The Scout sports staff welcomes Braves fans back as we turn our attention to Bradley’s fall sports. We’ve listed the teams we are most excited about for the fall season.
Cross Country
By Ethan Diamond
There’s plenty to be excited about as the team enters year three of head coach Andrew Carlson’s tenure.
The Braves dominated the Missouri Valley Conference last year, winning the men’s and women’s conference titles. Carlson was named MVC coach of the year for men and women, and both placed inside the top 10 at the Midwest regionals.
Each team returns multiple top finishers, including JD Rosslee and Kaitlyn Sheppard, who each finished third in their respective divisions.
It’s hard to clear the heights that cross country has reached in recent years, but the improvements they continue to make should have Bradley fans excited about the team’s chances to repeat as conference champions. Don’t be surprised if this team makes it to the NCAA tournament.
Volleyball
By Mark Wagner
After an impressive 2024 season where Bradley finished fifth in the Valley, Alicia Williams’ crew looks to replicate that magic this fall.
In her fourth season coaching the Braves, Williams has an experienced roster and new, exciting freshmen and transfers to work with. Even after losing Silan Demirkol, Beste Ayhan, Kaylenn Hunt and Iva Popovic, the team hosts a plethora of solid returners.
Players like Vitoria Oliveira, Irene Mostardini, Corrie Brown and Maria Drapp were massive contributors to Bradley’s success. Freshmen Gracie Furlong and Chloe Parker, along with transfer Lauren Dale, have the potential to be big names for the team in the years to come.
As the season gets underway, the volleyball team looks to improve on last year’s great performances and possibly make a run in the postseason.
Tennis
By Jaylen Harris
This fall, Bradley tennis should draw a lot of excitement. The program faced a tough year last season, finishing with a 3–17 overall record and going through a coaching change, which makes this year so intriguing.
New head coach Erin Scott brings years of collegiate coaching experience and is stepping in with fresh energy and a vision to turn things around. The roster has a mix of four returners and two newcomers, including seniors Mariia Pukhina and Anna Belogliadova. Newcomer standout transfer Valeriia Ivanovskaia from UT-Arlington should provide an immediate boost.
Watching how this group grows together, responds to challenges and sets the tone for a new era makes Bradley tennis the most exciting sport to look forward to despite the struggles in the past.
Soccer
By Latif Love
Bradley soccer looks to take a step forward after finishing 4-8-4 in head coach Tim Regan’s first year at the helm—and they have the talent to do so. The Braves return 17 players from last season, including standouts such as juniors Mitch Coughlon and Dj Koulai, Ian Ferguson and seniors Kevin Mejias and Drew Berry.
Bradley also added 11 new players (six transfers and five freshmen) who will look to bolster an offense that struggled to convert on shots in conference play. The Braves are closer to improving than their record last season would suggest, as they lost numerous games in the last 15 minutes.
If Bradley can seal the deal in the clutch or stop opposing teams from finding the equalizer, they’re in line for a leap in Regan’s second year.
