Several former high school women’s soccer standouts from this area performed at all ranks of the college game this fall, continuing to build on what has become a rich local tradition in the sport. 

At the NCAA Division I level, there are a few locals who just wrapped up their respective seasons.

Waterloo’s Sydney Stephens, a transfer from University of Georgia, made 14 starts as a midfielder for the University of Illinois this fall. She scored two goals and made five assists this season for the Illini (5-11-1).  

Gibault graduate Abby Phelps made 15 starts as a senior midfielder at the University of Evansville, scoring two goals and logging 1,470 minutes. Evansville (7-5-7) ended its season in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament final.

Former Columbia High School standout Mary Gasaway was a freshman defender at the University of North Dakota (3-13-1) this fall. She made 13 starts and recorded eight total shots on the season.

Another former Eagle, Haley Glover, played in 16 games as a sophomore forward at Illinois State (4-10-3), including three starts. She logged a total of 609 minutes this season, recording one goal and one assist.

Also graduating from CHS, Kennedy Jones is playing at Southeast Missouri State University. Jones played in 11 games for SEMO (7-10-2), recording one shot on goal.

Mary Wessel of Waterloo, an Althoff grad, played in five games as a freshman defender at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (11-7), logging 119 minutes and making two shots.

Another former Althoff standout, Julia O’Neill of Smithton, played in 10 games as a freshman midfielder at Marquette University (9-8). She logged 197 minutes and made five shots.

Recent Gibault grad Maddie Davis, a goalkeeper, was redshirted for her freshman season at Western Kentucky University and will hope to see action in net in 2022.

At the NCAA Division II level, Columbia’s Reagan Mauch and Waterloo’s Natalie Gum were members of a McKendree University squad that went 12-2-4 on the season. 

Mauch, a sophomore midfielder, made 17 starts and scored four goals on 36 total shots. Gum, a freshman, played in one game.

Another Waterloo grad, Jaycee Cotton, enjoyed a fine freshman season at University of Missouri-St. Louis (8-8-3). She made 18 starts, scoring four goals  (three game-winners) and recording two assists. She took 30 total shots.

Columbia grad Sophia Bonaldi played in six games as a sophomore midfielder at Quincy University (7-9), recording one assist.

Karleigh Daniels of Waterloo played in 10 games (one start) as a sophomore forward for Lindenwood University (4-11-1), recording three total shots.

Former Columbia standout goalkeeper Rylee Iorio played in three games (91-plus minutes) as a junior at Union University (4-11), making five saves and allowing just one goal.

Two former Gibault soccer stars, Brooke Biffar and Hannah Stearns, played this season at University of Illinois-Springfield (7-7-2). 

Biffar made 10 starts, logging 882 minutes and taking five total shots. Stearns played in 14 games, taking four total shots.