Women's soccer adds 12 newcomers to 2024 roster
Posted: Sat Jul 13, 2024 5:39 pmFrom SMUMustangs.com:
Get To Know The Newcomers: Mustangs Add 12 To 2024 Roster
DALLAS (SMU) — SMU women's soccer program added 12 newcomers to the 2024 roster ahead of the team's inaugural season in the Atlantic Athletic Conference.
Head coach Nicole Nelson brought in six freshmen and six transfers, bringing the total number of athletes on the roster up to 32.
The Mustangs put an emphasis on strengthening the defensive unit via the transfer portal. Three of the six transfers are goalkeepers, including graduate student Sierra Cota-Yarde (Arkansas), who played on Portugal's women's national team last year. The other three consist of two defenders and a midfielder, highlighted by junior defender Hali Hartman, who appeared in 15 games for LSU last year.
Also coming to the Hilltop are junior teammates Lou Brossault and Nanami Hata, who claimed back-to-back NJCAA national championships at Iowa Western CC.
SMU signed five of its six incoming freshmen back on National Signing Day. The group features three midfielders and two players from the state of Texas.
The Mustangs begin their 2024 campaign by welcoming Northwestern State to Washburne Stadium on Aug. 15 at 7 p.m. CT. The match is the first of a nine-game home stand that will carry into ACC action.
PLAYER PROFILES
0 Haven Empey | JR | GK | American Fork, Utah | American Fork HS | BYU
The former 2020 Utah Gatorade Player of the Year recipient, Haven Empey comes to the Hilltop after spending the last two years at BYU. Empey graduated from American Fork High School in 2020 before going on an 18-month mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In addition to her layer of the year honors, she was the 2019 USYS National Golden Glove recipient and a USYS National Semifinalist. Empey was also a two-time 6A state champion and received multiple all-state All American, academic all-state honors
4 Hali Hartman | JR | D | Grand Prairie, Texas | South Grand Prairie HS | Oklahoma | LSU
Hali Hartman joins the Mustangs after appearing in 15 matches with seven starts last season at LSU. Prior to her year in Baton Rouge, she spent her freshman season at Oklahoma where she started in every match for the Sooners and led the team in total minutes played (1,694). She finished as one of the top 30 freshmen in the country and earned All-Big 12 All-Freshman Team honors in her first collegiate season.
12 Paxton Bock | FR | D | Scottsdale, Ariz. I Notre Dame Preparatory
Paxton Bock joins the Mustangs as the 2024 Arizona Player of the Year. She is a two-time Region Offensive Player of the Year recipient and earned multiple All-Region honors at Notre Dame Preparatory. There, Bock served as a captain and helped claim the Arizona 5A State Championship title in 2024. She totaled 36 goals and 12 assists during her senior season and ended her high school career with 50 goals scored. Bock also played club soccer for Utah Royals FC and competed at the YNT National Camp in February 2020. In high school, Bock served in a Student Leadership Position and dedicated over 60 hours to community service. Bock plans to study Law at SMU.
13 Nanami Hata | JR | D/M | Shizuoka, Japan | Tokoha Tachibana HS | Iowa Western CC
Nanami Hata comes to the Hilltop after spending the past two years at Iowa Western CC, where she helped the Reivers capture back-to-back NJCAA national championships. In 2023, Hata was an NJCAA DI All-American midfielder, boasting a stat line of two goals and 11 assists as she started in all 23 games. She also earned United Soccer Coaches All-America, Junior College Women's Soccer Scholar All-America and ICCAC First Team honors in 2023. During the team's first championship run in 2022, she was awarded All-Tournament honors for her play.
14 Liz Eddy | FR | F | McKinney, Texas | McKinney Boyd
Liz Eddy joins the Mustangs as a three-year letterwinner at McKinney Boyd High School. There, Eddy earned All-District selections her sophomore and junior seasons and was named Team MVP her sophomore year. Eddy was also an All-Region honoree in her junior year and was selected to the district's second team in her freshman season. Along with high school competition, Eddy played for FC Dallas. She made the Academic Honor Roll all four years and was a member of the National Honors Society.
15 Lydia Ungashick | FR | M | Overland Park, Kan. | Blue Valley West
Lydia Ungashick joins the Mustangs after lettering two years at Blue Valley West High School. There, Ungashick earned first-team all-state, all-conference and all-metro in 2022 and 2023 as a team captain. Ungashick was a state champion in 2022 and was voted Team MVP in 2023. Ungashick also competed in club soccer for Sporting Blue Valley ECNL and helped the club reach third place at the 2022 nationals.
16 Kelly Gordon | FR | M | Asheville, N.C. | T.C. Roberson HS
Gordon comes to the Hilltop after a highly decorated high school career in North Carolina. The Asheville native was named the 2023 WMAC Offensive Player of the Year and was a three-time All-Conference selection. Gordon was named to the NCSCA All-State Team in 2022 and 2023. She was also a three-time NCSCA 4A All-Region honoree. As a team captain, Gordon helped lead TC Roberson HS to conference titles in 2022 and 2023, as well as three state tournament appearances. Gordon was also named to the USCA All-Mid Atlantic Team in 2022.
