Sunday, August 17
Dallas, Texas
7pm CT
SMU
vs
Northwestern State
Women's Soccer Hosts Northwestern State In Its 2025 Home Opener | Sunday 7 pm CT
Aug 16 | Women's Soccer
SMU (0-1-0, 0-0-0 ACC) vs Northwestern State (1-0-0, 0-0-0 SLC)
Washburne Stadium – Dallas, TexasÂ
Sunday, Aug. 17 Â | Â 7 p.m. CT | SMU Gameday Promotions
ACCNX | Get the ACC Network | ACC Network FAQs
Live Stats | SMU Notes | Northwestern State | ACC Women's Soccer
Facebook | X | Instagram
SMU Mobile App | Apple | Google Play
Â
DALLAS (SMU) – After beginning the 2025 season on the road, the SMU women's soccer program returns to Washburne Stadium to face the Northwestern State Demons on Sunday, Aug. 17 in the team's home opener.
The Mustangs added nine newcomers to their 2025 roster, five freshmen and four transfers. Head coach Nicole Nelson also brought in two new assistant coaches in Daniel O'Hare and Callie McKinney.
In the Preseason United Soccer Coaches Poll, eight ACC teams landed in the top 25, tying for the most of any conference. All eight ranked ACC teams were slotted in the top 15, with North Carolina (No. 1), Notre Dame (No.
2), Florida State (No. 3) and Duke (No. 4) holding the top four spots. Stanford (No.7) and Wake Forest (No.10) rounded out the six ACC teams in the top 10, followed by Virginia Tech (No.14) and Virginia (15). Both California
and Clemson received votes.
In the ACC Preseason Coaches Poll, the Mustangs were picked to finish 12th overall. The top-10 teams in the poll all were ranked or received votes in the United Soccer Coaches Poll.
This season will mark the 40th year of women's soccer on the Hilltop and the fourth under head coach Nicole Nelson. The Mustangs are 16-8-3 at home under Nelson.
// THE MATCH UP
Washburne Stadium – Dallas, TexasÂ
Sunday, Aug. 17 Â | Â 7 p.m. CT | SMU Gameday Promotions
ACCNX | Get the ACC Network | ACC Network FAQs
Live Stats | SMU Notes | Northwestern State | ACC Women's Soccer
Facebook | X | Instagram
SMU Mobile App | Apple | Google Play
Â
DALLAS (SMU) – After beginning the 2025 season on the road, the SMU women's soccer program returns to Washburne Stadium to face the Northwestern State Demons on Sunday, Aug. 17 in the team's home opener.
The match will kick off at 7 p.m. CT. Admission for all SMU women's soccer regular-season home games is free. Information on gameday promotions can be found here. Fans who can't make it to Washburne can watch the game on ACCNX or follow along with the action via live stats.
SMU returned 17 players from the 2024 season, as Nyah Rose (5 goals) and Liz Eddy (5 assists) led the returning squad.The Mustangs added nine newcomers to their 2025 roster, five freshmen and four transfers. Head coach Nicole Nelson also brought in two new assistant coaches in Daniel O'Hare and Callie McKinney.
In the Preseason United Soccer Coaches Poll, eight ACC teams landed in the top 25, tying for the most of any conference. All eight ranked ACC teams were slotted in the top 15, with North Carolina (No. 1), Notre Dame (No.
2), Florida State (No. 3) and Duke (No. 4) holding the top four spots. Stanford (No.7) and Wake Forest (No.10) rounded out the six ACC teams in the top 10, followed by Virginia Tech (No.14) and Virginia (15). Both California
and Clemson received votes.
In the ACC Preseason Coaches Poll, the Mustangs were picked to finish 12th overall. The top-10 teams in the poll all were ranked or received votes in the United Soccer Coaches Poll.
This season will mark the 40th year of women's soccer on the Hilltop and the fourth under head coach Nicole Nelson. The Mustangs are 16-8-3 at home under Nelson.
