Highlighted Hens: Maggie Groh, Women’s Soccer

The first player-specific Highlighted Hens, focused on Women's Soccer forward Maggie Groh. Including quotes from Maggie and Head Coach Kelly Lawrence.

(Delaware Athletics)

Welcome to our first “in-season” edition of Highlighted Hens, where we will feature a student athlete that has stood out on their respective field, court, diamond, or rink. Our first focus is on junior forward Maggie Groh, who was the initial offensive spark for Women’s Soccer that kicked off its best start in program history.

In her freshman and sophomore year combined, Maggie Groh scored four goals paired with an assist across 900 minutes. To kick off her junior year, Groh tallied the first goal of the season for the Hens, finding the net a second time and tallying an assist in the team’s 5-2 opening night win against Mount St. Mary’s. From this start, Maggie was awarded the season’s first Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week, the school’s first all-conference honoree in its new conference home. “Being the first selection of the season for Offensive Player of the Week was truly an honor,” Groh stated. “It’s my first recognition of my college career, so definitely exciting that it made history. It means so much to bring attention to the school and my team proving we are capable of making an impact in a new and competitive conference.”

She remained in excellent form across their next two fixtures, providing both a goal and assist against Bucknell and another assist at George Mason. In the program’s most recent match against former CAA opponent William & Mary, Maggie scored the game’s only goal with a late 88th-minute winner. “This season has already been special,” Groh responded when asked of her strong start. “Knowing I contributed in a big way has been an awesome role to carry.”

Someone who wasn’t surprised from Maggie’s early output? Head Coach Kelly Lawrence. When asked what gave her belief in Maggie for 2025, she highlighted her growth of mindset and competitive drive in the offseason. “(Maggie) is one of the hardest workers in the weight room, someone who holds herself very accountable and put the work in fitness-wise to a good place where she has become multi-dimensional. She is starting to lead herself very well and also others,” Lawrence described.

(Delaware Athletics)

While Groh leading the team in both goals and assists, a pair of freshmen each have three goals and two assists to their names in Lilli Lubic and Adiat Olaogun-Dickson. Both Lubic and Olaogun-Dickson have made instant impacts in the final third for the Hens, each with 8 points and over 500 minutes on the season. Lubic received CUSA Offensive Player of the Week honors on September 2nd after scoring the game-tying goal against Towson and the game-winning goal against UMBC.

Along with this pairing, freshman goalkeeper Sophia Hall and defender Maura Fisher have started in every match for the Hens so far. Fisher has been a key fullback for the defense in front of Hall, who has been named Conference USA Goalkeeper of the Week twice. Hall, with 5 shutouts on the season, is currently averaging 4.2 saves and 0.67 goals against per game.

“We’re in year three (as a staff), so we expected first years to come in and impact in some way. The entire first year class came in physically prepared,” Lawrence replied when asked about relying on four freshmen throughout all three levels of the field. “I think our squad has been the reason for why the first years have been able to make an impact. They’ve made it easy for them to be themselves and want them to bring their best to the team every day.”

Through their nine-game non-conference schedule, Delaware Women’s Soccer finished with their best start in program history: winning seven, tying two, and going without a defeat. The program is currently ranked 49th in RPI, which is currently the highest in Conference USA. The United Soccer Coaches Association currently has Delaware ranked 3rd in the South region, below just Memphis (7-0-1, 13th RPI) and Rice (5-1-1, 41st RPI).

Now, the focus ahead for the Hens is making an impact in early conference play. “We’re excited to compete in a conference that we believe will be incredibly tough to compete in and will play some very good soccer,” acknowledged head coach Kelly Lawrence when asked about the university’s transition from the Coastal Athletic Association to Conference USA. Delaware will have a strong test immediately in their CUSA opener in hosting Florida International, the defending conference champions from a year ago. The Panthers, who won the 2024 CUSA Tournament, have started this fall 3-2-3. FIU is ranked 9th in the USCA South Region and sit at 121st in RPI, currently third in the conference. Click here for the rest of Delaware’s eight-game conference schedule.

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