Eva Gaetino got her first taste of football in the city of Dexter for the Michigan Hawks. In 2020, the 5 ft 11 in defender joined the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, a university team based in Indiana, where she notably played alongside Korbin Albert. Over the course of four seasons, Gaetino made 77 appearances, scoring seven goals and providing five assists, with her performances earning her the title of Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Defensive Player of the Year in both 2022 and 2023.
During her final year in America, Gaetino contributed to the Fighting Irish’s second-place finish in the ACC standings as well as to their progress to the second round of the NCAA Division I women’s soccer tournament. The American also made five appearances for her country’s under-23s before signing for the capital club in February 2024.
