The 2022 NCAA Division I women's soccer season was the 41st season of

NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...

championship women's college soccer. The season began on August 18, 2022, and concluded on November 6, 2022. It culminated with the 2022 NCAA Division I women's soccer tournament, with the College Cup being held at WakeMed Soccer Park in

Cary, North Carolina Cary is a town in Wake County, North Carolina, Wake, Chatham County, North Carolina, Chatham, and Durham County, North Carolina, Durham counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina and is part of the Raleigh, North Carolina, Raleigh-Cary, NC M ...

. Florida State were the defending NCAA Champions.

Changes from 2021

Rule changes

In April 2022, during a meeting among the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel (PROP), several major rule changes were enacted. This included overtime, expansion of video assistant referee (VAR), and the appeals process of a suspension. Specifically overtime was abolished during the regular season. Matches that ended in a draw during a conference or national tournament match would involve two, ten minute periods, without a golden goal. A playoff game tied after two overtime periods would still move to a penalty kick shoot-out with the winner determined by the teams alternating kicks from the penalty mark. Additionally PROP approved VAR to be used for fouls that occurred outside of the penalty area, as well as allowing a 48-hour period to appeal a red card decision.

Coaching changes

So far, there have been 55 coaching changes during the 2021–22 offseason.

New programs

Tarleton State University, already a new member of the

Western Athletic Conference The Western Athletic Conference (WAC) is an NCAA Division I conference. The WAC covers a broad expanse of the Western United States with member institutions located in Arizona, California, Texas, Utah and Washington (state), Washington. Due to ...

(WAC) on its first year of reclassification to NCAA Division I, announced on January 19, 2021, that it would add women's soccer starting this season.

Conference realignment

Other headlines

* August 12 – The

Indiana University Indiana University (IU) is a state university system, system of Public university, public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana. The system has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration o ...

and

Purdue University Purdue University is a Public university#United States, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, United States, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded ...

systems announced that Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis will be dissolved in 2024 and replaced by separate IU- and Purdue-affiliated institutions. The current athletic program, the IUPUI Jaguars, will transfer to the new IU Indianapolis. * August 31 – The Division I Board of Directors adopted a series of changes to transfer rules. ** Transfer windows were adopted for all Division I sports. Student-athletes who wish to be immediately eligible at their next school must enter the NCAA transfer portal within the designated period(s) for their sport. For women's soccer, two windows were established—a 45-day winter window starting the day after the NCAA tournament selections are announced, and a spring window from May 1–15. ** Student-athletes who experience head coaching changes, or those whose athletic aid is reduced, canceled, or not renewed, may transfer outside designated windows without penalty. ** Transferring student-athletes will be guaranteed their financial aid at their next school through graduation. * September 21 – Houston Baptist University announced it had changed its name to

Houston Christian University Houston Christian University (HCU), formerly Houston Baptist University (HBU), is a private Baptist university in Houston, Texas. It is affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Its Cultural Arts Center houses three museums: the ...

, effective immediately. The athletic nickname of Huskies was not affected. * October 14 – Conference USA announced that ASUN Conference member Kennesaw State would join C-USA in 2024.

Season outlook

Preseason polls

Regular season

Major upsets

In this list, a "major upset" is defined as a game won by a team ranked 10 or more spots lower or an unranked team that defeats a team ranked No. 15 or higher. All rankings are from the

United Soccer Coaches The United Soccer Coaches (formerly known as the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)) is an organization of American soccer coaches founded in 1941. It is the largest soccer coaches organization in the world, with more than ...

Poll.

Conference standings

Conference winners and tournaments

Postseason

NCAA Tournament

Final rankings

Award winners

All-America teams

Major player of the year awards

* Hermann Trophy: Michelle Cooper, Duke * TopDrawerSoccer.com National Player of the Year Award: Korbin Albert, Notre Dame

Other major awards

* United Soccer Coaches College Coach of the Year: Margueritte Aozasa,

UCLA The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school then known as the southern branch of the C ...

* Bill Jeffrey Award: * Jerry Yeagley Award: Kristin Acquavella * Mike Berticelli Award: Felicity Day * NCAA Tournament MVP: Offensive: Reilyn Turner Defensive: Lilly Reale

References

{{2022 in American women's soccer