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Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Loyola (Md.)
Thursday Visit from Loyola, Sunday Trip to Syracuse to Open Season for Women's Soccer
August 17, 2026 | Women's Soccer
vs. Loyola (Md.), Thursday, 7 p.m. | ESPN+ | Live Stats | Free Admission
at Syracuse, Sunday, 12 p.m. | ESPN+
On the Tigers: Princeton enters 2026 coming off back-to-back Ivy League titles for the first time in program history after winning the 2024 Ivy League regular-season and tournament titles and following with the 2025 Ivy League regular-season title. The Tigers went 8-6-3 overall and 5-2 in Ivy League play last season, closing the regular season with five straight wins to claim the Ivy title before defeating Brown in the Ivy League Tournament semifinal and falling 1-0 to Dartmouth in the final. Princeton returns the scorers of 21 of the team's 24 goals from 2025 and nine of the 12 players who scored a goal last season, as well as all eight players who scored more than one goal last season. The group is led by junior Alexandra Barry, a first-team All-Ivy Leaguer last season who had team highs of five goals and 14 points, and junior Dylan Jovanovic, a second-team All-Ivy Leaguer last season who had a team-best six assists while adding two goals and 10 points.
The Tigers are looking to become the first team since Brown from 2019-23 to win more than two straight Ivy titles, with the Bears winning four in a row (no season in 2020). Before Brown did it, the last time a team won three straight Ivy titles was Princeton from 2000-02, with two of those three shared, while Brown's four were all outright. The last team before the recent Brown run to win three straight outright titles was Harvard from 1995-97.
Sophomore Nina Cantor is back after scoring two goals and adding two assists while taking a team-high 36 shots last season, and senior Isabella Garces returns after scoring three goals in 11 games. SophomoreMaddie Recupero, sophomore Sarah Houston, senior Kayla Wong and senior Zoe Markesini each scored twice last season, with Markesini scoring twice in four games before missing the rest of the season due to injury. Princeton also returns both goalkeepers who played last season, with senior Cecilia Cerone logging 1,031 minutes and junior Sydney Romano playing 499 minutes as the Tigers held opponents to 18 goals in 17 games and posted seven shutouts. Cerone, Markesini and senior Esmé Rudell are captains this season.
The Tigers have six first-years on the roster in Gianna Camporeale, Blane McElroy, Mariana Gomez, Lewa Drew White, Victoria Adams and Stella Monberg. Princeton's 2026 schedule includes eight home games, visits to major-conference opponents Syracuse, Ohio State and Rutgers, and early-season home games against Loyola, West Virginia, James Madison and Colgate. Princeton's schedule announcement noted that the Tigers will face teams from the Big 12, ACC and Big Ten during non-conference play, with the Buckeyes having made the 2025 NCAA quarterfinals and West Virginia having made the second round.
Series vs. Loyola: Princeton leads the all-time series with Loyola 4-2 after the Greyhounds defeated the Tigers 2-1 last season in Baltimore. That game was the teams' first meeting since 2021, when Princeton won 2-1 at home in what was the Tigers' first game back after the pandemic pause. Last season's meeting saw Princeton outshoot Loyola 24-7 overall, but Loyola scored once in each half to take the win, with Markesini scoring Princeton's goal and returners Anais Stephen and Francesca Khachatourians scoring the goals for the Greyhounds. This will be Loyola's first visit to Roberts Stadium since 2021 and its fifth visit to Princeton overall, with Princeton winning home meetings in 1999, 2001, 2006 and 2021.
Series vs. Syracuse: Princeton leads the all-time series with Syracuse 2-0-1 after last season's 0-0 draw at Roberts Stadium. The teams first met in 2003 and will play for the second straight season after not meeting from 2004 through 2024. In last season's meeting, Princeton outshot Syracuse 31-9 overall and 10-4 on goal, with the 31 shots the Tigers' highest total since Sean Driscoll's first game at Princeton in 2015. Sunday's game will be Princeton's first visit to Syracuse since the teams' first meeting in 2003, a 3-1 Tiger win.
