JMU women’s soccer team rounds out 2026 transfer class with two signings

HARRISONBURG, VA – James Madison women’s soccer has completed its 2026 transfer class with the signing of redshirt senior goalkeeper Kennedy Rist from Northwestern State and sophomore midfielder Jasmine Ouatu from Coastal Carolina.

“We are excited to address some very specific needs within the makeup of our Fall 2026 roster,” said Head Coach Joshua Walters, Sr. “Both Kennedy and Jasmine come from styles of play that will allow them an easier transition to who we are and what we believe in. We looked at a lot of players in the portal, but were very surgical in our choices. Wanting players that had a maturity and a desire to train at a high level.”

Ouatu and Rist will begin their JMU careers on Aug.12 when the Dukes host NC State at Sentara Park to open the 2026 season.

Kennedy Rist

Hometown: Palm Harbor, Fla.
Height: 5-8
Position: Goalkeeper
High School | Former School: East Lake | Northwestern State, UT-Dallas

Coach Walters’ thoughts: “Kennedy had an amazing year as the starting goalkeeper at the Southland Conference champion Northwestern State. What really stood out to us was her consistency in making saves with an 84% save percentage. Plus, she had one of our favorite stats, a GK assist! Her film showed us she could play well, but it was our conversation on the phone that made it apparent that her character would be a fantastic addition to the goalkeeper group and culture”

Jasmine Ouatu

Hometown: Nutley, N.J.
Height: 5-4
Position: Midfielder
High School | Former School: DePaul Catholic | Coastal Carolina

Coach Walters’ thoughts: “Jasmine hails from NJ but also brings some international experience playing with the Romanian youth national teams. She has an attacking personality that can play in the midfield or as a wide forward. Jasmine cut her teeth as a freshman at Coastal and thrived in 2 areas we value: high passing percentage and high success with dribbling. We expect her to feel very comfortable with the way we play.”