The University of Virginia women's soccer program has a long and storied history of success as one of the premier programs in both the Atlantic Coast Conference and nationally. With 35 NCAA Tournament appearances - including 29 straight appearances - a four College Cup appearances, a pair of ACC Championships, multiple national award winners, a strong presence in the professional ranks both in the NWSL and abroad, and on Youth and Senior National Teams.
THIS IS VIRGINIA SOCCER
VIRGINIA PROGRAM ACCOLADES
- 2004, 2012 ACC Champions
- 2013, 2015, 2021 ACC Regular Season Champions
- 1991, 2013, 2014, 2020 College Cup Appearances
- 10 NCAA Elite Eight Appearances
- 26 NCAA Sweet 16 Appearances
- 35 NCAA Tournament Appearances
VIRGINIA INDIVIDUAL AWARDS & HONORS
- 2x MAC Hermann Trophy Winner - Morgan Brian
- 6 MAC Hermann Trophy Finalists
- 12 ACC Player of the Year selections
- 4 ACC Freshman of the Year selections
- 17 Soccer America MVP selections
- 45 All-America selections by United Soccer Coaches
- 126 All-ACC selections
- 129 All-Region selections by United Soccer Coaches
USWNT EXPERIENCE & US Soccer
HOOS WITH THE USWNT
Virginia women's soccer has a strong history of players with the US Women's National Team - with 12 players all-time and including three players on the 2019 Women's World Cup Championship team in Morgan Brian, Becky Sauerbrunn and Emily Sonnett.
The Hoos have been a part of bringing home back-to-back World Cup Championships to the United States in 2015 and 2019 and have had players represent the team in multiple Olympic Games and multiple World Cups.
VIRGINIA WITH U.S. SOCCER
Members of the Virginia women's soccer program have gone on to help the U.S. claim two Women's World Cup titles, six medals at the Women's World Cup (1995, 2003 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019) and three Olympic gold medals (2004, 2008, 2012).
- 12 USWNT Members all-time
- 85 players all-time with US Youth National Team experience
- UVA head coach Steve Swanson served as an assistant coach with the USWNT in 2015 and 2019
uva players in professional soccer
Virginia women's soccer has a storied history of players continuing their career in the professional soccer ranks in the United States and abroad. Currently the Cavaliers have 17 alums on NWSL rosters and had two players taken in the first round of the 2023 draft.
VIRGINIA IN THE NWSL
- 1 of 3 programs to have a player drafted in every draft
- Back-to-back first round picks in Morgan Brian (2015) and Emily Sonnett (2016)
- First-round pick Diana Ordoñez for 2022 draft
- Two first-round picks in 2023: Alexa Spaanstra and Haley Hopkins
UVA PLAYERS ON 2023 NWSL ROSTERS
Angel City FC (Megan Reid)
Gotham FC (Sinead Farrelly, Taryn Torres)
Houston Dash (Diana Ordoñez, Courtney Petersen)
Kansas City Current (Morgan Gautrat, Alexa Spaanstra)
NC Courage (Haley Hopkins, Brittany Ratcliffe)
OL Reign (Laurel Ivory, Veronica Latsko, Phoebe McClernon, Emily Sonnett)
Portland Thorns (Becky Sauerbrunn)
San Diego Wave (Danielle Colaprico, Makenzy Doniak, Kristen McNabb)
Hoos In International Soccer
Virginia women's soccer players have gone on to compete on the international stage in various professional leagues and for clubs at all levels - including national teams for Haiti, Ireland and Mexico.
In addition to the national team clubs, currently players playing professionally abroad include Gloria Douglas with Zaragoza FCC, Hana Kerner with Celtic FC and Brianna Westrup with Sunderland AFC.
an "all in" culture
The Virginia women's soccer program is built around an All In belief that centers around a culture of team and unity in order to achieve overall goals that are greater than those of the individual. That focus and vision begins before the team even steps on the pitch each season when the team travels to training camp in Michigan.
ALL IN
Every member of the team is completely dedicated to becoming the best they can be, individually and as a team, to ensure collective success. Every member of the team is completely focused on the team goals and puts the team in front of herself.
Doing your job; having each other’s backs no matter what. Fight for each other.
