Being young comes with a certain ignorance — not knowing what to expect in certain scenarios or environments.
For the freshmen on ASU's soccer roster, that ignorance has become an advantage. They don't know they are supposed to be intimidated.
"Lots of energy," coach Graham Winkworth said when describing his freshmen's qualities. "Lack of fear. The girls don't really know the difference between Buffalo and North Carolina. You go from one game to another, and whatever's put in front of you, you just go out fearless, with high energy. Sometimes a little naivety, but I kind of like that."
The result is a freshmen class that isn't interested in waiting for its turn. Instead, they've already earned meaningful minutes, with several becoming regular starters.
Every minute of Big 12 play exposes them to the physicality and quality the conference requires. They've shown they can handle it from the start.
Their contributions have helped ASU to a 7-3-3 record while being 2-2-1 in conference play. But their impact extends beyond this current season. The experience could help form the foundation of what Sun Devil soccer could become in the years ahead.
"They've been such a joy," graduate student and team captain Peyton Marcisz said. "They keep me young. They keep it exciting and they're really optimistic about the season."
Winkworth entered the season without promising playing time based on experience. Freshmen and veterans alike started on the same footing, with every player given an opportunity to earn a role.
Out of the 26 players, 11 are freshmen. Another five are sophomores. They all fought to carve out their roles within the squad.
"I don't care if they're freshmen or seniors or fifth-years or whatever," Winkworth said. "The best player is going to play, and some of our freshmen have proven that they're the best players for that position."
Mya Angus made the opportunity count. The freshmanleft back has started in all 13 Sun Devil games, including playing 90 minutes against No. 12/14 Texas Tech. On the opposite side has primarily been freshman Amy Medley, who has started in eight games.
The pair consistently break up attacking wing play, while also providing the Sun Devils with their own attacking width. Combined, they’ve scored two goals and provided seven assists.
In the midfield, freshman Maja Madon has quickly become a fixture. She's played in all Sun Devil games while starting in ten, bringing pace and creativity to the Sun Devil attack.
"(Madon) brings something that not a lot of players can," Marcisz said. "She can dribble. She's really fast. She'll run a lot, and she puts in a lot of effort. And she's also really positive. She wants to be better."
The playing time hasn't been limited to the starters. Off the bench, freshmen Gator DeMark, Ava Willard and Jenna Whinney have all played in at least 11 games. DeMark and Whinney serve as the usual substitutes for Angus and Medley, meaning ASU's outside-back rotation is entirely made up of freshmen.
Their collective impact has already earned conference recognition. ASU has claimed three Big 12 freshman of the week honors, with Angus, Medley and Whinney as recipients.
The foundation for their success was built before they ever stepped onto the field. Before the season began, the Sun Devil recruits sought to bond.
Many of them enrolled in the same summer courses. They all enjoyed "side-questing" Arizona — going out to eat and spending time with one another.
"It's so easy to play with people that you're friends with and that you have a good bond with," Angus said. "That helped our connection on the field, like our chemistry and trusting in one another because we can trust each other outside the field."
With her five years of experience, Marcisz understands how difficult it can be for freshmen to find their footing. As the team's leader, she seeks to keep the young core positive through all of the twists and turns that come with Division I soccer.
"As a captain, I remember when I was a freshman, sophomore, trying to get minutes — what could I have used in their position?" Marcisz said. "Now that some of them have such big roles on the team, it's preparing them and giving them a hand, a shoulder to lean on when they're going through a tough time because it's not easy playing at such a high level."
But these freshmen don't know it's supposed to be hard. From the very beginning, all they wanted to do was play. To showcase their ability. To earn their place.
They've proven deserving of it. Now, they're gaining the experience that could make them even better in the years ahead.
"You have to start thinking about who's going to be here and who's not going to be here," Winkworth said. "When I do that, and I think about the players that we have that hopefully will be returning in the future years, I'm like, 'Oh, we're going to be very, very good in the future.'"
Edited by Char O'Neil, Emilio Alvarado and Sophia Keeling.
Reach the reporter at jakobarnarsson@gmail.com and follow @JakobA2004 on X.
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