Women's Soccer | 8/7/2026 11:58:00 AM
Kansas City, Mo. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse soccer team has earned the United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Award for the 2025-26 academic year, the organization announced Friday. The Eagles compiled a 3.64 grade point average, one of four Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) institutions to earn the award.
UWL has now earned the United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Award 15 times in school history, including nine straight seasons.
UW-Oshkosh (3.68), UW-River Falls (3.38) and UW-Whitewater (3.48) also earned the academic award in 2025-26.
A total of 451 women's collegiate soccer teams posted a team grade point average of 3.00 or higher, thereby earning the United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Award for the 2025-26 academic year. United Soccer Coaches annually celebrates the academic achievements of teams whose student-athletes collectively demonstrate a commitment to excellence in their studies over the course of a full academic year.
Members of the 2025 roster for UWL included seniors
Robin Blair,
Logan Fritsch and
Kaitlyn Kurtz; juniors
Aubree Caya,
Ailsa Erskine,
Megan McNeely,
Emily Pikarski,
Claire Rankin,
Jillian Sawadski,
Sera Speltz,
Allison Steeno,
Natalia Stadler,
Jessica Stewart and
Gianna Zamborini; sophomores
Erelyn Apel,
Kate Heiderscheit,
Summer Nicolai,
Grace Petrina,
Katelyn Studebaker,
Amaya Thesing and
Grace Williams and freshmen
Catherine Arnold,
Anya Carrillo,
Morgan Fitt,
Mya Hanson,
Ella Opie,
Riley Veenendaal,
Audrey Wanless and
Monica Wawrzyn.
UWL finished 19-3-1 overall and 6-0-1 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) in 2025 under head coach
Jason Murphy. The Eagles won the WIAC regular season and tournament titles while advancing to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Second Round. UWL won its eighth (1996, 2015, 2017-18, 2022-25) regular season league championship and seventh (1996, 2017-18, 2022-25) conference tournament title.
The team made its eighth appearance (2015, 2017-18, 2021-25) in school history in the national championships, all coming under Murphy. The Eagles have advanced to the NCAA Division III Quarterfinals three times (2017, 2021, 2023). UWL is 12-6-4 all-time in the NCAA III Championships.
UWL's 19 victories a year ago are fourth in single-season school history. The Eagles set single-season school records for goals (103), assists (91) and shots (596) while recording their second-most shutouts (15).
UWL starts its 2026 season at Carroll University (Wis.) on Tuesday, September 1.
Founded in 1941 and headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., United Soccer Coaches is the trusted and unifying voice, advocate and partner for coaches at all levels of the game. The largest community for soccer coaches in the world, we unite coaches of all levels around the love of the game and we elevate the game through advocacy, education and service.
