Texas soccer ended the 2024 season with a high of winning the Southeastern Conference, defeating the South Carolina Gamecocks in their first SEC season, and a low of losing to Michigan State 3-2 in overtime in the second round of the NCAA tournament, resulting in an early elimination.
After losing key upperclassmen, head coach Angela Kelly faced the difficult challenge of retooling her team ahead of the 2025 season. However, with so many returning players on the Longhorns roster, when Texas takes the field again on August 14 against Northwestern State, here are some guys to watch throughout the season:
Amalia Villarreal, a forward sophomore
After Trinity Byars suffered a season-ending injury early in the season, Villarreal emerged as a crucial member of the Longhorns’ goal scoring unit as a true freshman. She earned SEC Freshman of the Year and second-team All-SEC recognition for her 2024 campaign, which concluded with 10 goals and eight assists. Villarreal will be expected to do more to generate offensive opportunities for herself and her teammates as she begins her second season on the Forty Acres.
Forward Chloe Shimkin, a sophomore
Another forward in his second year who is ready for a more significant position on the Longhorns team is Shimkin. In her first season with the Longhorns, the sophomore played in 20 games and contributed one assist. Shimkin had the chance to play internationally during the offseason, joining her Longhorn colleague Villarreal at the U.S. U-19 Women’s National team training camp. The two’s relationship will be essential to the Longhorns’ prospects of scoring goals all season long.
Arianna Brothers is a midfield junior.
During her first two seasons, Brothers has been a vital rotational member in the Longhorns’ midfield. The junior played in 42 games and started 15 over her first two years. The Texas midfield’s departures will result in a heavier workload for the third-year player.
defender Carly Montgomery, a junior
Since her first season, Montgomery has been a mainstay in the Longhorns’ backfield. In her first two seasons, the junior has started 42 games, and in 2023 and 2024, she helped the Longhorns win the conference twice in a row. The Longhorns will rely on Montgomery’s playing experience in 2025 as she enters her third season.
Graduate defender EmJ Cox
Cox is one of the Longhorns’ best defenders when fit, although he has missed two consecutive seasons due to injuries. Cox received All-Big 12 second team recognition during her first two seasons wearing a burnt orange uniform, and in 2021, she was chosen for the All-Big 12 freshman team. As a sophomore in 2022, Cox was selected to the All-Big 12 first team and won Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. Cox, who is in her fifth year, will try to regain the level of play that made her a standout member of the Longhorns.
