With the Southland conference deciding to postpone fall conference games to the spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic, head coach Casey Wilson and the Wildcats soccer team will face major competition in the upcoming season.

With the change, the Wildcats played only five games out of their normal 20 in the fall.

The Wildcats are lined up to play 14 games throughout the spring, including 11 conference games and three non-conference games.

“I am just overall excited to play and be back out on the field with my team because COVID-19 kinda stopped that last year,” said sophomore midfielder Natalie Jones.

The team starts off the season with two non-conference games against Texas Tech of the Big 12 conference and Lubbock Christian of the Lone Star conference at the beginning of February.

The Wildcats will then follow those games with the six game streak of conference games until the middle of March. They will then face non-conference Dallas Baptist of the Lone Star conference. The Wildcats will then head home for the five game stretch of conference games until the Southland conference Championship in mid-April.

With all the changes that have occurred, Wilson and the Wildcats still have their eye on the prize, a Southland conference title.

“I believe we have a run for the conference title,” Wilson said. “It all comes down to us being consistent on doing the things we do well. We have a very talented team coming back with a lot of capable players, so there’s no reason why we wouldn’t have a chance for a title.”

Throughout all the uncertainties this year has brought, the Wildcats are ready to get back out of the field and fight their way to the end.

“This is my senior year, so my last season, and I am looking forward to leaving it all out there,” said senior goalkeeper Erin Smith. “I am going to do everything I can to help my team be the best that we can be and I’m excited to see how it turns out.”