Schlueter, Jones and McNamara Named B1G Players to Watch
8/13/2024 2:00:00 PM | Women's Soccer
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State forward Amanda Schlueter, midfielder Peyton McNamara and defender Sydney Jones were named 2024 Big Ten Women’s Soccer Players to Watch this season.
As part of Tuesday’s announcement, the conference posted the preseason poll that was voted on by the league’s 18 head coaches. The Buckeyes were predicted to finish ninth in the new 18-team conference.
Jones is coming off an All-Big Ten season in 2023 where she appeared in and started all 19 matches and was an anchor on the back line, helping in five total shutouts. She recorded her third career goal last season and also has four career assists. Jones has not missed a game in her career, starting all 59 contests over the last three seasons.
McNamara was a third team All-Big Ten honoree last season as she too started all 19 matches and recorded a goal and two assists. The fifth-year senior has played in 58 career matches and has 14 career goals. She is one of the team’s most experienced players, drawing on her time with the Jamaican National Team. She was in camp with the team this summer and appeared in two matches in Jamaica's run to the knockout stage of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.
Schlueter had a great freshman season in 2023, scoring six goals and notching a team-high seven assists. Her 19 points were the sixth-most by a freshman in program history. She appeared in all 19 matches and was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team.
The Buckeyes return nine starters from last year’s team that made its fourth-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. They had a 9-8-1 record and finished tied for sixth in the Big Ten.
The season kicks off this Thursday as Ohio State will host Duke at 7 p.m. at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
2024 Big Ten Women’s Soccer Preseason Poll
1. UCLA
2. Penn State
3. Michigan State
4. Nebraska
5. USC
6. Wisconsin
7. Rutgers
8. Iowa
9. Ohio State
10. Indiana
11. Michigan
12. Northwestern
13. Washington
14. Minnesota
15. Illinois
16. Purdue
17. Maryland
18. Oregon
#GoBucks
