked second in the conference in assists with six. Worden, who transferred from the University of Texas, recorded five goals and six assists for 16 points in 2023.
THE SERIES WITH LONG BEACH STATE
UCLA is 8-1 all-time against Long Beach State and has won the last six matchups, downing the Beach last season at home, 4-0, on the strength of a Sunshine Fontes hat trick. The Bruins won the last meeting in Long Beach in 2019, 1-0. Beach's only win in the series came at home in 2015, 1-0.
SCOUTING THE HIGHLANDERS
UC Riverside recorded a 2-10-7 record last season, with both wins coming in conference play. The Highlanders return their top three scorers from a year ago in Daphane Mendez (2g, 6a, 10pts), Spenser Gonzales (3g, 3a, 9pts) and Braelynn Llamoca (3g, 3a, 9pts). UC Riverside is led by interim head coach Gerardo Hidalgo. This will be the first-ever meeting between UCLA and UC Riverside.
BABY'S FIRST MATCH
Sunday's home opener against UC Riverside will mark the first home match for UCLA Head Coach Margueritte Aozasa's baby daughter Akari. To celebrate, UCLA is offering free admission to those who donate items or show proof of a direct donation worth $10 or more to the Downtown Women's Center. Free admission can be redeemed at the box office. For information on donateable items, visit downtownwomenscenter.org.
PRESEASON RANKINGS
UCLA enters the season ranked No. 11 in the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll and No. 5 in Top Drawer Soccer's preseason rankings. The Bruins were picked to finish first in the conference in the Big Ten's preseason poll. UCLA will face three teams in 2024 who are ranked in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 in No. 3 BYU (Aug. 28 at home), No. 4 Penn State (Oct. 17 at home), No. 19 Wisconsin (Sept. 26 at home), No. 22 Santa Clara (Aug. 25 at home), and No. 23 USC (Oct. 27 on the road at the LA Coliseum).
BRUINS EARN NATIONAL RECOGNITION
Five UCLA women's soccer players have earned national preseason recognition ahead of the 2024 season. Senior defender Lilly Reale and graduate goalkeeper Ryan Campbell were selected to both the Top Drawer Soccer Preseason Best XI first team and the NCAA Division I Women's Players to Watch lists. They were joined on the NCAA Players to Watch list by senior defender Quincy McMahon and graduate midfielder Meg Boade. Defender Nicki Fraser was selected to the Top Drawer Soccer Preseason Freshman Team. On the conference front, Reale, Boade and Emma Egizii were selected to the Big Ten Players to Watch List.
WELCOME BACK
UCLA returns seven starters from last season's conference championship team and seven all-conference players in Defensive Player of the Year Lilly Reale, Quincy McMahon, Sofia Cook, Ayo Oke, Jayden Perry, Sunshine Fontes and Lexi Wright. Additionally, Val Vargas earned all-freshman honors a year ago.
The Bruins' senior class has been prolific. Reale, McMahon, Perry, Wright and Emma Egizii entered together in 2021 and won a conference title in 2021, a NCAA title in 2022 and another conference title in 2023. They have combined for seven all-conference honors and have scored 94 points (29 goals and 36 assists) collectively while posting a three-year record of 54-5-5. Reale is a two-time All-American and the Honda Award winner in 2022, as well as the Most Outstanding Defensive Player at the 2022 College Cup.
Although not in that senior class, Fontes has also accomplished much in her time at UCLA. After redshirting the 2019 season with a torn ACL, she competed in the 2020 season and helped UCLA win the Pac-12 title, the first of three Fontes has been a part of (2020, 2021, 2023). She was the leading scorer for the 2022 NCAA champion Bruins with 11 goals and 30 points and enters the 2024 campaign with 21 career goals, 14 assists and 56 points.
IMPACT TRANSFERS
UCLA welcomes four experienced transfers to the squad in 2024, including a pair of graduate transfers in goalkeeper Ryan Campbell (Stanford) and midfielder Meg Boade (Northwestern) who were named to the United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division I Players to Watch List. Campbell was the Pac-12 Goalkeeper of the Year and a first-team All-Region selection after recording 11 solo and two combined shutouts in 2023. She also led the conference with a 0.601 goals against average. Boade broke Northwestern's single-season assists record a year ago with 14 assists and ranked second in the nation in assists per game with a 0.78 average. She is a two-time All-North Region and All-Big Ten honoree. UCLA also brought in a pair of former conference foes in senior midfielder Alice Barbieri (Oregon) and junior forward Lily Boyden (Washington State). Barbieri has played in 55 games with 36 starts over her career and has totaled nine points. Boyden was a Pac-12 All-Freshman selection in 2022 after playing in 18 of 19 games for the Cougars. She finished the season with two goals and three assists. Boyden did not play in 2023 after suffering an injury in the spring.
NO. 2 RECRUITING CLASS
The Bruins boast Top Drawer Soccer's No. 2 recruiting class in the nation, led by six rookies ranked in the Top 50 in No. 12 Nicki Fraser, No. 15 Kamryn Winger, No. 19 Bella Winn, No. 39 Avery Robinson, No. 46 Kara Croone and No. 50 Paloma Daubert. Samantha Sanchez is also ranked at No. 64. Also joining the team are freshmen goalkeepers Layla Armas and Mariangela Medina and forward Jordan Geis.
VIVA MEXICO
Three Bruins - junior forward America Frias, sophomore midfielder Val Vargas and freshman goalkeeper Mariangela Medina - will miss the opening of the season while competing for Mexico at the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Colombia. Team Mexico will play two prep matches against Ghana and Nigeria on Aug. 22 and 26, respectively, before opening the tournament on Aug. 31 against Cameroon. Mexico will then play Australia on Sept. 3 and Colombia on Sept. 6 to round out group play. The Round of 16 begins on Sept. 11, with the quarterfinals taking place Sept. 15, the semifinals Sept. 18 and final on Sept. 22.
SISTER ACT
Sophomore forward Sophie Reale is looking to make her collegiate debut this year after redshirting the 2023 campaign. Reale is the younger sister of senior defender Lilly Reale. When they play together for the first time in their collegiate careers, it will mark the first time two sisters have played in the same game at UCLA since Anika and Karina Rodriguez played together in 2019.
ACADEMIC HONORS
For the 13th consecutive year, the UCLA women's soccer team has won a United Soccer Coaches College Team Academic Award, recognizing exemplary performance in the classroom during the 2023-24 academic year. The Bruins posted a team GPA of 3.25, their fifth consecutive year over 3.25. A total of 17 players were named to the Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll in 2023. The Bruins had a record 18 honorees in 2022.