The University of Akron Athletics
Akron Women's Soccer Debuts Talented Newcomer Class
August 08 | Women's Soccer
AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron women's soccer squad under the leadership of third-year head coach Jen Simonetti, has added a talented 11-member newcomer class that will hit the pitch for the Zips during the 2024 campaign.
"We are very excited about the overall level of talent and versatility of this group," said Simonetti. "We really believe they can transition well to the college game, have a positive impact on our program, and help us raise our standards to the next level. They are high-character student-athletes who will complement the culture the upperclassmen have been building, while increasing the competitiveness within the program. We are excited to see their influence this fall."
Donning the Akron uniform this fall will be Kailyn Biecker (Wadsworth, Ohio), Kellyn Fausel (New Philadelphia, Ohio), Kaylen Goddard (Mechanicsville, Md.), Addison Lambert (Galena, Ohio), Allie McMillen (Shreve, Ohio), Kaitlyn Rogowski (Hilliard, Ohio), Elisabeth Rupp (Eden Prairie, Minn.), Shani Sirota (Raanana, Israel), Eesha Sutharshan (Knoxville, Tenn.), Ariana Vakos (Avon, Ohio) and Nadia Zaborowski(Noblesville, Ind.).
A native of Wadsworth, Ohio, Biecker, a defender, arrives at Akron having gained valuable playing experience with the Internationals ECNL 06 club squad who earned a bid to the National Finals Elite 8 in Richmond VA in 2023. She was also an All-Ohio cross country runner for Wadsworth High School.
A native of New Philadelphia, Ohio, Fausel, a defender, comes to Akron after being a member of the women's soccer team at Marshall during the 2023 campaign. A two-year letterwinner at New Philadelphia High School, she garnered second-team All-State, first-team All-District and first-team All-Conference accolades as a senior in 2022 on the strength of a school-record 25 assists. She helped the Quakers post a 26-5-3 ledger during her prep career.
A native of Mechanicsville, Md., Goddard, a defender, comes to Akron after playing her freshman and sophomore campaigns at Delaware State. She started all 15 games she appeared in for the Hornets this past season as a team captain and helped lead her squad's defensive efforts to a pair of shutouts. As a freshman, she started eight of the nine contests in which she appeared. A four-year letterwinner at Chopticon High School where she garnered All-State, All-Conference and team Most Valuable Player accolades. Additionally, she gained valuable playing experience with St. Mary's Soccer Club.
A native of Galena, Ohio, Lambert, a midfielder, was a three-year letterwinner at Olentangy Berlin High School where she directed her team to a pair of district titles. Twice selected as an All-Conference honoree, she recorded eight goals and two assists as a senior en route to leading her squad to a conference title and first-team All-Conference accolades. Additionally, she gained valuable playing experience with the Ohio Premier ECNL club squad.
A native of Shreve, Ohio, McMillen, a midfielder, was a four-year letterwinner at West Holmes High School where she recorded 136 goals and 32 assists during her prep career. She garnered first-team all-state and all-district honors as a senior en route to being named the offensive conference and district player of the year on the strength of tallying 40 goals and 18 assists. A four-time All-Conference and All-District selection, she was tabbed a second-team All-State recipient as a junior after being named her conference's Offensive Player of the Year. She gained valuable playing experience with the Ohio Strikers United club squad.
A native of Hilliard, Ohio, Rogowski, a forward, arrives at Akron having gained valuable playing experience with the Ohio Premier ECNL 06 club squad who earned a bid to the National Finals Elite 8 in Richmond Va., in 2022. Additionally, she was a three-year letterwinner at Hilliard Darby High School.
A native of Eden Prairie, Minn., Rupp, a defender, was a four-year letterwinner at Eden Prairie High School where she was two-time All-State and four-time All-Conference honoree. She was tabbed her squad's Most Valuable Player as a junior. Additionally, she gained valuable playing experience with the MTA ECNL club squad.
A native of Raanana, Israel, Sirota, a defender, comes to Akron after being a member of the women's soccer team at Creighton during the 2023 campaign. A member of the Israeli Youth National squad, she represented her country at the European Women's Championships. She gained valuable playing experience with her club squad Hapoel Raanana, who she competed with since 2017. She was tabbed her team's Most Valuable Player after netting 16 goals during the 2019-20 campaign en route to leading the squad to the Israeli U19 League Championship and a semifinal berth at the 2022 Israeli Cup. In 2018, Shani and her sister helped guide the club to the U19 National Cup title while scoring a combined 15 goals. Additionally, she helped Hapoel Petah Tiqva to a runner-up finish at the 2022 National Athena Cup.
