Baylor Soccer must replace some big guns from the 2025 team this fall, and these three new additions to the team will go a long way toward filling the gaps. Each of these newcomers made a noticeable impact during the spring exhibitions, and they should solve specific problems for the Bears this fall as Michelle Lenard and company attempt to reload and fire their way back into the Sweet 16 and beyond.
Midfielder #8, Taylor Evans
The fifth-year, Colorado-native transferred to Baylor after four years at Duke. While the Blue Devils made back-to-back Women’s College Cups and Evans was one of two team captains in 2025, the new Bear only made 11 appearances during her time in Durham.
“It’s kind of a Kai story,” Baylor head coach Michelle Lenard said, comparing Evans to North Carolina transfer and Baylor standout Kai Hayes. “Taylor has got similar qualities to Kai in that she's tough as nails. She will tackle anything. She's not taking crap off anybody. She is gonna help set a tone out there in terms of discipline and competitiveness and all those pieces.”
Hayes was the final piece that rounded into form as the Bears hit the postseason, scoring twice in the NCAA tournament and tilting the midfield battle in Baylor’s favor when games were on the line.
By the end of the spring, Evans looked well-integrated into the squad and could exert similar influence in the middle of the pitch. She could also start from game one and build into top form faster than Hayes did, but that is the core question for Evans. How fast can she get up to speed with the Bears and start making a difference? The good news is that there are plenty of good options in the midfield, including another newcomer.
Midfielder #6, Noelle Sather
USF transfer and Canada-native Noelle Sather is great competition for Evans in a more defensive midfield role. But Coach Lenard emphasizes how different the players are while sharing great attributes like toughness. “Noelle can really, really help against a high press. She's a press breaker. She is great in tight spaces. She's extremely technical. She has a very high-level soccer IQ.” So less of the destroyer that Evans can be and more of a technician or perhaps a field general in the back.
With the host of quality options for the Bears in the midfield, Sather might not share the field with Evans often, but the Bears will need the depth to reach their goals, especially considering that Sather could miss a chunk of Baylor’s season if she is called into the Canadian U-20 Women’s World Cup squad. Sather has been in the national team picture for her age group pretty consistently, so it is likely that she will be unavailable for the Bears from late August through mid-to-late September. Despite this, Sather could be a very important piece for Baylor to make another run into the NCAA Tournament in 2026.
Forward #15, Grace White
The Elsberry, Missouri, native is primed to enter college soccer with a bang. After enrolling at Baylor a semester early to participate in the spring, White scored seven goals and earned a PK through the first three exhibition games before coming back down to earth. The freshman is in the middle of the process of adjusting to the demands of the college game, so the “regression” later in the spring was a good reminder that the process will take time. Consistency and physicality are the main questions for the otherwise dynamic newcomer.
White has the game IQ, instincts, ability and power of will to capitalize on the great work rate of her teammates. “She's just really consistent with how she moves off the ball, and that leads to good chances,” said Coach Lenard, “and then she's a clinical finisher.” The Bears need consistent finishers after top scorer Tyler Isgrig headed to the pros. White is a clear candidate to be the top scorer for Baylor in 2026, making her one of the more important offseason additions.
While I expect these three to provide plenty of answers for the Bears on the field this season, there are obvious questions raised above. Evans and Sather could be competing directly with each other for minutes, with Olivia Hess almost certainly playing 80-90 minutes in a box-to-box midfield role and Aryanna Jimison looking the most likely to take over Tyler Isgrig’s attacking midfield role. Not to mention the possibility of Sather missing a month in the middle of the season. And counting on a freshman to be a leading scorer has its own risks, too. I’ll take a stab at questions like these in the next Baylor Soccer season preview piece later this week.
