2025 Soccer Roster
Jersey Number 28
Sydney Stephens
- Position:
- Midfielder
- Height:
- 5-5
- Class:
- Sixth Year
- High School:
- Waterloo
- Hometown:
- Waterloo, Ill.
Sixth Year - 2025
- Appeared in 21 games, all of them as a starter.
- Recorded 1505 minutes of action in her sixth year campaign...season-high 90 minutes on Oct. 26 vs Michigan, Oct. 30 vs Ohio State and Nov. 2 vs Washington.
- Tallied nine points on the season (4 G, 1 A).
- Fired 26 shots with 13 on goal...her shot on goal percentage of .500.
- Recorded her first points of the season at UIC on August 14 with an assist.
- Recorded her first goal of the season at Bowling Green on August 17 with the lone goal.
- Scored her second goal of the year in the big 4-3 win over Penn State on September 25.
- Scored her third goal in the 2-0 Rugters win on Oct. 9, a game winner.
- Scored her fourth goal of the year in the NCAA Tournament against Memphis on Nov. 15
Fifth Year - 2024
- Appeared in five matches, making four starts...suffered season-ending injury on Aug. 31 vs. Kentucky.
- Opened the season with assists in consecutive matches vs. Wright State on Aug. 15 and vs. DePaul on Aug. 18.
- Tallied her third assist of the season on Aug. 25 vs. Illinois State.
- Logged a season-high 74 minutes on Aug. 31 vs. Kentucky.
Junior - 2023
- CSC Academic All-District.
- Academic All-Big Ten.
- Appeared in all 17 matches, making 15 starts.
- Ranked second on the team with four goals scored during the campaign, a new career-high mark.
- Tallied two assists on the season.
- Scored the opener on Aug. 31 at Louisville.
- Picked up the first brace of her career and scored the match-winner on Sept. 10 vs. Pepperdine.
- Scored the equalizer on Sept. 21 vs. Indiana.
- Collected assists on Oct. 15 vs. Purdue and Oct. 22 vs. No. 25 Nebraska.
Sophomore - 2022
- CSC Academic All-District
- Academic All-B1G
- Appeared in 16 games, making 13 starts.
- One of nine outfield players to record 1000+ minutes on the season.
- Finished third on the team with 22 shots.
- Tallied an assist on Sept. 4 vs. Indiana State...also recorded a season-high four shots in the contest.
- Scored first goal of the season on Sept. 22 at Maryland.
- Scored her second goal of the season on Oct. 16 vs. No. 20 Ohio State.
Freshman - 2021
- Appeared in all 17 games for the Illini, starting 14.
- Led the team with five assists on the season.
- Scored first goal as an Illini at Toledo, 9/12/21.
- Made Illini debut in season opener vs. Missouri 8/19/21.
- Tied Illini record for assists in a half with three at Bowling Green 9/9/21.
FRESHMAN - 2020 (GEORGIA)
- Played for coach Billy Lesesne.
- Appeared in 10 of 14 games for the Bulldogs.
- Part of Women’s Soccer Equality Advocacy Group while at Georgia.
HIGH SCHOOL
- Four-year letter winner at Waterloo High School.
- Played for coach Chad Holden.
- Amassed 21 assists and 12 goals in her high school career.
- Varsity captain.
- IHSSCA All-Sectional Team
- MVC First-Team
- St. Louis Post Dispatch Girls All-Metro Team Republic
- Times All-Local Girls Soccer First Team
- Made it to the elite 8 while earning one conference championship in her time at Waterloo.
- Played club for St. Louis Scott Gallagher.
- Class President.
PERSONAL
- Born April 9, 2002.
- Daughter of Kris and Sally Stephens.
- Has two sisters, Kathy (28) and Lexi (16).
- Studying Early Childhood Education with a minor in Psychology.
- Favorite athlete is Julie King.
- Credits her sister for being biggest influence on career.
- Best friends with Keith Randolph of Illini Football.
- Chose Illinois because “this staff has what it takes for me to grow as a player and person underneath them.”
Illinois Soccer I NCAA Tournament Postgame Press Conference vs. Memphis 11/15/25
Monday, November 17
Illinois Soccer I Head Coach Katie Hultin Media Availability Ahead of NCCA Tournament 11/12/25
Wednesday, November 12
After 23 Years, Illinois Soccer Starts a New Chapter
Wednesday, August 06
Meet Katie Hultin: Illinois Soccer’s New Leader
Sunday, June 15
