The Teams: Tarleton Texans (1-0-1, 0-0 WAC) vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (2-0, 0-0 SWAC); Lamar Cardinals (1-0, 0-0 SLC)
Where: Stephenville, Texas; Beaumont, Texas
Stadium: Tarleton Soccer Complex; LU Soccer Complex
Time: 7 p.m. CT (Thursday); 1 p.m. CT (Sunday)
Video: ESPN+ (Thursday)
 
TEXAN SOCCER GAME DAY
For the first time in Tarleton State University history, a home NCAA women's soccer match will take place in Stephenville. The Texans will make their home debut Thursday night at 7 p.m. against Arkansas-Pine Bluff before making a Sunday trip to Beaumont for a match against Southland Conference favorites Lamar at 1 p.m.
 
Live stats and video broadcast will be available for the home matches. Tarleton's home match will be broadcast on ESPN+. There will not be video for the Lamar match. Fans are also encouraged to follow @TarletonSoccer on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
 
PREGAME FESTIVITIES
As part of Howdy Week at Tarleton State University, there will be a pregame, tailgate style Meet the Athletes event at 5:30 p.m. in the Aquatics Center parking lot. Texas A&M University System Board of Regent Member, Elaine Mendoza will be on hand for the opening game. As one of the tremendous supporters for the addition of women's soccer at Tarleton State University, there will be a special on-field recognition ceremony ahead of the opening kickoff.
 
ABOUT TARLETON SOCCER
Women's Soccer is one of the newest programs at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas. The addition of the program was announced on January 19, 2021 after the university made the move to NCAA Division I and the Western Athletic Conference in July 2020. Pete Cuadrado was named the first head coach of the program after successful tenures at North Dakota State and the University of Wyoming.
 
QUICK KICKS

• Tarleton State University is in the midst of its NCAA debut season as part of its first year of existence. Tarleton made the decision to add women's soccer after making the leap from NCAA Division II to Division I on July 1, 2020. Tarleton made the announcement and the search for a head coach on January 19, 2021.
• Tarleton's debut roster includes 16 true freshmen and six transfers, including five with Division I experience: Nicole Fels, Macie Johnson, Macie Witter, Adriana Alonso-Gomez, and Kiki Baurmann.
• Tarleton received an unwelcome greeting from Pete Cuadrado's former club in their NCAA debut on August 19 when North Dakota State scored in the opening minute, but Tarleton battled back and got a goal from distance by Adriana Alonso-Gomez to give Tarleton a tie in its debut outing. The Texans followed up two days later with its first-ever win in program history. Rylee Low put one in the top right corner from distance in the 85' to put the first official win in the Tarleton history books.
• Through the first two games of the season, Tarleton has been the aggressor offensively. The Texans have made 22 shot attempts with 15 on goal for a 68.2 shot on goal percentage. In comparison, Tarleton has more shots on goal (15) than their opponents have total shots (13) this season.
• Tarleton has three players who have logged every minute of every match thus far. Defenders Kaitlyn Flanagan and Sydney Rouillard, as well as goalkeeper Mikayla Kendall, lead the Texans with 180 minutes of work.

 
WAC PRESEASON POLL
Tarleton was picked to finish 12th in the Western Athletic Conference preseason coaches' poll. With 21 points, the Texans were picked last behind Southern Utah with 25 votes. Grand Canyon was picked to finish atop the league standings with 117 votes, followed closely by Utah Valley (110).
 

Rank	Team (1st)	Points
1.	Grand Canyon (8)	117
2.	Utah Valley (4)	110
3.	Stephen F. Austin	90
4.	California Baptist	84
5.	New Mexico State	74
6.	Seattle U	72
7.	Abilene Christian	62
8.	Utah Tech	46
9.	Sam Houston	42
10.	UTRGV	39
11.	Southern Utah	25
12.	Tarleton	21

 
"I can't believe they picked a team who has never lost a game to finish last, but I guess we'll just have to go out and compete," said Cuadrado with a smile.
 
NOTABLES

• OPENING AGAINST THE BISON: Pete Cuadrado's first official game as the head coach of Tarleton's newest program will be against a former team that he led to new heights – North Dakota State. Tarleton opened against the Bison, where Cuadrado was the head coach for nine seasons and led NDSU out of NCAA Division II and into the Division I ranks. During his time with the Bison, he went 93-62-18, remains the program's all-time wins leader, and was named the 2005 NCAA Division I Independent Coach of the Year. Cuadrado's Texans tied the Bison in their first game 1-1 on a late goal from Adriana Alonso-Gomez.
• BUILDING FROM SCRATCH: Pete Cuadrado was named the first head coach in Tarleton Soccer history on May 21, 2021. The veteran head coach made the choice to return home to Texas where he played his college career at TCU. Cuadrado was tasked with beginning a program from scratch with one full year to put together a complete roster. The first addition to the soccer team for head coach Pete Cuadrado was assistant coach Rex Carrell. The former Division III standout joined Cuadrado as a volunteer assistant coach for the first year before signing on as the first full-time assistant coach this summer. Cuadrado rounded out his coaching staff with Delaney Castor, who wrapped up her career as the most prolific goalkeeper in Howard Payne University (D3) history. Castor joined the staff in May.
• SCORING FROM DISTANCE: All of Tarleton's goals this season have come from beyond the 18-yard box. Adriana Alonso-Gomez scored the first goal in school history to tie the game against North Dakota State and Rylee Low hit the game-winner against Nicholls State last Sunday. Both goals came from downtown, as did Kiki Baurmann's game-winner in the exhibition against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
• AGENT DOUBLE 0 KENDALL: The name's Kendall, Mikayla Kendall. The Tarleton's goalkeeper does more than don a 00-jersey number, she's been pretty good at keeping zeroes on the scoreboard. Kendall has taken hold of the primary goalkeeping duties for Tarleton and has allowed just goal which came in the opening minute of the season. Since then, the Texans have gone 179 minutes without allowing a score and Kendall has four saves in that span.
• AGGRESSIVE TEXANS: Tarleton has played the aggressor on offense most of this season. The Texans are averaging 11.0 shots per game (22 total) with 68.2 percent of their shots on goal. The Texans have more shots on goal (15) than their opponents have total (13) through the first two games of the season.

 
LOOKING AHEAD TO THE HOME SLATE
Tarleton will host eight home matches in its debut season, beginning with an inaugural season celebration on Aug. 25 at 7 p.m. against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Admission is free for all during the debut season and here's a look at what is to come for the home games.
 

Promos and Theme Nights
Date	Promo/Theme
Aug. 25	Inaugural Season Celebration	Tarleton Student Giveaways, Soccer Debut
Sept. 2	Kid's Night	Local youth get postgame autographs
Sept. 18	Pups on the Pitch	Canines Welcome, Free Frisbees
Sept. 23	Greek Night	Join Tarleton Greek Life, Horn Giveaway
Oct. 21	Military Appreciation	Recognize Veterans, ROTC
Oct. 23	Senior Day	Recognize Soccer Senior Class

 
FREE ADMISSION ALL SEASON
To help us celebrate the first season of Tarleton Soccer, admission to all home matches this season are free for all fans.
 
UP NEXT FOR TARLETON
Tarleton will return home next weekend to begin a stretch of five of their next six at home, beginning with Alcorn State at 6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 2. That game will be Kid's Night, as all local youth soccer programs will be permitted onto the field postgame for autographs. Local youth organizations can call the Tarleton Ticket Office at (254) 968-1832 to RSVP attendance.