Duke’s Travers and Minestrella Shine as Blue Devils Return to College Cup
Duke women’s soccer is headed back to the NCAA College Cup, and two key names are front and center in that journey: freshman defender Jocelyn Travers and junior forward Mia Minestrella. Both players earned Team of the Week honors from TopDrawerSoccer following standout performances in the NCAA Quarterfinals-and for good reason.
Let’s start with Travers. The freshman out of Santa Cruz, California, played 86 composed, high-impact minutes in Duke’s 3-0 win over No.
13 Washington. She not only helped anchor a back line that’s been nothing short of elite this postseason, but also chipped in offensively with an assist on Duke’s second goal of the match.
That moment wasn’t just a nice stat-padding play-it was a key contributor to Duke’s dominance and momentum in the quarterfinal.
Defensively, Travers has been a revelation. She helped lock down Washington to secure Duke’s fourth straight shutout in the NCAA Tournament, and their 12th of the season.
That’s not just solid defending-that’s elite-level consistency. And here’s the kicker: Duke is the only team in the entire tournament that hasn’t conceded a single goal.
That’s a testament to a defensive unit that’s clicking at the right time, with Travers playing a major role. She’s now started seven straight matches and has three assists in that stretch.
For a freshman, that’s not just promising-it’s game-changing.
Then there’s Mia Minestrella, who’s been on an absolute tear. The junior from Redondo Beach, California, is doing what few have ever done in the NCAA Tournament-score in every single game.
Four matches. Four goals.
And she’s not just scoring-she’s leading the entire tournament with six goals and tied for first with 13 points. That’s the kind of production you usually only see in highlight reels or record books.
Against Washington, Minestrella added another goal and an assist to her tournament tally, continuing her red-hot run. She now sits at 18 goals on the season-just one shy of Duke’s single-season record set by Michelle Cooper. That record is within reach, and with at least one more game to play, don’t be surprised if she matches-or surpasses-it.
Duke’s 3-0 win over Washington wasn’t just another victory. It punched their ticket to the College Cup for the second straight year, making them the 12th program in NCAA history to go back-to-back. It also marks the sixth College Cup appearance in program history-a testament to the consistency and high-level play that’s become a hallmark of Duke women’s soccer.
Next up? A heavyweight showdown with top-ranked Stanford on Friday, Dec. 5 at 8:45 p.m.
ET, live from Kansas City on ESPNU. It’s a clash of elite programs, and with players like Travers and Minestrella firing on all cylinders, Duke is heading into the College Cup with momentum, confidence, and plenty of firepower.