Hailey Parungao Director of Soccer Operations | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
Hailey Parungao Director of Soccer Operations | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
The Big Ten announced its Women's Soccer Preseason Players to Watch List on Tuesday, featuring three players from the University of Illinois: fifth-year Kennedy Berschel, senior Ella Karolak, and sophomore Mya Archibald.
Kennedy Berschel, a midfielder from Bensenville, Illinois, started in all 17 matches last season. She set new career-high marks with two goals and two assists during the campaign, playing in 1,317 of a possible 1,530 minutes. Berschel also registered career-best totals in shots (16) and shots on goal (9) during the 2023 season.
Ella Karolak, a defender from Grosse Pointe, Michigan, has been a mainstay in the Illinois backline. She made 35 consecutive starts over the past two seasons without missing a single minute. Karolak anchored an Illini defense that kept three clean sheets and allowed 25 goals on the season—the program's lowest mark in a full season since 2018. She also tallied one assist last fall.
Mya Archibald, a defender from Fall River, Nova Scotia, Canada played in all 17 contests last season and made 16 starts. She scored the match-winning goal on her debut on August 17, 2023 against Loyola and later provided her first career assist on October 15, 2023 against Purdue.
Illinois will kick off the 2024 season on Thursday at Demirjian Park against Wright State with kickoff slated for 7 p.m. CT.
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