Lawrenceville, NJ - The Wagner College women's soccer team kicks off the 2021 fall season this evening at Rider.
 
2021 Roster
The 2021 Seahawk roster, under fifth-year head coach Phil Casella, is a young roster composed of 25 players, 16 of which are freshmen and sophomores. Coach Casella brought in eight newcomers, three of whom are incoming transfers.
 
Alexa Rispoli, who was named to the 2020-21 All-Northeast Conference (NEC) Rookie Team a season ago, returns for her second season on Grymes Hill.
 
Among the upperclassmen returning this year for the Green & White is junior goalkeeper Erin Kelly, who led the conference in saves with a league-high 55, averaging a conference-best 7.86 saves a match last Spring. The Massapequa, NY native recorded at least six saves in each match during the year, highlighted by a career-high 11 stops on the road at Merrimack (Mar. 16) on 19 shots faced.
 
Casella Selects Captains For 2021 Campaign
The Wagner College women's soccer team has selected three players as captains for the upcoming fall 2021 season. 

Luisa Barone, Annie White, and Maddie Wilde will serve as captains this season. For Barone and Wilde, this marks the second straight season that they will wear the "C" while White earns the title for the first time in her Seahawk career. 

"These three student-athletes are the face of where this program is at the current moment," said Casella. "The work ethic, commitment, determination, and sacrifice that they have shown is the makeup of this program. They are truly the best examples of what leaders are and should always be." 

Barone, a three-time Northeast Conference (NEC) Fall Academic Honor Roll selection, has played in 40 career contests while earning the starting nod 39 times. The Parsippany, NJ native enters her senior season with three career goals and two assists. In 2019, Barone netted two goals on the season, both in home wins over Robert Morris (10/4/19) and Delaware State (8/25/19).

White, a two-time NEC Fall Academic Honor Roll choice, has solidified herself into a pivotal piece of the Seahawks' back line. In two seasons on Grymes Hill, the Rocky Hill, CT native has started in all 25 matches. In her freshman season, she recorded her first collegiate goal in the 81st minute on a penalty kick to tie the game against Iona (9/15/19) and added her second collegiate score against NEC rival Sacred Heart (9/27/19), which sparked a two-goal comeback from the Seahawks. 

Wilde, like Barone, embarks on her second term as team captain in 2021. A two-time NEC Fall Academic Honor Roll selection as well, Wilde was one of three Seahawks to start and play in all seven matches last Spring. 
 
SCOUTING THE BRONCS
Wagner will face Rider for the 12th in the history of the two programs. The Broncs hold a 7-4-0 advantage in the head-to-head series. The Seahawks are looking to halt a two-game losing streak to Rider, after last picking up a victory back on August 23, 2017 in Lawrenceville, defeating the Broncs, 2-1. These two squads last met back on August 23, 2019, as the Green & White scored the first goal a minute into the contest before eventually falling in double overtime, 3-2.
 
Rider was picked fifth in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Preseason Coaches' Poll after reaching the MAAC semifinals this past spring. Makenzie Rodrigues and Niamh Cashin were named to the Preseason All-MAAC.  Rodrigues is the reigning MAAC Co-Offensive Player of the Year after leading the conference with six goals and 14 points. Cashin went on to earn First Team honors a season ago. The Broncs return eight starters from last year's team.

NEXT UP
Wagner's home opener is set for Sunday, August 22 as they welcome UMBC to Staten Island. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m.