The Pepperdine women’s soccer team opens the 2024 season with two brand new opponents: playing Utah State and Georgia Southern at Waipi’o Peninsula Soccer Stadium.
GAME #1 — Thursday (August 15) at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu, Hawaii: Pepperdine (0-0) vs. Utah State (0-0) at 7 p.m.
GAME #2 — Sunday (August 18) at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu, Hawaii: Pepperdine (0-0) vs. Georgia Southern (0-0) at 3 p.m.
ON-LINE — Neither game will be streamed. Links to live stats can be found at PepperdineWaves.com.
STATE OF UTAH — Pepperdine has never played Utah State. The Aggies finished 14-8-1 last year, including 9-2 in conference play. Utah State lost to former WCC foe BYU, 0-2, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Kaylie Chambers returns to the Aggies for the 2023 season as the team’s all-time leader with four goals and five assists.
GEORGIA SOUTH— This will also be the Waves’ first meeting with the Eagles. Georgia Southern’s last season ended in the second round of the Sun Belt tournament with a loss to Old Dominion, who then advanced to the NCAA tournament. The Eagles beat their opponents 35-22 in 2023 and never lost by more than one goal.
Squad numbers — The Waves’ 30-man roster includes three graduates, four seniors, two redshirt juniors, five juniors, three redshirt sophomores, three sophomores, one redshirt freshman and 10 true freshmen. Pepperdine has 19 returnees, including eight postseason starters. Two Waves — Victoria Romero And Tori Waldeck — are back for an extra season after using their redshirt years due to COVID-19. Graduate Transfer Megan Edelman comes to Pepperdine after winning a national championship in her four years at UCLA in 2022.
WCC — The Waves finished third in the WCC preseason coaches poll for the third straight year, with the order being as follows: Santa Clara, Washington State, Pepperdine, Portland, Gonzaga, Saint Mary’s, San Francisco, Oregon State, Pacific, Loyola Marymount and San Diego.
LAST SEASON — The Waves finished second in the WCC with their 13th NCAA Tournament appearance in the 2023 season. Pepperdine lost in the first round to NCAA runner-up Stanford. Taylor Bloom And Tori Waldeck earned a spot on the United Soccer Coaches All-West Region teams. Waldeck also won WCC Player of the Year when he returned as a sophomore Julia Quinonez was named WCC Rookie of the Year.
WAVES AMONG THE PROS — Several Waves have made their mark professionally. Lynn Williams is a four-time NWSL champion (2016 Western New York Flash, 2018 and 2019 North Carolina Courage, and 2023 Gotham FC). She was also the 2016 NWSL MVP and Golden Boot winner. As a member of the U.S. national team, she has earned 70 caps and scored 19 goals. She won a gold medal at the last Olympic Games in Paris in 2024 and a bronze medal at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Williams made her World Cup debut in the summer of 2023. Bri Visalli, who was part of the U.S. national under-23 team, played a few seasons in England before joining the NWSL’s Houston Dash in 2020. In January 2019, the Waves had two NWSL draft selections for the first time: Hailey Harbison (first round to North Carolina) and Michelle Maemone (third round to Utah). Rylee Baisden was named Australia’s NPLW Player of the Year in 2019 and joined the North Carolina Courage in 2020. The Waves have produced two Olympians (Williams and Roxanne Barker, South Africa, 2012 and 2016) and one Women’s World Cup participant (Anisa Guajardo, Mexico, 2015). Anna Picarelli played for Italy and Kristi DeVert was the first Wave to suit up for the USWNT. In January 2022, Joelle Anderson signed a two-year professional contract with the Houston Dash. In June 2023, Kelsey Hill signed with Angel City FC as a national team reserve.
ABOUT PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY — Pepperdine boasts a unique athletic department with unprecedented success for a school of its size. The Waves have won NCAA Division I championships in five different men’s sports — one of only 20 schools to accomplish that feat — and 10 overall. Of that elite group, Pepperdine has the smallest student population, is the only school without football, and the only university not affiliated with a “major” conference. The Waves have won a total of 26 national team or individual championships in their history. Pepperdine has also won the Division I-AAA All-Sports Trophy four times (most recently in 2022-23), an award based on postseason success given to the best school outside of football. Located in scenic Malibu, California, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the university’s campus and athletic facilities are regularly voted among the most beautiful in the country. Pepperdine, which is affiliated with the Church of Christ, ranks 76th on U.S. News and World Report’s list of America’s best universities.
