After a 2023 campaign in which a midseason dip in form prevented Virginia from reaching the ACC or NCAA tournaments for the first time in Coach Steve Swanson’s 24-year tenure, the Cavaliers will be looking to right the wrongs of their middling 8-3-6 season that saw them finish with a losing record in the ACC. With some exciting new players joining an already-talented Virginia squad, the Cavaliers are in a good position to be competitive in an ever-difficult ACC, which boasts seven teams within the preseason top-25 rankings.
On the attacking side, the returning trio of sophomore forward Allie Ross, junior forward Maggie Cagle and junior forward Meredith McDermott will be doing most of the work up front. The trio appeared in all 17 of Virginia’s games last year and led the Cavaliers in points, combining for 22 goals and 13 assists. Cagle, a two time All-ACC recipient, will look to add another All-ACC selection to her resume this season.
Ross, Cagle and McDermott will not be doing it alone, though, as Virginia brought in freshman forward Sophia Bradley and graduate forward Linda Mittermair to bolster the attack. Bradley, a New Jersey native, was the 25th ranked recruit in her class, while Mittermair brings in elite experience derived from appearing in over 100 professional matches in Austria. The University of Vienna graduate will look to transfer her European success to the collegiate stage.
Senior midfielder Lia Godfrey, a two-time All-ACC selectee who was also named a first team All-American in 2022, will look to bounce back after missing the 2023 campaign due to injury. She is set to take on a leading role in the Cavaliers’ midfield alongside sophomore midfielder Yuna McCormack, who recorded five assists in 2023 and was called up to the United States’ roster for the U-20 Women’s World Cup.
Additionally, junior midfielder Jill Flammia and graduate midfielder Alexis Theoret will be looking to use their depth of experience to aid in the middle of the pitch — Flammia appeared in 15 games last season and Theoret appeared in all 17. Moreover, senior midfielder Laughlin Ryan will look to play a larger role this season after being kept out of action with injuries for most of her career in Charlottesville. Ryan dished out an assist in just two starts in 2023.
While the attack looks to be in great shape, the defensive side of the field took a big hit in the offseason, with defenders Lacey McCormack and Talia Staude, as well as goalkeeper Cayla White, leaving the program after exhausting their college eligibility. All three players were key to Virginia’s strong defense that gave up just 11 goals last season — Staude was second in the program’s history in career minutes played and was selected by the North Carolina Courage in the 2024 NWSL Draft.
To help shore up the defense for 2024, the Cavaliers brought in graduate defender Moira Kelley, a transfer from Kansas. Kelley led the Jayhawks in minutes played last year while starting all 18 games, and her veteran presence should help keep Virginia as stout on defense as they were last year.
On the goalkeeping side, starting duties will most likely fall upon sophomore goalkeeper Victoria Safradin. Safradin, who appeared in four games last season and is a former top-10 recruit, was recently called up to the Croatian women’s national team. Her shot-stopping and distribution skills will be critical for Virginia, helping the Cavaliers start counterattacks and stay competitive in close games.
All in all, Virginia can combine a new-look defense, experienced midfield and high-powered attack to make a push for an ACC title and NCAA tournament qualification. In Swanson’s 25th season as the Cavaliers’ head coach, he has a talented roster that will make every game a competitive one.
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