We are officially one day away from the start of the 2025 season for the South Carolina Gamecocks women's soccer team. They will travel to Charleston to take on the College of Charleston Cougars as they begin their quest to win another SEC title. After falling in the Championship game in 2024, there is a ton of motivation to avenge that loss. That said, the Gamecocks are going into the season with six players on the SEC preseason watchlist.
It comes as no surprise who's on the preseason watchlist, as the six Gamecocks bring their skill set to a loaded roster ready for a deep tournament run when it's all said and done. One of them is captain and goalkeeper Christina Tsaousis. The senior keeper enters the 2025 season with an 11-4-7 record from 2024, including four shutouts. She started all 22 games for the Gamecocks, allowing only 21 goals, finishing with a 1.03 GAA. After 76 saves, Tsaousis finished with a .784 SV%. She looks to be a force in the goal once again in 2025.
A great goalkeeper needs a solid group in front of her, especially on the defense and the midfield. That is what the Gamecocks have with senior defender Micah Bryant and junior midfielder Cuyler Zulauf. What makes Bryant someone to watch this season is how she can play not only defender, but as a forward as well. In 2024, she played in 22 games for the Gamecocks, mainly as a substitute, but still made an impact when given a chance. She had an assist last season and looks to build on being the shutdown defender for the Gamecocks.
So many players on the @SEC Preseason Watchlist we had to make a thread ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 🧵
— South Carolina Women’s Soccer (@GamecockWSoccer) August 12, 2025
Christina Tsaousis & Micah Bryant ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/XJzaQRafAu
Zulauf played in all 22 games, starting 15 of those, for the Gamecocks in 2024 and tallied three goals, along with three assists. She played over 1,000 minutes for the Gamecocks, where she had five shots on goal on 11 shots. In 2024, she had a .273 shooting percentage and a .455 shots on goal percentage in those 22 games. She even had a game-winning goal for the Gamecocks in her sophomore season. The junior is poised to bring that scoring touch once again in 2025, and she looks to make an impact for the Gamecocks.
Zulauf will be alongside midfield mainstay Reagan Schubach, who started in 21 of the 22 games in 2024 for the Gamecocks. In her sophomore season, Schubach played 1,561 minutes, fourth on the team, while having 5 shots on goal on 13 shots. She does some forward as well, but her main specialty is playing in the midfield, disrupting attacks from opposition. The former All-SEC Freshman player looks to continue her run as a pillar in the midfield for the Gamecocks in 2025.
Going back to the defense, if there is someone ready to lead once again for the Gamecocks, it's senior defender Gracie Falla. Falla had two assists in 21 games started for the Gamecocks in 2024. After making the SEC Preseason watchlist last season, she followed it up by making the All-SEC First Team. Expect the same from the Mississippi native in her senior season.
Last but not least, the sixth player on the preseason watchlist is sophomore forward Kaite Shea Collins. She tallied 13 goals and three assists in 19 games for the Gamecocks, along with bringing home All-SEC Second team and the All-SEC Freshman team honors. After having the second-most goals on the Gamecocks and in the SEC, Collins looks to aim for the top spot. Bringing her back will be a huge boost for the Gamecocks as they look to capture another SEC title and more.