WILKES-BARRE - The Wilkes University women's soccer team returns to Bruggeworth Field as they gear up for their 2025 season. The Colonels, led by eighth-year head coach John McNichol and second-year assistant coach Lily Cross, look to build off their 2024 season where they finished 5-10-3 overall and 2-5-2 in conference play.

"Our players have done a great job with team culture and what the expectations and standards are…" said McNichol."We're really excited with where things are at now and excited to see what the rest of the season has to come."  
With twenty returners and twelve incoming first-years McNichol is excited about the blend of youth and experience on the squad. 

"We have a great blend of returning players and some great first year players who fit in. Past players have done a great job of setting that standard," McNichol said. "We're excited to watch them continue to grow… and go out on a high note this year. Being a student-athlete is a unique experience. They've done a fantastic job… and the energy is infectious with the group. It's been really fun."

On offense, the Colonels welcome back seniors Lauren Lefchak (Clarks Summit, PA/Abington Heights) and Taylor Anthony (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) who added an aggressive presence having attempted twelve shots last year, top five on the team. Lone junior Erin Edwards (East Greenville, PA/Upper Perkiomen), sophomores Katie Clarke (Pennington, NJ/Hopewell Valley Central), Addie Parker, Mia Black (Swarthmore, PA/Delaware Valley Friends School), Ava Young (Downingtown, PA/Downingtown West), while bringing in first-years Kiely Morley (Westchester, NY/Hendrick Hudson), Sarah Straup (Pennsburg, PA/Upper Perkiomen), Maggie Allen (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial), and Abby Bolz (Fair Hill, MD/Rising Sun) to the attack. 

The Midfield group includes juniors Jess Shea (Somerset, NJ/Franklin) and Taylor Gollin (Springfield, NJ/Jonathan Dayton) who provide an experienced presence on the field alongside sophomores Rachel Keister (Middleburg, PA/Midd-West) and Hannah Dennison (Limerick, PA/Spring-Ford). The team welcomes newcomers Izzy Kee (Lansdale, PA/North Penn), Cadence Artz (Pottsville, PA/Schuylkill Haven Area), Emily Parrella (Rotterdam, NY/Schalmont) and Jayden Schouten.

In Defense for the Colonels are upperclassmen Alex Holmstrom (West Deptford, NJ/West Deptford), Katie Durig and Erin Somerville (Warminster, PA/William Tennent) who totaled over 100 career games together thus far. They are backed by five excited sophomores, Elena Krajain (Lumberton, NJ/Rancocas Valley Regional), Taylor Sparks (Monroeville, NJ/Woodstown), Ashlyn Brown (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool), Madisyn Conrad (Langhorne, PA/Neshaminy), and Grace Alderson (Byram, NJ/Lenape Valley Regional), two first-years Riley Mastrian and Morgan Sweed (Pennsburg, PA/Upper Perkiomen).

In the net, the Colonels return sophomore Delaney Yaracs (Butler, PA/Butler) while adding first-years Ava Long (Pennsburg, PA/Upper Perkiomen) and Molly Dietsch (Fishtown, PA/Franklin Towne Charter).

The Colonels enter their third year in the Landmark Conference in 2025, and McNichol hopes to see his team compete well across all nine conference games.

"Every game in the Landmark is going to be a challenge" McNichol states, "At the end of the day we want to be playing at a high level… we want to be competing."

The Colonels kick off their 2025 season Saturday, August 30, at 3:00 p.m. as they travel up to Oswego State to face the Lakers. They return to Bruggeworth Field for their home opener on Wednesday, September 10, at 7:00 p.m. as they take on cross-town rivals King's College (PA). They then commence Landmark play on Saturday, September 27, at 7:00 p.m. against Elizabethtown College.