ASU Soccer: New Coach Brings Fresh Start for Sun Devils

(Photo: James Powel/WCSN)

With the decade-long tenure of Kevin Boyd coming to an end with his resignation in November, the Arizona State women’s soccer program is headed in a new direction, as they will be lead by head coach Graham Winkworth in the 2017 season.

Taking over the program will be no easy task for Winkworth, as the team he inherits is fresh off a 6-11-2 season that featured just one Pac-12 victory, against Washington in October. The program also lost five seniors, including captain Lucy Lara and defenseman McKenzie Grossman.

However, the Sun Devils’ new coach – who went 66-18-7 and earned a pair of Sun Belt Coach of the Year honors in four years at South Alabama – did not waste any time when picking up recruits for this upcoming season. The team brought in nine incoming freshmen and two transfers.

Winkworth had difficult decisions to make in terms of the 2017 recruiting class, as it had been put together by Coach Boyd before his resignation and as a result, a few players did not make the cut under new management.

Four of the incoming freshmen hail from Arizona high schools, in midfielder Gabrielle Briseno (Campo Verde), defender/forward Jessica Hale (Desert Vista) and two forwards in Aubree Incardone (Red Mountain) and Olive Jones (Desert Vista).

The team also picked up three midfielders, Samantha Hobert, Amanda Jones and Jadyn Nogues, while also adding two international freshmen players. Lara Barbieri, a versatile player who can play multiple positions and brings in depth for the Sun Devils from Brazil and the lone goalkeeper out of the recruit, Nikki Panas, is from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

While all the Devils’ newcomers have extensive resumes from winning state titles to Olympic Development Program invites, national team play and numerous awards among the 2017 signing class, these girls all have one common characteristic: winning.

As the result of their rich pedigree, the incoming freshmen will be prepared to make a difference from the start.

Outside of the freshmen, ASU also adds a transfer in local defenseman Angela Boyle, who returns after two years as an Oklahoma Sooner. An Arizona native, she graduated early from Anthem’s Boulder Creek High School to join Oklahoma’s program in the spring of 2015.

Over Boyle’s two seasons with the Sooners, she appeared in 34 matches, including 12 her freshman season.

The program also welcomed junior transfer Jemma Purfield, a native of Beverly, England. Purfield makes the move to Arizona from South Alabama, where she tallied 11 goals under the coaching of Winkworth.

Along with an important incoming freshmen class, returning players will also play a key role for the Sun Devils this year.

Junior forward Jazmarie Mader was the team’s leading goal scorer with eight goals last season. She will be back for her senior season along with midfielder Kylie Miniefield.

The most experienced defenseman on the roster is senior Madison Stark, returns for her final season in maroon and gold. Stark’s experience and leadership will be paired on defense with sophomore returner, Devyn Kelsey.

Coach Winkworth and his team began their season on August 12 against California State University Northridge, a game they won 1-0. They open play at home on Friday at 4:30 against Ohio State, then the Sun Devils begin play in the Pac-12 conference on August 22 in Tempe against Oregon State.