10 of the Best NCAA Women’s Soccer Defenders to Watch in 2023
The position with the least amount of glamor is being a defender or goalkeeper. The strikers get all the glory, but the defenders who are meant to stop them don’t get as much attention. Everyone loves to do or see the scoring, but it’s the select few who love stopping them. There are plenty of high-level defenders in the college game who are versatile and reliable. Here are ten of the best NCAA women’s soccer defenders to watch for in 2023.
Eva Gaetino (Senior) – Notre Dame Fighting Irish
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The consensus on Eva Gaetino is that she’s one of the best defenders in the country, without question.
The senior has started every game of her career for Notre Dame and was named a first-team All-American in 2022. Gaetino also made the top 15 of the Hermann Trophy for the best college player in America, making her one of the more decorated players in her class.
The Fighting Irish are a top 20 team, and Gaetino is sure to be anchoring a defense that wants to get to a Final Four and win a National Championship.
Lilly Reale (Junior) – UCLA Bruins
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Lilly Reale headlined a defense that won the National Title last season, and the junior was named the Most Outstanding Defensive Player at the College Cup. Reale was also a first-team All-American, which is hard to do as a sophomore.
The Massachusetts native has been one of the best defenders in the nation since she stepped on campus two years ago, and she’s still getting better. With multiple years of eligibility left, her ceiling is the highest of any player in the country and could very well be a future first-round pick in the NWSL Draft.
Julia Leas (Graduate Senior) – Georgetown Hoyas
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Georgetown has become one of the premier programs in the Big East, and as a graduate senior, Julia Leas has been a big part of that success. Leas was named the best defender in the Big East as a junior, which means she’s held that title as the best for the last two years and can score and dish out assists from her spot at the back.
15 goals and 15 assists over four years is as consistent as it gets for the Hoyas captain, and she’s a key piece as they look to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament this year.
Lyndsey Heckel (Senior)- St. Louis Billikens
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St. Louis has become a power in the A-10, and Lyndsey Heckel has been leading the way. Last year, the team went 20-2, and Heckel became the first St. Louis player to be a first-team All-American.
Heckel is one of the pillars of the program and someone who will be talked about at St. Louis as a star who helped them become a national power. Her ability to get forward and score has been a huge help to her team as well. With six goals scored last year, she helps the Billikens grab a goal when they need it most.
Heckel is another possible NWSL Draft pick come January, and the further St. Louis goes to the NCAA Tournament, the more attention she’ll get.
Jade Rose (Junior) – Harvard Crimson
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Jade Rose might be a junior, but she’s got more playing experience in meaningful games than most of the players on this list. Canada does a great job of giving young players a chance at the international level, and Rose is one of those players. The defender has already made eight caps for the senior team, including an appearance in the 2021 SheBelieves Cup.
Rose made their World Cup roster but had to miss out due to injury. When you have that kind of international experience, it makes her one of the best players in the Ivy League. Harvard might not be in the Top 25 rankings yet, but they will be soon as they already have wins over power five schools like Syracuse and NC State.
Rose was a third-team All-American last year. She’s sure to be at least a second-team All-American this year if Harvard keeps up their strong play.
Emily Mason (Junior) – Rutgers Scarlet Knights
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Emily Mason earned third-team All-American honors last year to go with first-team Big 10 honors as well. The Scarlet Knights always seem to be in the mix as one of the premier teams in the nation, and Mason is a key component to this year’s squad. Mason was well on her way to eclipsing her total minutes for the season last year, if not for an unfortunate injury.
This year, the junior is one of the leaders in the locker room and is sure to play big minutes the rest of the season for a solid Rutgers program.
Kayla Duran (Graduate Senior) – USC Trojans
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Kayla Duran is a former Ivy League Defender of the Year with Brown who transferred to USC. Duran was a huge addition for the Trojans through the transfer portal and figures to be a key part of their defense right away.
She’s averaging 88 minutes played through her first five games in LA, which means she’s barely come off the pitch for USC. A third-team All-American last year, she’s sure to earn a second-team spot this year if USC can pick things up in their Pac-12 schedule.
Sam Cary (Graduate Senior) – Iowa Hawkeyes
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I might be a little biased here, but GSN’s very own Sam Cary and the Iowa Hawkeyes are on fire to start the season. Cary is the team captain and anchors a defense that’s allowed just one goal in seven games with six clean sheets. That’s already matching the number of clean sheets they had as a team last season.
The last time Iowa started this well, they went 15-5-1 and made the NCAA Tournament. They’re flying under the radar, and Sam Cary is leading the charge in her fifth year with the program.
Cary was just named Big 10 Defensive Player of the Week two weeks in a row. She’s got to be one of the most underrated defenders in the country.
Megan Bornkamp (Senior) – Clemson Tigers
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Megan Bornkamp is one of the more versatile players in the country and has shown she can transition from offense to defense. After netting ten goals and ten assists as a sophomore, she blossomed into one of the best defenders in the country.
Bornkamp was second-team All-ACC in the best conference in America and also earned first-team All-Region honors. Bornkamp might be playing on the backline out of necessity, but that speaks to how she’s willing to do whatever it takes for her team.
A multi-sport star in high school, her athleticism gives her an extra edge on the pitch, making her a defender to watch this season.
Zoe Burns (Senior) – USC Trojans
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Zoe Burns is an internationally capped player with Canada, having made her debut last March in a friendly against Nigeria. Having that experience, along with a U-20 World Cup under her belt, will definitely help with preparing for the PAC-12.
She’s made second-team All PAC-12 the last two seasons and is sure to be on everyone’s watchlist this season.
Whether she stays in college to use her last year of eligibility or goes pro, she’s likely to get signed in Europe or drafted by an NWSL team in the near future.
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