Experience the docuseries that dives into the 2023 UT Women’s Soccer Team’s incredible journey and the groundbreaking influence of Title IX
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She transferred from her coach’s alma mater to play for Ange Kelly at UT. Abby’s work at center back was key to helping the team adjust during the 2023 season after having lost both of their starters at the position from the previous year – including Abby’s sister.
Dr. Bonifazio’s background and credentials enable her to provide some incredible perspective to RHG. How did Italy’s mid-century fascist government perceive women and whether they should play soccer? How is sport at an American university different from schools in the European soccer hotbeds? Not only does Paola have a PhD in Italian Studies, she also has a son who plays soccer – yeah, she’s an expert!
She played at Solar, teaming there with a number of the players who went to UT and becoming tight with the Missimo family. Get her to tell you sometime about when Derek Missimo challenged her to a race and why she still holds it against him. Messiah also played against the Longhorns at TCU and then moved on to the NWSL.
The two-time All-American not only runs fast, she’s a creative scorer and passer. Trinity is older than Lexi by a day, though Lexi claims to be the wiser of the two. In touring the National Soccer Hall of Fame for this project, she declared the USWNT’s achievements to be “sick” – a high-level compliment indeed.
When she first started her tenure at Texas, she coached both volleyball and basketball. She eventually got to focus on hoops and in 1986 brought the Longhorns their only national title in the sport – women’s or men’s. She coached against RHG interviewer Rush Olson’s father when he was at Texas Wesleyan and she was at UTA, which they discussed after her interview. Her Mavericks kicked Ed Olson’s Rams’ butts, but she was nice enough not to talk smack about it.
The 2022 Big 12 Defender of the Year bleeds burnt orange, according to her mom. But another member of her family caused her consternation by trying to hone in on her 512 territory, we find out in RHG. EmJ’s over it now, though. At least she says she is.
Sydney and EmJ’s mom played basketball at Vanderbilt, where she twice earned Academic All-SEC honors and was apparently considered “Commadorable.” Her daughter Sydney speculated, “She was just probably so cute when she came to college.” We think of her more as a mom who raised a couple of Longhorn high achievers.
This former Stanford club lacrosse player turned the talents that led him to success in the business world to supporting his faith. And, of course, to working with Jeanie to raise five kids, including Longhorns Sydney and EmJ. Their partnership reflects what he says about athletics: “The great thing about sports is the teamwork component.”
“She brings a funny energy,” explained her sister EmJ. “She just lightens it up a little bit. And I think she does a really good job of caring for people.” That’s the future doctor in a nutshell. Oh, and Sydney also apparently creates amusing social media posts by altering teammates’ photos. So there’s that. See examples in the RHG docuseries.
He broadcasts MLS games for FC Dallas, has written about men’s and women’s soccer for decades, and provides RHG with irreplaceable perspective about the beautiful game. He’s also devoted to growing the sport through young people who may not have the means to realize their full potentials on their own. The nonprofit called “Pleasant Grove Soccer and Sports,” takes kids from low-income neighborhoods and provides them with quality instruction. “Just exposing them to training, to higher-level training, to higher-level opportunities, and just opportunities in soccer, I think is incredibly valuable,” explained Steve.
He gave up law school to become a full-time soccer coach. At one point during the 1980s, he led the US Women’s National Team at the same time as he coached the men’s and women’s teams at the University of North Carolina. Along the way, he became the first coach ever to win 20 NCAA championships in a single sport and earned induction into the National Soccer Hall of Fame. He’s been a powerful influence on Ange Kelly, Derek Missimo, and the sport itself. So when he tells American players to watch more soccer on TV, as he does in RHG, you should probably listen.
When we shot RHG, she coordinated events and communications at Texas Robotics at the University of Texas at Austin. Their facility happens to be housed in the Anna Hiss Gym, originally built in the 1930s for exclusive use by female athletes. Jaci took Lexi Missimo and Ashlyn Miller on a tour of the facility. The jaunt included a ton of interesting stuff because – duh – robots. And also because of the remarkable historical perspective Jaci and the building itself provide on the progress of women into previously less-than-accessible areas of achievement.
A goalkeeper, Jay played at Creighton and professionally. He went on to coach in college, high school, and in the youth national team program, including working for notables like Jill Ellis. He provides RHG with remarkable perspective from all those levels plus his personal knowledge of the people involved. And – a bonus – Jay knows the world of video, too!
