ECU soccer has been chosen to finish fourth in the American Conference this season, according to information provided on Tuesday.
Below is more details from ECU Sports Information.
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Photo credit: (ECU Sports Information)
IRVING, Texas – The East Carolina soccer team has been chosen fourth in the American Conference as they prepare to defend their 2024 tournament title, the league announced on Tuesday. Additionally, Caitlen-Star Dolan Boodram, Isabella Gutiérrez and Juliana Viera were named to the American Soccer Watch List.
The Pirates were one of three teams to receive a first-place vote with preseason favorite Memphis garnering six first-place nods and South Florida receiving four. Rice was chosen third in the league with the Pirates just edging out North Texas to finish fourth in the preseason voting.
The team will be in an unfamiliar position as the defending champion in 2025, looking to hold onto their title with a dramatically different roster and a new identity under first-time head coach Emily Buccilla. Following the departure of nine graduating players as well as several transfers, the Pirates bring in nine new players of their own with five rookies and four transfers. The team will look to lean on returning veterans and incoming talent alike to find a winning recipe.
Part of that veteran talent is the trio named to the preseason Watch List.
Dolan Boodram, a sophomore from London, England, scored three goals a season ago while appearing in 20 games. She proved to be a dangerous figure from her forward position with uncommon technical skill for her relative youth and the ability to strike from distance. After being named to the conference All-Freshman team a season ago, she’ll be looking for more in 2025 and figures to be a scoring threat any time she steps on the pitch.
Gutiérrez, a senior by way of Guadalajara, Mexico, will look to continue what has been a roller coaster of an ECU career. Though she’s battled injuries, she’s also proven to be a dangerous scorer and creator with multiple goals and assists in her time in Purple and Gold, including a memorable goal with just 107 seconds on the clock to steal a draw against UAB last season.
Viera, a senior from Montevideo, Uruguay, is coming off of a notable summer in which she competed with the Uruguayan National Team at the 2025 Copa América Femenina, even scoring a goal and recording an assist in the third-place game to conclude the team’s historic run. With the Pirates, Viera has been a defensive stalwart, while her skill as a passer has made her a dangerous player on set pieces, something fans can expect to continue in 2025. Notably last season, Viera scored the game-deciding PK in the shootout win over South Florida in the American semifinals.
Both Gutiérrez and Viera have been named team captains for the 2025 season.
Preseason Poll
- Memphis (6) – 96
- South Florida (4) – 94
- Rice – 76
- East Carolina (1) – 64
- North Texas – 63
- Tulsa – 48
- UAB – 47
- UTSA – 38
- Florida Atlantic – 36
- Charlotte – 33
- Temple – 10
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Preseason Watch List
Abbey Burns, Sr., M, UAB
Louise Larsson, So., D, UAB
Jette Zimmer, Sr., F, UAB
Amelia Brown, Sr., M, Charlotte
Evie Craven, Jr., F, Charlotte
Laura Cate, Westerbeek, Sr., D, Charlotte
Caitlen-Star Dolan Boodram, So., F, East Carolina
Isabella Gutiérrez, Sr., M, East Carolina
Juliana Viera, Sr., F, East Carolina
Daniella Diaz, Sr., D, Florida Atlantic
Michelle Horan, Sr., F, Florida Atlantic
Morgan McDonald, Sr., M/F, Florida Atlantic
Ashley Henderson, Jr., F, Memphis
Ai Kitagawa, So., M, Memphis
Finley Lavin, Jr., D/M, Memphis
Mia Bernard, Jr., M, North Texas
Abi Major, Sr., D, North Texas
Rachel Roebuck, Gr., F/D, North Texas
Eileen Albers, Jr., M, Rice
Leah Chancey, Gr., M, Rice
Lilly Reuscher, So., D, Rice
Gentiana Fetaj, Sr., F/M, South Florida
Leire Herraez Gallach, Sr., GK, South Florida
Sadie Sider-Echenberg, Sr., M, South Florida
Shari Atkins, Jr., F, Temple
Valentina Bitterwolf, Fr., M, Temple
Teagan Harkins, Fr., F, Temple
Jasmine Kessler, Jr., GK, UTSA
Zoe May, Sr., M, UTSA
Michelle Polo, Jr., M, UTSA
Aniya Facen, So., F, Tulsa