Shyra James setting big senior year goals for CU Buffs women’s socce…

Shyra James has been a force for three seasons with the Colorado women’s soccer team. So much so that she could not play another match for the Buffaloes and still be among the most prolific scorers in program history.

Yet despite the goal-scoring prowess, there has always been a sense of a higher ceiling still yet to be attained for James. Additionally, the Buffaloes have fallen just short of the NCAA Tournament the past two seasons, a drought that stretches back to James’ freshman season of 2020 (the COVID year when women’s soccer was played in early 2021).

Now a senior on a team that has undergone a massive roster overhaul, James will look to put it all together this season as the Buffaloes continue workouts ahead of the Aug. 17 opener at home against Northern Colorado.

It will be a historic opener, as it will mark the first night game under the new lights at a renovated Prentup Field, and it also will mark the first competition of CU’s final academic year in the Pac-12.

“My personal expectation is always to meet my goals numbers,” James said. “I hope to go higher every year, but also for the team. My goals for the team are making top four of the Pac-12, making the NCAA Tournament and advancing. Just stuff like that. I just really hope that we have a good year and ball-out to the NCAA. Our goal should be the NCAA Tournament. We have a lot of new players, but I feel like our bond is what’s going to make our team.”

The Buffs are welcoming 14 new players — six transfers and eight true freshmen — but James provides experience and an efficient touch at the top of the attack.

James scored five goals during that delayed freshman season early in 2021, improving to nine goals and two assists months later in the true 2021 season. James scored 11 goals last year, which tied for the sixth-most in a season in team history, and she goes into her senior season ranked sixth all-time at CU in goals (25) and eighth in points (54).

James enjoyed ample offensive support the past two seasons, with Shanade Hopcroft tallying six goals and 10 assists in 2021 before Civana Kuhlmann posted 12 goals and six assists last year. CU boasts plenty of talent among the newcomers, but until one of those players steps up, James is bound to receive a heavy portion of attention from opposing defenses.

“Shyra has intangibles that nobody else has as far as a feel for the game and a finishing ability with both feet and her head,” CU head coach Danny Sanchez said. “We’ve challenged her to up her level of professionalism and her approach to the game. If she wants to get to that level, that’s the piece that’s missing. She has the tools to get it done. That’s the piece that needs to improve. At the end of the day, the hardest thing to do in our game is score goals. And she scores goals. So now, if we can combine this other piece with her ability to score goals, there’s really no stopping her. There is no ceiling.

“We’ll push her and motivate her as much as we can. But Shyra will go as far as Shyra wants to. She had a good spring, scored a lot of goals, and we’re going to push her this year to have her best season.”

Preseason poll

Three Pac-12 teams earned spots in the United Soccer Coaches preseason top 25, with defending national champion UCLA landing at No. 1. Stanford, which visits Prentup for a night match on Oct. 5, is at No. 11 with USC at No. 22. UCLA visits CU on Sept. 22.

Michigan State, which visits Prentup on Aug. 27, is ranked 17th. Two of CU’s upcoming rivals in the Big 12 also earned preseason rankings, with 2021 national runner-up BYU at No. 13 and Central Florida at No. 24.