By Marissa Essenburg | Sports Writer
When Lauren Omholt walked onto the field in a Baylor uniform for the first time this spring, it marked more than just a new season — it was a homecoming.
The junior forward from McKinney had spent two years at Purdue, carving out her place in the Big Ten, before deciding her next chapter would be closer to home. Now, as Baylor charges into the season, Omholt has become one of the Bears’ most promising new weapons.
“It’s been awesome to be here,” Omholt said. “I love being back in Texas and closer to home so my parents and family can come watch my games, and it’s been great to reconnect with former teammates. And just getting the chance to play in the Big 12 too — I’m excited.”
The former top recruit carried big expectations into her college career. Ranked No. 12 in Texas by Prep Soccer, No. 29 in the state by Top Drawer Soccer and No. 55 nationally among forwards, Omholt had already made a name for herself before stepping onto a collegiate field.
“I was super fortunate to play at the highest levels growing up,” Omholt said. “I was at Solar Soccer Club for six years, and they prepared me and developed me into the player I am today. That put me in such a good position to go into college, play right away in the Big Ten as a freshman and make an impact.”
Omholt’s first stop was West Lafayette, Ind., where she committed to Purdue as a sophomore at McKinney Boyd High School — nearly 900 miles from her hometown.
Omholt contributed right away at Purdue, appearing in all 36 matches across two years. She started 17 of 18 games as a freshman, earning Big Ten All-Freshman Team honors while leading the team with 15 shots on goal. She continued to build in her sophomore campaign, tying career highs in appearances and goals while setting a new personal best in shot-on-goal percentage (.727).
The experience taught her valuable lessons, but after two years, she knew she wanted something different.
“I really was looking for a program with a super healthy culture, and Baylor was that for me,” Omholt said. “It’s been the biggest blessing being here in an environment where everyone is encouraging each other both spiritually and on the field.”
It was a decision that brought her back to Texas, where Baylor offered a chance to play closer to home for a program ready to embrace her.
“Lauren’s addition has been huge for us,” head coach Michelle Lenard said. “She’s added pace to our attack, she can stretch defenses and she gives us another dimension. We have a lot of individual attacking threats, as well as a much better collective idea of how we want to operate in the final third. Lauren Omholt is a big piece of that.”
Beyond the training and the wins, Omholt’s faith has reshaped how she views the game.
“One big thing that has shifted my mindset is realizing that I’m playing for something bigger than just myself,” Omholt said. “Playing for the glory of God, my teammates and using that as my ‘why,'”
Omholt isn’t the only one who sees the bigger picture.
Since arriving in the spring, she built quick chemistry with her midfield and formed a dynamic partnership alongside senior forward Tyler Isgrig, giving Baylor a one-two punch that’s tough to contain.
“Having another threat — someone like Lauren who’s a traditional winger and can really stretch a defense, and she’s so fast — has been a huge help,” Isgrig said. “It’s also allowed me to play more in the midfield, knowing we have threats like her up top. She wants to score, she wants to create, and with her willingness and athleticism, it helps everyone on the field.”
Omholt has already made her presence known in her first six games, scoring the first goal of the season for the green and gold off a cross from sophomore Alysiah Lockette.
“It was super exciting,” Omholt said. “We were really trying to find a way to start the season strong — not with a loss, obviously. Alysiah did so well to beat her defender and put in an amazing cross, and I knew I needed to do whatever I could to get on the end of it.”
The Bears enter their final nonconference game with momentum, depth and the kind of weapons they haven’t had in years, and are looking to close the slate undefeated ahead of Big 12 play.
From being a top Texas recruit out of high school, to leaving the state for Purdue, to returning to Waco as a centerpiece of Baylor’s attack, Omholt’s story has already come full circle. But in many ways, her biggest chapter is still being written.
“I wanted to be part of a program that could make those tournament and postseason runs,” Omholt said.
As she prepares for her first Big 12 slate in green and gold, Omholt isn’t just a transfer finding her footing. She’s a difference-maker ready to leave her mark — and maybe bring Baylor closer to the championship stage it’s chasing.
“I think we’re definitely going to take people by surprise this season,” Omholt said. “We have such a solid mix of veteran leadership and newcomers, and when you stack it up, we have so much talent all around that Baylor hasn’t had until now. I absolutely think we can make deep runs into the postseason.”
