Over half of the ASU soccer roster is international players. Only three players are from Arizona. And only one player is from Arizona and younger than a senior.
That player is freshman winger Addison Baltodano.
Before arriving at ASU, Baltodano played high school soccer at Basha High School, not too far from where she currently plays. While Baltodano tallied 16 goals and 12 assists in 19 games as a senior in high school, it was her work with her club team, SC del Sol, that caught the attention of ASU head coach Graham Winkworth.
"The first time I watched her play (was) in Casa Grande, playing for her club team," Winkworth said. "We've got a lot of success recruiting players from that club team, and I knew that we had a special player as soon as she committed to us."
Winkworth's success in recruiting players from SC del Sol continued, as Baltodano chose ASU. When considering where she would play soccer in college, Baltodano found ASU was an attractive program for more than just its on-field qualities.
"I like being close to home, especially, but I love the coaches," Baltodano said. "As soon as I met them, I connected with them really well, which was a big factor."
While ASU is one of the largest college soccer programs in the state, its roster is not filled with local talent. There are 15 international players on the roster, and only three from Arizona.
As one of three players from the state, and with the other two graduating at the end of the season, Baltodano takes pride in being able to stand out on the roster page.
"It means that I get to represent Arizona in my own way," Baltodano said. "I like to be a part of a fun environment. It's a way that I can do what I do best and show something nice for my family, my friends and my community."
Once she arrived in Tempe, Baltodano hit the ground running.
Despite being a freshman, she was one of nine players to appear in all 19 of ASU's games, tallying 976 minutes in her first season.
Not only did Baltodano see a lot of the field, but she also stands out among the other players who made 19 appearances in 2025. While she played in all of ASU's matches, nine of the appearances came as a substitute. A player like Baltodano coming off the bench gives Winkworth a lot of value and flexibility.
"Having a player that can come in, it means fresh legs," Winkworth said. "Often teams don't have the depth in quality. So when we bring in some of our substitutes, there's no drop off and certainly not in the wing position."
However, her ability did not end at availability. Baltodano tallied three goals and six assists. Those numbers placed her third on the team in goals, second in assists and third in points.
For captain Grace Gillard, being a defender allows her to see the entire field ahead of her. Having Baltodano in front of her has eased the difficulty of her role.
"(She makes it) a lot easier," Gillard said. "She's got a great left foot. I think that's what she's known for on this team. She's very speedy, and she'll take on players one versus one, which she's been doing really well at."
While ASU's season ended without a Big 12 Tournament appearance, it was not all doom and gloom as far as Baltodano goes. For her performance during her first season in college soccer, she was selected to the Big 12 All-Freshman team.
The Sun Devils now look ahead into a future with 10 current roster members graduating at the end of the season. However, Baltodano gives the program hope. For Winkworth, her performance as a freshman sets ASU soccer up for the future.
"She's made a great impact as a freshman," Winkworth said. "If she continues the trajectory that she's making, she can be a phenomenal player. I love the fact that she's one of our own, one of the local players."
Edited by Alan Deutschendorf, Senna James and Pippa Fung.
Reach the reporter at aswift10@asu.edu and follow @alexswiftsports on X.
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