Recapping A Historic 2025 For Washington Womenโs Soccer
December 31, 2025 | Women's Soccer
SEATTLE โ After a strong first season in the league, the Washington women's soccer team took the Big Ten by storm in 2025, winning the conference's regular season and tournament titles before embarking on a historic postseason run.
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Playing in honor and celebration of teammate Mia Hamant, who showed the world what true fight, spirit and courage are all season long while battling Stage 4 kidney cancer, the Huskies reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament for just the third time in program-history, setting a new standard on Montlake.
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Filled with trophies, awards, wins and memories to last a lifetime, GoHuskies.com recaps one of the greatest seasons in UW women's soccer history.
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THE NOTORIOUS NVD
Guiding the Huskies to unparalleled successes while navigating uncommon tests both mentally and physically, UW head coach Nicole Van Dyke was unanimously voted as the 2025 Big Ten Coach of the Year. It was the second career league coach of the year nod for Van Dyke, who joned Lesle Gallimore as Husky head coaches to be named their conference's top coach.
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Van Dyke, along with assistant coaches Cole Schmit, Raphael Cox and Kary Whitney, were also tabbed the United Soccer Coaches North Region Staff of the Year. Following the season, Van Dyke signed a new extension through the 2030 season.
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ALL-AMERICAN GIRLS
Husky standouts on both sides of the pitch, Kolo Suliafu and Alex Buck were named Second and Fourth Team All-Americans by the United Soccer Coaches, becoming the first UW teammates ever to earn All-America recognition in the same season. Following the season, Suliafu signed a professional contract with the NWSL's Kansas City Current, while Buck is primed to take another step forward after a prolific sophomore season.
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WE'RE GONNA NEED A BIGGER MANTEL
Seven Huskies were named All-Big Ten, headlined by Defender of the Year Kolo Suliafu, UW's first defensive player of the year since Andrea Morelli earned the Pac-10's honor in 1999.
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Suliafu (First Team) was joined by Alex Buck (First Team), Jadyn Holdenried (Second Team), Maya Loudd (Second Team), Kelsey Branson (Third Team), Anna Menti (Third Team) and Maylen Montoya (All-Freshman). UW's seven honorees are its most since garnering nine All-Pac-10 nods in 2000.
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Suliafu, Buck, Holdenried, Loudd and Branson all also earned United Soccer Coaches All-North Region honors.
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NEXT LEVEL NEWBIES
Washington's 2026 team will feature two of the best young players in the nation, with goalkeeper Tanner Ijams being ranked the No. 12 freshman in the nation by TopDrawerSoccer, while Maylen Montoya comes in at No. 49.
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POLL POSITION
Washington earned its highest end-of-season rankings in the history of the program in 2025, coming in at No. 5 in the TopDrawerSoccer.com Top-25 and No. 6 in the final United Soccer Coaches Poll.
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BIG TEN'S BEST
Washington confirmed itself as the Big Ten's top team in 2025, becoming the first team to win the Big Ten double since 2016 and the first do win both the regular season and tournament titles outright since 2013. The regular season championship was the first for UW in 25 years, joining the 2000 Husky squad as the program's only two conference champions ever.
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GIANT KILLERS
With wins over No. 4 UCLA and No. 4 Arkansas, Washington recorded multiple top-5 wins in the same season for the third time in program history (1993, 2000). It was also the first time in program-history that the Huskies have defeated a top-5 team in back-to-back seasons, also upsetting No. 5 Michigan State in 2024. Overall, UW posted a 6-1-2 ย record vs. ranked teams in 2025.
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BRICK-BY-BRICK
Built around a full-pitch defensive effort, Washington was one of the hardest teams to score on across the country. With 12 clean sheets, UW broke the program record of 11 shutouts, tied in 2024. Starting keeper Tanner Ijams registered 11 solo clean sheets, the fifth most in the nation, tying the program record.
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STARTING STRONG
22 of UW's 35 goals in 2025 were scored in the first half, including 13 goals inside the first 25 minutes of a match. The Huskies led at the break in 16-of-25 matches.
WINNER'S MENTALITY
Combining for 16 goals overall, Jadyn Holdenried and Alex Buck each scored five game-winning goals on the season. The five match-winners were good for the second most in the Big Ten, ranking 24th nationally.
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MONTLAKE MAGIC
Washington posted a 7-1-2 record at home in 2025, including a 4-0-1 mark in Big Ten play at Husky Soccer Stadium. Over the last two seasons, Washington is 14-2-4 on its home field including a perfect 3-0-0 against ranked foes. Established as one of the toughest home environments in the country, Washington's 1,350 average attendance ranks 14th nationally.
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SMART COOKIES
Excelling just as much off the pitch as on it, Washington reeled in a bevy of academic awards as well in 2025. Kolo Suliafu earned United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-America honors, the eighth Husky to receive the honors and the first since 2014. Suliafu was joined on the Scholar All-Region team by Kelsey Branson and Jadyn Holdenried.
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Suliafu and Holdenried also received College Sports Communicators Academic All-District recognition, joining Alex Buck, Ann Menti, Lucy Newlin and Samiah Shell.
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For more information on the UW women's soccer team, follow @UW_WSoccer on Twitter and Instagram.