The University of Texas inducted a soccer player into its athletic hall of fame in 2023, which is exciting for the program. Ange Kelly invited the inductee to practice that morning and had her speak to the team. It’s fun in RHG to see the impression Dr. Kelly McDonald Freeman’s achievements on and off the field made on the current players. It’s also fun to hear about how she ended up covered with mud at a match in Bulgaria.
She became a three-time All-American playing for Ange Kelly at Tennessee, then coached with her there and at another UT (the one in Austin, of course). She now serves as head coach at Colorado State. She told us how Ange handled it when her Volunteer teammates pranked Keeley’s roommate – let’s just say the coach might not have given them the reaction they’d perhaps expected.
This Austin attorney filed the 1992 lawsuit that led to the establishment of the Texas soccer program, as we relate in detail in RHG. When LSU students filed a similar suit later in the decade she supplied them the files from the UT case to help them prepare. That suit ended in a verdict that served as another valuable precedent for those seeking the rigorous enforcement of the Title IX law. We interviewed Diane in the UT soccer facility and she got to meet some of the players, who thanked her.
This goalkeeper played with a few of her current Longhorn teammates on US youth national teams, which helped her choose Austin as a destination when she decided to transfer from Florida State. Jilly Shimkin said of her, “I can hear her from midfield, she’s very loud.” Jilly meant that in a good way – the keeper has to keep the defense organized. And, indeed, Mia became a team captain in her first season with the team. We bet that verbal power also comes in handy in the car when someone cuts her off in traffic.
She played a key role on four NCAA championship soccer teams at North Carolina before becoming a decorated head coach at Tennessee and Texas. She’s also good at badminton, golf, tennis, basketball, darts, Gaelic football, steer wrestling, paintball, cliff diving, and beach Tiddlywinks. OK, we made those last five of those up. But we bet if she tried those games, she’d soon be able to kick your butt at them (heck, maybe she already has – she might have been an Ontario all-provincial cliff diver for all we know). “I think I just love competition,” Ange told us.
Ange tells us her brother is not a “junior” despite having the same first name as her dad because “Mom specifically didn’t want that as she didn’t like the name ‘JJ’.” He said of Ange, “The way that I see her let loose is, like, when we end up like, having laughs together with our family. And we’ll look at each other and we’ve got tears in our eyes because we’re laughing so hard.” We need to get Ange to tell us some of those jokes.
When John came to Ontario, Canada from Scotland, he brought his love of soccer with him. He played with some German teammates to win amateur championships in his new home and his daughter Ange grew up watching him play. His experience is indicative of the way 20th-century immigrants to North America brought their affections for association football with them and contributed to developing a new generation of Canadian and American players. Their contributions were indispensable to growing the game to its current level.
Moira provides incredible perspective on the lack of opportunities her generation of Scottish women had to play soccer. She got to know one of Ange’s best friends from North Carolina and said of her, “She’s a lovely girl – impersonated me all the time. She’s good at impersonating Scottish.” Someday we hope to get to hear Mia Hamm do her apparently-spot-on imitation of Moira’s accent.
Messiah Bright said of her former Solar teammate and Texas opponent, “It’s always ‘oh, there’s there she is, there’s Lapo. She’s coming after you.’” Lauren may be relentless on the field, but she has a quick and easy smile off it. We also find out in RHG that she’s a hugger.
She came to UT from California and former assistant coach Keeley Dowling Hagen said it was “just a joy to watch her development.” Savannah redshirted her freshman year and by her final season had developed enough to earn all-conference recognition in the Big 12 before progressing on to the NWSL and connecting with Zeus (the dog, not the Greek deity).
Hue served as an assistant coach at UT in the 1990s. We encountered him at the United Soccer Coaches convention and asked him to share his memories of that period as well as his insights on player pathways, Abby Smith, and more. It turns out Hue also coached RHG videographer José “Joey” Martinez in high school – both seemed to agree Joey was a pretty good player, although we’re not totally sure we believe them . . .
This midfielder joined several of her Solar teammates with the Longhorns. Her teammates have suggested that she “only scores bangers,” meaning goals that make you go “wow,” as opposed to simple finishes. Ashlyn also competed internationally for the US in youth competitions in Sweden and Denmark. “It was an incredible experience,” she said. “Just being at their homes, and their culture, eating their foods, and living their life.”
