Photo by: Jason Aigner
Preview: Women’s Soccer Aims to Build on Past Success for 2026
8/12/2026 2:00:00 PM | Women's Soccer
After taking a Big South regular season title last season, the Radford women's soccer team hopes to repeat last year's success in 2026. The team returns 20 from last year's squad, including nine seniors. The returnees will be led by two-time All-Big South and conference preseason goalkeeper of the year recipient Lexi Radvanyi along with eight other seniors.
The Highlanders bring back four starters while welcoming a dozen newcomers, including four transfers who came from other Division I programs.
Forwards
Highlander fans will have some new names to get used to on the attacking half of the pitch in 2026. Just seven of Radford's 30 goals last season were scored by returners after losing Lilly Short (9 goals), Paige Olson (5 goals), and others to graduation and the transfer portal. Poised to step into an even larger spotlight is Ava Kertgate, a senior who has spent time in the midfield in the past but looks to step into a larger role. It'll be Kertgate's third season as a regular starter. Pearson is ready to debut for the Highlanders, as the junior transfer from New Hampshire is coming off a strong showing with Asheville City SC this past summer, helping her summer club to advance all the way to the USL W National Semifinals. Junior Lilly Clayton is also back after recovering from an injury that kept her out last season.
Midfielders
Most of the Radford midfield had to wait their turn to move into a starting role. Now, it's their opportunity to shine. Aside from Kertgate, the Highlanders do not have any returning starters in the midfield. Expected to step up and into a starting role is Magda Carpenter, a senior who appeared in all but two matches last season in her first year at Radford. The Connecticut native scored a spectacular goal for her first as a Highlander against Gardner-Webb in 2025, a feat that hopefully she will repeat several times over in the next three months. Ciaira Anderson is also a name to remember, as the speedster from Maryland made six starts last season.
Defenders
Caitlyn Nottingham highlights the back line for Radford, as the senior leader was named Big South Preseason Defender of the Year as selected by the conference's coaches. She replaces recent graduate Jillian Silverstone as one of the stalwarts of the Highlander defense. Moving into a center back position in 2026, Head Coach Ben Sohrabi says the team will need her to be a rock.
"So far, she (Nottingham) has been doing great," Sohrabi said about the senior in preseason play. "She's really directing and organizing the team. She is a great verbal leader but also sets a good example. By doing the right things in training and the right things in the exhibitions."
Also returning in the defensive half is sophomore Ryan Devlin, who earned a conference freshman of the week award and appeared in 13 matches last season. Others anchoring the defensive unit include senior Katie Purnell and junior Mallory Harmison.
Goalkeepers
Radvanyi leads the group of four goalkeepers for Radford. The senior has piled up 159 saves across three seasons as the primary starter in net and proves to add to that total for her senior season.
"What we need out of Lexi (Radvanyi) is, we need her to make some big saves," Sohrabi said. "We need her to make the saves she is supposed to make. And every once in a while, we need her to pull one out that she's not supposed to make."
Returning to Radford's goalkeeping core are sophomores Jaada Ferguson and Haley Garber. Joining the group in 2026 is freshman Macy Boysel after having a stellar high school career as an Olentangy Brave in Delaware, Ohio.
After a pair of exhibition contests, the season officially kicks off on Thursday, August 13th against Concord at Cupp Stadium. The match begins at 7:00 p.m. and will stream live on ESPN+ with Rick Watson on the call. Regular season matches at Cupp Stadium are free to attend.
STAY SOCIAL WITH RADFORD WOMEN'S SOCCER
For all the latest on Radford women's soccer, be sure to follow the team on X (@RadfordWSOC), Instagram (@radfordwsoc), and "like" the team's official Facebook Page (Radford Women's Soccer).
#RiseAndDefend
The Highlanders bring back four starters while welcoming a dozen newcomers, including four transfers who came from other Division I programs.
Forwards
Highlander fans will have some new names to get used to on the attacking half of the pitch in 2026. Just seven of Radford's 30 goals last season were scored by returners after losing Lilly Short (9 goals), Paige Olson (5 goals), and others to graduation and the transfer portal. Poised to step into an even larger spotlight is Ava Kertgate, a senior who has spent time in the midfield in the past but looks to step into a larger role. It'll be Kertgate's third season as a regular starter. Pearson is ready to debut for the Highlanders, as the junior transfer from New Hampshire is coming off a strong showing with Asheville City SC this past summer, helping her summer club to advance all the way to the USL W National Semifinals. Junior Lilly Clayton is also back after recovering from an injury that kept her out last season.
Midfielders
Most of the Radford midfield had to wait their turn to move into a starting role. Now, it's their opportunity to shine. Aside from Kertgate, the Highlanders do not have any returning starters in the midfield. Expected to step up and into a starting role is Magda Carpenter, a senior who appeared in all but two matches last season in her first year at Radford. The Connecticut native scored a spectacular goal for her first as a Highlander against Gardner-Webb in 2025, a feat that hopefully she will repeat several times over in the next three months. Ciaira Anderson is also a name to remember, as the speedster from Maryland made six starts last season.
Defenders
Caitlyn Nottingham highlights the back line for Radford, as the senior leader was named Big South Preseason Defender of the Year as selected by the conference's coaches. She replaces recent graduate Jillian Silverstone as one of the stalwarts of the Highlander defense. Moving into a center back position in 2026, Head Coach Ben Sohrabi says the team will need her to be a rock.
"So far, she (Nottingham) has been doing great," Sohrabi said about the senior in preseason play. "She's really directing and organizing the team. She is a great verbal leader but also sets a good example. By doing the right things in training and the right things in the exhibitions."
Also returning in the defensive half is sophomore Ryan Devlin, who earned a conference freshman of the week award and appeared in 13 matches last season. Others anchoring the defensive unit include senior Katie Purnell and junior Mallory Harmison.
Goalkeepers
Radvanyi leads the group of four goalkeepers for Radford. The senior has piled up 159 saves across three seasons as the primary starter in net and proves to add to that total for her senior season.
"What we need out of Lexi (Radvanyi) is, we need her to make some big saves," Sohrabi said. "We need her to make the saves she is supposed to make. And every once in a while, we need her to pull one out that she's not supposed to make."
Returning to Radford's goalkeeping core are sophomores Jaada Ferguson and Haley Garber. Joining the group in 2026 is freshman Macy Boysel after having a stellar high school career as an Olentangy Brave in Delaware, Ohio.
After a pair of exhibition contests, the season officially kicks off on Thursday, August 13th against Concord at Cupp Stadium. The match begins at 7:00 p.m. and will stream live on ESPN+ with Rick Watson on the call. Regular season matches at Cupp Stadium are free to attend.
STAY SOCIAL WITH RADFORD WOMEN'S SOCCER
For all the latest on Radford women's soccer, be sure to follow the team on X (@RadfordWSOC), Instagram (@radfordwsoc), and "like" the team's official Facebook Page (Radford Women's Soccer).
#RiseAndDefend
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/ Women's SoccerTuesday, August 11
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