Home Staters: Princeton has four New Jerseyans on the 2026 roster, with senior Kayla Wong from Manalapan, senior Aditi Singh from West Windsor, junior Alexandra Barry from Saddle River and first-year Gianna Camporeale from Caldwell. Singh is a Mercer County product, having attended West Windsor-Plainsboro North.
On Loyola: The Greyhounds, forecasted fourth in the Patriot League this season, finished 5-5-8 overall and 2-2-5 in Patriot League play last season, defeating Princeton 2-1 in Baltimore during a 3-0-1 start with Anais Stephen and Francesca Khachatourians scoring for Loyola around a Zoe Markesini goal. Loyola scored 15 goals and allowed 18 on the 2025 season, with six shutouts. Loyola returns its top scorer from 2025 in Savannah Manset, who had three goals and an assist, and also brings back Taryn Buckley, who had two goals and an assist. Also back among Loyola's 2025 goal scorers are Khachatourians, Reagan Mallia, Ava Blizzard, Leah Carter and Stephen, giving the Greyhounds the scorers of 10 of their 15 goals from last season. In goal, Loyola returns both keepers who played last season, with Hannah Goetzer having played 1,260 minutes with a 1.00 GAA, an .808 save percentage and five solo shutouts, while Brigid Mulholland played 360 minutes with a 1.00 GAA. Loyola opened this season with a 1-1 tie against William & Mary on Aug. 12, with Katie Ormerod scoring, and followed with another 1-1 tie against No. 10 Arkansas on Sunday, with Mallia scoring.
On Syracuse: The Orange finished 5-9-4 overall and 1-8-1 in ACC play last season, scoring 22 goals and allowing 26. Syracuse, forecasted 17th in the preseason ACC poll, took 189 shots last season while opponents took 304, and Orange keepers made 95 saves. Syracuse lost its top three point scorers from 2025 in Mia Klammer, Ashley Rauch and Maya McDermott, who combined for 15 of the team's 22 goals and nine of its 16 assists. The Orange return Julia Arbelaez, who had a goal and three assists last season, along with Gabby Wisbeck, Olivia Bozzo and Anna Croyle, who scored one goal apiece. Syracuse also returns several 2025 defensive regulars, including Bree Bridges, Emma Klein, Natalie Magnotta and Jasmine Nixon, who all started all 18 games last season. The Orange opened the 2026 season with a 0-0 draw against old Big East rival Villanova on Aug. 13, outshooting the Wildcats 8-5 overall while Villanova held a 4-2 edge in shots on goal. Maya Naimoli made four saves in the shutout. Syracuse followed with a 3-1 win over Holy Cross on Sunday, with Vickie Jones scoring twice around a Jasmine Nixon goal as the Orange scored their final two goals on penalty kicks. Naimoli made two saves as Syracuse outshot the Crusaders 10-7 overall and 7-3 on goal. Syracuse is scheduled to visit Northwestern on Thursday before hosting Princeton on Sunday.
Tigers in the Pros: Princeton's professional footprint continued to grow over the summer when former Tiger goalkeeper Tyler McCamey '25 signed with FC Barcelona Femení after beginning her professional career with Gotham FC, Kansas City Current and Dallas Trinity FC. McCamey was a first-team All-Ivy League and first-team United Soccer Coaches all-region honoree in 2024, when she helped Princeton win both the Ivy League regular-season and tournament titles. Princeton has three alums on NWSL rosters this season, with Pietra Tordin '25 in her second season with the Portland Thorns, Madison Curry '24 with Seattle Reign FC and Aria Nagai '24 with the Utah Royals. Tordin has had a breakout season in Portland, signing a multi-year extension through 2029 after leading the league with six assists and ranking among the NWSL leaders in goal contributions at the time of the announcement, then adding a hat trick in Portland's 4-3 win over Boston Legacy. Curry has been a regular on the back line for Seattle, starting 11 of her first 11 appearances this season and recording an assist, while Nagai has continued with Utah after re-signing for 2026 and was the Royals' nominee for the NWSL's Lauren Holiday Impact Award.
