Indianapolis, Ind. - As the Knights report to preseason camp on Monday, August 3rd, the Women's Soccer head coach Justin Sullivan has announced their full incoming class for the 2026 season. The Knights will bring in 11 new faces to their team, with 9 incoming freshmen and two transfers to complete the recruiting class for the year.

Coach Sullivan states, "Our 2026 Class is as exciting as they come. We have a wide geographical reach with this class from the suburbs of Los Angeles to London, England, all the while making sure we do well in our home base of central Indiana.  All our incoming players have previously played at an exceptional level, including our two transfer student-athletes.  We hope that this class will leave a lasting legacy within Marian women's soccer."

Below is the 2026 Marian women's soccer recruiting class, organized by the uniform number assigned to each player by the coaching staff. Below each player is a quote and excerpt from Coach Sullivan. 

#00 Avery Eastman | Fr. | GK | 5'5" | Clarkstown, Mich. | Clarkstown HS | Liverpool IA
"Avery, like Rhi, is a goalkeeper by trade. We see loads of potential in Avery and know that she is willing to put in a shift to realize that potential sooner rather than later.  Her range of passing, and her comfort building out of the back is what we covet in every goalkeeper, and it doesn't hurt that she's very technically sound, and a great communicator."


#4 Bella Ashe | Fr. | D | 5'4" | Lebanon, Tenn. | Mt. Juliet HS | Nashville United SA
"Bella entered our program a semester early and settled nicely into what we do.  Bella is a versatile defender who can play any position within a back three or back four shape.  Coming from Nashville United, and most recently playing for Tennessee United in the WPSL, she certainly will add tenacity and edge to our program and is already five months ahead of the curve!"

#14 Esme Alaneme | Fr. | F | 5'9" | London, England | Brentford FC
"We were excited to get the addition of Esme Alaneme across the line.  Esme is the type of explosive attacking player that we've had in the past, but also has technical tidiness to do a job in multiple positions.  Her background is different than most; coming from London, she has football in her veins.  We can't wait for Esme to get to campus!"


#15 Elizabeth Lantrip | Fr. | M | 5'5" | Brownsburg, Ind. | Brownsburg HS | Indy Eleven
"There seems to be a pipeline growing from Brownsburg High School to Marian University.  Elizabeth Lantrip is the latest!  Lantrip is another versatile player who we've seen play as a central striker, a winger, and a centerback.  We see her in a wingback role for us, adding a touch of explosiveness, real energy, and a direct mentality to the position.  Our staff thinks Lantrip can develop into a must-watch player in her time at Marian.  We're excited to have Elizabeth on board this fall."


#19 Aixa Lopez | Fr. | M | 5'2" | Portland, Ind. | Jay County HS | FC Pride
"Aixa has a controlled flair to her game, which can impact a game at various positions.  Being a tidy attacking player, Aixa has played both as an attacking midfielder and a wing back in her club setup, and we hope to continue a similar trend with her at Marian.  She's the daughter of a former professional footballer, which you can tell has bled into Aixa's game.  She'll be one to watch!"


#22 Sophia Dawson | So. | M | 5'4" | Brownsburg, Ind. | Nova Southeastern University | Indy Eleven
"Speaking of great communicators, Sophia Dawson came to us after a semester at Nova Southeastern University.  We've known Soph for a while after playing for Josh George at Brownsburg High School, where she was a High School All-American.  Soph is a tidy midfielder who can really open up any game with her range of passing.  After being with us for a semester already, she has already shown her tremendous work rate, her competitiveness, and her leadership capabilities."


#27 Elliana Bennett | Fr. | M | 5'1" | Pewaukee, Wis. | Pewaukee HS | Elmbrook United
"Elli is the daughter of Ian Bennett, who is arguably the most highly regarded player in Marian men's soccer history.  Elli, however, is a great player in her own right.  She is a tidy attacking midfielder who can be clever off the dribble or play the decisive pass.  Having played for some of the best club programs in the Milwaukee area, we're excited to continue the Bennett tradition at Marian University with Elliana." 


#32 Rhiannon Easley | Jr. || GK | 5'5" | Long Beach, Calif. | Feather River CC | Fram
"Rhi is the elder stateswoman of the class.  She is a transfer from Feather River College where she started each of the past two years.  Her experience and tenacity as a goalkeeper are important to round out our goalkeeping room.   We're looking to Rhi to hit the ground running in competition for the starting goalkeeper spot in 2026."

#35 Shayla Bangel | Fr. | D | 5'1" | Mooresville, Ind. | Mooresville HS | South Central SA
"Our program has known Shyla for a while.  She played for Coach Mike Beckner at FC Pride before leaving to be closer to home. Shyla is an athletic, versatile player who has played in many roles throughout her soccer career to this point.  Most recently, she was a center back for her Mooresville High School team.  We're looking forward to adding Shyla to the mix in 2026."

#37 Presley Kessler | Fr. | M | 5'4" | Newburgh, Ind. | Castle HS | Indy Eleven Spirit
"Pres has all the moves. Coming from Castle High School and playing a heavy portion of her club soccer career in Indianapolis, Presley has developed the technical presence to add a lot of flair to her game.  As an attacking player, Pres has a creativity about her that is rarely seen from women her age, and we're pumped that she will be putting on the Marian kit this fall."

#38 Ava Sivadat | Fr. | M | 5'2" | Mission Viejo, Calif. | Mission Viejo HS | Pateadores SC
"Ava oozes class.  Everyone has seen the player who is so talented that she makes things look easy.  That's Ava.  A younger version of Ava was invited into the US Youth National Team ID Center set up in Southern California, which is a hotbed of talent in the United States.  Like a lot of our central midfielders in our recent past, Ava's impact is greater than her size.  She will certainly play through the spine of our team at Marian; the question is simply where.  We have some ideas!"


Marian reports for their 2026 season on August 3rd, with their first two preseason matches on the road against Campbellsville and Brescia.

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