Brandeis University Women's Soccer

Since taking over the reins of Brandeis University women's soccer in 2020, Mary Shimko '14 has established a distinguished coaching career at her alma mater. She has led the Judges to national rankings in each of her previous four seasons, including on NCAA Division III Tournament berth, reaching the second round.  The 2024 squad got of to a 9-1 start, reaching #23 in the United Soccer Coaches poll, as they had their best 10-game record since 2018. Ali Pennella '27 earned All-UAA, All-Region and College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District honors. Dom Paglia '25 was also a CSC All-District selection, while Rachel Watler '25 and Rachel Ross M'25 each landed on the All-Conference team. In 2023, she helped the team to a national ranking as high as 18th in the United Soccer Coaches rankings. Two players, Elspeth Harker and Charlotte TeKrony, were honored with the CSC Academic All-District Award. The team also excelled with senior midfielder Sydney Lenhart and junior defender Rachel Watler earning spots on the United Soccer Coaches All-Region II team. Additionally, Rachel Watler and junior goalkeeper Hannah Bassan were named to the All-University Athletic Association honorable mention list, and ten players were recognized on the all-academic team. In 2022, under her leadership, Juliette Carreiro '22 was recognized as just the seventh two-time CSC (formerly CoSIDA) Academic All-American in Brandeis history and was also named Brandeis's nominee for the 2023 NCAA Woman of the Year. After Shimko's first season on the field was delayed due to COVID-19, she led Brandeis to notable success in 2021. The team not only returned to the NCAA Division III tournament but advanced to the second round with a comeback victory. They finished the season ranked 21st in the United Soccer Coaches national poll and 24th in the D3Soccer.com poll. Juliette Carreiro '22 received All-America honors on the field from the United Soccer Coaches and in the classroom from CoSIDA as an Academic All-American. In 2020-21, amidst initiating a philanthropy program, Brandeis placed two women on the CoSIDA Academic All-District team, highlighting the balance of athletics and academics promoted under Shimko's guidance. Since becoming the second head coach in the history of Brandeis women's soccer, Shimko has built on a solid foundation. From 2017 to 2019, as an assistant and then associate head coach, she helped guide the team to a 35-17-4 record, reaching two NCAA Division III tournaments. This period saw eight All-New England selections, 14 All-University Athletic Association honorees, 12 Academic All-UAA team members, and two Phi Beta Kappa selections. Before her tenure at Brandeis, Shimko served as a club head coach at the New England Football Club. She also had collegiate coaching roles at Smith College and the College of the Holy Cross following her graduation from Brandeis in 2014 with a B.A. in business and her completion of an M.S. in exercise and sport sciences from Smith in 2016. As a player, Shimko was a formidable presence on the field for Brandeis, where she was a four-year starter, a captain in her junior and senior years, and led the team to their best post-season performance at the time—a trip to the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament in 2012. Her dedication and leadership were recognized with the James McCully '86 Award, celebrating her sportsmanship and commitment. Over the summer of 2024, Shimko completed the US Soccer B License and the United Soccer Coaches Coach Credentialing Program, a testament to her commitment to excellence in collegiate soccer coaching and leadership.  

Kayla Steeves joined the Brandeis Women's soccer staff in January 2024. “We are thrilled to welcome Kayla Steeves to our team. Her passion for the game, combined with an impressive work ethic, sets her apart,” head coach Mary Shimko said. “Kayla brings a wealth of knowledge that will greatly benefit our athletes. We are confident that she will be an exemplary role model, inspiring our players with her dedication and expertise. Her commitment to excellence is evident, and we are excited to see the positive impact she will have on our program.” Steeves is a 2019 graduate of Providence College, earning a B.S. in business management. She was a four-year midfielder for the Friars, earning All-Big East honors as a junior and senior. A native of Needham, Massachusetts, Steeves was a United Soccer Coaches All-American and Massachusetts Player of the Year as a senior. Since 2019, Steeves has served on the staffs of FC Greater Boston Bolts, New England Premiership, and the Natick and Needham High School coaching staffs. She guided Natick to a Division I State Championship in 2021 and Needham to berths in the Division I Sweet 16 in 2022 and 2023. Starting in 2021, Steeves also served as a coach for the New England Surf club, coaching age groups from U8 to U16. In March of 2023, she was named the Metro West Regional Director for the Surf, managing 16 different teams under the club’s banner.