By Grace White, Graduate Assistant for Sports Communication
JACKSON, Tenn. – After going 4-11-1 overall during the 2022 season, Union University’s women’s soccer team seeks to improve in Josh Alford‘s second season as head coach.
Alford has a whole new staff to assist him this year. Mercedes Padilla, who comes to Union after serving one season as the assistant coach at Huntingdon College, will serve as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. Chris Baker, the current head coach at Trinity Christian Academy, will be a volunteer assistant specifically assigned to the goalkeepers.
Union’s first conference matchup comes on the road against Christian Brothers on Sep. 15, and the team’s first GSC home game will be Sep. 22 when they face Delta State.
This year’s team is comprised of 30 players. Goalkeeper Rylee Iorio, the lone graduate student, had a career year in 2022 as she was named GSC Defender of the week and TSWA Player of the Week, passed 200 career saves, and moved into third place on the all-time saves list for women’s soccer.
There are six returning seniors, including Hannah Patterson, Grace Rodriguez, Claire Maxon, Victoria Seymour, Cora Eisman, and Ava Duval.
The upperclassmen are rounded out by seven returning juniors in Eva Isom, Kirsten LaVallee, Sophie Walsh, Joslyn Greene, Rivers Abshere, Lilly Ludwig, and Rachel Shane
Sixteen underclassmen fill out the remainder of the roster with four sophomores, including Eva Isom, Madison Woolridge, Ines Gama, and Kaytlynn Staley. The 12 freshmen are Amanda Carr, Rebekah Jackson, Amelia Goehring, Lucia Revuelto, Ashley Macedo, Bethany Guinness, Avery Caldwell, Brooklyn Robbins, Emma Pence, Irene Arias, Tessa Erzen, and Fara Perez.
Union was selected 12th in the GSC Preseason Coaches Poll, and Jackson and Guinness were named to the Newcomer Watch List for the 2023 season.
Alford has a whole new staff to assist him this year. Mercedes Padilla, who comes to Union after serving one season as the assistant coach at Huntingdon College, will serve as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. Chris Baker, the current head coach at Trinity Christian Academy, will be a volunteer assistant specifically assigned to the goalkeepers.
Union’s first conference matchup comes on the road against Christian Brothers on Sep. 15, and the team’s first GSC home game will be Sep. 22 when they face Delta State.
This year’s team is comprised of 30 players. Goalkeeper Rylee Iorio, the lone graduate student, had a career year in 2022 as she was named GSC Defender of the week and TSWA Player of the Week, passed 200 career saves, and moved into third place on the all-time saves list for women’s soccer.
There are six returning seniors, including Hannah Patterson, Grace Rodriguez, Claire Maxon, Victoria Seymour, Cora Eisman, and Ava Duval.
The upperclassmen are rounded out by seven returning juniors in Eva Isom, Kirsten LaVallee, Sophie Walsh, Joslyn Greene, Rivers Abshere, Lilly Ludwig, and Rachel Shane
Sixteen underclassmen fill out the remainder of the roster with four sophomores, including Eva Isom, Madison Woolridge, Ines Gama, and Kaytlynn Staley. The 12 freshmen are Amanda Carr, Rebekah Jackson, Amelia Goehring, Lucia Revuelto, Ashley Macedo, Bethany Guinness, Avery Caldwell, Brooklyn Robbins, Emma Pence, Irene Arias, Tessa Erzen, and Fara Perez.
Union was selected 12th in the GSC Preseason Coaches Poll, and Jackson and Guinness were named to the Newcomer Watch List for the 2023 season.