Derek, Susan, Gabby, and Lexi Missimo share their home with three Westies. Charlie (“Chuck” or “Chucks” for short) has the highest profile of the canine trio. Indeed, he’s managed to procure his own Instagram page. It’s full of photos and videos of, well, him.
The former college and professional soccer player, when we asked him to talk about his cousin, replied that he would do anything for Lexi. They’re tight and you’ll see in RHG how he admires her as a player and as a person. However, he does have strong opinions on how to pronounce the last name they both inherited and, um, might be a bit put out with some sides of the family that don’t share his convictions.
He used soccer to help open doors for himself and his extended family. An outstanding junior career helped Derek get his education at North Carolina, where he set goal-scoring records that still stand. He used a graduate assistant job at TCU to help him earn his master’s and met his future wife who also loved the game. He then coached his daughters and other outstanding players in club soccer, helping many of them earn a chance to use the sport as a part of realizing their own educational goals. He has an unmatched passion for the game and his kids. Which also means he’s super fun to watch a soccer game with and, well, let’s just say our RHG cameras captured some of that. Enjoy.
Gabby, a nurse, is tight with her sister, Lexi. It was touching to sit next to Gabby in the stands listening to her barely audible “come on, kid” as Lex stood over a penalty kick. But . . . does she also enjoy throwing her sibling under the bus? Oh yes. Hilariously so.
Over the course of the 2023 season, she tallied 26 goals and 20 assists for a total of 72 points. She’s one of only five 21st-century players in to accumulate that many points over the course of an NCAA season. The rest of the list includes some huge names in the sport: the USWNT’s all-time leading goal scorer Abby Wambach; NCAA and Olympic champion Lindsay Tarpley; Chelsea star and US International Catarina Macario; and Canada’s Christine Sinclair, who has scored more international goals than any man or woman. Lexi is also the only player in Big 12 history to lead the conference in every individual offensive category for a season. So she’s good at soccer . . . however . . . when Lexi was four years old, Gabby apparently thought her sister wasn’t very good at all at egg hunting and reminded her of it, as seen in RHG.
Lexi and Gabby’s mom played soccer at TCU for David Rubinson in the early 1990s, a time when women’s college soccer had a lot fewer resources with which to work than it does today. She met Derek while at TCU and married him despite his tendency to pull pranks on her and her roommate.
Rusty serves as the head women’s soccer coach at Hardin-Simmons University and as president of United Soccer Coaches. He’s played and coached soccer and American football at multiple levels, plus had kids of his own who played. He offers fantastic perspective on where the game is and where it’s come from. Let’s just say it’s come a long way from when Rusty was a kid in San Angelo, Texas and felt he needed to assure his parents he wasn’t a Soviet sympathizer just because he played soccer.
Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director Chris Plonsky hired Ange Kelly at Texas. Chris has had two stints in Austin, from 1982-1986 and from 2001 through the present. We love to watch her watch a Longhorns game – she’s into it. She possesses a remarkable base of knowledge about Texas athletics and women’s sport in general. We took especially keen interest in some of her office decoration, as you’ll see in RHG.
He served as head men’s soccer coach at TCU from 1981 until the school discontinued the program in 2002. He also started the women’s team in 1986 and coached them until 2004. He also worked for United States Soccer Federation. Dave had been an all-conference performer for the Frogs in the 1970s as a player and went on to represent the US in the Maccabiah Games in Israel as a player and coach. It’s especially meaningful to him that his son Adam, a former TCU All-American golfer, also played for his country at the Walker Cup and Palmer Cup.
She comes from Abruzzo, east of Rome on Italy’s Adriatic coast. As a professor in UT’s Italian Studies Department, we brought her in to consult on the proper pronunciation of “Missimo.” Yes, really. Because nobody seems to know how to pronounce it. So did she help us figure it out? Well, let’s just say it’s complicated.
Keri played with Ange Kelly at North Carolina before joining her in Austin as an assistant coach from 2017-21. Keri is now the head coach at Colorado College. One thing she learned at UNC, that Anson Dorrance also passed along to the national teams he coached, had to do with always competing intensely. To that end, he tried to challenge his most successful groups.
