College of Charleston
Southern Utah University
Women’s Soccer to Host Thunderbirds for Home Opener
8/11/2026 1:34:00 PM | Women's Soccer
Charleston, S.C. - The College of Charleston women's soccer team is set to face off against Southern Utah for their season opener at home on Wednesday, August 12 at 7:00pm at Ralph Lundy Field at Patriots Point.
The Cougars finished the 2025 season 8-6-3 overall and 4-3-2 in conference. As a team, they totaled 30 goals, 22 assists, and averaged 1.76 goals per game.
The Cougars were picked fourth in the CAA South Preseason poll. Two Cougars were named honorable mentions to the All-CAA preseason team in Bella Antonio and Maggie Heffernan. The two are the top returning point scorers, tallying five goals apiece last season.
Antonio returns for her senior season after leading the team in points in her junior year with 14. The forward out of North Ridgeville, Ohio also earned CAA Offensive Player of the Week honors on September 22, 2025, after scoring her second career brace against Monmouth.
Heffernan returns for her junior season after a breakout sophomore year. The defender out of Lexington, S.C. totaled 10 points last season, which is third overall on the team and second-best of returning players, after Antonio. Heffernan scored her first career goal, and first career brace in the 2025 season.
Returning for the Cougars is goalkeeper Ainsley Chunn, who totaled the most minutes on the team last season with 1,504. Chunn started all 17 games for the Cougars and produced six shutouts, three of which being conference games. Chunn also earned CAA Defensive Player of the Week honors on August 18, 2025, after having a career-high eight saves against South Carolina.
Emma Stankunas, Emma Revels, and Izzy Arnold also make their returns for their senior seasons, along with graduate student Maggie Wadsworth. Stankunas returns with some of the most minutes played in 2025 with 1,297.
Head coach Christian Michner adds seven new names to the Cougars roster, with four true freshmen and three transfers.
This will be the first meeting between the College of Charleston and Southern Utah. The Thunderbirds will appear in their first season back in the Big Sky Conference since 2022, after spending the last four years in the Western Athletic Conference. This will also be their first season under new Head Coach Steven Lindquist. The Thunderbirds finished the 2025 season 3-12-3 overall.
Admission to the game at Patriots Point is free. Wednesday's contest will include a 2026 schedule card and posters giveaway at the gate.
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