Fordham Women’s Soccer will look to bounce back after a disappointing season, which saw them finish with an overall record of 4-10-4. Head coach Magnus Nilerud has strengthened his Rams side by adding 11 recruits for the 2024 season.
Standouts from this class include graduate student Abby Borchers and freshman Sophia Chipriano. Borchers joins the Rams from the University of California Berkeley, where she played over 50 matches for the Golden Bears, netting five goals and two assists. Borchers also has experience on the big stage. During the 2022 season, she was a member of Cal’s NCAA Tournament squad. Joining her up front is fellow forward Sophia Chipriano. The freshman from Schuylkill Haven, Pa., was a four-year member of the Blue Mountain High School varsity squad, where she was a three-time selection for First-Team All-Schuylkill League. On top of her league honors, Chipriano was named 2023 County Coaches Player of the Year.
The 2024 captains, senior Abby Doyle and junior Ella Guth, will lead this attacking duo and the other nine recruiting class members into battle. Doyle earned team MVP honors in 2022 when she became a rock in the Rams’ midfield before transitioning into a more defensive role, while Guth has been a staple in Fordham’s defense since her first day on campus. “Ella and Abby have all the ingredients you want in a captain. Their work rate in training, their compassionate personalities when a teammate needs support, and their passion for Fordham women’s soccer makes them the ideal captains of our program,” said Nilerud.
These changes for the 2024 season will set up Nilerud for massive improvements from the 2023 season. This season, the Rams’ goal is an A-10 championship after failing to reach the final since 2019. Last season, the Rams finished 2-5-3 in conference play, good enough for seventh place. Fordham will have to crack the top eight again if they want to have a shot at A-10 glory.
On Thursday, Fordham began the season with a win against Manhattan College at Moglia Stadium. Goals from freshman Julia Acosta and sophomore Lena Johnsen lifted the Rams to a 2-1 victory. This match marked the beginning of three straight home matches to start the season. Conference play begins on Sept. 19, when the Rams will begin their campaign to reach the A-10 Championship on Nov. 1 before reaching their ultimate goal of the A-10 Championship final on Nov. 10.
