COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri soccer begins its 2025 season with a home contest against South Dakota State on Thursday, August 14, at 7 p.m. CT at Audrey J. Walton Stadium. The game will be streamed on SEC Network+.
SERIES BREAKDOWN
-Missouri soccer opens its 30th season of competition with its first meeting against South Dakota State in program history.
-This marks the Tigers' fifth contest against a Summit League opponent, with the team going 2-1-1 in the previous meetings.
TAKING THE PITCH
-Missouri enters its 30th season of competition in 2025.
-The Tigers are 18-9-2 in season openers, including 3-0 in the last three, and 23-5-1 in their first game at home of the year.
-The Tigers were voted to finish 15th in the SEC by the league's coaches. Arkansas was selected to win the regular season, followed by Texas, South Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
-The Jackrabbits finished 2024 with a 15-5-2 record, including a 5-2-1 mark in Summit League Play.
-SDSU won the Summit League Tournament for the third time in the previous four years last season.
-South Dakota State returns six starters and brings in 13 newcomers to the 2025 team.
-Missouri marks the second time SDSU has squared off against an SEC team in its history, previously falling to Georgia, 5-0, during its 2012 season.
OPENING EXHIBITION
-Missouri enters its first official competition of the 2025 season after finishing in a 1-1 draw against Kansas State in the team's exhibition on August 6.
-Mizzou's lone goal of the contest came in the 20th minute by Emily Derucki. The sophomore forward recorded four shots with two on target in the exhibition.
-The Tigers led the Wildcats in shots (11-8), saves (4-3), corner kicks (5-2) and possession percentage total (56-44).
ROSTER RUNDOWN
-Senior midfielder Keegan Good is the top returning scorer after netting three goals in 2024.
-The Tigers return eight individuals who contributed multiple points in a single game last season - Brianna Buels (vs. SEMO on 09/08/24), Bella Carrillo (vs. SEMO on 09/08/24), Monica Brauner (vs. SEMO on 09/08/24), Jessica Larson (vs. Ole Miss on 10/10/24), Derucki (vs. Ole Miss on 10/10/24), Landis Canada (at Miami on 08/29/24), Good and Olivia Chianelli (vs. Florida on 09/29/24).
-Junior goalkeeper Kate Phillips recorded two games of seven or more saves in 2024 - against Texas A&M on September 19, 2024 (7) and versus Florida on September 29, 2024 (9).
WATCH LIST SZN
-Buels, Canada, Derucki, Good, Morgan Meador and Mia Yang were all named to the 2025 SEC Soccer Preseason Watchlist.
-Good notched her second recognition on the list while the other five Tigers are first-time honorees.
PURSUING GOOD DREAMS
-Good leads all returning Tigers with three goals in 2024 while preparing for medical school.
-Over the summer, Good played for Rochester FC in the USL W League while interning at the Mayo Clinic on Dr. Rafael Sierra's orthopedic research team.
-The rising senior split her spring between anchoring Mizzou's midfield and studying for the MCAT while taking advanced science courses.
-Good hopes to follow in her father's medical footsteps, with interests in art, science, and a potential career in plastic surgery.
SIDELINE STAFF
-Golan made two staff additions this offseason, bringing in associate head coach Renee Horton from West Georgia and Austen Parker from North Texas to coach goalkeepers.
-Horton joins Mizzou Soccer as associate head coach after serving in the same role at West Georgia, with prior stops at Georgia, USC, Xavier, Lander and South Florida.
-Horton has guided teams to multiple NCAA Tournament appearances, a Big East title, and coached All-Americans and conference award winners.
-Parker joins Mizzou after one season at North Texas, with previous coaching stops at Central Oklahoma, Southwestern Christian and in Oklahoma club soccer.
-Former NAIA All-American at Mid-America Christian, Parker led his team to a 20-3-1 record and the 2019 NCCAA National Championship while setting single-season program records in wins, shutouts and goals-against average.
FACILITY FACELIFT
-The University of Missouri Department of Athletics received a generous philanthropic gift from Audrey J. Walton to fund enhancements to Mizzou's Audrey J. Walton Track and Field and Soccer Stadium, it was announced on Jan. 29, 2025.
-Walton's gift is one of the 10 largest in Mizzou Athletics history and the largest ever dedicated to support Olympic sports.
-The facility has carried Walton's name since it opened in 1996 and has served as a cornerstone for Mizzou Athletics, hosting countless events for track & field and women's soccer.
-The project includes a new natural grass soccer playing field and field subsurface improvements.
FOLLOW THE TIGERS
For all the latest on Mizzou soccer, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.