McNamara, Jones and Dudukovich Named B1G Players to Watch
8/15/2023 3:00:00 PM | General, Women's Soccer
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State women's soccer opens the 2023 season this week and on Tuesday, three of its veterans were named Big Ten Players to Watch. Senior midfielder Peyton McNamara as well as junior defender Sydney Jones and junior forward Kailyn Dudukovich were all on the preseason watch list.
McNamara is fresh off her run at the FIFA Women's World Cup with Jamaica. She helped the Jamaicans to the knockout stage for the first time in the country's history. As a Buckeye, she has played in 39 matches and has 13 goals and six assists. She scored a career-high seven goals last season, including both of Ohio State's goals in the second round NCAA Tournament game at Arkansas last November.
Jones has been one of the team's anchors on the back line the last two seasons. The Cincinnati, Ohio native was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team in 2021 and earned Big Ten All-Tournament Team honors last fall. She has played and started all 40 matches the last two years and has two goals and four assists. As a freshman, she played a center back position but moved to her more natural position of outside back last season and had a goal with four assists.
Like Jones, Dudukovich has played in all 40 matches in her first two seasons and has been one of the team's top scorers. She scored seven goals in each of the last two seasons and that includes a three-goal game in the win over Maryland last fall. The 5-11 forward will lead a young and talented front line this season.
The Buckeyes were 11-6-3 last season and made their third-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and their 12th in the past 14 seasons. They finished tied for fourth in the conference a year ago at 5-3-2 and were picked to finish seventh in this year's preseason poll.
Ohio State opens the season on Thursday evening when it hosts Miami (Ohio) at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. First touch is set for 7 p.m.
McNamara is fresh off her run at the FIFA Women's World Cup with Jamaica. She helped the Jamaicans to the knockout stage for the first time in the country's history. As a Buckeye, she has played in 39 matches and has 13 goals and six assists. She scored a career-high seven goals last season, including both of Ohio State's goals in the second round NCAA Tournament game at Arkansas last November.
Jones has been one of the team's anchors on the back line the last two seasons. The Cincinnati, Ohio native was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team in 2021 and earned Big Ten All-Tournament Team honors last fall. She has played and started all 40 matches the last two years and has two goals and four assists. As a freshman, she played a center back position but moved to her more natural position of outside back last season and had a goal with four assists.
Like Jones, Dudukovich has played in all 40 matches in her first two seasons and has been one of the team's top scorers. She scored seven goals in each of the last two seasons and that includes a three-goal game in the win over Maryland last fall. The 5-11 forward will lead a young and talented front line this season.
The Buckeyes were 11-6-3 last season and made their third-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and their 12th in the past 14 seasons. They finished tied for fourth in the conference a year ago at 5-3-2 and were picked to finish seventh in this year's preseason poll.
Ohio State opens the season on Thursday evening when it hosts Miami (Ohio) at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. First touch is set for 7 p.m.
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