Syracuse women’s soccer team adds transfers from Youngstown State and UConn

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Maya Naimoli (Episcopal Academy/Wayne, Pa./Ohio State/Youngstown State), a goalkeeper who competed at Youngstown State, and Farrah Stephens-Martin (Sutton, U.K./Kansas State/Connecticut), a forward who played at Connecticut last season, have accepted written offers of athletic aid to Syracuse, and will transfer to join the Orange.

Maya Naimoli

She played nine seasons for FC Bucks. Naimoli was an Elite Club National League (ECNL) Northeast Conference Selection Program Invite and was named a “Player to Watch” in 2019-20. She received first team ECNL All-Conference in 2020-21. Naimoli had 10 U.S. Soccer Training Center and two Youth National Team Identification Center invitations.

She was selected to the Olympic Development (ODP) National Event Rosters for the Thanksgiving Inter-Regional from 2017-21 and was named to the ODP East Region International Team Roster in three seasons. Naimoli participated in the 2018 ODP National Training Camp. She helped the Philadelphia Soccer Club win the State Cup Championship in 2017 and 2018 and the Regional Championship in 2018.

Naimoli was a four-year starter and senior captain at Episcopal Academy (Pa.). Naimoli was selected first team Inter-Academic All-League, first team All-Delaware County, and first team All-Main Line. She was named to the Prep Soccer All-America Goalkeeper Watch List in 2021 and 2022. A Mid-Atlantic State All-Star in 2021, Naimoli was selected to play in the High School All-America Game in 2022.

Naimoli enrolled at Ohio State out of high school and earned a redshirt season. She transferred to Youngstown State in 2024 and started all 18 games. Naimoli was named the Horizon League Defensive Player of the Week twice during the season. She posted three shutouts and 1.72 goals-against average. Naimoli led the Horizon League in saves (96) and saves average (5.33). She ranked fourth in the league with a .756 save percentage. Naimoli was named to the Horizon League All-Freshman Team. The Penguins finished 5-11-2 and 3-7 in the Horizon League.

As a redshirt sophomore, Naimoli was the Penguins’ first-string goalkeeper in all 18 contests. She once again led the Horizon League in saves (100) and saves per game (5.56). Naimoli contributed a 1.88 goals-against average, a .752 save percentage, and five shutouts. Naimoli was named All-Horizon League Third Team. Youngstown State was 8-10-2 and 6-2-2 in the Horizon League.

Farrah Stephens-Martin

A native of the United Kingdom, Stephens-Martin competed with the Wales U17 team at the 2020 Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Women’s Championship in Sweden. She also competed for Brighton FC Academy and Hove FC Academy, and the Arsenal Academy U16 squad.

She enrolled in Kansas State in 2024. Stephens-Martin played in eight matches, one of which she started. The Wildcats were 3-12-3 and 0-9-2 in the Big 12 Conference.