Women’s Soccer Tabbed to End Ninth in the CACC Preseason Poll

8/19/2025 12:00:00 AM

Goldey-Beacom's Women's Soccer team was picked to close ninth in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference based on a vote of the league's coaches.

A key returnee for the Lightning is sophomore forward Ryley Dixon (Pilesgrove, NJ), a dynamic two-sport athlete who last season paced the squad with six goals and six assists. Her soccer is not limited to the fall as she played professional-amateur club soccer all summer with sophomore Ella Badra (Caracas, Venezuela).

With the track & field team, Dixon last season closed second in the 200-meter dash and third in the 400-meter dash at the CACC Championship.

Sophomore forward Jessica Jensen (Las Vegas, NV) is a transfer from Whittier College who was tabbed Newcomer of the Year by the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, one of the best Division III women's soccer conferences in the country. A talented competitor, Jensen will be paired with Dixon.

Nova Gafvert (Eskilstuna, Sweden) is a freshman midfielder from one of the best professional academies in Sweden. She brings physicality and great soccer IQ to the midfield room.

Freshmen Maria Empadinhas (Cascais, Portugal) and Malaika Nunziata (Cape Town, South Africa), both are talented goalkeepers who hope to make an immediate impact. Empadinhas is very athletic and confident off her line. Nunziata is tall and exceptionally good in the air.

Junior Tamara Trumic (Murrhardt, Germany) is a transfer forward who was tied for fourth last season at Cleary University with eight points. She brings versatility and poise to the team.

Junior Jade Balon (Smyrna, DE) is a team captain and anchoring midfielder, providing solid play as one of the smartest and most efficient players on the field.

Freshman Lanie Pennington (Smyrna, DE) is ready to debut for the Lightning after being sidelined last year due to injury. She has shown tremendous progress since her recovery and looks to break into the lineup as a midfielder with a great deal of potential.

Last season was the first for new coach Mitch Kazanjian, who joined the squad a mere weeks before its commencement and received a great deal of performance and effort from the student-athletes. Goldey-Beacom went into the final match day with a chance of making the CACC Tournament.

"With 17 new players this season, we have revamped our roster and intend to be a team that overwhelms other teams with intensity and desire," Kazanjian said. "I am very confident in this group and the changes we've made with our culture in the offseason. The players have been putting in the work all summer building bonds and holding each other accountable to their fitness and development. This is the most excited I have been to coach a team in my career thus far."

Goldey-Beacom last year continued to excel in the classroom with 10 named to the CACC All-Academic Team and six tabbed College Sports Communicators Academic All-District.

Goldey-Beacom opens things September 4 at Shippensburg in a 4:30 pm contest.

2025 CACC Women's Soccer Preseason Poll

1.	Jefferson (8)	117 pts.
2.	Caldwell (3)	102
3.	Bridgeport (1)	91
4.	Wilmington	90
5.	Georgian Court	81
6.	Dominican	77
7.	Holy Family	66
8.	Chestnut Hill	56
9.	Goldey-Beacom	40
10.	Felician	32
11.	Post	27
12.	Lincoln	13

(first-place votes in parentheses)

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