Despite a sidelining injury in the fifth game of the season, senior forward Trinity Byars announced on Nov. 8 that she has signed a professional contract to play for the San Diego Wave FC.
The announcement came a few hours before Texas’ semifinal victory in the SEC soccer championship tournament. The Longhorns then defeated South Carolina to clinch the championship on Sunday.
Although Byars didn’t get to play in the tournament, or most other matches this season, her impact on Texas’ program throughout her four years as a Longhorn sets the stage for a promising professional career.
“Trinity (Byars) has proven to be one of the most dynamic and exciting forwards at the collegiate level,” said Camille Ashton, the San Diego Wave’s sporting director and general manager.
In her record-breaking career at Texas, she has scored 52 goals, 17 game-winning goals and five hat tricks. She is the all-time leader in goals scored for the Texas program.
Byars was named the Big 12 Conference Offensive Player of the Year in 2022 and Big 12 Forward of the Year in 2023. Some of her other notable accomplishments include being named to the Big 12 Championship All-Tournament Team for three consecutive years, All-Big 12 First Team in 2022 and 2023, and the United Soccer Coaches All-American First Team in 2022 and Second Team in 2023.
However, her college career doesn’t mark the end of her record-breaking abilities. Byars is the first active college player to join a National Women’s Soccer League club since the League’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement eliminated the draft.
This decision by the League gives players unprecedented control over where they play and how their compensation looks, making this a uniquely progressive time to sign a League contract.
“Given our vision to be the best League in the world, we determined that this was the right time to align with global standards and achieve long term labor peace,”
League commissioner Jessica Berman said in a statement regarding the draft elimination.
The Wave exercised their freedoms under this new set of rules to negotiate a contract with Byars. The Wave is currently ranked 10th out of 14 teams in the League, so Byars’ signing could bear a significant impact on its program.
She will join the Wave in January following the conclusion of the NCAA championship tournament.
Although her departure from Texas is bittersweet, a pro career has always been a topic of discussion for Byars. Texas head coach Angela Kelly reiterated this message in an interview following Byars’ injury.
“Trinity is extremely special,” Kelly said. “Her best days are ahead of her, and she’s going to be an unbelievable professional. Every team in the league is looking at her and hoping that she’s going to come to them.”
