IRVING, Texas – The Big 12 Conference featured goalkeeper Azul Alvarez, forward Callie Conrad and midfielder Olivia Hess on its 2026 Preseason All-Big 12 Team, as voted on by conference head coaches and announced by the league office Monday afternoon.
Baylor's three preseason selections are the most in program history as the conference enters its third year recognizing 22 players on the Preseason All-Big 12 Team, plus additional players as needed because of ties, after naming 11 players annually from 2000-23.
Alvarez, who was recently named to the United Soccer Coaches Goalkeepers to Watch list, enters her third season with the Bears in 2026. The 2025 All-Region selection recorded 12 shutouts during a historic campaign that saw her post 97 saves, the ninth-most in program history, in 2,082 minutes played, the fourth-most by a Baylor goalkeeper in a season, while her .820 goals allowed average ranked No. 10 among the program's single-season marks.
Conrad, an All-Big 12 Freshman Team selection in 2023 who earned second-team all-conference honors last season, returns for her fourth year of collegiate soccer. The Mansfield native recorded four goals and two assists in 2025 while starting every match. She fired 31 shots, including 15 on goal, and scored the game-winning goal against Iowa State in Baylor's final of three straight 3-0 victories during Big 12 play.
Hess continues to build on a breakout freshman season with her selection to the preseason squad as a sophomore. The former Big 12 Freshman of the Week started all 23 matches in 2025 and scored three goals, including game-winners against Mississippi State in the home opener and at Kansas State. She put 21 of her 38 shots on goal and added two assists.
Baylor was picked seventh in the Big 12 Preseason Poll behind TCU, Colorado, Kansas, West Virginia, Texas Tech and BYU. The Bears received 153 points and earned their highest preseason projection of the Michelle Lenard era, matching the program's highest preseason ranking since being picked seventh in 2020, 2021 and 2022.
Baylor opens the 2026 season with an exhibition match at SMU on Aug. 8 at 7 p.m. in Dallas before officially beginning the regular season on the road against SEC foe Arkansas on Aug. 12.
Preseason Team
- GK Azul Alvarez, Baylor
- GK Olivia Geller, TCU
- GK Bailey Herfurth, West Virginia
- D Pressley Freeman, BYU
- D Faith Leyba, Colorado
- D Caley Swierenga, Colorado
- D Caroline Castans, Kansas
- D Kylie Bahr, Texas Tech
- D Eleanor Hays, Texas Tech
- D Nyema Ingleton, West Virginia
- MF Lucy Kesler, BYU
- MF Reagan Kotschau, Colorado
- MF Jillian Gregorski, Kansas
- MF Laudan Wilson, Oklahoma State
- MF Kamdyn Fuller, TCU
- MF Anna Hauer, West Virginia
- MF Olivia Hess, Baylor
- F Callie Conrad, Baylor
- F Ellie Walbruch, BYU*
- F Jace Holley, Colorado
- F Hope Leyba, Colorado*
- F Bella Diorio, TCU
- F Emma Yolinsky, TCU
- F Taylor Zdrojewski, Texas Tech
*denotes unanimous selection
Team Poll
- 1. TCU – 222 (13)
- 2. Colorado – 187 (1)
- 3. Kansas – 182
- West Virginia – 182 (1)
- 5. Texas Tech – 180 (1)
- 6. BYU – 164
- 7. Baylor – 153
- 8. UCF – 127
- 9. Arizona State – 111
- 10. Houston – 84
- 11. Utah – 77
- 12. Arizona – 70
- 13. Oklahoma State – 62
- 14. K-State – 48
- 15. Cincinnati – 42
- 16. Iowa State – 29
