Texas Tech University Athletics
Soccer Adds Three Mid-Year Enrollees
February 06, 2018 | Women's Soccer
The Red Raiders sign three mid-year soccer players
LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech soccer head coach Tom Stone announced the signing of three mid-year enrollees to the 2018 squad on Tuesday, kicking off an exciting week leading to National Signing Day on Wednesday, Feb. 7.
The Red Raiders added an early graduate in Mackenzie Coons, as well as two transfer student-athletes in Jayne Lydiatt and Brittany Weatherford. Lydiatt heads to Lubbock after spending two seasons at Oregon, while Weatherford joins the Tech squad after playing her freshman season at Tulsa.
"Our staff has been eagerly awaiting the arrival of these 3 mid-year players," Stone said. "Jayne was someone we wanted badly when she came out of high school and we're thrilled we get her for her junior and senior years. Lydiatt is super skillful, super fit and has been a winner at all levels. Few clubs in the country prepare players for college as well at Real Colorado. Coach Lorne's players are sophisticated and battle tested, so we expect Jayne to contribute immediately this season."
"Britt is a tough and athletic defender who helps us fill our needs across the back line. We loved her game as a senior at FC Dallas, but missed on her the first time and are thankful she has ended up with us now."
"Coons was one of the top midfielders in this year's class and despite her inexperience at the college level, she has already transitioned well and shown that her game will translate very well to the fast-paced college game. Coons loves to compete and possesses great vision and a mature ability to break down defenses with a pass or on the dribble. All of our EGA players have been very successful here and Coach Kelcher does a fantastic job getting his players ready for the next level of play that collegiate soccer demands."
The announcement of Tech's three mid-year signees kicks off an exciting week leading up to 2018 National Signing Day on Wednesday, Feb. 7, as Stone reloads the Red Raider roster for his 12th season at the helm of the soccer program.
MACKENZIE COONS
Midfielder – Omaha, Nebraska / Millard West High School / Elite Girls Academy
Mackenzie Coons comes to Tech after playing at Elite Girls Academy, the top producer of D-I college soccer talent in Nebraska. She joins club teammates and fellow Red Raiders Margaret Begley & Jade King. Coons also served as the team captain and was a three-year letterwinner at Millard West High School. She's been honored with two All-Metro Second Team and Class A Second Team awards, as well as a Class A State honorable mention accolade. Coons also picked up Super State First Team, and All-Nebraska Second Team awards during her high school career. Coons helped her team win the Nebraska Class A State Championship when she was a freshman, while also leading her team to three District titles over her three-year HS career. While also succeeding on the field, she's been stellar in the classroom, being named to the Distinguished Honor Roll all four years at Millard West and was on the Rotary Club Honor Roll in 2014.
JAYNE LYDIATT
Midfielder – Colorado Springs, Colorado / Pine Creek High School / Oregon / Real Colorado ECNL
Jayne Lydiatt joins the Red Raiders after two years at the University of Oregon. Lydiatt was also a member of the nationally-acclaimed Real Colorado ECNL from 2007-16 and helped her team to the ECNL finals each year from 2012-15. She joins an impressive list of Red Raiders who have donned the Real Colorado kit, such as current Tech defender Macy Hairgrove, as well as All-Americans Jaelene Hinkle & Janine Beckie. Lydiatt played in 19 matches last season, starting 15 as a midfielder for the Ducks. She racked up five points, scoring two goals and registering one assist as a sophomore. Her first goal and assist came in the same night against Cal Poly, as Lydiatt scored the first goal of the contest on a set piece, then assisted on the game-winner to lead the Ducks to a 2-1 win. She finished the year with 1,074 minutes of playing time and 16 shots, six on net. In 2016, Lydiatt started nine matches and played in 17, scoring three goals and tallying one assist for seven points. She racked up scores against Gonzaga, North Texas and UC Irvine, while setting up a marker against Stephen F. Austin. Her first collegiate goal came three minutes into the contest against the Bulldogs. Lydiatt was a two-sport athlete at Pine Creek High School, also playing basketball. She was named 5A Metro League Player of the Year in 2015 and was a three-time All-State Team honoree.
BRITTANY WEATHERFORD
Defender – Frisco, Texas / Hebron High School / Tulsa / FC Dallas ECNL
Brittany Weatherford comes to Texas Tech after playing her freshman season at the University of Tulsa. Before heading to Oklahoma, she played club soccer for FC Dallas ECNL, helping the squad to ECNL Regional berths four times and a final ranking of No. 8 in the nation in 2015. She started in four games, playing 10 total as a defender for the Golden Hurricane. She totaled 657 minutes of action on the field as a freshman, including the entirety of back-to-back overtime matches against ORU & Missouri State. Weatherford was a four-year letterwinner at Hebron High School, leading HHS to a 65-13-17 mark in four seasons. She helped her team win the Texas Class 6A State title as a freshman, while earning Second Team All-State honors her sophomore & junior years, with a First Team All-District accolade as a senior.
