Charlotte Carleton ’27 is a quick and aggressive forward for the No. 13-ranked Swarthmore women’s soccer team. This past weekend, the Garnet traveled to Cleveland, OH, to play in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship tournament, where Carleton had a field day. In the Round of 64 match against Bridgewater College, the Bloomfield, MI, native scored a crucial hat trick that marked the first three Swarthmore goals of the game and a 3-2 Garnet lead. Down 2-0 in the first half, Carleton responded with a tear on Bridgewater’s defense, finding the back of the net once in the same half and twice in the second. Carleton’s relentless drive led the Garnet to finish 4-2, safely resting the team into the next round of the elimination-style tournament.
The following day, Carleton scored Swarthmore’s sole goal against No. 6-ranked Case Western Reserve University in the sixth minute. Although regulation ended in a 1-1 draw, her goal opened an opportunity for overtime play, and an eventual penalty kick shootout that Swarthmore confidently won. For her impact on the field against conference competition in the regular season, Carleton was recognized as the Centennial Conference Offensive Player of the Week in late October for the second time in her career. For her success on the field, Carleton was also given her second All-Conference Honorable Mention award. The junior has collected seven goals and three assists in the 2025 season so far, and looks to add more next weekend. The Garnet will travel to Chicago to play in the Round of 16, or “Sweet Sixteen,” against Carleton College on Saturday. If they advance, Swarthmore will play host team University of Chicago the following evening.
Aimee Lee: Congrats on the team’s wins in the first and second rounds of NCAA championship playoffs! What was your mindset going into the weekend?
Charlotte Carleton: Coming off a devastating loss in the last two minutes of the conference championship [against Johns Hopkins University] last weekend, we wanted more. We worked all week to prepare for this weekend and came into the games believing and trusting in ourselves. I think that really helped carry us through this weekend and will continue into the Sweet Sixteen next weekend.
AL: Let’s talk about the game against Bridgewater College: when Bridgewater scored their second goal to make it 2-0 early in the game, how did you respond to the challenge?
CC: To be honest, we weren’t really shaken. Something that I really admire about this group is the trust we have in each other. I knew that we were capable of handling business and I think that you could really see that by the way we all just kept our heads up and worked for each other.
AL: Describe the feeling of scoring your third consecutive goal against Bridgewater to give Swarthmore the lead. What was going through your mind when the ball hit the back of the net?
CC: To be honest, not much. I was really fired up and excited that we were able to regain the lead but knew that we had to keep playing because Bridgewater was a good opponent and there was still a lot of soccer to be played. I’m super proud of our team’s response and resilience — I think that that is what makes this group so special.
AL: Reflecting on your game against Case Western Reserve University, what were some of the adjustments you made to find success?
CC: We knew going into the game that Case was going to be a good opponent. We were confident in our style of play though and didn’t really have many adjustments to make. In games against ranked opponents, there aren’t usually many opportunities on goal, so I knew that I needed to capitalize on any chance I got. Luckily that happened in the sixth minute of the game.
AL: When the game went into overtime with a man down, how did you respond to the adversity? What was going through your mind for the twenty minutes of sudden death soccer?
CC: Again, I wasn’t really rattled. It’s kind of the epitome of playoff soccer: a loud, crazy environment, with the opportunity of every play potentially being the last. We had already dealt with so much adversity this weekend that it was just another challenge thrown at us. We definitely had to adjust our style of play but again I am so proud of how everyone stepped up. I think the result is a testament to the tenacity and grit this team has.
AL: What are some goals that you and the team have set for the rest of the post-season?
CC: We want to go all the way. One of our team mantras is to get “1% better everyday,” so we just want to continue to improve every single session or game that we have.
AL: What do you hope younger athletes will take away from watching you play?
CC: I hope that people recognize the resilience that this team has. So much has been thrown at us all season long but we have a next man up mindset and everyone has really responded to their call. I think that that is really special. I commend our captains, Lila Travers ’26, Eloise Franz ’26, and Macie Mangini ’26 for really leading by example and embodying this mindset. They have been integral to our success this season.
AL: Game days are full of nerves and excitement. How do you prepare for games, especially tournaments? Any game-day rituals?
CC: I don’t really have any specific routines or rituals because we are on the road so often but as a team we always have a pregame meal together. We also spend time together listening to music in the locker room, which always gets me hype.
AL: Who have you looked up to, athlete or nonathlete, for inspiration and motivation?
CC: Aidan Hutchinson. I grew up in a big football family and spend a lot of time watching the Detroit Lions. I got injured during the first game of the season and it’s just something I’ve had to deal with throughout the season. Hutch returned from a gruesome injury this fall and is right back to being one of, if not the best, pass-rushers in the league. I really respect his drive and consistency and it’s something that I try to embody.
AL: Describe the ideal rest day: no external obligations, just 24 hours to yourself the way you would to spend it.
CC: My dog, Hudson, would be here and I would wake up and take him on a walk. We would stop at a coffee shop and I would get an iced latte. I would spend the day with my friends, maybe going shopping or exploring Philly.
AL: What is your favorite class that you’ve taken at Swarthmore?
CC: Probably not Orgo II.
AL: What is the last song you’ve listened to?
CC: “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell.
