WASHINGTON (August 18, 2022) – The expectations are high for the upcoming Howard University women's soccer season, who finished 6-5-3 overall (5-3-2 NEC) a year ago and returns some key experienced players and some young talent that has head coach Brent Leiba confident.
 
"The expectations are high for this year's team," said Leiba, entering his 13^th season and the winningest coach in school history with 106 wins. "This is the best group that we've had since my arrival and not just in terms of talent. It is translated in practice, training and preparation.  We have put together one of the most rigorous schedules ever for us to get ready. Last season was our first season in the NEC and psychologically, we had to see that we can contend. We realize that we cannot just compete, but win."
 
Much of his high expectations comes from the complementary blend of athletes, featuring some key graduate players and a group of sophomores, who benefitted from the extra year, courtesy of COVID-19 and an outstanding incoming freshman class.
 
"We have some outstanding graduates in Victoria Thornton, Alayah Hightower and Thalia Boucher, who bring outstanding leadership to this program," says Leiba, who has taken the Bison to two NCAA appearances and posted three straight winning seasons. "Victoria is a fine defender, Thalia is another one of our graduates and leaders as a playmaker and Alayah, what can you say, she is a terrific goalie."
 
That trio, along with sophomore Melea Earley (La Mirada, Calif.) and Savannah Hersh (Huntington, Md.), who will miss this season due to injury, are the designated team captains.
 
Alayah Hightower (Mitchellville, Md.) is one of the graduates, who had a spectacular season, recording 68 saves and was the main reason Howard finished the season at 2-2-1 in the last five matches.
 
"We look at it as unfinished business," says Hightower, who is pursuing an MBA in finance and is a member of the 2021-22 NEC All-Academic Team. "After transitioning from the SWAC (where Howard was previously a member) to the NEC, we were excited and learned about ourselves. They picked us eighth in the preseason a year ago. Once we realized we could not only compete, but win, it helped us down the stretch. You can see that there is a different mindset on this team as we head into the season. We have something to prove."
 
Earley, who was named to 2021 NEC All-Rookie Team, led the team with 18 points and match-winners goals with three.
 
"She showed last year as a freshman that she is a dangerous player," noted Leiba.
 
A 5-3 sophomore from La Mirada, Calif., Earley says that it was not easy at first, but that once the transition was made, the team mindset changed.
 
"Coming in as a freshman, I put pressure on myself," she admits. "The expectations were high for me and I would put pressure on myself to respond. There is something special we have here. We have veteran leadership, a group of sophomores who had to deal with COVID-19 and a great class of incoming freshmen."
 
Other proven players who provide quality depth include Victoria Thornton (Plainfield, Ill.), Nyla Allen (Elmont, N.Y.) and Kyra Bolden (McLean, Va.).
 
There has been a constant that Leiba is especially proud of in the program during his tenure; the team's consistent academic success. Last season, 13 members of the team were named to the NEC All-Academic Team, including Thornton, Earley, Hightower, Hersh and Boucher.
 
"Howard affords these young women a great opportunity to achieve academic success in their chosen fields of study," says Leiba. "They graduate and become leaders, that is a major plus when it comes to recruiting. We take great pride in that."
 
As for the schedule, Howard's high expectations will be tested early and often, starting tonight when they host Towson at 7 p.m. in Greene Stadium.
 
"Towson is one of the better teams in the CAA, so it will give us an early chance to see where we are as we moving forward," Leiba notes.
 
Following the opener, the Bison hit the road for three straight matches in eight days. The conference opener is September 15 against Fairleigh Dickinson in Greene Stadium.
 
Howard will have more contests on TV and online than ever before in history. Matches at George Mason (August 25), at Longwood (August 29) and at Loyola of Maryland (September 8) will be carried on ESPN+. All 10 of their conference matches and the tournament will be carried on the NEC platform, NEC FRONT ROW.
 
CONTRIBUTORS
 
Derek W. Bryant, Howard Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations & Sports Information contributed to his story.
 
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.