Savannah Leifried made her debut with the USC women’s soccer team last week.
The former Ceres High School multi-sport athlete collected two assists during the Trojans’ first two games.
She had one assist in USC’s 3-1 season-opening home loss to No. 3-ranked Duke on Aug. 12 at Rawlinson Stadium.
Leifried logged 58 minutes of playing time at defender while making her first start with NCAA Division-I USC.
She tallied her second assist in a 1-1 draw at Pepperdine on Sunday.
Leifried started and was on the field for all 90 minutes.
“I try to go into every game giving my all to get the best result for my team,” she said.
Leifried, 17, finished high school a year early to begin her college academic and athletic career.
“We’re excited to welcome her to USC and know she has a bright future ahead of her,” Trojans’ head coach Jane Alukonis said after adding Leifried to USC’s roster five days before the start of the 2026 season.
“I made the choice to reclassify so I could attend USC early,” Leifried stated. “The original plan was for me to attend USC in January of 2027. I got the call in June they wanted me for the fall 2026 season. I had one week to get there to start summer preseason. I think God laid it all out for me and it all was exactly how it was meant to be.”
Leifried signed her national letter of intent with the Trojans on Aug. 7.
“I want to thank God for placing this dream in my heart and for guiding me along the way,” she stated in a post on Instagram after making a verbal commitment to USC in September of 2025. “Thank you to all my coaches who have pushed me and helped me become the player I am today ... I want to thank my family for their unwavering support both on and off the pitch. To my parents: thank you for all your sacrifices in helping me chase my dreams. We did it!”
“Savannah is an intelligent player who has already gained valuable experience competing at a high level and in professional environments,” Alukonis said. “She brings versatility, an excellent soccer IQ, and strong technical quality to our program. Her composure on the ball, competitive nature, and consistency make her someone we know will have a positive impact on our back line.”
“Savannah has always had this unshakable faith in herself and God’s plans for her,” mother Lacey Leifried said. “I’m beyond proud of her. Savannah has worked so hard and sacrificed so much so to see her dreams become a reality is truly amazing.”
Leifried took official visits to USC, Alabama and Texas Christian University prior to deciding to become a Trojan.
“It was amazing to see the other programs and life outside of California,” she said. “But I chose USC because the second I stepped on campus it felt like home. The coaching staff and team just felt like a perfect fit and the fact that my family can drive to my home games was a huge plus.”
In Alukonis’ four years as USC’s head coach, the Trojans have amassed a 48-16-`13 overall record, won four NCAA Tournament games and claimed one Big Ten Conference championship.
Seeded first, USC advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament in 2024. Alukonis was named Big Ten Coach of the Year. The Trojans finished 18-1-4 on the season and first in the conference standings (10-0-1).
USC had its 2025 season cut short following a 1-0 loss to Northwestern in the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament. The Trojans went 7-7-3 and tied for seventh in league play (4-5-2).
USC claimed national titles in 2016 and 2007.
“We have the talent to compete at the highest level,” Leifried said. “We have the top 2026 recruiting class in the country and I am so honored to be a part of it.”
Leifried had an impressive resume prior to joining the USC women’s soccer program.
“Soccer is really important to me,” Savannah Leifried said in a past interview with the Courier. “I enjoy waking up and thinking about it every day. You have to make sacrifices to become the best. It will all be worth it in the end.”
A TopDrawerSoccer 4-Star Recruit, Leifried has played in the U.S. Youth National Team system at the U-17, U-18 and U-19 levels.
She traveled to Portugal as a member of the combined U-18/19 U.S. Women’s National Team this past October.
Leifried and U.S. edged Republic of Ireland 1-0 and battled to a 3-3 draw with Portugal.
Leifried reached a major milestone in her soccer career during her sophomore year at Ceres High when she was called up to a U.S. Women’s Youth National Team Training Camp (U-17) for the first time.
Leifried earned a spot on the U-18/19 Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) Northern California All-Conference First Team for her outstanding play during the 2025-26 season.
She earned an invitation to play in the ECNL National Selection Game.
She was also an ECNL Conference Cup Selection.
Leifried made history in 2023 by becoming the youngest player to sign with the Turlock-based Academica Women’s Soccer Club at the age of 14. She started every game during her two-year stint with semi-professional team.
“I really enjoy competing,” Savannah Leifried said at that time. “I love playing games. Training is fun, too. I’m a lion on the field.”
Leifried’s soccer journey began at the age of 3 when her grandfather Ed introduced her to the sport.
She played in the Ceres Youth Soccer Organization’s recreational league for two seasons prior to joining the competitive ranks at the age of 6.
Leifried was a member of the Modesto Ajax program for three years.
She elevated her level of play while suiting up for the San Jose Earthquakes Girls Academy and FC Bay Area Surf for a combined eight seasons.
A 4.0 student, Leifried is the first person from her family to attend a four-year university.
She beat the odds as just 2.8 percent of all high school girls soccer players in the United States go on to compete at the Division-I level according to a report released by the NCAA in 2024-25.
“The thing I admire the most about Savannah is her drive,” Lacey Leifried stated. “From a very young age, she said she wanted to play soccer. She’s always had a passion for it. She’s so motivated. She has a good combination of work ethic and talent. She’s also super humble.”
“I’ve always loved soccer,” Savannah Leifried said. “I stepped up my training as I got older. I want to keep learning. I want to continue to improve and challenge myself.”
