The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
No. 15 Soccer has three selected to United Soccer Coaches Watch Lists
08.16.2023 | Soccer
2022 standouts Trinity Byars, Lexi Missimo and EmJ Cox all earn spots on three separate watch lists to begin the new season
AUSTIN, TX – Following a 2022 campaign that saw Trinity Byars, Lexi Missimo and EmJ Cox combine to pick up multiple major Big 12 Conference awards, the trio has been placed on three separate United Soccer Coaches watch lists prior to the start of the new season.
Byars, who earned the Big 12's Offensive Player of the Year award a season ago, was one of 33 Division I women's soccer student-athletes — and one of just three in the Big 12 — to be named among the organization's forwards to watch. Missimo, a first-team all-conference performer and ranked atop the nation's assist leaders in 2022, was one of 38 student-athletes — and one of three in the league — selected as a midfielder to watch. Cox, who was selected as the Big 12's Defensive Player of the Year in 2022, was one of 36 across the country — and one of three in the conference — was appointed to the defenders to watch list.
Byars is coming off a sophomore season that saw the Richardson, Texas native set a new program single-season goals record with 17, surpassing the previous mark of 16 set by Kelly Wilson throughout the 2004 season. During the 2022 season, Missimo — for the second consecutive season — finished the season atop the program's single-season assist leaderboard with 15, surpassing the previous mark of 14 set by herself (2021) and Kelly Wilson (2004). Cox play 1,710 possible minutes during a regular season that saw the Longhorns post eight shutouts and limiting opponents to a 0.79 goals-per-match mark.
During the Longhorns exhibition match over the weekend, Missimo's midfield abilities were on full display as the Southlake, Texas native was credited with a match-high four assists to go along with a first-half goal.
UP NEXT
Texas, which won the 2022 Big 12 Conference regular season championship, will begin its 2023 regular season slate on Thursday, Aug. 17, when the Longhorns take on Long Beach State in California at 7 p.m. PT / 9 p.m. CT with the contest being streamed on ESPN+.
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