Catholic University of America

Sommers Highlights                                                                                                                                                                            Updated 1-14-25

• 3 United Soccer Coaches All-Region Selections (Isabel Doherty, 2024; Sam Cesario, 2023; Jordan Siok, 2023)
• 12 All-Landmark selections (4 1st Team, 7 2nd Team, 1 HM)
• 14 CoSIDA/CSC Academic All-District selections

Casey Sommers recently completed her fourth full season as the head coach of the Catholic women's soccer program in 2024. Sommers was named the 10th head coach in program history on March 20, 2020. 

The 2024 season saw the Cardinals post a record of 8-7-4, including a 4-3-2 record in Landmark Conference play. One of the top defensive teams in the Landmark Conference in the Division III, Sommers' program ranked 21st nationally in Goals-Against Average with a mark of 0.526 as they allowed just 10 goals in 19 games. Catholic posted 12 shutouts in 19 games as junior goalkeeper Ava Rieger finished 11th nationally with 11 shutouts while Maeve Graham added the other for the Cardinals. Rieger was one of three Cardinals honored by the Landmark Conference, giving Sommers 12 all-conference selections under her watch. Midfielder Isabel Doherty was named to the All-Landmark First Team while earning all-region honors in the process.

The 2023 campaign was a massively successful one for coach Sommers and staff as the Cardinals quadrupled their win total from the previous season, notching 12 victories for the first time since 2015. The Cardinals posted a record of 12-5-3 and achieved a 6-1-2 mark in Landmark Conference play, earning a first-round bye in the Landmark Conference and the program's first home playoff game in eight seasons. An Isabel Doherty overtime tally pushed the Cardinals past Drew in the semifinal and booked Catholic's place in the conference tournament final for the first time in eight years.

The Cardinals boasted the best defense in the Landmark Conference in 2023, conceding just 17 goals in 20 matches and posting an impressive 12 clean sheets. Sommers' side also netted 36 goals, more than double the team's total in the prior season. Impressive senior Jordan Siok netted 15 goals, including five multi-goal games and five game winning goals, and provided three assists to headline six all-conference selections, Catholic's most since 2015. Defensive stalwart Sam Cesario and starting goalkeeper Ava Rieger joined Siok on the first team while the midfield duo of Payton Hardy and Doherty were named to the second team. Sophomore defender Teighan Boyle was honored as an honorable mention. Catholic also had five student-athletes named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Team, a new program record.

In 2022, Sommers' program scratched and clawed to a Landmark Conference Tournament appearance before giving top-seeded Scranton all it could handle in a 2OT thriller. Freshman keeper Ava Rieger set a tournament record with 15 saves, handling an onslaught of Scranton shots before finally relenting in the 95th minute. The Cardinals posted a record of 3-4-1 on Carlini Field with a crucial 2-1 victory over Elizabethtown to send Catholic to the Landmark Tournament mixed in. A pair of Cardinals were named to the All-Landmark Second Team in 2022, Jordan Siok and Brienna Spano. Sommers also had three athletes selected to the CSC Academic All-District Team. 

Sommers came to Catholic after spending six seasons as the head coach at John Jay College of Criminal Justice where she was a two-time City University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNYAC) Coach of the Year. Over her last two seasons in New York City, she led the Bloodhounds to a record of 22-14-3, including a mark of 10-1-0 in the CUNYAC, back-to-back conference championship games and the program's first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Championship.

John Jay also boasted 14 all-conference selections under Sommers, including the 2019 CUNYAC Player of the Year and the CUNYAC Rookie of the Year in 2017 and 2018.

Sommers led the Bloodhounds to a school record 12 wins in 2019, their first-ever CUNYAC championship and first-ever NCAA tournament appearance. She was named CUNYAC Coach of the Year after the team earned the top-seed in the conference tournament for the first time in program history with a perfect 5-0 record and had a league-best five players named All-CUNYAC.

In 2018, Sommers led John Jay to the CUNYAC championship game for the first time since 2011. The Bloodhounds finished the season with a 10-7-2 record after making their first-ever appearance in the ECAC Division III Women's Soccer Championship.

Sommers earned her first CUNYAC Coach of the Year award in 2017 as she led John Jay to the semifinals of the CUNYAC Women's Soccer Championship for the second time. The team also posted its first winning record in conference play with a mark of 4-1-1. The Bloodhounds had the CUNYAC Rookie of the Year as well as two first team all-conference selections.

While at John Jay, Sommers also served as the Youth Program Coordinator for the NY Cosmos Training & Development Program and was the U9 Head Coach and U16 Trainer for the Kosmos Football Club.

Sommers began her coaching career as an assistant at Division I Fordham, a fellow Catholic instituton and her alma mater, from 2005-13. With the Rams, she oversaw recruiting efforts and player development, assisted in the game and practice planning, organized social, marketing, networking and instructional events while creating the team's alumni program. During her nine seasons, Fordham made four appearances in the A-10 Women's Soccer Championship, advancing to the semifinals each time and playing in the championship game twice in 2006 and 2007.

Sommers played in 61 games for the Rams, primarily as a midfielder from 1999 to 2002. She made 56 starts and totaled 19 points with six goals and seven assists. She served as team captain as a junior and graduated with a bachelor's degree in political science and a minor in business in 2003.

Off the field, Sommers also served as the Business Development Manager for John Jay Athletics where she was handled all business development, human resources and other financial management responsibilities for the department.