In freshman defender Carly Montgomery’s first year on the Forty Acres, she quickly assimilated herself into a starting role, was part of a championship team and earned honors. After a whirlwind of a first year in the Texas soccer program, Montgomery now looks forward to growing in year two.

Montgomery played in all 24 games, starting in 23, during her freshman season. Getting to start early and often, Montgomery reflects on her chances to play in year one.

“Once I got the opportunity (to play), I was so grateful for it. … I was able to learn so much about the college game and develop myself. It was an experience that I’ll never forget and be super grateful for,” Montgomery said. 

Speaking to her performance, Montgomery was recognized with All-Big 12 Freshman team honors and was one of two Longhorns awarded with the accolade. 

“It means a lot to me, it validates the way that I play,” Montgomery said. “It helps keep me motivated to keep working and working for my teammates, who also get those awards. It validates that we are the top players and that all of our work really pays off.”

This season, Montgomery helped Texas secure its third Big 12 Championship and reach the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA tournament. Montgomery had many takeaways from her involvement in the team this season, such as learning her role and how to be impactful in the team.

“It was a big role that I had to take on but I just had to accept it and figure out how to handle the pressure,” Montgomery said. “And being so young, it was something I had to learn pretty quick to be successful.” 

Additionally, as she played against older and experienced players, Montgomery learned that confidence in both her abilities and impact allowed her to be a key contributor in her first season. Montgomery would grow by playing with and learning from the teammates around her.

Montgomery joined a Texas squad with a lot of veteran experience among its starters. This unique situation has allowed her to absorb a lot of knowledge from her fellow teammates.

“I was really the only freshman in the starting eleven at some points, so being able to watch them and really learn how they go through and games and practices, I was able to learn from that and apply it to my game,” Montgomery said. 

Looking forward to her sophomore season, Montgomery is looking to continue to improve as a player as Texas makes its move into the SEC.

“I’m really looking to grow my fitness, conditioning, running and also strengthen all my muscles so I can ensure that I’m strong and fit enough to play in the SEC,” Montgomery said. “As a center back, I’m a playmaker, I have to do a lot of passing and I see everything on the field, just working on my technical (abilities).”