After an offseason of recollection and retooling, the Profs are just days away from starting their highly anticipated 2025 campaign. Annually finding themselves with a winning record and atop the NJAC standings, expectations could be sky high for a squad having already received votes in this year’s national preseason poll. 

Revisiting last season’s results, the Profs finished second in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC standings) with 24 points. Tallying a 13-1-2 regular season record (8-1 conference record), the team earned a bye into the conference semi-finals before falling 2-1 to Montclair State University in double overtime to end their NJAC title hopes. 

Rowan women’s soccer had a second-best 51 goals scored and 14 goals allowed among NJAC teams last year, only following an equally dominant TCNJ squad. Their season featured an eight-game winning streak and an undefeated record until the final game of the regular season, when they lost to the nationally ranked Lions. 

The Profs’ excellence through the 2024 season was enough to secure a third consecutive NCAA tournament appearance, where their season would come to a complete close in the first round. Despite the unfortunate outcome of last November, the Profs have the resume and the talent to compete once more in 2025. 

Previous success from the Rowan women’s soccer team always began with head coach Scott Leacott, who will enter his 26th season as the winningest and longest-tenured coach in the program’s history. The Profs have competed in 21 consecutive NJAC tournaments (excluding the cancelled 2020 season) and have won three NJAC championships in the past 10 years.

In regard to talent, the Profs have multiple key players returning with hopes of hoisting some silverware this upcoming season. 

2024 NJAC Offensive Player of the Year, Olivia Giordano, enters her senior year tied for fifth on Rowan’s all-time scoring sheet with 38 total. She has reached double-digit goals in every season she has appeared for the Profs, and her 15 goals last season were not only a team high but were tied for the NJAC Golden Boot.

Olivia’s twin sister, Julianna, also returns to Rowan’s back four, ensuring the Profs have one of the league’s top dynamic duos on their side for another season. Both sisters made the United Soccer Coaches All-Region IV First Team in 2024.

Profs winger and rising senior, Lianna SanFelice, will continue to provide some elite playmaking ability in the attacking third for Rowan. Her team’s leading eight assists in 2024 proved worthy of a spot on the United Soccer Coaches All-Region IV First Team, marking the third straight year of earning that honor. 

Additionally, Sara Wiedeman, who transferred from Wagner College last year, will be Rowan’s main anchor in the midfield after she had a breakout sophomore season. Finding the net six times and assisting on three goals one year ago, the rising Junior looks to build upon her NJAC First Team recognition.

With the appreciation of returning stars comes the challenge of replacing graduating seniors. 

One of the biggest losses is Mackenzie Clement, who started at striker for the Profs the past two seasons. Clement scored 29 goals during her Profs tenure and led the NJAC in goal contributions last season with 14 goals and seven assists. 

The Profs’ defense also took a big hit this offseason as a result of longtime starting keeper Calista Burke no longer defending the net for Rowan. Burke consistently started in goal for Rowan the past three seasons, including her illustrious 2022 season that saw her allow only five goals and capture 13 shutouts en route to winning NJAC Goalkeeper of the Year. 

With the Profs in need of a replacement between the posts, it could be time for rising senior Gemma Keesler to take on the role for Rowan after serving as the backup keeper the previous two seasons. She has appeared in five games for the Profs.

Other notable losses include starting fullbacks Manon Bada and Meghan Kryjer, midfielders Olivia Falicki and Aine Delle Grotti, and forwards Simone Pacetti and Jillian Jankowski. Leaders like Frankie Ryan will also be missed on a team searching for its new identity.  

Looking ahead at the 2025 schedule, the Rowan women’s soccer team will have to play 10 of 16 games on the road. However, the trend bodes favorably for Profs fans. This team went an impressive 7-0-1 as the visitors last year, never faltering away from Glassboro. 

The Profs will play their first regular season game on Sept. 3 in Reading, Pa., kicking off their season against Albright College. Rowan’s home opener versus Swarthmore will be a white out event at the Rowan Soccer and Lacrosse Complex on Sept. 10.

This year’s final regular-season fixture will be the mightiest test for the brown and gold, as they will face TCNJ in a pivotal match that could decide the NJAC standings for the second consecutive season. 

Excitement for Rowan women’s soccer team continues to grow, and for good reason. While TCNJ has taken the NJAC crown in six of the last eight seasons, the Profs aim to steal the crown back for the first time since they last triumphed in 2022. 

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