MONTEVALLO, Ala. – Montevallo women's soccer is set to open the 2025 campaign on Thursday, Sept. 4 with a trip to Anderson, S.C. to take on Anderson at 4 p.m.
 
"I'm looking forward to starting the season and figuring out exactly what we're made of," said Head Coach Jake Wyman. "And trying to solve problems to win games and seeing the team of 2025. And the journey, the fall journey with the team is always one of my favorite things, so I can't wait."
 
The Falcons open the season with the squad's first United Soccer Coaches Preseason ranking since 2008 with Montevallo's No. 19 ranking in the national coaches' poll. UM is one of just two Gulf South Conference programs named in the 2025 preseason poll.
 
Alongside the Falcons' No. 19 national ranking, Montevallo was tabbed as the No. 2 team in the GSC Preseason Coaches' Poll after appearing in the program's second-consecutive GSC Championship game. Paired with the Falcons' preseason poll, Morgan Goehring, Shadia Valenzuela and Isabel Dillehay were each named Preseason All-GSC. That trio of Falcons also joins GSC Newcomer Watchlist selections Lara Brewis, Stina Johansson, and Sierra Nickleberry in the league's preseason honors.
 
Following the trip, the Falcons will face of with Florida Tech on Sept. 9 in Montevallo, Ala. before heading back out for a final nonconference game against Catawba in North Carolina on Sept. 13. Montevallo opens the Gulf South Conference season with a trip to Montgomery, Ala. to face off with Auburn Montgomery before staying on the road for a matchup with Valdosta State on Sept. 20. UM returns for a four-game homestand kicked off with in-state rivals West Alabama on Sept. 24 and Alabama Huntsville on Sept. 27. The Falcons close the homestand with an Oct. 1 meeting with Christian Brothers before hosting Union on Oct. 4. Montevallo's season this shifts to a two-week road trip opened with an Oct. 8 matchup against Mississippi College before heading to Delta State on Oct. 11. The Falcons then head to Tennessee for a pair of games against Lee and Trevecca Nazarene on Oct. 15 and 18, respectively. Montevallo closes the conference season with back-to-back home games against West Florida and Spring Hill in late October. Montevallo shifts back to a two-game nonconference schedule to close the season beginning with a trip to Columbus State on Oct. 29 and closing the regular season at home on Nov. 3 against Clayton State.
 
"We have I think four or five NCAA tournament teams last year that are on our schedule," said Wyman. "So, there's definitely going to be some challenges and some adversity ahead, and I'm looking forward to it."
 
A season ago, Montevallo appeared in its first NCAA Tournament since 2019 after completing the season with a 14-6-3 overall record with a 9-2-1 mark in conference play. Montevallo earned the No. 2 seed heading into the GSC tournament where the Falcons added wins over Mississippi College and Union to appear in its second-consecutive GSC title game. Following the conference postseason, the Falcons earned its first at-large bid to the NCAA tournament in program history while taking the No. 3 seed in the tournament which marked UM's highest seed ever.
 
The Falcons' roster adds a total of 12 newcomers to the squad with four transfers and eight true freshmen. The newcomers join a total of 16 returners from a season ago that featured a league-high eight All-GSC members with five of those honorees set to return for the 2025 season. Valenzuela returns as the Falcons' top scorer from the 2024 season with a total of 26 points on 11 goals and four assists as a 2024 First Team All-GSC selection while Dillehay, another All-GSC member from 2024, ranked second a season ago with 20 points on eight goals and four assists. Goehring, a two-time All-Region selection in 2024, returns after tallying 18 points on six goals and six assists with Lainey Farabaugh enters the 2025 season after an All-GSC selection in 2024 and 17 points on eight goals and an assist.
 
Along with the trio of fresh faces named to the newcomer watchlist, Wyman added 12 Falcons with eight true freshmen while adding four transfers to boast the Falcons' depth. Montevallo's 2025 signing class features transfers Sierra Nickleberry, Batie Casey, Frida Larsson and Lara Brewis while the eight incoming freshman feature Janelle Torres, Hadley Rudolph, Elise Marquardt, Natalie Sligar, Stina Johansson, Isabel Pilcher, Ayla Ertekin, and Katelyn Rude.
 
The Falcons' season is set to begin on Thursday, Sept. 4 in Anderson, S.C. with a matchup against Anderson at 4 p.m.