Emma Egizii and Lexi Wright
Photo by: Mac Brown
Women's Soccer Ranked Second in Big Ten Preseason Poll
August 11, 2025 | Women's Soccer
The reigning Big Ten Tournament champion UCLA women's soccer team has been selected by the league's 18 coaches to finish second in the conference.ย
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The Bruins enter the season ranked No. 8 in the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll. They swept through last year's Big Ten Tournament with three shutout victories, including a historic 5-0 win over Rutgers in the Championship match. UCLA posted a 17-4-3 record in 2024 and was 8-1-2 in conference play.ย
USC was chosen as the preseason favorites. The Trojans, who are ranked No. 5 in the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll, won last year's Big Ten regular season title with a 10-0-1 mark. Rounding out the Top 5 are Penn State, Michigan State and Ohio State.
UCLA will host three of the Top 10-ranked teams this season, welcoming No. 1 USC on Oct. 26, No. 6 Iowa on ย on Oct. 16 and No. 8 Rutgers on Sept. 25. The USC and Rutgers matchups will be televised live on Big Ten Network. UCLA's road matchup against No. 4 Michigan State on Sept. 18 will also be televised on Big Ten Network
The Big Ten Conference also announced its Players to Watch List. Included in the list are redshirt senior midfielder Emma Egizii for the second-straight year, redshirt senior forward Lexi Wright, and senior defender Jennie Immethun.
Egizii scored two goals in just three games a year ago before a knee injury prematurely ended her season. She started 13 games for the Bruins in 2023 and totaled two goals, including one game-winner. She played in 11 games during UCLA's 2022 NCAA title run after missing all but one game in 2021 due to a season-ending injury. Egizii, a 2024 Academic All-Big Ten honoree, has five career goals.ย
Wright has totaled 14 goals and 10 assists for 38 points in her Bruin career. In 2023, she earned all-conference honors after totaling six goals (five during conference play) and three assists. As a sophomore in 2022, she was named to the College Cup All-Tournament Team after leading UCLA's comeback in the national championship game with an 80th minute goal. She ranked third on the team in all scoring categories that year, totaling 22 points on eight goals and six assists.
Immethun comes to UCLA from TCU, where she was a two-year starter and an All-Big 12 defender. In 2024, she started 20 of 22 games and logged 1,643 minutes for the Big 12 champions. She helped TCU record seven shutouts on the year. She also started 10 of 15 games for the Horned Frogs in 2023. She was a freshman starter for LMU in 2022. ย
2025 Big Ten Women's Soccer Preseason Poll
1. USC
2. UCLA
3. Penn State
4. Michigan State
5. Ohio State
6. Iowa
7. Wisconsin
8. Rutgers
9. Washington
10. Minnesota
11. Purdue
12. Nebraska
13. Michigan
14. Northwestern
15. Illinois
16. Oregon
17. Indiana
18. Maryland
2025 Big Ten Women's Soccer Players to Watch
Izzy Lee, Sr., GK, Illinois
Sarah Foley, Sr., F, Illinois
Emma Yee, So., F, Illinoisย
Kennedy Neighbors, Jr., F, Indiana
Aleyna Quinn, So., F, Indiana
Haden Vlcek, So., D, Indiana
Millie Greer, Jr., D, Iowa
Sofia Bush, Jr., MF, Iowa
Liana Tarasco, Fr., MF, Iowa
Kelsey Smith, Sr., F, Maryland
Tahirah Turnage-Morales, Sr., D, Maryland
Emily Lenhard, So., MF, Marylandย
Ellie Fife, So., D, Michigan
Gabrielle Prych, Jr, F, Michiganย
Sophie Homan, Sr., GK, Michigan
Maggie Illig, Sr., D, Michigan Stateย
Bella Najera, Jr., MF, Michigan Stateย
Julia Belli, So., D, Michigan State
Paige Kalal, Jr., MF, Minnesota
Tatianna Cunningham, Sr., MF, Minnesota
Ashley Thurk, So., D, Minnesotaย
Reagan Raabe, Gr., F/MF, Nebraska
Sadie Waite, Sr., MF, Nebraska
Lauryn Anglim, Sr., D, Nebraska
Caterina Regazzoni, Sr., MF, Northwestern
Kennedy Roesch, So., F, Northwesternย
Alex Fallon, So., F/MF, Northwesternย
Amanda Schlueter, Jr., F, Ohio State
Ava Bramblett, Jr., D, Ohio State
Molly Pritchard, Sr., GK, Ohio State
Sydney Chura, Sr., F, Oregon
Carly Cormack, So., MF, Oregon
Jayde Holley, Sr., D, Oregon
Kaitlyn MacBean, Gr., F, Penn State
Molly Martin, R-Jr., MF, Penn State
Amelia White, Sr., F, Penn Stateย
Megan Santa Cruz, Jr., MF, Purdue
Zoe Cuneio, Jr., D, Purdue
Emily Edwards, Jr., GK, Purdue
Olivia Bodmer, R-Jr., GK, Rutgers
Ashley Baran, Jr., F, Rutgers
Nata Ramirez, Gr., F, Rutgers
Emma Egizii, R-Sr., MF, UCLA
Lexi Wright, R-Sr., F, UCLA
Jennie Immethun, Sr., MF/D, UCLA
Maribel Flores, Jr., F, USC
Ines Derrien, So., MF, USC
Faith George, So., F, USC
Kolo Suliafu, Sr., D, Washington
Samiah Shell, Jr., F, Washington
Laura Cetina, Sr., MF, Washingtonย
Hailey Baumann, Jr., D, Wisconsin
Madison Ishaug, Gr., MF, Wisconsin ย ย ย
Ashley Martinez, Gr., MF/D, Wisconsin
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The Bruins enter the season ranked No. 8 in the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll. They swept through last year's Big Ten Tournament with three shutout victories, including a historic 5-0 win over Rutgers in the Championship match. UCLA posted a 17-4-3 record in 2024 and was 8-1-2 in conference play.ย
USC was chosen as the preseason favorites. The Trojans, who are ranked No. 5 in the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll, won last year's Big Ten regular season title with a 10-0-1 mark. Rounding out the Top 5 are Penn State, Michigan State and Ohio State.
