YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. | The Mountain Lions women's soccer team has been picked to finish fifth in the 2025 Conference Carolinas Women's Soccer Preseason Poll, earning 154 points from league coaches. It's a major step forward for the Mountain Lions, who entered the 2024 season ranked ninth but finished as Southwest Division Champions under head coach Avram Allen. 

Last fall, Young Harris overcame a slow start to finish the regular season on a tear, going 9-2-2 in their final 13 matches. That surge earned them the program's first-ever home playoff match in the NCAA era, where they defeated Mount Olive 2-1 in front of a roaring crowd at the YHC Soccer and Lacrosse Field. 

"Winning the Southwest Division, hosting and winning a home playoff game was definitely something special," said Allen. "When faced with adversity, we were resilient. We never lost sight of our goals as a team." 

That resilience is now the foundation for a 2025 squad looking to take the next step. The Mountain Lions return a strong core, including senior defender Emily Brennaman, who played over 1,100 minutes last season and contributed three goals and an assist. Brennaman believes the team's chemistry will be key again this fall. 

"This past season, the team was very cohesive on and off the field," she said. "With so many returners and a strong bond already in place, I believe that connection will carry over and continue to grow with the new incoming players." 

The 2025 schedule reflects the team's ambition. Young Harris opens on the road for regular season matchups against Mars Hill and Trevecca Nazarene. The home opener is set for September 10 against North Georgia as part of #PACKTheDen Fan Appreciation Day. 

Coach Allen is focused on the process and the growth of his players. 

"The goal is always making it to the playoffs, no matter how you get there," he said. "Winning is not easy at the college level. A team must consistently do a lot of things right to attain the goals they set out to achieve." 

Among the returners to watch is sophomore midfielder Betsy Bu, who earned All-Conference Third Team honors in 2024. Allen also highlighted the return of First Team All-Conference selection Charlotte Brown, who missed last season due to injury. With leading goal scorer from 2024 Shania Harris graduating, Young Harris will have big shoes to fill. 

"As a program, this is never easy," Allen said. "But it gives space for other players to step up in a big way; not just in their play, but as leaders." 

With a tight-knit locker room, a proven playoff foundation, and a hunger to go further, the 2025 Young Harris College women's soccer team is ready to exceed expectations once more.