MTSU women’s soccer looks to continue the upward trend of growth in 2025 season. The Blue Raiders increased their win total over the past three seasons, with the next step being finishing the year above .500.
During the offseason, head coach Aston Rhoden and staff brought in 15 new players with 11 freshmen and four transfer players. The Raiders returned 12 players with nine of them tallying significant minutes in 2024.
“The chemistry is good; the work ethic is good,” Rhoden said after the team’s first preseason game. “Today you could see some tired legs after about four days of training, I’m pleased to see them battle through it knowing that we have several out with injuries.”
Needs
After the conclusion of the 2024 season, MTSU lost five players to graduation or the transfer portal, leaving holes at two midfielder and two defensive line spots.
The midfield spots could be filled by current players Emma Pettersen and Taijah Fraser. Pettersen suffered a season-ending injury after just six games last season, but has come back looking to fill the center forward spot once again.
Fraser, a senior, is an option to take over the left midfielder role that she held during her sophomore campaign.
Turning to the two defensive backline spots, there are more options for Rhoden. The goal for the coaching staff is to find players that can play multiple positions, such as a defensive midfielder playing at center back as well, Rhoden said.
One such option is Chattanooga transfer senior Hannah Delaney who played alongside starters in the spring and the preseason so far in both the left and center back positions.
“When you see Hannah, you see the pride that she brings to representing the city,” Rhoden said.
Upgrades
The Blue Raiders five-person midfield is set to have a big upgrade with the addition of graduate transfers Ximena Jauregui and Sandra Segovia del Hoyo.
“They have come in and given us better rhythm and certainly given us better depth. They will allow us to change the shape that the midfield is,” Rhoden said.
Jauregui and Segovia made the jump from National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) to Division I play in their final season. The Raiders also brought in senior forward Lexi Rabold, who didn’t play in the preseason, to bolster the attack.
Middle Tennessee begins the regular season on August 14 against in-state opponent Belmont in Nashville.
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