.png&width=48&height=48&type=webp)
The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
South Alabama
Soccer Set to Host South Alabama Thursday
9/2/2026 | Soccer
OXFORD, Miss. – Ole Miss Soccer is set to welcome South Alabama to Oxford, Mississippi, on Thursday for its fourth home match of the season. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
• Ole Miss enters Thursday’s matchup with South Alabama at 5-1-0 after bouncing back with a 2-0 win over ULM.
• The Rebels are 2-1 at Ole Miss Soccer Stadium this season, with wins against Murray State and ULM.
• Ole Miss has recorded four shutouts through its first six matches of the season.
• The Rebels have outscored opponents 9-4 and are averaging 1.5 goals per match. Ole Miss has outshot opponents 91-47 this season while holding a 37-15 advantage in shots on goal.
• Teaghan Irvin leads Ole Miss with five points, scoring two goals and adding one assist through six matches. Seven different Rebels have scored this season: Teaghan Irvin, Becca Skinner, Ava Ghoreishi, Sarah Granno, Isabella Pontieri, Katie Ramsden and Paxton Bock.
• Anna Claire Jacobi earned the win in her first collegiate start against ULM, making one save in the opening half. Lauren Montgomery and Marieke Ten Brink each made their Ole Miss debuts in Sunday’s win against ULM.
A NEW ERA
Ole Miss begins a new chapter in 2026 under first-year head coach Todd Shulenberger, who was named the fourth head coach in program history on Dec. 1, 2025.
Shulenberger came to Oxford after 11 seasons at Washington State, where he became the winningest coach in program history with a 113-67-34 record. He led the Cougars to five NCAA Tournament appearances, including the program’s first College Cup appearance in 2019.
During his time at Washington State, Shulenberger coached 43 all-conference selections and 10 players who were drafted into the NWSL or USL Super League.
LAST TIME OUT
Ole Miss bounced back Sunday afternoon, earning a 2-0 shutout victory against ULM at Ole Miss Soccer Stadium. Becca Skinner opened the scoring in the 20th minute, finishing off an assist from Ava Ghoreishi for her second goal of the season. Teaghan Irvin doubled the Rebel lead in the 43rd minute, scoring off an assist from Isabelle Wright for her second goal in as many matches. Anna Claire Jacobi earned the win in her first collegiate start, making one save in the opening half, while Taylor Prigge added one save after halftime to complete the shutout. Ole Miss controlled the match throughout, outshooting ULM 22-8 and putting 10 shots on goal.
SCOUTING REPORT: SOUTH ALABAMA
South Alabama comes to Oxford with a 1-3-1 record through its first five matches of the season. The Jaguars opened the year with road losses at Mississippi State and Tennessee before defeating Alabama State, 4-0 and playing Samford to a 1-1 draw. South Alabama is coming off a 3-0 road loss at Alabama. The Jaguars have scored five goals on 32 shots while allowing nine goals on 96 shots. South Alabama is led offensively by Aliya Gomes, who has tallied two goals, one assist and five points, while Andrea Lazar has added two goals and four points. Julie Dirom has also scored once for the Jaguars. Mackenzie Smith has started four matches in goal, recording 32 saves with a .821 save percentage. South Alabama is led by head coach Chris Hennessey, who was named the sixth head coach in program history in December 2023.
A GLANCE AT 2025
Ole Miss finished the 2025 season 4-8-3 overall, including a 3-3-2 record at home. The Rebels went 4-1 in non-conference play and began the year with wins in four of their first five matches.
The Rebels scored 13 goals in 2025, with eight of those goals coming from players who return to the 2026 roster. Ole Miss also recorded four shutouts, including three straight clean sheets against Southern Miss, UT Martin and Louisiana.
RETURNING PRODUCTION
Katie Ramsden returns after leading Ole Miss in goals, points, shots and shots on goal in 2025. Ramsden started all 15 matches and finished the season with four goals, one assist, nine points, 24 shots and 11 shots on goal.
Sarah Granno also returns after finishing second on the team with two goals and five points. Tate Blincoe and Evie Ewing each scored one goal last season, giving the Rebels four returning goal scorers from the 2025 roster.
BETWEEN THE POSTS
The Ole Miss goalkeeper room features Taylor Prigge, Anna Claire Jacobi and Sienna Smart in 2026.
Prigge returns after appearing in five matches and making four starts last season. She posted a team-best .750 save percentage, made 21 saves and recorded one shutout. Jacobi comes to Oxford from Appalachian State, while Smart joins the Rebels from Michigan.
ROSTER RESET
The Rebels enter the 2026 season with a 30-player roster that features a mix of returning experience, transfer additions and high school signees.
A total of 14 transfers and three true freshmen round out the 17 newcomers. The roster includes student-athletes from 16 states, as well as Katie Ramsden, a native of Leeds, England.
TRANSFER TRAIL
Ole Miss enters 2026 with a roster that features a strong transfer presence, including eight players who followed Todd Shulenberger from Washington State.
Audrey Shackelford, Keira Mitchell, Alena Watts, Maizy Kluksdal, Ava Ghoreishi, Becca Skinner, Isabelle Wright and Jenna Studer all list Washington State as their previous college.
HERMANN WATCH
Isabella Pontieri became the latest Rebel to earn national preseason recognition after being named to the 2026 Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy NCAA Division I Women’s Players to Watch List by United Soccer Coaches.
Pontieri was one of 45 midfielders added to the watch list and one of seven from the SEC. The North Florida transfer came to Oxford after playing in 57 matches from 2023-25, scoring 14 goals and adding 12 assists over more than 2,700 minutes.
In 2025, Pontieri earned first-team All-ASUN honors after leading the conference in assists, shots on goal, total shots and game-winning goals. She finished the season with 10 assists, 44 shots on goal, 101 total shots, five game-winning goals and eight goals.
PRESEASON NODS
Ole Miss had five players selected to the 2026 SEC Soccer Preseason Watch List, with Paxton Bock, Ava Ghoreishi, Audrey Shackelford, Jenna Studer and Alena Watts earning recognition from the league office.
All five Rebels are in their first season at Ole Miss. Bock comes to Oxford after spending two seasons at SMU, while Ghoreishi, Shackelford, Studer and Watts all transferred from Washington State. Shackelford earned All-WCC Second Team honors in 2025 after scoring two goals and adding four assists, while Studer enters the season with 75 career matches and more than 5,000 minutes played.
STAY CONNECTED
Get rewarded for attending events by joining Rebel Rewards powered by Coca-Cola, the official fan loyalty program of the Ole Miss Rebels. Download the Ole Miss Sports mobile app, sign up for a Rebel Rewards account, and start earning points immediately that can be redeemed for exclusive prizes and experiences.
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Rebels by following Ole Miss Soccer on X at @OleMissSoccer, on the Ole Miss Soccer Facebook page, and on Instagram at @officialolemisssoccer.
