Completed Event: Women's Soccer versus UC Irvine on August 14, 2025 , Loss , 1, to, 4
W Soccer
vs UC Irvine
L 1-4
Grand Canyon University Athletics
3 transfers round out 2023 roster
6/7/2023 2:21:00 PM | Women's Soccer
Jackson, Smith, Sanders bolster GCU's fall team
The Grand Canyon women's soccer team finalized its 2023 roster with the addition of three summer transfers.
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Goalkeeper DeAira Jackson, forward Hannah Smith and defender Jayden Sanders will join the Lopes with multiple years of eligibility.
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Jackson, a junior, joins the Lopes after two seasons at Cal State Fullerton, where she appeared in 16 games and made 49 saves with two shutouts in 968 minutes.
In 2022, she appeared in just four games, allowing just one goal with an .875 save percentage. Her 6-foot-1 frame will make her one of the taller goalkeepers in the WAC for the upcoming season.
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Jackson has been a multi-sport athlete dating back to high school, where she played soccer, ran track and field and was the kicker on the football team at Rancho Cucamonga High in California. In 2019, Jackson was tabbed as Team USA's Next Olympic Hopeful in rugby at the age of 17.
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Smith, a sophomore, comes to GCU after completing her freshman season at Saint Louis. Smith was part of a Billikens team that was ranked in the national top 10 for most of the season, finishing 20-2 to capture a fifth consecutive Atlantic 10 Tournament title and NCAA tournament qualification.
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The 5-foot 6 forward from Eureka, Missouri, played in 16 games, including eight conference matches in the Atlantic 10 to lead the Billikens' freshmen with 436 minutes.
Smith's first collegiate points came in a 7-0 win at Missouri State on a pair of second-half assists.
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Sanders, a sophomore, joins Smith in the GCU backline after one season at Oregon State. The 5-foot-8 defender appeared in six games off the bench in the challenging Pac-12, recording a career-high 43 minutes at Arizona.
The Brentwood, California, native competed for the West Coast Soccer Wicked club in her prep career, winning a national title in 2018 and participating in a 2019 Olympic Development Program Regional Camp.
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Fourth-year head coach Chris Cissell's GCU roster now sits at 29 players ahead of the fall season.
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Goalkeeper DeAira Jackson, forward Hannah Smith and defender Jayden Sanders will join the Lopes with multiple years of eligibility.
Â
Jackson, a junior, joins the Lopes after two seasons at Cal State Fullerton, where she appeared in 16 games and made 49 saves with two shutouts in 968 minutes.
In 2022, she appeared in just four games, allowing just one goal with an .875 save percentage. Her 6-foot-1 frame will make her one of the taller goalkeepers in the WAC for the upcoming season.
Â
Jackson has been a multi-sport athlete dating back to high school, where she played soccer, ran track and field and was the kicker on the football team at Rancho Cucamonga High in California. In 2019, Jackson was tabbed as Team USA's Next Olympic Hopeful in rugby at the age of 17.
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Smith, a sophomore, comes to GCU after completing her freshman season at Saint Louis. Smith was part of a Billikens team that was ranked in the national top 10 for most of the season, finishing 20-2 to capture a fifth consecutive Atlantic 10 Tournament title and NCAA tournament qualification.Â
The 5-foot 6 forward from Eureka, Missouri, played in 16 games, including eight conference matches in the Atlantic 10 to lead the Billikens' freshmen with 436 minutes.
Smith's first collegiate points came in a 7-0 win at Missouri State on a pair of second-half assists.
Â
Sanders, a sophomore, joins Smith in the GCU backline after one season at Oregon State. The 5-foot-8 defender appeared in six games off the bench in the challenging Pac-12, recording a career-high 43 minutes at Arizona.
The Brentwood, California, native competed for the West Coast Soccer Wicked club in her prep career, winning a national title in 2018 and participating in a 2019 Olympic Development Program Regional Camp.
Â
Fourth-year head coach Chris Cissell's GCU roster now sits at 29 players ahead of the fall season.
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Players Mentioned
Kendra Potts Post Match Press Conference | GCU vs NAU 9.7.25
Monday, September 08
"Your Life Arizona" Featuring Vice President of Athletics Jamie Boggs
Friday, September 05
Kaleb Smith | Media Availability | 9.3.25
Thursday, September 04
Dusty Stromer | Media Availability | 9.3.25
Thursday, September 04