Step inside the locker room at Buser Family Park on a game day or even for practice, and you’ll find a mix of high-energy playlists, pre-game hype and a squad that genuinely loves being around each other. The K-State women’s soccer team isn’t just going through another non-conference schedule like it’s any other day; they’re building a culture that feels more like a family. 

Four Wildcats, Lauren Moylan, McKinnan Braswell, Lily Hendrickson and Allison Marshall, embody that culture whether it’s through the rivalries, road trips, mental toughness and post-game ice cream runs. 

Lauren Moylan – Freshman Defender

Making the jump to Division I college soccer is a huge adjustment for anyone, but freshman defender Lauren Moylan wasted no time proving she belongs in the starting 11. When the chance came to get a head start on her college career, Lauren made the bold decision to leave her hometown of Jenison, Mich., and enroll at K-State last spring to wear No. 9. 

“Coming in last spring was pretty hard,” Lauren explained. “I was nervous a lot going into spring games and even training. Over the summer and this fall, it’s just been a mindset shift. Each game I become more confident, and I have an awesome coaching staff and team supporting and encouraging me.”

That growing confidence paid off in paradise during the team’s non-conference road trip to Hawaii, where Lauren netted her first collegiate goal against Seattle U. She backed it up shortly after by recording her first career assist back in Manhattan.

For Lauren, though, playing defense under associate head coach Julie McClure has taught her just as much about mental resilience off the field as it has during games.

“You can do everything right, but sometimes it’s just not going to work out,” Lauren said. “My defensive coach Julie has told me that multiple times. You can try your best and give your all, and sometimes it’s just not going to work out. I relate that to life as well.”

McKinnan Braswell – Senior Forward

When McKinnan Braswell decided to pack her bags for Manhattan, she was stepping away from a family tradition, not just her hometown. Growing up in North Richland Hills, Texas, maroon and white was practically a family heirloom — both of her parents attended Mississippi State, and her mother played on MSU’s very first soccer team. After spending two seasons in Starkville, deciding to enter the transfer portal and move to the Midwest took real courage.

“Just because you’re afraid of change doesn’t mean you shouldn’t step out with courage,” McKinnan said. “It was not an easy step because I still love Starkville … but there was more for me as an athlete and a person. It took taking a leap of faith and going to the Midwest to a place I’d never been.”

Since landing in Manhattan, the junior midfielder has locked in on some ambitious goals for the fall. On top of aiming for an All-Conference selection in the midfield and wanting to be one of the team’s top goal scorers, McKinnan is protective of the record at Buser Family Park.

“We have a really big goal that we want to be undefeated at home this season,” McKinnan said. “That’s something that we really value is just winning games for our fans and taking advantage of all the blessings, like sleeping in your own bed, eating your own food and going about your typical schedule.”

Even as she settles into life in Kansas, McKinnan still loves a good homecoming matchup. Reflecting on her favorite memories in purple so far, a hard-fought game against Baylor immediately comes to mind.

“Even though it didn’t go our way, the Baylor game was a very fun game for me because it was personal,” McKinnan laughed. “I have a lot of friends on that team, and it was just fun being closer to my home state of Texas.”

Lily Hendrickson – Senior Defender

Senior defender Lily Hendrickson isn’t holding back about what she wants out of her final season in Manhattan. She has steadily worked her way up into a starting position on the Wildcat backline and has grown into a true veteran leader. Heading into the fall, she has two major milestones in her sights: setting new defensive program records and checking off one very specific, long-awaited rivalry win.

“As a defender, I would say a team goal would be to break some more records in the defensive aspect, like our shutout record,” Lily said. “And individually, I really want to beat KU because I’ve never beat them. I’ve been here, I’m a senior and I haven’t beat them yet, so that’s one of my goals.”

Being from Olathe, beating KU in a K-State jersey is a highlight Lily said she hopes to check off on Oct. 8. Ask Lily about her single favorite memory in a Wildcat jersey, though, and her face lights up as she thinks back to last fall’s thriller against Oklahoma State.

“Everyone was just so excited after,” Lily said, smiling. “It was a really fun game; celebrating with the team after was really fun, and then we went and got Braum’s ice cream after.”

For Hendrickson, the post-match fun represents the heart of this group. While wins and practice matter, the unbreakable bond off the grass is what really makes gamedays special.

“This is the closest K-State team I’ve ever been a part of,” Lily expressed. “Making that progress with our culture is something I’m really proud of. … We all get along really, really well.”

Allison Marshall – Junior Forward

When Nebraska rolls into Manhattan on Sunday, the match carries a little extra personal emphasis for Gretna, Neb. native Allison Marshall. Playing against her home-state Huskers on senior night brings a fun mix of personal history, rivalries and high stakes to the pitch.

“With it being senior night, obviously that’s super important,” Allison said. “We are celebrating nine seniors, and obviously we want to win for them and keep the undefeated streak going, especially at Buser. I’m excited to see friends, family and old teammates that are also on Nebraska.”

For Allison, matches like this are reminders of why she fell in love with college soccer and how much the sport has pushed her out of her shell. Looking back on her athletic journey, the physicality is only half the game. The real breakthrough came in learning how far she could push her mind when fatigue set in.

“Just how much farther you think you can go than your mind will tell you,” Allison said. “In college sports, you’re pushed to do so many things that maybe in high school you would be like, ‘I can never do that.’ Each year you come back and do even harder stuff, so becoming mentally stronger than I ever thought I could be.”

The Wildcats will put their undefeated record and chemistry to the test this Sunday night at Buser Family Park. K-State hosts Nebraska for senior night, with kickoff set for 6:30 p.m.