// THE MATCH UP
- Sunday's match will be the sixth time the two teams have faced each other. SMU leads the series 5-0, as all the previous five match ups have been played in Washburne Stadium.
- The Mustangs have yet to concede a goal to Northwestern State, outscoring them 17-0, highlighted by an 8-0 victory in 2016.Â
- Last season, SMU defeated NSU 3-0 in the teams 2024 season opener. Sammy Nieves scored SMU's first goal of the season in the 14th minute. Nyah Rose found the back of the net in the 20th minute as SMU led 2-0 at the half. Kelly Gordon scored her first career goal in the 70th minute to close out the game. Â
- SMU rattled off 31 shots (14 on goal) during the match, the most in a single match since 2017.
- Northwestern State is led by head coach Ian Brophy who is in his 3rd season at the helm of the Demon and boasts a record of 18-18-5. He holds a career record of 31-23-5 in four seasons as a head coach.Â
- Northwestern State finished last season with a record of 11-8-2 and was 4-6 on the road.
- The Demons upset No. 19 Texas on the road 3-2 last time out, it was the first win over a ranked opponent in program history.
- The Mustangs fell on the road 2-0 to No. 10 Wake Forest to begin the season. SMU opened its season on the road for the first time since 2019. The Mustangs outshot the Demon Deacons 7-5, but were unable to find the back of the net.
- Seven Mustangs made their SMU and or collegiate debut: Sydney Japic (Starter), Claire Jones (Starter) Sarah Bonnecaze and Zoe Parkhurst – Freshman making collegiate debut: Brooke Bunton (Starter), Lindsay Nicholson (Starter), Savannah Chenail.
- Entering their second season in the ACC, the Mustangs' 18-game schedule will feature eight non-conference games and 10 conference games. SMU will face six teams that made the NCAA Tournament last season, including three teams that made the College Cup.
- SMU is scheduled to face seven teams this season that were ranked or received votes in the 2025 United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll.
- The Mustangs have allowed one or fewer goals in 39 of 55 games played under Head Coach Nicole Nelson. SMU achieved the feat in nine of its 17 matches last season.
- SMU ranked second in the conference last season in total saves with 92 and boasted a save percentage of 0.739. The 92 saves were the most for the Mustangs since the team ended the 2021 season with 100.
- Since 2022, SMU has shut out 17 opponents, including back-to-back shutouts against Northwestern State (3-0) and Texas Southern (6-0) last season. It marked the fifth time in program history that the Mustangs did not allow a goal over the first two games.
- SMU did not allow a goal in the run of action in its first two ACC matches. Syracuse scored their lone goal on a penalty kick, and the team shut out Boston College.
- SMU holds an impressive 24-9-4 record at home since the 2021 season, including six conference wins, and is 16-8-3 under Nicole Nelson. The Mustangs were 6-5-1 inside Washburne Stadium last season.
- Fifteen of SMU's home wins in that stretch have been shutouts.
- Prior to the start of the season, Nyah Rose was ranked 48th in TopDrawerSoccer's top-100 players list.
- Rose is coming off another standout season for the Mustangs. Rose was a 2024 Hermann Trophy Watch List honoree and was named Third Team All-ACC for her play last season.
- Rose was second on the team with five goals in only 11 games played last season. Rose scored the team's only goal in a 1-1 draw versus the 2024 ACC tournament champions, Florida State. Three of her five goals occurred during ACC play.
- As a freshman, she was named First-Team All-South Region, All-AAC First Team, Co-Rookie of the Year and was named to the AAC All-Rookie Team and AAC Championship All-Tournament Team. She led AAC in goals scored with 11.Â
- Rose has now scored 16 goals in her SMU career. She currently ranks 10th all-time in goals per game in program history (0.53).Â
Players Mentioned
MF
/ Women's Soccer
MF
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
MF
/ Women's Soccer
D/MF
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
MF
/ Women's Soccer
F/MF
/ Women's Soccer
MF
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's SoccerSaturday, September 26
Saturday, September 26
Saturday, September 26
Friday, September 25
