The University of New Mexico women’s soccer team is set to kick off its 2025 season with a home opener against Texas Southern University on August 14, marking the beginning of the Lobo athletic calendar for the 2025-26 year.
Earlier this week, the Lobos showcased their skills in an exhibition match against the University of Texas, El Paso, winning decisively with a score of 4-1. Although this win does not contribute to their official season record, it serves as a promising start as various players, including newcomers and goalkeepers, gained valuable playing time.
The upcoming season comprises a total of 19 matches, culminating in the Mountain West tournament set for November, which will feature qualifying teams.
Head Coach Heather Dyche lauded the team’s rigorous training regimen over the summer, expressing confidence in their potential. “I think that’s been driven by the players,” Dyche stated. “We really feel like the best teams are led by the players. We want to give them that autonomy to run it, and they’ve been unbelievable.”
Key players to watch this season include forward Nicole Anderson, defensive midfielder Kennedy Brown, and defender Fiona Jenkins. All three have been named to the 2025 Mountain West Women’s Soccer watchlist and played every game for the Lobos last season. Freshman midfielder Mia Barela joins the squad as a promising talent, having served as captain at Las Cruces High School and racking up an impressive 106 goals and 52 assists during her high school career.
Local player Kennedy Brown, originally from Albuquerque, shared her objective for the season: to adopt a more offensive role. “Whether that’s playing through balls or attacking myself, I think that’s a big focus of mine this year,” Brown explained. “I’m very defensive-minded, but trying to get out of that habit.”
The Lobos are enriching their roster with 13 new freshmen, including eight players from New Mexico, among them five freshmen. The remaining roster is made up of athletes from outside the state.
Based on previous matchups, UNLV and San Diego State are expected to pose significant challenges, as the Lobos faced defeats by three goals against both teams last season. Coach Dyche noted that while the team excelled in possession and set pieces last season, they need to enhance their performance in critical moments. “In the last minutes of games, we’ve been giving up too many goals and not scoring,” she remarked. “So for us, it’s really like those moments, like the hard moments, can we score goals when we need to and prevent them when we need to.”
Midfielder Alysa Whelchel from Torrance, California, expressed enthusiasm about the potential for the team to reach the Mountain West tournament. “I think we have full capability of doing that and as long as we’re staying mentally tough and just being there for one another, I think we can win it too,” Whelchel said.
Dyche highlighted the positive trajectory of women’s soccer on both a global scale and in the state of New Mexico, where three Women’s Premier Soccer League teams competed during the summer. Drawing from her own experience as a player in the Women’s United Soccer Association—the first fully professional women’s soccer league—she conveyed optimism about the growing interest in the sport. “I think New Mexico loves soccer,” Dyche affirmed. “We’re such a soccer-oriented state, and you see the amount of people that show up. I always think that the more opportunities for women, the better.”
For more information or updates, readers can connect with Leila Chapa, the social media editor for the Daily Lobo, via email at socialmedia@dailylobo.com or follow her on X @lchapa06. Additionally, Paloma Chapa, the multimedia editor, can be reached at multimedia@dailylobo.com or on X @paloma_chapa8.
