Austin Risenhoover knew when he took over the Oral Roberts University women’s soccer program in December that the team did not lack talent.
“I’ve done this for 20 years,” says Risenhoover, who was previously associate head coach at Cal. “This is hands-down the deepest team I’ve ever had.”
But after finishing 6-10-2 in 2021, the Golden Eagles needed direction.
“In the spring, it was all about just changing the culture,” says Risenhoover. “We didn’t get too tactical… I think that anybody who watched us saw that we can compete, and that we’re honestly good enough to play. So I just had to tweak some things.”
The first tweak: Risenhoover challenged his players to improve their personal fitness. He says he did not force his players to condition in the offseason, but “They knew that was the standard.”
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“They expected us to be really fit,” senior Elle Abbey says. “I think it was nice that they just expected that from us, because our coaching staff holds us to a higher standard than ever before.”
“(Fitness) was something that you would start to notice in, like, the 70th minute, you could feel it,” says junior Riley Baldwin. “And now, it’s like we’re making it through games.”
Risenhoover has measured his players’ progress with the Nike SPARQ test. The results are not only quantifiable, but they are significant. Thirty is considered an excellent score.
“In the spring, we had one person get into the 30s for our fitness,” says sophomore Ava Crimmings. “And now, this season we have 18.”
The second tweak was academic performance. Risenhoover did not assign mandatory study hall, but he made it clear to his players that “If you want to be on this team, this is what you have to do.”
“Our GPA went from a 3.12 to a 3.59,” Risenhoover says.
“I think our culture has just really transformed for the better,” Crimmings says. “We have seen just an uptick in the effort that’s put in. The coaches, whatever the standard, they challenge us to push it higher each day.”
Risenhoover has not ignored ORU’s Christian roots while setting new standards on the pitch.
“I would say that we’re really living our values,” says senior Samantha See. “Everything that we’ve said that we’re going to do, we’ve implemented it into our whole being, our practices.”
“I just like the platform that we have at this Christian university, just to be able to come out here every day and glorify God with the gifts that he’s given us and then get to perform,” Baldwin says.
Days out from ORU’s Saturday night home-opener against USAO, the players are leading energetic practices in preparation for the 2022 campaign.
“We have earned the privilege of pressure, and the atmosphere is really radiating. The coaches are really pushing us to get better,” Crimmings says. “All of the newcomers have come in and really made an impact on the team.”
Meanwhile, Abbey’s leadership has impressed Risenhoover.
“(Abbey) and I have had some real conversations, and she’s taken that information, worked on it this summer, and you can definitely see she’s matured,” Risenhoover says. “She’s going to be one of the best center backs in the conference, if not one of the best in the region.”
Sophie Nash, a sophomore from Little Rock, Arkansas, has been “exceptional in training.”
“(Nash) did us a favor and played up top in the spring. Now she’s playing the 10,” Risenhoover says. “She’s been very good.”
Risenhoover calls Crimmings “one of the best sixes in the conference.”
“(Crimmings) has taken everything we’ve given her, ran with it and she’s been an absolute beat in training,” Risenhoover says.
ORU kicks off against USAO at 7 pm Saturday at Case Soccer Complex.
“You’re going to see a high-energy, high-pressing soccer playing side (against USAO),” Risenhoover says. “We talk about how intense is our identity. We’re going to play with that.”
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