LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KTSM) — Last year, the New Mexico State women’s soccer team experienced tragedy and triumph.
Before the 2023 season, the team lost one of its own. Thalia Chaverria passed away unexpectedly at the age of 20 years old. The Aggies played with heavy hearts the rest of the way and played its way to a successful season.
The Aggies put together a 6-0-2 record in conference games – a first in program history. This also became the tenth undefeated conference record in CUSA history, and the first for a first-year member. NM State last lost a conference game on Oct. 9, 2022, falling 3-1 on the road against former WAC foe Utah Tech.
Going undefeated in conference play the Aggies managed to be crowned the regular season CUSA Champions. However, the Aggies fell to Liberty in the Conference Tournament Championship game.
In 2024, the Aggies will continue to play for Thalia and head into the upcoming season with high expectations.
This year’s team returns a lot of key players from last year like forward Loma McNeese, Xitlaly Hernandez, and midfielders Tati Jerman and Bianca Chacon to name a few. This year’s team also has ten new players. Six are freshmen, three are sophomores, and one is a redshirt junior transfer in Jaiden McClellan, who comes to NMSU from Washington State.
The combined factors of bringing back key returnees, bringing in new talent, and having went through a year like last year that was filled with ups and downs, has this year’s squad feeling confident it can put together another successful season.
“I don’t think anybody can understand what it does to a team when you lose a player [Thalia Chaverria] like that,” NMSU women’s soccer head coach Rob Baarts said. “Just for the girls to have the wherewithal to come back and respond. We got in a rhythm and just became very, very difficult to beat and I think that’s kind of where we’re at now. We’re a very tight knit group that can get the job done.”
“I think we grew tremendously during that [last] season. Not only on the field, but off the field as well.” McNeese said. “Coming into this season, I am really excited to get going and get it started.”
New Mexico State is predicted to finished in second place in the 2024 Conference USA women’s soccer preseason poll. NM State received two first-place votes just one less first-place vote than they received last year.
New Mexico State will open up its season with a challenging three-game home slate. Up first, NMSU will take on No. 23 USC at the NM State Soccer Athletic Complex in its season opener on Thursday night. Kickoff is at 7:00 p.m. MT.
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