Everyone on the team (including coaches, trainers, etc.) putting their personal goals of success secondary to the success of the team. Knowing their individual roles play an important piece by being fully committed to the team.
A PREMIER COACHING STAFF
Virginia women's soccer is guided by a premier coaching staff with a wealth of experience across all levels including the collegiate ranks and internationally. The Cavaliers are led by head coach Steve Swanson who has established himself as one of the elite coaches in the collegiate ranks and one of the most respected.
HEAD COACH STEVE SWANSON
Through 33 seasons as a head coach, including the last 23 years at the helm of Virginia's program, Swanson has led his teams to six conference championships, 28 NCAA Tournament appearances and 32 consecutive winning seasons during his 33-year career. In his time as Virginia’s head coach, he has compiled a 315-94-48 record and coached 12 ACC Player of the Year selections.
- 2013 National Coach of the Year
- 3x ACC Coach of the Year (2013, 2015, 2021)
- USWNT Assistant Coach with 2015 & 2019 World Cup Champions
- 2016 USWNT Assistant Coach in Olympic Games
- 2012 Head Coach U20 YNT - World Cup Champions
ASSOC. HEAD COACH RON RAAB
Ron Raab is in the 15th year of his second tenure on the Virginia coaching staff.
In the 17 seasons since Raab returned as a full-time assistant with the Cavaliers in 2006, the team has posted a 227-61-37 record, won the 2012 ACC Championship, the 2013 ACC regular season title on the way to the 2013 NCAA College Cup, advanced to the finals of the NCAA College Cup in 2014 and then followed it up with another ACC regular season title in 2015. Virginia advanced to the College Cup in the 2020-21 COVID extended season. The Cavaliers also won the ACC regular-season in 2021.Virginia also set the school record for goals scored in three consecutive seasons including a nation-leading 88 in 2014.
A 1989 graduate of William & Mary, Raab was a three-year letterwinner on the Tribe soccer team. In 1987, he set William & Mary's school record for goals in a game with four against Christopher Newport. He also played one season for the Washington Mustangs of the USISL in 1993. He holds an "A" coaching license from the U.S. Soccer Federation and has served as a coach of the Region I ODP staff.
ASSISTANT COACH SAM RAPER
Sam Raper joined theVirginia soccer program prior to the start of the 2022 season.
Raper brought a diverse background with him to Virginia and most recently worked as an assistant coach for the U.S. U-15 and U.S. U-17 Women’s Youth National Teams. He served as goalkeeper coach for the U-17s that won the Concacaf Women’s U-17 Championship in the Dominican Republic and advanced to the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. His duties consisted of analysis of training and matches while planning and delivering goalkeeper trainings, presentations and evaluations, as well as tracking the individual developmental plans for all the goalkeepers.
In addition to his work with U.S. Soccer, Raper served at Wingate University as an assistant coach for the men’s program since 2018. He also served as an assistant for the women’s program from 2017 through the 2019 seasons and was recently named the interim head coach of the women’s program. In his time with the Bulldogs, he coached United Soccer Coaches All-Region and All-South Athletic Conference honoree Abbey Frail on the women’s side, and USL League one player Pablo Jara, USL League One player Jamie Boegel and current All-SAC selection Jens Bergendorff on the men’s side.
ASSISTANT COACH LIZZY SIERACKI
Lizzy Sieracki joined the Cavaliers in a coaching role for the 2022 season after completing her playing career with Virginia.
Sieracki joined the Virginia staff after a six-year career with the Cavaliers as a player (2016-21) where she was a member of the Cavaliers’ back line. She was a six-time selection to the ACC Academic Honor Roll and was named a 2021 CoSIDA Academic All-District selection.
In her time on the pitch, Sieracki logged 3,732 minutes and scored four goals with eight assists for her career. She hit the game-winning goal against fourth-ranked TCU in a 1-0 victory to send Virginia to the College Cup in the 2020-21 season. In her third season, Sieracki assisted on the game-winning goal against No. 11 Penn State. She helped Virginia post 40 shutouts while playing for the Hoos.
DIRECTOR OF ANALYTICS & OPERATIONS EILIDH THOMSON
Eilidh Thomson joined the staff in 2016, bringing with her a wealth of soccer experience at several levels throughout her playing and coaching career. She is serving as the Director of Analytics and Operations after serving as a volunteer assistant coach.
