NM State opened the season with an exhibition match against Grand Canyon at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 6, at the NM State Soccer Athletic Complex.
By Levi Gwaltney
Source: NMSU Athletics, Conference USA
Images: Courtesy
The 2026 season begins this week for the NM State women’s soccer team, bringing a new addition to the coaching staff, an early nonconference challenge and the first glimpse of how Conference USA coaches view the Aggies entering the fall.
NM State opens the season with an exhibition match against Grand Canyon at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 6, at the NM State Soccer Athletic Complex. While exhibition matches do not count in the official standings, they provide the Aggies their final opportunity to prepare before the regular season begins.
The regular season kicks off Wednesday, Aug. 12, when NM State hosts Arizona State in its home opener. Last season, the Aggies traveled to Tempe and dropped a tightly contested 1-0 decision to the Sun Devils. In four all-time meetings, NM State is still seeking its first victory over Arizona State.
As the season gets underway, Head Coach Rob Baarts has added another piece to his coaching staff with the hiring of assistant coach Shayna Whieldon, whose experience spans both the Pac-12 and Conference USA.
According to an NM State Athletics release by Emilio Garcia, Whieldon arrives in Las Cruces after spending the past two seasons as a graduate assistant at UTEP, where she helped the Miners post their best record of the decade in 2024 while assisting with travel coordination, practice planning, team-building activities and recruiting support. Four UTEP student-athletes earned All-Conference USA honors during her tenure.
Before joining the Miners, Whieldon served in multiple roles at Washington State after concluding a standout collegiate playing career with the Cougars. A four-year letterwinner, she helped Washington State reach three NCAA Tournament appearances, including a run to the 2019 College Cup Final Four. She later worked as the program’s video coordinator before being promoted to Director of Operations, overseeing travel, budgeting and administrative responsibilities while contributing to scouting and recruiting efforts.
“I am extremely excited and grateful for the opportunity to join the New Mexico State Women’s Soccer staff,” Whieldon said in the release. “Coach Baarts has built the foundation of a winning program that demands a competitive edge and relentless mentality. I am honored to contribute to the culture, and I look forward to developing these girls both on and off the field.”
Baarts said Whieldon’s blend of Division I playing experience, coaching background and emphasis on team chemistry made an immediate impact after arriving in Las Cruces.
“We are incredibly excited to add Shayna to our NMSU coaching staff,” Baarts said. “Her immediate connection to our team and staff has been super fun to watch. Shayna’s passion for team chemistry and team bonding has really taken our team by storm.”
While the Aggies prepare for the regular season, Conference USA has also provided its first forecast of the league race.
In the conference’s preseason coaches poll, NM State was selected to finish eighth among the league’s 10 members. The top eight teams qualify for the 2026 Conference USA Championship, scheduled for Nov. 8-13 in Newark, Delaware, placing the Aggies squarely within the projected tournament field while leaving little margin for error throughout conference play.
Liberty was unanimously recognized as the conference favorite, collecting nine of the 10 first-place votes. The Lady Flames also return both the Conference USA Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, forward Halle Engle, and Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, Lauren Littleton, while placing five players on the preseason All-Conference Team.
Aggie fans won’t have to wait long to see the league favorite firsthand. Liberty is scheduled to visit Las Cruces on Sunday, Oct. 4, in one of the marquee home matches of the conference season.
For now, however, the focus turns to opening week.
With a strengthened coaching staff, an exhibition tune-up against Grand Canyon and a challenging home opener against Arizona State, the Aggies begin a season that will quickly reveal where they fit in a competitive Conference USA race.
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