After California Trip: Women's Soccer Receiving National Votes

Clarke University Women’s Soccer is gaining attention after a strong 5-0-1 start to the 2026 season with two players earning Player of the Week already. Sophomore goalkeeper, Abigail Turley, was named the Heart of America Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week, while freshman forward, Saydee Salcedo, earned Offensive Player of the Week honors on September 7^th, 2026. Both players received these honors for the first time in their collegiate careers.

Women's Soccer before their first conference game at home.

The recognition followed Clarke’s two-game trip to Southern California; Clarke opened the trip with a 2-0 victory over Westcliff University on September 4^th, 2026, before finishing with a 0-0 draw against Soka University of America two days later. For Salcedo, the California trip was particularly memorable. The Riverside, California, native led Clarke in shots during both games, recording five in each. She also scored the final goal in the win over Westcliff with just 29 seconds remaining. “Being able to secure the win with my teammates and seeing all of our chemistry come to life on the field was such a cool experience,” Salcedo said. Turley also had a standout trip, recording four saves in each game to earn back-to-back shutouts. The two performances brought her season total to three shutouts through four games. Turley’s strong play in goal has helped Clarke allow just 2 goals through its first six games.

Senior Jackie Nedved said traveling together also gave the team an opportunity to bond away from the field. One of the highlights was a team dinner at a player’s home, where the team spent time playing and watching volleyball together. “I think that was a moment our team really bonded and one of the highlights of the trip for sure,” Nedved said. When asked what experience stood out to her, Nedved said the California teams pushed Clarke to become more competitive and helped the team recognize areas for improvement. “I think that after that weekend we learned a lot about ourselves, and things we are good at, and things we need to improve on the field,” Nedved said.

The team’s early success has also earned national attention. Clarke received votes in the NAIA Coaches’ Top 25 poll released September 2^nd, 2026, marking the program’s first appearance in the poll since 2024. The recognition came after Clarke opened the season 2-0 with victories over Olivet Nazarene University and Judson University. With the non-conference schedule complete, Clarke returned home to begin Heart of America Athletic Conference play against Missouri Baptist University on September 12^th, 2026, at Burrows Field and won dominantly with 4-0. The strong start and early individual honors give the Pride momentum as they enter the conference portion of their season.