VILLANOVA, Pa. – This summer has come with some major accolades for a pair of incoming freshmen to this season's women's soccer team.

Morgan Kotch started the summer earning New Jersey Gatorade Player of the Year honors for the 2023-24 season. This award celebrates the nation's top high school athletes for their excellence on the field, in the classroom and in the community. The forward from Yardville, N.J. led The Pennington School to a 21-0 record and a Prep A State Championship this past season. She scored 37 goals and logged seven assists to close her career with 108 goals and 21 assists.

Kotch is now the first Wildcat since Emma Weaver to be lauded as a Gatorade Player of the Year, earning that award for Illinois in the 2019-20 season.

Amalia Cardo was called up to the Portuguese Women's U18 National Team training center in Luso, Portugal. The incoming midfielder was one of 24 players to be called to the five-day training event at the end of May that included six training sessions and a training match.