GUELPH, Ont. – The Gryphons women's soccer team makes their return to the pitch on Friday, August 29 when they host the Windsor Lancers in the 2025 OUA regular season opening match.
The 2025 OUA regular season remains unchanged from last season with 19 soccer programs from across the province, split into two division and competing in a 12-game regular season. The Gryphons will compete out of the OUA West division for the upcoming season. The top six teams will gain entry into the OUA postseason with the top two teams in each division earning a bye into the OUA quarterfinals on October 18 while the remaining four teams will meet up in the preliminary round on October 15. The semifinal round on October 25 will see the OUA East and West divisions cross-over and play one another with the winners meeting in the OUA Championship game on November 1. Every game in the OUA playoffs is a single knockout game. Following the conference championship, the 2025 U SPORTS Women's Soccer Championships are set to take place from November 6-9 in Hamilton with McMaster serving as this year's hosts.
Head Coach
Shayne Campbell enters his 9th season in charge of the Gryphons women's soccer program and will be looking to continue his perfect record of making the playoffs every season. "We have a strong core of returning players who have proven track records at the OUA level. Our incoming recruit class will help support the core group and we're excited for what's ahead this season," says Campbell, who is a three-time OUA West Coach of the Year (2024, 2021 & 2018) and who led the Gryphons to their lone OUA championship in program history back in 2017.
Forwards/Attack
The Gryphons bring back plenty of firepower in attack led by the dynamic duo of
Olivia Brown and
Olivia Rizakos. Brown, a Guelph native, was one of the top goal scorers in the province, finishing in a tie for 3rd for most goals in the OUA last season as she found the back of the net 10 times. The human kinetics major in 2022 earned OUA West First Team All-Star honours. Brown will be joined up front by two-time OUA West First Team All-Star and the team's co-captain,
Olivia Rizakos. The Toronto native and team MVP from last season started in all 12 games where she was tied for 2nd in the OUA with 6 assists to go along with her 3 goals. Dynamic winger
Isabella Trepanier returns for her second season with the team. The bio-medical science major played in 11 games last season and scored 4 goals. Winger
Ella Cahill (Milton, ON) also returns to the Gryphons her second season after scoring twice in 8 appearances, while also converting from the penalty spot in the team's shootout during the OUA semifinals a season ago.
Aislynn Essibrah joins team this season to bolster the team's attack. Essibrah (Essex, ON) arrives at U of G to pursue her Masters in bio-medical science after transfering to Guelph from Windsor where she was an OUA West Second Team All-Star last season as a Lancer, scoring twice in 10 starts. Incoming rookie and dual-sport athlete
Kaiya Woodcock also joins the Gryphons as part of their forward group, and will also compete with the Gryphons track and field program during the winter.
Midfield
Standout fullback, U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadian and OUA West First Team All-Star,
Elise Bell, is back with the program for her third season. The Toronto native in her first full season as starter last year was outstanding, starting in all 14 games for her team, with the bio-medical science major showcasing her elite pace and versatility with her ability to jump into the attack game, making runs from her fullback position. Fourth-year holding midfielder
McKenna Burt will help lead the way in the middle of the pitch, after she appeared in all 12 games last season, scoring a goal with two assists.
Olivia Stavropoulos returns for her third season as another key piece in the Gryphon midfield. The Kitchener native started in 8 games last season where she scored three goals. Second-year midfielders
Rebecca Draeger and
Cassidy Anderson are back with the squad for their sophomore season. Draeger was the team's rookie of the year last season where she made an immediate impact, starting in 10 games to along with her 2 goals and an assist. Anderson (Vancouver, BC) played in 8 games and started in 3 last year as a holding midfielder.
Ava Hunyady, another dual-sport athlete (soccer and wrestling) will help contribute to the Gryphon midfield. Newcomer,
Cadence Smyth (Newmarket, ON) arrives at U of G in 2025 for her first year as a Gryphon. The equine management major formerly suited up in the OUA with the Nipissing Lakers back in 2023, and prior to that spent two years in the NCAA at Kent State.
Defence
Plenty of familiar faces will help lead the Gryphon backline this upcoming season.
Jasmine Burke, a mainstay at centre back returns to lead the defence in 2025. Burke, a three-time OUA West All-Star is highly regarded one of the premier defenders in the conference. The Guelph native not only helped lead the way defensively, she also pitched in offensively scoring a goal last season. Burke's partner in crime at centre back,
Katie Kimens returns for her fourth season. The Maple, Ontario native is a stabilizing force on defence, starting in 10 games last season and will share the arm band with
Olivia Rizakos in 2025 as one of the team's co-captains. Fourth-year fullback
Haley Ward is also back with the team after starting 9 games last season while adding an assist. Second-year defenders
Talia Hamilton and
Emma O'Connor return for their second year with the program.
Brianna O'Donnell also returns to the team for the 2025 season. Incoming rookies
Abigail Fox,
Grace Annan and
Avery Rogerson all join the Gryphons backline for the season.
Goalkeepers
The Gryphons goalkeeping room sees continuity heading into the new season with three returnees. Third-year goalkeeper
Sabrina Spano was the team's starter last season, starting in 11 games where she had three clean sheets while conceding 11 goals.
Jo Mazier is back for her second season with the Gryphons following an impressive showing in relief in the OUA semifinals last season, making 5 saves in the second half to help guide her team to penalties. Fourth year applied human nutrition major
Christina Alexander rounds out the goalkeeper room.
The Gryphons women's soccer team will kickoff their season at home on Friday, August 29 from the Gryphon Soccer Complex where they will host the Windsor Lancers at 6pm before heading to Windsor to wrap up the weekend home-and-home on Sunday (Aug. 31) at 1pm.
