WALTHAM, Mass. – Three members of the Brandeis University women's soccer team have been named to the 2024 All-University Athletic Association All-Association team. Sophomore midfielder Ali Pennella of Stamford, Connecticut, senior back Rachel Watler of Stevenson Ranch, California, and graduate student goalkeeper Rachel Ross of Portchester, New York, have all been honored for the first time in their careers.
 
Pennella was the team's top two-way player in the midfield. She scored one goal this season, in the team's 3-1 win over Bridgewater State University on Sept. 18. Pennella was the team's leader in the midfield and key in winning 50/50 balls for the Judges.
 
Watler, an outside back, was the Judges' leading scorer this season, finishing with six goals and eight assists for 20 points. Watler, who took a majority of the Judges' set pieces, led the UAA in assists during the regular season and was ranked 72^nd in all of Division III. She also anchored a Brandeis defense that allowed more than one goal in just four of its 16 games. Watler was twice named UAA Player of the Week last season.
 
Ross, in her first season with the Judges, led the UAA in saves per game during the regular season with 3.75, and was second in total saves with 60. Ross finished with a 1.24 goals-against average and .769 save percentage. In conference-only games, she was second with 41 saves and third with a .788 save percentage. Ross made eight saves in a game three times this season, including a career-high 11 in a 1-0 loss to Emory, and eight in a 1-0 loss to top-ranked Washington University, when the only goal was scored on a penalty kick. She allowed more than one goal in only four of her 16 games this season.
 
The Brandeis women's soccer team finished the 2024 season with a 9-7-1 record under head coach Mary Shimko '12. They started with a 9-1-0 mark and were ranked as high as 20^th in Division III. Against a difficult UAA slate that saw seven of the eight teams reach the NCAA Division III Tournament and four make it to the Sweet 16, the Judges suffered five one-goal losses, including three in which the winning goal came in the last 10 minutes of regulation. The Judges return five of their top six goal scorers from this year, including three first-year players and a sophomore.
 
Pennella is a 2023 graduate of Greenwich High School.
 
Watler is a 2021 graduate of West Ranch High School.
 
Ross is a 2020 graduate of Somers High School.
For more information on Brandeis University women's soccer, please visit our home page at https://brandeisjudges.com/sports/wsoc.
 
For more information on Brandeis Athletics, please visit our web page at https://brandeisjudges.com/, or follow us on Facebook, X/Twitter and Instagram, @brandeisjudges.