SASKATOON, Sask. - This Saturday (Aug. 30) the University of Saskatchewan (USask) Women's Soccer team will officially welcome a new Canada West season to Griffiths Stadium in Nutrien Park when they play host to the Mount Royal Cougars in their 2025 season-opener.
Saturday's match will officially begin the race to the conference postseason, with 15 programs across western Canada competing over the course of a 14-game regular season schedule. Following the regular season, eight programs will have earned their ticket to the Canada West playoffs with the top two seeds in the Prairie and Pacific Division also earning the right to host quarter-final matchups. The conference season will then culminate in a one-weekend final four bracket with the highest remaining team from the Pacific Division serving as hosts.
For the two teams featured in the Canada West Championship, their season will continue to the national stage and the 2025 U SPORTS Championships, set to be hosted by McMaster University and Ron Joyce Stadium from November 6-9, 2025.
The latest edition of the Huskie Women's Soccer team will be looking to build on another successful season in 2024, which saw the Dogs record a 7-2-5 record and earn their 12th consecutive playoff berth. Leading the charge is a mature and selfless group on veteran and fifth-year student-athletes looking to focus the team's training environment, intensity, and consistency is order to pursue their collective goals of program, conference, and national success. These veterans are complimented by another talented and energetic recruiting class who have quickly demonstrated a desire to learn and be mentored, creating an exciting dynamic for the program in 2025.
"We are very excited for this season," said
Jerson Barandica-Hamilton, who is set to enter his 12th season as Head Coach of the Huskie Women's Soccer program. "It is promising in that we feel we have great leadership and incoming talent blending together and depth that we can really trust. Now it's about prioritizing our day-to-day environment and ensuring we are focusing on competing and our pushing limits. If we do that, the results will come."
"We're not afraid to say we want to win, and win Canada West and Nationals, but we know we need to focus on the little steps every day first."
Following the Huskies' season-opener Saturday against the Cougars, the team returns to action Sunday afternoon for a Men's & Women's doubleheader against the Calgary Dinos. Single-game and season tickets are available now at
HuskieTickets.com.
See below for a recap of the 2024 season, rookies to watch for, and featured players on the 2025 edition of the Huskie Women's Soccer team.
2024 SEASON RECAP
Regular Season: 7-2-5 / 3rd in Prairie Division
Postseason: Lost 0-1 to uVic in CW Quarter-Final
CW Team Ranks
Offence: 35 goals for (4th)
Defence: 9 goals against (2nd)
2024 Regular Season Leaders
Points: Alyssa D'Agnone (10)
Goals: Alyssa D'Agnone (9)
Assists: Nicole Burnett &
Madison Mayert (5)
Saves: Kalin Roberts (49)
2025 RECRUITING CLASS
2025 FEATURED PLAYERS
FORWARDS
#10 Alyssa D'Agnone / 5-6 / 5th Year / Lethbridge, AB
2024 Stats: 14 GP / 12 GS / 9 G / 1 A / 10 PTS / 43 SH / 23 SOG
#27 Cheyenne Lehmann / 5-2 / 4th Year / Langdon, AB
2024 Stats: 11 GP / 5 GS / 3 G / 1 A / 4 PTS / 20 SH / 15 SOG
#13 Marie Kilcher / 5-6 / 5th Year / Saskatoon, SK
2024 Stats: 14 GP / 9 GS / 5 G / 4 A / 9 PTS / 25 SH / 18 SOG
#7 Tia Lecox / 5-3 / 5th Year / Ottawa, ON
2024 Stats: 13 GP / 8 GS / 5 G / 5 PTS / 21 SH / 10 SOG
#11 Naleya Kobussen / 5-4 / 5th Year / Saskatoon, SK
2024 Stats: 3 GP / 1 GS / 5 SH / 2 SOG
#19 Isabelle Lachance / 5-6 / 1st Year / Calgary, AB
2024 Stats: N/A
#14 Eva Ricken / 5-9 / 1st Year / Medicine Hat, AB
2024 Stats: N/A
The Huskies boast what could be the most dynamic and deep forward group in program history featuring several starting-caliber student-athletes and resulting in the team adopting an attack-minded approach in 2025.
Leading the Huskie attack is two-time Canada West All-Star
Alyssa D'Agnone, who is set to return for her final season in green & white. Last season, D'Agnone appeared in all 14 regular season games, leading her to finish the campaign as the team leader in both points (10) and goals (9). One of the most prolific scorers in program history, the product of Lethbridge has the chance to solidify herself as an all-time Huskie as she continues to climb the program's record books. D'Agnone is joined by fellow fifth-years
Marie Kilcher,
Tia Lecox, and
Naleya Kobussen in addition to fourth-year
Cheyenne Lehmann on the Saskatchewan front row, creating one of the deepest and experienced groups on the team.
