HAMILTON — Colgate Women's Soccer Head Coach Lyndse Hokanson has announced the addition of eight student-athletes, who will join the team in the fall of 2025.

Colgate's Class of 2029 comes from six states and will add experience playing for top-level club teams in the Elite Club National League (ECNL) and the Girls Academy League.

The group includes several all-conference and all-state honorees coming from championship-winning high school and club teams. They have also proven themselves in the classroom and have been leaders in their communities.

Coach Hokanson added, "Our staff is thrilled for the Colgate campus to see and experience this group of players as they prepare to come to Hamilton. Assembling from incredibly competitive club landscapes across the country, this group comes in with a wealth of experience in nationally competitive games as well as being impactful pieces for their high school teams. Beyond the pitch, this class is really a special group of humans who will help us continue to facilitate a culture that we are super proud of. They have high ambitions on the field and off and are going to be such a great addition to this program's rich history. We can't wait for you to meet them and watch them don the maroon and white with pride."

Maddy Jelloe
Goalkeeper
Port Washington, N.Y.
Portledge School
SUSA ECNL

Before Colgate
Jelloe played on varsity for four years and was captain one year…Won the season MVP, playoff MVP, coaches award, All-League and All-Conference honors for all four years…won PSAA in four straight seasons…also plays basketball and lacrosse.

Why Jelloe chose Colgate: "I chose Colgate because of the rigorous academics and competitive athletics. I knew Colgate was the place for me when I stepped on campus and I noticed the welcoming environment by the students, coaches, and team. I could see the positive environment and team culture."

Coach Hokanson on Jelloe: "We are excited about adding Maddy to our very strong goalkeeper corps. Maddy has a great presence to her, which every coach wants in their goalkeeper. On top of that, she backs it up with great technical and tactical proficiency in the position. She has had the fortune of being in a great club environment where she has been challenged to continue to grow, laying a very solid foundation that I know Abbey will be excited to build upon. We look forward to seeing how she'll add to our program and push the others to continue to seek new heights in protecting our goal."

Ava Allstadt Huge-Jensen
Defender/Forward
Washington, D.C.
Maret School
Fairfax VA Union ECNL

Before Colgate
Four year letterwinner for varsity ISL soccer…Qualified for DCSAA State Finals…Qualified for State tournament four straight years…Top ten girls soccer teams in the D.C. area…Maret varsity lacrosse starter…Leader of Student Athlete Leadership Committee…Varsity Soccer Captain.

Why Allstadt Huge-Jensen chose Colgate: "I chose Colgate because of the rich academic and athletic program, and tight-knit community with inspirational teachers and coaches who will help me flourish in the classroom and on the soccer field."

Coach Hokanson on Allstadt Huge-Jensen: "Ava is as versatile a player as they come. She is dangerous on the attack as well as being a sound defender, which allows her to play multiple positions and cover ground all over the field. It's always nice to be able to add someone of her athleticism into the mix, as she presents problems for other teams with her strength and pace. It will be exciting to see how Ava is able to grow in our program and we feel a great deal of confidence in the way her competitive club environment will prepare her to make an impact here for us."

Sophia Ro
Defender
San Jose, Calif.
Leland High School
MVLA Soccer Club ECNL

Before Colgate
Four year letterwinner on varsity…Blossom Valley Athletic League (BVAL) two-time honorable mention and First Team All-League player…two year team captain…Surf Cup Best of the Best winner…Four-time ECNL National Playoff Qualifier…Two-time ECNL National Quarterfinalist…Presidential Service Award…AP Scholar with honor…Leland High School 4.0 scholar…Seal of Biliteracy…Three-time recipient of Leland High School's character award.

Why Ro chose Colgate: "While the high caliber academics and athletics were a given, I chose Colgate because of the way the coaches made me feel welcomed and valued. I also saw it as an opportunity to experience an environment completely different from the one I grew up in, and I realized it would be the best place for me to continue growing both as an athlete and individual."

Coach Hokanson on Ro: "From the first time we watched Soph play with her team, we knew that she had the skillset we were seeking in a centerback. One of the things we like most about Soph is how easy she makes the game look. Her soccer IQ allows her to make anticipatory decisions on both sides of the ball which simplifies the game for herself and her teammates. Even though it looks easy, a lot of what she does isn't. Her confidence on the ball in distribution as well as her 1v1 defending are components that take a lot of skill, but she makes look much easier than it should, and make her a very well-rounded centerback. She will complement our current collection of CB's very well, and I'm excited to see how she'll continue to evolve and sophisticate even more at the college level."

Molly Richards
Midfielder
Sellersburg, Ind.
Our Lady of Providence High School
Racing Louisville Academy ECNL

Before Colgate
Four year letterwinner on varsity…Two-time IHSAA All State…ISCA First Team All-District…IHSAA Mental Attitude Award…Two-time Academic All-State…State Finalists 2024…All-time leading scorer and assister as well as most goals in a season…Three-time ECNL Ohio Valley All Conference…ECNL National Selection Game (ECNL Tennessee)...Trained with Racing Louisville Pro Team…Racing Louisville USL-W League Team High School…Four-year letterwinner on varsity basketball…National Honor Society…Senior Executive Administration Committee…Southern Indiana Community Leadership Program…Student Ambassador…AP Scholar with Distinction…Salutatorian.

Why Richards chose Colgate: "The team has such a great culture and so much love for one another which really stuck out to me. They push each other to become the best versions of themselves while also helping everyone learn, grow, and adapt during their time there. I am extremely grateful I get to be a part of something so special so soon!"

