MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. – The RMU women's soccer team is set to launch its 2025 campaign with a home opener against Navy on Thursday, August 14 at 4:00 PM. The match will take place at the North Athletic Complex, marking the beginning of Head Coach
Michelle Rick's second season at the helm.
KEY RETURNERS TO WATCH
The Colonials will be powered by a strong core of returning veterans from last season's squad that advanced to the semifinals of the Horizon League Championship. Senior forward
Paloma Swankler is back after a stellar 2024 season where she scored six goals and five assists, ranking her among the top five in the conference for both categories. Swankler was named to the All-League Second Team, along with junior
Ava Trethewey, who returns after starting all 19 games and contributing one game-winner and four assists.
The defense will be anchored by senior captain
Jillian Marvin, who had a huge season in 2024, playing every minute of every game (1,712) and scoring the game-winning goal in overtime against IU Indy in the Horizon League Quarterfinal match. The midfield will be bolstered by fellow captain
Taylor Day, who scored four goals and one assist this past season. Senior
Malia Kearns makes her return to the pitch after receiving All-League Second Team honors in 2023, and sophomore
Madison Hurst looks to build on a freshman campaign where she was named to the All-Freshman team and registered three assists.
In net, RMU welcomes four new goalkeepers to the roster, including transfers
Emma Cameron and
Abbey Cowles, as well as freshmen
Alicia Gonzalez and
Rease Solomon.
YEAR 2 FOR RICK
Head Coach
Michelle Rick enters her second season leading the Colonials. In her first year, RMU posted a 6-7-6 overall record and a 4-3-3 mark in conference play, earning the No. 4 seed in the Horizon League Championship and reaching the semifinals for the second consecutive season. Under Rick, the Colonials received their most conference All-League players (4) in program history.
ALL-TIME VS. NAVY
This will be just the second meeting in program history between RMU and Navy, and the first time since the 2002 season.
SCOUTING NAVY
In 2024, Navy finished with a 9-10-2 overall record and a 3-4-2 mark in conference play. They qualified for the Patriot League Tournament but fell to Army 1-0 in the first round. The Midshipmen return their top scorer in Marlee Heaven (six goals) and their starting goalkeeper, Natasha Stramrood, who earned all nine of their wins with three clean sheets.
COMMON OPPONENTS
RMU and Navy will both play UMBC this season.
UP NEXT
Following their home opener against Navy, the Colonials will remain at home to face the University of Southern Indiana (USI) on Thursday, August 21 at 4:00 PM.
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