Tennessee
Women's Soccer
Wisconsin
Northwestern
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – United Soccer Coaches has announced its Defenders to Watch list for the NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer 2023 season. No surprise here that the reigning ACC Defender of the Year and now senior captain of the Fighting Irish, Eva Gaetino was amongst the names listed. Not only did she claim one of the top ACC awards last season, but she also took home First Team All-America honors and was named a Mac Hermann Trophy Semifinalist.
Gaetino anchored a backline that tied for the third-longest shutout streak in program history with six consecutive matches. All-in-all, they totaled 14 shutouts, which was the most since 2016. Notre Dame went unbeaten in its last 12 matches before the NCAA Quarterfinal loss to North Carolina. During that 12-game span, the Irish outscored the opposition 33-6. The Irish were also the only squad in the NCAA Tournament that didn’t surrender a goal until the quarterfinal round. The Defenders Watch List is comprised of 35 women and include United Soccer Coaches All-Americans and first or second-team All-Region players from 2022, who are scheduled to return for the 2023 season.
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