The Emory University women’s soccer team picked up where they left off, opening the 2025 season with four consecutive wins and setting the tone for another successful season after last year’s deep run in the NCAA Division III Women’s Soccer Championships.
The team finished the 2024 season with a 14-4-4 record, which includes their playoff run where they reached the NCAA Final Four for the second time in the team’s history. They also finished with a conference record of 3-2-2 after beating Brandeis University (Mass.), the University of Chicago and Case Western Reserve University (Ohio) in University Athletic Association (UAA) play.
The team is looking to build on last season’s success, with senior defender Michelle Davidson, who the UAA awarded defensive player of the year, saying she has “high standards” for herself after winning the award. She also noted that the team energy contributed to the season’s success, saying she wants to build that same chemistry this year.
“A lot of people recognized it pretty early on that we had a special team last year that’s what carried us all the way to the final four,” Davidson said.
The Eagles opened this season with two home wins, defeating Columbus State University (Ga.) 3-2 on Aug. 29 and beating Berry College (Ga.) 2-1 on Sept. 3.
Emory controlled possession for the majority of the game against Berry, as evidenced by the squad’s 28-2 disparity in shot attempts. Junior forward Kaitlyn Nimmer and sophomore forward Mikayla Camp each scored one goal, with Nimmer taking six total shots and Camp taking five.
The Eagles then traveled north to Minnesota this past weekend, beating the College of Saint Benedict (Minn.) 4-0 on Sept. 7, before playing St. Catherine University (Minn.) the next day, winning 2-0.
Senior goalkeeper Sophia Garcia, who started all 22 games last season and aided the Eagles in their playoff run, said she wants to continue to be a supportive teammate and a steady defensive presence for her team.
“I want to be that anchor in the back and also an outlet for my team,” Garcia said. “Making sure I can play my role and play my part in winning the UAA, winning the region, making our way back to the NCAA tournament this year.”
Camp is slated to play an important role on the team this year. Last season, she received the All-UAA honorable mention and had the fourth-most points ever scored by a freshman in Emory women’s soccer history. Camp added that last season’s run has given the team confidence that they can become champions this season.
“We know we’re capable of going so far, and we all truly want to win the NCAA tournament,” Camp said. “We all have that heart and want to come together to work toward these common goals.”
Junior forward Emily Woodall prepares to pass against Columbus State University (Ga.) at the WoodPEC Center on Aug. 29.
On a similar note, regarding her aims for the team this season, Davidson said her goal is to win a national championship.
“Winning a Natty, for sure, we were close last year, missed it by a little bit, so that’s definitely my number one goal for this year … we all want that,” Davidson said.
Head coach Sue Patberg is heading into her 20th season as head coach, and is joined by assistant coaches Lindsay Cobb, Catherine Whitehill and Lauren Burke. Garcia praised the coaching staff’s thoughtful approach to training as well as their dedication to the team.
“The coaching staff on our soccer team — very, very passionate group of individuals,” Garcia said. “All the coaches are very adaptable to what the team needs per game and every practice.”
With six freshmen, the upperclassmen are looking to set an example for the younger players and make the transition as smooth as possible. Garcia emphasized the importance of maintaining team standards and being a supportive teammate.
“Holding good standards is something that’s going to be really important for me,” Garcia said. “Being a support system for everyone, especially for the freshman, it’s their first year and just making sure that we keep up the standard from last year, and just make sure team chemistry is up to par.”
The team will play Covenant College (Ga.) in a home game on Sept. 11, before heading to Raleigh, N.C. to play Washington and Lee University (Va.) and William Peace University (N.C.) on Sept. 14 and 15. Looking ahead, the Eagles will open UAA play against Carnegie Mellon University (Pa.) on Oct. 5.
“Our conference as a whole is super competitive, and each game is a really all-out battle,” Camp said. “I’m just really excited to get back into the heart of the UAA tournament conference, and playing all those really strong opponents, because we’ll have a really strong season this year.”