Kilcher, a local Saskatoon product, will be looking to close out her Huskie career with a bang after posting back-to-back seasons of 5+ goals and 9+ points. Meanwhile Lecox, a transfer from the Winnipeg Wesmen prior to the 2024 season, will look for another productive campaign after exploding onto the USask scene with five goals in her debut season as a Huskie. Lehamnn then adds additional front line production after a 4-point season while Kobussen, a 2021 Canada West All-Rookie, will help provide a veteran presence to the attack.
A pair of rookies in
Isabelle Lachance and
Eva Ricken also enter the fold, with the pair providing exciting potential to a talented group of forwards.
MIDFIELDERS
#8 Nammi Nguyen / 5-5 / 4th Year / Saskatoon, SK
2024 Stats: 12 GP / 12 GS / 2 A / 2 PTS / 11 SH / 4 SOG
#20 Jenna Steacy / 5-9 / 3rd Year / Edmonton, AB
2024 Stats: 13 GP / 8 GS / 1 G / 3 A / 4 PTS / 15 SH / 7 SOG
#9 Danielle Lehmann / 5-3 / 2nd Year / Langdon, AB
2024 Stats: 1 GP
#18 Cassidy Vieira / 5-7 / 1st Year / Winnipeg, MB
2024 Stats: N/A
Returning student-athletes
Nammi Nguyen,
Jenna Steacy, and
Danielle Lehmann highlight the Huskie midfield following a fantastic offseason spent playing together and building chemistry ahead of another Canada West campaign. Nguyen, a 2024 All-Star and one of the most versatile players on the team, also brings professional experience after spending the summer playing for the Vietnamese National Team in the lead-up to the Asian Cup Qualifiers. Steacy and Lehmann meanwhile are set to provide a boost to the Saskatchewan midfield as the eneergetic pair return for the third and second years with the team.
Incoming rookie
Cassidy Vieira, a product of Winnipeg, Manitoba, adds to the internal competition and depth of the group with the potential to be another versatile players in the centre of the pitch.
DEFENDERS
#26 Anna Oliver / 5-8 / 5th Year / Saskatoon, SK
2024 Stats: 13 GP / 12 GS / 2 SH / 1 SOG
#4 Taryn Izsak / 5-9 / 5th Year / Prince Albert, SK
2024 Stats: 12 GP / 12 GS / 3 G / 3 PTS / 6 SH / 5 SOG
#21 Daraida Sutherland / 5-8 / 3rd Year / Calgary, AB
2024 Stats: 12 GP / 7 GS / 1 A / 1 PT / 10 SH / 2 SOG
#6 Georgina Gannitsos-Clark / 5-4 / 5th Year / Saskatoon, SK
2024 Stats: 8 GP / 3 GS / 2 SH / 1 SOG
The defensive core of the Huskie Women's Soccer continues the trend of experience and depth, boasting a trio of fifth-year athletes in
Anna Oliver,
Taryn Izsak, and
Georgina Gannitsos-Clark, complimented by standout third-year
Daraida Sutherland.
Oliver, the recipient of 2024 U SPORTS Student-Athlete Community Service Award and a 2021 All-Star, has started every match but one in her Saskatchewan career, logging nearly 5,000 minutes of action. One of the most consistent and reliable players in green & white, the Saskatoon product contributed heavily to the conference's second-best defensive unit in 2024. Izsak meanwhile has been another staple of the USask backline for the past four seasons with 54 games played and 47 career starts to her name. In addition to being a fantastic defender, Izsak has also demonstrated an ability to help on the attack, evidenced by her three goals in 2024.
Third-year fullback
Daraida Sutherland in just a few short years has proven to be as consistent as anyone in green & white. After starting nine games as a rookie, the Calgary product appeared in 13 last season and looks to have returned to form following a fantastic camp and preseason.
Finally, first-year student-athletes
Julie Randall,
Sarah Fisher, and
Emily Marriott have contributed to another competitive group, with the trio all training well and continuing to push the group.
GOALKEEPERS
#1 Kalin Roberts / 5-10 / 3rd Year / Calgary, AB
2024 Stats: 11 GP / 11 GS / 4-2-5 / 9 GA / 49 SV / 4 SO / .845 SV%
#33 Julie Snider / 5-6 / 3rd Year / New Norway, AB
2024 Stats: N/A
#22 Alyssa Paydli / 5-7 / 1st Year / Saskatoon, SK
2024 Stats: N/A
In net, the Huskies welcome back
Kalin Roberts as their starting goalkeeper. The 3rd-year student-athlete from Calgary started 11 matches in 2024, earning a 4-2-5 record while recording 4 clean sheets and allowing just nine goals against. A talented netminder, Roberts will play a big role in the success of Saskatchewan in 2025.
Julie Snider will serve as the Huskies back-up keeper after showing a lot of growth over her USask career. After serving as the third goalkeeper last season. Snider has embraded her new role and added responsibility while continuing to develop as a player.
Incoming recruit
Alyssa Paydli will keep Roberts and Snider fresh, adding increased competition to a talented group of keepers.