A native of Knoxville, Tenn., Sutharshan, a midfielder, was a two-year letterwinner at the Webb School. She registered 30 goals and 19 assists during her prep career, including 18 goals and seven assists as a senior where she sparked her team to an Elite Eight appearance. An All-Region honoree as a senior, she was tabbed a TACA/THSSCA Senior All-Star Game selection. Additionally, she gained valuable playing experience with the FC Alliance ECNL club squad.
A native of Avon, Ohio, Vakos, a goalkeeper, was a four-year letterwinner at Avon High School where she garnered All-Conference accolades during each of her four prep campaigns. A two-time All-State and three-time All-District and All-County selection, she helped lead her team to a pair of league and district titles over her four years as a well as a regional runner-up finish as a sophomore. She posted 268 saves and over 30 shutouts in goal during her prep career, while offensively recording 16 goals and nine assists. Additionally, she gained valuable playing experience with the Ohio Premier ECNL club squad.
A native of Noblesville, Ind., Zaborowski, a defender, comes to Akron after being a member of the women's soccer team at Army this past season. A two-year letterwinner at Noblesville High School where she helped her squad to the 2022 Indiana Class 3A state title en route to earning All-State, All-Conference and All-District honors. Additionally, she gained valuable playing experience with Indy Premier.
2024 Akron Women's Soccer Signing Class
Kailyn Biecker, defender, Wadsworth, Ohio (Internationals ECNL 06)
Kellyn Fausel, defender, New Philadelphia, Ohio (Marshall)
Kaylen Goddard, defender, Mechanicsville, Md. (Delaware State)
Addison Lambert, midfielder, Galena, Ohio (Ohio Premier ECNL 06)
Allie McMillen, midfielder, Shreve, Ohio (Ohio Strikers United)
Kaitlyn Rogowski, forward, Hilliard, Ohio (Ohio Premier ECNL 06)
Elisabeth Rupp, defender, Eden Prairie, Minn. (MTA ECNL 06)
Shani Sirota, defender, Raanana, Israel (Creighton)
Eesha Sutharshan, midfielder, Knoxville, Tenn. (FC Alliance ECNL)
Ariana Vakos, goalkeeper, Avon, Ohio (Ohio Premier ECNL 06)
Nadia Zaborowski, defender, Noblesville, Ind. (Army)
"We are very excited about the overall level of talent and versatility of this group," said Simonetti. "We really believe they can transition well to the college game, have a positive impact on our program, and help us raise our standards to the next level. They are high-character student-athletes who will complement the culture the upperclassmen have been building, while increasing the competitiveness within the program. We are excited to see their influence this fall."
Donning the Akron uniform this fall will be Kailyn Biecker (Wadsworth, Ohio), Kellyn Fausel (New Philadelphia, Ohio), Kaylen Goddard (Mechanicsville, Md.), Addison Lambert (Galena, Ohio), Allie McMillen (Shreve, Ohio), Kaitlyn Rogowski (Hilliard, Ohio), Elisabeth Rupp (Eden Prairie, Minn.), Shani Sirota (Raanana, Israel), Eesha Sutharshan (Knoxville, Tenn.), Ariana Vakos (Avon, Ohio) and Nadia Zaborowski(Noblesville, Ind.).
A native of Wadsworth, Ohio, Biecker, a defender, arrives at Akron having gained valuable playing experience with the Internationals ECNL 06 club squad who earned a bid to the National Finals Elite 8 in Richmond VA in 2023. She was also an All-Ohio cross country runner for Wadsworth High School.
A native of New Philadelphia, Ohio, Fausel, a defender, comes to Akron after being a member of the women's soccer team at Marshall during the 2023 campaign. A two-year letterwinner at New Philadelphia High School, she garnered second-team All-State, first-team All-District and first-team All-Conference accolades as a senior in 2022 on the strength of a school-record 25 assists. She helped the Quakers post a 26-5-3 ledger during her prep career.
A native of Mechanicsville, Md., Goddard, a defender, comes to Akron after playing her freshman and sophomore campaigns at Delaware State. She started all 15 games she appeared in for the Hornets this past season as a team captain and helped lead her squad's defensive efforts to a pair of shutouts. As a freshman, she started eight of the nine contests in which she appeared. A four-year letterwinner at Chopticon High School where she garnered All-State, All-Conference and team Most Valuable Player accolades. Additionally, she gained valuable playing experience with St. Mary's Soccer Club.
A native of Galena, Ohio, Lambert, a midfielder, was a three-year letterwinner at Olentangy Berlin High School where she directed her team to a pair of district titles. Twice selected as an All-Conference honoree, she recorded eight goals and two assists as a senior en route to leading her squad to a conference title and first-team All-Conference accolades. Additionally, she gained valuable playing experience with the Ohio Premier ECNL club squad.