Coach Hokanson on Richards:  "Anybody who watches our team will understand the ways in which we ask the midfield group to dictate play for our team on both sides of the ball. We've added two midfielders in this class that fit the bill that way, Molly being one of them. We had so much fun recruiting Molly - every time we walked away from the field we were more certain that she is a perfect player for our system of play. She is technical on the ball and super clever off of it, and on top of that, plays way bigger than her stature. She was always involved for her club team on both sides of the ball, and has a historic high school career under her belt demonstrating her capacity to score and create offense for others. We can't wait to see the ways Molly elevates our midfield in her time here on campus."

Lydia Thornton
Midfielder
West Chester, Pa.
West Chester East HS
Penn Fusion SA ECNL

Before Colgate
2024 ECNL Semifinalist…Starting midfielder for top five ranked team…Four year Distinguished Honor Roll recipient at East HS…Four-year letterwinner on varsity tennis…Latin National Honors Society…Fall Athletic HS leadership council…Coach for Penn Fusion Little Players Soccer Program.

Why Thornton chose Colgate: "I chose Colgate because of the positivity and family culture surrounding the soccer program. The university is beautiful and there are endless opportunities for academic, social and athletic growth."

Coach Hokanson on Thornton: "Lydia was our first add in this class, and really set the tone for what we would be able to do with our 2025s. Lydia is a true glue kind of player, and does all of the unsung things that you need in your midfield. As part of a very talented club team, Lyds has been a constant for them, and made the players around her better thanks to her work. She is a good passer of the ball, and has a really good feel for the tempo of the game in the way that she distributes and moves off of the ball. She is going to be such a great asset for us not just on gameday, but in her commitment to training and constantly seeking to be better. She has high standards for herself, which is every coach's dream, and we're pumped to see the ways in which she'll bring that to our environment!"

Jess Urena
Forward
Hillsborough, N.J.
Hillsborough High School
PDA White ECNL

Before Colgate
Four-year letterwinner on varsity soccer at Hillsborough High School in New Jersey…Skyland Conference Offensive Player of the Week in Oct. 2021…NJ.com Top 100 Freshman…Skyland All-Conference First Team (2023) and Second Team (2022)…Varsity captain…Skyland Conference Offensive MVP of the Week in Sept. 2024…Traveled to Spain to compete against four local academies…Qualified for ECNL playoffs…High Honor Roll…Member of the National Spanish Honor Society…College Board's National Latin American Recognition Award…AP Scholar Award…Visual Arts award…Seal of Bi-literacy in Español.

Why Urena chose Colgate: "I chose Colgate for its academic rigor, beautiful campus, and welcoming community. The fun, caring relationship between coaches and players on the team is something I can't wait to be a part of!"

Coach Hokanson on Urena: "Jess is what all coaches hope for when recruiting attacking players. She has dimensions to what she's able to do, in tangent with being a true goal scorer. She can do positive things with both feet and has the range to be a finisher while also striking from distance. Jess is one who continues to get better with time which is always a positive for coaches. Jess is also a true student of the game, eager to learn, and that will bode well as she continues to add dimensions to her game. We're excited to see what her career has in store here at Colgate, hopefully lots of goals in her future!"

Whitney Collet
Defender
Ross, Calif.
The Branson School 
Mustang SC ECNL

Before Colgate
Elected Team Captain…Varsity starter for four years…2022 MCAL (Marin County Athletic League) Finalists…2022 NCS (North Coast Section) D3 Champions…2023 MCAL Champions…2023 NCS D3 Champions…2023 CIF (California Interscholastic Federation) NorCal Finalists…MCAL All-League Second Team…2024 MCAL Champions…NCS D2 Semi-Finalists…MCAL All-League Honorable Mention…Starting defender on 4th Ranked Team in Northern California…ECNL U17 Showcase A National Playoff Finalists inMay 2024…Leader of the Women's Leadership Affinity Group…Chase Junior Fellowship Recipient.

Why Collet chose Colgate: "I chose Colgate because of its high academics, Division 1 athletics, and school spirit. I was drawn to the Colgate soccer program because of the coaching staff's holistic approach to developing their players and bettering their program. The coaches emphasized how important it is to help players become the best people they can be so they can contribute to the team at their highest capacity. I can not wait to be a part of such a driven and passionate community and team next fall!"

Coach Hokanson on Collet: "Whit is another one who at first glance it appears the game plays in slow motion for. She is a smart player who has such a good sense about what she wants to do on and off the ball that it's enjoyable to watch her problem-solve. She is confident with distribution, and provides the ability to play centrally and wide along the backline. Complimenting her tactical understanding are her technical and physical qualities which make her very tough to get around, the best qualities of defenders. We feel as though Whit has a high ceiling, and can't wait to start working with her and the others to watch their games go to the next level."

Brooke Bodamer
Forward
Pittsburgh, Pa.
Upper St. Clair High School
Beadling SC GA

Before Colgate
All-Section and Big 56 (Western PA) First Team All-Conference…Three-year letterwinner on varsity…Varsity soccer captain…2024 Qualifier for Champions Cup…National Honors Society…Completed IB MYP program.

Why Bodamer chose Colgate: "I decided on committing to Colgate because it was the ideal competitive atmosphere I was looking for. I was impressed by the exceptional level of academics and athletics the school offered. The close family-like environment that the coaches and team value made the school feel very welcoming to me. During my initial visit, I admired the way the team worked hard and had fun doing it. All of this paired with the beautiful campus made me want to spend the next four years at Colgate."

Coach Hokanson on Bodamer: "Contrary to popular belief, forwards have to be able to do more than score goals, and that is a big part of what we love about Brooke's game. Brooke not only can find ways to score, but does so much work in facilitating play in addition to working her tail off on the defensive side of the ball. We love her grit and physicality, all qualities that directly translate into the college environment. She is skilled back to goal, but can also make teams have to work hard with threatening on the dribble and in behind. She'll provide a different dimension to our attacking group that is exciting for our staff."