University of Washington women’s soccer welcomes 7 new Huskies
SEATTLE – The Washington Huskies announced the addition of seven new members for the 2021 season. Washington welcomes three transfers in McKenzie Weiniert, Peyton McGee, and Kyla Ferry. The Huskies will also see four freshmen join the team in Olivia Juarez, Jace Holmes, Lily Ramos, and Lisa Johansson.
Weinert joins the Huskies after an illustrious career at Oregon State. She scored over 20 points in 2019, earning All-Pac-12 honors. In her last two years, Weinert has 11 goals, including two against Pac-12 opponents in 2020. She has started over 30 games over the last two seasons. Weinert has also excelled in the classroom, earning Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll after each of the last three seasons.
“I chose Washington to compete at a high level and be surrounded by teammates and coaches who will help me grow as a person and player,” said Weinert. “Washington is a perfect fit for me to further my education by pursuing my master’s degree. Washington Women’s Soccer has a successful history and an authentic team culture that I can’t wait to be a part of.”
Ferry has also had an impressive Pac-12 career before joining Washington, coming to the Huskies after two seasons at Colorado. She has a goal and two assists in her collegiate career. Over her first two collegiate seasons, Ferry has appeared in over 20 matches, including eight appearances in the 2020 season. She helped Colorado to a win in the NCAA Tournament as a freshman, scoring a goal and assisting on another in the win over Northern Colorado. Before coming to college, Ferry was Arizona’s Gatorade Player of the Year in high school, winning back-to-back state championships. She had 47 goals and 23 assists in 60 career high-school games.
“Washington is an amazing school that fits everything I want from an academic and athletic standpoint,” said Ferry. “I absolutely love the team culture and unity that the coaches have built here. With change comes opportunity and I can’t wait to get training with my new teammates for the upcoming season. Go Dawgs!”
McGee has proven herself to be an excellent collegiate defender during three seasons at Texas. Last season, McGee started 12 games for the Longhorns, with Texas recording seven shutouts in that time. In fact, Texas has ten shutouts in McGee’s 17 career starts. Over 15 appearances in 2019, McGee helped Texas allow just 1.07 goals per game. Only three times since the start of 2019 has McGee seen the field and the opponent has scored more than two goals.
“I chose Washington because of how the coaches and players made me feel during the recruitment process,” said McGee. “I respected the honesty and the energy. I believe this is an excellent program with great leadership and a competitive environment, which were the top things I was looking for when searching for my new home. I believe the players that we have now and the staff can help me reach my full potential as a player and person as I continue my development.”
A three-time state champion, Juarez comes to the Huskies from Portland, Oregon. A goalkeeper, Juarez played for Jesuit High School and Crossfire United. She earned high school championships in 2017, 2018, and 2019, as well as Surf Cup championships in 2017 and 2018. In the ECNL, Juarez took third place nationally with Crossfire United. She was named to the ECNL All-Region team as well as the ODP Region 4 team.
“I’ve always dreamed of playing for a Pac-12 school,” said Juarez. “As soon as I stepped on campus I fell in love with the environment and the location. After attending a training session and watching a game, I knew it was the right fit for me.”
The younger sister of current Husky Shae Holmes, Jace Holmes brings a plethora of soccer experience to Washington. Holmes has plenty of national experience, having taken part in ODP Regional and National camps. She won the DA national championship, as well as taking the State Cup, earning MVP honors from the state of Colorado.
“Washington has such a beautiful campus and positive atmosphere,” said Holmes. “When I first visited Washington I felt a sense of home. I knew I would fit well, receive a quality education, and get the opportunity to compete in a competitive conference. I wanted UW to be the place I made my home for the next four years of my life and create my own story.”
Johansson comes to Washington from her native Sweden, where she has played in the second and third national tiers. Most recently, Johansson played for Alingsas FC United in the Swedish Elitettan, the second-highest division of soccer. She has scored 50 goals in 59 games in her soccer career. Johansson also has plenty of experience with the national team, with 18 appearances for Sweden’s youth national team.
“I chose Washington because right from the first conversation that I had with Coach Van Dyke, I got a great impression of the school and the program,” said Johansson.
Local star Lily Ramos joins Washington from Bellevue. She has been a part of ODP Regional training camps and has gone to national playoffs three times: in the ECNL in 2016 and in DA in 2017 and 2018.
Ramos was excited to join the Huskies, saying that she “loved the chemistry of the team and the coaching staff, as well as the beautiful campus and great academics Washington offers.”