Although Friday night ended in a loss for Texas State soccer against the No. 5 Baylor Bears during round one of the NCAA Tournament in Waco, the Bobcats still had reason to celebrate as they continued their historic season for one more match in 2025.

Becoming SBC Tournament Champions for the first time in program history and earning a bid to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 14 years was a feat in itself for the Bobcats.

Regardless of the result Friday night, the Bobcats didn’t take the opportunity to create lasting memories with their teammates for granted, especially outgoing seniors such as defender Chloe Jones.

“I think it just proves how hard we worked this season. It proves that all the dedication, the time, the blood, the sweat and tears that we put into this season, it just shows that it paid off and it was just another chance to play with a group of girls that I would consider my family,” Jones said.

Since head coach Steve Holeman’s arrival in 2022, every year has brought the Bobcats one step closer to reaching their goals and cultivating a winning culture.

“When we were at my previous program, we turned things around in a year, so I jokingly said to Don Coryell, our athletic director, after we won the [SBC] title, ‘Sorry it took so long,'” Holeman said.

Texas State pushed further toward a ring with each season; in 2022, the Bobcats lost in round one of the SBC tournament, in 2023, they fell short during round two and in 2024, they progressed to the championship match, ultimately finishing as runner-up to James Madison University.

Now, in 2025, the Bobcats realized a true full-circle moment after seizing their final opportunity to become SBC Tournament Champions, fulfilling a journey years in the making.

“To be able to lift a trophy, I think, is something special. I’m proud of the players that trusted in us, the [coaching staff], what we were trying to build, and happy that they get a ring on their finger at the end of this,” Holeman said.

Not only is it the end of an era for Texas State in the SBC, but also a close to a career for many seniors who have been integral to the program’s road to success.

One player who had their final outing with the Bobcats on Friday night was graduate student defender Kennley Bradley, who hasn’t sat out of a single match since transferring to Texas State in 2023.

“I’ve been grateful to the coaches who gave me a chance to come and play at Texas State, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I wouldn’t trade the program that I got to play for, the coaches that I got to play for or the team,” Bradley said.

Though the team is now sending off its veterans, the program holds high future value in a very young roster, including freshman goalkeeper Brooklyn Escobar, who has stepped up as the starting goalie in her debut collegiate year.

“She came in, didn’t know what the expectations were, she won the starting spot, and it’s just been phenomenal,” Holeman said. “What an experience for her to get to win a conference title and then playing in the NCAA [tournament].”

Escobar accumulated 58 saves after playing in all 20 matches of the 2025 season, paving a strong path to continue as a leader in this team’s next chapter.

With the momentum of a winning season and a roster with the potential to see many returners in the new season, Texas State soccer has set a precedent, ready to make its name known and compete at a high level as it takes on the Pac-12.