BEAUMONT, Texas - As Lamar University's soccer team looks to continue their reign as two-time defending Southland Conference champions, head coach Nathan Kogut announced Tuesday two new roster additions to the 2024 squad that have already joined the team. After a historical two-year run as one of the top defensive teams in the nation, LU welcomes in transfer defenders Ella Carmody and Olivia Smith to help continue to fortify the backline.

"I am excited about our two newcomers to Lamar and our soccer program," said Coach Kogut. "We made a point to go after defenders in this portal window to help solidify our back line, and I think our staff has done a great job. Ella and Olivia played a lot of minutes their first two seasons in college and that experience is going to help them transition quickly to what we do here at LU. I am excited about what they add to our 2024 team and can't wait to get started on the field this month."

Ella Carmody - 5'6 - Defender - Sandy, Utah (Skyline HS/Utah Tech)

Carmody arrives to Beaumont after spending two seasons with Utah Tech, where she was named a team captain in her sophomore campaign. In her two seasons with the Trailblazers, she appeared in 38 games making 34 starts. She recorded two assists and took nine shots (including two on goal). She also helped the back line to 13 combined shutouts in her two seasons. In 2022, she was selected to the Western Athletic Conference All-Freshman Team after playing 1,455 minutes. Carmody followed it up by playing over 1,300 minutes as a sophomore at both outside and center back.

At Skyline High, she led the Eagles to the quarterfinals as a junior and then to an undefeated 20-0 state championship season a year later. Carmody will be majoring in business at LU. She will also be joining her sister Reese Carmody, a 2024 signee for the Cardinals.

"We are thrilled to add someone with Ella's experience to our program here in Beaumont," Coach Kogut says. "Ella is someone that instantly raises the level of our team and comes in with not only a ton of minutes, but the leadership experience we love to see from her time as a captain at Utah Tech. We are excited to get her into our defensive group and know that she can help us continue to win championships at LU."

Olivia Smith - 5'7 - Defender - Rutherford, N.J (Rutherford HS/Rider)

Hailing from the Garden State, Smith spent the last two seasons as a Bronc for Rider University. As a true freshman in 2022, Smith started 12 of the 16 games she appeared in, compiling almost 1,200 minutes on the backline. She scored her lone goal of the season in a 1-1 draw against Saint Francis (N.Y.). As a sophomore, she battled injury but returned to help the Broncs as a forward and defender, scoring a goal in a 3-1 win at Saint Peter's. In 28 appearances, she scored two goals on eight shot attempts and helped RU to eight shutouts. In both seasons, the Broncs made the MAAC Tournament. 

At Rutherford High School, Smith led the Bulldogs to 47 wins with appearances in the section quarterfinals in her sophomore and junior seasons and the section semifinals as a freshman and senior. Her career included 46 goals, including 25 and 13 assists in her final season. A four-time all-conference selection who has earned two first-team honors, Smith was also ranked in the top 20 in both NJIC North Section and in the state of New Jersey while being selected on the United Soccer Coaches East Region team. Expected to major in exercise science, she is a member of the National Honors Society and the Spanish Honors Society.

"Olivia is another multifaceted defender that can play outside or centrally, and we are ecstatic that she chose to continue her college career at Lamar," admits Coach Kogut. "We place a lot of value on experience when we bring in transfers, and being able to get a player that has started games at the D1 level as a freshman speaks to Olivia's ability. Her pace and intelligence will help her step in and acclimatize quickly to what we demand out of our defensive group, and I can't wait to see how she continues to develop in her college career in our environment."
 

Lamar returns 23 players off the 2023 team that won its second consecutive Southland Conference regular season and tournament titles, including nine starters and five players who were named to the All-Conference teams. A spring schedule will be announced at a later date.

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