Sunday, September 1
Lubbock
7 p.m.
University of North Texas
at
Texas Tech
Photo by: Rick Yeatts Photography
Where It All Began
9/1/2019 1:11:00 PM | Women's Soccer
LUBBOCK, TX — The North Texas women's soccer program played its first ever match on Sept. 2, 1995 with a road game at Texas Tech.
Though the Mean Green ended up losing that day 3-2, it is the only time in the program's history that it had an overall losing record.
Five hundred and five matches later.
Twenty-four years 364 days later.
UNT has won over 71 percent of its matches, won 15 conference championships and is one of the most successful programs in the the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex. Furthermore, head coach John Hedlund, who started the program from scratch in 1995, has established himself as the winningest and most successful coach in North Texas history.
On Sunday, one day shy of its 25th anniversary, Hedlund leads his undefeated North Texas (3-0) squad to the Red Raiders where it all began. Sunday's match against Texas Tech can be seen on Fox Sports Southwest. First kick is schedule for 7 p.m.
"My first memory of that day was that I ran out on to the field to argue a call," Hedlund said with a laugh. "I didn't care if people saw us as some small school rag-tag team playing some big-name Southwest Conference school. I believed and always have in our teams that hard work could get us far."
Over 220 women have suited up for UNT in its 24-plus-year history.
While it relatively didn't take Hedlund and UNT long to get the ball rolling, winning their first conference championship in 2001, the program has hit new heights over the past seven years.
The Mean Green joined Conference USA in 2013 and have dominated it, winning seven total league titles. They own a .827 winning percentage against C-USA opponents and have won 22 more matches over the last seven years than any other C-USA school.
Being able to compete and win the games against the Texas Tech's of the world is what first put UNT on the map.
Following their loss to the Red Raiders in 1995, UNT beat LSU the very next day, then Mississippi State a week later. In fact, North Texas won 15 matches in its first five years against opponents from major conferences including two top 25 opponents, one of which was ranked No. 9.
While the result of Sunday's match will have a small bearing on the success of the entire season it could propel the Mean Green.
North Texas is coming off a top 25 season and returned a solid portion of its key pieces from last season, including all-American Dominique James.
UNT hasn't beaten a Big 12 school since 2015 when it took down TCU in Fort Worth 1-0.
Following that victory over the Horned Frogs in 2015, the Mean Green finished the regular season 10-1-1. The one loss coming at the hands of No. 5 Texas A&M in double overtime, 2-1.
The Mean Green then won all three matches of the 2015 Conference USA Tournament and earned an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.
A 19-win season.
Three more wins than UNT had ever won in a single season.
The 2015 UNT team's season came to an end in the first round of the NCAA Tournament when they lost 1-0 at Texas Tech.
It was the last time North Texas played the Red Raiders.
Though the Mean Green ended up losing that day 3-2, it is the only time in the program's history that it had an overall losing record.
Five hundred and five matches later.
Twenty-four years 364 days later.
UNT has won over 71 percent of its matches, won 15 conference championships and is one of the most successful programs in the the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex. Furthermore, head coach John Hedlund, who started the program from scratch in 1995, has established himself as the winningest and most successful coach in North Texas history.
On Sunday, one day shy of its 25th anniversary, Hedlund leads his undefeated North Texas (3-0) squad to the Red Raiders where it all began. Sunday's match against Texas Tech can be seen on Fox Sports Southwest. First kick is schedule for 7 p.m.
"My first memory of that day was that I ran out on to the field to argue a call," Hedlund said with a laugh. "I didn't care if people saw us as some small school rag-tag team playing some big-name Southwest Conference school. I believed and always have in our teams that hard work could get us far."
Over 220 women have suited up for UNT in its 24-plus-year history.
While it relatively didn't take Hedlund and UNT long to get the ball rolling, winning their first conference championship in 2001, the program has hit new heights over the past seven years.
The Mean Green joined Conference USA in 2013 and have dominated it, winning seven total league titles. They own a .827 winning percentage against C-USA opponents and have won 22 more matches over the last seven years than any other C-USA school.
Being able to compete and win the games against the Texas Tech's of the world is what first put UNT on the map.
Following their loss to the Red Raiders in 1995, UNT beat LSU the very next day, then Mississippi State a week later. In fact, North Texas won 15 matches in its first five years against opponents from major conferences including two top 25 opponents, one of which was ranked No. 9.
While the result of Sunday's match will have a small bearing on the success of the entire season it could propel the Mean Green.
North Texas is coming off a top 25 season and returned a solid portion of its key pieces from last season, including all-American Dominique James.
UNT hasn't beaten a Big 12 school since 2015 when it took down TCU in Fort Worth 1-0.
Following that victory over the Horned Frogs in 2015, the Mean Green finished the regular season 10-1-1. The one loss coming at the hands of No. 5 Texas A&M in double overtime, 2-1.
The Mean Green then won all three matches of the 2015 Conference USA Tournament and earned an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.
A 19-win season.
Three more wins than UNT had ever won in a single season.
The 2015 UNT team's season came to an end in the first round of the NCAA Tournament when they lost 1-0 at Texas Tech.
It was the last time North Texas played the Red Raiders.
Players Mentioned
Defense
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