Cameryn Maddox, Houston’s leading scorer in 2023 hopes to propel the Cougars to the 2024 conference tournament. | Raphael Fernandez/The Cougar.
Houston Soccer is looking forward to a big 2024 season. With a squad of young and experienced talents, the Cougars are ready to show they are worthy of playing in the Big 12.
“We’re more prepared and have high expectations,” junior forward Cameryn Maddox said. “We expect to attend the tournament.”
Last season, the Cougars failed to qualify for the conference tournament after landing in 12th place in the conference standings with an 8-8-2 overall record.
Houston is ready to turn the page and their determination to make noise in the Big 12 has shaped the team’s preparations and culture.
Over the spring, the team had a lot of growth in tactical work. The team competed with high-quality SEC teams such as Texas A&M, Texas and LSU. The team was battle-tested early and is ready to build connections that carry through the season.
“One thing we can do better is learning how to work with each other and adapting to each other’s individuality because we have some serious talent,” junior goalkeeper Olivia Dietrich said. “I expect our upcoming team to get us to the tournament and show what UH is about.”
Dietrich finished her first season with the third most saves in the Big 12 and is ready to make a mark during Houston’s second year in the conference. With many young players getting playing time last season, many Cougars know what it takes to play collegiate soccer in Houston.
“I’m most excited about the experiences learned from last year’s young players that can translate to this year’s results,” soccer head coach Jaime Frias said.
The Cougars had an excellent performance in the non-conference schedule last season with a 6-1-1 record. Houston got off to a 6-0-1 start to the season which was the best start in program history. Once Houston got to Big 12 competition, the team struggled finishing with a 2-7-1 conference record. Frias stresses the importance of playing with strength for 90 minutes to close out games and sustain leads.
“We have more of a veteran group, so a lot more experience than we did our first year in the Big 12,” Frias said. “Most players didn’t know the competition or style of each team. We are seasoned in that way.”
The Cougars welcome back Cameryn Maddox, who scored seven goals, the most for the Cougars in 2023. The Georgia native will have the unique opportunity to play with her younger sister, freshman midfielder Casey Maddox, who arrived at UH early in the spring season.
“I’m glad she’s here with me, and we can play together,” Cameryn Maddox said. “We can make things happen.”
Now, in their second year in the conference, Houston is preparing to take on new opponents. The team will take an October road trip to take on Utah and BYU to face both squads for the first time as conference foes. UH will kick off conference play against UCF on Sept. 12 before returning home to face Arizona State for the first time since 2012 in their first Big 12 home game.
The Cougars kick off non-conference play on Aug. 7 when they take on Texas A&M Corpus Christi. The team plans to use the early non-conference match to determine what players are best built for the pitch before heading into conference play.
The stakes are high, but the Cougar’s drive to not back down is stronger.
“This group is hungry to prove themselves, and I don’t think they want to settle for being in the middle or lower end of the pack,” Frias said. This team wants to ensure that Houston is one of the top soccer teams in the conference.”
