Pronghorn women’s soccer program hoping to take step forward in 2025

By Lethbridge Herald on August 14, 2025.

Nathan Reiter

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The countdown is officially on for the Canada West women’s soccer season.

The University of Lethbridge Pronghorns are looking to take a step and get back into the Canada West playoff picture in 2025. Last season, the Pronghorns finished in seventh place in the Prairie Division with a 2-11-1 record and failed to qualify for the playoffs.

Head coach Cedric Bovon is entering his first season as Pronghorns head coach after taking over for Thiago Bastos in February.

Bovon has previously served as an assistant coach with the University of Calgary Dinos women’s soccer program and was the girls technical director and League 1 head coach for the Calgary Blizzards Soccer Club.

In an interview with the Herald, Bovon says he wants the Horns to be a tough opponent no matter who they’re facing. 

“For me, I’m really focused on the process right now. Can we get the details right on a daily basis to grow our knowledge of the game, to get our technical and tactical elements in the right space, to compete every game? I don’t care if it’s our local Alberta opponents or it’s our opponents from Saskatchewan and Manitoba. I want to be a competitor every time we step on the field, regardless of who’s in front of us, and make sure that our identity and how we play is at the forefront of those matches.”

With Bovon taking over the coaching reins, it’s been a process of getting to know both the new recruits and the returning Pronghorn veterans.

Fourth-year forward Kiandra Boulter says Bovon has made a really strong first impression with the team. 

“He’s definitely brought the energy. He’s brought the commitment and everything he’s brought to the table is at a new level for us. He pushes us to be the best people we are on and off the field and I think that’s just something that we’ve always needed.”

Bovon says the team has been very receptive and he’s noticed a buy-in mentality early on.

“We’re fortunate that a lot of the group are young and are sponges for information in terms of how we want to play and implementing that style. They’re ready to just jump on the pitch and start to try. It’s about trial and error figuring out what works for us on a day-to-day basis, building a more structured, organized defensive unit along with having a style of play that allows us to dictate more control.”

While there’s still a couple of weeks before the season begins, Boulter says Lethbridge has already formed a strong team atmosphere.

“We’re together pretty much the whole day. Being a fourth year athlete knowing all the ins and outs and having to bring people into it is definitely a challenge getting to know people year after year. It’s been easier since we’ve been together so much this season already.”

The Pronghorns are losing two key players from last season in midfielder Rylie Mooney and striker Hailey Slobodian, who were top two in minutes played for Lethbridge. Slobodian also had a team high seven goals. 

Bovon says Mooney and Slobodian leave big shoes to fill, but he’s confident in recruits and returning players taking steps forward.

“That’s a massive loss in terms of output. We’ve got a great group of recruits and talent that are entering the group as new players that are exciting and give us different elements. Some players are going to fit in different roles and I think they’ll challenge the group that’s here right now.”

The Pronghorns open the Canada West Women’s Soccer season at home on Saturday, August 30 when they host the University of Alberta Pandas. Kickoff is scheduled for 12 p.m.

See Friday’s Herald for a season preview on the Pronghorns men’s soccer program