When senior Krista Lopez was deciding where to pursue her collegiate career, she ended up choosing Oklahoma State for what it was not.
It wasn’t a national powerhouse.  She was drawn to the idea that it was the underdog and had to prove itself, she said.
Fast-forward a few years and the team is ranked no. 2 with a 15-0 record, coming off a season that ended in the Elite Eight.  It was the highest finish in Cowgirl soccer history, and Lopez finished with 15 goals, the ninth most in the country.
Regardless of that loaded list of accomplishments, Lopez’s view still hasn’t changed much.
“It is kind of crazy, but I still feel like an underdog because of schools like Notre Dame, Stanford and UNC,” Lopez said.  “Everyone puts them on a pedestal, so I still feel like we have to prove ourselves.”
But OSU is well on its way to that level if it remains consistent.
The Cowgirls have scored 39 goals and allowed four in their perfect season so far.
In the past, games that would lower expectations upon the Cowgirls don’t faze them in the least bit.
“Before when we went to California, those were games where it was like we were told we were going to lose,” junior goalkeeper AD Franch said.  “Now it’s like if we play the way we play, we should come out on top.”
OSU coach Colin Carmichael said he can’t attribute the success of the team to one particular reason.
“We have talented players who have great work ethic,” Carmichael said.  “We have great chemistry.  These girls genuinely care about each other.”
For Franch, the team’s success is no surprise.
“With the girls that we have, winning is kind of expected,” Franch said.
Last season, OSU set a program record with the number of girls awarded with All-Big 12 status.  Four players earned first team honors, and one player was awarded second team.Â
Guiding the team was Carmichael, who was named Co-Big 12 Coach of the Year.
Knowing the team’s success will leave a lasting impression is one of the most rewarding parts of Cowgirls’ achievements, players said.
“The program is just growing,” Franch said.  “This senior class has brought in a lot of other big recruits that you usually don’t see.  But with us being a top-5 team, we get those bigger and better recruits.”
But with that success and hype, the team can often feel a great deal of pressure.
“Pressure. I see it as a responsibility,” Franch said.  “What we did last year and what we’re doing this year, if we want to keep that name, it’s our responsibility to do what we have to do on the field.  It is an expectation.”
When it comes down to it, Lopez said rankings are not a priority, even though she said she wouldn’t mind if the team bumped up one spot.
“People keep asking about our record and being No. 2, but we don’t really have time to think about it,” Lopez said. “We just need to stay consistent and keep winning right now.”