The list is comprised of 35 women nationwide.
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Diekema, the Ohio Valley Conference Defender of the Year in 2022, returns to lead the Cougar back line. She is a fourth-year player for the Cougars who is in graduate school at SIUE after earning her bachelor's degree in three years.
The lists are being released for the first time this season by the Division I All-America Committees to promote college soccer leading up to the official start date for the regular season later this month. The lists include United Soccer Coaches All-Americans and first or second team All-Region players from 2022, who are scheduled to return for the 2023 season.
2023 NCAA Division I Women's Players to Watch - Defenders
| Name | Class | School | Hometown |
| Arely Alaniz | Sr. | Lamar University | Deer Park, Texas |
| Hannah Anderson | GR5 | Texas Tech University | Plano, Texas |
| Maya Antoine | Sr. | Vanderbilt University | Vaughan, Ont. |
| Natalie Bain | So. | Xavier University | Alexandria, Ky. |
| Megan Bornkamp | Jr. | Clemson University | Mooresville, N.C. |
| Zoe Burns | Sr. | University of Southern California | Issaquah, Wash. |
| Brooklyn Courtnall | Jr. | University of Southern California | Westlake Village, Calif. |
| EmJ Cox | So. | University of Texas | Dallas, Texas |
| Raegan Cox | GR5 | Michigan State University | Muskegon, Mich. |
| Matea Diekema | GR4 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | Grand Rapids, Mich. |
| Kayla Duran | GR5 | University of Southern California | Woburn, Mass. |
| Elise Evans | So. | Stanford University | Redwood City, Calif. |
| Eva Gaetino | Sr. | University of Notre Dame | Dexter, Mich. |
| Kylie Gazza | GR5 | Samford University | Cumming, Ga. |
| Madison Haugen | Sr. | University of Georgia | Cumming, Ga. |
| Victoria Haugen | Sr. | Virginia Tech | Bristow, Va. |
| Lyndsey Heckel | Sr. | Saint Louis University | St. Louis, Mo. |
| Sade Heinrichs | Sr. | Georgia Southern University | Monchengladbach, Germany |
| Bridie Herman | GR5 | Liberty University | Springboro, Ohio |
| Alivia Kelly | Jr. | University of New Hampshire | Pembroke, Mass. |
| Julia Leas | GR5 | Georgetown University | Vienna, Va. |
| Kaycee Manding | Sr. | South Dakota State University | Waipahu, Hawaii |
| Emily Mason | Jr. | Rutgers University | Flemington, N.J. |
| Logan McFadden | Sr. | Lipscomb University | Birmingham, Ala. |
| Lilly Reale | Jr. | UCLA | Hingham, MA |
| Payton Robertson | GR5 | University at Kentucky | Toronto, Ont. |
| Jade Rose | Jr. | Harvard University | Markham, Ont. |
| Jenna Shepherd | Sr. | Utah Valley University | American Fork, Utah |
| Ellie Simmons | So | University at Buffalo | Arlington, Va. |
| Grace Stordy | Sr. | University of Memphis | Calgary, Alb. |
| Allyna Thurston | Jr. | University of North Florida | Cassellberry, Fla. |
| Lava Vaka | GR5 | Brigham Young University | Sandy, Utah |
| Kennedy Wesley | GR5 | Stanford University | Rossmoor, Calif. |
| Katie Zailski | So. | University of Pittsburgh | Summerville, S.C. |
| Regan Zimmers | Sr. | University of Nebraska-Omaha | Omaha, Neb, |
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