Big 12 coaches and casual fans could be forgiven for thinking Baylor Soccer would finish middle of the pack in the league after losing five starters and their leading scorer. But that is because they aren’t digging deeper and looking at potential breakouts, understated starters, and high-floor role players with room left to grow. Baylor has at least three of these “under the radar” players who could greatly affect the trajectory of the 2026 season.
Winger/Outside Back #5, Lauren Omholt
I mentioned Omholt in my “Top 3 Questions for the Bears heading into 2026” as a piece that could play important and multiple roles depending on team needs. That is, if she can carry her momentum from the spring into the fall.
The former Purdue Boilermaker started seeing time at outside back in the spring, along with continued time at winger. She looked more effective in either role than she was last season at winger.
It’s not that Omholt didn’t make things happen for her team last fall, just that one goal and four assists was a bit disappointing for the minutes she played and the chances she was a part of. That being said, the effort and hunger in her game persisted and now appears to be paying dividends. Through the spring Omholt has made better decisions more often, showing improved understanding of her role in the Baylor game model and producing more goals for the team.
When a player shows the physical tools without the end product, many can write them off after one year. But the comfort and understanding that come with the second year in Michelle Lenard’s system could make the difference for this energetic athlete on the touchline. For that reason, Omholt is an under-the-radar piece for Baylor Soccer in 2026.
Forward #9, Callie Conrad
Is it weird to say that an All-Big 12 player is under the radar? Clearly the coaches in the league respect Conrad, but more casual viewers of the league or just Baylor may not fully understand. She didn’t even score one-tenth of Baylor’s goals last year, and she’s the starting center forward!
Conrad is an understated starter; a player embracing a more thankless role for the benefit of the team. For France in the 2018 World Cup, Olivier Giroud occupied the defense and created better opportunities for Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann. He entered the tournament as the fourth all-time leading goal scorer for France and left with zero goals, zero shots on target, a single assist and the World Championship.
Conrad is like Baylor’s Giroud. She has the ability to score more goals thanks to a tall, strong frame and great knowledge of the Bears’ game model. Last year was a time for Conrad to focus on the thankless work; this year we could see the leading-scorer side of her game.
As of right now, there is no single star on the field for Baylor to orbit around in 2026, arguably giving Conrad more responsibility to be more selfish. She has the skill to take advantage of that while still doing a lot of the more selfless work she’s known for. For that reason, Conrad is an under-the-radar piece for Baylor Soccer in 2026.
Winger #14, Theresa McCullough
Have you ever seen a wrecking ball that could also punch a thumbtack into a bulletin board without destroying the entire wall? I’m not sure I know a better way to describe McCullough’s game. The senior winger will run over, around or through whoever stands in her way. Yes, two of those options mean contact or collision. That doesn’t matter, and if it weren’t for yellow cards, she might prefer it for the intimidation factor.
McCullough has the talent and skills to give defenders fits on the wing. And if the first three efforts fail, she won’t stop trying. She is a quintessential high-floor player. It’s her ceiling where I think McCullough flies under the radar.
Being a senior with a full three years in Michelle Lenard’s program already, McCullough has methodically improved her decision making. While she can still tend to be overenthusiastic in making a run too early or going into a challenge a bit too hard, the winger has become reliable in her role over her time at Baylor in a steady but simple way that — in my opinion — is under-appreciated.
McCullough has gotten better every year, played more minutes every year, and helped produce more goals every year. The high-floor, wrecking-ball may be easy enough to write off as a known quantity for most, but another steady step up in efficiency could pay dividends for Baylor on the scoreboard and in the win column. For that reason, McCullough is an under-the-radar piece for Baylor Soccer in 2026.
