The Kansas City Women's Soccer Team, known as the Roos, will kick off its season this Sunday evening against the Iowa State Cyclones, marking the first meeting of the year and setting the tone for a campaign that promises fresh energy and continuity.
At the helm, Jess Smith enters her seventh year as head coach, a tenure highlighted by the program's inaugural winning record of 9‑8‑3, and she brings a blend of stability and ambition to the roster.
Adding to the excitement, Olivia Platt returns for her fifth season, having last year posted nine goals and earned First‑Team All‑Summit League honors, underscoring her role as a primary offensive threat.
Midfielder Ashley Koch, a redshirt junior, is also back after contributing six goals and seven assists in the previous year, providing both creativity and experience in the midfield.
A New Chapter for the Roos
The team will retain 56 percent of its goal contributions from last season, though they will lose the graduating Delfina Zolesio Fernandez Blanco, whose departure creates a notable vacancy in attack.
Iowa State Cyclones, guided by head coach Matt Fannon, are looking to rebound from a 4‑9‑4 record that fell short of expectations, aiming to inject vigor into their play.
The historical series between the two sides stands at 1‑1‑0, with Kansas City edging a 3‑1 victory in their most recent encounter back in 2018, a memory that fuels the Roos' desire for revenge.
Both programs are embedded in larger conference frameworks — Kansas City competes in the Summit League while Iowa State is a member of the Big 12 Conference — adding a layer of regional rivalry that fans eagerly anticipate.