By Henry Quach

After a down year last season, Maryland women’s soccer enters the 2024 campaign off to a strong start – looking to bounce back and create early momentum going forward.

In her third season as head coach, Meghan Ryan Nemzer has rebuilt the roster. The Terps’ current squad features a mixture of new and returning players – ready to grow and improve throughout the 2024 season.

A new look schedule for the Terps in their first season within the newly expanded Big Ten Conference features an all-star lineup of matches throughout the next few months.

Maryland starts conference play against Michigan State on September 12, before then hosting Big Ten newcomers in Washington. Then, three days after a mid-October rivalry matchup against Penn State, the Terps return to College Park to take on Nebraska. Rounding out Maryland’s regular season slate are resume-building matches against Wisconsin and Rutgers in late October – where they’ll go head to head with the Badgers, runner-ups of the 2023 Big Ten Tournament, and Scarlet Knights.

Senior midfielder and captain Lauren Wrigley, goalkeeper Liz Beardsley and sophomore defender Kennedy Bell were all named as key Big Ten players to watch this season. Beardsley enters her second season as team captain, while Wrigley begins her first under the esteemed leadership role.

Another player to keep an eye on this season is junior midfielder Ava Morales, who led Maryland in goals last season. Morales’s 6 total points were also the 1st highest amongst Terps in 2023.

While the team’s veterans look to build from last year in high-profile returning roles, some new faces in College Park look to make an impact for the program both now and in the future for Coach Nemzer and staff.

Maryland welcomes nine total freshmen and two transfer students after a largely successful offseason. Brooke Tracey, a transfer student from Bucknell College, looks to be a key addition for the Terps’ defense – after leading Bucknell’s defense with nine shutouts and an All-Patriot League First Team selection in 2023.

Loyola (MD) transfer Delaney Memartino aims to be a welcome presence to Maryland’s attack. Memartino was named to the All-Patriot League Third Team last season.

Freshmen forwards Gemma Davitian, Ellie Egeland, Emily Lenhard, Ella Bulava, Dani Gichner and Kate Hawley come to College Park looking to spark the Maryland offensive attack. Freshmen defenders Sam Winer, Taryn Raibon and goalkeeper Kennadie Marchand look to build a fear-inducing, defensive unit.

Maryland came out firing in its first game of the 2024 campaign – taking down Lehigh 2-0 in an emphatic win. But after drawing two even in College Park and a draw against James Madison in their last three matches to follow, the Terps aim to end the dry spell at Annapolis against Navy this Thursday. 

Maryland then faces three more non-conference opponents – George Mason, Towson, VCU – before a match against Michigan State later next month to officially kick off Big Ten play.