20 Lou Brossault | JR | MF | Rennes, France / Iowa Western CC
Lou Brossault comes to the Hilltop as an NJCAA First Team All-American and two-time NJCAA National Champion at Iowa Western Community College. In her second year at Iowa Western CC, Brossault was also named the 2023 United Soccer Coaches Scholar Player of the Year and 2023 ICCAC Player of the Year. Before college, Brossault played club soccer for CPB Bréquigny and competed at the U19 National level in France. Brossault plans to study Sport Management at SMU.
21 Sadie Paul | F | Fort Worth, Texas | IMG Academy
Sadie Paul joins the Mustangs after playing for IMG Academy Elite. Throughout her high school career, Paul lettered in track, swimming, softball and basketball and won a state championship in field hockey. Paul plans to study Business at SMU.
22 Nicole Stryker | FR | D/M | Loomis, California / IMG Academy
Nicole Stryker joins the Mustangs after playing high school club soccer for IMG's Academy Elite. Stryker is a four-time Academic Honor Roll honoree and has been a member of the National Honor Society all four years of high school. Stryker plans to study Business at SMU.
30 Sierra Cota-Yarde | GR | GK | Toronto, Ontario | Central Ontario Academy | Prairie View A&M | Arkansas
After spending the last two seasons at Arkansas, Sierra Cota-Yarde transferred to SMU as a graduate student. Last season, she started the first eight matches in goal before heading to camp with the Portuguese Women's National Team. In that time, she recorded 30 saves in 900 minutes of action. She ended the season with a record of 7-3-2 and helped the Razorbacks to a 15-5-2 season overall and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Last season, Cota-Yarde was also named to the 2023 SEC Community Service Team. Cota-Yarde competed in club soccer for the North Toronto Nitros, and has U19 and U23 National Team experience. Before her time in Arkansas, she played her freshman year at Prairie View A&M.
44 Jessi Curry | So | GK | Farmington, N.M. | Farmington HS | Tyler JC
Jessi Curry joins the Mustangs after spending last season as the netminder for Tyler Junior College. She appeared in 15 games, starting in 10, and helped guide her team to a 16-2-3 record. She recorded a team-high 32 saves and four shutouts during the season. She tailed 1,024 minutes on the pitch and finished the year with a GAA of 0.79.
Get To Know The Newcomers: Mustangs Add 12 To 2024 Roster
DALLAS (SMU) — SMU women's soccer program added 12 newcomers to the 2024 roster ahead of the team's inaugural season in the Atlantic Athletic Conference.
Head coach Nicole Nelson brought in six freshmen and six transfers, bringing the total number of athletes on the roster up to 32.
The Mustangs put an emphasis on strengthening the defensive unit via the transfer portal. Three of the six transfers are goalkeepers, including graduate student Sierra Cota-Yarde (Arkansas), who played on Portugal's women's national team last year. The other three consist of two defenders and a midfielder, highlighted by junior defender Hali Hartman, who appeared in 15 games for LSU last year.
Also coming to the Hilltop are junior teammates Lou Brossault and Nanami Hata, who claimed back-to-back NJCAA national championships at Iowa Western CC.
SMU signed five of its six incoming freshmen back on National Signing Day. The group features three midfielders and two players from the state of Texas.
The Mustangs begin their 2024 campaign by welcoming Northwestern State to Washburne Stadium on Aug. 15 at 7 p.m. CT. The match is the first of a nine-game home stand that will carry into ACC action.
PLAYER PROFILES
0 Haven Empey | JR | GK | American Fork, Utah | American Fork HS | BYU
The former 2020 Utah Gatorade Player of the Year recipient, Haven Empey comes to the Hilltop after spending the last two years at BYU. Empey graduated from American Fork High School in 2020 before going on an 18-month mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In addition to her layer of the year honors, she was the 2019 USYS National Golden Glove recipient and a USYS National Semifinalist. Empey was also a two-time 6A state champion and received multiple all-state All American, academic all-state honors
4 Hali Hartman | JR | D | Grand Prairie, Texas | South Grand Prairie HS | Oklahoma | LSU
Hali Hartman joins the Mustangs after appearing in 15 matches with seven starts last season at LSU. Prior to her year in Baton Rouge, she spent her freshman season at Oklahoma where she started in every match for the Sooners and led the team in total minutes played (1,694). She finished as one of the top 30 freshmen in the country and earned All-Big 12 All-Freshman Team honors in her first collegiate season.
