CLAREMORE, Okla. - The Rogers State Women's Soccer team is set to kick off the 2025 season this week at Soldier Field, facing UT Tyler on Thursday at 1:00 p.m. and UT Dallas on Saturday at 7:00 p.m.
 
The Hillcats women's soccer team will feature 34 players this season, including 15 returning athletes, 12 true freshmen and seven transfers. They aim to improve from a 3-12-3 overall record (2-7-3 in the MIAA) in 2024, with a lot of excitement coming out of the preseason.
 
"I think that you are going to see a different brand of soccer that we have seen in the past, at Rogers State," commented fourth-year head coach Chris Jones. "I kind of went back a little bit old school with things, and the team has really taken to it. I'm really excited to showcase what we can do on the field in the coming weeks."
 
BUY TICKETS
Fans are encouraged to skip the lines by purchasing tickets in advance. You can buy tickets online through Women's Soccer - Rogers State University. Tickets on game days will also be available at the Soldier Field gate.
 
WATCH ONLINE - MIAA NETWORK
All contests for Hillcat women's soccer, men's basketball, women's basketball, baseball and softball during the conference regular season will be streamed live on the MIAA Network. For other sports, streaming will be determined by the host institution. During the 2024-25 academic year, the MIAA Network featured over 1,600 live broadcasts for its 14 member institutions. For more information, MIAA Digital Network.
 
HISTORY AGAINST UT TYLER
Thursday marks the third all-time meeting between the Hillcats and the Patriots, dating back to 2022. UTT currently has a record of 0-2-1 in this brief series.
 
In their inaugural matchup, UTT narrowly secured victory against RSU with a game-winning goal by Sydnee Garner in the 86th minute. In 2023, the teams faced off again, resulting in a 1-1 draw characterized by strong defensive play at Soldier Field, where Vanessa Gonzalez scored the equalizer in the fifth minute. Last season, UT Tyler claimed a 2-0 victory in Tyler, Texas, thanks to goals from Natalie Jones and Katelyn Walerczyk.
 
"UT Tyler is going to be tough to beat," Jones remarked. "They are a quality side that doesn't get enough credit. Last year they won 10 games, so it's a game that is always going to be a battle and test for us."
 
HISTORY AGAINST UT DALLAS
Rogers State and UT Dallas will meet for only the second time in history. The Comets won a 1-0 victory in Richardson, Texas, last season after Jules Chaves scored the game-winning goal in the 51st minute.
 
"UT Dallas - being a brand new member of the Lone Star Conference - their recruiting has been huge since they are in the Dallas metro area," Jones commented. "I think they will have a very quality side this year."
 
PRESEASON REPORT
The Hillcats got straight to work after summer break with exhibition clashes against Mid-America Christian (8/14), Oklahoma Wesleyan (8/16) and Northwestern Oklahoma State (8/30).
 
When asked about the preseason, Jones responded, "It's been good, but a learning curve for some. The vibe and willingness of the team has been amazing." Jones added, "I think playing three games this early has been a little bit of an adjustment for some, but playing three quality opponents definitely let us see where we need to improve."
 
NON-CONFERENCE SLATE
Following their first two games at home, the Hillcats will travel to Arkansas on Sept. 11 to face Ouachita Baptist University. In their previous encounter with the Tigers last season, RSU secured a 2-1 win in Claremore, marking their first victory in the series since 2015.
 
Rogers State will conclude its non-conference schedule at Soldier Field with three games against GAC opponents: Harding (9/13), East Central (9/18) and Oklahoma Baptist (9/20). Harding was picked to win the conference in the GAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, while Oklahoma Baptist was picked fourth and East Central was tabbed fifth.
 
"To prepare for the MIAA, we have to play the best teams that we can," Jones said about the GAC schools. "I think these teams will give us a little bit of an insight of what the MIAA is going to look like going to look like because they are going to be a battle and grind. Setting up a non-conference to challenge us is something that I wanted to do."
 
CONFERENCE OUTLOOK
The Hillcats were picked 11^th in the MIAA Preseason Coaches' Poll, collecting 37 points, and finished ahead of Missouri Southern (19) and Newman (16).
 
"We circle every matchup on the list," Jones mentioned about the MIAA schedule. "If you do well in the MIAA, you have a really good shot of making the NCAA Tournament, regardless of the conference tournament."
 
 Jones added, "We will face two NCAA Tournament teams in Missouri Western and Central Missouri in our first week. It's a challenge for us, and I'm looking forward to playing against everyone in the conference. Each game presents an opportunity for us to work towards, and there are no gimme games in the MIAA."
 
The defending MIAA Tournament Champions, No. 13 Central Missouri, were predicted to win the conference with 132 points and four first-place votes. Last season's MIAA Regular Season Champions, Washburn, were tabbed fourth with 123 points but received the highest number of first-place votes with five.
 
