Women's Soccer 9/3/2025 9:00:00 AM Chris Brannick

Central Oklahoma Opens Season In Minnesota

Bronchos Start Season At Minnesota State, Play Augustana Sunday

EDMOND – Central Oklahoma soccer makes its 2025 debut Friday at No. 3 Minnesota State in the first of two non-conference matchups in Mankato, Minnesota. The Bronchos will also face Augustana (S.D.) on Sunday.

UCO returns to make its home debut Thursday, Sept. 11 against Midwestern State before a trip to No. 15 Dallas Baptist on Sept. 13 that gives the Bronchos two nationally-ranked non-conference opponents in the first two weeks of the new season. Central Oklahoma will also face Southern Nazarene and Southwestern Oklahoma State the following weekend before a 12-game MIAA schedule begins at the end of the month.

Despite the tough schedule, second-year head women's soccer coach and 18th-year program veteran Amel Muhamedagic carries optimism into the new year.

The Bronchos return 26 total players from last year's squad that includes three graduate students and five seniors. Six juniors also have two years of experience in the program and 11 sophomores are back from last season. Muhamedagic added one junior with two years of experience at Oklahoma State, and seven freshmen that are fighting for time on the field already.

"We are further along at this point in the preseason than we were a year ago and we hope that makes a difference with our consistency in the non-conference schedule," Muhamedagic said.

After 16 years as an assistant coach, Muhamedagic took over the program last year, won 12 games, and led the team to an appearance in the MIAA Championship final and the second round of the NCAA tournament.

"We weren't very consistent in the beginning," he continued. "We had five ties and we really feel like we should have won some of the games. That gets us to 15 wins and that's a really good season. If we can be more consistent early, it will only help us in conference play and we're hopeful to compete for a championship again."

Among the returners is 2024 MIAA Offensive Player of the Year and D2CCA Central Region Player of the Year Rebekah George. In her first season with the program, the grad student from Choctaw, Oklahoma led the team with and she added three assists for a team-high 23 points. The midfielder makes it all happen for the Bronchos and Muhamedagic says, "George will be George," in the middle again this year.

More senior leadership comes from two other graduate students, Megan Wilson and Adria Ramirez. The latter playing a team-high 57 career games in Bronze & Blue. Both missed last season and are back to give UCO a veteran look this fall. True seniors Rebecca Tweedy (44 games played), Lauren Piper (37 games played), and Avery Bass (30 games played) add to the leadership. Callie Harbert appeared in 10 games in her first season with the program last year before an injury she is working her way back from this fall. Jimena Guevara is also a senior goalkeeper that provides depth to the position.

Most of the seniors/grad students contribute on offense. George's 10 goals are most among the group while Piper and Tweedy have eight goals apiece. Ramirez has three carer goals. They all dish it out too. Piper's four assists are most in the group, George has three, and Tweedy and Ramirez both have two assists. For the group, 29 goals and 11 assists.

Bass backs it all up in goal. The senior has 133 career saves and ranks seventh in UCO history with that mark. Her 91 saves in 2024 are the second-most in a single season in school history.

The junior class keeps the veteran theme going with six players that have appeared in a combined 169 games. Emma Nicholas is a two-time All-MIAA midfielder with 42 games played and has one goal and four assists. Izzy Van Zanten and Claire Mullen have both played in 33 games and both have scored one goal, and Callan Snider has 29 appearances with one assist. Elena Conaway (20 games) and Jaci Decker (12 games) were both hit with injuries in their freshmen seasons but have battled back to continue helping the Bronchos. Conaway has three goals and one assist and Decker has one goal.

The Bronchos added junior forward Sami Allen, who spent the past two seasons at Oklahoma State. The Noble, Oklahoma native set an Oklahoma high school goals scored record and adds power to a deep lineup for the Bronchos.

Muhamedagic said his sophomore class has made big strides from a year ago and having 11 return is key. Caleah Carter and Jordan Tanges played in all 23 games as true freshman. Carter scored five goals and dished out four assists while Tanges netted three goals. Kaitlyn Cotton (20 games) and Adison Knocke (19 games) played most of the season.

Sheridan Ross (15), Evelyn Sydnes (14), Jordan Hahn (13), and Greta Likens (13) all played in more than half of the games as freshmen. Sophia Sallusti and Ella Swonger both made three appearances last year. Mackenzie Smith is another goalkeeper helping the position with quality depth.

Central Oklahoma is no stranger to freshmen playing early and making a difference. Muhamedagic said this class is no different. Maddie Ortwein is pushing for minutes in goal while Sophia Gaskins and Hailey Henfrey are pushing for minutes on the back line. Jane Lockhart and Clare Keeling are competing for time in the midfield and Emma Fioretti up front.

The Bronchos have eight home matches this season, with two in the non-conference schedule and six more in league play. The 2025 MIAA Women's Soccer Championship is scheduled for Nov. 9-15. Central has won the regular season title once since joining the league in 2013 and has claimed two postseason championships (2018 & 2019).

If UCO can qualify for a 17th national tournament appearance, regionals will begin on the third weekend in November.

Central Oklahoma's storied soccer program began in 1998 and its 365 all-time wins are among the most in Division II history. The Bronchos have also qualified for 16 NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Championships. Muhamedagic joined the program in 2007 and UCO is 223-100-42 since that season with 11 national tournament appearances.

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Players Mentioned

#0 Avery Bass: GK; 5' 9"; Senior

#24 Caleah Carter: F; 5' 6"; Sophomore

#9 Elena Conaway: D; 5' 7"; Junior

#16 Kaitlyn Cotton: MF; 5' 10"; Sophomore

#10 Jaci Decker: F; 5' 7"; Junior

#27 Rebekah George: MF; 5' 4"; Graduate Student

#00 Jimena Guevara: GK; 5' 7"; Senior

#2 Jordan Hahn: F; 5' 7"; Sophomore

#28 Callie Harbert: D; 6' 0"; Senior

#4 Adison Knocke: D; 5' 7"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

#0 Avery Bass
: 5' 9"; Senior
: GK

#24 Caleah Carter
: 5' 6"; Sophomore
: F

#9 Elena Conaway
: 5' 7"; Junior
: D

#16 Kaitlyn Cotton
: 5' 10"; Sophomore
: MF

#10 Jaci Decker
: 5' 7"; Junior
: F

#27 Rebekah George
: 5' 4"; Graduate Student
: MF

#00 Jimena Guevara
: 5' 7"; Senior
: GK

#2 Jordan Hahn
: 5' 7"; Sophomore
: F

#28 Callie Harbert
: 6' 0"; Senior
: D

#4 Adison Knocke
: 5' 7"; Sophomore
: D