AMES – After last season’s shortcomings, Iowa State women’s soccer is back for the spring. Starting Sunday, Iowa State will begin its five-game spring season.
The Cyclones’ lone conference win last season came on the road against Kansas, which became the eventual Big 12 champions. Under head coach Matt Fannon, Iowa State went 3-9-6 over the 2024 campaign.
A handful of familiar teams await the Cyclones, including Iowa, Drake and Creighton. Iowa State will face off against Nebraska and St. Thomas at home, two teams not previously opposed last season.
While last season’s starters are all expected to return, one name stands out above the rest. After recording 96 saves last season, starting junior goalkeeper Avery Gillahan is prepared to suit up for her third season.
Alongside Gillahan, junior defender and former Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week Ella Zimmerman is also expected to start in the first match of the spring season. Zimmerman appeared in every fall game and played a key role in five defensive stands that led to shutouts against Western Illinois, Kansas, Utah, Kansas State and Cincinnati.
Of last season’s lineup, only one of Iowa State’s top scorers is expected to return. The absence of Morgan Furmaniak, Magdalena Keck and Hannah Shaw opens the door to incoming talents in sophomores Allison Charleston, Cassidy Corcione and Morgan Goodman, alongside Florida junior transfer Lucy Froitzheim.
Like Froitzheim, the other three are transfers, too. Charleston from Wright State, Goodman from Xavier and Corcione from Michigan State. The trio combines for 1,208 minutes of action, Charleston pulling the majority with 1,055 minutes in 17 matches under head coach Travis Sobers.
Other notable names returning for the Cyclones are senior defender Adelaide Wolfe, senior forward Ella Ciardullo, junior midfielder Regan John, senior midfielder Lauren Hernandez, junior midfielder Nicolasa Jacobs, senior midfielder Sophia Thomas, sophomore defender Makenna Marshall, senior defender Chloe Broughton and senior defender Isabella Agrusso.
Full Spring schedule:
Mar. 8: Iowa State at Iowa, 5 p.m. CT
Mar. 30: Iowa State at Creighton, 2:30 p.m. CT
Apr. 5: Nebraska vs Iowa State, 12 p.m. CT
Apr. 9: Iowa State at Drake, 6:30 p.m.CT
Apr. 26: St. Thomas vs Iowa State, 2 p.m. CT
