University of North Texas Athletics
Photo by: Rick Yeatts Photography
Mean Green's Defensive Unit
7/12/2019 2:42:00 AM | Women's Soccer
DENTON — Defense wins championships is a cliché in sports culture.
However, within the walls of the North Texas soccer program, the word "championship" alone has become so common place that when asked what were the goals for this season not one of the 12 returners said winning a league championship.
But the backbone to North Texas' five straight Conference USA championships and 15 overall league titles since 2001 is its defense.
Over the last five years the defense has been consistently ranked as one of the best in the nation.
"It's all the above," said redshirt junior defender Brittnye Lawson about what's made the Mean Green defense a machine. "You need it all: Athleticism, depth, physicality, and communication.
"Communication is a very important component that our coaches stress to us the most," she added.
The 2019 season, though brings with it some new challenges for the defense.
Last season, the Mean Green returned its entire back line and featured two veteran all-conference center backs who were the keystone for a defense that had one of the 10 best goals-against averages in the nation.
This year though, North Texas will have to replace center back Carissa Sanders who graduated after being a four-year starter.
"She was a huge reason why we were successful," Lawson said of Sanders who was the 2018 C-USA Tournament Defensive MVP. "She was one of the most physical players on the team. She intimidated opposing forwards."
The North Texas defense bullied its opponents and took pride in physically imposing its will on other teams.
In the center of that defense was the main event.
The gladiator Carissa Sanders.
A fitness freak who rarely came off the field, she played with self confidence and no fear by challenging every opponent. She became notorious for hip checking naïve forwards.
"There's no time to take your foot off the gas," Sanders said after the Mean Green's win 2-0 win over UAB last season. "If you step on the field you have to be ready for a physical match and give everything you have to stop the other team. It's either us or them."
Despite the loss of Sanders, Lawson is confident the defense will not take a step back because it has depth.
For starters, UNT returns all-American Dominque James.
The rising senior played alongside Sanders in the center of the defense and controlled the field with her vocal leadership and vision. Furthermore, her elite athleticism covers for any mistakes that may be made.
Also returning is Lawson.
However, she is coming back after missing all of last season with a knee injury. The outside back was all-conference in 2017 before sustaining the injury in the spring of 2018.
Another gym rat, Lawson lived for recovery while she was away from her teammates. Even when she wasn't instructed to, she could be found in the athletic training room and weight room working on getting back into playing shape.
"Honestly, you can be easily replaced," Lawson said. "John (Hedlund) does a great job recruiting and coaching and will find someone in the blink of an eye. There's not one person in one position that's exceptionally better than the other. And that's why every player has to compete with the next to get a starting position."
One of those people Hedlund and Lawson believe can replace Sanders is Lana Hastings.
A rising sophomore who transferred to North Texas from conference rival Old Dominion, Hastings shares a lot of the same qualities Sanders brought to the team.
"Lana is physical, extremely vocal and reads the game very well," Lawson explained. "With Lana in the back our defense is just as strong as it was with (Sanders)."
The competition for replacing Sanders' job isn't over though.
Hastings is battling with multiple eager defensive freshmen who Hedlund brought to UNT for depth and the competition.
Furthermore, what the defense is on opening day is not necessarily what it'll be by the start of conference play or even by the end.
Last season defender Madeline Guderian emerged for the Mean Green in the second half of the season.
The then junior who bounced in and out of the starting lineup early in the year but became a reliable outside back for UNT at the end of the year. She was a deadly offensive weapon on set pieces that Hedlund couldn't afford to take her off the field.
In the 2018 C-USA Tournament, Guderian was named to the all-tournament team after she scored a goal and assisted on two, including the championship clinching goal, in the three-match tournament.
"A common goal for our entire team is to make the second round of the NCAA Tournament," Lawson said. "As for the defense, our goal is to let in even fewer goals than we did last year. That will help us advance and be ranked in the top 25."
However, within the walls of the North Texas soccer program, the word "championship" alone has become so common place that when asked what were the goals for this season not one of the 12 returners said winning a league championship.
But the backbone to North Texas' five straight Conference USA championships and 15 overall league titles since 2001 is its defense.
Over the last five years the defense has been consistently ranked as one of the best in the nation.
"It's all the above," said redshirt junior defender Brittnye Lawson about what's made the Mean Green defense a machine. "You need it all: Athleticism, depth, physicality, and communication.
"Communication is a very important component that our coaches stress to us the most," she added.
The 2019 season, though brings with it some new challenges for the defense.
Last season, the Mean Green returned its entire back line and featured two veteran all-conference center backs who were the keystone for a defense that had one of the 10 best goals-against averages in the nation.
This year though, North Texas will have to replace center back Carissa Sanders who graduated after being a four-year starter.
"She was a huge reason why we were successful," Lawson said of Sanders who was the 2018 C-USA Tournament Defensive MVP. "She was one of the most physical players on the team. She intimidated opposing forwards."
The North Texas defense bullied its opponents and took pride in physically imposing its will on other teams.
In the center of that defense was the main event.
The gladiator Carissa Sanders.
A fitness freak who rarely came off the field, she played with self confidence and no fear by challenging every opponent. She became notorious for hip checking naïve forwards.
"There's no time to take your foot off the gas," Sanders said after the Mean Green's win 2-0 win over UAB last season. "If you step on the field you have to be ready for a physical match and give everything you have to stop the other team. It's either us or them."
Despite the loss of Sanders, Lawson is confident the defense will not take a step back because it has depth.
For starters, UNT returns all-American Dominque James.
The rising senior played alongside Sanders in the center of the defense and controlled the field with her vocal leadership and vision. Furthermore, her elite athleticism covers for any mistakes that may be made.
Also returning is Lawson.
However, she is coming back after missing all of last season with a knee injury. The outside back was all-conference in 2017 before sustaining the injury in the spring of 2018.
Another gym rat, Lawson lived for recovery while she was away from her teammates. Even when she wasn't instructed to, she could be found in the athletic training room and weight room working on getting back into playing shape.
"Honestly, you can be easily replaced," Lawson said. "John (Hedlund) does a great job recruiting and coaching and will find someone in the blink of an eye. There's not one person in one position that's exceptionally better than the other. And that's why every player has to compete with the next to get a starting position."
One of those people Hedlund and Lawson believe can replace Sanders is Lana Hastings.
A rising sophomore who transferred to North Texas from conference rival Old Dominion, Hastings shares a lot of the same qualities Sanders brought to the team.
"Lana is physical, extremely vocal and reads the game very well," Lawson explained. "With Lana in the back our defense is just as strong as it was with (Sanders)."
The competition for replacing Sanders' job isn't over though.
Hastings is battling with multiple eager defensive freshmen who Hedlund brought to UNT for depth and the competition.
Furthermore, what the defense is on opening day is not necessarily what it'll be by the start of conference play or even by the end.
Last season defender Madeline Guderian emerged for the Mean Green in the second half of the season.
The then junior who bounced in and out of the starting lineup early in the year but became a reliable outside back for UNT at the end of the year. She was a deadly offensive weapon on set pieces that Hedlund couldn't afford to take her off the field.
In the 2018 C-USA Tournament, Guderian was named to the all-tournament team after she scored a goal and assisted on two, including the championship clinching goal, in the three-match tournament.
"A common goal for our entire team is to make the second round of the NCAA Tournament," Lawson said. "As for the defense, our goal is to let in even fewer goals than we did last year. That will help us advance and be ranked in the top 25."
Players Mentioned
Defense
/ Women's Soccer
Defense
/ Women's Soccer
Defense
/ Women's Soccer
Defense
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