Women's soccer sets sights on 2025 season

Each summer, when the calendar flips to August, one thing is certain; Linfield Wildcat athletics are on the horizon. Women's Soccer kicks off the 2025 season in under two weeks with their sights set on growth and leadership.

Following a 2024 season where the Wildcat defense shined, allowing just 16 goals in 20 matches. Steve Simmons' squad looks to pair a veteran backline with the reigning Northwest Conference Rookie of the Year at Forward to propel them to the top of the conference. 

Coming off of a 6-7-7 season and a sixth-place finish in the Northwest Conference a year ago, the Wildcats found success on their home turf, going 5-1-6 at home. Highlighted by a 3-0-2 start to the season, and a 2-0-2 record in non-conference play. Linfield finished last season with the third fewest goals allowed, and third most corners taken among Northwest Conference teams.

 Nine Wildcat seniors had their collegiate career come to a close in 2024, including a pair of graduate students in Rae Gerking and Riley Omonaka. Gerking, a transfer from the University of Wyoming, started 19 games for Linfield in her final season, scoring three goals and adding two assists in just seven shots. The defender earned Second Team All-Northwest Conference honors in her final season, one of two Wildcats to earn conference honors in 2024.

At midfield, Omonaka joined Sidra Griffin as two veterans who combined for over 2,750 minutes played in their final season donning the purple and red. Griffin led the team in minutes played, playing nearly every minute of the team's 20 matches. 

Linfield welcomes 18 new faces to the team ahead of the 2025 season, six of which remaining in their home state of Oregon. 15 of the newcomers will look to make their collegiate debuts upon arrival, with three coming to McMinnville via the transfer portal. 

Midfielder Melania Valdez from Scottsdale, Arizona comes to Linfield after spending one season at Division II Biola University in La Mirada, California. Valdez did not compete for the Eagles in her first year removed from Desert Mountain High School, but hopes to find a way into the Wildcat midfield.

Forward Emily McGuire plans to spend her senior season with the Wildcats after one year at Division II West Texas A&M and a pair of seasons at Santa Barbara City College. Penryn, Calif. native, McGuire competed in 14 games, making four starts, last season at West Texas. She scored one goal and added one assist with a pair of shots on goal for the season. Over two seasons at the junior college level, McGuire saw action in 37 games, earning Second Team All-Conference honors and a conference title for SBCC.

Defender Racquel Davis travels south to McMinnville after just one season of competing for Centralia College. Davis, from Park City, Utah,  started 14 games last season, scoring one goal on 10 shots for the Blazers in the Northwest Athletic Conference. 

“They've had a good spring, a great summer, and I'm excited for them. It's hard as a new player to hit the ground running, and we will see how they adjust in these first couple of weeks.” said Head Coach Steve Simmons regarding the incoming class of Wildcats.

Linfield kicks off the season on Friday August 29th, in Santa Cruz, California, set to take on the University of California-Santa Cruz and East Texas Baptist on the banana slugs home turf. 

The 'Cats then return to McMinnville for their home opener on Friday September 5th, hosting Warner Pacific at 7 p.m. On Sunday September 9th, the team will wrap up non-conference play against the Redlands Bulldogs at home at 1 p.m. Both home contest will be some of the first Wildcat matches featured on FloSports since the Northwest Conference reached an exclusive media rights agreement this past summer.

“Santa Cruz is a perennial top-25 team, and they play in a tough league. So they've had some NCAA Tournament experience and they'll be a good test. We get a chance to play a solid team from Texas [East Texas Baptist], and Division III Texas soccer is good, so to get to play them will be a good opportunity.”

The Northwest Conference campaign opens on September 12th in Forest Grove, Ore. where the Wildcats face the Boxers at 5 p.m. before heading to Salem to face the Willamette Bearcats on Sunday, September 14th. The ‘Cats were picked fifth last Friday in the Northwest Conference’s Preseason Coaches Poll.

After a nearly two-week rest, Linfield then hosts Whitman, Whitworth, and Willamette for three matches over a five-day stretch, and part of a series of five games in just nine days. 

To close out the season, three of the final four matches come on the 'Cats home turf, before heading to Newberg for the regular season finale on Sunday, November 9th.