The Oklahoma Sooners women's soccer team represents the University of Oklahoma in NCAA Division I college soccer. The team competes in the Southeastern Conference, and plays its home games at John Crain Field in Norman, Oklahoma. The Sooners are currently led by head coach Matt Mott.
The Sooners women's soccer program was established in January 1996, becoming the school's 20th sport with Bettina Fletcher being named the first head coach three months later. Fletcher joined the Sooners after previously serving as an assistant coach for North Carolina and UNC Greensboro.
In their debut game, the Sooners lost 8âÂÂ0 against Nebraska. On September 6, 1996, the Sooners played their first home game against Regis University where My Ta scored the first goal in team history. Despite a 4âÂÂ0 loss against the 8th-ranked Texas A&M, Fletcher applauded her team for holding the Aggies to two goals in each half. In the final game of the season, Kayce Casner had the game-winning goal to defeat McNeese State 3âÂÂ2 for the team's first win. In its first season, the Sooner finished 1âÂÂ13 with Caser and Mindy Field leading the team in goals.
After finishing 2âÂÂ14 in their second season, the Sooners went 6âÂÂ1 at home, 8âÂÂ9 overall in their third season, however failed to qualify for the six-team Big 12 Conference tournament. Following the season, Fletcher announced her resignation, citing personal and family reasons. In Fletcher's tenure, the Sooners compiled a 11âÂÂ36 record, 3âÂÂ16 in conference play in its first three seasons.
On January 12, 1999, Randy Evans was named as the team's second head coach after serving as an assistant coach for Vanderbilt for six seasons. In Evan's second season, the Sooners qualified for the Big 12 Conference tournament including a team record 10 wins which featured a 2âÂÂ1 road win against the 2nd-ranked Nebraska. Evan was later named as the Big 12 and the NSCAA Central Region Coach of the Year.
In the 2003 season, the Sooners clinched their first ever NCAA tournament appearance. Despite an 8âÂÂ5âÂÂ5 overall record and a loss in the Big 12 tournament, the Sooners received an at-large bid after Oklahoma State defeated Missouri in the championship game. In the tournament, the Sooners were defeated by Tennessee 1âÂÂ0 in the first round.
The Sooners set team records for wins, goals, assists, and points in its 10th year during the 2005 season. Opening the season, the Sooners recorded their best start in team history at 11âÂÂ1âÂÂ1. However the team failed to keep the same momentum on the road, finishing 13âÂÂ6âÂÂ1 overall and 5âÂÂ4âÂÂ1 in Big 12 play. For the fourth time, the Sooners made an appearance in the Big 12 tournament, but lost against the 2nd-seeded Colorado in the 2005 Big 12 tournament. Despite a team-high in wins, the Sooners were not selected to the 2005 NCAA tournament.
After nine seasons and an overall 78âÂÂ79âÂÂ16 record, Evans announced his resignation which was accepted by athletics director Joe Castiglione. With Evans, the Sooners made five Big 12 tournament appearances, an NCAA tournament appearance, and a team-high 13 wins in the 2005 season.
On December 21, 2007, Nicole Nelson was named as the team's third head coach after an impressive three-year tenure as the head coach of Stephen F. Austin and stints as an assistant coach at Texas and Baylor. Nelson, a native of Oklahoma, accumulated a 33âÂÂ19âÂÂ9 record while at Stephen F. Austin. After two under .500 seasons, the Sooners posted double-digit wins for the first time since 2005. The Sooners returned to both the Big 12 tournament and the NCAA tournament in 2010. Prior to the Big 12 tournament, Nelson was named as the Big 12 Co-Head Coach of the Year alongside Colin Carmichael. The Sooners defeated then-21st-ranked Texas and then-6th-ranked Texas A&M before falling to longtime rivals Oklahoma State in the championship game. In the NCAA tournament, the Sooners lost in the first round to Washington. After four seasons, Nelson resigned with an overall 29-46-6 record and a Big 12 championship appearance.
On December 27, 2011, Matt Potter was named as the team's fourth head coach. Potter's head coaching stint with Washington State included three NCAA tournament appearances in the last four years and five double-digit win seasons. Under Porter, the Sooners had their best three seasons in succession from 2014âÂÂ2016, posting a 34âÂÂ23âÂÂ9 overall record. In their best season to date, the Sooners finished the 2016 season with a 14âÂÂ7âÂÂ2 overall record and 4âÂÂ3âÂÂ1 in conference play. Celebrating their 20th season, the Sooners highlighted their season with a team-high 14 wins and six players being named to All-Big 12 selections. In the 2016 NCAA tournament, the Sooners defeated SMU 1âÂÂ0 for its first ever NCAA tournament win before losing 2âÂÂ1 to the 4th-seeded BYU. After eight seasons, athletics director Joe Castiglione and Potter announced that Potter will leave the team at the end of the 2019 season. With Potter, the Sooners owned a 63âÂÂ77âÂÂ23 and produced four first-team All-Big 12 selections and six second-team honorees.
On December 21, 2019, Mark Carr was named as the team's fifth head coach after spending last year as head coach of the Under-20 Women's National Team with U.S. Soccer. In Carr's first season, the Sooners posted an overall record of 1âÂÂ12âÂÂ2, their worst season since their inaugural year. In the 2022 season, Carr led the Sooners to their first winning season since 2016 with a 9âÂÂ8âÂÂ1 record. During the team's spring exhibition schedule, athletics director Joe Castiglione announced that Carr will not return for a fourth season.
On April 30, 2023, Matt Mott was named as the team's sixth head coach after 13 seasons as the head coach at Ole Miss. With Ole Miss, Mott accumulated a 139âÂÂ97âÂÂ32 record, which included six NCAA Tournament appearances.
Big 12 Player of the Year
All-Big 12