HAMILTON, Ont. – A new season and a new-look roster await the McMaster Marauders women's soccer team as they prepare to kick off their 2026 campaign Friday night at Ron Joyce Stadium.

McMaster enters the season looking to build off a 2025 campaign that saw the Marauders finish 7-3-2 during the OUA regular season before making runs in both the OUA postseason and U SPORTS Championship.

The Marauders found their stride as last season progressed. After opening the year 0-3-1, McMaster went unbeaten over its final eight regular-season matches, winning seven of those contests and closing the schedule on a five-game winning streak. The late-season surge included a 7-1 victory over Waterloo and back-to-back wins over Brock.

McMaster finished the regular season with 21 goals while conceding just 12, recording four shutouts and a 1.19 goals-against average. The Marauders were especially strong at Ron Joyce Stadium, where they scored 13 goals and allowed only four across six regular-season matches.

That momentum carried into the OUA postseason.

McMaster opened the playoffs with a convincing 3-0 victory over York at Ron Joyce Stadium, scoring three times on nine shots while keeping a clean sheet. The Marauders then travelled to Western for the OUA quarterfinal, where their provincial championship hopes came to an end in a narrow 2-1 defeat.

The season wasn't over there.

As hosts of the 2025 U SPORTS Women's Soccer Championship, the Marauders had an opportunity to test themselves against some of the best programs in the country. McMaster opened the national tournament against Montreal before facing Toronto the following day, dropping both contests 2-0.

While the results brought the season to a close, the experience provided McMaster's returning players with a first-hand look at the level required to compete on the national stage.

Now, the challenge is carrying those lessons into 2026 with a roster that looks considerably different.

The Marauders experienced significant turnover during the offseason, most notably with the graduation of Jade Abreo (Mississauga, Ont.). Abreo led McMaster's offence during the 2025 regular season with five goals and four assists, including two game-winning goals. She leaves the program as a three-time McMaster MVP, three-time OUA West First Team All-Star and two-time U SPORTS First Team All-Canadian.

With those departures comes an opportunity for a young Marauders roster to establish its own identity.

Head coach Garrett Peters, entering his fourth season at the helm, has been encouraged by what he has seen throughout training camp.

"I think the team has a lot of excitement," Peters said. "We have a lot of new players, and a number of them are transfers and others were able to come out to training last season, so the team is not as new as they may seem. We feel that this camp has gotten them up to speed."

New Faces Ready to Make an Impact

McMaster welcomes 13 newcomers to the program in 2026, giving Peters and his staff a deep group of young players to develop.

2026 Recruiting Class

Amaris Machmueller (Kitchener, Ont.)
Maria Annibale (Toronto, Ont.)
Natalie Hunt (Stoney Creek, Ont.)
Gauri Rawat (Caledon, Ont.)
Ella Bekar (Kelowna, B.C.)
Olivia McBride (Peterborough, Ont.)
Julia Van Haeke (Whitby, Ont.)
Clara Boutin (Ottawa, Ont.)
Lily Reynolds (Pelham, Ont.)
Sydney Hillmer (Toronto, Ont.)
Meaghan Anderson (Stouffville, Ont.)
Maia Hincappie (Toronto, Ont.)
Hanna Lee (Toronto, Ont.)

Among that group, Machmueller, Van Haeke, Boutin and Annibale are expected to have opportunities to make an immediate impact.

Despite the turnover, Peters isn't changing the approach that has guided the program.

"We're always going to be process-driven and go one step at a time," Peters said. "We want to be known as a hard-working team and a consistent team."

Throughout camp, the Marauders have emphasized developing their young talent, establishing strong defensive habits and creating a balanced offensive attack. With significant turnover throughout the roster, McMaster will rely on its depth as players settle into new roles.

The returning Marauders will be tasked with setting the standard.

After competing at the U SPORTS Championship on home turf last November, Peters believes his veterans gained a valuable understanding of what is required to compete against the country's best.

They "learned what it takes to compete at that level and the consistency with which you have to play," Peters said.

Players to Watch

Shalagh Guha

Few players made a bigger first-year impact for McMaster last season than Shalagh Guha (Waterloo, Ont.).

The defender started all 12 regular-season matches and finished second on the team with seven points, recording three goals and four assists. Her breakout campaign earned her OUA and U SPORTS Rookie of the Year honours, an OUA First Team All-Star selection and a spot on the U SPORTS All-Rookie Team.

Guha also started both of McMaster's OUA postseason games and both contests at the U SPORTS Championship, giving her 16 starts across all three stages of the season.
Now serving as a co-captain, Guha will move into an even larger role as the Marauders' starting centre back and a key piece of McMaster's defensive unit.

Emma Fluit

Alongside Guha will be fellow co-captain Emma Fluit (London, Ont.).

Fluit started all 12 regular-season games in her first season with McMaster after transferring from Thomas More University. She contributed at both ends of the pitch, recording two goals and two assists while finishing third on the team with 15 shots.

She continued to make an impact in the postseason, scoring once during McMaster's two-game OUA playoff run. Fluit then started both games at the U SPORTS Championship and registered five shots, including three on target.

Her experience and steady defensive presence will be particularly important for a Marauders team integrating a large group of newcomers.

Lucie Duffy

There will also be a new opportunity in goal for Lucie Duffy (London, Ont.).

Duffy saw limited action during her rookie regular season but made the most of her opportunities, posting a .842 save percentage while allowing three goals across 225 minutes.

She also gained valuable national championship experience, starting against Toronto at the U SPORTS Championship.

Following a strong training camp, Peters is confident in Duffy's ability to step into a larger role as McMaster's top goalkeeper this season.

A New Chapter Begins

For a young Marauders team, 2026 represents both a reset and an opportunity.

Last year's group demonstrated what McMaster is capable of when playing its best soccer, turning an 0-3-1 start into a 7-3-2 regular-season finish before earning an OUA postseason victory and experiencing the U SPORTS Championship.

Now, a new group will look to take the next step.

"We want to be enjoyable to watch," Peters said. "We're a hardworking and creative group, and we're going to have a lot of success at home."

The first test comes Friday night.

McMaster opens its 2026 OUA regular season on Aug. 28 when the Marauders welcome the Algoma Thunderbirds to Ron Joyce Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. You can get your tickets at marauders.ca/tickets