After reaching NCAA's final 8, loaded MSU women's soccer reaching for more

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The Michigan State women's soccer program reached new heights last season, making the NCAA quarterfinals for the first time in school history.

But after finishing second in the Big Ten and as runner-up in the Big Ten tournament a year ago, the Spartans are looking to return to the top of the conference, which they had previously won in 2022 and 2023. MSU is the preseason pick to win the league this season.

The Spartans, who open their season at home against Xavier at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 12, also sit at No. 7 nationally in the United Soccer Coaches and Top Drawer Soccer preseason polls — the highest mark in program history.

"In terms of their work rate, their commitment to doing the hard things right now, there has been no signs of complacency, " MSU coach Jeff Hosler said. "I think it's a group, particularly with the oldest players, that came back with a certain level of expectation, and they're super driven to see if we can have our best year yet."

After reaching the Sweet 16 in four consecutive seasons, this group is looking to be the breakthrough squad to reach the College Cup and continue to establish MSU as a national soccer power.

Experience in bunches​

MSU brings back 10 starters from 2025, headlined by senior Kennedy Bell, the reigning Big Ten Forward of the Year. Senior All-American midfielder Kayla Briggs and three-time All-Big Ten midfielder Bella Najera join Bell as the three Spartans named as Big Ten Players to Watch.

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"We're really excited, and we are returning a lot," Bell said. "Making that Elite Eight run kind of reinvigorated the group and the hunger in our team. There's a lot of individual talent, but the way Jeff (Hosler) sets the system that he wants us to play by, but also the freedom to let us do what we do, is really effective."

Among the other returners are First Team All-Big Ten forward Emerson Sargeant, who had 19 points last season, and senior defender Renee Watson, who contributed 13 points.

Overall, MSU returns 47 goals and 36 assists from a team that led the Big Ten in scoring and ranked 18th nationally.

"I think our attacking lineup has a lot of chemistry and we can really score in multiple ways and from anyone in our front five," Najera said. "It's hard for teams to scout us, we make it hard on our opposition with the way we play. We have tons of speed up top and beneath that, the midfielders can also score."

Sophomore goalkeeper Noelle Henning returns after making 21 starts with eight shutouts last season. Defensively, MSU gets back Julia Belli, who missed all of last season with an injury after starting all 22 games her freshman year when she was an All-Big Ten selection.

Belli will help fill the void left by graduated center back Maggie Illig, who captained the back line for the Spartans last season and is now playing for Sporting JAX in the United Soccer League.

Several key additions​

In addition to a loaded group of returners, Hosler and his staff signed the nation's No. 8 recruiting class according to Top Drawer Soccer.

Four of MSU's incoming freshman were top-100 recruits, led by midfielder Lacey Kindel, who hails from Coquitlam, British Columbia, and will likely be playing for Team Canada at the U17 World Cup in Sao Paulo this season. Kindel reclassified to join the Spartans this season, coming in a year earlier than expected.

Freshman goalkeeper Samantha Powell will join Kindel at Team Canada's U17 camp this coming week. Freshman midfielders Mekenzie Rogers, LJ Pearcy, and Saydie Herbert have also made big impressions in training thus far.

"Collectively, as a group, it's easily the most impactful freshman class we've had come in, even coming into an environment where we have so many returning players and game minutes are going to be hard to come by," Hosler said. "Lacey Kendall has been shining as one of those players in that group. (Rogers) has been very flashy and creative, especially in and around the box, and (Pearcy) and (Herbert) are starting to round into form."

According the Hosler, the biggest reason MSU failed to secure a Big Ten crown or go further in the NCAA tournament was due to conceding far too many goals. MSU allowed more than two goals in just four contests last year, but in three of those cases, including the NCAA quarterfinal loss to Stanford, the Spartans let in five.

Hosler and his staff hope they've helped addressed that issue by securing three transfer portal commits who play on the back line. Junior defenders Jasmine Boggs (Tennessee) and Faith George (USC) come in with multiple years of eligibility, while graduate transfer Eden Bretzer comes in from North Carolina.

Going through the gauntlet​

Hosler, now in his sixth season at MSU, has made a point to line up challenging schedules to make sure the Spartans are battle tested.

After playing the most difficult nonconference schedule in the country last season, Hosler and MSU are set up to face another gauntlet this year, both in and out of Big Ten play. MSU's schedule is once against ranked as the hardest in the nation, according to Top Drawer Soccer.

"We're ready to go against some other competition other than just playing against each other," Najera said. "We're just trying to take our experience and communicate a lot. We definitely have a chip on our shoulder from last year. I think just keeping that humility, but also that hunger with it, and I think with this group, we could do something really special."

After Wednesday's season opener, MSU has home games with Loyola-Chicago and Eastern Michigan sandwiched around a high-profile road game at No. 8 North Carolina on Aug. 23.

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The Spartans wrap up nonconference play with a Sweet 16 rematch against No. 13 Colorado on Aug. 30 at DeMartin Stadium, then travel to South Bend for a huge test against No. 2 Notre Dame on Sept. 3.

MSU knocks its west coast trip out of the way as Big Ten play begins, opening at USC on Sept. 10, then at No. 9 UCLA on Sept. 13. The Spartans then return home for three straight contests, beginning with rival Michigan before facing Nebraska and last season's Big Ten champion in No. 12 Washington.

Illinois, Minnesota, Purdue, Indiana, Penn State, Maryland, and Northwestern round out the remaining Big Ten schedule.

Contact Nathaniel Bott at [email protected] and follow him on X @Nathaniel_Bott and Bluesky @[email protected]

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: After reaching NCAA's final 8, loaded MSU women's soccer reaching for more

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