On Sunday, September 29th an old rivalry will be rekindled on the soccer pitch: UT vs. TAMU. For many, FIERCE Night at this match serves as an opportunity for the club's players to support their local UT team; for others like Coach Carol, it's an opportunity to support their Alma Mater (Texas A&M) and reflect on how far women's soccer has come.
Coach Carol was one of the pioneering members of Aggie Soccer, laying the foundation for one of TAMU's most successful sports programs. In the early 1980's, the NCAA only organized men's sports. So, the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics (AIAW) created a comparable platform for women's sports. By 1981, the AIAW included women's soccer and hosted a National Championship to bring together the top programs in the nation. That season and National Championship provided an exciting clash of women's soccer powerhouses like UT, Baylor, and UNC. Coach Carol contributed to the success of the TAMU women's soccer team during the '81 season, co-leading the team with 13 season goals and scoring two during that AIAW National Championship.
The team's success encouraged TAMU to increase the team's status to Varsity II in 1982. With the NCAA taking over for the AIAW that same year, the new Varsity II status meant they could compete in NCAA National Championships, but it did not guarantee financial support from the university. The women's soccer team maintained this status until 1993, where the team transitioned to a University-sponsored Varsity program and kicked off it's inaugural NCAA campaign. Since 1995, TAMU has qualified for every NCAA Tournament.
Opportunities like FIERCE Night at UT vs. TAMU offer insight into how far women's soccer has come, and how bright of a future lays ahead for female players. Not only does Coach Carol demonstrate how FIERCE coaches pioneered opportunities for young women, but also how staff continues this work by developing the next generation of players. FIERCE is grateful to have staff and players alike involved in the growth of the game on the women's side!