Loyola Women’s Soccer 2024 Preview

The Loyola women’s soccer team is preparing for their third season in the Atlantic 10 Conference. The Ramblers have yet to be successful in the A10 postseason, after they lost in the first round to Saint Louis University 3-0 in 2022 and missed out on the playoffs in 2023. 

Multiple changes to the coaching staff just a month before the season have brought a level of uncertainty ahead of the first matches. Former head coach Barry Bimbi was released and replaced by then-assistant coach Angela Staveskie, who stepped in as interim head coach. Loyola Athletics brought in former men’s goalkeeper coach Aleksandar Saric as an assistant coach after assistant coach Brendan Roth left the program for DePaul University. 

New Additions 

During the off season, the Ramblers signed eight first-years and picked up one transfer. 

Second-year forward Julia Liguore is the lone transfer student donning the maroon and gold. Last season at Illinois State University, Liguore started in all 16 matches as a forward. The St. Louis, Missouri native scored three goals and racked up an assist on 12 shots on goal. 

Alexandra Gib hails from Lilburn, Georgia where she competed at Parkview High School. Gib was selected to the all-region team four times and the all-county and all-state teams three times. The first-year midfielder and forward was selected as a member of the Georgia High School All-Star game in 2023.

Catherine Cline, a 6 ‘0 defender, helped lead the Cathedral High School team to four straight Sectional Championships and the State Runner-up title in 2020. She is a two-time all-city soccer team selection and was tabbed to the 2023 All-USA Central Indiana Super Team roster. Cline comes to Rogers Park from Indianapolis, Indiana. 

Jocelyn Leigh is an Evanston, Illinois native and joins the Ramblers’ roster as a forward. During her time at Evanston Township High School, Leigh netted 51 goals, completed eight hat-tricks and recorded 17 assists. She earned multiple Player of the Week honors and her team finished fourth overall in the 2022 Illinois High School Soccer State Championships.

Roos van Roekel scored 18 goals and five assists her senior year at Barrington High School in Barrington, Illinois. The 6 ‘0 defender was named the 2023-24 Gatorade Illinois Girls Soccer Player of the Year as well as the Illinois High School Coaches Associations Player of the Year. Van Roekel and Barrington High School won the conference title in 2022 and were state runners-up in 2023.

Midfielder Olivia Anderson comes to Rogers Park from nearby Crystal Lake, Illinois. Anderson played three seasons for the Crystal Lake Central Tigers and helped lead the team to their first state championship in 2023. She is a three-time All-Conference selection and played for the Eclipse Select club team. 

Lydia Case of Sylvania, Ohio previously played for Liverpool FC Michigan and at St. Ursula Academy. The midfielder was named the 2022 Three Rivers Athletic Conference Player of the Year and recorded 13 goals in her career. She won the 2021 US Club Ohio State Championships with St. Ursula Academy and earned regional and national team honors.  

The only goalkeeper who signed with the Ramblers is Zoey Bohmer of Wheaton, Illinois. Bohmer was honored with a place to the All-State and All-Conference teams and with the Dukane Goalkeeper of the Year in 2023. She helped the Wheaton United club team to two straight third place finishes in the State Cup.

Stella Kohl played for Sockers FC Chicago before joining the Ramblers as a defender. The Elmhurst, Illinois native received all-conference nominations in her time playing at York Community High School. 

Games to look out for 

Loyola opens their regular season Aug. 15 at 7 p.m. against Eastern Illinois at Hoyne Field. The Ramblers haven’t faced the Panthers since 2013, when they won 3-0. 

The Ramblers take on Red Line Rivals DePaul University Aug. 25 at 7 p.m. at Hoyne Field. This game marks the return of former assistant coach Brendan Roth. Loyola has won the past three matchups against the Blue Demons and will look to get a leg up in the head-to-head record which stands at 8-8-1. 

The Ramblers first A10 conference game is against the University of Dayton Sept. 19 at 7 p.m. at Loyola Soccer Park. In the five meetings between the Flyers and the Ramblers, Dayton has won all five matches, outscoring the Ramblers 11-0. 

Loyola faces 2023 A10 Champions Saint Louis University Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. in St. Louis. The Ramblers have never won a game against the defending champions and have been outscored 7-2 in three meetings. 

Full Schedule 

Aug. 15 vs Eastern Illinois at 7 p.m. 

Aug. 22 at Purdue University at 6 p.m. 

Aug. 25 vs DePaul University at 7 p.m.

Aug. 29 at University of Wisconsin-Madison at 5 p.m. 

Sept. 1 vs Bowling Green State University at 1 p.m. 

Sept. 5 vs University of Toledo at 5 p.m.

Sept. 8 at Michigan State University at 12 p.m.

Sept. 15 vs Eastern Michigan University at 1 p.m.

Sept. 19 vs University of Dayton at 7 p.m. 

Sept. 22 at Fordham University at 12 p.m.

Sept. 26 at Saint Louis University at 7 p.m. 

Sept. 29 vs La Salle University at 1 p.m.

Oct. 3 at Virginia Commonwealth University at 5 p.m. 

Oct. 6 at University of Richmond at 1 p.m. 

Oct. 13 vs Davidson College at 1 p.m. 

Oct. 20 vs University of Massachusetts at 1 p.m. 

Oct. 24 at University of Rhode Island at 6 p.m. 

Oct. 27 vs St. Bonaventure University at 12:30 p.m.