In their first year, the club soccer team has built something from nothing. This weekend, they will find out how far that something can take them.

The Wildcats will host the Lone Star Invitational at the soccer complex adjacent to the Dodge Jones Youth Sports Center, about 10 minutes from campus. The seven-team field includes Oklahoma State, Texas Tech A & B, Texas State, Sam Houston, North Texas, and Tarleton State.

ACU opens Friday night against Oklahoma State at 7:30 p.m. before returning Saturday for back-to-back games against Tarleton State at 4:15 p.m. and Texas Tech B at 5:30 p.m. A strong enough showing could push the Wildcats into Sunday’s semifinals and finals.

The program was founded this year by students who wanted a competitive soccer outlet on a campus without a men’s soccer team. With a roster of roughly 20 players and no head coach, the club is entirely student-run, making every step forward a reflection of what the players themselves have put into it.

The Wildcats have already competed at nationals in Kansas City earlier this year, a significant milestone for a program in its first season. Team president Milo Anderson, freshman Kinesiology major from Olathe, Kansas, said the journey started simply enough.

“I heard about club soccer from ACU Fest,” Anderson said. “I wanted to join because I wanted to keep playing at a competitive level.” 

That desire to compete eventually turned into something bigger. 

“A typical week for me is class in the day with usually some form of practice or scrimmage two to three nights a week,” Anderson said. “It’s been a lot busier recently as I’ve stepped into a leadership role for the team.”

With the tournament now here, Anderson said the group is prepared and eager to show what they are capable of on home turf.

“Our group looks ready to play this weekend,” he said. “We’ve been practicing the past month to prepare, and we’re ready to go out and play hard and hopefully show some quality.”

For a first-year program that has already competed on a national stage, the Lone Star Invitational represents another chance to show what ACU club soccer can be. Anderson said he is already thinking beyond this weekend and about what this program can become.

“Looking back on this year, I want to know that it can only get better from here,” Anderson said. “I want to build this program up so that we can build commitment within the entire team and hopefully become a team that other clubs respect.”