A native of Shreve, Ohio, McMillen, a midfielder, was a four-year letterwinner at West Holmes High School where she recorded 136 goals and 32 assists during her prep career. She garnered first-team all-state and all-district honors as a senior en route to being named the offensive conference and district player of the year on the strength of tallying 40 goals and 18 assists. A four-time All-Conference and All-District selection, she was tabbed a second-team All-State recipient as a junior after being named her conference's Offensive Player of the Year. She gained valuable playing experience with the Ohio Strikers United club squad.
A native of Hilliard, Ohio, Rogowski, a forward, arrives at Akron having gained valuable playing experience with the Ohio Premier ECNL 06 club squad who earned a bid to the National Finals Elite 8 in Richmond Va., in 2022. Additionally, she was a three-year letterwinner at Hilliard Darby High School.
A native of Eden Prairie, Minn., Rupp, a defender, was a four-year letterwinner at Eden Prairie High School where she was two-time All-State and four-time All-Conference honoree. She was tabbed her squad's Most Valuable Player as a junior. Additionally, she gained valuable playing experience with the MTA ECNL club squad.
A native of Raanana, Israel, Sirota, a defender, comes to Akron after being a member of the women's soccer team at Creighton during the 2023 campaign. A member of the Israeli Youth National squad, she represented her country at the European Women's Championships. She gained valuable playing experience with her club squad Hapoel Raanana, who she competed with since 2017. She was tabbed her team's Most Valuable Player after netting 16 goals during the 2019-20 campaign en route to leading the squad to the Israeli U19 League Championship and a semifinal berth at the 2022 Israeli Cup. In 2018, Shani and her sister helped guide the club to the U19 National Cup title while scoring a combined 15 goals. Additionally, she helped Hapoel Petah Tiqva to a runner-up finish at the 2022 National Athena Cup.
A native of Knoxville, Tenn., Sutharshan, a midfielder, was a two-year letterwinner at the Webb School. She registered 30 goals and 19 assists during her prep career, including 18 goals and seven assists as a senior where she sparked her team to an Elite Eight appearance. An All-Region honoree as a senior, she was tabbed a TACA/THSSCA Senior All-Star Game selection. Additionally, she gained valuable playing experience with the FC Alliance ECNL club squad.
A native of Avon, Ohio, Vakos, a goalkeeper, was a four-year letterwinner at Avon High School where she garnered All-Conference accolades during each of her four prep campaigns. A two-time All-State and three-time All-District and All-County selection, she helped lead her team to a pair of league and district titles over her four years as a well as a regional runner-up finish as a sophomore. She posted 268 saves and over 30 shutouts in goal during her prep career, while offensively recording 16 goals and nine assists. Additionally, she gained valuable playing experience with the Ohio Premier ECNL club squad.
A native of Noblesville, Ind., Zaborowski, a defender, comes to Akron after being a member of the women's soccer team at Army this past season. A two-year letterwinner at Noblesville High School where she helped her squad to the 2022 Indiana Class 3A state title en route to earning All-State, All-Conference and All-District honors. Additionally, she gained valuable playing experience with Indy Premier.
2024 Akron Women's Soccer Signing Class
Kailyn Biecker, defender, Wadsworth, Ohio (Internationals ECNL 06)
Kellyn Fausel, defender, New Philadelphia, Ohio (Marshall)
Kaylen Goddard, defender, Mechanicsville, Md. (Delaware State)
Addison Lambert, midfielder, Galena, Ohio (Ohio Premier ECNL 06)
Allie McMillen, midfielder, Shreve, Ohio (Ohio Strikers United)
Kaitlyn Rogowski, forward, Hilliard, Ohio (Ohio Premier ECNL 06)
Elisabeth Rupp, defender, Eden Prairie, Minn. (MTA ECNL 06)
Shani Sirota, defender, Raanana, Israel (Creighton)
Eesha Sutharshan, midfielder, Knoxville, Tenn. (FC Alliance ECNL)
Ariana Vakos, goalkeeper, Avon, Ohio (Ohio Premier ECNL 06)
Nadia Zaborowski, defender, Noblesville, Ind. (Army)
Players Mentioned
D
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
MF
/ Women's Soccer
MF
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
MF
/ Women's Soccer
MF
/ Women's Soccer
GK
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer2025 Akron Zips Women's Soccer Post-Game Press Conference vs. Toledo - 10/29/25
Wednesday, October 29
2025 Akron Zips Women's Soccer Post-Game Press Conference at Bowling Green - 10/26/25
Monday, October 27
2025 Akron Zips Women's Soccer Post-Game Press Conference vs. Western Michigan - 10/23/25
Saturday, October 25
2025 Akron Zips Women's Soccer Post-Game Press Conference vs. Central Michigan - 10/9/25
Friday, October 10
