WSOC: 2019 MIDFIELD

Some of the midfielders that will serve a key role for the Huskies // 8.7.19

By Washington Huskies

August 7^th, 2019

Washington's midfield will feature plenty of experience as nine players return for 2019. Those seven players combined for almost 60 starts last season. Olivia van der Jagt, Sianna Siemonsma, Ameera Hussen, Jessika Cowart, Vanessa Millsaps, Isabella Castro, Makayla Woods, Cassidy Lucht, and Claudia Longo will be joined by freshman Ally Remington this year.

Those returners make up for almost half of Washington's 2018 goal output, as well as a third of its assists. Three of those players scored multiple goals last season.

OLIVIA VAN DER JAGT

Washington's leading scorer in 2018 is back again. As a sophomore, van der Jagt scored a team-best six goals and added two assists. At one point, she had a five-game point streak, the third-longest in Washington history. Van der Jagt earned Husky Invitational Offensive MVP honors and, in her first year of eligibility, was named to the Pac-12's All-Academic team.

Van der Jagt's goals routinely came in the clutch, with four of her six goals serving as gamewinners. Against UC Irvine, van der Jagt headed in the winning goal in the second overtime period: she also had second-half goals against Oregon State and Portland that would hold as late gamewinners.

VANESSA MILLSAPS

Millsaps enters her redshirt freshman year having missed 2018 with injury. Before coming to Washington, she was the Sunset League MVP, leading Los Alamitos High School to the CIF D-I Quarterfinals as the team captain. She has played in the ODP pool and served as the team captain for her club team, Fury Premier.

Isabella Castro

After missing 2017 with injury, Castro returned for a strong 2018, playing 14 games off the bench and playing in Washington's midfield and forward crew. Castro played over 20 minutes six times, including 45 minutes of action against Colorado that saw Castro fire two of her seven shots on the year. She would play in nine of Washington's 11 Pac-12 games.

JESSIKA COWART

Cowart became Washington's go-to defensive midfielder in 2018, starting 16 of 19 games. She would even fall back and play central defense on multiple occasions and jumped up into the attack regularly as well. Cowart played over 1400 minutes on the year, the second-most of any Husky outside of the defense.

After scoring a goal as a freshman, Cowart picked up her first assist in 2018, picking up a helper at Seattle U despite her defensive role. She played every minute in the double-overtime games against Michigan State and UC Irvine. Those were just two of the nine times she played over 80 minutes in a game.

AMEERA HUSSEN

Hussen became a part-time starter for the Huskies in 2018 and an integral bench piece. The sophomore played 17 games, starting eight of the final ten. She was one of Washington's most prolific shots, firing 36 total shots on the year, with 21 on net. That led to goals against Utah Valley and Cal.

Hussen had four games with four or more shots and had no shots on goal in only six of her 17 appearances, all coming before the end of September. Against UC Irvine, Hussen assisted on Washington's first goal.

ALLY REMINGTON

Remington joins Washington following a prolific career in her native Canada, where she played with Team Alberta. Remington won an Alberta Summer Games gold medal, a Calgary Southwest United Club Provincial Games bronze medal, and was a Western Canada All-Star. She also was part of Team Canada's U-17 ID Camp. Remington played club soccer with Whitecaps Girls Elite.

CASSIDY LUCHT

Lucht's role grew as the season wore on in 2018 and the sophomore will try and build off that in 2019. Now fully healthy, Lucht will be an important part of Washington's lineup. She made nine appearances as a freshman, all in the central midfield. That included five appearances of 20+ minutes. Against Arizona State on the road, Lucht played 47 minutes, a season high for the freshman.

SIANNA SIEMONSMA

Now entering her third year as a Husky, Siemonsma remains one of Washington's most potent offensive weapons. Siemonsma has scored multiple goals in each of her first two years at Washington and more than doubled her shot total last year. Her 40 shots included 17 on goal last year, the second-most of any Husky behind only fellow midfielder Ameera Hussen.

Siemonsma became a full-time starter for the Huskies last year as well, with 16 starts and 19 appearances. She scored against Fullerton and against Seattle U, both Washington wins, and had an assist in the Husky win over California.

CLAUDIA LONGO

Longo missed 2018, her first year with the Huskies, due to health concerns, but still served as a vocal part of the Washington team. The Issaquah native won two state championships before coming to Washington and was the KingCo Offensive Player of the Year in 2017, after her second championship.

Longo was also a part of the Issaquah High School coaching staff in 2018 while also practicing with the Huskies.

Makayla Woods

Woods will transition to more of a midfield role as a sophomore. In 2018, she made five appearances, mostly as a forward, and scored Washington's lone goal against Arizona State after coming off the bench. She would play 25 minute in that game, ten against Fullerton, and nine total minutes in two appearances against Pac-12 fores Stanford and Cal.