WPSL ALUMNAE FEATURE FOR BOTH SIDES OF HISTORIC NCAA DIVISION I COLLEGE CUP CHAMPIOPNSHIP

Andrew Mosier | WPSL Communications

 

When the University of North Carolina and Wake Forest took the field in Monday’s NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer College Cup final, a record 29 Women’s Premier Soccer League alumnae were on the rosters. 

 

 

The game marked the first-ever appearance in the national championship match for Wake Forest, while North Carolina—the most successful women’s soccer program in American soccer history—returned to the championship match for the 28th time—including four of the last seven. 

 

 

Olivia Thomas buried a free kick in the 61st minute to give UNC its 23rd national title at Wake Med Park in Cary, North Carolina. The 1-0 win marked the Tar Heels’ first title since 2012. The Tar Heels’ first national title came in 1981, two years after the program was founded. This year marked the first in program history without Anson Dorrance at the helm, who retired in August of this year as the winningest women’s college soccer coach of all time.

 

 

North Carolina featured nine WPSL alumnae, including the nation’s leading scorer, Kate Faassee, who finished the season with 20 goals. Faassee, a true freshman from Phoenix, Ariz., featured for repeating Desert Conference champions, SC del Sol during the 2024 WPSL season. 

 

 

The Wake Forest roster featured 20 former and current WPSL players, including 10 fresh off the 2024 season including 2024 WPSL National Championship finalist, Emily Silva, with the Charlotte Eagles. 

 

 

A total of 58 players competing in this year’s Division I Final Four played in the WPSL. Wake Forest led all teams with 20, followed by Stanford with 17, Duke with 11, and UNC with nine. 

 

 

Wake Forest led the pack of Final Four teams with players having played in the last two seasons with 17, followed by Stanford with 12, Duke with six, and UNC with five. 

 

 

2024 University of North Carolina WPSL Alumnae

Maddie Dahlien — Minnesota Thunder: 2023, 2022, 2021

Emily Colton — San Diego Surf: 2023

Emmerson Elgin — STA: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021

Kate Faassee — SC del Sol: 2024

Clare Gange — Minnesota Thunder: 2022; Rhode Island Rogues: 2021

Olivia Migli — Soda City: 2022; Charleston Fleet FC: 2021

Bella Sember — Downtown United: 2022, 2021

Ella Smith — Women’s Football Club of Charlotte: 2024, 2023

Alexa Wojnovich — Wake FC: 2021

 

2024 Wake Forest University WPSL Alumnae

Laurel Ansbrow — Kansas City Current II: 2023

Dempsey Brown — Seminole Ice: 2023

Chloe Burst — Challenge Red Devils: 2023

Payton Cahill — Salvo SC: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021

Taryn Chance — UK F.C.: 2024

Zara Chavoshi — McLean Soccer: 2024

Abbie Colton — SoCal Dutch Lions: 2024; San Diego 2023

Nadia De Marinis: Team Boca Blast: 2023

Olivia De Marinis — Team Boca Blast: 2023

Laine De Natale — SUSA FC: 2023

Olivia Duvall — Arlington Soccer: 2024

Sophie Faircloth — NC Fusion U23: 2021

Emily Morris — San Diego Surf: 2023; Women’s Football Club of Charlotte: 2022

Paige Nurkin — Women’s Football Club of Charlotte: 2022, 2021

Lola Ressler — Seminole Ice: 2024

Emily Silva — Charlotte Eagles: 2024

Nikayla Small — Kansas City Current II: 2023

Anna Swanson — Nashville Rhythm F.C.: 2024

Sammi Wiemann — San Diego Surf: 2024, 2023

Alex Wood — MISS KICK FC: 2024