After five years and a combined 14,634 minutes of play, Kayleigh Shackford, Jillian O’Toole and Zoe Doughty are ending their collegiate soccer careers with William and Mary. The trio of fifth-years led this year’s team to one of the best seasons in program history.
The dynamic trio entered William and Mary in 2019 and five seasons of excellence followed. Shackford, a midfielder from Ashburn, Va., O’Toole, a midfielder from Montclair, N.J. and Doughty, a goalkeeper from Woodbridge, Va. were each granted an extra year of eligibility after their sophomore year season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“My class and I went through so much on and off the field,” Doughty said. “I think it helped me develop a deep appreciation for my time here because at one point we weren’t sure when or if we would come back.”
In 2021, Doughty was named Coastal Athletics Association Goalkeeper of the Year and selected to the All-CAA First Team and VaSID All-State First Team. Doughty was also on the CAA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll for three years (2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23).
“I think my junior season was the highlight of my soccer career up until this point,” Doughty said. “It was a time where I came out of one of the lowest points of my life and was able to turn my entire season around for the better.”
The Tribe soccer program builds athletes and individuals, emphasizing excellence and physical, emotional and personal growth.
“Our team’s core values, CAPPLE — commitment, accountability, preparation, perseverance, loyalty and excellence — are upheld extremely well on a daily basis by every single person involved in the program,” O’Toole said. “Being around some of the most incredible individuals has inspired and motivated me every single day to be a better athlete, teammate and person.”
In 2022, O’Toole was awarded the College Player Award of Distinction from the United Soccer Coaches. She also excelled academically at William and Mary, making CAA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll and winning the William and Mary Provost Award in each year of her career. Additionally, she was inducted into the Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society, awarded to the top 10% of the class of the Raymond A. Mason School of Business.
As the fifth-years conclude their time at William and Mary, they will join the network of alumni of the College, and the existing team will carry on the legacy they left behind.
“Each season, the team continues to get stronger and stronger, and I am so fortunate to have had the opportunity to come back for one more season. I’m so excited for what the future holds for this group, and I cannot wait to watch my favorite team as the proudest Tribe Soccer alum,” O’Toole said.
Kayleigh Shackford had a unique experience of playing under head coach Julie Shackford, her mother. Though it took some time to adjust to balancing the player-coach relationship and a mother-daughter bond, Kayleigh learned to embrace it.
“Both my coaches and teammates push me everyday to be a better player and a better person. They’ve taught me to be accountable and vulnerable and I wouldn’t be here without any of them,” Shackford said.
From 2020-2023, Shackford started every game but one. In her entire career at William and Mary, she recorded five goals, eight assists and 79 games played. She played 4,995 minutes on the field in her career, all of which she spent as a dynamic and confident presence.
“College soccer forced me out of my shell and it really shaped me into who I am today,” she said.
The memories, relationships and accomplishments of these three throughout their time together in the William and Mary women’s soccer program have been nothing short of extraordinary. In addition to their excellence on the field, their resilience, strength and leadership have cultivated a team culture like none other, producing lifelong friendships and connections. Shackford, O’ Toole and Doughty all emphasized how deeply the saying “the people make the place” holds true.
