RICHMOND, Ky. - The Eastern Kentucky University women's soccer program added five student-athletes to its 2027 incoming class on National Signing Day.
 
Maggie Murphy, Gabby Masterson, Lily Atkinson, Sam Danaher and Kierce Walls will join the Colonels next fall, bringing championship-level play from five states.
 
The class includes Kentucky native Murphy, along with Masterson from Illinois, Atkinson from Utah, Danaher from California, and Walls from Oklahoma.
 
Since 2021, nine EKU freshmen have combined for 12 all-conference honors, including an ASUN Freshman of the Year award.
 
Maggie Murphy - Defender
Murphy, a 5-foot-5 defender from LaGrange, Kentucky, attends South Oldham High School, where she recorded more than 18 goals and 12 assists during her career.
 
She helped lead the Dragons to a state championship appearance and a 10-1-2 record as a senior, earning Region 8 Player of the Year honors. Murphy received all-region recognition in each of her four seasons, including first-team selections as a junior and senior.
 
"Maggie is such an intelligent and confident defender," head coach Matt Cosinuke said. "She impacts the play with her strength and quality and will immediately impact our back line and help us continue to pursue championship level defense. It's great to keep one of the best in the state at home!"
 
Gabby Masterson - Forward
Masterson, a 5-foot-11 forward from Barrington, Illinois, attends Barrington High School, where she helped the Fillies capture conference, regional and sectional championships in three consecutive seasons. That stretch included a third-place state finish in 2025 and an 18-4-1 campaign in 2026, when she earned MSL All-Conference honors.
 
Masterson comes from a soccer family. Both parents, Mike and Neena, played at Loyola University Chicago, while her aunt, Jenna Szczesny, also competed at Loyola before being drafted by the Chicago Red Stars of the National Women's Soccer League.
 
"Gabby is a great athlete and a dynamic presence," Cosinuke said. "Her work-rate out of possession and ability to cover distance as a threat behind is outstanding. We know she will come into preseason and compete to make impact immediately."
 
Lily Atkinson - Goalkeeper
Atkinson, a 5-foot-7 goalkeeper from Ogden, Utah, attends Bonneville High School, where she helped the Lakers finish 16-4 and capture a region championship as a senior. She recorded 13 shutouts that season, leading the region and ranking second statewide.
 
Atkinson earned first-team all-state honors in 2024-25 and second-team recognition in 2025-26, along with first-team all-region selections in both seasons. Atkinson totaled over 22 shutouts over her career. She chose EKU for its family atmosphere and the opportunity to grow as a student and an athlete.
 
"Lily is a BEAST," Cosinuke said. "She will immediately challenge for opportunities in goal and will help us push our goalkeeping core to new heights. She's an explosive athlete and is very talented with her feet in possession. She's a terrific teammate, fierce competitor, and a great person."
 
Sam Danaher - Midfielder
Danaher, a 5-foot-6 midfielder from Lake Forest, California, attends El Toro High School, where she earned first- and second-team all-league honors and MVP recognition.
 
She helped the Chargers capture league and Best of the West Tournament championships. A multisport athlete, Danaher is a two-time state champion and two-time Southern Section champion in cross country, earning team MVP honors three times.
 
"Sam is a tremendously talented central midfielder," Cosinuke said. "She covers ground at a high level and makes a ton of impact on the game with her talent and intelligence. It's great to have another west coaster choosing EKU as their home and we are excited for her to be a part of our family."
 
Kierce Walls - Midfielder
Walls, a 5-foot-4 midfielder from Jenks, Oklahoma, attends Jenks High School, where she totaled 19 goals and eight assists across three seasons while helping the Lady Trojans win three consecutive district championships.
 
In 2026, Walls earned all-district honors after recording seven goals and three assists as Jenks finished 15-1, ranking seventh nationally and first in its region. She also received honorable mention all-state recognition in 2025 and varsity Newcomer of the Year honors in 2024.
 
"Kierce is as tough of a human as you can ask for," Cosinuke said. "She is dynamic off the ball and sees scoring opportunities at a really high level. We loved her personality and competitiveness from the moment we first spoke with her and expect for her to challenge and gel the existing attacking group immediately."
 
The incoming class will join a program enjoying one of its most successful seasons. EKU finished the 2026 regular season 10-6-3 overall and 6-2-2 in UAC play, capturing its second regular-season conference championship and securing the first No. 1 conference tournament seed in program history.
 
The Colonels have built on three seasons of sustained success, recording at least 10 wins each year, reaching a conference championship match, and earning more than 21 all-conference honors.