Washington Huskies bring in defender Taylor Thomas from South Dakota State

SEATTLE – Washington women’s soccer head coach Nicole Van Dyke has announced an addition to the Huskies’ roster through the transfer portal, signing South Dakota State defender Taylor Thomas.

Thomas will bolster the UW back line with veteran experience, bringing five years of experience at the collegiate level to Montlake at Dayton, FGCU and SDSU.

“Taylor is a highly experienced defender who can play centrally or out wide,” Van Dyke said. “She stood out for her drive to compete, improve and perform at the highest level. Taylor will bring a high level of enthusiasm and energy to our team. She’s tenacious, hardworking and ready to compete for championships at Washington.”

Thomas shared her thoughts on joining the Huskies: “Washington represents everything I’ve been working toward—elite academics, a top-level soccer environment, and a clear pathway to the professional game. The commitment to development here is unmatched, but what truly separates it is the culture and the people. Being surrounded by driven individuals who hold a high standard, push each other every day, and still find joy in the process is what sets this place apart. Go Dawgs!”

More information on Thomas can be found below.

Taylor Thomas
D • Sioux Falls, South Dakota (Shattuck-St. Mary’s/Dayton/FGCU/South Dakota State)

2025 (Graduate Student – South Dakota State)

• Started all 22 matches, ranking third on the team in minutes at 1,774
• Helped anchor a back line that led the Summit League with a 0.68 goals against average
• Logged the full 90 minutes 12 times
• Placed three of nine shots for the season on goal
• Played all 90 minutes to help the Jackrabbits earn a season-opening draw at Missouri (8/14)
• Dished out an assist in SDSU’s 6-3 win at Northern Colorado (9/14)
• Spearheaded an SDSU defensive effort that racked up three straight clean sheets en route to the Summit League Tournament Championship
• Logged the full 90 in SDUS’s narrow 1-0 defeat at fifth-seeded Iowa (11/14) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament

2024 (Redshirt-Junior – FGCU)

• Appeared in 19 matches, making 11 starts, including the final 10 matches of the season
• Helped lead the Eagles to the Atlantic Sun Regular Season Championship
• Played a role in eight FGCU clean sheets, five as a member of the starting XI
• Scored lone collegiate goal vs. West Georgia (10/6), playing all 90 minutes in FGCU’s 5-0 win
• Logged 75 minutes in FGCU’s regular season finale vs. Stetson (10/26), securing the league championship

2023 (Redshirt-Sophomore – FGCU)

• Appeared in 10 matches, making two starts
• Helped the Eagles secure a clean sheet in five of 10 appearances
• Logged a season-high 63 minutes in first career start, a 2-0 win over USF (8/27)
• Put two shots on goal in FGCU’s clean sheet win at Stetson (10/21)

2022 (Sophomore – Dayton)

• Did not see any action and redshirted

2021 (Freshman – Dayton)

• Made three appearances off the bench
• Logged 60 total minutes
• Named to the 2021-22 Atlantic 10 Commissioner’s Honor Roll

CLUB/ODP

• Played four years with Shattuck-St. Mary’s (MN) and Salvo SC (MN)
• Named team captain four consecutive years
• High Honor Roll four consecutive years
• Garnered the National AP Scholar Award
• Elected into SSM Cum Laude Society
• Left home to play in the Developmental Academy at SSM at age 14
• 2x Regional Camp for ODP
• Selected participant for US National Training Center

PERSONAL

• Daughter of Emily and Eric Thomas
• Has two siblings: brother Aidan and sister Payton
• Mother Emily played for the national runner up softball team at Augustana University, which was inducted into the Augustana Hall of Fame
• Father Eric played tennis at Augustana
• Brother Aidan played baseball and football at Bethel University