Soccer Welcomes 11 Players for 2025 Season
7/16/2025 2:00:00 PM | Women's Soccer
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – With practice set to get underway later this month, Southern Miss soccer coach Mohammed El-Zare welcomes 11 newcomers to the roster for the 2025 season.
Those include goalkeeper Mariana Amezcua (Puebla, Mexico), midfielder Fatim Bangus (Skarpnaeck, Sweden), Ava Bynes (San Marcos, Calif.), Paula Castro (Madrid, Spain), Kiana Dufour (Laval, Quebec), Ameera Edwards (Mobile, Ala.), Saliah Johnson (San Anselmo, California), Rhyleigh Marks (Ballynure, Great Britain), Zayla Reagan (Venus, Texas), Addison Siders (Hattiesburg, Miss.) and Addison Strickland (Mobile, Ala.).
Amezcua comes to Southern Miss from Castlefield School and Puebla FC, where she made her First Division debut and captured second place during the 2019 inter-school season and collected a first-place finish during the 2023 inter-school season.
Bangus played for IF Brommapojkarna and helped the club finish third in the U19 Division in 2022, while placing third in that division and second in the U17 group in 2023. The 2024 U17 squad also finished third in the Swedish Championship. She attended Vermdoe Gymnasium High School.
Bynes transferred from San Jose State and played for the No. 1 ranked WPSL in Southern California, the San Diego Dons. She won the Mountain West President's Scholar while at SJSU and appeared in 10 games during her two-year career there. During her time at San Marcos High School, the four-year starter and second team all-league selection was team captain for back-to-back state finalist squads. She recorded the most assists in school history and was collected the Offensive and Playmaker of the Year award.
Castro, a first-team all-conference selection at Central Missouri, played her first two seasons there. She posted two goals against Missouri last season as he played in 21 matches with 20 starts. She also led the team in assists with nine. She attended IS Virgen De La Paloma for high school.
Dufour comes to Southern Miss from Canada, where she was a standout for her club team as well as playing for the Haitian national teams on the U17 and U20 squads.
Edwards attended Cottage Hill High School, earning All-State honors in 2024 and playing to the final four in the state twice with her squad while winning the area championship three times. The 2024 Sunrise Rotary Player of the Year also was selected to play on the North/South All-Star game, made All-County and Offensive Player of the Year three times each. Here club team is Pensacola FC Women's Academy where she also captured 2024 ECNL all-regional league team honors.
Johnson was a four-year player and a team captain at San Domenico High School in San Anselmo, Calif., where she also is a member of the Zimbabwe U20 National Team that participated in the World Cup Qualifier. She earned both second team and first team All-BCL West soccer honors during her time there. Her school honors also included freshman Year Most Valuable Player for both soccer and track and field, as well sophomore Year MVP in soccer. She was awarded the Coaches award her junior campaign and the Panther Pride Award as a senior.
Marks played for Linfield FC in Northern Ireland and was one of the youngest players in the Danske Bank Women's Premiership when she made her way through the youth ranks at Linfield before making her first team debut in June 2021. She scored five goals as a midfielder in 65 appearances for the club. She attended Ballyclare High School
Reagan, who attended Midlothian High School, currently plays for Americas FC. She was a part of the two-time National championship for NPL in Colorado and won the Golden Boot for her district in high school play as well as capturing TASCO honorable mention All-State, Dallas Morning News second team All-Area, UIL state all-tournament team, a state semifinalist and a candidate for All-Ellis County Player of the Year.
Siders was a two-time Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Mississippi and ended her high school career with 345 points, including 87 goals and 84 assists. She helped Sumrall to a third-round appearance in the MHSAA Class 4A playoffs and was named the Region 7 Class 4A Player of the Year. She also earned Pine Belt Sports Player of the Year twice in her career.
Strickland comes to Southern Miss from McGill-Toolen High School, where she also played for the Pensacola FC women's academy team. She also played for the Mobile Bay Rush.
