University of Memphis Athletics
Thursday, August 27
Oxford, Miss.
7 p.m.
University of Memphis
at
Ole Miss
Kitagawa, Lavin Earn Spots on MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List as No. 24 Tigers Travel to Ole Miss
Aug 26, 2026 | Women's Soccer
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The No. 24 Memphis women's soccer team continues its road swing Thursday, traveling to Oxford, Mississippi, for a 7 p.m. matchup against Ole Miss on SEC Network+.
The Tigers enter Thursday with a 1-2 record after facing No. 3 Vanderbilt last week in Nashville, falling 4-1 to the Commodores. Memphis will look to bounce back against an Ole Miss side that has opened the season with four consecutive victories.
Memphis is ranked No. 24 in this week's United Soccer Coaches Poll, marking the 16th consecutive poll in which the Tigers have been ranked. Memphis has now received at least one vote in 44 consecutive polls, a streak dating back to the final poll of the 2022 season.
Senior defender Finley Lavin and junior midfielder Ai Kitagawa were named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List on Wednesday. The MAC Hermann Trophy is the highest individual honor in college soccer, recognizing the nation's player of the year, with 62 players selected to this season's watch list.
Lavin, Memphis' captain and a native of Jarrettsville, Maryland, was named a First Team All-American and MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist last season. The senior has played every minute of the Tigers' first three matches this season.
Kitagawa, a native of Itami City, Hyogo, Japan, leads Memphis in points (5), shots (11), goals (2), shots on goal (6), assists (1) and game-winning goals (1). The junior scored both goals in Memphis' season-opening 2-0 victory over Kennesaw State before providing an assist against Alabama.
SCOUTING REPORT
Thursday's contest will mark the Tigers' third consecutive matchup against an SEC opponent after facing Alabama and Vanderbilt. Ole Miss enters the match with a 4-0 record, its first 4-0 start since 2013, following victories over Murray State, Louisiana, Charleston and UAB.
Memphis will look to even the all-time series between the programs, with Ole Miss holding a 13-12-3 advantage. The Tigers have won each of the last three meetings, including a 3-2 victory in Memphis last season. Memphis outshot the Rebels 14-6 in that contest, with Flavie Dube, Ai Kitagawa and Alex Mackay each finding the back of the net.
Memphis owns a 44-44-8 all-time record against current SEC programs and is 41-30-5 against the conference since head coach Brooks Monaghan took over the program in 2000.
Ole Miss is led by first-year head coach Todd Shulenberger, who arrived in Oxford after spending 11 seasons at Washington State. Shulenberger owns a 117-67-34 record over his collegiate head coaching career.
The Rebels return Katie Ramsden and Sarah Granno, who combined to account for 14 of Ole Miss' 30 points last season. This season Ramsden has recorded five shots and one goal, while Granno has added a goal and an assist.
Ole Miss has been one of the nation's strongest defensive teams through the opening weeks of the 2026 campaign. The Rebels rank 19th nationally with a .250 goals-against average after conceding just once through four matches. Ole Miss also ranks 19th in shutout percentage (.750), recording clean sheets in three of its first four contests.
TIGER TIDBITS
For the Tigers' most recent and up-to-date schedule, click HERE.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE TIGERS: For complete information on Memphis Tigers Soccer, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
The Tigers enter Thursday with a 1-2 record after facing No. 3 Vanderbilt last week in Nashville, falling 4-1 to the Commodores. Memphis will look to bounce back against an Ole Miss side that has opened the season with four consecutive victories.
Memphis is ranked No. 24 in this week's United Soccer Coaches Poll, marking the 16th consecutive poll in which the Tigers have been ranked. Memphis has now received at least one vote in 44 consecutive polls, a streak dating back to the final poll of the 2022 season.
Senior defender Finley Lavin and junior midfielder Ai Kitagawa were named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List on Wednesday. The MAC Hermann Trophy is the highest individual honor in college soccer, recognizing the nation's player of the year, with 62 players selected to this season's watch list.
Lavin, Memphis' captain and a native of Jarrettsville, Maryland, was named a First Team All-American and MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist last season. The senior has played every minute of the Tigers' first three matches this season.
Kitagawa, a native of Itami City, Hyogo, Japan, leads Memphis in points (5), shots (11), goals (2), shots on goal (6), assists (1) and game-winning goals (1). The junior scored both goals in Memphis' season-opening 2-0 victory over Kennesaw State before providing an assist against Alabama.
SCOUTING REPORT
Thursday's contest will mark the Tigers' third consecutive matchup against an SEC opponent after facing Alabama and Vanderbilt. Ole Miss enters the match with a 4-0 record, its first 4-0 start since 2013, following victories over Murray State, Louisiana, Charleston and UAB.
Memphis will look to even the all-time series between the programs, with Ole Miss holding a 13-12-3 advantage. The Tigers have won each of the last three meetings, including a 3-2 victory in Memphis last season. Memphis outshot the Rebels 14-6 in that contest, with Flavie Dube, Ai Kitagawa and Alex Mackay each finding the back of the net.
Memphis owns a 44-44-8 all-time record against current SEC programs and is 41-30-5 against the conference since head coach Brooks Monaghan took over the program in 2000.
Ole Miss is led by first-year head coach Todd Shulenberger, who arrived in Oxford after spending 11 seasons at Washington State. Shulenberger owns a 117-67-34 record over his collegiate head coaching career.
The Rebels return Katie Ramsden and Sarah Granno, who combined to account for 14 of Ole Miss' 30 points last season. This season Ramsden has recorded five shots and one goal, while Granno has added a goal and an assist.
Ole Miss has been one of the nation's strongest defensive teams through the opening weeks of the 2026 campaign. The Rebels rank 19th nationally with a .250 goals-against average after conceding just once through four matches. Ole Miss also ranks 19th in shutout percentage (.750), recording clean sheets in three of its first four contests.
TIGER TIDBITS
- Memphis holds the nation's second-highest road winning percentage since the start of the 2023 season, posting an 18-4-2 record and a .792 winning percentage. The Tigers sit just behind current No. 1 Stanford (.804) and ahead of No. 16 Florida State (.769), last season's national runner-up and champion, respectively.
- Memphis has received at least one vote in 44 consecutive United Soccer Coaches polls dating back to the final poll of the 2022 season.
- Thursday's contest will mark Memphis' 10th matchup against an SEC opponent over the last three seasons.
- Two Tigers recorded collegiate firsts in last week's matchup at No. 3 Vanderbilt. Natalie Dvorakova headed home her first collegiate goal in the 88th minute, while freshman Miyu Morota provided her first collegiate assist. Morota has played just 47 minutes through the Tigers' first three matches.
For the Tigers' most recent and up-to-date schedule, click HERE.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE TIGERS: For complete information on Memphis Tigers Soccer, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Players Mentioned
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