As is custom for the Colorado women’s soccer program, the Buffaloes are gaining reinforcements thanks to a number of former in-state prep standouts ready to return home.

CU and head coach Danny Sanchez announced the addition of five transfers, all of whom have Colorado roots. The list includes midfielder Lexi Meyer, who was a top-50 recruit out of Highlands Ranch High School a year ago before spending her freshman season at Alabama.

The other newly signed newcomers include defenders Caley Swierenga (LSU) and Jordan Whiteaker (TCU), along with additional midfielders Reagan Kotschau (Washington State) and Riley MacDonald (LSU).

Kotschau is a local product, a graduate of Broomfield High who is the daughter of former Colorado Rapids player and MLS veteran Ritchie Kotschau. A former standout with Real Colorado, Kotschau started all 38 games in two seasons at Washington State, collecting five goals and eight assists. She was a Pac-12 All-Freshman team selection in 2023 and earned honorable mention All-West Coast Conference honors this past season.

Whiteaker was the Class 4A player of the year at Dakota Ridge in 2023 and appeared in 15 matches for TCU last fall. MacDonald, who played for the Colorado Rush and Mountain Vista High, appeared in 11 matches for LSU as a freshman this past fall. Swierenga, who played two seasons at LSU, is a graduate of Lutheran High who appeared in 38 games (26 starts) at LSU.

Meyer played in all 20 games for Alabama this past season and ranked second on the team with four assists.

The newcomers are the latest additions to a club of former Colorado prep standouts who began their collegiate careers elsewhere before transferring back to their home state to join the Buffs. That group includes current starting goalie Jordan Nytes, who won the Big 12 goalkeeper of the year honor in 2022 at Oklahoma State and again this past season at CU, along with former CU standouts Civana Kuhlmann and Danica Evans, among many others.

The five transfers will begin classes at CU on Monday and will participate in spring workouts with the Buffs.

“What a great group of fantastic players, students and people we have added to our program,” Sanchez said in a release. “All five have the opportunity to make an immediate impact on our program. We are excited they are here and look forward to start working with them next week.”

Hot start on slopes

The CU ski team dominated the alpine portion of the Denver Invitational earlier this week, winning both team races while placing three athletes in the top six of both giant slalom races.

Louison Accambray and Louis Fausa claimed the top spot in the giant slalom races, while Hannah Saethereng and Cathinka Lunder finished fourth and sixth, respectively, in the women’s race. Filip Wahlqvist (fourth) and Etieinne Mazellier (sixth) also were top-six in the men’s race. Wahlqvist won the slalom a day earlier, and his six career slalom victories ranks second in program history.

The CU alpine team will be idle from competition until a meet at Montana State that begins on Feb. 3. The Nordic teams will compete at the Utah Invitational on Jan. 18-19.

Transfer addition

The CU volleyball team this week added defensive specialist/libero Peyton Neal, a transfer from Marshall. A native of Noblesville, Tenn., Neal led Marshall in digs in each of the past two seasons and will have two years of eligibility remaining.