The Golden Eagles open their season with an exhibition match at home, Monday, Aug. 4, against Holmes Community College. Game time is set for 5 p.m.
Those include goalkeeper Mariana Amezcua (Puebla, Mexico), midfielder Fatim Bangus (Skarpnaeck, Sweden), Ava Bynes (San Marcos, Calif.), Paula Castro (Madrid, Spain), Kiana Dufour (Laval, Quebec), Ameera Edwards (Mobile, Ala.), Saliah Johnson (San Anselmo, California), Rhyleigh Marks (Ballynure, Great Britain), Zayla Reagan (Venus, Texas), Addison Siders (Hattiesburg, Miss.) and Addison Strickland (Mobile, Ala.).
Amezcua comes to Southern Miss from Castlefield School and Puebla FC, where she made her First Division debut and captured second place during the 2019 inter-school season and collected a first-place finish during the 2023 inter-school season.
Bangus played for IF Brommapojkarna and helped the club finish third in the U19 Division in 2022, while placing third in that division and second in the U17 group in 2023. The 2024 U17 squad also finished third in the Swedish Championship. She attended Vermdoe Gymnasium High School.
Bynes transferred from San Jose State and played for the No. 1 ranked WPSL in Southern California, the San Diego Dons. She won the Mountain West President's Scholar while at SJSU and appeared in 10 games during her two-year career there. During her time at San Marcos High School, the four-year starter and second team all-league selection was team captain for back-to-back state finalist squads. She recorded the most assists in school history and was collected the Offensive and Playmaker of the Year award.
Castro, a first-team all-conference selection at Central Missouri, played her first two seasons there. She posted two goals against Missouri last season as he played in 21 matches with 20 starts. She also led the team in assists with nine. She attended IS Virgen De La Paloma for high school.
Dufour comes to Southern Miss from Canada, where she was a standout for her club team as well as playing for the Haitian national teams on the U17 and U20 squads.
Edwards attended Cottage Hill High School, earning All-State honors in 2024 and playing to the final four in the state twice with her squad while winning the area championship three times. The 2024 Sunrise Rotary Player of the Year also was selected to play on the North/South All-Star game, made All-County and Offensive Player of the Year three times each. Here club team is Pensacola FC Women's Academy where she also captured 2024 ECNL all-regional league team honors.
Johnson was a four-year player and a team captain at San Domenico High School in San Anselmo, Calif., where she also is a member of the Zimbabwe U20 National Team that participated in the World Cup Qualifier. She earned both second team and first team All-BCL West soccer honors during her time there. Her school honors also included freshman Year Most Valuable Player for both soccer and track and field, as well sophomore Year MVP in soccer. She was awarded the Coaches award her junior campaign and the Panther Pride Award as a senior.
Marks played for Linfield FC in Northern Ireland and was one of the youngest players in the Danske Bank Women's Premiership when she made her way through the youth ranks at Linfield before making her first team debut in June 2021. She scored five goals as a midfielder in 65 appearances for the club. She attended Ballyclare High School
Reagan, who attended Midlothian High School, currently plays for Americas FC. She was a part of the two-time National championship for NPL in Colorado and won the Golden Boot for her district in high school play as well as capturing TASCO honorable mention All-State, Dallas Morning News second team All-Area, UIL state all-tournament team, a state semifinalist and a candidate for All-Ellis County Player of the Year.
Siders was a two-time Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Mississippi and ended her high school career with 345 points, including 87 goals and 84 assists. She helped Sumrall to a third-round appearance in the MHSAA Class 4A playoffs and was named the Region 7 Class 4A Player of the Year. She also earned Pine Belt Sports Player of the Year twice in her career.
Strickland comes to Southern Miss from McGill-Toolen High School, where she also played for the Pensacola FC women's academy team. She also played for the Mobile Bay Rush.
The Golden Eagles open their season with an exhibition match at home, Monday, Aug. 4, against Holmes Community College. Game time is set for 5 p.m.
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