photo by: Kansas Athletics

Kansas soccer coach Nate Lie on the first day of practice on Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Lawrence.

KU soccer coach Nate Lie had a lot of work to do when taking over the job in December.

Following a four-win season, Lie added nine players between the transfer portal and high school recruitment, bringing the total number of newcomers to the Jayhawks to 15.

Six of the 11 freshmen in this year’s class committed to the Jayhawks prior to Lie’s hiring, but Shea Ryan, Kate Langfelder, Jillian Gregorski, Jordan Fjelstad and Ebba Cronholm all committed between December and July. Throw in the four incoming transfers — Brooke Otto, Emily Tobin, Makayla Merlo and Emika Kawagishi — and Lie was able to add his own style of player to his first year at KU.

One of the main tests for the Jayhawks in this season — which begins on Thursday at South Dakota State — will be determining how a team with 15 total newcomers will jell together. The ultimate test for a coach is how to get the most out of everyone, no matter what play style they fit with. But another test will be figuring out how Lie can continue to develop a recruitment path to Lawrence.

Lie left Xavier University with a career record of 82-37-19, which excluding his record would leave the school with a 280-271-42 all-time record. In some cases, Lie brought in talent that the school hadn’t seen before, particularly at goalkeeper. Olivia Jenkins holds Xavier’s season record for the lowest goals allowed average in a season and in a career. Maria Galley’s 2022 season is tied for first for the most shutouts in Xavier history.

Recruiting has played a significant role in Lie’s coaching career. He started at Miami University as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, before moving to the University of Cincinnati with the same role. Throughout his entire assistant coaching career, Lie held the position of recruiting coordinator.

The Kansas City metropolitan area, which has long featured professional and youth clubs and played host to the U.S. national teams, is taking on a prominent role in soccer with the growing popularity of the Kansas City Current and relocation of the Big 12 women’s tournament, as well as its upcoming status as a host city for the men’s World Cup. Lie can take advantage of the area’s affinity for the sport to create a strong recruiting pipeline to Lawrence. There are 10 players in the 2024 roster that come from the area, and Lie said he will continue to procure more talent from the area.

“I don’t think we can be accused of not investing in Kansas City and the local areas, spending time with club coaches, attending training, attending games,” Lie said. “We give those teams priority in ECNL (Elite Clubs National League) showcases, in (the ECNL) playoffs in Seattle. If they were playing, we were there within the rules.”

Lie said that some of the success in recruiting has to come following success on the field. To strengthen their pipeline of the region’s top talent, Lie and his staff need to show the Jayhawks are a program worth committing to.

“Hopefully the KU brand carries, hopefully some of our reputation through our coaching staff and the things they’ve been able to accomplish can carry, but nothing speaks louder than wins,” Lie said. “We’ve been fortunate where some of the players have committed to joining this. We will continue to be out there, be present, and there will be no excuse that KU wasn’t there.”

Thanks to the transfer portal, though, the door is never completely closed when it comes to recruitment. A player might say no now, but after a year or two and a change in situation, a no might become a yes.

This was what happened with defender Brooke Otto, who is already a captain for the team despite transferring to the school in the winter. The junior from Ohio had been recruited to Xavier but decided on Ohio State. Two years into her college career, she entered the transfer portal, and this time she committed to Lie’s program.

“She very politely told us no (at Xavier),” Lie said with a grin. “It’s a small world, soccer in Ohio. When she went into the transfer portal, we were on the phone very early and knew that she was the kind of player and person to pick for our program.”

A case like Otto’s is an example of modern recruitment in college athletics. When circumstances change for either player or program, a once seemingly closed door can become wide open. For the future of KU soccer, the wins can make a lasting impact on the future of recruits in the area, both those that have already started their college careers and those who are still in high school. All that’s left is for Lie to capitalize on the recruiting resources in KU’s backyard for wins now and later.

photo by: Angilo Allen/Kansas Athletics

Kansas defender Brooke Otto during the spring match against Washburn on Sunday, April 21, 2024, in Lawrence.