MIAA play will kick off with two matches against last season's postseason teams: Missouri Western on September 26 at 7:00 p.m. and Central Missouri on Sept. 28 at 1:00 p.m. MoWest finished second in the league standings last year and secured a victory against Concordia-St. Paul in the NCAA Tournament. In contrast, UCM won the MIAA Tournament Championship and achieved two wins in the NCAA Tournament.
 
After their initial visit to Pittsburg, Kansas, to face the Gorillas on Oct. 3, RSU will host Missouri Southern on Oct. 5 and Northwest Missouri State on Oct. 12. They will wrap up their home league matches against Newman on Oct. 24 and Central Oklahoma on Oct. 26, which will also be designated as Senior Day.
 
RSU will journey back to Kansas to compete against Emporia State on Oct. 17 and the defending MIAA Regular Season Champions, Washburn, on Oct. 19. They will conclude the regular season with a three-match road stretch at Nebraska-Kearney on Oct.31, Fort Hays State on Nov. 2, and Northeastern State on Nov. 5.
 
The top four teams in the final regular season standings will host the opening round of the MIAA Tournament on Nov. 9. The semifinal (Nov. 13) and championship (Nov. 15) matches will be held at a neutral site, with times and location to be announced.
 
MEET THE FORWARDS
The Hillcats will roster 10 forward attackers this season, with five returners, a pair of transfers, and three freshmen.
 
Brooke Hartshorn is one of the top returning scorers from the 2024 season. The senior from Frisco, Texas, played in 16 games, starting in four of them, and logged a total of 540 minutes on the field. She scored a goal against Ouachita Baptist (9/12) and contributed two assists, resulting in a total of four points.
 
Senior Delana King is back for her senior season on the Hill. The native of Owasso, Oklahoma, appeared in 18 games, starting in 10 of them and logged a total of 703 minutes in 2024. She recorded two assists and took 11 shots, with seven of them on target.
 
Claremore native and senior, Hannah Schulze, played in 16 games, starting five, and logged 571 minutes in 2024. She scored a goal against Missouri Western (9/27) to earn two points. Additionally, she took three shots, two of which were on target.
 
 Junior Elle Beaulieu returns to the Hill for her junior year. The Belle River, Canada, native has appeared in eight matches for 137 minutes in the Red and Navy.
 
Junior Te Waiariki Read did not participate in the 2024 season. The Whangarei, New Zealand, native played six games at Saint Rose, registering one shot to open her collegiate career.
 
Junior Savanah Green transfers to the program after spending a season each at Southwest Baptist and Oklahoma. The Tulsa, Oklahoma, native appeared in 15 matches, with six starts in her freshman campaign at Southwest Baptist. She tallied six points after chipping in three goals. In 2024, she was a student at Oklahoma State.
 
Sophomore Khari Carreño transfers in from the University of Wyoming, where she participated in four games, totaling 77 minutes. The Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, native logged one shot, on target recorded a career-high 35 minutes played against Colorado School of Mines (8/17/23). She did not play in 2024.
 
Freshman Taylor Mendez is joining Claremore after attending Charles Page High School in Sand Springs. The native of Cleveland, Oklahoma, was recognized as the Offensive Player of the Year and received honorable mention recognition. She also earned the Scholar Athlete Award with honors. Throughout her high school career with the Sandites, she recorded 10 goals and over 35 assists. She plans to earn a degree in Business at RSU.
 
Freshman Bella Holland joins the Hill from Blackpool, England. At Rossall School, she received several honors, including the BTEC Academic Award, the School Football/Soccer Trophy, the Special Recognition Football/Soccer Award and the Player's Player Football/Soccer Award. She plans to pursue a degree in Allied Health Science with a focus on pre-physical therapy at RSU.
 
Freshman Shelby Sepulveda joins Rogers State from Owasso High School. Was named the freshman of the Year and scored 10 goals in her junior season with the Rams. She plans to earn a degree in sports business at RSU.
 
MEET THE MIDFIELDERS
Eleven players, including six returnees, three transfers and two freshmen, will look to control the Hillcats' midfield.
 
Taylor Colmo returns for her sophomore season after a productive freshman campaign. The O'Fallon, Missouri, native appeared in eight games, playing 107 minutes and tallying a pair of goals from her two shots on goal.
 
Emily Hartshorn returns to the midfield for her senior season. The Frisco, Texas, native appeared in two games for the Hillcats in 2024. She also played in 15 games for Sam Houston before attending Rogers State.
 
Keiana Jones will take the pitch for her senior season this Thursday in the midfield. Last season, the Portishead, England native played in six games, totaling 87 minutes of playing time. She tallied two points after scoring a goal against Newman (10/25).
 
