One of the reasons for Missouri soccer’s success so far this season is the impact of its freshmen players.
A particularly impactful freshman is defender Bella Carrillo. Carrillo was selected to the all-district team four times while at Centennial High School in Frisco, Texas, before joining the Tigers. She has played every minute of SEC play for Missouri this year, and is one of only five Missouri players to do so.
Carrillo features at left back for the Tigers, despite committing as a forward. She rarely played in defense previously but has thrived in this new position due to her aggressive play style and high work rate.
“It hasn’t been too hard,” Carrillo said. “I know the coaches believe in me and they wouldn’t put me in this position if they didn’t think I could do it.”
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Carrillo chose Missouri over the Elon and University of Alabama at Birmingham soccer programs. She made her choice due to the coaching staff’s plan and vision and approach to forming personal relationships with their players. Tigers’ head coach Stefanie Golan, who joined Missouri in May 2021, played a large part in Carrillo’s decision.
“After talking to [Golan] I knew I really wanted to be a part of this,” Carrillo said about her decision to commit to Missouri. “All the stuff that she has planned — I couldn’t ask for anything more. I knew I really wanted to be a part of taking this program to the level they want to go to.”
Carrillo played a large part in the Tigers’ win in their opening SEC game this year. Missouri narrowly beat No. 23 Auburn 1-0, and a big reason for the victory was Carrillo’s defensive contribution. Carrillo allowed the Auburn forwards no space or time on the ball, pressuring them immediately and ensuring the Tigers kept a clean sheet. She named this win as her favorite memory of the season so far.
“Coming in, no one expected us to pull out such a big win,” Carrillo said. “We were all excited, we wanted to prove everyone wrong. So when we did, it made it feel that much more special. It made us all believe that we can compete.”
Another freshman who has made her presence known thus far is midfielder Hannah Boughton. Boughton is from Colleyville, Texas, and scored 65 goals in her two years at Colleyville Covenant Christian Academy. She chose Missouri over Southern Methodist University and SEC rival Arkansas.
Boughton has scored one goal and registered two assists so far this season, and is one of only two players to have more than one assist for the Tigers this year.
“Even though I am a freshman, I play with a lot of confidence, and that is the help of my coaches believing in me and encouraging me to take a player on or be creative with the ball,” Boughton said. “Giving me that freedom has really helped a lot.”
Boughton had a prolific high school career and was listed as the No. 63 midfielder in the class of 2022. She struggled initially with the pace of the college game but has since adjusted quickly.
“I transitioned pretty easily; the speed of play was much faster, and I learned that after a couple games [and] I needed to start playing quicker,” Boughton said. “I stayed positive through it all and knew that it would slowly happen over time.”
The impact of newcomers goes beyond the new players. Kelsey Wys was hired as an assistant coach for the Tigers this summer after serving as a goalkeeper coach and defensive assistant at Appalachian State for two years. Wys played goalkeeper at Florida State before playing in the National Women’s Soccer League. Her impressive playing career provides relatability and perspective for a relatively young Tigers roster.
“Obviously the more time that goes on, the further away I’ll be from my playing career, but right now I want to keep the player perspective as much as I can,” Wys said. “Putting the player and coach perspective together has helped me understand why my coaches were asking for certain things, so I just try to put those things together.”
Wys credits her playing and coaching success to her time at Florida State University.
“Playing at Florida State, one of the best programs in the country under, in my opinion, the best staff in the country — that was a privilege,” Wys said. “Everything there is a pro mindset, so I try to take some of those things with me and take the things I learned from my time as a player in the NWSL and morph myself as a coach.”
Edited by Brandon Haynes | bhaynes@themaneater.com
Copy edited by Kyla Pehr and Jacob Richey | jrichey@themaneater.com
