The blaring stadium lights highlight the green turf and the aluminum gray stands brim with cheering spectators. A few feet away, senior varsity girls captain, Breland Mungia, prepares for another soccer game listening to an upbeat mixture of music in the locker room. Before she steps on the field to display her skills, she and the team ensure to hype each other by praying and chanting together.

Having played soccer for over a decade, first beginning at the age of five, Mungia has improved her strength and presence on the field. In her high school career, Mungia lettered all four years in soccer and played the three center midfield positions. 

“A lot of my friends from school were playing so I decided to give it a try,” Mungia said. “I enjoy soccer because it allows me to be competitive, it pushes me to work hard, it has brought me life-long friends and it is a healthy stress reliever.” 

This year, Mungia made it to the first team all-district and was able to advance all the way to the regional finals with her team, where they lost 0-2 to Dripping Springs, the eventual 2021 5A state champion. Mungia attributes such accomplishments to both her coach and teammates. 

“The success of our team truly came from the environment we were in,” Mungia said. “Coach Pollard made practice competitive, but also fun, which pushed us to our best. Also, our team is full of some amazingly talented individuals who worked hard for one another, which is all I could ask for in a teammate.” 

Although the team fell short against Dripping Springs, Mungia recognizes the effort she and the rest of the team put in throughout the season and said she is overall content with the way her last season in high school played out. 

“I have never enjoyed being around a group of girls as much as I have this team,” Mungia said. “The season-ending is very bittersweet. This team always gave their all, they were selfless workers, dedicated to each other and always so uplifting. This season was full of great memories and will be left with unbreakable bonds that I will forever cherish. It’s tough knowing the season is over but I could not be more proud of all that we have accomplished.” 

When collegiate offers began rolling in during the fall of her junior year, although Mungia was excited, she knew she wanted to stay in Texas to continue her education. The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor became the perfect choice and she officially committed to play soccer. 

“I am very much a homebody and being on that campus made me feel comfortable and at home,” Mungia said. “The quality of their athletic facilities was also very appealing and everyone I met on campus was so welcoming. The fact that UMHB is religiously affiliated was a big factor in my decision making. Religion is a big part of my identity and hearing that it was a part of UMHB was very appealing and welcoming.” 

As Mungia prepares to take the next step in her career and education at UMHB as a psychology major, she said she is excited about the new environment and potential friendships she’ll make at college. 

“What made me interested in psychology was that I’ve watched my brother grow up with ADHD and ADD along with other disabilities,” Mungia said. “It made me fascinated to learn more about the human brain and how it functions, so maybe one day I can help kids like him.”