Women’s soccer team vying for fifth national tournament appearance in since 2019
This year’s Hill College women’s soccer program – currently ranked No. 9 in the nation – looks to continue its long-standing dominance at the conference, regional, district, and national levels.
Hill College Head Women’s Soccer Coach Paul Davenport, a vital piece to the program’s winning formula for more than a decade, has helped lead his teams to four NJCAA Division I National Tournament appearances in the past five years – including 10 consecutive Regional Championships (also going undefeated during this span).
“Our biggest question this year is, ‘Do our sophomores have the hunger to win more?’” Davenport said. “The targets on our backs have gotten bigger since our huge win over Tyler Junior College in last year’s District game – and, quite frankly, I’m a little concerned about scoring goals this season.”
This year’s Hill College women’s soccer team, which is built around a stellar defense, is comprised of 24 student-athletes, including 14 freshmen.
“All but one of our sophomores were pretty much starters last season,” Davenport added, “and our experience will be primarily from our sophomore defenders.”
Davenport did lose three All-American sophomores from last year’s team – Davia Richards (First Team), Libbie Mayfield (First Team) and Gaia Chies (Second Team) – but he’s confident others will step in and fill their shoes this season such as sophomores Tiny Seaton, Aalyse Ward, Kaylee Richardson, Latae Rodriguez as well as incoming freshmen Nadia Bradley, Samara Sanders, and Emily Guerrero.
“Our goals will remain the same,” Davenport said, “which are to continue our Region 5 dominance, try to repeat a District Championship over national powerhouse Tyler Junior College and to attempt to make it to a fifth National Championship Tournament in the past six years.”
Davenport also said he tried to balance the team’s preseason games – including some matchups between NCAA Division I and Division II teams.
September boasts a gauntlet of national perennial teams on the road like Blinn College (Sept. 13), Tyler Junior College (Sept. 10) and Butler Community College in Kansas (Sept. 25).
“I think it’s going to be a hard season,” Davenport added. “We need to continue to increase our mindset to match our level of intensity because we don’t want to start the season like we did last year.”
This year’s Region 5 Tournament will be returning to Gateway Park in Fort Worth which is also where Hill College plays its home soccer games. The District match will be played at the site of the Region 14 winner.
2024 Hill College Women’s Soccer Roster
1-Latae Rodriguez-SO-GK
2-Emma Steward-FR
3-Lucia Rooney-FR-D
4-Rozlyn Ramsey-FR-D
5-Janiel Mignott-FR-D
6-Dannique Wilson-SO-D
7-Fredricka Finnikin-F-F
8-Aalyse Ward-SO
9-Tiny Seaton-SO-F
10-Nadia Bradley-F
11-Brailee Burlingame-SO-F
12-Bree Gibbs-F-F
13-Cadie Coston-F
14-Heaven Villages-D
15-Trinity Brown-SO-F
16-Alex Reyes-SO
17-Ashlynne Newmon-SO-F
18-Estrella Arriazola-F-M
19-Madison Westbrook-SO-D
20-Kaylee Richardson-SO
21-Samara Sanders-SO-D
22-Rylee Bennett-F-F
23-Emily Guerrero-F-F
24-Monsterrat Montenez-F-GK
Head Coach-Paul Davenport
Hill College Women’s Soccer Team Accolades
Region V Champions 2023, District Champions 2023, Nationals 4th Place 2023 Region V Champions 2022, Nationals 4th Place 2022 Region V Champions 2021, Nationals 5th place 2021 Region V Champions 2020 Region V Champions 2019, District Champions 2019, Nationals 5th place 2019 Region V Champions 2018 Region V Champions 2017 Region V Champions 2016 Region V Champions 2015 Region V Champions 2014
Since joining Hill College in 2010, Davenport’s women’s soccer programs have achieved the following: 14 combined Region V titles, 4 District titles, and 7 trips to the NJCAA National Championship tournament. Also, Hill College is the only team in the nation to have at least one First Team All-American selection five years in a row.
For more information on the Hill College women’s soccer program, please visit https://hillcollegeathletics.com.