The West Virginia University women’s soccer team will return to action for the fall 2025 season on August 14th, when the Mountaineers will play host to the Virginia Cavaliers. WVU is coming off a 12-5-3 campaign in 2024, a season that featured appearances in the Big 12 and NCAA tournaments.
The Road Ahead
The 2025 team will face non-conference opponents such as Virginia, Penn State, Marshall, among others. The Mountaineers will then face a familiar mix of Big 12 foes, primarily in the latter half of the season.
With an 18-game regular season slate ahead, the calendar will be filled from mid-August to early November. Marquee matchups include the in-state rivalry with Marshall, as well as a Big 12 tournament rematch from 2024 against the Kansas Jayhawks.
A History of Success
At WVU, women’s soccer is a pillar of athletic success. Since the program’s founding in 1995, the Mountaineers have appeared in the NCAA Tournament 23 times and collected plenty of gold at the conference level. Since joining the Big 12 Conference alone, WVU has won five Big 12 Tournament championships and six regular-season titles.
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The program has even made it to the NCAA Tournament finals, finishing as the runner-up in 2016. The 2025 squad has a highly-touted history to live up to when they take to the pitch this fall.
Returning Stars
The Mountaineers are led once again by the only head coach in program history, Nikki Izzo-Brown. The longtime skipper of the uber-successful WVU program enters her 31st season at the helm in Morgantown, and her 32nd overall year as a head coach. With a women’s soccer icon manning the team, the Mountaineers are always considered a contender.
As for the roster, the Mountaineers are currently returning both goalkeepers from 2024, Bailey Herfurth and Mackenzie Smith. In 2024, Smith was the go-to girl guarding the net for WVU, racking up a 10-5-3 record in 18 starts, as well as 54 saves. Herfurth was victorious in both of her starts, and the LSU transfer did not allow a goal all season, playing a perfect 219 minutes across six total appearances.
Offensively, Ajane Respass is the biggest returning star. Respass will enter her senior season in 2025 riding the momentum of a fantastic 2024 campaign. The Colorado native and University of Oregon transfer led the Mountaineers in goals (7) and assists (5) this past season and collected three game-winning goals along the way. Fan favorite Taylor White also comes into her senior season with high hopes, as White has been a Mountaineer since the start. Also touted as a member of the All-Big 12 Second Team in 2024, the 5’6 forward finished 2024 tied with Respass for most goals (7) and was also credited with three assists. White and Respass are a killer dynamic duo on the pitch with a stellar supporting cast around them, including several returning stars and incoming players.
Tune In
The 2025 WVU women’s soccer team kicks off its season against Virginia at home on August 14th. First touch at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will be streaming on ESPN+. For all things West Virginia sports, stay up to date with WV Sports Nation.