The Scotland native earned a bachelor’s degree in Sports Development and Coaching from Paisley University in 2005 and a master’s in Sport and Recreation Leadership at JMU. Looking to further her coaching career, she also earned certifications from the Scottish Football Association, United States Soccer Federation and the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.
Thomson was a member of the U15, U17 and U19 Scottish National teams and went on the play professionally for Hamilton Academical FC, also known as the Hamilton Accies, in the Scottish Premier League.
She has also done extensive work with United States Youth Soccer, including coaching in the Region One International Tournament in both 2014 and 2015.
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
The Virginia women's soccer program has a tradition of achieving excellence in the classroom as well as on the pitch. Members of the Cavalier program have consistently earned recognition on the university, conference and national level.
ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT
- 2007 National Scholar-Athlete of the Year selection - Becky Sauerbrunn
- 5 CoSIA Academic All-Americans
- 56 ACC All-Academic selections
- 11 Team Academic Awards from the United Soccer Coaches
ACC POST-GRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
- 2020 - Zoe Morse
- 2018 - Veronica Latsko
- 2017 - Morgan Stearns
- 2016 - Makenzy Doniak
- 2015 - Morgan Brian
- 2014 - Molly Menchel
KLÖCKNER STADIUM
Klöckner Stadium has served as the home of Virginia soccer for the past 28 seasons and has provided a significant home-field advantage for the Cavaliers.
The Cavaliers have posted a 277-51-23 record at Klöckner Stadium and are 90-26-13 in ACC matches played at Klöckner Stadium.
The Cavaliers have a style of play that emphasizes an attacking style of play while encouraging creativity and fun on the attack with passionate play.
THIS IS VIRGINIA ATHLETICS
The Virginia Athletics Department has evolved into one of the most successful in the nation as witnessed by its success on the field in both Atlantic Coast Conference play and NCAA championship competition. Since 2002, UVA has won more ACC team championships – 83 – than any other school in the conference. During their proud athletics history, the Cavaliers have won 35 national championships, including 27 NCAA team titles.
The Virginia women's soccer program is proud to be a part of one of a successful athletics department that features consistent achievement in both its men's and women's programs - and a consistent contributor to the department's placement among the nation's elite.
In 2015 and 2019, Virginia won the Capital One Cup as the nation’s top achieving men’s athletics program. The Cavaliers won national titles in men's soccer, men's tennis and baseball in 2015 and took home the championship trophy in basketball and men's lacrosse in 2019.
Numerous Virginia student-athletes have achieved greatness in professional sports, Olympic venues & on national teams in addition to being recognized for the scholastic achievements.
“College athletics is a challenging enterprise. The way that Virginia wants to do it is the way that I am built to do it, and we'll continue to focus on academic achievement. We'll do it with integrity. We'll give maximum effort, and we're going to come together as a team, not just within our different sports teams, but within the athletic department and within the Charlottesville community.
"To prospective students and prospective student-athletes in every sport, throughout the commonwealth of Virginia and across the country, if you are looking for a place to make big dreams a reality, if you are looking for a place to achieve goals that seem unimaginable, if you are looking for a place to defy the odds, I've found that place. Come join us at UVA, Go Hoos. ”
- UVA Athletics Director Carla Williams
UNPARALLELED SUPPORT SERVICES
The excellence achieved by Virginia’s student-athletes has not been confined to competitive venues. Thanks to strong support systems, UVA student-athletes consistently excel in the classroom and participate in many extracurricular activities. In 2020, 497 Cavaliers were named to the ACC Academic Honor Roll that recognizes student-athletes who registered a grade point average of 3.00 or better for the entire academic year. The honor of honors is graduating from Virginia and making the walk down the Lawn.
STRENGTH & CONDITIONING
The dedicated strength and conditioning and performance staffs at UVA maximize fitness and assist student-athletes to properly train, fuel and recover in preparation for competition. Each team has a dedicated coach to help utilize the most appropriate training methods each individual student-athlete based on his or her needs, end goals and baseline readiness. It is a holistic, athlete-centered process that focuses on the development and enhancement of physical qualities that underpin the general and specific needs of each athlete for his or her sport.
