UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS – You might call the current era of John Carroll Women's Soccer a golden one. 

The Blue Streaks have won two conference crowns in three years and reached the conference tournament final in the other. Impressively, JCU has won championships in two different leagues, including a sweep of the North Coast Athletic Conference regular season and tournament crowns in the debut season. 

Any element of surprise is now gone, but that's okay for the Blue Streaks. It's a new-look squad, anyways. 

"We haven't been this young in a while, which brings exciting opportunities," said Head Coach Michael Marich. "The sophomores on this team contributed last year, which helps. There has been a lot of teaching in the preseason to understand what John Carroll Soccer looks like. The youth brings new enthusiasm and new faces. There are new opportunities for returning players and newcomers."

A year ago, the Blue Streaks started with two losses in three games, rebounded with six straight wins, and finished with a nice 5-2 mark in conference play. For a follow-up, all the Blue Streaks did was conquer the two NCAC teams they lost to in the regular season and clinch the conference bid to the NCAA Tournament. 

Yet the past is the past. The Blue Streaks are in the midst of a youth movement, with the nucleus of the team that won conference titles in 2023 and 2025 now gone. Two particularly noticeable gaps to fill will be goalkeeper and defender. 

But talent abounds in this young team, which is guided by a handful of veterans. Four seniors return – Lucy Altieri, Bella Carcelli, Julia Niehaus, and Abby Walker. 

"We're lucky this year with our senior class with their on-field contributions and leadership off the field," said Marich. "We graduated a huge class, but this group has stepped into the role of making sure the ship keeps going in same direction. The strong leadership of our upperclassmen will be key to manage the ups and downs of a season and lead the growth you need to see over the course of the season."

At the forward position, Brooke Berkowitz will help to lead the unit after reigning as the NCAC Newcomer of the Year. Sophia Generalovich and Gracie Villwock were both sparks as rookies, too, and will be looked to for scoring. Molly Brown provided a pair of assists vs. DePauw but ran into injuries last year. 

At midfield, Carcelli and Altieri have stepped into big roles. Both bring a lift as leaders who understand the game. The senior midfielders will be crucial cogs for a young section of the team. 

Andrea Quintero Delgado is another bigtime returner who, like Brown, got hurt at the end of her freshman year. But the Las Vegas native will be a key player up front. Zosi Ciardi and Lucy Kuerbis are versatile players who have done well with their opportunities in the past. Beyond them, this is a spot where younger players on the team will have the chance to emerge. 

On the backline, Walker and Niehaus will form the backbone. Both have done a great job over the last several years and will be crucial this season. Marich noted both will be key players. 

Junior Taylor Kuhn and sophomore Julia Ciura are two other names to watch. Both gained great experience in last season's championship run. Other players will need to join them to ensure the proper depth at a crucial position on the field. 

And lastly but perhaps most importantly, at netminder, JCU will need to fill a void. Madison Skeese hopes to fill that role. The junior played in 4 games apiece in 2024 and 2025, starting twice a season ago. Lola Hall also got a bit of time last year and hopes to figure into the mix. 

The schedule is undoubtedly road heavy, opening with six games away from home. The first home game is set for Saturday, September 19 vs. Penn State Behrend at 11 am, also Senior Day.

The rematch of the NCAC title game is set to be played in Granville on Tuesday, October 6. The home finale will be crucial, as Kenyon comes to University Heights on Tuesday, October 20.