The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Soccer puts three on various Top Drawer Soccer National Best XI teams
12.14.2021 | Soccer
Julia Grosso, Lexi Missimo & Trinity Byars all earned places on the prestigious squads
AUSTIN, Texas – Three Texas soccer student-athletes have earned spots on Top Drawer Soccer's National Best XI Teams as senior midfielder Julia Grosso reaped a National Best XI Third Team nod, while midfielder Lexi Missimo and forward Trinity Byars were each named to the National Freshman Best XI First Team.
The Top Drawer Soccer national honors add to an already impressive list of 2021 accolades for the decorated trio. Grosso earned her second career United Soccer Coaches Third-Team All-American nod, while all three received both United Soccer Coaches All-Midwest Region and All-Big 12 Conference inclusions.
A recent pro contract signee with Juventus FC Women in Italy's Serie A, Grosso continued her outstanding production throughout her final Texas campaign by totaling six goals and four assists for 16 points over 18 matches. The Vancouver, British Columbia, native and Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medalist registered points in seven contests, scored goals in five matches and tallied match-winners to down New Mexico State (Sept. 2), UTRGV (Sept. 12) and Texas Tech (Oct. 3). Her finest efforts arguably came with a brace in the win over New Mexico State, a two-assist effort during the triumph over Samford (Sept. 16) and by scoring the match-winner just 7:51 into a 1-0 victory over rival Texas Tech (Oct. 3).
The 2021 Big 12 Conference Freshman of the Year, Missimo made quite an impression during her first full campaign in the Burnt Orange & White by scoring nine goals and dishing a league-high and Texas freshman record 14 assists for 32 total points (fourth in the Big 12). Along the way, the Southlake, Texas, product totaled points in 12-of-22 matches and at least three points in five separate contests. Included was a program-record-tying performance during Texas' 7-0 rout of UTRGV (Sept. 12) as Missimo became the first Longhorns player to score four goals in a single match in 18 years. She also tied a program mark by dishing four assists during a 4-3 victory at Oklahoma back on Sept. 2 and registered match-winning goals to down both SIUE (Sept. 19) and Iowa State (Oct. 8).
Despite not getting on the scoresheet goal-wise until her seventh career contest, Byars quickly exploded offensively to guide the team with 12 goals (third in the Big 12) to go with 10 assists for a squad-best 34 total points (tied for second in the Big 12). Along the way, the All-Big 12 Conference First Team selection established a new program record by scoring in six consecutive matches from Sept. 12-30 and put up the second-longest point-scoring streak in school history by totaling at least one point in eight straight contests (Sept. 12-Oct. 8). The Richardson, Texas, native managed three multi-goal efforts, including braces against both Samford (Sept. 16) and Oklahoma (Sept. 26) as well as the program's 15th overall hat trick scored during a 5-2, Big 12 quarterfinal win over the Sooners.
