Will the Phoenix Rise from the Ashes or Crumble and Burn?
BY JULIA ELLIOTT
The team will graduate half their starters, captains, and 10 seniors this year.
On November 2nd, 2024, the Wilson Women’s Soccer team lost their battle to Penn College in the quarterfinals. The seniors finished their last game leaving the team and their legacy behind them. Now as spring approaches the remaining girls will continue to grow and eventually add in their new family members in the Fall of 2025.
The Wilson Women’s soccer team had an outstanding record for the fall of 2024 with 13 wins, 4 losses, and 2 ties. Now with 10 seniors leaving will the Phoenix be able to come back to their normal record or achieve more success?
Speaking with two new captains of the fall 2025 team and the coach of the Wilson Women’s team about how this will affect the new team coming up.
Coach Terrance Harris believes this will not be a rebuilding year and that it is always a challenge when recruiting but every new class that comes in brings something unique to the table.
Anna Smith one of the captains next year expressed her worry for the team saying, “out of the 10 seniors, they were strong starters which we relied on, and the dynamic was built on them”.
Gretchen Turner another captain expressed she is worried that the “lack of upperclassmen may result in a lack of leadership”.
All three representatives of the team believe their biggest goal to tackle next year will be rebuilding the team chemistry with the new class of 2029. However, they all have faith that the new team of Wilson Women’s Soccer will continue to grow and just need time to adjust to the new dynamic.
Both captains want to rebuild the reputation of this women’s team and know when they walk off the field for the last time they walk off as a family.
Every team in college sports goes through a period where seniors will play their last game and leave the team. Each senior on the roster will be finishing up their last year at Wilson College leaving behind the soccer program that they all call family.