“He was trying to find ways to get us to lose,” Keri explained. “He would tell us that straight up. Obviously, because we’re all competitive athletes, and so that’s going to go, ‘Well, we’ll show you, Coach.’” They “showed him” by winning four national titles during Keri and Ange’s time in Chapel Hill.
We interviewed Rachel after Texas won an away match at the University of Houston. She played for the first UT varsity teams and loved getting to see the current team in person. We interviewed Savannah Madden the same day and so the two got to meet in between sessions. The cool full-circle moment underscored how Rachel’s courage in serving as the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit against her school helped make it possible for a player like Savannah to turn a productive soccer career at Texas into a professional opportunity with the NWSL’s Houston Dash.
Jilly transferred to Texas from Penn State and it didn’t take her long to become a team captain. Derek Missimo thinks Jilly would make an excellent coach someday if she decided she want to go into the profession. We consider her the coach of the apartment she shares with Lexi, Trinity, and Ashlyn because of how good she is at wrangling images of their cat (some people take lots of photos of their pets, who knew?).
Dave currently serves as United Soccer Coaches’ director of education programs. He’s done a lot in the game at all levels in his career, including identifying a young Mia Hamm as she played against boys in Wichita Falls, Texas.
As part of the US Women’s National Team staff, Dave got to stand on the field at the Rose Bowl on July 10, 1999. He said, “It was like nothing else you could have imagined experiencing, because it was a World Cup final.” We believe him.
Abby earned all-Big 12 honors four straight seasons as a goalkeeper for the Longhorns before becoming a pro soccer player in the NWSL. She also knows which other interviewee is ticklish. We think she has used that power only for good, but we’re admittedly not certain.
He came to the US from Romania with a love for soccer, one he has since passed along to thousands of American kids as the technical director of Solar Soccer Club. He claims to have once defeated Derek Missimo at soccer tennis, which we only mention here in the hopes that it will start a kerfuffle involving Adrian and Derek. According to Ashlyn Miller, Sydney Cox, and Hannah Waesch, that would be “hilarious.” They all used that word to describe animated discussions between Derek and Adrian.
Karla has served in the Air Force, worked for US Soccer, as executive director of performance and development for the NWSL’s San Diego Wave, and now as the NWSL’s director of youth development. She assisted UT’s first head soccer coach, Dang Pibulvech, during the mid-90s after having played for him at Colorado College. She considered Pibulvech an innovator: “There are some things that I take away that I’m still looking at today going, ‘You were way ahead of your time.’ I mean, he started thinking about playing in a 1-4-3-3 before anybody else did.”
Tito the cat adopted Jilly Shimkin and Trinity Byars and moved in with them and their roommates, Lexi Missimo and Ashlyn Miller. Why do we think legendary coach Anson Dorrance would be pleased with Tito’s entertainment preferences? Find out in the docuseries.
This holding midfielder transferred to UT after having played at Auburn and with a number of the Longhorn players in club soccer. As part of RHG, we had some players read passages from a 1975 UT yearbook. “The sideburns and the mustaches just are wild,” Hannah observed of the accompanying photos. “The shorts are just way short.” So if you attended UT Austin in the mid-70s, your grooming and fashion choices have been judged.
This native Texan coached at Austin College, Texas Wesleyan University, and the University of Tulsa before becoming the first coach in Baylor program history. Randy later guided the Notre Dame’s women’s team to two national titles before becoming the first head coach of the NWSL’s Houston Dash. He now coaches the University of Pittsburgh women’s team and the Nigerian women’s national squad. He said of Trinity and Lexi, “I think those two kids are going to go on and they’re going to be two of those players that will have a special pro career with top teams.”
He played in the Bundesliga in an era when few Americans played abroad. Eric was a fixture on the US Men’s National Team, including wearing the red, white, and blue in three World Cups. We recorded Lexi and Trinity checking out his jersey during an excursion to the National Soccer Hall of Fame. Eric also has daughters who’ve played youth and college soccer, so we considered his perspective especially valuable for RHG.
Zeus the dog lives with NWSL goalkeeper Savannah Madden, which has got to be a pretty sweet setup. In Raising Her Game, we explore how NIL affects the lives of pets (OK, that’s overselling it a bit, but there is a connection).
