The TCU women’s soccer team (6-9-3, 2-5-1 Big 12) hits the road for Kansas City Tuesday to compete in the Big 12 conference tournament.
A year ago, the Frogs lost to rival Baylor after an unexpected run lifted TCU to the Big 12 championship game in the school’s first year in the conference.
In last year’s tournament campaign, TCU defeated top-seeded West Virginia and tied the fourth seed Longhorns in the second round to advance to the tournament championship game.
There, the Frogs would ultimately see their dream end as they lost to the Bears 4-1.
TCU head coach Eric Bell said the the experience the team gained from last year’s tournament run gives the Frogs an advantage.
“I think the returning players know that it can be done no matter what seed you’re in, and it gives you hope and confidence knowing that it doesn’t matter,” Bell said. “I think as a coaching staff, we are better the second time around anyway.”
Bell said that his message to the team heading into this year’s tournament is that the team is capable of beating anyone they play.
“We know we can compete with these guys, and now it’s about executing the game-plan a little bit better,” Bell said. “We’ve got to be more dangerous.”
TCU, the seventh seed, opens the tournament against second seed Texas Tech.
The Raiders downed the Frogs 2-0 in Lubbock in the regular season meeting between the teams.
TCU will be led by a pair of All-Big 12 performers in sophomore defender Bobbi Clemmer and freshman forward Michelle Prokof.
Clemmer, who was also named to the first-team All-Big 12 squad as a first-year last season, is the first player from TCU to receive first-team Big 12 soccer honors.
Prokof led TCU in scoring during her first-year campaign with eight goals and an assist. Prokof was named to both the second-team All-Big 12 and the Big 12 All-Newcomer team.
Earlier this season, Prokof tied Jordan Calhoun’s TCU record for goals in a game with a hat trick against Central Arkansas.
For the Frogs to repeat last year’s tournament success, Prokof will have to play well for a TCU team that struggled to score in conference play this year, netting only four goals during Big 12 play.
If TCU wins, they will face the winner of the Texas and Oklahoma State game.
TCU and Texas Tech kickoff at 8 p.m. Wednesday in Kansas City and can be seen live on the Big 12 website.