Lopes look to future with class of 2025

Grand Canyon women's soccer is on the rise after another winning season in 2024. The Lopes have gone 52-22-11 in the last four seasons under head coach Chris Cissell, who is building a winning pedigree in Phoenix.

GCU made it back to the WAC Tournament championship match for the third time in four years last weekend, but a reality set in when the season wrapped up. A 12-player senior class will exit the program, leaving room for new additions to the 2025 GCU women's soccer team. The additions begin with National Signing Day, when Cissell announced the signing of six freshmen for fall 2025.

"We are thrilled and excited to welcome these incredible student-athletes in to our awesome GCU soccer family and culture," Cissell said. "These student-athletes are great soccer players, of course, but are also tremendous people that will add to team-first mentality and family culture. We are excited to see what they will accomplish on and off the field here at GCU."

The class is made up of six incoming freshmen, three coming from in-state high schools and three from St. Louis, San Diego and Lima, Peru. Three of the signees were constants at GCU Soccer ID camps over the years.

MEET THE CLASS

players listed alphabetically

CAPRICE CHIUCHIOLO

Midfielder- Gilbert, Ariz. - Gilbert Christian HS

EXPERIENCE: Chiuchiolo joins the Lopes from Gilbert Christian High School, where she put up 75 goals, 52 assists and 202 points in 42 games during her first three years. Her senior season is upcoming, as she will look to win back-to-back state championships. Chiuchiolo recently represented Ecuador in the FIFA U17 World Cup, where she scored four goals and two assists, including a brace in Ecuador's win over New Zealand. Chiuchiolo also played high school football as the kicker.

WHY GCU?: "I chose GCU because it is a faith-based University and has a great culture. It is close to home, the soccer program has been very successful, and we have an amazing coaching staff." — Chiuchiolo

SCOUTING REPORT: "Caprice is a great local talent who stars for the Del Sol Soccer Club with fellow signee, Elle Stanley. We have known Caprice for a long time as she has attended all of our ID camps the past few years. She is a phenomenal central midfielder who strikes the ball, is a good dribbler and passes extremely well. We are excited for her to bring her experience from this summer's FIFA U17 World Cup with Ecuador to campus." — Cissell

TAYLOR GERST

Defender - St. Louis, Mo. - Parkway South HS

EXPERIENCE: Gerst comes from St. Louis, where she plays for one of the best clubs in the country at St. Louis Scott Gallagher ECNL Navy, where she was named to the U16 All-Conference ECNL first team. She has played two seasons for Parkway South High School, taking home all-conference second-team honors last season. Gerst's favorite players to watch are Rose Lavelle, Christen Press and Naomi Girma.

WHY GCU?: "I chose GCU because the campus is beautiful, there are great opportunities with my intended major, and I really like the soccer team culture," — Gerst

SCOUTING REPORT: "Taylor is very technical and an astute, tactically aware and extremely knowledgeable soccer player. She possesses great versatility and has the unique ability to help our soccer family in several different roles and positions," — Cissell

ALIVIA GOWDY

Defender - Gilbert, Ariz. - Red Mountain HS

EXPERIENCE: Gowdy comes from a sports family with her father, James, playing college baseball at Adelphi and her mother, Melissa, playing college soccer at San Francisco. She and her younger sisters are members of Arizona Arsenal. Gowdy competed in a year of track and field and football at Red Mountain High School in Mesa, but she has focused on soccer for all four years. Her 2023 campaign included winning East Valley Region Defensive Player of the Year, as well as being honored on all-region first team and all-state second team.

WHY GCU?: "I chose GCU because of the amazing coaching staff, the family culture of the soccer program, a desire to be part of a competitive program, the beautiful campus and to be a part of a Christian community. Plus, I get to play college soccer in my home state." — Gowdy

SCOUTING REPORT: "Alivia is someone that we have known and watched develop for quite some time. She is a great, local player from Arizona Arsenal who has been attending our ID camps for years, and we are so excited to make this signing official. Gowdy is a great athlete and tenacious defender that will add to the great depth of our team," — Cissell

IVANNA GUTIERREZ

Defender - Lima, Peru - Saco Oliveros

EXPERIENCE: Gutierrez brings years of international experience from Lima, Peru. Alongside a high school career at Saco Oliveros, Gutierrez played for Peru's U17 national team in large tournaments across South America, including the U17 World Cup qualifiers. She faced great competition throughout Peru with her travel team, Sporting Cristal.

WHY GCU?: "I chose GCU because of the great connection with the coaches and the team." — Gutierrez

SCOUTING REPORT: "We are excited for Ivanna to bring her international experience and overall soccer savvy and knowledge to our soccer family. She is a very technical player with great skills and will add great experience to our team immediately." — Cissell

ELLE STANLEY

Defender - Phoenix, Ariz. - Sandra Day O'Connor HS

EXPERIENCE: Stanley joins her Del Sol Soccer teammate, Caprice Chiuchiolo, in this year's signing class. Stanley is a four-year varsity player for Sandra Day O'Connor High School in Phoenix with a 4.5 weighted GPA. The coaching staff saw her as one of the top center backs in the country during recruiting. She is one of three Arizona signees staying home to play at GCU.

WHY GCU?: "I chose GCU because of the culture, campus being close to home, and I love the coaching staff." — Stanley

SCOUTING REPORT: "Elle is another great local player from the Del Sol Soccer Club, where she is teammates with Caprice Chiuchiolo. She is a very strong, athletic, soccer intelligent center back who is a great defender. We also expect her to be very dangerous going forward on all set pieces. She will compete right away and we are thrilled she will be joining our soccer family next semester in January." — Cissell

ROSALYN WISNIEW-COLWELL

Forward - San Diego, Calif. - Academy of Our Lady of Peace

EXPERIENCE: Wisniew-Colwell has been a four-year starter at Academy of Our Lady of Peace, racking up years of academic awards on top of her sports duties. She is in great shape, as she also played lacrosse for a year and ran two years of cross country in high school. Wisniew-Colwell has experience in many positions through the midfield and final third.

WHY GCU?: "I chose GCU because it is a Christian school and I loved the women's soccer coaches. All the people that I met on campus made me feel welcomed and I loved the energy and school spirit when I attended the soccer match here." — Wisniew-Colwell

SCOUTING REPORT: "Rosalyn came to one of our ID camps and completely impressed the entire coaching staff with her work rate, effort and attitude. She is a tremendous athlete with great passion, and we were so excited to be able to welcome her in to our soccer family," — Cissell

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