University of North Texas Athletics
Championship Tradition Returns
2/8/2021 6:00:00 PM | Women's Soccer
DENTON —It will have been more than 450 days since the Mean Green soccer team last played a meaningful match, but on Tuesday at 7 p.m. when North Texas takes the field at SMU to open the new season, they will still be doing so as the reigning Conference USA champs.
It's the sixth consecutive year they've taken the field as reigning champs.
UNT and the Mustangs will face-off on Tuesday at 7 p.m. from SMU's Washburne Soccer and Track & Field Stadium. The match will be streamed live on ESPN+.
North Texas returns six starters from last season's championship squad.
BERKLEE PETERS
The Mean Green return its leading goal-scorer from a season ago in Berklee Peters who netted 14 goals last year and was named all-conference at the end of the year. Peters was also recognized at the start of this season by being voted to the league's Preseason All-Conference team. Peters is the program's active career leader in goals scored with 25. She's just five goals shy of entering the top 10 in program history and another 14-goal season would put her on the cusp of entering the top five in program history.
KELSEY BRANN
Goalkeeper Kelsey Brann is another headliner who returns for the Mean Green. Brann has been not just one of the top goalkeepers in C-USA the last two seasons but also one of the best in the nation. Brann has been the heartbeat of a North Texas defense that last year in conference play allowed just two goals in 920 minutes of action. Brann was voted the 2019 C-USA Goalkeeper of the Year and an all-region selection as well. She like Peters was named to the C-USA Preseason All-Conference Team.
ALLIE BYRD
During North Texas' current run of six straight championships they've been able to accomplish that with mostly shorter athletic forwards. But last season 6-foot freshman Allie Byrd brought a new dynamic to Mean Green soccer that gave opposing defenses nightmares. Byrd followed Peters as the team's leading goal-scorer a season ago and showed flashes of unstoppable greatness. She scored three goals in the three-match C-USA Tournament. She netted four goals in the Mean Green's 7-0 route of FIU in the regular season. She put pressure on Arkansas' backline in the NCAA Tournament and it really all seemed to come together towards the end of the year. Byrd, now a sophomore, was named Preseason All-Conference this year after becoming the first UNT true freshman since Rachel Holden in 2013 to be named to a postseason all-conference honor.
ELLE MARIE DeFRAIN
Senior midfielder Elle Marie DeFrain enters this year with by far more starts under her belt than anyone else for UNT. DeFrain has made 52 career starts for the Mean Green and has made 43 straight starts. She's played in 62 career matches and logged well over 4,000 minutes of action. The attacking-minded midfielder has been one of the most consistent figures on the Mean Green during the last three years of its six-year championship run. She scored the match-winner at UTSA last season and enters this year with nine career assists. She has been one of the primary options on set pieces for UNT who have thrived in that area of the game.
BROOKE LAMPE
The play-wherever-whenever-whatever-needs-to-be-done-to-help-the-team-win Brooke Lampe has now found a consistent role on the backline for the Mean Green as a centerback. Originally recruited as keeper but has since played everywhere on the field, Lampe once a wide-eyed freshman is now referred to as the "team mom" as she's the most experienced with 65 career matches played. She's the leading voice in the locker room and is the one everybody believes in. A 2019 Conference USA All-Tournament Team selection, Lampe has taken the reigns of the already successful program and with the help of her fellow seniors taken it to greater heights. In the spring of 2021 with all that is uncertain, head coach John Hedlund is likely feeling much more comfortable with this season, because Lampe is on his squad.
MICHELLE GONZALEZ
Michelle Gonzalez last season went through all the ups and downs a freshman can go through in their first season of college soccer. One of the most tactical and skilled soccer players on the team, Gonzalez showed at times her flashiness and creativity as an attacking midfielder. "Marta" as she affectionately known as, led the team in assists a year ago with six and by far had the highest shot on goal percentage (.622) for the Mean Green. Hedlund knows the sky is the limit for Gonzalez, it's just a matter of time before that is unleashed.
OLIVIA KLEIN
With four starts last season, junior Olivia Klein doesn't quite count as a returning starter, but the Frisco native was a key contributor on last season's team has a dangerous weapon coming off the bench. One of the best athletes in Conference USA, Klein combined speed, strength and determination to be one of the team's top goal-scoring weapons. When Klein was in opposing teams knew she was a threat coming from the wings. Once in the six-yard box, Klein doesn't back down from physical play to put her team on the board. With the graduation of other goal-scoring threats, Klein's productively is likely to continue to rise this season for UNT.
QUICK NOTES
It's the sixth consecutive year they've taken the field as reigning champs.
UNT and the Mustangs will face-off on Tuesday at 7 p.m. from SMU's Washburne Soccer and Track & Field Stadium. The match will be streamed live on ESPN+.
North Texas returns six starters from last season's championship squad.
