North Texas Daily

Ryne Gannoe / Senior Staff Writer

The Mean Green women’s soccer team’s four seniors, forwards Michelle Young and Katelyn Ross and midfielders Kara Brooks and Carly McDowell, will play their last game in the Mean Green Soccer Stadium on Thursday.

Since the 2009 season, the seniors have held a 50-21-9 record and lost only two home games. Head coach John Hedlund said the team brought a strong legacy that included tremendous leadership, a lot of wins and a championship.

“They’ve been huge for this program over the years,” Hedlund said. “We need players like that to continue the success here.”

Last year, the four players were instrumental in last season’s regular-season Sun Belt championship.

“Winning conference last year is one of the greatest moments,” Brooks said.

Brooks played 1,822 minutes, the equivalent of more than 20 games and the eighth-most in a single season during the championship run.

McDowell has contributed in 78 games across her career, including 14 goals and three assists.

Ross transferred from Texas A&M-Commerce specifically to play soccer at UNT while scoring four goals in her two-year career with the Mean Green.

Young led the team last season with 13 goals. This year, she has climbed to fifth in all-time career goals in Mean Green history. After being named preseason Offensive Sun Belt MVP, Young has scored nine goals this season.

This season seniors are in the minority, but their on-field production stands out. The four seniors combined make up for 14 of 42 goals, even though they are only a sixth of the team’s 24 players.

While last year’s championship game against Denver sticks out to most as the greatest on-field memory, Ross said she will remember the team’s odd locker room parties.

“We throw confetti, eat cookies and brownies right before the game,” Ross said. “It’s a little bit different than most people’s pregame rituals. It looks like a birthday celebration every week in the locker room.”

The bus rides were something Young said she will always remember, including the “Harry Potter” movie marathons on road trips.

“I sit at the front of the bus, and I hear all of the coaches joking around,” Young said. “It was one of my favorite parts.”

Young said bonding with her teammates and being a strong team unit is something she will remember.

Besides the fun, these seniors will have to focus on Thursday’s game against Middle Tennessee, the last time they’ll play in front of a Mean Green home crowd.