The UTSA women's soccer team has increased their level of play in the past few years, landing them in the conference tournament last year after beating Rice and then beating North Texas in the first round of the conference tournament. The players on this team are a tight-knit group who, alongside their coach, have created a strong team culture that emanates positivity, support, and success throughout their team. This year, the team will be losing five seniors who have been a part of creating and growing this team culture for the past four to six years.
Each of these women noted that the main reason they came to UTSA to play was because of the potential they could see for the team and the culture that was being created.
One of the seniors, Abby Kassal, states that "the culture that [head coach Derek Pittman] has fostered where we have core values and it is a value-driven team is really unique because it isn't something that is just said at face value, but is actually implemented. I knew coming here that I would be valued as a human being first and then as an athlete".
Over the years of being a part of this team, the seniors have learned a lot about soccer and life. One of the main lessons that the seniors mentioned was learning how to be a selfless leader and teammate.
"As a part of this team, I have learned that being a servant leader or teammate is going to get you where you want to go," expressed Kendall Kloza. "You can't be successful as an individual if you aren't succeeding as a team."
The seniors shared some of their favorite memories, each of them noting their wins against Rice and North Texas in the 2021 season among the top favorite memories they have. However, many of them also shared that some of the smaller, everyday memories were their favorite as well.
Isa Hernandez stated that "every away trip that we go to, we just bond the most and I think that is what I am going to miss the most because you just have an opportunity to get closer to everyone."
Lexi Bolton also expressed that "you don't get to do the things that we have been able to do where you are traveling with 30 best friends and experience things together the way that we have".
Each of these athletes conveyed their love for the sport and their team. On the team, one thing that is talked about a lot is leaving your jersey in a better spot than when you got it. Meaning that each player has the opportunity to make a difference and leave a legacy behind.
Kassal stated this concept perfectly: "The legacy is living right now. Being a part of a team that has grown so much and made it to a conference tournament. I feel like it is a living legacy of all of our team. I am honestly just honored to be a part of this team's legacy".
As this team's legacy continues, each of the seniors looks forward to their own futures and the future of the team.
"I think it's only up from here," states Jil Schneider. "The skill level of the freshman that came in this year compared to the year I came in are just at a whole different level and if we keep building on that and working hard, the sky's the limit".
- UTSA -
Learn more about our five graduating seniors:
#00 Jil Schneider is a goalkeeper from Remetschwil, Switzerland. A four-year starter at goalkeeper, she holds the program record for most career wins with 19 wins and most career shutouts with 12 shutouts. Schneider is also fifth in the career record book with 135 saves. She has played in 52 games, earning 50 starts in her four-year career. With only 11 goals allowed this season, she is currently second in the conference for least goals allowed (.99). Schneider is a three-time Conference USA Academic Honor Roll and Commissioner's Academic Medal winner. She will graduate this December with a double-major in business management and finance.
#2 Kendall Kloza is a center back from San Antonio. She is team co-captain along with fellow senior Isa Hernandez in their final season. Kloza has been an integral part of UTSA's unyielding defensive line, leading the team with 1402 minutes and putting in a full 90 minutes in nearly every match this season. She scored the game-winning goal in a 4-2 win over SFA earlier this season. In her four-year career as a Roadrunner, Kloza has played in 60 games and started in 59, recording six goals and six assists in that time. She is a three-time Conference USA Academic Honor Roll winner, as well as a 2021 All-Conference Team member. Kloza will also graduate this December with a major in kinesiology with a concentration in exercise physiology and a minor in public health.
#4 Lexi Bolton is a forward from Palm Beach Garden, Florida. She is the longest-tenured on the current team, playing in 79 games through her five-year career to be second in the program career record book. Bolton has recorded nine goals and seven assists as a Roadrunner. She was named to the Conference All-Freshman Team in 2018 and All-Conference Second Team in 2019. She is a four-time Conference Honor Roll and Academic Medal Winner. Bolton is majoring in business management.
#10 Abby Kassal is a forward/midfielder from Greenwood Village, Colorado. She has recorded 2,457 minutes in her four-year career, earning 31 starts and 37 games played. Kassal has recorded eight goals and five assists, playing at midfield and forward. She is a three-time conference honor roll and commissioner's academic medal winner, as well as being named first-team conference all-academic team in 2020. Kassal is double majoring in politics and law and criminal justice. She will graduate this December and plans to attend law school in the future.
#37 Isa Hernandez is a midfielder from Kyle, Texas. She has played in 74 games and started in 50 of those in her six-year career, accounted for over 4,096 minutes. She has recorded six goals and seven assists, including two clutch penalty kick goals during the 2021 season. Hernandez has taken on a leadership role the past two seasons as she has been named the co-captain of the team during both the 2021 and 2022 seasons. She has earned conference honor roll five times and commissioner's academic medal twice. Hernandez completed her undergraduate degree in biochemistry and is currently pursuing her PHD in Chemistry.
