The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Soccer’s Byars, Missimo named to Top Drawer Soccer’s Best XI teams
12.15.2023 | Soccer
Longhorn duo selected to publication’s Best XI teams for third consecutive season
AUSTIN, Texas – For the third consecutive season, The University of Texas women's soccer pair of Trinity Byars and Lexi Missimo have both been selected to a Top Drawer Soccer's Best XI team following their on-the-pitch performances throughout the Longhorns' 2023 season.
Missimo, a first-team selection, and Byars, a second-team honoree, combined for 57 percent (122-214) of the program's season point total and 62.9 percent (44-70) of the program's season goal total as well. The duo has also picked up United Soccer Coaches First Team All-Midwest honors as well as All-American status — Missimo, first team; Byars, second team — by the organization, too, since the conclusion of the season.
Missimo, who was also named the publication's national player of the year earlier in the week, was one of just two women's soccer student-athletes from the Big 12 Conference — BYU's Brecken Mozingo — to earn a spot on the Best XI First Team. Byars, like Missimo, was also one of just two Big 12 women's soccer student-athletes to be selected to the Best XI Second Team, joining BYU's Olivia Wade-Katoa.
The pair of junior student-athletes helped lead Texas, which finished the 2023 season ranked No. 18 in the latest United Soccer Coaches' Top 25 poll, to its third postseason Big 12 Conference tournament championship en route to matching its best season finish by making an appearance in the third round of the 2023 NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship.
Last season, Missimo was selected to Top Drawer Soccer's Best XI Third Team after being tabbed to the publication's Freshman Best XI First Team in 2021. Byars joined Missimo on the Freshman Best XI First Team in 2021 and appointed to the publication's Best XI First Team as a sophomore in 2022.
Best XI Teams
First Team
F: Eleanor Dale (Nebraska), Brecken Mozingo (BYU), Jordynn Dudley (Florida State)
M: Lexi Missimo (Texas), Onyi Echegini (Florida State), Jasmine Aikey (Stanford), Coriana Dyke (Penn State)
D: Lauren Flynn (Florida State), Kennedy Wesley (Stanford), Eva Gaetino (Notre Dame)
GK: Halle Mackiewicz (Clemson)
Second Team
F: Trinity Byars (Texas), Gianna Gourley (Grand Canyon), Sarah Schupansky (Pittsburgh)
M: Taylor Huff (Florida State), Maya Doms (Stanford), Olivia Wade-Katoa (BYU), Justina Gaynor (Michigan State)
D: Maycee Bell (North Carolina), Makenna Morris (Clemson), Lyndsey Heckel (Saint Louis)
GK: Allie Augur (Georgetown)
Third Team
F: Emily Gaebe (Saint Louis), Sarah Weber (Nebraska),, Brittany Raphino (Brown)
M: Croix Bethune (Georgia), Momo Nakao (Memphis), Allyson Sentnor (North Carolina), Bea Franklin (Arkansas)
D: Lilly Reale (UCLA), Hannah Anderson (Texas Tech), Elise Evans (Stanford)
GK: Cristina Roque (Florida State)
Freshman Best XI Teams
First Team
F: Anna Hauer (Memphis), Jenna Tobia (Clemson), Nyah Rose (SMU)
M: Samantha Courtwright (Texas Tech), Danielle Davis (Clemson), Isabella Najera (Michigan State), Shae Harvey (Stanford)
D: Savannah King (North Carolina), Faith Leyba (Colorado), Clare Logan (Notre Dame)
GK: Lynette Hernaez (BYU)
Second Team
F: Megan Hinnenkamp (Florida), Norah Jacomen (Butler), Maribel Flores (USC)
M: Joy Okonye (Brown), Deborah Abiodun (Pittsburgh), Samantha James (Howard), Joelle Jung (Stanford)
D: Kiera Staude (Georgia), Hailey Baumann (Wisconsin), Mia Bhuta (Stanford)
GK: Ashlyn Dvorak (Montana)
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