Women’s soccer SLC schedule unveiled

The UTRGV Women’s Soccer Team is preparing for 2025-2026, as its second Southland Conference season schedule was announced on April 15.

The team will face Northwestern State University in the SLC home opener on Sept. 18. As of press time Friday, the rest of the regular season schedule is pending to be released. 

“We have been growing and the challenges to keep that momentum and keep moving in a positive direction,” head coach Mark Foster said. “Our dream long term is to win a championship here … but, if we are going to do that in between where we are now and win the championship, we have to work hard.”

The team faced its first year in the conference last year. Foster said, though everything was new to them, they were excited.

“Everything was new to us … very different than the [Western Athletic Conference],” he said. “I wouldn’t say one was better than the other, but I would say it was very different. I think the girls competed really well. We probably should have won a few more games.”

Last season, the Vaqueros fell short to Northwestern State. Foster said the game was a reflection of a lot of last year. 

“We played really well in that game, but we just came up a little bit short,” he said. “I think our group was a little bit young, a little bit nervous and not ready and not used to competing at the top end of a league and big moments like that. We played well and, like I said, we weren’t able to finish our opportunities in the critical moments.”

The head coach said he hopes having home-field advantage and support will make a difference this time around, having faced them away last season. 

Freshman right wing Jordan Matthews said she is excited to show off what she learned last season.

“My main goal is to just do better than I did this year,” Matthews said. “I learned a lot this year and that’s just to keep putting goals in the back of the net and to improve myself to help better the team.”

She said her goal is to learn how to be a better leader on the team and be someone that people can look up to.

Sophomore left back Rosie Train said the team knows more of what to expect for the SLC this year.

“We have a lot more experience this year going into the conference, so I think that experience and the drive to now win and probably get into the tournament again,” Train said. “… It’s a lot more exciting to our girls.”

She said the team is going to change massively this year, which can help them build on last season.

“Keep building the team culture and everything in a good way–I think that’s going to be our main drive,” the left back said.

Train added the team dynamic is very positive and thinks it will drive the team to success. Matthews said the team is always positive and in a good mood.

“I think that affects us on the field as well because everyone is in a great mood and I feel like, when we are all in a good mood, we play better,” Matthews said.

Train said the team morale all starts in the locker room.

“Everytime before practice, before games, the team morale is in the locker room,” she said. “We’ve got music blasting; we are all hugging each other. … I think that helps a lot.”

Matthews said the team atmosphere helped her calm her nerves during the season. 

“Being a freshman, I was really nervous but I think having a positive dynamic with the team helped a lot just playing my best on the field,” she said. 

–Pete Mendoza contributed to this report.