Women’s Soccer Kicks Off 2025-26 WVU Athletics Season Against No. 15 Virginia
August 13, 2025 04:45 PM | Women's Soccer
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University women's soccer team opens its 30th season of competition when it welcomes No. 15 Virginia to Morgantown on Thursday, Aug. 14. Action inside Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium is set for 7 p.m. ET.
In addition to marking the first contest of the 2025-26 WVU Athletics season, the Mountaineers will be hosting a Back-to-School Drive during Thursday's match. Fans will be given a raffle ticket to win a signed, game-worn WVU women's soccer jersey for every three items donated. The winner of the raffle will be announced at halftime.
There's still time to purchase season tickets ahead of the 2025 season opener. Season ticket pricing is set at $75, while fans also have the opportunity to purchase an exclusive WVU soccer scarf as part of a bundled offer for $90. Scarves will be available only through this package and will not be sold separately. All season tickets will be sold as general admission only.
Single-game tickets also are available to purchase in advance by visiting WVUGAME.com or calling 1-800-WVU GAME. When purchasing online, tickets are $10 each. Any remaining tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for youth and seniors at the stadium ticket window on match day.
WVU student tickets also will be made available at the Mountaineer Ticket Office, located at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium. The office, as well as the stadium gates, opens at 6 p.m., on game day. WVU students are admitted for free with a valid WVU Student I.D.
Andrew Caridi and Adam Zundell have the call of Thursday's contest on ESPN+. The game also can be heard on 91.7 (WWVU) in Morgantown, and live stats are available at WVUsports.com.
Entering her 30th season as the program's only head coach, Nikki Izzo-Brown has led the Mountaineers to a 402-143-76 overall record. WVU returns 15 letterwinners off the 2024 squad, as well as six starters. Twelve newcomers are set to join the team this fall, including seven freshmen and five transfers.
Sixteen of the 30 different Mountaineers who earned playing time last season return to the squad this fall. Six players return to the team who logged 1,000 minutes or more in 2024. Eleven different players found the back of the net last season, and of those, five return to the team in 2025, including senior forwards Ajanae Respass and Taylor White who paced the scoring efforts with seven goals apiece last year. WVU's returning scorers accounted for 19 of the team's 34 goals last season.
All but four of the 11 different players who were credited with an assist last fall return to West Virginia's roster this year. Respass ranked second on the team with five helpers in 2024. Additionally, 13 different players tallied at least one point last season. Respass and White return as WVU's leading point earners, tallying 19 and 17, respectively, last season
Of note, Respass was named to the 2025 Preseason All-Big 12 Team, marking her first career preseason honor as a Mountaineer.
West Virginia was picked to finish fourth in the 2025 Big 12 Preseason Poll, as selected by the league's 16 head coaches. The Mountaineers finished third in the conference in 2024 after being slotted at No. 7 in the preseason poll.
Thursday's match marks the 21st meeting between West Virginia and Virginia, as UVA leads the all-time series 13-4-3 and is 5-3-1 in games played in Morgantown. WVU and Virginia last met on Aug. 31, 2023, when the Cavaliers collected a 2-1 win in Charlottesville. The two teams met for the first time under their current head coaches on Sept. 7, 2001, with Virginia claiming a 2-1 victory.
Steve Swanson is in his 26th season as the head coach at Virginia, leading the Cavaliers to their 38th consecutive winning season and 26th NCAA Tournament appearance in 2024. Swanson has compiled a 384-113-63 record at the helm in Charlottesville. Senior forward Maggie Cagle returns to lead the UVA offense this season after leading the team in goals and points and tying for the team lead in assists in 2024. Cagle was named Preseason All-ACC prior to the start of the campaign.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUWomensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
In addition to marking the first contest of the 2025-26 WVU Athletics season, the Mountaineers will be hosting a Back-to-School Drive during Thursday's match. Fans will be given a raffle ticket to win a signed, game-worn WVU women's soccer jersey for every three items donated. The winner of the raffle will be announced at halftime.
There's still time to purchase season tickets ahead of the 2025 season opener. Season ticket pricing is set at $75, while fans also have the opportunity to purchase an exclusive WVU soccer scarf as part of a bundled offer for $90. Scarves will be available only through this package and will not be sold separately. All season tickets will be sold as general admission only.
Single-game tickets also are available to purchase in advance by visiting WVUGAME.com or calling 1-800-WVU GAME. When purchasing online, tickets are $10 each. Any remaining tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for youth and seniors at the stadium ticket window on match day.
WVU student tickets also will be made available at the Mountaineer Ticket Office, located at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium. The office, as well as the stadium gates, opens at 6 p.m., on game day. WVU students are admitted for free with a valid WVU Student I.D.
Andrew Caridi and Adam Zundell have the call of Thursday's contest on ESPN+. The game also can be heard on 91.7 (WWVU) in Morgantown, and live stats are available at WVUsports.com.
Entering her 30th season as the program's only head coach, Nikki Izzo-Brown has led the Mountaineers to a 402-143-76 overall record. WVU returns 15 letterwinners off the 2024 squad, as well as six starters. Twelve newcomers are set to join the team this fall, including seven freshmen and five transfers.
Sixteen of the 30 different Mountaineers who earned playing time last season return to the squad this fall. Six players return to the team who logged 1,000 minutes or more in 2024. Eleven different players found the back of the net last season, and of those, five return to the team in 2025, including senior forwards Ajanae Respass and Taylor White who paced the scoring efforts with seven goals apiece last year. WVU's returning scorers accounted for 19 of the team's 34 goals last season.
All but four of the 11 different players who were credited with an assist last fall return to West Virginia's roster this year. Respass ranked second on the team with five helpers in 2024. Additionally, 13 different players tallied at least one point last season. Respass and White return as WVU's leading point earners, tallying 19 and 17, respectively, last season
Of note, Respass was named to the 2025 Preseason All-Big 12 Team, marking her first career preseason honor as a Mountaineer.
West Virginia was picked to finish fourth in the 2025 Big 12 Preseason Poll, as selected by the league's 16 head coaches. The Mountaineers finished third in the conference in 2024 after being slotted at No. 7 in the preseason poll.
Thursday's match marks the 21st meeting between West Virginia and Virginia, as UVA leads the all-time series 13-4-3 and is 5-3-1 in games played in Morgantown. WVU and Virginia last met on Aug. 31, 2023, when the Cavaliers collected a 2-1 win in Charlottesville. The two teams met for the first time under their current head coaches on Sept. 7, 2001, with Virginia claiming a 2-1 victory.
Steve Swanson is in his 26th season as the head coach at Virginia, leading the Cavaliers to their 38th consecutive winning season and 26th NCAA Tournament appearance in 2024. Swanson has compiled a 384-113-63 record at the helm in Charlottesville. Senior forward Maggie Cagle returns to lead the UVA offense this season after leading the team in goals and points and tying for the team lead in assists in 2024. Cagle was named Preseason All-ACC prior to the start of the campaign.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUWomensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
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