Penn State brings in pair of transfers from UCLA and Minnesota

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA – The Penn State women’s soccer program and head coach Erica Dambach announced the addition of a pair of transfers, with UCLA defender Lily Boyden and Minnesota forward Paige Kalal joining the Blue & White ahead of the 2026 spring semester.

“We are extremely excited to officially introduce a pair of outstanding transfers into the Penn State women’s soccer family,” Dambach said. “Both of these women embody everything that our program stands for; tenacity, grit, toughness, and a relentless competitive spirit that will positively contribute to our team’s success. Paige and Lily have been valuable contributors at each of their prior stops, and the work that they have put in shows up in how they conduct themselves every day. We are proud to welcome both of them to Happy Valley, and I am excited to see all that they will accomplish in the Blue & White.”

LILY BOYDEN | GRADUATE | DEFENDER | SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
SKYLINE / UCLA / WASHINGTON STATE / LA ROCA FC

A native of Salt Lake City, Utah, Boyden joins the Nittany Lions following two seasons at Big Ten-rival UCLA, in addition to a pair of seasons with the Washington State Cougars in the former Pac 12 Conference. Boyden is fresh off a productive 2025 campaign in which she helped anchor the Bruin lineup on both ends of the pitch, appearing in 16 matches while making 12 starts for one of the most formidable defenses in all of women’s college soccer. Boyden notched a goal and assist off the back line in 2025, with that tally going in the book as the match-winner at Portland on September 4. Boyden saw over 1,000 minutes in both of her seasons at UCLA, helping spearhead the top-ranked defensive unit in major college soccer with a .470 team goals-against average. At Washington State, Boyden was a breakout star in 2022 after playing in 18 fixtures with a trio of starts, finishing the season with two goals and three assists. Boyden was the No. 70 freshman in the nation according to TopDrawerSoccer but was ultimately sidelined in 2023 due to a season-ending injury sustained in the spring that preceded her transfer to UCLA.

FOLLOW LILY ON SOCIAL
Instagram | @lily.boyden

WHY LILY CHOSE PENN STATE: “I am excited to finish out my collegiate career at Penn State, where I can continue to develop as both a player and a person. The coaching staff is incredible, and I cannot wait to train with them and my new teammates. I am super grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this program and university.”

PAIGE KALAL | SENIOR | FORWARD | BROOKLYN PARK, MINN.
CHAMPLIN PARK / MINNESOTA / MINNESOTA THUNDER ACADEMY

Hailing from Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, Kalal arrives in Happy Valley following a three-year stint with the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Kalal collected a myriad of accolades during her time in the Twin Cities, highlighted by a 2024 campaign that saw her haul in Second Team All-Big Ten Conference distinction in addition to landing status as a Big Ten Player to Watch and preseason top 100 selection per TopDrawerSoccer in the 2025 season. She tallied eight goals and dished out 15 assists over her trio of seasons in Minneapolis, amassing 31 points for the Golden Gophers. Kalal is fresh off her highest goal-scoring season in 2025, a year in which she logged five scores including one match-winning tally against St. Thomas on August 17. Kalal completed the 2024 campaign as the Big Ten’s second-leading assister after doling out 10 helpers in the Golden Gophers’ run to the Sweet 16, helping elevate an attack that placed inside the top five in the Big Ten in terms of assists, goals and total points. In total, the veteran attacker brings a wealth of playmaking experience and quality minutes to Happy Valley, having totaled 3,956 ticks on the pitch with Minnesota.

FOLLOW PAIGE ON SOCIAL
Instagram | @paigekalal
X | @paigekalal
TikTok | @paigekalal

WHY PAIGE CHOSE PENN STATE: “I chose to spend my final year at Penn State because this is a place where excellence is expected, not just encouraged. The high academic and athletic standards create the exact environment I want to keep pushing myself in. The coaching staff’s attention to detail and commitment to player development stood out immediately, and I know their approach will help me maximize my potential. What ultimately sold me was that Penn State doesn’t just talk about opportunity; they create it. I’m excited to bring my strengths into a program with real pride, support, and a culture built to compete at the highest level.”