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CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. — After turning a challenging regular season into a conference championship and an NAIA national tournament appearance, Campbellsville University women's soccer enters the 2026 season with a retooled roster, an expanded coaching staff and expectations of another postseason run.

The Tigers finished 11-9 overall and 3-3 in Mid-South Conference play last season. Campbellsville scored 43 goals across 20 matches, averaging 2.15 per game, while allowing 32.

Campbellsville produced its best work away from home, finishing 6-2 in road matches. That success carried into the postseason, when the Tigers recorded consecutive road victories over Cumberland University and the University of the Cumberlands to capture the MSC Tournament championship.

The title came in dramatic fashion against the eventual national runner-up Patriots. Fiona Jolly scored the winning goal 2:14 into overtime, lifting Campbellsville to a 2-1 victory and its first MSC Tournament championship since 2022.

Bethin Boyle scored Campbellsville's opening goal in the eighth minute before assisting on Jolly's winner alongside Wilma Gidlof. Goalkeeper Milly Shakespeare made six saves as the Tigers withstood an 18-shot attack and 12 corner kicks from the Patriots.

The championship secured Campbellsville an automatic berth in the NAIA national tournament. The Tigers' season ended with a 2-1 loss to Xavier University of Louisiana in the opening round after Xavier scored the deciding goal during the final 10 minutes.

Now, Campbellsville begins its title defense with Trey Henderson serving as the program's full-time head coach after leading the Tigers in an interim capacity in 2025.

Henderson will be joined by graduate assistant Giulia Rodrigues and assistant coach Sandra Steen. Rodrigues comes to Campbellsville with experience at S.L. Benfica, Brazil's U19 national team and Converse University.

"Giulia Rodrigues arrives as our new graduate assistant with a pedigree that speaks for itself," Henderson said. "Professionally with S.L. Benfica, Brazil's U19 national team and at Converse University. She has great tactical insight and will do a fantastic job."

Steen moves into coaching after spending five seasons in the Campbellsville program. She appeared in 14 matches during the Tigers' 2025 championship season.

"Sandra Steen will also be joining the staff as an assistant coach," Henderson said. "Five years in this kit, five years living our standards, and last season she played an integral part in our conference championship and our trip to the national tournament. Promoting her to the coaching staff was an obvious one."

Campbellsville added 15 new first-team players as it seeks to combine a developing freshman class with an established group of returners.

"Last year, we were a young team, and at times, that inexperience showed," Henderson said. "This year, we've added 15 new first-team players who are ready to contribute, which gives us a balance of youth and experience that we didn't have 12 months ago."

Freshmen Sofia Lara, Jessie Amphlett, Selma Persson, Josephine Lindström, Katie Beuker, and Ellyana Czerniejewski have made encouraging impressions during preseason, according to Henderson.

"The freshman class as a whole has looked sharp over the past few weeks, and that's a credit to the work they've put in to prepare themselves for this level," Henderson said. "They have all shown encouraging signs during preseason and have positioned themselves to make a huge impact this year."

Transfers Jorja Smith, Ingibjorg Sigurdardottir, Ella Palframan, and Anita Arnadottir have also joined the Tigers.

"They've integrated extremely well with the group, embraced our standards and culture, and have already shown the qualities they can bring to the team," Henderson said. "I expect each of them to be valuable additions as the season progresses."

The newcomers join a returning group led by Jolly, Julia Ogren, Wilma Gidlof, Laura Munoz, Amelie Matheis, Oddny Helgadottir, and Marta Prieto.

Jolly led the Tigers with seven goals and 14 points last season while scoring two game-winning goals. Her championship winner accounted for Campbellsville's lone overtime goal of the year.

Ogren supplied three goals and a team-high five assists, while Matheis scored five goals and placed 21 of her 35 shots on target. Gidlof recorded one goal and three assists, and Munoz contributed one goal and two assists while appearing in all 20 matches.

Helgadottir, a 2025 All-MSC second-team selection, started each of Campbellsville's 20 matches and recorded three goals, two assists, and one game-winning goal.

"We're fortunate to return players like Julia Ogren, Wilma Gidlof, Laura Munoz, Amelie Matheis and Fiona Jolly, along with Oddny Helgadottir, who earned All-Conference honors and was outstanding for us last season," Henderson said.

Prieto also returns following an ACL injury. In 2024, she led the squad with a sensational 21 goals and was second in assists with 10.

"She's worked extremely hard throughout her rehabilitation and is ready to build on her first season here, when she established herself as one of the top scorers in the nation," Henderson said.

With a sizable group of newcomers joining an established returning core, Henderson said developing cohesion has been a priority during preseason.

"We've put a major emphasis on building trust and relationships through team building, communication and shared experiences," Henderson said. "With so many new players joining the group this year, it's important that we create an environment where everyone feels connected, understands their role and is willing to work for one another."

Campbellsville's objectives remain unchanged after last season's postseason run. Henderson said the Tigers want to compete for another conference championship and put themselves in position to return to the national tournament.

"The habits you build in July are the ones that show up in November," Henderson said. "Our ambition hasn't changed: We want to compete for a conference championship and put ourselves in a position to get back to the national tournament. But those goals don't happen because of what we do in October or November; they're built through the standards we establish every day from the beginning of preseason."

For Henderson, Campbellsville's ability to reach those goals will depend upon more than talent.

"Ultimately, we want to become a team that is difficult to play against not just because of our ability, but because of our mentality, our togetherness and the standards we hold ourselves to every single day," Henderson said. "If we can build those habits now, continue to challenge one another and stay committed to the process, we'll give ourselves the best possible opportunity to accomplish what we've set out to do when November arrives."