Four Wildcats Named to SEC Preseason Watch List

LEXINGTON, Ky. – As the University of Kentucky women’s soccer program prepares for its season opener on Thursday, August 19, four Wildcats have been named to the Southeastern Conference Preseason Watch List. Jordyn Rhodes, Julia Grosso, Maria Olsen, and Úlfa Úlfarsdóttir join 56 other SEC players on this year’s list, which was announced by the league on Wednesday.

This marks the second consecutive year Rhodes has earned a preseason nod from the conference while Grosso, Olsen, and Úlfarsdóttir are appearing on the watch list for the first time in their careers.

Now in her junior season, Rhodes will look to build upon a sensational sophomore campaign that culminated in her being the first Wildcat to land on the All-SEC First Team since 2015. In 2020, she led the SEC in goals (10), goals per game (1.11), points (21), points per game (2.33), and shots per game (3.78).

A native of South Lebanon, Ohio, Rhodes went a nation-leading 5-for-5 on penalty kicks last season and recorded her first career hat trick in the first round of the SEC Tournament. She also earned SEC Offensive Player of the Week honors on November 10 and was named to the 2020 USCA All Southeast-Region Team, as well as the 2020-21 MAC Hermann Watch List.

A staple of the Wildcats’ attack, Grosso is a vocal and decisive forward who has improved tremendously since arriving in Lexington in 2017. The fifth-year senior from Sunrise, Florida, who is serving as team captain for the second straight year, tallied one goal and one assist last season.

Joining the Wildcats from Oksboel, Denmark, Olsen proved to be a threat in the midfield during her rookie season. A starter in every game last year, she recorded 22 shots — including six on goal — and logged more than 800 minutes. A technical and tactical player, the now-sophomore also found herself on the SEC All-Freshman Team. 

Úlfarsdóttir returns for her sophomore year after starting all games during the 2020 fall season, totaling five shots and playing nearly 900 minutes. Hailing from Hafnarfjordur, Iceland, the midfielder notched her first career goal against Florida in the first round of the SEC Tournament. 

The Wildcats travel to Purdue on Thursday, August 19 to kick off the season at 7 p.m. ET. The full 2021 schedule can be found here.

For the latest on the Kentucky women’s soccer program, follow @UKWomensSoccer on Twitter and on Instagram, on Facebook, and on the web at UKathletics.com.