12 Paxton Bock | FR | D | Scottsdale, Ariz. I Notre Dame Preparatory
Paxton Bock joins the Mustangs as the 2024 Arizona Player of the Year. She is a two-time Region Offensive Player of the Year recipient and earned multiple All-Region honors at Notre Dame Preparatory. There, Bock served as a captain and helped claim the Arizona 5A State Championship title in 2024. She totaled 36 goals and 12 assists during her senior season and ended her high school career with 50 goals scored. Bock also played club soccer for Utah Royals FC and competed at the YNT National Camp in February 2020. In high school, Bock served in a Student Leadership Position and dedicated over 60 hours to community service. Bock plans to study Law at SMU.
13 Nanami Hata | JR | D/M | Shizuoka, Japan | Tokoha Tachibana HS | Iowa Western CC
Nanami Hata comes to the Hilltop after spending the past two years at Iowa Western CC, where she helped the Reivers capture back-to-back NJCAA national championships. In 2023, Hata was an NJCAA DI All-American midfielder, boasting a stat line of two goals and 11 assists as she started in all 23 games. She also earned United Soccer Coaches All-America, Junior College Women's Soccer Scholar All-America and ICCAC First Team honors in 2023. During the team's first championship run in 2022, she was awarded All-Tournament honors for her play.
14 Liz Eddy | FR | F | McKinney, Texas | McKinney Boyd
Liz Eddy joins the Mustangs as a three-year letterwinner at McKinney Boyd High School. There, Eddy earned All-District selections her sophomore and junior seasons and was named Team MVP her sophomore year. Eddy was also an All-Region honoree in her junior year and was selected to the district's second team in her freshman season. Along with high school competition, Eddy played for FC Dallas. She made the Academic Honor Roll all four years and was a member of the National Honors Society.
15 Lydia Ungashick | FR | M | Overland Park, Kan. | Blue Valley West
Lydia Ungashick joins the Mustangs after lettering two years at Blue Valley West High School. There, Ungashick earned first-team all-state, all-conference and all-metro in 2022 and 2023 as a team captain. Ungashick was a state champion in 2022 and was voted Team MVP in 2023. Ungashick also competed in club soccer for Sporting Blue Valley ECNL and helped the club reach third place at the 2022 nationals.
16 Kelly Gordon | FR | M | Asheville, N.C. | T.C. Roberson HS
Gordon comes to the Hilltop after a highly decorated high school career in North Carolina. The Asheville native was named the 2023 WMAC Offensive Player of the Year and was a three-time All-Conference selection. Gordon was named to the NCSCA All-State Team in 2022 and 2023. She was also a three-time NCSCA 4A All-Region honoree. As a team captain, Gordon helped lead TC Roberson HS to conference titles in 2022 and 2023, as well as three state tournament appearances. Gordon was also named to the USCA All-Mid Atlantic Team in 2022.
20 Lou Brossault | JR | MF | Rennes, France / Iowa Western CC
Lou Brossault comes to the Hilltop as an NJCAA First Team All-American and two-time NJCAA National Champion at Iowa Western Community College. In her second year at Iowa Western CC, Brossault was also named the 2023 United Soccer Coaches Scholar Player of the Year and 2023 ICCAC Player of the Year. Before college, Brossault played club soccer for CPB Bréquigny and competed at the U19 National level in France. Brossault plans to study Sport Management at SMU.
21 Sadie Paul | F | Fort Worth, Texas | IMG Academy
Sadie Paul joins the Mustangs after playing for IMG Academy Elite. Throughout her high school career, Paul lettered in track, swimming, softball and basketball and won a state championship in field hockey. Paul plans to study Business at SMU.
22 Nicole Stryker | FR | D/M | Loomis, California / IMG Academy
Nicole Stryker joins the Mustangs after playing high school club soccer for IMG's Academy Elite. Stryker is a four-time Academic Honor Roll honoree and has been a member of the National Honor Society all four years of high school. Stryker plans to study Business at SMU.
30 Sierra Cota-Yarde | GR | GK | Toronto, Ontario | Central Ontario Academy | Prairie View A&M | Arkansas
After spending the last two seasons at Arkansas, Sierra Cota-Yarde transferred to SMU as a graduate student. Last season, she started the first eight matches in goal before heading to camp with the Portuguese Women's National Team. In that time, she recorded 30 saves in 900 minutes of action. She ended the season with a record of 7-3-2 and helped the Razorbacks to a 15-5-2 season overall and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Last season, Cota-Yarde was also named to the 2023 SEC Community Service Team. Cota-Yarde competed in club soccer for the North Toronto Nitros, and has U19 and U23 National Team experience. Before her time in Arkansas, she played her freshman year at Prairie View A&M.
44 Jessi Curry | So | GK | Farmington, N.M. | Farmington HS | Tyler JC
Jessi Curry joins the Mustangs after spending last season as the netminder for Tyler Junior College. She appeared in 15 games, starting in 10, and helped guide her team to a 16-2-3 record. She recorded a team-high 32 saves and four shutouts during the season. She tailed 1,024 minutes on the pitch and finished the year with a GAA of 0.79.