WILMINGTON, N.C. – UNCW women's soccer head coach Chris Neal announced the signing of five freshmen ahead of the 2026 season.
"This is a very well-rounded group of young Seahawks, providing depth and quality in a variety of positions. I'm excited to see their impact this upcoming season", said Neal.
Ava Stephens, a midfielder from Jacksonville, North Carolina, joins the Seahawks from Jacksonville High School. Stephens helped lead Jacksonville to multiple Big Carolina 3A/4A Conference championships and was a member of the 2024 NCHSAA 3A State Championship team. A three-sport athlete, Stephens also competed in tennis and golf during her high school career and was a two-year starter on the soccer team.
In the classroom, Stephens earned Academic All-America honors during her junior season, was a member of the national honor society, national technical honor society, and Spanish honor society, and is in the top 15 of her graduating class.
Clodagh McIntyre, a midfielder from San Francisco, California, comes to UNCW from Lowell High School. During her prep career, McIntyre was a four-time CIF San Francisco Section champion, a two-time CIF NorCal Regional champion, and most recently, helped her team capture the 2026 CIF Division V State Championship while being team captain. In 2022-23, McIntyre was named the CIF San Francisco rookie of the year, the 2023-24 Playmaker of the year, and most recently, the 2024-25 and 2025-26 Cardinal Spirit Award Winner and was named to the 2025-26 All-City first team.
This past year, McIntyre was named the 2026 San Francisco Board of Supervisors Certificate of Honor and the SFIAC Athlete of the Year.
Kyra Polizzi, a forward from Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, joins the Seahawks from Governor Livingston High School. Polizzi competed in both basketball and varsity soccer all four years and served as a team captain during her senior season.
Polizzi has totaled 33 career goals and 10 assists and recorded the most goals scored in a single season at Governor Livingston in more than a decade. Her freshmen year, she earned the Union County 2nd team All-Star award and the All-State Coaches Award, and in her senior year, she received the Union County 1st team All-Star award and the Union County All-Star award.
Isabelle Welsh, a forward from Apollo Beach, Florida, attended Lennard High School. Welsh played one season of varsity soccer and led her team in both goals and total points during that season. Off the field, Welsh graduated with honors.
Emily Marlovits, a forward from Brambleton, Virginia, comes to Wilmington from Independence High School. Marlovits was a four-year starter and finished her high school career with 25 goals and 32 assists.
She helped lead Independence to three district and regional championships, two VHSL 5A State Championships, and earned eight all-district and all-region honors during her prep career. Marlovits also served as a team captain during her senior season and received all-met honorable mention recognition.
