Texas State women’s soccer has achieved the best start in program history with nine wins in 12 games in the 2022 season. 
With conference play for the season beginning Sept. 17 with a 2-1 win against Arkansas State in San Marcos, head coach Steve Holeman acknowledged his team’s hot start but emphasized keeping the momentum going throughout conference play.
“We’re off to a very good start but we want to make sure we finish strong,” Holeman said. “Conference play is incredibly important so we want to carry over that success into our first playoff game.”
Six more conference games are left to play for Texas State, with a matchup against James Madison University scheduled for 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 6. Senior captain and defender Avery Thies said that Sun Belt Conference women’s soccer is as competitive as it gets, and these conference games are what the team has been working toward.
“We need to realize that conference is what we’ve been working for all season,” Thies said. “Every game is going to be important in a conference as competitive as the Sun Belt.”
The soccer team has already surpassed its seven total wins from the 2021 season, which was led by former head coach Kat Conner. Following Conner’s retirement last season, Texas State announced Holeman as the new head coach in February. 
Holeman, who was previously the head coach at Lamar University prior to the 2022 season, is in his first year as a Bobcat coach. In his time leading the Texas State soccer team, Holeman has largely changed the coaching staff, hiring coaches whom he coached with at Lamar, which has brought new gameplay and strategies to Bobcat soccer.
Thies feels that the team is showing positive growth under the new coaching regime. The new dynamic has encouraged more effort from both players and staff, and Thies said the overall environment feels more equal.
“Just overall, the environment [the coaches] created, everyone feels a little more equal,” Thies said. “We’ve been learning a lot of new things and I feel like [they have] been implementing a lot of strategies that have obviously been paying off for us.”
Holeman sees potential in each player, praising their work ethic and excitement to be a part of the team. As the season continues, Holeman said he hopes to see improvement in leadership abilities, the finer details of their gameplay and their presence on the field.
During practice, the Bobcats take time to work on these fine details and the presence they have on the field. Thies said the team wants to be the hardest working on the field and that they want the other team to feel their presence.
“We were all on the same page that we want teams to feel intimidated by us and the way we do that really, is just through our play,” Thies said. “That alone makes teams intimidated of us.”
The team has also felt the support of Texas State staff and administration, who the players and coaches see attending games. Holeman said that the involvement of the Texas State staff and administration makes him excited for the future of the program. 
“It’s a phenomenal area and location and a great school with an administration that’s fully supportive in helping us be successful,” Holeman said. “Our players see the support and they know they come to games… all down the line, it helps everything throughout the entire program.”
The Sun Belt Conference tournament starts on Oct. 31, and at this point in the season, the Bobcats are showing no signs of slowing down. With the confidence the team has gained so far through its record-breaking start, this season has potential to end with a deep playoff run. 
Right now, the team is taking the season one game at a time. Each week, they take the time to refocus on the next game at hand and they make the most out of every practice. As difficult as it may be, they aren’t looking at the end until they get there.
“Our foot is on the gas and we’re not stopping,” midfielder Haley Shaw said in a post-game interview. “We’re going to keep going and going.”