Kenzie Macklin will return to the field for her senior season in 2025. A native of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, she played 16 games last year, starting in six. She contributed to the offensive production with 12 shots, five of which were on goal and accumulated a total of 486 minutes of play for the Hillcats in 2024.
 
Junior Anna Hibbard played a pivotal role for the Hillcats during her sophomore season. The Inola, Oklahoma native played in 18 games, with 13 starts and a total of 1,268 minutes on the field. She also fired off three shots on goal.
 
Sophia Brandes returns to the Hill for her redshirt freshman season after not participating in 2024. The Tulsa native had a storied career at Jenks High School, where she led the Trojans to an OSSAA Class 6A State Championship in 2023.
 
Senior Jaynie Rust joins Hillcat Nation after transferring from East Texas A&M. The native of Oregon City, Oregon, played four games for the Lions over two seasons.
 
Redshirt sophomore Briana Maytas comes to Claremore from Central Arkansas. The native of Imperial, Missouri, was a member of the Sugar Bear soccer team for two seasons.
 
Sophomore Ella Marsh was part of the inaugural Pittsburg State women's soccer team. The native of Pryor did not compete for the Gorillas in 2024.
 
Conley Knapp begins her freshman season at RSU in 2025. Hailing from El Reno, Oklahoma, she has a remarkable track record in soccer for the Indians. She was named All-District in 2022 and 2023, All-State in 2025 and Soccer Player of the Year in 2025. In addition to her athletic achievements, Knapp excelled academically as a member of the National Honor Society and made the honor roll all four years of high school. She plans to pursue a degree in business marketing at RSU.
 
Freshman Ava Sikes joins the women's soccer team from Olathe West High School in Olathe, Kansas. She was a Sunflower League Second Team selection and collected multiple honors awards for the Owls. She is currently undecided on a major at RSU.
 
MEET THE DEFENDERS
Rogers State will roster 11 defenders this season, consisting of four returners, six freshmen and a transfer.
 
Senior Amber Arnold anchored the Hillcat defense, which held opponents to an average of 1.72 goals per game in 2024. A native of La Vista, Nebraska, she competed in 18 games, making seven starts and accumulating 1,008 minutes of play. Arnold recorded two shot attempts and provided two assists.
 
Courtney Castleberry is set to return for her senior season after not participating in 2024. The Broken Arrow native has participated in 21 games, starting 14 of them over two seasons at RSU. Additionally, she has taken six shots, with three hitting the target, across a total of 962 minutes played.
 
Junior Kelsey Hogan aims to impact the defense in 2025. The Frisco, Texas, native played in seven games with two starts in 2024, totaling 222 minutes on the pitch for the Hillcats.

Tori Cryer redshirted her freshman season at RSU in 2024. The Collinsville native was a three-sport athlete at Rejoice Christian (2020-22) and Collinsville High School (2022-24) and was Valedictorian.
 
Rylee Shroder joins the Hill after spending two seasons at the University of Wyoming. Before her time in Wyoming, the Lebanon, Ohio, native competed for Lebanon High School and played club for Cincinnati United Premier GA.

Freshman Raegan Bailey had a successful high school career at Ontario Christian High School in Chino, California, before coming to Claremore. She earned the title of defensive MVP four times and scored 36 goals while playing as a center back. Bailey plans to pursue a degree in business entrepreneurship at RSU.
 
Freshman Izzy Dooley joins the women's soccer team from Liverpool, England. At Spire Academy, she was named Player of the Year. Dooley plans to earn a degree in sport management at RSU.
 
Freshman Kaya Eastman played high school soccer at Olathe East High School in Kansas. She played on the defensive side of the pitch for the Hawks. Eastman plans to earn a degree in graphic design at RSU.
 
Carys Lindsay is an incoming freshman defender from Norman High School. She was a two-time MVP for the varsity team and an AP Scholar. Lindsay plans to pursue a degree in Allied Health/Pre-Physical Therapy at RSU.
 
Freshman Kate Marsh played high school soccer right down the road for the Pryor Tigers.
 
Addy Young is an incoming freshman defender from Claremore Sequoyah High School. She earned all-state and all-district honors while playing for the Eagles. In addition to her athletic achievements, she received a merit scholarship and was named to the Principal's Honor Roll. Young plans to pursue a degree in biology at RSU.

MEET THE GOALKEEPERS
The keeper position will feature Middle Tennessee State transfer Calais Butts and true freshman Eliza Naegle.
 
Butts, a junior transfer from Edmonton, Canada, has been named the starting goalkeeper in the season opener against UT Tyler. At MTSU, she appeared in three games for the Blue Raiders, allowing one goal and collecting two saves.
 
Naegle played high school soccer in Bountiful, Utah, as a goalkeeper for the RedHawks. She plans to pursue a degree in psychology at RSU.