Harvard women’s soccer program welcomes seven first-years for 2025

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Harvard University women’s soccer will welcome seven first-years to the program for the start of the 2025 season as part of the Class of 2029, Chris Hamblin, The Branca Family Head Coach for Harvard Women’s Soccer, announced on Friday.

“We are very excited to welcome our incoming class to Harvard this fall,” Hamblin said. “This talented group of student-athletes brings high level soccer experience to our program and are a great fit for our locker room and the Harvard community. I would like to thank Mike Calise and Mark McDevitt for going above and beyond to identify and recruit the Class of 2029.  We are all looking forward to seeing this group play with the team this fall and make an impact on and off the field.”

The group includes one student-athlete each from the U.S. states of California, Massachusetts, Virginia, and Washington alongside international student-athletes from Canada, England, and Spain. The class features three midfielders, two forwards, and two defenders who have competed at top clubs in their respective regions.

Harvard’s Class of 2029 includes forward Kennedy Belfon (Whitby, Ontario), defender Phoebe Chadwick (Stoke-on-Trent, England), midfielder Hannah Eftekhari (San Diego, Calif.), defender Danicka Miller (Arlington, Va.), forward Kendra Santiago (New Bedford, Mass.), midfielder Elsa Santos López (Valdemoro, Spain), and midfielder Caroline Studebaker (Fall City, Wash.).

Kennedy Belfon
Forward | 5-foot-4 | Whitby, Ontario | All Saints Catholic Secondary School

• Member of the Canadian National Development Training Center
• Competed for Team Ontario in the U16 and U17 Provincial Selection Games
• Played for the Florida Premier Football Club ECNL and Markham SC
• Won a provincial championship with Markham SC
• Set a provincial record in the 4x100m relay

Phoebe Chadwick
Defender | 5-foot-7 | Stoke-on-Trent, England | Blythe Bridge School

• Captain of the England U16 National Team
• Earned her first cap against Wales
• Manchester United U21
• Won a National League Title in 2024
• Participated in Manchester United’s first team training camp and debuted in a friendly against PSV Eindhoven
• Debuted for Stoke City’s U16 team at the age of 13

Hannah Eftekhari
Midfielder | 5-foot-7 | San Diego, Calif. | La Jolla Country Day School

• Member of the San Diego Surf ECNL
• Member of the U.S. Youth National Futsal Team
• Earned ECNL First Team All-Conference Honors
• Pacific League Player of the Year
• Team Captain
• First Team All-Coastal League

Danicka Miller
Defender | 5-foot-7 | Arlington, Va. | Washington-Liberty High School

• Member of the Arlingston Soccer Club ECNL
• Rated the No. 45 defender in the country by Top Drawer Soccer
• Ranked in the IMG Academy Top 200 recruits
• Selected to the 2024 ECNL Conference Cup and Selection Game
• Earned ECNL First Team All-Conference in 2022-23 and ECNL Second Team All Conference in 2023-24
• 2024 First Team Washington Post All-Met Team

Kendra Santiago
Forward | 5-foot-6 | New Bedford, Mass. | Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School

• Member of the Scorpions Soccer Club ECNL
• 2024 Southcoast Girls Soccer Player of the Year
• Southcoast All-Star and Super Team Honors
• Team Captain
• Massachusets All-State
• Graduated as GNB Voc-Tech’s Valedictorian

Elsa Santos López
Midfielder | 5-foot-7 | Valdemoro, Spain | Valle del Miro

• Member of the U15-U19 Spanish National Team
• Made debut with Real Madrid’s First Team in 2024 at the age of 17 against Sevilla
• 2025 Champions League Quarterfinalist; ousted by eventual Champion Arsenal
• Won a Copa de la Reina Youth Title in 2024
• Won two league titles and posted an undeafeated season with the Real Madrid U19s
• Debuted with Real Madrid’s Second Team at the age of 15

Caroline Studebaker
Midfielder | 5-foot-10 | Fall City, Wash. | The Bear Creek School

• Member of the Crossfire Soccer Club ECNL
• Selected to the ECNL Selection Game
• Earned ECNL First Team All-Conference Honors
• Invited to the U.S. Youth National Team Talent Identification Centers
• Won the 2024 USL W League Northwest Championship
• Reached the USL W League Western Conference Finals in 2024