Big 12 

Brief conference bio:
2013 conference tournament champion: West Virginia
Offensive Player of the Year: Frances Silva, West Virginia
Defensive Player of the Year: Kadeisha Buchanan, West Virginia
Newcomer of the Year: Kadeisha Buchanan, West Virginia

Teams (2013 overall, conference record)

West Virginia (16-4-3, 7-1) 

The Mountaineers have been a marvel of consistency for more than a decade, which is now bleeding into its relatively fresh Big 12 journey. Last year marked back-to-back regular season conference titles and the team’s first Big 12 tournament title, which it snapped up in a 1-0 victory over Oklahoma State. That assured the Mountaineers of their 14th straight NCAA tournament appearance, the 10th-longest active streak in the nation. Kadeisha Buchanan was a runaway star as a freshman last year, and arguably the conference’s best defender still has three more seasons in her college boots. With Ashley Lawrence returning in the midfield and Kate Schwindel (11 goals, six assists in 2013) returning up top, West Virginia should be as strong as ever in 2014. The only question mark is how hard they’ll take the loss of all-everything forward Frances Silva.

Texas Tech (18-2-3, 6-0-2)

The Big 12’s surprise story of the past four years has been the rise of the Red Raiders. Since going 8-8-4 in 2009, Texas Tech posted increasingly prolific winning seasons in each of its past three, capped by last year’s 18-win campaign that fell in an excruciating thud in penalties against Texas A&M in the second round of the NCAA tournament. Defender Jaelene Hinkle is one of the nation’s best - that she lost the conference’s DPOY award last year to Buchanan was met with some controversy - and the fact that Tech only gave up nine goals last year is partly down to her influence. With Janine Beckie back up top and 15 upperclassmen on the roster, Tech’s window to win the league is wide open.

Texas (12-6-2, 5-2-1)

The Longhorns have been a sleeping giant in the realm of women’s soccer for too long, but it appears they may be stirring. An immense string of recent recruiting successes was followed by the addition of USWNT legend Kristine Lilly to the coaching staff on Aug. 14. It appears Texas’ 12-win 2013 was no fluke either, and the return of conference-best goalkeeper Abby Smith and impact midfielder Sharis Lachappelle means year three under Angela Kelly could be the best one yet. In 2013, each of Texas’ top three points accumulators were sophomores, lending credence to the notion that the Longhorns are on the move.

Iowa State (9-9-2, 3-4-1)

The Cyclones finished .500 and won three conference games last year, but they only landed one player on any of the three postseason conference teams. That was a perfect embodiment of Iowa State’s team-first approach in 2013 that led to a modest two-win improvement in conference from 2012. Emily Goldstein was that one player, and the midfielder who scored the overtime winner to beat Baylor last year is gone. With the loss of Jennifer Dominguez, Iowa State has to replace 11 goals and nine assists from last season. Forward Koree Willer and defender Madi Ott had a solid freshman campaigns, though Iowa State may struggle to top their showing from last year.

Baylor (11-6-3, 3-4-1)

After a historic 2012 campaign, the Bears came down to earth a bit last season. A solid if unremarkable regular season came to an end with a win at TCU, and they missed the dance after losing to West Virginia in the semis of the Big 12 tournament. Co-coaches Marci and Paul Jobson have become well-known for fielding organizationally sound defenses as a backbone for the team’s recent gains, and the return of standout keeper Michelle Kloss is where it starts in 2014. The Bears might score some goals this season with Mexico international Bri Campos back and Justine Hovden and Natalie Huggins entering their senior seasons. If Katie Daigle can help continue the defensive lineage, Baylor should be able to claw above .500 in the league again this season. 

Oklahoma State (9-7-6, 2-3-3)

The Cowgirls’ puzzling two-year run of form continued last season. After six consecutive years in the NCAA tournament and four straight years with at least one Big 12 title, Oklahoma State is 3-7-6 in the Big 12 over the past two seasons. They saved themselves last season with a strong run to the Big 12 tournament final, which won them a spot in the NCAA tourney after a one-year absence. That wider league swoon, however, appears to be drawing to a close. The Cowgirls return 10 starters from last season, including all-conference players Courtney Dike, Allie Stephenson and Natalie Calhoun. Oklahoma State should be competing for a conference title this season, which would herald a return to the old days of Cowgirl dominance.

TCU (6-10-3, 2-5-1)

Give TCU credit. Despite a step up in competition, the Horned Frogs made it to the Big 12 tournament title game in their inaugural season in the league, and last season they doubled their win total in the league from 2012. The fact that the Horned Frogs took both Oklahoma State and West Virginia to overtime last season proves the kernel is there for improvement in 2014 provided the team takes the necessary steps. Bobbi Clemmer’s return will stabilize a defense that surrendered 24 goals last season, but the real story is what Michelle Prokof can do for an encore. As a freshman, she scored eight goals last year and will be expected to shoulder the load again. If she can get some help from players like Makenzie Koch and Meghan Murphy, TCU should be at least as good in 2014.

Kansas (7-11-2, 2-5-1)

Kansas’ quiet season last year came and went without much fanfare. The Jayhawks chalked up a solid conference win over Baylor and beat cellar-dweller Oklahoma, but otherwise it had all the hallmarks of a building year. One of the pleasant offshoots was the arrival of all-league internationals Liana Salazar and Aurelie Gagnet, a French defender who made the newcomer team as a freshman. With those pieces in place for 2014, the question now becomes filling in contributors around them. That should happen this season with nine starters back, including nearly 70 percent of their scoring output last season. Gagnet and Salazar both have multiple seasons left in Lawrence, which means Kansas should expect to improve its win total from this season.

Oklahoma (4-13-1, 1-7)

It was a rough season on the plains for the Sooners in 2013. After beating Oral Roberts on Sept. 13, Oklahoma won just one more game all season at TCU on Oct. 18. Sandwiched around that game were losses of all shapes. The Sooners were walloped 5-0 by North Texas and lost twice in double overtime in the league, and the latter game was against West Virginia at home on senior night. A 2-1 loss to Kansas on the last day of the season was the final indignity in a year Oklahoma would rather forget. The Sooners are a mixed bag this season, with 10 true freshmen and eight players back who started at least 10 games last season. Jemma Cota and Paige Jacobs emerged as freshmen last year, but a minuscule four-player senior class (and just eight upperclassmen overall) means Oklahoma will probably be ensconced in a rebuilding year in 2014.