North Carolina State University Athletics
Thursday, August 15
Raleigh, NC
7 p.m.
NC State
vs
App State
Wolfpack Women's Soccer Opens 2024 Season Against App State
8/14/2024 10:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
RALEIGH, N.C. – NC State women's soccer kicks off its 2024 regular season at home against App State on Thursday night. Thursday's season opener at Dail Soccer Stadium is set for 7 p.m.
The Wolfpack's 2024 season opener will stream live on ACC Network Extra. Live stats will also be available for Thursday's match.
SERIES HISTORY
NC State and App State will face off for just the second time in Thursday night's season opener. A few notes tracking the Pack's first game of 2024 are listed below:
• NC State is 1-0 all-time against the Mountaineers. The Wolfpack captured a 3-1 win on Sept. 7, 2012, in the sole matchup in the series at home in Raleigh. NC State notched a pair of second-half goals to break a 1-1 halftime tie. Jennie Krauser netted a brace in the final 45 minutes to lead the Pack to a nonconference victory.
• Head coach Tim Santoro will face App State for the first time as the Wolfpack's head coach. Santoro started his Wolfpack tenure in 2013.
SCOUTING THE MOUNTAINEERS
App State finished the 2023 season with a 9-6-3 (6-2-2) record, finishing second in the Sun Belt's East Division and third overall with 20 points in conference play. The Mountaineers won four of their final five regular season matches before dropping their Sun Belt tournament opener to James Madison in overtime. Head coach Aimee Haywood enters her third season in Boone after two successful seasons at Queens in 2020 and 2021. App State was predicted tied for sixth in the 2024 Preseason Sun Belt Coaches Poll with graduate forward Izzi Wood named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Team.
SANTORO SHINES IN SEASON OPENERS
NC State head coach Tim Santoro enters his 12th season in charge of the Wolfpack women's soccer program. Since his inaugural season in 2013, the Pack is 7-2-2 in season openers during the Santoro era. NC State is 2-2-1 in its past five season openers, earning a 1-1 draw against Utah this past season in Raleigh.
WELCOME BACK, NO. 12
Jaiden Thomas has been a staple of the NC State women's soccer program since 2019 when she made 22 appearances and eight starts as a true freshman. Thomas, who was supposed to conclude her Wolfpack career in 2023, suffered a preseason injury this past season that kept her out for the entire 2023 campaign. The graduate midfielder returns for NC State in 2024 and plans to make her first start since the 2022 season finale. She has played a total of 69 games in Red & White with 54 starts, logging a total of two goals and five assists across her career.
DEFENDER TO WATCH
NC State defender Alivia Kelly was named to the United Soccer Coaches 2024 NCAA Division I Women's Defenders to Watch List in early August. Kelly was named the America East Defender of the Year and to the America East First Team in 2023. She is one of only three ACC defenders honored on the list, joining Florida State's Camile Ashe and Stanford's Elise Evans.
2024 FALL ROSTER
The 2024 roster is comprised of 28 players, which features 17 returners and 11 newcomers. Five of NC State's 11 newcomers are transfers, including graduate transfers Kennedy Dunnings, Paige Tolentino, Alivia Kelly and Abi Hugh.
WOLFPACK WORLDWIDE
The 28-member NC State women's soccer roster features student-athletes from 10 states and four different countries.
• North Carolina: 7
• California: 3
• Canada: 3
• Maryland: 2
• Virginia: 2
• Germany: 2
• Japan: 2
• Illinois: 1
• Florida: 1
• Maine: 1
• Mississippi: 1
• West Virginia: 1
• Massachusetts: 1
• Uruguay: 1
The Wolfpack's 2024 season opener will stream live on ACC Network Extra. Live stats will also be available for Thursday's match.
SERIES HISTORY
NC State and App State will face off for just the second time in Thursday night's season opener. A few notes tracking the Pack's first game of 2024 are listed below:
• NC State is 1-0 all-time against the Mountaineers. The Wolfpack captured a 3-1 win on Sept. 7, 2012, in the sole matchup in the series at home in Raleigh. NC State notched a pair of second-half goals to break a 1-1 halftime tie. Jennie Krauser netted a brace in the final 45 minutes to lead the Pack to a nonconference victory.
• Head coach Tim Santoro will face App State for the first time as the Wolfpack's head coach. Santoro started his Wolfpack tenure in 2013.
SCOUTING THE MOUNTAINEERS
App State finished the 2023 season with a 9-6-3 (6-2-2) record, finishing second in the Sun Belt's East Division and third overall with 20 points in conference play. The Mountaineers won four of their final five regular season matches before dropping their Sun Belt tournament opener to James Madison in overtime. Head coach Aimee Haywood enters her third season in Boone after two successful seasons at Queens in 2020 and 2021. App State was predicted tied for sixth in the 2024 Preseason Sun Belt Coaches Poll with graduate forward Izzi Wood named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Team.
SANTORO SHINES IN SEASON OPENERS
NC State head coach Tim Santoro enters his 12th season in charge of the Wolfpack women's soccer program. Since his inaugural season in 2013, the Pack is 7-2-2 in season openers during the Santoro era. NC State is 2-2-1 in its past five season openers, earning a 1-1 draw against Utah this past season in Raleigh.
WELCOME BACK, NO. 12
Jaiden Thomas has been a staple of the NC State women's soccer program since 2019 when she made 22 appearances and eight starts as a true freshman. Thomas, who was supposed to conclude her Wolfpack career in 2023, suffered a preseason injury this past season that kept her out for the entire 2023 campaign. The graduate midfielder returns for NC State in 2024 and plans to make her first start since the 2022 season finale. She has played a total of 69 games in Red & White with 54 starts, logging a total of two goals and five assists across her career.
DEFENDER TO WATCH
NC State defender Alivia Kelly was named to the United Soccer Coaches 2024 NCAA Division I Women's Defenders to Watch List in early August. Kelly was named the America East Defender of the Year and to the America East First Team in 2023. She is one of only three ACC defenders honored on the list, joining Florida State's Camile Ashe and Stanford's Elise Evans.
2024 FALL ROSTER
The 2024 roster is comprised of 28 players, which features 17 returners and 11 newcomers. Five of NC State's 11 newcomers are transfers, including graduate transfers Kennedy Dunnings, Paige Tolentino, Alivia Kelly and Abi Hugh.
WOLFPACK WORLDWIDE
The 28-member NC State women's soccer roster features student-athletes from 10 states and four different countries.
• North Carolina: 7
• California: 3
• Canada: 3
• Maryland: 2
• Virginia: 2
• Germany: 2
• Japan: 2
• Illinois: 1
• Florida: 1
• Maine: 1
• Mississippi: 1
• West Virginia: 1
• Massachusetts: 1
• Uruguay: 1
Players Mentioned
Defender
/ Women's Soccer
Defender
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Women's Soccer
Defender
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