The Red Raiders added an early graduate in Mackenzie Coons, as well as two transfer student-athletes in Jayne Lydiatt and Brittany Weatherford. Lydiatt heads to Lubbock after spending two seasons at Oregon, while Weatherford joins the Tech squad after playing her freshman season at Tulsa.
"Our staff has been eagerly awaiting the arrival of these 3 mid-year players," Stone said. "Jayne was someone we wanted badly when she came out of high school and we're thrilled we get her for her junior and senior years. Lydiatt is super skillful, super fit and has been a winner at all levels. Few clubs in the country prepare players for college as well at Real Colorado. Coach Lorne's players are sophisticated and battle tested, so we expect Jayne to contribute immediately this season."
"Britt is a tough and athletic defender who helps us fill our needs across the back line. We loved her game as a senior at FC Dallas, but missed on her the first time and are thankful she has ended up with us now."
"Coons was one of the top midfielders in this year's class and despite her inexperience at the college level, she has already transitioned well and shown that her game will translate very well to the fast-paced college game. Coons loves to compete and possesses great vision and a mature ability to break down defenses with a pass or on the dribble. All of our EGA players have been very successful here and Coach Kelcher does a fantastic job getting his players ready for the next level of play that collegiate soccer demands."
The announcement of Tech's three mid-year signees kicks off an exciting week leading up to 2018 National Signing Day on Wednesday, Feb. 7, as Stone reloads the Red Raider roster for his 12th season at the helm of the soccer program.
MACKENZIE COONS
Midfielder – Omaha, Nebraska / Millard West High School / Elite Girls Academy
Mackenzie Coons comes to Tech after playing at Elite Girls Academy, the top producer of D-I college soccer talent in Nebraska. She joins club teammates and fellow Red Raiders Margaret Begley & Jade King. Coons also served as the team captain and was a three-year letterwinner at Millard West High School. She's been honored with two All-Metro Second Team and Class A Second Team awards, as well as a Class A State honorable mention accolade. Coons also picked up Super State First Team, and All-Nebraska Second Team awards during her high school career. Coons helped her team win the Nebraska Class A State Championship when she was a freshman, while also leading her team to three District titles over her three-year HS career. While also succeeding on the field, she's been stellar in the classroom, being named to the Distinguished Honor Roll all four years at Millard West and was on the Rotary Club Honor Roll in 2014.
JAYNE LYDIATT
Midfielder – Colorado Springs, Colorado / Pine Creek High School / Oregon / Real Colorado ECNL
Jayne Lydiatt joins the Red Raiders after two years at the University of Oregon. Lydiatt was also a member of the nationally-acclaimed Real Colorado ECNL from 2007-16 and helped her team to the ECNL finals each year from 2012-15. She joins an impressive list of Red Raiders who have donned the Real Colorado kit, such as current Tech defender Macy Hairgrove, as well as All-Americans Jaelene Hinkle & Janine Beckie. Lydiatt played in 19 matches last season, starting 15 as a midfielder for the Ducks. She racked up five points, scoring two goals and registering one assist as a sophomore. Her first goal and assist came in the same night against Cal Poly, as Lydiatt scored the first goal of the contest on a set piece, then assisted on the game-winner to lead the Ducks to a 2-1 win. She finished the year with 1,074 minutes of playing time and 16 shots, six on net. In 2016, Lydiatt started nine matches and played in 17, scoring three goals and tallying one assist for seven points. She racked up scores against Gonzaga, North Texas and UC Irvine, while setting up a marker against Stephen F. Austin. Her first collegiate goal came three minutes into the contest against the Bulldogs. Lydiatt was a two-sport athlete at Pine Creek High School, also playing basketball. She was named 5A Metro League Player of the Year in 2015 and was a three-time All-State Team honoree.
BRITTANY WEATHERFORD
Defender – Frisco, Texas / Hebron High School / Tulsa / FC Dallas ECNL
Brittany Weatherford comes to Texas Tech after playing her freshman season at the University of Tulsa. Before heading to Oklahoma, she played club soccer for FC Dallas ECNL, helping the squad to ECNL Regional berths four times and a final ranking of No. 8 in the nation in 2015. She started in four games, playing 10 total as a defender for the Golden Hurricane. She totaled 657 minutes of action on the field as a freshman, including the entirety of back-to-back overtime matches against ORU & Missouri State. Weatherford was a four-year letterwinner at Hebron High School, leading HHS to a 65-13-17 mark in four seasons. She helped her team win the Texas Class 6A State title as a freshman, while earning Second Team All-State honors her sophomore & junior years, with a First Team All-District accolade as a senior.
Players Mentioned
Defender
/ Women's Soccer
Defender
/ Women's Soccer
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