With a new season coming around, there’s always incoming freshmen, transfers coming in, graduating seniors leaving and transfers going out. For Illinois soccer, there hasn’t been much of a shift in the roster that will change the team and starting lineup. 

Goalkeepers 

This is part of the squad that has seen the most change in the offseason. Sami Sample and Elizabeth Cablk graduated, so that means last season’s starting keeper won’t be coming back. Although when talking to head coach Janet Rayfield back when the season ended, Sample was one of the players she named who was considering a fifth year. Sample, according to her Instagram biography, will be attending Lipscomb University to become a physician assistant. 

Natalie Phelps is also a goalkeeper not on the roster who was just a freshman last year. On June 30, it was announced that Phelps had transferred to Saint Louis University near her hometown of Wildwood, Missouri. This shortens the keeper roster to only two, and both are inexperienced with college minutes. 

The only incoming freshman keeper is Naomi Jackson from Freeport, Illinois. Jackson looks to be reeling in a bunch of accolades heading into Illinois. She was named to the United Soccer Coaches High School All-American list and awarded Play of the Year by Illinois High School Soccer Coaches Association. Her senior season at Freeport High School saw her concede only two goals (both came from postseason play), win the NIC-10 Conference and made a save like this.

A spot for the starting keeper position is going to be a fight, so hats off to whoever gets the spot. There is a possibility for a late signing or transfer in order to maintain depth in the position. Currently Illinois does not have any goalkeepers committed for the incoming class of 2022. 

Defenders

Not much changed here as none of the starters graduated, so I would think the same back four that played all season will play again, but who knows.

Coming in for the defense is Alexa Joshi from Des Plaines, Angie Galo from Wheaton and Ella Karolak, who is listed as both a defender and midfielder, from Grosse Pointe, Michigan.

Midfielders

It was announced in June that both Hope Breslin and Maggie Hillman were coming back for a fifth year, and it’s a huge boost to the midfield. Having them both back in their usual positions allows them to lead Illinois after their unfortunate loss against Iowa in the first round of the Big Ten tournament.

Coming into Illinois are only three, Karolak who is doubling as a defender, Maddie Mariani from Wheaton and transfer Sydney Stephens from Waterloo, who played a year at Georgia. Stephens comes in with experience in the Southeastern Conference with playing nine games, starting eight and playing a total of 724 minutes.    

One midfielder not listed on the roster is Amaya Ellis. According to this list, Ellis has an anticipated graduation date for August 2021, so she still has one more year left of eligibility to finish off her fourth year with graduate school like Meredith Johnson-Monfort. However, there is no known information of what Ellis is up to in the coming months, but obviously things can change. 

Forwards

The only forward that Illinois lost was Katie Le who graduated in May; she was loud on the sidelines and a super sub when needed to be. Coming into the team are Maeve Jones and Abby Lynch, who also signed to compete for the track team as well. 

Jones, a four-star recruit, looks to be a good signing for Illinois as she comes in as No. 119 on the IMG Academy Girls Top 150 by Top Drawer Soccer and ranked nationally as the No. 37 forward by Top Drawer Soccer. 

Regardless of who gets the spot besides Makena Silber, I hope they’re ready to score some goals because that was one of the things that lacked this past season. 

With exhibitions matches and nonconference matchups back in the schedule, it will be cool to look at players who weren’t able to get minutes due to the limited games on the slate.  

@AngelleCortes

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