The Valpo soccer team will welcome a talented group of five incoming freshmen into the program entering the 2026 season.
 
Kinly Rodell – D – Olathe, Kan. – Olathe North H.S. – Sporting Blue Valley ECNL
 
Rodell helped lead Sporting Blue Valley to the Midwest Conference championship in 2023-24 and a top-16 finish at the ECNL national playoffs. A Second Team All-Midwest Conference selection in 2022-23, Rodell was also a part of a State Cup championship team in 2022.
 
Why she chose Valpo: "I chose Valpo because of the amazing environment on and off the field. I cannot wait for this next chapter!"
 
Marovich on Rodell: "Kinly is a versatile defender who can either be an outside back or center back in a three-back or four-back system. She brings a calmness on the ball and the ability to get involved in possession and the attack."
 
Sofia Raco – F – Mississauga, Ontario – Holy Name of Mary College School – Rush Canada
 
With her club, Raco was a member of the GHSL league champions in 2023, the PHDL league champions in 2024 and helped the side finish fourth in the OPDL in 2025. She won the Ontario provincial championship and advanced to the Canadian national championship match in 2023. A captain for both prep and club, Raco ranked 17^th in the U17 OPDL with 10 goals scored.
 
Why she chose Valpo: "I chose Valpo because of the sense of community that I felt when speaking with the different girls on the team. As someone who has played for the same team since I was seven years old, environment was extremely important to me in my search for the perfect school. Speaking to the girls on the team, I could tell right away that they are all very close and that the team environment is a healthy and positive one in which I think I will fit in perfectly."
 
Marovich on Raco: "Sofia is a quick, attack-oriented winger that enjoys taking on players 1v1. She is dynamic in the press with her quickness and energy while having the willingness to track back in transitional moments."
 
Audi Hess – D/M – Prior Lake, Minn. – Academy of Holy Angels – Salvo GA
 
Hess was a state champion with Academy of Holy Angels in 2022 and helped the side to two more state runner-up finishes, as well as four conference titles and four section championships. Individually, she was a First Team All-State and First Team All-Conference honoree in 2025, as well as being named to the conference All-Tournament Team. Hess was named to the state All-Tournament Team in 2024 as well. With her club side, Hess helped her team qualify for ECNL Champions League in 2021-22 and 2023-24, as well as the North American Cup in 2022-23.
 
Why she chose Valpo: "I chose Valpo because of the amazing coaching staff and the ability to study nursing and/or health sciences while playing soccer."
 
Marovich on Hess: "Audi is a grinder who can win balls either as a center back or as a holding midfielder. She battles hard, wins headers and has good field vision from the back. Her ability to swing the ball aids in helping her team in possession."
 
Adria Schultz – GK – Toronto, Ontario – Michael Power - St. Joseph H.S. – Rush Canada
 
Schultz was named her high school's Junior Female Athlete of the Year in 2023-24, as she was MVP of both the indoor soccer and outdoor soccer seasons. With her club, Schultz was a member of the GHSL league champions in 2023, the PHDL league champions in 2024 and helped the side finish fourth in the OPDL in 2025. She also helped her teams win four Indoor Ontario Cup titles, one Outdoor Ontario Cup title and advance to the Canadian national championship match in 2023. She ranked seventh in the u17 OPDL with seven shutouts. Schultz also has experience internationally, representing the Croatian national team at the u15 and u19 levels.
 
Why she chose Valpo: "I love the campus and had a great time with the team on my visit! The engineering program is amazing, and I like that they offer many different types of engineering as I'm unsure of what I would specialize in. Valpo is also a very cute town and I like that it's near Chicago."
 
Marovich on Schultz: "Adria is an athletic goalkeeper who can cover post to post. She has good hands on service into the box. Her experience with the Croatian youth national teams brings a level of tactical and technical build out of the back and composure."
 
Ivy Barba – F – Woodbury, Minn. – Woodbury H.S. – Minnesota Thunder Academy ECNL
 
Barba was an All-Conference honoree for Woodbury H.S. each of the last two years and helped her side claim a conference championship in 2023. With her club, Barba helped the team reach the ECNL playoffs in 2023 and 2024 and win the Gothia Puma Cup in 2025.
 
Why she chose Valpo: "Valparaiso University felt like home the first time I stepped foot on campus. Every student, faculty, person I met were so kind, but more importantly radiated their passion for the University. Coach Marovich and Coach Bri introduced me to the Valpo women's soccer program and I haven't looked back. The culture they have built, the leadership they exemplify, the unity the team has, the mission they strive for, and the drive they have to achieve results all resonated with me. I am excited to start the next step in my journey at a place that allows me a space to learn, grow, and compete on the field; to be a part of a community, surrounded by people who share the same passion."
 
Marovich on Barba: "Ivy is an attack oriented front runner. She does great work in defending and pressing. She brings the level of tactical and technical work in the space between lines and is a good connecting player with teammates in the attacking third."