By OkayGoal 
We know some of the best NWSL and international talent comes from a pool of standout NCAA soccer stars. So who tops the list as the 10 best NCAA women’s soccer freshmen to watch? Find out what we think below:
Addison Halpern
Halpern plays with the University of Virginia after a storied career at Rutgers Prep, where she won the Gatorade National Player of the Year and the United Soccer Coaches National Player of the Year. She was also the second-highest scorer in New Jersey high school history. With such a career already, she’s expected to have a significant impact on the Virginia team.
Bella Devey
Devey is expected to be a key player for a dominant North Carolina program. She is a two-time state champion and Utah Gatorade Player of the Year, with a career high school record of 72-5. She was a two-year team captain at Lone Peak High School, amassing 50 goals and 36 assists during her prep career. Devey has also been invited to several U.S. Youth National Team training camps, showcasing her talent on a national level.
Hope Munson
Another Tar Heel, and decorated high school athlete, Hope Munson led her team to a state championship and three regional titles, finishing her prep career with 50 goals and 29 assists. She was named the 2024 Deseret News Ms. Soccer and 5A State MVP. As a three-time All-State and ECNL All-Conference selection, she has also been invited to training camps with the U.S. Youth National Team.
Avery Oder
Oder is another top contender with Duke, with extensive youth national team experience, including invitations to the U.S. U-19 and U-17 training camps in 2024. Ranked as the No. 6 overall player in the 2025 class and the top forward by TopDrawerSoccer, she was also named the U-17 ECNL National Player of the Year and a two-time NSCAA All-America. Her impressive high school career includes 54 goals and 32 assists, earning her accolades such as the Ventura County Girls’ Soccer Player of the Year and the Marmonte League MVP.
Laila Edris
UCLA Freshman Laila Edris played with the Egyptian National Team in December 2023 and the U-20 National Team in January 2024. At the high school level, she was a three-year letterwinner who helped lead Mountain View High School to its first-ever state championship in 2023. She was named the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League MVP for the 2022-2023 season and earned First Team All-League honors, while her club team, MVLA Soccer Club, was a Surf Club Champion and ECNL Elite Finalist.
Paige Szymanski
Szymanski has already made an immediate impact for the University of Arkansas, scoring three goals in two preseason matches and earning a spot on TopDrawerSoccer’s Preseason Best XI Freshman Team. Ranked as the No. 12 player in New York, the three-star recruit also played for the WNY Flash ECNL and was named to the ECNL Girls Ohio Valley All-Conference team in 2024. Before college, she also played flag football for Williamsville South High School, reaching the state championship game.
Allie Flanagan
Flanagan is a freshman with Wake Forest. She previously competed for the Virginia Development Academy. She was a 2023 Girls Academy National Champion and was named the 2023 Girls Academy MVP, where she also earned All-American honors twice.
Jolie Jenkins
Clemson defender Jolie Jenkins is highly ranked by TopDrawer Soccer, listed as the No. 26 overall player in the 2024-25 final recruiting rankings. She is also ranked as the No. 5 player in the Mid-Atlantic region. In high school, Jenkins was an integral part of her team’s success, helping them become four-time Mid-Atlantic Conference Champions and the Team Virginia State Runner-Up in 2024. She was also a two-time All-First Team All Mid-Atlantic Conference honoree and holds the record as the all-time leading goal scorer for James Wood High School. At the club level, her team finished in the Final Eight of the ECNL Playoffs in 2023.
Jordyn Hardeman
Jordyn Hardeman is a highly-touted Virginia freshman from Solar Soccer Club. Ranked as the No. 4 overall recruit by Top Drawer Soccer and No. 3 on the IMG Top 150 for 2025, she has an impressive resume of national and club accomplishments. Hardeman was a member of the U15, U16, and U17 USWYNT rosters and a key part of the team that competed in the 2024 U17 Concacaf championships. Her club accolades include being a two-time ECNL National Champion in 2021 and 2023, and being named the 2023 ECNL Player of the Year. She is also a two-time All-American (2023, 2024) and was a three-time First Team All-Region selection from 2022-2024.
Abby Batts
In her collegiate debut for the Razorbacks, Batts assisted on a goal in a 9-0 victory over Eastern Kentucky that tied a program record. The West Forsyth High School all-time scoring leader, she netted 19 goals as a senior and 27 goals as a junior while helping her team win two state championships. A member of the Brazil U17 National Team in 2024, Batts was also named the All Conference Player of the Year for the ECNL Southeast in 2021 and was a 2024 ECNL Southeast All-Conference U16 honoree.
Keep an eye on these top NCAA women’s soccer freshmen to see where their career takes them!
_
GIRLS SOCCER NETWORK: YOUR SOURCE FOR GIRLS SOCCER NEWS