Soccer is more than just a game for junior forward Trinity Byars; it is a way of life. Byars began playing soccer at a young age where she immediately excelled.
“I remember playing in my first game and I actually scored seven goals,” Byars told the Between The Horns podcast.
Sports runs in the Byars family, as all four of her sisters play soccer at a high level. Byars’s older sister Tatyana played soccer at the University in 2018.
Byars club soccer career was prominent, earning a spot on the U.S. Soccer Federation Development Academy as a 15-year-old where she competed in the 18 and 19-year-old age division. During her time on the team, Byars gained accolades such as two-time United Soccer Coaches Youth Girls All-American and All-Region selection in 2018 and 2019, USSF DA Golden Ball Award and scored a total of 92 goals during her time as a member at the academy. Byars was rated as a five-star recruit, number one overall player and number one forward according to Top Drawer Soccer’s 2021 IMG Academy top 150 rankings.
Byars made her way to The University of Texas in 2021. The player hailing from Richardson, Texas made an immediate impact. She started in all 22 matches and played a significant role on the team. As a freshman, Byars led the team with 12 goals and added 34 points. Byars’ 12 goals during her freshman season ranked sixth all-time in a single season in Texas program history and led to Byars being named Big 12 Conference Freshman of the Week and Big 12 Conference Offensive Player of the Week on multiple occasions throughout the 2021 season.
Byars continued her success into her sophomore season, leading the Longhorns to victory with a 58th minute goal to beat West Virginia, which marked the Longhorn’s first-ever road win over West Virginia. Byars sophomore season was highlighted by her scoring 17 goals and breaking the school single-season record. Along with breaking school records, Byars was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year.
During her time at Texas, Byars has also found herself developing as a player.
“I think I have gained more confidence,” Byars said. “I feel like I am starting to play more like myself, I feel comfortable with my teammates around me, I have coaches who really support me.”
As a junior, Byars helped lead the Longhorns to a 2023 Big 12 Tournament Championship. This was just the third time in program history that the Longhorns won the championship and their first postseason title since 2007. Going into last year’s season, Byars had confidence in the team’s chemistry.
“Our culture is great, everyone is so welcoming, everyone wants it for each other,” Byars said. “You couldn’t have asked for a better team.”
Byars’ contribution to the team through her first three years at Texas has already led to her becoming one of the most remarkable players in program history. Byars knows what it is like to compete with the best, and before she leaves Texas, she wants to be the best.
“I would say just being a known player, coming in and making history, breaking records,” Byars said. “At the end of the day that’s what I want to do, that’s what I want to be known for.”
