McCarthy's invaluable experience boosts Griffins ahead of home opener

EDMONTON – Many excellent recruits have passed through the doors of the Griffins women's soccer team over the years, but few additions have ever had the experience that Raeghan McCarthy will bring to the team in 2025.

That's because she was already a star at MacEwan for four years in what sometimes seems like a different era, starting her career pre-COVID.  

McCarthy was last seen scoring a goal in the 2021 national championship game and celebrating with teammates at Cape Breton University after the Griffins achieved an historic first U SPORTS title in program history.

Four years later, she decided to return for her fifth and final season of eligibility in 2025.

"I think just wanting to play competitively again," she said of her decision to come back after staying sharp playing for the St. Albert Impact. "League One is competitive, but coming to university soccer again, it's just a little bit more competitive because you have a time restraint (five years of eligibility), so it's not like you can just keep coming back every year. I think I just miss that competitiveness."

McCarthy will lead the Griffins into their home opener vs. Manitoba on Friday (12 p.m., Clarke Stadium, Canada West TV).

It was a no-brainer for head coach Dean Cordeiro to add her to his recruiting class when she reached out in the spring.

"Bringing in Raeghan and her experience winning a national championship will really help solidify our midfield," he said. "She's a proven winner, she can score, create, and she's hard to play against because she plays with an edge."

McCarthy might be just what the Griffins need to get back to the U SPORTS championship. Since then, they've been upset in the opening round of the playoffs in back-to-back seasons. The experience she brings will be invaluable.

"I know what it takes to win and to get that far – just the drive and passion to get there," she said. "So, I think bringing that is going to be very valuable, as well. Obviously, we have some girls here still from when we won, but I think just getting as much experience, especially in the midfield, is really valuable, too."

McCarthy scored 12 times in four regular seasons (2017, 2018, 2019, 2021) for the Griffins, which is currently seventh on the team's all-time Canada West list, and she'll have the opportunity to add to that total this season. She's also the program's career leader in playoff goals with five, one of them coming in the 2021 U SPORTS national championship final game.

However, she may end up playing more of a holding midfielder role now, which speaks to the tremendous growth in her game.

"That was kind of all of a sudden, playing defensive mid with League One, but I think I've always been pretty good at defending, so it wasn't that hard of a transition," she said. "It's been different shifting from being a goal scorer when I was a forward to going to mid and helping defend, and now I've been playing a lot of defensive mid. 

"I think it helps me be a lot more well-rounded in the midfield, being able to contribute defensively and offensively. It's been nice, it's been a change, but I'm ready to play wherever I'm needed."