Virginia Announces Newcomer Class For 2023-24
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia women’s soccer team welcomes the fourth-ranked recruiting class in the nation to Grounds for the 2023-24 academic year as head coach Steve Swanson announced the addition of five players in the incoming class on Friday (May 26).
Joining the Cavaliers will be forward/midfielder Ella Carter (Leesburg, Va.), defender Aniyah Collier (Snellville, Ga.), midfielder Yuna McCormack (Mill Valley, Calif.), forward Allie Ross (Atlanta, Ga.) and goalkeeper Victoria Safradin (Eastlake, Ohio). All five players are ranked in the IMG Top 150 with both McCormack and Safradin ranked in the top 10.
“Overall, we are very excited about the 2023 class especially when looking at who these young women are, not just as student-athletes, but as people as a whole,” Swanson said. “Each of them will fit extremely well into our team and culture, and also the greater University of Virginia community. Ron Raab, our associate head coach and recruiting coordinator, deserves credit for evaluating and doing the majority of the work to help solidify this class and bring them to Charlottesville.”
The quartet will join a group of 22 players returning from last year’s squad that advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Championships. That squad finished the 2022 season ranked seventh nationally after posting a 16-4-3 record and a 6-2-2 mark in ACC play. The 2022 Cavaliers posted five wins over nationally-ranked opponents, including road wins over a pair of top five opponents.
Ella Carter • F/M. • Leesburg, Va. • Riverside HS
Club: TSJ FC Virginia
• Ranked No. 27 overall on the IMG Trop 150 by Top Drawer Soccer
• Ranked No. 9 midfielder by Top Drawer Soccer
• 2x All-America selection by United Soccer Coaches (2021, 2022)
• U15 U.S. Youth National Team camps
• U17 U.S. Youth National Team player pool
• Washington Spirit Advanced Development Program
• GA National ID Camp
• U17 GA National Finalist (2021)
• U19 GA Semifinalist (2022)
Aniyah Collier • D • Snellville, Ga. • Archer HS
Club: Gwinnett Soccer Academy (GSA)
• Ranked No. 139 overall on the IMG Top 150 by Top Drawer Soccer
• Ranked No. 31 defender by Top Drawer Soccer
• 2x All-Time All-Region (2021, 2023)
• 2023 Gwinnett Daily Post Super Six selection
• 2023 Georgia Class 7A Forward of the Year
• 2021 ECNL All-Conference First Team selection
• Team captain as a senior
• Four-year letterwinner at Archer
• Set career record at Archer with 68 goals
Yuna McCormack • M • Mill Valley, Calif. • Green Glen Academy
Club: FC Bay Area
• Ranked No. 6 overall on the IMG Top 150 by Top Drawer Soccer
• Ranked No. 2 midfielder by Top Drawer Soccer
• 2023 U.S. U18/19 Youth National Team camp
• U.S. Youth National Team Experience – U14/U15, U16, U18/U19 and U20
• 2018 US Youth National Team U15 Concacaf Championship Team
• Played for the U.S. at UEFA Development Tournament in England
• U.S. DA Golden Ball winner
• 2x GA U19 National Champion
• U.S. Soccer DA U15 National Champion
Allie Ross • F • Atlanta, Ga. • The Westminster Schools
Club: Concorde Fire
• Ranked No. 105 overall on the IMG Top 150 by Top Drawer Soccer
• Ranked No. 36 forward by Top Drawer Soccer
• Has 141 career goals and 70 assists
• 3x State Champion (2021, 2022, 2023)
• 2023 Class 4A All-State selection
• 2022 GHSSA Class 3A Player of the Year
• 2022 All-State selection
• 2022 Georgia Soccer Association Super 11 Team selection
• 2022 Atlanta Journal Constitution High School Soccer Athlete of the Year
• Team captain as a senior
• Four-year letterwinner at Westminster Schools
• 2022 ECNL National Champion
Victoria Safradin • GK • Eastlake, Ohio • North HS
Club: Internationals Soccer Club
• Ranked No. 9 overall on the IMG Top 150 by Top Drawer Soccer
• Ranked No. 1 goalkeeper by Top Drawer Soccer
• 2022 U.S. U17 Youth National Team World Cup
• 2023 U.S. U18/U19 Youth National Team camp participant
• United Soccer Coaches All-America selection
• ECNL All-America selection
• ECNL Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year