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Playing in honor and celebration of teammate Mia Hamant, who showed the world what true fight, spirit and courage are all season long while battling Stage 4 kidney cancer, the Huskies reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament for just the third time in program-history, setting a new standard on Montlake.
ย
Filled with trophies, awards, wins and memories to last a lifetime, GoHuskies.com recaps one of the greatest seasons in UW women's soccer history.
ย
THE NOTORIOUS NVD
Guiding the Huskies to unparalleled successes while navigating uncommon tests both mentally and physically, UW head coach Nicole Van Dyke was unanimously voted as the 2025 Big Ten Coach of the Year. It was the second career league coach of the year nod for Van Dyke, who joned Lesle Gallimore as Husky head coaches to be named their conference's top coach.
ย
Van Dyke, along with assistant coaches Cole Schmit, Raphael Cox and Kary Whitney, were also tabbed the United Soccer Coaches North Region Staff of the Year. Following the season, Van Dyke signed a new extension through the 2030 season.
ย
ALL-AMERICAN GIRLS
Husky standouts on both sides of the pitch, Kolo Suliafu and Alex Buck were named Second and Fourth Team All-Americans by the United Soccer Coaches, becoming the first UW teammates ever to earn All-America recognition in the same season. Following the season, Suliafu signed a professional contract with the NWSL's Kansas City Current, while Buck is primed to take another step forward after a prolific sophomore season.
ย
WE'RE GONNA NEED A BIGGER MANTEL
Seven Huskies were named All-Big Ten, headlined by Defender of the Year Kolo Suliafu, UW's first defensive player of the year since Andrea Morelli earned the Pac-10's honor in 1999.
ย
Suliafu (First Team) was joined by Alex Buck (First Team), Jadyn Holdenried (Second Team), Maya Loudd (Second Team), Kelsey Branson (Third Team), Anna Menti (Third Team) and Maylen Montoya (All-Freshman). UW's seven honorees are its most since garnering nine All-Pac-10 nods in 2000.
ย
Suliafu, Buck, Holdenried, Loudd and Branson all also earned United Soccer Coaches All-North Region honors.
ย
NEXT LEVEL NEWBIES
Washington's 2026 team will feature two of the best young players in the nation, with goalkeeper Tanner Ijams being ranked the No. 12 freshman in the nation by TopDrawerSoccer, while Maylen Montoya comes in at No. 49.
ย
POLL POSITION
Washington earned its highest end-of-season rankings in the history of the program in 2025, coming in at No. 5 in the TopDrawerSoccer.com Top-25 and No. 6 in the final United Soccer Coaches Poll.
ย
BIG TEN'S BEST
Washington confirmed itself as the Big Ten's top team in 2025, becoming the first team to win the Big Ten double since 2016 and the first do win both the regular season and tournament titles outright since 2013. The regular season championship was the first for UW in 25 years, joining the 2000 Husky squad as the program's only two conference champions ever.
ย
GIANT KILLERS
With wins over No. 4 UCLA and No. 4 Arkansas, Washington recorded multiple top-5 wins in the same season for the third time in program history (1993, 2000). It was also the first time in program-history that the Huskies have defeated a top-5 team in back-to-back seasons, also upsetting No. 5 Michigan State in 2024. Overall, UW posted a 6-1-2 ย record vs. ranked teams in 2025.
ย
BRICK-BY-BRICK
Built around a full-pitch defensive effort, Washington was one of the hardest teams to score on across the country. With 12 clean sheets, UW broke the program record of 11 shutouts, tied in 2024. Starting keeper Tanner Ijams registered 11 solo clean sheets, the fifth most in the nation, tying the program record.
ย
STARTING STRONG
22 of UW's 35 goals in 2025 were scored in the first half, including 13 goals inside the first 25 minutes of a match. The Huskies led at the break in 16-of-25 matches.
WINNER'S MENTALITY
Combining for 16 goals overall, Jadyn Holdenried and Alex Buck each scored five game-winning goals on the season. The five match-winners were good for the second most in the Big Ten, ranking 24th nationally.
ย
MONTLAKE MAGIC
Washington posted a 7-1-2 record at home in 2025, including a 4-0-1 mark in Big Ten play at Husky Soccer Stadium. Over the last two seasons, Washington is 14-2-4 on its home field including a perfect 3-0-0 against ranked foes. Established as one of the toughest home environments in the country, Washington's 1,350 average attendance ranks 14th nationally.
ย
SMART COOKIES
Excelling just as much off the pitch as on it, Washington reeled in a bevy of academic awards as well in 2025. Kolo Suliafu earned United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-America honors, the eighth Husky to receive the honors and the first since 2014. Suliafu was joined on the Scholar All-Region team by Kelsey Branson and Jadyn Holdenried.
ย
Suliafu and Holdenried also received College Sports Communicators Academic All-District recognition, joining Alex Buck, Ann Menti, Lucy Newlin and Samiah Shell.
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For more information on the UW women's soccer team, follow @UW_WSoccer on Twitter and Instagram.
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Players Mentioned
MF
/ Women's Soccer
GK
/ Women's Soccer
MF
/ Women's Soccer
GK
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
MF/D
/ Women's Soccer
MF
/ Women's Soccer
MF
/ Women's Soccer
MF
/ Women's Soccer
D
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