Forty years ago, in 1986, TCU introduced a new sport, a highly successful team recognized for its coaching, players, records and titles. That was the women’s soccer team.
David Rubinson, a TCU alum who graduated from TCU in 1977 with a degree in political science and business, started the team. He was previously a defender on the men’s soccer team.
Being a soccer and Horned Frog fan, Rubinson formed the first-ever women’s soccer team. The team started their first season as TCU’s official women’s soccer team with a 9-8-2 record. Their first game was on September 5, 1986, against the University of North Texas at home. They lost with a score of 1-2. In the following matchup against Maryville, they won their first game with a score of 3-1.
Garvey-Rosenthal Soccer Stadium, the stadium in which they play every home game, was built in 2000. The Jane Justin Field House was built ten years later. Before they had the Garvey-Rosenthal Soccer Stadium, the team would play at different venues on campus. Multiple donors donated money to help make the project happen.
Rubinson continued to coach the men’s soccer team and girls’ soccer team until 2003. That year, the men’s soccer team moved from varsity status to club status. This made the women’s soccer team the only official soccer team at TCU.
“We are at an extreme disadvantage in terms of competitive equity relative to the resources of the program,” Eric Hayman, the athletic director, said in a TCU Athletics announcement. “The move to a club program will allow our students to continue to have the opportunity to compete on a more equal playing field.”
Under Rubinson’s coaching, the team tied for second place in Conference USA with its record of 9-8-2 in 2003. In his final year as TCU’s coach in 2004, the team had an overall record of 6-11-1. They tied for eighth in Conference USA. According to an announcement from TCU Athletics, he resigned from his position to help prepare a national team for the Maccabiah Games.
After he resigned, Dan Abdalla, former women’s soccer coach for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, filled Robinson’s position. He coached the team from 2004 to 2011, where he led the team to their best season under his coaching in 2008 with a 4-2-1 record, achieving third in the Mountain West Conference.
Eric Ball became the head coach for the girls’ soccer team in 2011 after Abdalla resigned from the team. He continues to coach the women’s team to this day. The year he started coaching the team was also the same year in which TCU joined the Big 12 Conference.
With his coaching, the women achieved considerable success throughout the years. 2020 was the first time in program history that the team won a Big 12 Championship title, beating West Virginia 1-0. They went on to make it all the way to the NCAA Quarterfinals after being knocked out by the University of Virginia, 0-1. Last season was their best record yet, with them gaining their third Big 12 title and making it into the NCAA Second Round. They finished the season at number 14 in the rankings.
Tonight is their first official game of the season. After a successful season last year, they are hoping for another. They will be playing the University of Utah at home. There will be a 40th season party at the Pitch along with free keychains. The game starts at 7 p.m. and will be on ESPN+.