UCLA will host three of the Top 10-ranked teams this season, welcoming No. 1 USC on Oct. 26, No. 6 Iowa on ย on Oct. 16 and No. 8 Rutgers on Sept. 25. The USC and Rutgers matchups will be televised live on Big Ten Network. UCLA's road matchup against No. 4 Michigan State on Sept. 18 will also be televised on Big Ten Network
The Big Ten Conference also announced its Players to Watch List. Included in the list are redshirt senior midfielder Emma Egizii for the second-straight year, redshirt senior forward Lexi Wright, and senior defender Jennie Immethun.
Egizii scored two goals in just three games a year ago before a knee injury prematurely ended her season. She started 13 games for the Bruins in 2023 and totaled two goals, including one game-winner. She played in 11 games during UCLA's 2022 NCAA title run after missing all but one game in 2021 due to a season-ending injury. Egizii, a 2024 Academic All-Big Ten honoree, has five career goals.ย
Wright has totaled 14 goals and 10 assists for 38 points in her Bruin career. In 2023, she earned all-conference honors after totaling six goals (five during conference play) and three assists. As a sophomore in 2022, she was named to the College Cup All-Tournament Team after leading UCLA's comeback in the national championship game with an 80th minute goal. She ranked third on the team in all scoring categories that year, totaling 22 points on eight goals and six assists.
Immethun comes to UCLA from TCU, where she was a two-year starter and an All-Big 12 defender. In 2024, she started 20 of 22 games and logged 1,643 minutes for the Big 12 champions. She helped TCU record seven shutouts on the year. She also started 10 of 15 games for the Horned Frogs in 2023. She was a freshman starter for LMU in 2022. ย
2025 Big Ten Women's Soccer Preseason Poll
1. USC
2. UCLA
3. Penn State
4. Michigan State
5. Ohio State
6. Iowa
7. Wisconsin
8. Rutgers
9. Washington
10. Minnesota
11. Purdue
12. Nebraska
13. Michigan
14. Northwestern
15. Illinois
16. Oregon
17. Indiana
18. Maryland
2025 Big Ten Women's Soccer Players to Watch
Izzy Lee, Sr., GK, Illinois
Sarah Foley, Sr., F, Illinois
Emma Yee, So., F, Illinoisย
Kennedy Neighbors, Jr., F, Indiana
Aleyna Quinn, So., F, Indiana
Haden Vlcek, So., D, Indiana
Millie Greer, Jr., D, Iowa
Sofia Bush, Jr., MF, Iowa
Liana Tarasco, Fr., MF, Iowa
Kelsey Smith, Sr., F, Maryland
Tahirah Turnage-Morales, Sr., D, Maryland
Emily Lenhard, So., MF, Marylandย
Ellie Fife, So., D, Michigan
Gabrielle Prych, Jr, F, Michiganย
Sophie Homan, Sr., GK, Michigan
Maggie Illig, Sr., D, Michigan Stateย
Bella Najera, Jr., MF, Michigan Stateย
Julia Belli, So., D, Michigan State
Paige Kalal, Jr., MF, Minnesota
Tatianna Cunningham, Sr., MF, Minnesota
Ashley Thurk, So., D, Minnesotaย
Reagan Raabe, Gr., F/MF, Nebraska
Sadie Waite, Sr., MF, Nebraska
Lauryn Anglim, Sr., D, Nebraska
Caterina Regazzoni, Sr., MF, Northwestern
Kennedy Roesch, So., F, Northwesternย
Alex Fallon, So., F/MF, Northwesternย
Amanda Schlueter, Jr., F, Ohio State
Ava Bramblett, Jr., D, Ohio State
Molly Pritchard, Sr., GK, Ohio State
Sydney Chura, Sr., F, Oregon
Carly Cormack, So., MF, Oregon
Jayde Holley, Sr., D, Oregon
Kaitlyn MacBean, Gr., F, Penn State
Molly Martin, R-Jr., MF, Penn State
Amelia White, Sr., F, Penn Stateย
Megan Santa Cruz, Jr., MF, Purdue
Zoe Cuneio, Jr., D, Purdue
Emily Edwards, Jr., GK, Purdue
Olivia Bodmer, R-Jr., GK, Rutgers
Ashley Baran, Jr., F, Rutgers
Nata Ramirez, Gr., F, Rutgers
Emma Egizii, R-Sr., MF, UCLA
Lexi Wright, R-Sr., F, UCLA
Jennie Immethun, Sr., MF/D, UCLA
Maribel Flores, Jr., F, USC
Ines Derrien, So., MF, USC
Faith George, So., F, USC
Kolo Suliafu, Sr., D, Washington
Samiah Shell, Jr., F, Washington
Laura Cetina, Sr., MF, Washingtonย
Hailey Baumann, Jr., D, Wisconsin
Madison Ishaug, Gr., MF, Wisconsin ย ย ย
Ashley Martinez, Gr., MF/D, Wisconsin
ย
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