BERKLEE PETERS
The Mean Green return its leading goal-scorer from a season ago in Berklee Peters who netted 14 goals last year and was named all-conference at the end of the year. Peters was also recognized at the start of this season by being voted to the league's Preseason All-Conference team. Peters is the program's active career leader in goals scored with 25. She's just five goals shy of entering the top 10 in program history and another 14-goal season would put her on the cusp of entering the top five in program history.
KELSEY BRANN
Goalkeeper Kelsey Brann is another headliner who returns for the Mean Green. Brann has been not just one of the top goalkeepers in C-USA the last two seasons but also one of the best in the nation. Brann has been the heartbeat of a North Texas defense that last year in conference play allowed just two goals in 920 minutes of action. Brann was voted the 2019 C-USA Goalkeeper of the Year and an all-region selection as well. She like Peters was named to the C-USA Preseason All-Conference Team.
ALLIE BYRD
During North Texas' current run of six straight championships they've been able to accomplish that with mostly shorter athletic forwards. But last season 6-foot freshman Allie Byrd brought a new dynamic to Mean Green soccer that gave opposing defenses nightmares. Byrd followed Peters as the team's leading goal-scorer a season ago and showed flashes of unstoppable greatness. She scored three goals in the three-match C-USA Tournament. She netted four goals in the Mean Green's 7-0 route of FIU in the regular season. She put pressure on Arkansas' backline in the NCAA Tournament and it really all seemed to come together towards the end of the year. Byrd, now a sophomore, was named Preseason All-Conference this year after becoming the first UNT true freshman since Rachel Holden in 2013 to be named to a postseason all-conference honor.
ELLE MARIE DeFRAIN
Senior midfielder Elle Marie DeFrain enters this year with by far more starts under her belt than anyone else for UNT. DeFrain has made 52 career starts for the Mean Green and has made 43 straight starts. She's played in 62 career matches and logged well over 4,000 minutes of action. The attacking-minded midfielder has been one of the most consistent figures on the Mean Green during the last three years of its six-year championship run. She scored the match-winner at UTSA last season and enters this year with nine career assists. She has been one of the primary options on set pieces for UNT who have thrived in that area of the game.
BROOKE LAMPE
The play-wherever-whenever-whatever-needs-to-be-done-to-help-the-team-win Brooke Lampe has now found a consistent role on the backline for the Mean Green as a centerback. Originally recruited as keeper but has since played everywhere on the field, Lampe once a wide-eyed freshman is now referred to as the "team mom" as she's the most experienced with 65 career matches played. She's the leading voice in the locker room and is the one everybody believes in. A 2019 Conference USA All-Tournament Team selection, Lampe has taken the reigns of the already successful program and with the help of her fellow seniors taken it to greater heights. In the spring of 2021 with all that is uncertain, head coach John Hedlund is likely feeling much more comfortable with this season, because Lampe is on his squad.
MICHELLE GONZALEZ
Michelle Gonzalez last season went through all the ups and downs a freshman can go through in their first season of college soccer. One of the most tactical and skilled soccer players on the team, Gonzalez showed at times her flashiness and creativity as an attacking midfielder. "Marta" as she affectionately known as, led the team in assists a year ago with six and by far had the highest shot on goal percentage (.622) for the Mean Green. Hedlund knows the sky is the limit for Gonzalez, it's just a matter of time before that is unleashed.
OLIVIA KLEIN
With four starts last season, junior Olivia Klein doesn't quite count as a returning starter, but the Frisco native was a key contributor on last season's team has a dangerous weapon coming off the bench. One of the best athletes in Conference USA, Klein combined speed, strength and determination to be one of the team's top goal-scoring weapons. When Klein was in opposing teams knew she was a threat coming from the wings. Once in the six-yard box, Klein doesn't back down from physical play to put her team on the board. With the graduation of other goal-scoring threats, Klein's productively is likely to continue to rise this season for UNT.
QUICK NOTES
- Tuesday will mark the first time the two schools have met since 2011 when the Mean Green beat the Mustangs 2-1 in Denton.
- A win over SMU would be the ninth straight year North Texas won its season opener. The last time they didn't win a season opener was to start the 2012 season when they tied Oral Roberts 2-2(2ot). They have not lost a season opener since 2005 (0-2 vs. Eastern Illinois). UNT freshman Amélie Faa who is only 16 was only 1 year old the last time they lost a season opener.
- A win on Tuesday would be North Texas' second straight win over SMU.
- Due to the pandemic, Conference USA moved from a normal 10-match league schedule to just a six-match schedule. Furthermore, the 14-team league was split into divisions (west and east). UNT was picked by the 14 league coaches to finish first in the west division.
- On Sept. 1, 2000, UNT beat then No. 9 nationally ranked SMU in Waco, 3-2(ot). It still is the highest ranked opponent the Mean Green have ever beaten.
Players Mentioned
Goalkeeper
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Forward
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Midfield
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Midfield
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Forward
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Forward/Midfield/Defense/Goalkeeper
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Forward
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