ACADEMIC SUPPORT
The excellence achieved by Virginia’s student-athletes has not been confined to competitive venues. Thanks to strong support systems, UVA student-athletes consistently excel in the classroom and participate in many extracurricular activities.
The athletics academic affairs staff oversees registration and eligibility requirements of a diverse group of student-athletes. They communicate directly with coaching staffs concerning student needs and progress. Along with dedicated staff members for each team, tutors and mentors are readily available for individual assistance.
SPORTS NUTRITION
Director of Sports Nutrition Randy Bird is responsible for the development and coordination of optimal nutritional services at Virginia and for the nutritional development of its student-athletes. Bird consults with the coaches and student-athletes to provide direction and communicate the value of nutrition programs specifically designed to promote their health and performance.
Bird works with the a certified executive chef to develop menus for the training table that meet the needs of all of UVA’s teams and student-athletes. He also conducts cooking demonstrations and grocery shopping exercises to help student-athletes enhance their personal nutrition plans.
SPORTS MEDICINE
The mission of the department of sports medicine and Associate Director of Athletics/Head Athletic Trainer Ethan Saliba is to provide the "Gold Standard" of health care for Division I student-athletes. The "Gold Standard" is exemplified by having NCAA, Olympic and National teams look to UVA as the best product for prevention, treatment and rehabilitation for the elite athlete. Saliba and his staff manage all daily athletic training room operations, including injury management and rehabilitation and ensuring medical coverage for all student-athletes.
SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY
The mission of the University of Virginia Sport Psychology unit is to promote mental well-being, safety, and optimal performance in all aspects of student-athlete life. We respect and sustain our student-athletes’ autonomy, resiliency, and confidentiality. We provide confidential one-to-one meetings for members of all 27 of our Division-I sports. Through enhancing student-athletes' ability to embrace challenges successfully, we help optimize their experience in their roles as students, as athletes, and as community members. We also lead team meetings and consult with coaches and other support staff to enhance performance, communication, and coping skills of our entire Athletics Department. Our model of having two full-time licensed sport psychologists "in-house" in the athletics department is one of only four of its kind in the nation and sets the standard for other Division-I schools.
THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
As one of the finest academic institutions in the world, our purpose goes beyond education. We create the next generation of leaders. We usher in the breakthroughs of tomorrow. It is our responsibility to be a force for good in the world. Our graduates take these values with them and go on to achieve historic success. With a tenacious spirit, a life-long commitment to integrity and an endless drive, we pursue a greater tomorrow.
UVA AT A GLANCE
The University of Virginia provides a college experience unlike any other.
As one of the finest academic institutions in the world, UVA's purpose goes beyond education. We create the next generation of leaders. We usher in the breakthroughs of tomorrow. It is our responsibility to be a force for good in the world. Our graduates take these values with them and go on to achieve historic success. With a tenacious spirit, a life-long commitment to integrity, and an endless drive, we pursue a greater tomorrow.
- #1 Best Educational Experience, Darden School of Business - 2018 The Economist
- #2 Best-Value Public University, 2020 U.S. News & World Report
- #1 Hospital in Virginia, 2019-20 U.S. News & World Report
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA
THIS IS CHARLOTTESVILLE
Located in the foothills of Virginia‘s Blue Ridge Mountains, Charlottesville is home to more than 43,475 residents with a metropolitan population nearing 200,000. Charlottesville is a small, thriving city, 120 miles from Washington, D.C.
The downtown area is an 18-block, brick-paved pedestrian mall with more than 30 outdoor cafes and restaurants, numerous modern theaters as well as several music venues. From April through October, Charlottesville celebrates Fridays After Five downtown, with free live music at its amphitheater, the Charlottesville Pavilion. Virginia’s John Paul Jones Arena hosts a number of attractions including concerts, family shows and community events. Performers like the Rolling Stones, U2, Taylor Swift, Kenny Chesney, Jay-Z, Lady Gaga and Charlottesville‘s own Dave Matthews Band have all been a part of the town’s music scene.
For years, Charlottesville has been chosen as one of the best places to live in the United States. It has been named: Best college town in the country by Traveler‘s Today; best town for food lovers by Wine Magazine; the country's favorite mountain town by Travel & Leisure; and most recently, the ‘Happiest City’ in America by US National Bureau of Economic Research.