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University of Illinois Athletics

2025 Soccer Roster

Kevin Snyder - Illinois Athletics
Jenny Butler / Illinois Athletics

22 Lia Howard

  • Position Forward
  • Height 5-3
  • Class Senior
  • High School Massapequa
  • Hometown Massapequa, N.Y.

Biography

Junior - 2024

  • CSC Academic All-District
  • Appeared in 17 matches, making 12 starts.
  • Recorded three goals and a tied for the team lead with four assists on the season...all three of her goals came in the 80th minute or later.
  • Scored the game-winner in the Illini's 2-1 victory over DePaul in the 83rd minute.
  • Assisted on Sarah Foley's winner on Sept. 8 at Mercer.
  • Assisted on Kennedy Berschel's second-half equalizer at Purdue on Oct. 6 and later scored the winner in the 83rd minute.
  • Assited on another Foley match-winner on Oct. 17 at Indiana.

Sophomore - 2023

  • CSC Academic All-District.
  • Academic All-Big Ten.
  • Played in all 17 matches, making 11 starts...both are career-high marks.
  • Logged a career-best 907 minutes of action.
  • Led the Illini in goals (5), assists (4), points (14) and game-winning goals (2)...all are also career-best marks.
  • Fired 12 of her 20 shots on target (.600).
  • Picked up first assist on the season in the opener vs. Loyola on Aug. 17.
  • Scored the match-winning goal at No. 17 Xavier on Aug. 24 and bagged another winner at Louisville on Aug. 31.
  • Tallied second assist of the season on Sept. 10 vs. Pepperdine.
  • Scored her third goal of the season on Oct. 1 at Ohio State.
  • Collected third assist of the season on Oct. 8 at Minnesota.
  • Picked up a goal and an assist in the Illini's 2-1 victory over Purdue on Oct. 15.
  • Scored her fifth goal of the season in the finale on Oct. 22 vs. No. 25 Nebraska.

Freshman - 2022

  • Named team's Most Improved Player.
  • Appeared in six games, all of the bench.
  • Recorded a season-high 31 minutes of action on Oct. 23 vs. Minnesota.
  • Made her Illini debut on Aug. 21 vs. Toledo.
  • Tallied one shot on Oct. 16 vs. No. 20 Ohio State.

High School/Club

  • 2021-22 Gatorade New York Girls Soccer Player of the Year
  • Class AA Player of the Year
  • Two-time All-State honoree
  • Nassau County Player of the Year
  • United Soccer Coaches All-American selection
  • Helped Massapequa High School to two Nassau County Championship Titles and two Long Island Championship Titles, including a goal and three assists in one playoff game
  • Scored 16 goals to go along with 29 assists during her senior season, leading the Chiefs (20-0-1) to the Class AA state championship
  • Holds the Massapequa High School season and career assists record with 48 career assists and 27 assists during her senior year
  • Illinois hero growing up was Hope Breslin, fellow Massapequa native.
  • National Honor Society member

Statistics

Season Statistics

Season Statistics

No statistics available for this season.

Career Statistics

There are no statistics available for this player.

Historical Player Information

  • 22

    2022Freshman

    M/F
    5'2"
    22
  • 22

    2023Sophomore

    M/F
    5'2"
    22
  • 22

    2024Junior

    Midfielder // Forward
    5'3"
    22
  • 22

    2025Senior

    Forward
    5'3"
    22