Cunningham, Kalal, and Thurk Named to 2025 Big Ten Girls’s Soccer Players to Watch List

MINNEAPOLIS – The No. 24 ranked University of Minnesota soccer workforce had three student-athletes named to the 2025 Big Ten Preseason Players to Watch List, introduced by the convention on Monday. Tatiana Cunningham, Paige Kalal, and Ashley Thurk have been acknowledged. 

Recently named a captain, the 2025 season marks Cunningham’s first as a Golden Gopher. Before transferring to Dinkytown within the spring, the midfielder competed at San Jose State for 3 seasons. The San Jose, Calif., native began 58 matches, showing in all 60 in her profession. A holding midfielder, she performed a key function in each the protection and assault, scoring a purpose and meting out two assists. 

Last season, Kalal earned All-Big Ten Second Team honors after ending the common season ranked second within the convention and eighth within the nation in assists (9). Hailing from Brooklyn Park, Minn., she scored two objectives throughout her sophomore marketing campaign towards Northwestern (Oct. 4) and No. 11 Iowa (Oct. 27). Kalal has began 39 matches in her profession with 26 begins (22 final season).

Thurk enters her sophomore season after being a mainstay within the backline as a freshman. The Edina, Minn., native ended 2024 being named to the All-Big Ten Freshman Team, Top Drawer Soccer’s Best XI Second Team, and was named a Top Drawer Soccer Top 100 Freshman, coming in at No. 21. Thurk began all 22 matches for the Maroon and Gold and competed for a full 90 in each sport besides one, lacking 11 minutes on the sphere. 

In addition, the convention introduced the 2025 preseason ballot, the place Minnesota discovered itself sitting tenth among the many 18 groups. 

The Gophers open the 2025 season at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium this Thursday at 7 p.m. CT towards the (receiving votes) BYU Cougars. 

2025 Big Ten Women’s Soccer Preseason Poll 

1. USC

2. UCLA

3. Penn State

4. Michigan State

5. Ohio State

6. Iowa

7. Wisconsin

8. Rutgers

9. Washington

10. Minnesota

11. Purdue

12. Nebraska

13. Michigan

14. Northwestern

15. Illinois

16. Oregon

17. Indiana

18. Maryland