Women's Soccer 2024 Recap
Nov 27 | KNIGHTLIFE
The 2024 Rutgers women's soccer season was marked by standout performances and memorable moments, finishing with an overall 11-win campaign. This will make it the team's eighth 10+ win season over the past 10 years. The Scarlet Knights also reached their 13th consecutive NCAA Tournament and fourth Big Ten Tournament Championship.
The Scarlet Knights kicked off with strong non-conference back-to-back wins, with a 3-0 victory over Lehigh on August 28. Three young Scarlet Knights picked up their first collegiate points in the victory, including Gabriela Gil, Mikayla Mandleur, and Allie Post.
They dominated again with a 3-0 result against Maine on September 1. The Scarlet Knights went on to have a phenomenal seven shutout streak led by players like Sydney Urban, Emily Mason, Kassidy Banks, Claire Hammill, and Mikayla Mandleur on the backline.
In Big Ten play, RU secured key victories, highlighted by a thrilling 3-2 win over Nebraska on October 10, with all three goals scored by Ashley Baran and excellent assists from Gia Girman. September 12 ended with an admirable 1-0 win against Wisconsin with a game-winner scored by Gia Girman. On September 22, the team edged Washington at home with a 1-0 win on an early goal scored by Riley Tiernan. In East Lansing, Michigan, on September 29, the team impressively tied the game 1-1 against the Spartans, the No. 1 ranked team, with a goal from Gabriela Gil and left with a Big Ten road point. The team earned a hard-fought, 1-0 victory at Michigan on September 26. Finishing off the unbeaten start to Big Ten play, the Scarlet Knights tied No. 19 Penn State, 1-1, on October 4 with a goal coming from Shaela Bradley.
The six-match unbeaten start to the conference season set the stage for another successful run through one of the toughest conferences in the country.
The postseason brought intense competition, with the Scarlet Knights defeating Michigan State 2-1 in a neutral-site match.
This brought the Scarlet Knights to St. Louis, where they took on USC in an exhilarating match. Down 1-0 and a player, the Scarlet Knights fought back to tie the game 1-1 in regulation with a forced OT. In the penalty shootout, Rutgers delivered a 3-0 victory with successful penalties from Emily Mason, Shaela Bradley, and Allie Post, while Olivia Bodmer made three crucial saves to advance RU.
Despite their efforts, the Big Ten Tournament concluded with a hard-fought battle in St. Louis against No. 9 ranked and second-seeded UCLA and the season ended in a narrow loss to UConn at Yurcak Field for the NCAA Tournament. Rutgers ended the season with an overall record of 11-5-5 and a conference record of 6-2-3.
Like it was written in Hollywood ????#WeNeverStop #ForeverRutgers pic.twitter.com/3Qw2VOnvyX
— RUTGERS WOMEN’S SOCCER (@RUWSoccer) November 10, 2024
Hey, @MerriamWebster. Add it.#WeNeverStop #ForeverRutgers pic.twitter.com/0BmBK5DlAV
— RUTGERS WOMEN’S SOCCER (@RUWSoccer) November 9, 2024
Senior forward Riley Tiernan secured her name into Rutgers women’s soccer history by setting a new all-time career assists record. Tiernan grabbed two assists in a 3-0 victory over Oregon, bringing her career total to 30 and surpassing the previous program record held by Gina DeMaio.
Reflecting on her achievement, Tiernan credited her teammates, emphasizing the collective effort behind her success. "You can't be an assister without those people that are going to put the ball away," she said. Tiernan’s record-breaking game demonstrated her vision and playmaking ability as she orchestrated key moments throughout the match. Her precise passing set up goals for Allie Post in the eighth minute and freshman Shaela Bradley in the 26th. These contributions highlight Tiernan's key role in driving Rutgers' offense while further cementing her legacy as one of the most impactful players in program history. Tiernan ended the season with a total of 34 assists to set the new program record upon her graduation.
United Soccer Coaches All-North Region Teams
- First Team: Emily Mason
- Selected for the 2025 USWNT Futures Camp.
- Signed with Seattle Reign FC through the 2025 NWSL season as the first college athlete to join the team under the league's new system.
- Anchored a defense with eight shutouts
- Scored two goals and tallied one assist.
- Key stats: Limited opponents to four or fewer shots on goal in 12 matches; seven with three or fewer.
- Honors: All-Big Ten First Team, National Player of the Week, and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week (Sept. 24).
- Third Team: Olivia Bodmer
- Historical performance in the Big Ten semifinal vs. No. 4 USC: 7 saves in regulation and overtime, three consecutive penalty shootout saves.
- Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Week for games against Michigan and Michigan State.
- Fourth Team: Riley Tiernan
- Four-time Regional All-American.
- 2024 stats: four goals, 11 assists; 0.6 assists/game ranked 8th in NCAA.
- Rutgers' all-time assist leader (34) and 6th in Big Ten career assists.
- Graduates with 72 career points (6th in Rutgers history).
- Fourth Team: Shaela Bradley
- One of 16 freshmen named on the Regional All-America list.
- 2024 stats: four goals (three in Big Ten play), four assists.
- Key moments: Game-winner vs. Illinois, tying goal vs. No. 19 Penn State.
- Earned two Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors.
All-Big Ten
- Senior Emily Mason was named to the All-Big Ten First Team as a defender.
- Riley Tiernan earned All-Big Ten Second Team honors.
- Shaela Bradley grabbed a spot on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team.
- Senior Kassidy Banks earned the Sportsmanship Award.
Team Accomplishments
- Qualified for 13th consecutive NCAA Tournament
- Finished 5th in the new 18-team Big Ten Conference
- Advanced to the Big Ten Tournament Championship for the 4th time since joining the league in 2014
Rutgers women’s soccer finished the 2024 season with an 11-5-5 overall record, advancing to the Big Ten Tournament Championship and earning its 13th consecutive NCAA Tournament spot. The Scarlet Knights secured No. 5 on the Big Ten table with a record of 6-2-3.
Rutgers reached the Big Ten Tournament Championship for the fourth time since joining the league. Rutgers also continued its strong postseason tradition with multiple players earning regional and conference honors.
Rutgers celebrated the collegiate careers of four-year letterwinners Emily Mason, Riley Tiernan, Gia Girman, Kassidy Banks, and Kylie Daigle, as well as impact graduate transfers Sydney Urban and Arden Lembryk.
Off the field, the Scarlet Knights excelled academically with a 3.511 team term GPA for the fall semester. Thirteen student-athletes achieved Dean’s List recognition, and four posted a perfect 4.0 GPA, reflecting the program’s dedication to success on and off the pitch.
Gallery: Women’s Soccer: 2024 In Review
