Women's Soccer 2024 Season 

 

The 2024 Mercer women’s soccer finished the season 14-2-2 and one game short of reaching the NJCAA Division II National Championship.  The Vikings were Region 19 Champions for the first time in fifteen years.  The 2024 Mercer women’s soccer team also posted the most wins in a season since 2009, when the Vikings won 16 games.

 

One reason for Mercer’s success was that they were strong on both sides of the ball.  The Vikings scored 82 goals, twelfth best in the nation and had 61 assists, 11th best in DII women’s soccer.  On the defensive side, MCCC had ten shutouts, which was 10^th best in the nation.

 

Offensively, Mercer was led by freshman Eva Sturm (Berlin, Germany/Gymnasium Steglitz), who finished the with the most points (goals and assists) in Division II NJCAA Women’s Soccer with 69.  Sturm had the second most goals in NJCAA DII women’s soccer, scoring 28 in 18 games and had 13 assists, which was eighth best in the nation.  Sturm was named the Region 19 DI/II Player of the Year and the Region 19 Tournament MVP.

 

Sophomore Annika Maringer (Asperg, Germany/Gymnasium IB Asperg) earned All-Region 19 honors for the second straight season.  Maringer had eleven goals and seven assists and helped lead a very strong offensive attack for the Vikings.  Freshman Ana Pacheco (Florianopolis, Brazil) scored nine goals and freshman Linnea Rammeil (Lennestadt, Germany/Gymnasium Maria Konigin) had eight goals including two in the Vikings’ 4-3 District Championship loss. 

 

Freshman Louise Stritch (Preston Lancashire, England/Archbishop Temple High School) finished the season with eight assists and sophomore Laura Kucharz had seven assists.  Freshman Julia Fillat Ferrer (Barcelona, Spain) scored four goals early in the season and was another offensive threat at striker, but was limited due to injury in the second half of the season.

 

Kucharz and sophomore Fiona Madigan (Dublin, Ireland/Fingal Community College) both earned All-Region 19 honors for the second straight season and these two players along with sophomores Sierra Mitchell (Ewing, NJ/Ewing HS) and Luana Nascimento (Cariacica,Brazil/Colegio Estadual Do Espirito Santo) helped to anchor a strong Vikings’ defense.  Goalie Celina Oliveira (Ancara, Portugal/Escola Basica e Secundaria do Vale do Ancora) had another solid season with 60 saves in 18 games.

 

The Vikings had strong contributions from the midfield as well.  Freshman Maddie Harrison (Hamilton, NJ/Hamilton West) brought size and speed to the lineup, sophomore Sarah Kircher (Celle, Germany/Hermann Billung Gymnasium) was counted on for her leadership and consistent play, freshman Mia Belton (Mount Holly, NJ/Rancocas Valley) brought speed and versatility and sophomore Francesca Wright (Beccles, UK/Sir Leman High School) proved to be strong and tough presence in the middle.

 

Despite a tough ending to the season with a 4-3 loss to Anne Arundel CC in the District Championship, this Vikings team has a lot to be proud of.  MCCC was nationally ranked for the first time as an NJCAA Division II program.  This Vikings team also got Mercer women’s soccer 500^th win on October 12^th in a 4-0 victory vs CCBC-Essex.  The MCCC women’s soccer program began in 1981.

 

Head Coach Ron Stinson, who is in just his second year with the Vikings, was named the Region 19 Coach of the Year, following one of the Vikings most successful seasons in years.

 

For the latest on Vikings’ women’s soccer, visit: https://www.mccc.edu/athletics_women_soccer.shtml