After a long and busy offseason, UM’s women’s soccer team is gearing up for an optimistic 2025 season.
Led by head coach Ken Masuhr — who is entering his second season with the ‘Canes — optimism continues to grow around the Coral Gables squad as the Hurricanes continue to push towards the top in the ACC.
Offseason talent acquisition
Masuhr and his staff have worked diligently this offseason, assembling a team that blends players of different backgrounds and strengths.
Last year, Miami relied on a core group of starters who we saw frequently. The new recruitment boost allows for the team to have more stable rotations throughout the 90 minutes, fresher legs and hopefully less injuries.
Sarah Greiner, one of the new additions, is a forward transfer who spent her first two collegiate years at Tennessee. Greiner holds electric statistics dating back to high school — awarded 2023 Region 8-AAAAA Player of the Year and setting her high school’s single-season goal record. At Tennessee, she appeared in 17 matches, and scored a game-winner in a critical 1-0 victory that secured her team a spot in the SEC tournament.
Another notable addition is midfielder Emilie Simpson, an international transfer from England. A past Arizona State starter, Simpson has also played for the England National Team and won a national championship with WSA Arsenal.
”These [transfers], along with our signings for the 2025 class, will further add to the framework we are creating and the standards we set and continue to raise,” Masuhr said.
The added talent, mixed with the returning teammates, will provide strategic flexibility for the team during key game moments. Moreover, the mix of experienced and younger players will allow for sustained future growth and continued excellence under coach Masuhr.
Defending home turf
Another key factor for the Hurricanes’ season relies on their home field advantage. Miami hosts four big games against top tier ACC competition at Cobb Stadium, which could be crucial to their success. Their final home game of the season is set to be against North Carolina, the reigning national champions, on Thursday, Oct. 23.
While the ACC competition, especially at home, will be a major component in how they perform, their non-conference play is also extremely important to set the tone for ACC play.
Building momentum for non-conference opponents can give the squad confidence to perform against higher ranked opponents in the ACC.
The Hurricanes have a long season ahead — with a lot to prove and a challenging schedule — but this incredible roster will help them compete in the talented ACC.
Despite not qualifying for postseason tournaments, the 2024 season was Miami’s best effort since 2018-19. The Hurricanes are hoping to build off of that success from last season and ideally even qualify for a postseason run in coach Masuhr’s second season at the lead.
