MORGANTOWN – The University High School girls soccer team will be one of the youngest teams in the entire state of West Virginia this upcoming season, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be considered a contender.
Last year, the Hawks welcomed a talented group of freshmen to Baker’s Ridge that helped the team to their first winning season since 2019. UHS finished the 2025 campaign with a 14-4-4 record that came to an end against Wheeling Park in the Region I finals.
This season, UHS returns the bulk of its roster that earned a +24 goal-difference in 22 matches. Along with the returning talent is an incoming group of freshmen who are poised to make a splash on the scene of girls soccer in the state.
“We have a tremendous group of young ladies this season,” UHS head coach Graham Peace said. “The chemistry has been great early on, and we have a real feel of a soccer community around the program. We are very young and lack some experience and are expecting to possibly start eight or nine underclassmen, but these younger players bring so much energy, and they’ve played some high-quality soccer at the club level. The other great thing about having so many younger players is being able to reassess our program’s goals and the culture we want to have.”
Leading the way is the sophomore duo of Lauren Goodenow and Ava Gizzi, who each enjoyed a breakout season as freshmen in 2025.
Gizzi led UHS with 13 goals. Goodenow was third on the team with six, while also providing 19 of the Hawks’ 39 total assists.
“We are very excited for this season; we have a great group coming in and have been working hard,” Goodenow said. “I think the experience we had as younger players last season will carry over well into this one and help us reach more of our goals. This year, my personal goal is to try and be more of a leader and help bring the team to more success.”
Along with the two sophomore standouts, returning WVHSSCA first-team all-state defender Avery Alexander will be leading the senior class. Second-team selection Maddie Fritsch joins Alexander in the back line and the 2027 class.
“We have excellent young leadership,” Peace said. “Lauren is stepping up and taking on the role. We also have a great group of seniors in Avery Alexander and Maddie Fritsch; it’s a great blend.”
Finally, second-team goalkeeper Caitlyn Stout, who also showed her talents between the posts as a freshman, will be one of multiple shot-stoppers available for UHS.
Stout saved 90 shots and earned nine clean sheets in 2025, allowing just 19 goals to opponents.
“Defense is going to be what we lean on,” Peace said. “We know we will be strong defensively and in the midfield, but we may need to figure out different ways to generate some goals. Last year we really made sure we worked on our defense and that mindset and did a great job. We have a tremendous midfield. We’re excited and ready to go.”
The Hawks will open their 2026 campaign with a home match against Lewis County at 8:00 p.m. on August 19. The Hawks will travel to visit Wheeling Park in a rematch of the 2025 Region I championship on September 1. UHS will host Morgantown on September 15, looking for its first victory over the Mohigans since 2019.
