
The Nevada women’s club soccer team hasn’t missed a beat since moving up a division. Coming off an undefeated season, the team has kept its winning streak alive and, with one match remaining, is poised to carry that momentum to nationals.
Currently holding a 3-0-2 record, Nevada is ranked fourth in the U.S. College Club Soccer (USCCS) Women’s West Conference power rankings after week eight. With wins against Stanford University (1-1-2), UC Santa Cruz (1-2-1) and CSU Chico (1-3-1), the team has demonstrated its ability to compete against tough opponents.
“This is the first year that UNR women’s club soccer has attended nationals,” club president Leighanne Kim said. “We were undefeated last year in the NorCal II Division and have now moved into the top division [in] NorCal.”
Moving up a division has brought new challenges for Nevada, including facing more experienced opponents. Despite this, the team has continued to work towards its goals while building on the success of the previous season.
“Our goal in going to nationals is to play with passion, have fun and hopefully win some games,” Kim said. “We’ve never been to nationals before so we’re not sure what to expect from the other teams, but we know we’re going to have some good competition.”
As a club team, everything is student-run. Kim explained that the club’s board of officers shares scheduling games, fundraising, traveling and reserving fields. Each player is highly dedicated to the team’s success, even going as far as personally driving themselves 6-7 hours to compete.
“We are grateful for the commitment each girl has given to the team and the support of the UNR community behind us allowing us to pursue opportunities like nationals while maintaining success on the academic side as well,” Kim said.
The team stays motivated and successful thanks to the hard work, passion and chemistry they experience both on and off the field.
“We truly are a second family to each other and it shows on the field,” Kim said. “We might not be the most skilled team in every match we play, but we definitely have the most heart.”
Nevada’s final matchup before nationals will take place at home against Santa Clara on Saturday, Oct. 24 at 4 p.m.
The USCCS National Championship is scheduled for Nov. 11-15 at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.













