Houston soccer says hello to fresh faces, and goodbye to familiar ones

On Nov. 13, Houston soccer had its national signing day. While coach Ben Williams and company welcomed the recruits, goodbyes were made as three players from the 2025 squad decided to continue their collegiate careers elsewhere.

The new recruits

The Cougars signed seven new players, with three defenders, two midfielders and two forwards.

Defenders

Adeline Cooper (Warren High School; San Antonio, Texas)

Tristen Yi (Deer Creek High School; Edmond, Oklahoma)

Riley Hewitt (Keller High School; Keller, Texas)

Midfielders

Lewhat Tesfazghi (Shilo High School; Snellville, Georgia)

Elena Reyna (Lake Dallas High School; Lake Dallas, Texas)

Forwards

Elle Sloan (Carondelet High School; Danville, California

Alexandria Ledbetter (Jordan High School; Houston, TX)

Saying goodbye

While Williams and his coaching staff will be pleased with the new additions that will help bolster the squad for the 2026 season, some key additions from 2025 have decided to part ways with the Cougars to continue their journeys elsewhere.

On that same day, sophomore forward Amanda Adams, junior midfielder and team captain Kyrsten Kizer and sophomore forward Savannah Tafireyi all announced on their Instagram pages that they were entering the transfer portal. Kizer announced her transfer to Tulsa two weeks later.

“Thank you to Houston for two unforgettable years. I am so grateful for the growth, the memories, and for everyone who has truly supported me along the way,” Adams said.

Adams and Tafireyi played with Houston for two years, while Kizer played for the university for three years.

“I have always loved Houston and I know the time I spent here was meant to be spent at this place. I am very thankful for the girls and coaches that have surrounded me,” Kizer said.

Combined, they have played 106 games, scoring seven goals and assisting 10 times.

“As I close this chapter in Houston and step into new territory, I want to thank every coach, family member, and friend who has continued to show me endless support,” Tafireyi said.

On Friday, Nov. 28, sophomore goalkeeper Maggie Manning announced her transfer to Syracuse on her Instagram page.

In her two seasons with the Cougars, Manning played 17 games, starting 15 times, played over 1,300 minutes, achieved a save percentage of 70.8% and registered five wins and two shutout games.

Correction: Houston has no goalkeepers on the current roster.